ABSTRACT Background Eggs are a rich source of nutrients important for brain development, including choline, riboflavin, vitamins B-6 and B-12, folate, zinc, protein, and DHA. Objective Our objective was to evaluate the effect of the consumption of 1 egg per day over a 6-mo period on child development. Methods In the Mazira Project randomized controlled trial, 660 children aged 6–9 mo were randomly allocated into an intervention or control group. Eggs were provided to intervention households during twice-weekly home visits for 6 mo. Control households were visited at the same frequency. At enrollment, blinded assessors administered the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT), and 2 eye-tracking tasks using a Tobii-Pro X2–60 eye tracker: a visual paired comparison memory task and an Infant Orienting with Attention task. At endline, 6-mo later, blinded assessors administered the MDAT and eye-tracking tasks plus an additional elicited imitation memory task. Results At endline, intervention and control groups did not significantly differ in any developmental score, with the exception that a smaller percentage of children were delayed in fine motor development in the intervention group (10.6%) compared with the control group (16.5%; prevalence ratio: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.38–0.91). Among 10 prespecified effect modifiers for the 8 primary developmental outcomes, we found 7 significant interactions demonstrating a consistent pattern that children who were less vulnerable, for example, those with higher household wealth and maternal education, showed positive effects of the intervention. Given multiple hypothesis testing, some findings may have been due to chance. Conclusion The provision of 1 egg per day had no overall effect on child development in this population of children, however, some benefits may be seen among children in less vulnerable circumstances. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03385252.

Background There is concern that the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is suboptimal for neurocognitive recovery. Objective We tested the hypothesis that RUTF made with reduced amounts of linoleic acid, achieved using high oleic (HO) peanuts without added DHA (HO-RUTF) or with added DHA (DHA-HO-RUTF), improves cognition when compared to standard RUTF (S-RUTF). Methods A triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical feeding trial was conducted among children with uncomplicated SAM in Malawi with 3 types of RUTF: DHA-HO-RUTF, HO-RUTF and S-RUTF. The primary outcomes, measured in a subset of subjects, were the Malawi Developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT) global z-score and a modified Willatts problem solving assessment (PSA) intention score for 3 standardized problems, measured 6 months and immediately after completing RUTF therapy, respectively. MDAT domain z-scores, plasma fatty acid content, anthropometry and eye tracking were secondary outcomes. Comparisons were made between the novel PUFA RUTFs and S-RUTF. Results Among the 2565 SAM children enrolled, mean global MDAT z-scores were -0.69 ± 1.19 and -0.88 ± 1.27 for children receiving DHA-HO-RUTF and S-RUTF, respectively (difference 0.19, 95% CI 0.01, 0.38). Children receiving DHA-HO-RUTF had higher gross motor and social domain z-scores than those receiving S-RUTF. The PSA problem 3 scores did not differ by dietary group (Odds Ratios 0.92, 95% CI 0.67, 1.26 for DHA-HO-RUTF). After 4 weeks of treatment, plasma phospholipid EPA and α-linolenic acid were greater in children consuming DHA-HO-RUTF or HO-RUTF when compared to S-RUTF (for all 4 comparisons P values < 0.001), but only plasma DHA was greater in DHA-HO-RUTF than S-RUTF (P < 0.001). Conclusions Treatment of uncomplicated SAM with DHA-HO-RUTF resulted in an improved MDAT score, conferring a cognitive benefit six months after completing diet therapy. This treatment should be explored in operational settings. Trial registry: NCT03094247, clinicaltrials.gov

