Upcoming Events

Philadelphia FIGHT PrEP Breakfast

Date: July 17, 2019

Time: 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Location: William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce Street 

This event is for health care providers and professionals in the Philadelphia Metro region. Come and learn about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) the once daily pill that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV through sex when taken every day and used together with other proven prevention methods. Learn more.

Symposium on Gram Negative Bacteria Resistance

Date: July 31, 2019

Time: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Location: The Wistar Institute, 3601 Spruce Street

The conference focuses on pathophysiology and prevention of Gram-negative bacteria. The goal is to bring together leading investigators in the field for in depth discussions on the current global state of infections that drive anti-microbial resistance (AMR). Perspectives to be covered include strategies to exploit novel bacterial vulnerabilities, updates on cutting-edge approaches towards Gram-negative infections and the next steps in combating AMR. Learn more and register here.

Global Health in Our Own Backyard: Controversies, Initiatives, and Innovations for Our Local Underserved Populations

Date: October 4-5, 2019.

Location: Colket Building

Abstract submission has closed, but you can save the date to attend the 11th Annual CHOP Global Health Conference "Global Health in Our Own Backyard," This Philadelphia-based Conference will explore the intersections between domestic, local and international global pediatric health to better reach the underserved here in the United States. We will take inspiration from innovative programs in the U.S. and from around the world, and think critically about how to apply both South-North and national lessons to provide better, more equitable care in the United States. Registration will open shortly. For more information, click here.

Recent Publications

Medication use in infants with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia admitted to United States children's hospitals.

The most common chronic morbidity of premature birth is bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), and it strongly predicts death, disability, and poor cardiorespiratory health in childhood. Over 60% of infants surviving with severe BPD (sBPD) are cognitively impaired by 2 years postmenstrual age. There is an urgent need to identify pharmacotherapies that safely improve disease course in sBPD. Nicolas Bamat, MD, MSCE led a retrospective cohort study to identify the number of cumulative medication exposures and most frequently used medications in infants with sBPD. They found that infants with sBPD are exposed to an alarming number of medications of unclear efficacy and safety, with marked variation between center. 

Epidemiology of Serious Bacterial Infections in Infants Less Than 90 Days in a Military Health System Cohort.

Suspected serious bacterial infections (SBIs) are difficult to manage in infants less than 3 months old, and understanding the epidemiology of SBI is necessary to inform management decisions. A team of researchers including Jeffrey Gerber, MD, PhD, MSCE conducted a study to describe the burden of SBIs in previously healthy infants less than 90 days old. They found the incidence of SBI decreased by 50% between 2005 and 2015, due in large part by the decrease in E. coli UTI over the study period, which is an area for further study. Enterococcus species proved to be a more common contributor to SBI than expected. 

Outcomes of human adenovirus infection and disease in a retrospective cohort of pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.

Infectious complications from opportunistic viral infections result in significant morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Human adenovirus (HAdV) is increasingly recognized as an important opportunistic pathogen in this patient population. Patients can either acquire primary infection from horizontal transmission or sustain a reactivation event from persistent asymptomatic presence of the virus. Due to the increasing incidence of pediatric SOTs and heart transplants in the past two decades, it is important to define the contemporary epidemiology and outcomes of HAdV infection and disease in pediatric SOT recipients using established definitions for each entity. Craig Boge, MPH, Brian Fisher, DO, MSCE, and visiting scholar Dr. Despoina Galetaki, with colleagues, found in a study of pediatric SOT recipients, HAdV infection and disease were relatively rare and did not seem to impact the overall survival during the follow-up period. This raises the question of whether there is a need for a universal surveillance testing regimen in this population, or if more tailored surveillance could be more efficient. 

Comprehensive comparative outcomes in children with congenital heart disease: The rationale for the Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative.

Clinical research in the treatment of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) is limited by the wide variant of CHD manifestations and therapeutic options as well as the generally low incidence of CHD. The lack of comprehensive, contemporary outcomes studies may result in a lack of data-driven medical decision making. This inspired the founding of a multicenter research collaborative, the Congenital Catheterization Research Collaborative (CCRC). The mission of the CCRC is to improve the outcomes for patient with CHD by undertaking hypothesis-driven research with a special focus on areas of innovation within pediatric and adult congenital interventional cardiology. Andrew Glatz, MD, MSCE and colleagues published an in-depth rationale for the creation of the CCRC, along with their work to-date and future directions.  

Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor-induced psoriasis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients.

The development of psoriasis while on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) is a paradoxical effect of agents that treat psoriasis. There is a lack of data available on this entity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). In this study, researchers including Pamela Weiss, MD, MSCE sought to determine the prevalence of TNFi-induced psoriasis in patients with JIA and psoriasis response to therapeutic modifications. Their findings suggest discontinuation of TNFi or biologic class switching should be considered as treatment strategies in select patients. 

Treatment and Antimicrobial Resistance in Children with Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections are common infections among children and the most common cause of proven bacterial infection in febrile infants without localizing signs. UTIs have been identified as the second most common reason for antibiotic prescribing in pediatric outpatients in Greece. However, increased resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics makes treatment difficult. In this study, Theo Zaoutis, MD, MSCE and his colleagues found high prescribing rates for amikacin and penicillins and prolonged intravenous treatments. Establishing antimicrobial stewardship programs and regular monitoring of antimicrobial resistance could help to minimize inappropriate prescribing for UTIs. 

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