Contribution of birth defects and genetic diseases to pediatric hospitalizations. A population-based study

Maternal-fetal and neonatal pharmacogenomics: a review of current literature

Pharmacogenomics, the study of specific genetic variations and their effect on drug response, will likely give rise to many applications in maternal-fetal and neonatal medicine; yet, an understanding of these applications in the field of obstetrics and gynecology and neonatal pediatrics is not widespread. This review describes the underpinnings of the field of pharmacogenomics and summarizes the current pharmacogenomic inquiries in relation to maternal-fetal medicine-including studies on various fetal and neonatal genetic cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme variants and their role in drug toxicities (for example, codeine metabolism, sepsis and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) toxicity). Potential future directions, including alternative drug classification, improvements in drug efficacy and non-invasive pharmacogenomic testing, will also be explored.

Family history in public health practice: a genomic tool for disease prevention and health promotion

Family history is a risk factor for many chronic diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Professional guidelines usually include family history to assess health risk, initiate interventions, and motivate behavioral changes. The advantages of family history over other genomic tools include a lower cost, greater acceptability, and a reflection of shared genetic and environmental factors. However, the utility of family history in public health has been poorly explored. To establish family history as a public health tool, it needs to be evaluated within the ACCE framework (analytical validity; clinical validity; clinical utility; and ethical, legal, and social issues). Currently, private and public organizations are developing tools to collect standardized family histories of many diseases. Their goal is to create family history tools that have decision support capabilities and are compatible with electronic health records. These advances will help realize the potential of family history as a public health tool.

Providing contraception for women taking potentially teratogenic medications: a survey of internal medicine physicians' knowledge, attitudes and barriers

BACKGROUND

The majority of women prescribed category D or X medications may not receive adequate contraceptive counseling or a reliable contraceptive method. Physicians who prescribe potentially teratogenic medications have a responsibility to provide women with contraceptive counseling, a method of highly-effective contraception, or both.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the knowledge, beliefs and barriers of primary care physicians toward providing adequate contraception to women taking potential teratogens.

DESIGN & PARTICIPANTS

Self-administered confidential survey of primary care internal medicine physicians at an urban, academic medical center.

MEASUREMENTS

Knowledge of potential teratogenic medications and contraceptive failure rates was assessed. Participants' beliefs about adequacy of their medical education, practice limitations and attitudes toward improving provision of contraception to women on potential teratogens were assessed.

RESULTS

One hundred and ten physicians responded (57.3%). Nearly two-thirds (62.3%) of participants had cared for reproductive aged women taking category D or X medications in the past year. The mean percent of correctly identified category D or X medications was 58.4% (SD 22.1%). The mean percent correct for knowledge of published contraceptive failure rates was 64.6% (SD 23.1%). Most respondents (87.6%) felt it is the responsibility of primary care physicians to provide contraception. Time constraints were reported to be somewhat or very limiting by 61.3% and over half felt medical school (63.2%) or residency (58.1%) inadequately prepared them to prescribe or counsel about contraceptives.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care physicians commonly encounter reproductive age women taking category D or X medications, but may lack sufficient knowledge and time to counsel about potential teratogens and contraception to prevent fetal exposure to these drugs.

Impact of congenital anomalies and treatment location on the outcomes of infants hospitalized with herpes simplex virus (HSV)

BACKGROUND

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a rare but costly reason for hospitalization in infants under 60 days of age. The impact of coexisting comorbid conditions and treatment location on hospital outcome is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

Determine patient and hospital factors associated with poor outcomes or death in infants hospitalized with HSV.

DESIGN

: Retrospective cohort study using the 2003 Kids' Inpatient Database (KID).

SETTING

U.S. hospitals.

PATIENTS

Infants under 60 days of age with a diagnosis of HSV.

INTERVENTION

Treatment at different types of hospitals, younger age at admission, and presence of congenital anomalies.

MEASUREMENTS

Serious complications, in-hospital death.

RESULTS

A total of 10% of the 1587 identified HSV hospitalizations had a concurrent congenital anomaly. A total of 267 infants had a serious complication and 50 died. After controlling for clinical and hospital characteristics, concurrent congenital anomalies were associated with higher odds of a serious complication (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.00-5.56) and higher odds of death (adjusted OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.74-10.0). Similar results were found for infants admitted under 7 days of age. Although different hospital types had statistically similar clinical outcomes after controlling for case-mix differences, treatment at a children's hospital was associated with an 18% reduction in length of stay (LOS).

CONCLUSIONS

Infants with concurrent congenital anomalies infected with HSV were at increased risk for serious complications or death. Health resource use may be improved through identification and adoption of care practiced at children's hospitals.