Objectives The aim of the study was to describe traumatic stifle injury in cats and report complications and long-term outcome. Methods The medical records from seven veterinary hospitals of cats treated for traumatic stifle injury were reviewed. Long-term follow-up data were collected from referring veterinarians and using the Feline Musculoskeletal Pain Index, collected from owners. Results Seventy-two cats were included in the study. The most common combination of ligament injury involved both cruciate ligaments and the lateral collateral ligament (25.4%). Medial meniscal injury was more common (66.2%) than lateral meniscal injury (59.4%). A temporary transarticular pin was used intraoperatively to aid reduction in 23/73 (31.5%) surgeries. Postoperative immobilisation was applied in 41/72 (56.9%) cats with a mean duration of 4.8 weeks. Short-term complications occurred in 40/64 (62.5%) cats. Long-term complications occurred in seven (17.5%) cats. Overall outcome was excellent in 25/61 (41%) cats, good in 13/61 (21.3%) cats, fair in 11/61 (18%) cats and poor in 12/61 (19.7%) cats. Mean length of follow-up was 29.6 months (range 0.5–204). A significantly poorer outcome was observed in cats with medial meniscal injury and those undergoing revision surgery. Use of a transarticular pin when left in situ for postoperative immobilisation was associated with a poorer outcome (P = 0.043) and a higher risk of complications (P = 0.018). Postoperative immobilisation was not related to outcome. Conclusions and relevance Traumatic stifle injury in cats can lead to rupture of multiple ligaments causing significant instability of the joint. Surgical treatment is associated with a high rate of short-term complications, although long-term outcome may still be good to excellent in the majority of cats (62.3%). In cats where follow-up was available, postoperative immobilisation had no positive effect on outcome and may not be required. Leaving a transarticular pin for postoperative immobilisation is not recommended as it was significantly associated with a poorer outcome and a higher complication rate.

Objectives: To describe multiligament stifle injury in dogs and report complications and long-term outcomes.Methods: Medical records of dogs surgically treated for multiligament stifle injury were reviewed from six veterinary hospitals. Long-term follow-up was collected from referring veterinarians.Results: Twenty-six client-owned dogs and 26 stifles were included. Road traffic accidents and limb entrapment were the most common causes of injury. Cranial cruciate and lateral collateral ligament rupture was the most common combination of injury (10 cases). The caudal cruciate ligament was damaged in 12/23 cases but was surgically addressed in only 2 cases. Cranial cruciate ligament rupture was present in all cases and was managed using TPLO (6 cases), extracapsular suture (15 cases) and TTA (2 cases). Postoperative immobilisation with a transarticular external skeletal fixator was used in 4/26 cases. Intraoperative complications were reported in 2/23 cases, short-term complications in 17/25 cases, of which eight were major, and long-term complications in 7/18, of which two were major. Patella luxation was seen in one case and is a previously unreported complication. The overall outcome was excellent in 9/24 cases, good in 5/24 cases, fair in 7/24 cases and poor in 3/24 cases. Follow-up time ranged from 1.5 months to 9 years with the median (IQR) of 9.5 (4.0 to 28.5) months.Conclusions: Multiligament stifle injury in dogs is associated with a high rate of major complications. The overall outcome was good to excellent in just over half of the dogs.

Streptokinase is a thrombolytic agent used most commonly for the dissolution of thrombi obstructing coronary arteries during acute myocardial infarction (MI). Anaphylactic reactions induced by streptokinase occur rarely. We report the case of a patient with acute MI who developed anaphylaxis shortly after the initiation of an intravenous infusion of streptokinase. The patient became profoundly hypotensive and developed an erythematous rash that spread rapidly to cover most of his body. He required mechanical ventilation and the administration of epinephrine for blood pressure support, which succeeded after dopamine and norepinephrine had failed. Streptokinase-induced anaphylaxis is thought to be mediated by immunoglobulin E (IgE), and patients who develop this adverse reaction have been shown to have higher serum concentrations of IgE to streptokinase than those who do not. Epinephrine is the agent of choice for the management of hypotension associated with anaphylaxis. Little evidence exists to support the routine pretreatment of patients who are to receive streptokinase with corticosteroids and/or antihistamines. Streptokinase skin testing may be a useful and accurate means of identifying patients at risk for streptokinase-induced anaphylaxis. Further investigation is required to determine the appropriateness of skin testing in streptokinase therapy.