Pediatric Dysphagia Risk Screening Instrument (PDRSI) in Children With Cerebral Palsy

This study aimed to evaluate whether the Pediatric Dysphagia Risk Screening Instrument (PDRSI) was a suitable test for children with cerebral palsy (CP) and assess the instrument's Turkish validity and reliability. One-hundred twenty-six children with CP participated in this study. "Cronbach's alpha (ɑ)," "Cronbach's ɑ when one item is deleted," "inter-item correlation," and "corrected item-to-total correlation" were used to assess internal consistency. In addition, inter-rater agreement tests (Cohen's kappa coefficient) were conducted for reliability. Construct validity was used to assess the validity. Moreover, flexible fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of the swallowing method was used to describe the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and calculate the sensitivity and specificity of T-PDRSI. It was found that the PDRSI had adequate validity and reliability. The PDRSI can be used in children with CP as a valid and reliable instrument with high sensitivity and specificity.

The patients with intrathecal baclofen pump in the age of COVID-19: a single center study

PURPOSE

Intrathecal baclofen pump treatment is employed in the treatment of various diseases. Despite the benefits of intrathecal baclofen pump, patients may occasionally encounter severe complications. These complications may necessitate urgent assessment or intervention for patients with intrathecal baclofen pumps. This study aimed to evaluate the intrathecal baclofen pump-related problems, the utilization of health services, physical-psychosocial status, and the quality of life of patients with intrathecal baclofen pumps during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional, phone-based survey study between 1 June 2021 and 15 July 2021 with a sample of 23 patients with intrathecal baclofen pumps. The patients' quality of life before the implantation of the pump, after one year of implantation, and during the pandemic was evaluated with the 3-level version of EQ-5D.

RESULTS

Catheter migration developed in one of the patients, after which the pump was changed. While the dose of baclofen was altered in eight (38.1%) patients during the pandemic period, the filling period was modified in three (14.3%) patients. While 61.9% of the patients reported that their general health, mobility, spasticity and joint mobility were worse than before the pandemic, 90.5% of the patients stated that their communication and mood were worse than before the pandemic. The 3-level version of EQ-5D and EQ-Visual Analogue Scale scores of the patients were significantly decreased during pandemic (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the complications of the intrathecal baclofen pump, its management should continue uninterruptedly during the pandemic period.

Pediatric dysphagia overview: best practice recommendation study by multidisciplinary experts

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is no comprehensive and multidisciplinary recommendation study covering all aspects of pediatric dysphagia (PD). This study aimed to generate PD management recommendations with methods that can be used in clinical practice to fill this gap in our country and in the world, from the perspective of experienced multidisciplinary experts.

METHODS

This recommendation paper was generated by a multidisciplinary team, using the seven-step process and a three-round modified Delphi survey via e-mail. First, ten open-ended questions were created, and then detailed recommendations including management, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up were created with the answers from these questions. Each recommendation item was voted on by the experts as overall consensus (strong recommendation), approaching consensus (weak recommendation) and divergent consensus (not recommended).

RESULTS

In the 1st Delphi round, a questionnaire of 414 items was prepared based on the experts' responses to ten open-ended questions. In the 2nd Delphi round, 59.2% of these items were accepted as pre-recommendation. In the 3rd Delphi round, 62.6% of 246 items were accepted for inclusion in the proposals. The final version recommendations consisted of 154 items.

CONCLUSIONS

This study includes comprehensive and detailed answers for every problem that could be posed in clinical practice for the management of PD, and recommendations are for all pediatric patients with both oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia.

The effects of COVID-19 fear and anxiety on symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood in patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals faced psychological stress caused by fear and anxiety due to the high transmission and mortality rate of the disease, the social isolation, economic problems, and difficulties in reaching health services. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic centralized pain sensitivity disorder. Psychological, physical and/or autoimmune stressors were found to increase FM symptoms. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 fear and anxiety level, and to examine their effect on disease severity, sleep quality, and mood in FM patients compared to control group.

METHODS

This pilot study conducted as a cross-sectional study, and included 62 participants. Participants were divided into two groups: FM patient group (n = 31) and control group (n = 31). Symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood were determined using the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), Pitsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. In order to evaluate the level of COVID-19 fear and anxiety, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) were used compared to control group.

RESULTS

FIQR, PSQI, HAD-A, HAD-D, FCV-19S and CAS scores were significantly higher in the FM group (p = 0.01). A positive significant correlation was found between FCV-19S and CAS results and FIQR, PSQI, and HAD-anx results in FM patients (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This pilot study showed that, the individuals with FM can be more affected by psychological stress, and this situation negatively affects the symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood in FM patients, so these patients should be closely monitored in terms of psychological stressors and their effects during pandemics. More studies with more participants are necessary to describe the challenges lived by fibromyalgia population.

Evaluation of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with cerebral palsy, caregivers' quality of life, and caregivers' fear of COVID-19 with telemedicine

Background

The sudden and unexpected pandemic changed the daily routine of the children with cerebral palsy (CP) and their caregivers.

Aims

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the utilization of health and rehabilitation services and the general health and physical status of children with CP. In addition, the second aim of the study was to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregivers’ quality of life (QOL) and their fear of COVID-19.

Methods

The utilization of children health and rehabilitation services during the pandemic, the general health and physical status of the children during the pandemic, and the children and caregivers’ history of COVID-19 infections were questioned. Furthermore, the caregivers’ level of fear of COVID-19 and their QOL were examined.

Results

One hundred twenty caregivers were contacted by phone, and 94 (78.33%) caregivers agreed to participate in the study. Sixty-three of 94 children (67.1%) did not attend their routine control check-up during the pandemic. Twelve children (12.8%) discontinued their physical therapy sessions during the pandemic. Caregivers physical and mental QOL significantly decreased during the pandemic (p < 0.05). The median of caregivers’ Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S) was 17.5 (7–35).

Conclusion

We think that more attention should be given to telerehabilitation and telemedicine services of the clinicians who deal with the children with CP, and their caregivers in order to prevent the negative effects of future pandemic periods.