VEGF polymorphisms are associated with endocardial cushion defects: a family-based case-control study

Endocardial cushion defects (ECDs) of the cardiac outflow tract are among the most common congenital heart disease phenotypes. VEGF is essential for endocardial cushion formation and derangements in VEGF synthesis lead to ECD. Three functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VEGF gene -2578 C>A, -1154 G>A, and -634 G>C play a role in cardiogenesis. In a Dutch case-control family study of triads, 190 case and 317 control children with both parents, we investigated linkage and association between these VEGF SNPs and ECD. Allele frequencies for the three VEGF SNPs were comparable between ECD children and controls. However, VEGF alleles -2578 C and -1154 G were transmitted more frequently to children with ECD (p = 0.003 and p = 0.002), in particular perimembranous ventricular septal defects (p = 0.012 and p = 0.006). The -2578A/-1154A/-634G haplotype was associated with a reduced risk of ECD (OR 0.7; 95% CI, 0.6-1.0) and was significantly less transmitted to children with ECD (p = 0.002). In a Dutch population, we show that the VEGF 2578 C, -1154 G alleles, and the AAG haplotype are associated with ECD. Possible VEGF gene-environment interactions exposures are discussed.

A retrospective population-based study of childhood hospital admissions with record linkage to a birth defects registry

Background

Using population-based linked records of births, deaths, birth defects and hospital admissions for children born 1980–1999 enables profiles of hospital morbidity to be created for each child.

Methods

This is an analysis of a state-based registry of birth defects linked to population-based hospital admission data. Transfers and readmissions within one day could be taken into account and treated as one episode of care for the purposes of analyses (N = 485,446 children; 742,845 non-birth admissions).

Results

Children born in Western Australia from 1980–1999 with a major birth defect comprised 4.6% of live births but 12.0% of non-birth hospital admissions from 1980–2000. On average, the children with a major birth defect remained in hospital longer than the children in the comparison group for the same diagnosis. The mean and median lengths of stay (LOS) for admissions before the age of 5 years have decreased for all children since 1980. However, the mean number of admissions per child admitted has remained constant at around 3.8 admissions for children with a major birth defect and 2.2 admissions for all other children.

Conclusion

To gain a true picture of the burden of hospital-based morbidity in childhood, admission records need to be linked for each child. We have been able to do this at a population level using birth defect cases ascertained by a birth defects registry. Our results showed a greater mean LOS and mean number of admissions per child admitted than previous studies. The results suggest there may be an opportunity for the children with a major birth defect to be monitored and seen earlier in the primary care setting for common childhood illnesses to avoid hospitalisation or reduce the LOS.

Congenital anomalies surveillance in Canada

Congenital anomalies (CA) are present in approximately 3% of all newborn babies and account for about 12% of paediatric hospital admissions. They represent an important public health problem. Surveillance is especially important so that preventive measures such as folic acid fortification can be properly assessed without resorting to a series of ad hoc studies. Canada's surveillance of CAs is weak, with only Alberta and British Columbia having established sytems. Most provinces have perinatal systems but their CA data are incomplete and they do not capture terminations of pregnancy. The same is true of the Public Health Agency of Canada's system. A new system, the Fetal Alert Network, has been proposed for Ontario, which represents a start but will require additional sources of ascertainment if it is to be a truly population-based system for Ontario.

Decreasing number of deaths of infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To assess mortality rates and demographic characteristics for infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) in California.

STUDY DESIGN

We used California death registry files from 1990 to 2004 to compare overall mortality and demographic characteristics between infants with HLHS (n = 856) who received surgical intervention and those who received comfort care. The California discharge database was used to calculate the annual incidence of disease and survival rates for infants with HLHS undergoing surgery between 1995 and 1999.

RESULTS

The annual number of deaths for infant with HLHS decreased by nearly 50% over the study period, even though the incidence of the disease remained constant during this period. For all deaths, the proportion of infants receiving comfort care decreased significantly over time compared with those infants who underwent surgery. Although the total number of deaths in infants with HLHS who underwent surgical intervention increased, the mortality rate for this cohort decreased. Interstage unexpected mortality and the median age at death both increased in the infants who underwent surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the study period of 1990 to 2004 in California, fewer families chose comfort care for infants diagnosed with HLHS, and the number of deaths for those infants who underwent surgical intervention increased. These changes likely reflect improved treatment outcomes and an increased number of families desiring surgical intervention in higher-risk infants.

