WHAT'S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Adolescents with chronic disease are a diverse population with common needs for transition. Disease-specific interventions have shown promise at improving patient outcomes but with substantial personnel and resource costs. Whether a generic approach across diseases may be useful is unknown. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS:This study is among the first to evaluate a generic (across disease) approach to transition of adolescents to adult care. The approach demonstrated promise and cost savings due to reduced personnel requirement and use of lowcost technology dissemination methods.abstract BACKGROUND: Adolescents with chronic disease (ACD) must develop independent disease self-management and learn to communicate effectively with their health care team to transition from pediatric to adult-oriented health care systems. Disease-specific interventions have been implemented to aid specific ACD groups through transition. A generic approach might be effective and cost-saving.METHODS: Eighty-one ACD, aged 12 to 20 years, were recruited for a randomized clinical trial evaluating an 8-month transition intervention (MD2Me). MD2Me recipients received a 2-month intensive Web-based and text-delivered disease management and skill-based intervention followed by a 6-month review period. MD2Me recipients also had access to a texting algorithm for disease assessment and health care team contact. The intervention was applicable to adolescents with diverse chronic illnesses. Controls received mailed materials on general health topics. Disease management, health-related self-efficacy, and health assessments were performed at baseline and at 2 and 8 months. Frequency of patient-initiated communications was recorded over the study period. Outcomes were analyzed according to assigned treatment group over time. RESULTS:MD2Me recipients demonstrated significant improvements in performance of disease management tasks, health-related selfefficacy, and patient-initiated communications compared with controls.CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes in ACD improved significantly among recipients of a generic, technology-based intervention. Technology can deliver transition interventions to adolescents with diverse chronic illnesses, and a generic approach offers a cost-effective means of positively influencing transition outcomes. Further research is needed to determine whether improved short-term outcomes translate into an improved transition for ACD.
Background Children surviving acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are at increased risk for overweight and obesity over that of the general population. Whether a generic or tailored approach to weight management is needed for cancer survivors has yet to be tested. Procedure Thirty-eight youth 8–18 years with BMI≥85% who had survived ALL were recruited for a randomized clinical trial evaluating a weight management intervention (WMI) tailored for childhood ALL survivors (Fit4Life). Fit4Life recipients received a 4-month web, phone, and text message-delivered WMI tailored for cancer survivorship. Controls received a general WMI delivered via phone and mail. Assessments were performed at baseline and 4 months. Outcome data were analyzed according to assigned treatment condition over time. Results Most (80% (70%,100%) [median (IQR)]) of the assigned curriculum was received by Fit4Life participants as compared to 50% (40%,65%) among controls. Fit4Life recipients ≥14 years demonstrated less weight gain (p=0.05) and increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p<0.01) while all Fit4Life recipients reported reduced negative mood (p<0.05) over time as compared to control counterparts. Conclusions We demonstrated acceptable feasibility of a WMI tailored for overweight and obese children surviving ALL utilizing a multimodal technology approach. Improved weight, weight-related behavior, and psychological outcomes were demonstrated among Fit4Life intervention as compared to youth receiving a generic WMI. Data from this pilot trial may be used to design a larger trial to determine whether youth of all ages also can derive a benefit from a cancer-survivor tailored WMI and whether short-term outcomes translate into improved long-term outcomes for childhood ALL survivors.
Background & Aims Brain-gut axis signaling modifies gastrointestinal symptomatology. Altered neural processing of intestinal pain signals involves interoceptive brain regions in adults with functional and inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders. Although these disorders frequently present in childhood, there are no published studies in youth. We determined if neural processing of somatic pain stimuli differs in adolescents and young adults (AYA) with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as compared to healthy controls (HC). Methods IBS and IBD AYA (16–20 y) underwent anticipated and thermal pain stimuli of low and high intensity on their forearm and simultaneous blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Data from adult HC were used for comparison. Subjects answered surveys evaluating alexithymia, anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing. Group data were compared using Linear Mixed Effects and ANOVA. Results Study groups were similar by sex but not age. Significant group by pain condition interactions were observed in interoceptive brain regions during pain anticipation, and within perceptual brain regions during perceived pain. Higher activation within interoceptive brain regions during anticipated pain was observed in IBS compared to IBD and HC subjects. IBD patients demonstrated increased activation in perceptual brain regions during experienced pain as compared to IBS and HC. Conclusions IBS and IBD AYA demonstrate altered neural processing of somatic pain compared with each other and with HC. Our results suggest that neuromodulatory interventions targeting interoceptive brain circuits in IBS and perceptual brain regions in IBD may be effective.
Understanding of IC performed for pediatric endoscopy could be improved in both parents and youth. Our findings suggest that interventions targeting parents, youth, and physicians may be helpful. Further study is needed to determine whether our findings are representative of IC understanding at other pediatric endoscopy centers.
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