Princess Margaret Hospital for Children

About: Princess Margaret Hospital for Children is a healthcare organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Randomized controlled trial. The organization has 1501 authors who have published 2068 publications receiving 75773 citations. The organization is also known as: Perth Children's Hospital & PMH.

Bronchodilator Response During Acute Viral Bronchiolitis in Infancy

Abstract: Bronchodilator responsiveness was assessed by measuring specific respiratory conductance before and after inhalation of aerosolized bronchodilator in 50 infants who had acute bronchiolitis due to respiratory syncytial virus infection. Thirty per cent of the infants showed an improvement in specific conductance. Responders could not be differentiated from nonresponders by family histories of atopy, eosinophil counts, or immunoglobulin levels in blood and nasal secretions. Eighty-three per cent of the families and 54% of the mothers of the infants were smokers. Babies of smoking mothers had lower specific conductances than did those of nonsmoking mothers but showed no differences in bronchodilator response. The clinical significance of this bronchodilator-responsive sub-group has yet to be defined.

Early lung disease in infants and preschool children with cystic fibrosis what have we learned and what should we do about it

Abstract: The past decade has seen significant advances in understanding of the pathogenesis and progression of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). Pulmonary inflammation, infection, and structural lung damage manifest very early in life and are prevalent among preschool children and infants, often in the absence of symptoms or signs. Early childhood represents a pivotal period amenable to intervention strategies that could delay or prevent the onset of lung damage and alter the longer-term clinical trajectory for individuals with CF. This review summarizes what we have learned about early lung disease in children with CF and discusses the implications for future clinical practice and research.

The psychosocial burden of childhood overweight and obesity: evidence for persisting difficulties in boys and girls

Abstract: There is evidence that overweight and obese children tend to remain overweight or obese into adolescence and adulthood. However, little is known about the long-term psychosocial outcomes of childhood overweight and obesity. This study aimed to investigate the course of psychosocial difficulties over a 2-year period for children who were overweight or obese at baseline, and a sample of children who were a healthy weight at baseline. Participants were 212 children aged 8 to 13 years at baseline, who were participating in the Childhood Growth and Development (GAD) Study. Questionnaire and interview measures were used to assess children’s self-esteem, depressive symptoms, body image, eating disorder symptoms, experiences with bullying, family satisfaction and quality of life. Linear mixed models were used to consider longitudinal changes in psychosocial variables. Overweight and obese children reported greater psychosocial distress than healthy weight children, and these differences were more pronounced for girls than boys. Weight and psychosocial impairment showed stability from baseline to 2-year follow-up. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that psychosocial difficulties show considerable stability in childhood, for overweight/obese and healthy weight children.

The effectiveness of a peer support camp for siblings of children with cancer

Abstract: Background Siblings of children with cancer have higher levels of psychological stress and adaptational difficulties compared to siblings of healthy children and children with other chronic illness. This is the first study to report on the mental health of Australian siblings of children with cancer and examines the effects of a therapeutic peer support camp—Camp Onwards, as an intervention. Procedure A protocol, designed to reduce levels of distress, improve social competence, and improve knowledge about the impact of cancer and its treatment was developed. Siblings (n = 26) 8–13 years were assessed using standardised self-report measures pre and post intervention and at −8 weeks follow-up with: the Behaviour Assessment for Children (BASC) (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992), Self Perception Profile for Children (SPP-C) (Harter, 1985), Sibling Perception Questionnaire (SPQ) (Carpenter & Sahler, 1991). Results Change was measured using paired t tests. At pre-test, 40% of the sample demonstrated increased levels of emotional distress when compared to the normal population. Post intervention, siblings reported lower levels of distress demonstrated by decreased anxiety (P = 0.01) and positive changes in the Self Report of Personality [BASC] (P = 0.00). Improved social competence was noted in the interpersonal domain of the SPQ (P = 0.01) and also greater social acceptance scores on the SPP-C (P = 0.01). Improved knowledge about the impact of cancer and its treatment was evidenced by significant reductions in the fear of disease domain on the SPQ (P = 0.01). Conclusions Siblings who attended Camp Onwards demonstrated improved mental health outcomes that were sustained at follow-up, demonstrating its effectiveness as an intervention strategy in supporting sibling adjustment. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2006; 47:580–588. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The Use of an Automated, Portable, Glucose Control System for Overnight Glucose Control in Adolescents and Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract: OBJECTIVE A key milestone in progress towards providing an efficacious and safe closed-loop artificial pancreas system for outpatient use is the development of fully automated, portable devices with fault detection capabilities to ensure patient safety. The ability to remotely monitor the operation of the closed-loop system would facilitate future physician–supervised home studies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study was designed to investigate the efficacy and safety of a fully automated, portable, closed-loop system. The Medtronic Portable Glucose Control System (PGCS) consists of two subcutaneous glucose sensors, a control algorithm based on proportional-integral-derivative with insulin feedback operating from a BlackBerry Storm smartphone platform, Bluetooth radiofrequency translator, and an off-the-shelf Medtronic Paradigm Veo insulin pump. Participants with type 1 diabetes using insulin pump therapy underwent two consecutive nights of in-clinic, overnight, closed-loop control after a baseline open-loop assessment. RESULTS Eight participants attended for 16 overnight studies. The PGCS maintained mean overnight plasma glucose levels of 6.4 ± 1.7 mmol/L (115 ± 31 mg/dL). The proportion of time with venous plasma glucose 8 mmol/L was 7, 78, and 15%, respectively. The proportion of time the sensor glucose values were maintained between 3.9 and 8 mmol/L was greater for closed-loop than open-loop (84.5 vs. 46.7%; P P CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the PGCS, an automated closed-loop device, is safe and effective in achieving overnight glucose control in patients with type 1 diabetes.