Ethical issues raised by incorporation of genetics into the National Birth Defects Prevention Study

Investigators involved in public health research must conduct high-quality studies that advance scientific knowledge for the collective benefit of the public's health, while at the same time ensuring that the individual rights of human subjects are protected. Successful completion of the Human Genome Project provides greater opportunity to incorporate the study of genetic factors into public health research. Integration of DNA specimen collection into epidemiological studies of complex disorders, such as birth defects, is necessary to identify genetic risk factors that affect susceptibility to potentially modifiable environmental risk factors, but collection of DNA samples often heightens concerns about ethical issues. Some of these issues include ensuring informed consent in an ongoing study as new genetic risk factors and novel genetic technologies for study continue to be identified, achieving a balance between improving participation using incentives and avoiding coercion, ensuring confidentiality of individual genetic data, and considering when and how to report research results to study participants. We present a discussion of ethical issues addressed by investigators of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a multisite, population-based, case-control study of risk factors for birth defects, which has incorporated the study of genetic risk factors. Study participants include infants and young children whose parents consent on their behalf, increasing the complexity of the ethical issues. Discussion of these issues and the methods employed to ensure protection of human subjects might be helpful to other investigators working to integrate genetics into large epidemiological studies.

Sickle cell disease: current activities, public health implications, and future directions

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder caused by abnormal hemoglobin that damages and deforms red blood cells (RBCs). The abnormal red cells break down, causing anemia, and obstruct blood vessels, leading to recurrent episodes of severe pain and multiorgan ischemic damage. SCD affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among people whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa. Sickle cell trait (SCT) is an inherited condition in which both normal hemoglobin and sickle hemoglobin are produced in the RBCs. SCT is not a type of sickle cell disease. People with SCT are generally healthy. In SCD, clinical severity varies, ranging from mild and sometimes asymptomatic states to severe symptoms requiring hospitalization. Symptomatic treatments exist, but there is no cure for SCD. Although there has been extensive clinical and basic science research in SCD, many public health issues, such as blood safety surveillance, compliance with immunizations, follow-up of newborns with positive screening tests, stroke prevention, pregnancy complications, pain prevention, quality of life, and thrombosis, in people with SCT remain unaddressed. Currently, efforts are under way to strengthen SCD-related activities within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To date, several activities are being or have been conducted by centers within CDC, including quality assurance of newborn screening tests for SCD, morbidity and mortality studies, genetic studies, and studies focusing on the protective effects of SCT for malaria. This paper discusses the public health implications of SCD, summarizes SCD-related activities within CDC, and points to future directions that the agency can take to begin to address some of these issues.

Can we ensure the safe use of known human teratogens?: The iPLEDGE test case

Minimising the public health burden of isotretinoin-induced teratogenicity has been a challenge for 24 years, the duration of availability of isotretinoin in the US for the treatment of severe, recalcitrant nodular acne. Although the teratogenicity of this drug is well known and risk-management programmes had been implemented, preventable fetal exposures continued to occur, largely as a result of the lack of sufficient controls within the programmes themselves. The manufacturers of isotretinoin implemented a new risk-management programme, iPLEDGE, in March 2006. iPLEDGE is a comprehensive distribution system that includes mandatory registration of patients, healthcare providers, pharmacies, and wholesalers. It allows real-time linkage of pregnancy-test results for verification prior to the dispensing of isotretinoin. Although the challenges of implementing a closed distribution system for a very widely used medication have been extensive, the potential public health benefits from preventing fetal exposure to isotretinoin are substantial.

National estimates and race/ethnic-specific variation of selected birth defects in the United States, 1999-2001

BACKGROUND

In the United States, birth defects affect approximately 3% of all births, are a leading cause of infant mortality, and contribute substantially to childhood morbidity.

METHODS

Population-based data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Network were combined to estimate the prevalence of 21 selected defects for 1999-2001, stratified by surveillance system type. National prevalence was estimated for each defect by pooling data from 11 states with active case-finding, and adjusting for the racial/ethnic distribution of US live births. We also assessed racial/ethnic variation of the selected birth defects.

RESULTS

National birth defect prevalence estimates ranged from 0.82 per 10,000 live births for truncus arteriosus to 13.65 per 10,000 live births for Down syndrome. Compared with infants of non-Hispanic (NH) white mothers, infants of NH black mothers had a significantly higher birth prevalence of tetralogy of Fallot, lower limb reduction defects, and trisomy 18, and a significantly lower birth prevalence of cleft palate, cleft lip with or without cleft palate, esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula, gastroschisis, and Down syndrome. Infants of Hispanic mothers, compared with infants of NH white mothers, had a significantly higher birth prevalence of anencephalus, spina bifida, encephalocele, gastroschisis, and Down syndrome, and a significantly lower birth prevalence of tetralogy of Fallot, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, cleft palate without cleft lip, and esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula.

CONCLUSIONS

This study can be used to evaluate individual state surveillance data, and to help plan for public health care and educational needs. It also provides valuable data on racial/ethnic patterns of selected major birth defects.

The fetal alert network: an innovative program of access to care, surveillance, and education for birth defects in Ontario

Optimal pregnancy outcomes rely on coordinated timely access to appropriate evidence-based clinical care. This is particularly true for pregnant women carrying fetuses diagnosed with birth defects. A systematic approach to prenatal care is ideal, but Ontario has traditionally lagged behind other regions in this regard. In 2004, in response to this challenge, the Fetal Alert Network (FAN) was established with funding support from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. FAN is composed of five multidisciplinary regional health care teams of nurse coordinators working in close collaboration with primary obstetrical care providers, medical geneticists, specialists in maternal fetal medicine, and pediatric specialists. The teams facilitate access to subspecialists through patient triage and referral, provide outreach education, and act as local experts and change agents to improve care. A key objective is to go beyond a traditional surveillance system to the linkage of service provision with outcomes and effectiveness. FAN's objectives are to ensure optimal health care access and delivery at all levels, to promote coordination and collaboration among providers, to provide timely and accurate information about health system utilization and clinical outcomes, and to educate patients and primary care providers about prenatal diagnosis. Program evaluation is currently underway. Preliminary analyses indicate that achievement of these objectives has resulted in seamless coordinated access to service for the targeted group of patients, as well as enhanced communication among providers; accessible education and information; and precise, accurate, and timely health care data and information.

Birth defects as an indicator of the health status of Haitian women and their children

This study focuses on the incidence of birth defects among children born to Haitian women in Florida. Analysis of comparative data collected by the Florida Birth Defects Registry indicates a disproportionate rate of birth defects among babies born to Haitian women. Sociocultural and economic characteristics of the Haitian community and their relationship to birth defects are explored. The implications of the findings for public policies that address prenatal care and childbirth- related problems are discussed.

Dietary intake of B-vitamins in mothers born a child with a congenital heart defect

BACKGROUND

Periconceptional use of multivitamins reduces the risk of a child with a congenital heart defect (CHD). Data on the impact of maternal diet, however, are lacking.

AIM OF THE STUDY

We investigated the association between the maternal dietary intake of B-vitamins and having a child with a CHD.

METHODS

A case-control study was performed in 192 mothers of a child with a CHD and 216 mothers of a healthy child. Mothers filled out food frequency questionnaires covering the current dietary intake, and general questionnaires at 17 months after the index-pregnancy. Maternal blood samples were taken to determine B-vitamin and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations as nutritional biomarkers. Pregnant and lactating mothers and those with another diet compared with the preconceptional period were excluded for analysis. Case-mothers and controls were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression.

RESULTS

The dietary intake of macronutrients and B-vitamins was comparable between both groups, but all mothers had a substantially lower median folate intake (cases 161 microg, controls 175 microg) than the Dutch recommended dietary allowance of 300 microg. Within the case-group, the intake of proteins and vitamin B(6) and the concentrations of serum vitamin B(12) and folate were significantly lower in hyperhomocysteinemics (tHcy > or = 14.5 micromol/l) than in normohomocysteinemics. The maternal educational level was positively associated with B-vitamin intake, except for vitamin B(12) in controls. Low educated case-mothers showed a significantly lower median vitamin B(12) intake than controls (2.8 microg and 3.8 microg, P = 0.01). The CHD risk doubled if vitamin B(12) intake in these mothers reduced by 50% (OR 2.0; 95% CI: 1.1-3.5).

CONCLUSIONS

A diet low in vitamin B(12) is associated with an increased risk of a child with a CHD, especially in low educated women. A disbalance in the maternal intake of proteins and low folate intake may play a role as well, but needs further investigation. As hyperhomocysteinemia is a strong risk factor for adult cardiovascular disease, these data may imply that the hyperhomocysteinemic mothers and their children should be targeted for nutritional interventions.

Acute health events in adult patients with genetic disorders: the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area

PURPOSE

We ascertained and reviewed acute health events occurring in 2003 among patients age 18 and greater with well-defined single gene, chromosomal, and selected multifactorial conditions within the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area.

METHODS

Of 47,077 adult Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area Central cohort members, 1,831 (3.9%) had been given at least one of 71 ICD-9 codes appropriate for genetic diagnoses of interest. Physician review narrowed this to 591 (1.3%) validated patients for the study. Of the 591, 527 (89.2%) patients registered 6,849 visits, which were manually reviewed to delineate acute, relevant health events in the urgent care and primary care provider setting.

RESULTS

A total of 244 acute relevant health events among 126 patients corresponding to 58 different genetic conditions were observed. Acute relevant health events corresponded to 3.4% of the total health events in patients identified with genetic problems. Categories of genetic conditions with the highest frequencies of acute relevant health events included chromosomal and microdeletion syndromes (21.3%), hematologic disorders (11.5%), muscular dystrophies (8.6%), and connective tissue disorders (10.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

These data have multiple applications and implications in addressing the natural history, long-term medical needs and financial impact of adult patients with genetic conditions.

A population-based study of birth defects in Malaysia

Birth defects are one of the leading causes of paediatric disability and mortality in developed and developing countries. Data on birth defects from population-based studies originating from developing countries are lacking. One of the objectives of this study was to determine the epidemiology of major birth defects in births during the perinatal period in Kinta district, Perak, Malaysia over a 14-month period, using a population-based birth defect register. There were 253 babies with major birth defects in 17,720 births, giving an incidence of 14.3/1000 births, a birth prevalence of 1 in 70. There were 80 babies with multiple birth defects and 173 with isolated birth defects. The exact syndromic diagnosis of the babies with multiple birth defects could not be identified in 18 (22.5%) babies. The main organ systems involved in the isolated birth defects were cardiovascular (13.8%), cleft lip and palate (11.9%), clubfeet (9.1%), central nervous system (CNS) (including neural tube defects) (7.9%), musculoskeletal (5.5%) and gastrointestinal systems (4.7%), and hydrops fetalis (4.3%). The babies with major birth defects were associated with lower birth weights, premature deliveries, higher Caesarean section rates, prolonged hospitalization and increased specialist care. Among the cohort of babies with major birth defects, the mortality rate was 25.2% during the perinatal period. Mothers with affected babies were associated with advanced maternal age, birth defects themselves or their relatives but not in their other offspring, and significantly higher rates of previous abortions. The consanguinity rate of 2.4% was twice that of the control population. It is concluded that a birth defects register is needed to monitor these developments and future interventional trials are needed to reduce birth defects in Malaysia.

Descriptive epidemiology of selected congenital heart defects, Hawaii, 1986-1999

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect and contribute the most to infant mortality due to birth defects. This study examined the relationship between several demographic factors and selected congenital heart defects among the unique multiethnic population in Hawaii during 1986-99, using data from a population-based birth defects registry. Rates were significantly higher in 1993-99 than in 1986-92 for transposition of the great arteries and Ebstein's anomaly, and significantly lower for tetralogy of Fallot. Significantly elevated rates were found with maternal age of > or =35 years for ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, endocardial cushion defect, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. When cases with a known chromosomal abnormality were excluded, elevated rates among the older maternal age group remained for ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Whites had significantly higher rates than one or more of the other racial/ethnic groups for Ebstein's anomaly and coarctation of aorta, and significantly lower rates for tetralogy of Fallot, atrial septal defect, pulmonary valve atresia/stenosis, tricuspid valve atresia/stenosis, and anomalous pulmonary venous return. Significantly higher rates were found among males for transposition of great arteries, aortic valve stenosis, and interrupted aortic arch and, among females, for ventricular septal defect, endocardial cushion defect, and anomalous pulmonary venous return. Some of these differences were consistent with the literature while others were not.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program: 35 years of birth defects surveillance at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

BACKGROUND

The Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program (MACDP) is a population-based birth defects surveillance program administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that has been collecting, analyzing, and interpreting birth defects surveillance data since 1967. This paper presents an overview of MACDP current methods and accomplishments over the past 35 years.

METHODS

MACDP actively monitors major birth defects among infants born to residents of five counties of metropolitan Atlanta, an area with approximately 50,000 annual births. Cases are ascertained from multiple sources, coded using a modified British Pediatric Association six-digit code, and reviewed and classified by clinical geneticists.

RESULTS

MACDP has monitored trends in birth defects rates and has served as a case registry for descriptive, risk factor, and prognostic studies of birth defects, including studies of Agent Orange exposure among Vietnam War veterans, maternal use of multivitamins, diabetes, febrile illnesses, and survival of children with neural tube defects. MACDP has served as a data source for one of the centers participating in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, and for developing and evaluating neural tube defects prevention strategies related to the periconceptional use of folic acid supplements.

CONCLUSIONS

Since its inception, MACDP has served as a resource for the development of uniform methods and approaches to birth defect surveillance across the United States and in many other countries, monitoring birth defects rates, and as a case registry for various descriptive, etiologic, and survival studies of birth defects. MACDP has also served as a training ground for a large number of professionals active in birth defects epidemiology.

The burden of genetic disease on inpatient care in a children's hospital

The important role of genetics in pediatric illness has been increasingly recognized, but the true impact has not been well delineated. An important study of pediatric inpatient admissions to a children's hospital in 1978 found a genetic basis for disease in just less than half of admitted patients. We sought to update this study in light of current hospitalization practices and new knowledge about genetics. We systematically reviewed the records of 5,747 consecutive admissions (4,224 individuals), representing 98% of patients admitted in 1996 to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital (Cleveland, OH). Each patient was assigned to one of five groups on the basis of the presence or absence of an underlying chronic medical condition and whether that condition had a genetic basis or susceptibility. An underlying disorder with a significant genetic component was found in 71% of admitted children. The vast majority (96%) of underlying chronic disorders in children in this study were either clearly genetic or had a genetic susceptibility. Total charges for 1996 were >$62 million, of which $50 million (81%) was accounted for by disorders with a genetic determinant. The 34% of admissions with clearly genetic underlying disorders accounted for 50% (>$31 million) of the total hospital charges. The mean length of stay was 40% longer for individuals with an underlying disease with a genetic basis than for those with no underlying disease. Charges and length of stay were similar for children with underlying chronic disorders, regardless of the cause. This study begins to quantify the enormous impact of genetic disease on inpatient pediatrics and the health care system. Additional study and frank public discourse are needed to understand the implications on the future health care workforce and on the utilization of health care resources.

Contribution of malformations and genetic disorders to mortality in a children's hospital

Malformations and genetic disorders are the leading cause of infant mortality in the US. Many malformations have a genetic basis due to genic, chromosomal, or multifactorial causation. We have studied the proportion of pediatric cases in a university-affiliated children's hospital that died of malformations and genetic disorders. We reviewed, retrospectively, deaths over a 4 year period (1994-1998) at Primary Children's Medical Center (PCMC), a university-affiliated tertiary children's referral hospital in Utah. The age at death and the cause of death were recorded for each case. We analyzed 523 cases; 180 (34.4%) deaths were due to malformations and genetic disorders. Of those 180, 30 (16.7%) had chromosome anomalies, 21 (11.7%) had a recognizable malformation syndrome, 118 (65.6%) had a malformation of unknown cause, and 11 (6.1%) had some other genetic disorder. One hundred and twenty-two (23.3%) deaths were due to trauma (accidental and non-accidental). Seventy-nine (15.1%) deaths were due to short gestation or perinatal complications. Forty-five (8.6%) deaths were due to an infectious disease and 45 (8.6%) from neoplasms. Thirteen (2.5%) were diagnosed for sudden infant death "syndrome." Twelve (2.3%) patients with malformations and/or genetic disorders died of an acquired condition not clearly related to the underlying disorder. Seven (1.3%) patients died of an unknown cause and 20 (3.8%) patients died of other specified conditions. In addition, 51.0% patients (age <1 year) died of a malformation and/or genetic disorder. Genetic disorders and malformations are a substantial cause of mortality in a referral pediatric hospital. Knowledge of the impact of genetic diseases on mortality is important for the integration of preventive measures and health care strategies to care effectively for patients and their families. This information emphasizes the importance of further study of whether or not early recognition influences mortality rate and management.

Attitudes of pediatric residents toward ethical issues associated with genetic testing in children

OBJECTIVE

To assess the attitudes of pediatric residents toward molecular genetic testing and some associated ethical issues that accompany its use in pediatric patients.

METHODS

A questionnaire study of pediatric residents (n = 160; response rate: 40%) enrolled in training programs at 3 New York metropolitan area hospitals was designed to determine their attitudes toward genetic testing in children and adolescents. The study instrument presented 2 clinical vignettes that described scenarios where a pediatric patient was at risk for being affected with or a carrier of a genetic disorder. Residents returned the questionnaire anonymously.

RESULTS

Most pediatric residents recognized the importance of educating family members (95%) and at-risk individuals (89%) about the inheritance pattern of the disorders they were at risk for. However, a substantial number would order predictive testing for Huntington disease in a child at the request of a parent (39% at age 10 and 52% at age 17), and more than half would order fragile X carrier studies on the cognitively normal sister of an affected male (56%).

CONCLUSIONS

An effort must be made to educate all physicians during their residency training about the ethical issues associated with genetic testing. For pediatric residents, such education must include instruction on the complexities associated with offering such testing in this age group.

Tandem mass spectrometry and newborn screening: pilot data and review

United States legislatures are debating whether to use tandem mass spectrometry to expand the roster of inherited disorders tested in newborn screening programs. The debate is hampered because published financial data comparing charges associated with late vs early diagnosis are not readily available. We provide pilot financial data comparing late diagnosis vs presumptive diagnosis and early management taken from consecutive patients with propionic acidemia diagnosed from 1995-1998 in New Hampshire. We extrapolated from these data and the incidence of treatable inborn errors of metabolism to estimate the projected yearly savings of critical care charges if expanded newborn screening were instituted. We conclude that institution of expanded screening will bring diminished morbidity and large savings in yearly chronic care and critical care charges.

Ethical dimensions of genetics in pediatric neurology: a look into the future

Health care providers and families with children who participate in genetic research or who need specialized genetic services, including genetic testing, will encounter not only medical but difficult social, ethical, and legal questions surrounding pediatric genetic neurology. Children are often at the center of much of the genetic revolution and their unique needs raise special concerns about the risks and benefits associated with genetic research, particularly the issues of consent, the use of genetic databases, and gene therapy. Moreover, genetic research and testing raise important psychosocial risks. In this article we discuss some of the benefits and consequences of genetic technologies for children in relation to national and international guidelines. In particular, physicians, policy-makers, and families should be knowledgeable about the guidelines and have a good understanding of the psychosocial and ethical issues associated with genetics in pediatric neurology.

Prevalence and patterns of presentation of genetic disorders in a pediatric emergency department

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence and patterns of presentation of previously diagnosed and of suspected genetic disorders among pediatric emergency department (ED) visits to a hospital that serves an inner-city population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of 15,258 pediatric (<18 years old) ED visits at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center was undertaken for visits that occurred between October 1998 and February 1999. Suspected genetic disorders, classified into chromosomal, single gene, multifactorial, and other syndromic categories, were recorded.

RESULTS

Of 15,258 visits reviewed, 2839 visits (18.6%) were by patients who had known or suspected genetic disorders. Previously diagnosed genetic disorders were documented in 80 visits (2.8%). Of these, 69 visits (86.2%) were related to single gene disorders, 3 (3.8%) to chromosomal disorders, 6 (7.5%) to multifactorial disorders, and 2 (2.5%) to disorders in the "other" category. Of these 80 visits, 59 (74%) were associated with sickle cell disease. The remaining 2759 visits (97.2%) were associated with complaints or diagnoses that suggested the possibility of an underlying genetic disorder requiring further evaluation and diagnostic work-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric patients with known or suspected genetic disorders are frequently treated in EDs. Awareness of underlying genetic disorders facilitates diagnostic evaluation, treatment planning, and referral to a genetics clinic for counseling.

Deaths attributed to pediatric complex chronic conditions: national trends and implications for supportive care services

BACKGROUND

Children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) might benefit from pediatric supportive care services, such as home nursing, palliative care, or hospice, especially those children whose conditions are severe enough to cause death. We do not know, however, the extent of this population or how it is changing over time.

OBJECTIVES

To identify trends over the past 2 decades in the pattern of deaths attributable to pediatric CCCs, examining counts and rates of CCC-attributed deaths by cause and age (infancy: <1 year old, childhood: 1-9 years old, adolescence or young adulthood: 10-24 years old) at the time of death, and to determine the average number of children living within the last 6 months of their lives.

DESIGN/METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using national death certificate data and census estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics. Participants included all people 0 to 24 years old in the United States from 1979 to 1997. CCCs comprised a broad array of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for cardiac, malignancy, neuromuscular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, immunodeficiency, metabolic, genetic, and other congenital anomalies. Trends of counts and rates were tested using negative binomial regression.

RESULTS

Of the 1.75 million deaths that occurred in 0- to 24-year-olds from 1979 to 1997, 5% were attributed to cancer CCCs, 16% to noncancer CCCs, 43% to injuries, and 37% to all other causes of death. Overall, both counts and rates of CCC-attributed deaths have trended downward, with declines more pronounced and statistically significant for noncancer CCCs among infants and children, and for cancer CCCs among children, adolescents, and young adults. In 1997, deaths attributed to all CCCs accounted for 7242 infant deaths, 2835 childhood deaths, and 5109 adolescent deaths. Again, in 1997, the average numbers of children alive who would die because of a CCC within the ensuing 6-month period were 1097 infants, 1414 children, and 2548 adolescents or young adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Population-based planning of pediatric supportive care services should use measures that best inform our need to provide care for time-limited events (perideath or bereavement care) versus care for ongoing needs (home nursing or hospice). Pediatric supportive care services will need to serve patients with a broad range of CCCs from infancy into adulthood.

Racial and temporal variations in the prevalence of heart defects

BACKGROUND

Documenting the prevalence and trends of congenital heart defects provides useful data for pediatric practice, health-care planning, and causal research. Yet, most population-based studies use data from the 1970s and 1980s. We sought to extend into more recent years the study of temporal and racial variations of heart defects occurrence in a well-defined population.

METHODS

We used data from the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program, a population-based registry with active case ascertainment from multiple sources. Heart defects were identified among liveborn infants up to 1 year old, among stillborn infants, and among pregnancy terminations to mothers residing in metropolitan Atlanta.

RESULTS

From 1968 through 1997, the registry ascertained 5813 major congenital heart defects among 937 195 infants, for a prevalence of 6.2 per 1000. The prevalence increased to 9.0 per 1000 births in 1995 through 1997. The prevalence of ventricular septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, atrioventricular septal defects, and pulmonary stenosis increased, whereas that of transposition of the great arteries decreased. For some defects, prevalence and trends varied by race.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of congenital heart defects is increasing. Whereas most findings likely result from improved case ascertainment and reporting, others might be because of changes in the distribution of risk factors in the population. The basis of the racial variations is incompletely understood.

Family factors and social support in the developmental outcomes of very low-birth weight children

This study used data that were representative of the normative population of all infants born in 1988 and were followed during the first 3 years of life. Large developmental delays and limitations in function were common among children weighing less than 1500 g at birth. Among very low-birth weight infants, minority status and living in a household headed by a single mother further worsen the disadvantages associated with a very low birth weight. Nor could the disadvantages associated with very low birth weight be accounted for by controls for other risk factors or buffering statuses and behaviors. Among all children (including those of very low birth weight) poverty, reliance on Medicaid and other government sources for health insurance, a history of risky behaviors, and inadequate prenatal care are the major risk factors for developmental delays, limitations in function, and impairment at birth. State program benefit levels have no obvious effects on child outcomes, taking into account participation in individual programs. An important finding in light of TANF is that maternal work, the use of child care, and the form and cost of child care did not influence developmental delay, limitation in function, or impairment, the outcomes that we were able to measure during the first 3 years of life. TANF eligibility requirements, however, may increase difficulty in obtaining prenatal and other medical services for mothers and children in need--factors shown here to be related strongly to increased risk of low birth weight and developmental delays, limitations, and impairments. Race and ethnicity, poverty status, and family structure are fundamental factors in early child development and function. Minority status, poverty, and single-parent households greatly increase the likelihood that a mother will engage in risky behaviors (smoking, alcohol use, illegal drug use) during pregnancy and receive inadequate prenatal care. Risky behaviors and inadequate prenatal care are the major risk factors for a baby of very low birth weight. When perinatologists first encounter a new patient who is of very low birth weight they often see an infant who is minority, in poverty, and in a single-parent household. Although such children did more poorly in development and function by age 3, the major effects of these variables were through the selectivity of such children into very low birth weight; the direct impact of these factors on development is somewhat muted. This research suggests there are a number of policies that can reduce development delays and functional limitations among children in the United States. Programs that are targeted to a mother and child (such as WIC, AFDC, health insurance coverage, and possibly the more recent TANF programs) significantly reduced the risk an infant will be of very low birth weight. Access and use of adequate prenatal care are essential. Programs designed to combat maternal behaviors that place the fetus at risk (smoking, alcohol, and illegal drug use) can be very successful in reducing the likelihood an infant will be of very low birth weight. An additional payoff from such programs comes after the birth, because even taking into account birth weight, these variables negatively impact on early childhood development and function. Single-parent family structure, race and ethnic minority status, and poverty status also are known to impact on kindergarten readiness, so that we expect a delayed impact of these variables on the child. The strength of this article is the use of normative population data to assess the role of birth weight in child outcome. We examined prenatal risk factors for a baby of very low birth weight, traced the manner by which these selective risks are reflected in the composition of very low-birth weight babies, demonstrated how a very low birth weight was fundamental to delays in development, and identified risk factors and potential buffers in this process. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Genetic counseling: clinical and ethical challenges

After explaining the origin, nature, and goals of genetic counseling, we consider the impact of the Human Genome Project on its practice. In light of the availability of presymptomatic tests for late-onset disorders and the possibility of preventive behavior or treatment, we examine the apparent conflict between nondirectiveness and directiveness in genetic counseling. We discuss views of genetic counselors, medical geneticists, and counselees on specific issues, and document gender differences in attitudes toward genetic ties to offspring. Because genetic discrimination and unequal access to genetic services are likely to increase with advances in genetics, we conclude that efforts of genetic counselors to adhere to the principle of justice or equity in their practice cannot be successful without governmental and public support, as well as support from researchers and colleagues in health care.

Preventing morbidity and mortality from sickle cell disease. A public health perspective

CONTEXT

Sickle cell disease is a group of conditions characterized by production of abnormal hemoglobin, with clinical manifestations that vary by genotype and age.

OBJECTIVE

To discuss current public health issues associated with sickle cell disease, and approaches to preventing complications from these conditions in the United States.

DESIGN

Literature review.

RESULTS

Most clinical interventions for people with sickle cell disease discussed in the medical literature can be classified as tertiary prevention: for example, therapy to ameliorate anemia, reduce the frequency of pain crises, or prevent stroke recurrences. A form of secondary prevention, newborn screening, has emerged as an important public health approach to identifying affected children before they develop complications. Newborn screening is the starting point for simple public health strategies such as parental education, immunization, and penicillin prophylaxis. Identification of affected families by newborn or community screening programs has also been an entry point for genetic counseling, although utilization of prenatal testing has varied by factors such as geographic location. Public health agencies have had significant involvement with funding, policy making, and formulation of laboratory and clinical guidelines for sickle cell disease. Since the introduction of penicillin prophylaxis policies, newborn screening, new immunizations, and comprehensive medical care centers, the survival of young children with sickle cell disease has improved.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the efforts of preventive medicine providers in public health programs are not solely responsible for the improved survival of children with sickle cell disease, such programs remain an important component in preventing sickle cell complications.