The latest medical research on Paediatric Surgery
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Request AccessCost-Effectiveness of Nonoperative Management vs Upfront Laparoscopic Appendectomy for Pediatric Uncomplicated Appendicitis Over 1 Year.
American College of SurgeonsNon-operative management (NOM) with antibiotics alone for pediatric uncomplicated appendicitis is accepted to be safe and effective. However, the relative cost-effectiveness of this approach compared to appendectomy remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of non-operative versus operative management for pediatric uncomplicated acute appendicitis.
A trial-based real-world economic evaluation from the healthcare sector perspective was performed using data collected from a multi-institutional non-randomized controlled trial investigating NOM versus surgery. The time horizon was 1 year, with costs in 2023 US dollars. Ratio of costs-to-charges (RCC)-based data for the initial hospitalization, readmissions, and unplanned emergency department visits were extracted from the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS). Utility data were derived from patient-reported disability days and health-related quality-of-life scores. Multiple scenarios and one-way deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses accounted for parameter uncertainty. Willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was set at $100,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) or disability-adjusted life year (DALY). Primary outcome measures included total and incremental mean costs, QALY, DALY, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).
Of 1,068 participants, 370 (35%) selected NOM and 698 (65%) selected urgent laparoscopic appendectomy. Operative management cost an average of $9,791/patient and yielded an average of 0.884 QALYs while NOM cost an average of $8,044/patient and yielded an average of 0.895 QALYs. NOM was both less costly and more effective in base case and scenario analyses using disability days and alternate methods of calculating utilities.
NOM is cost-effective compared to laparoscopic appendectomy for pediatric uncomplicated appendicitis over 1 year.
School Readiness and Early Childhood Education and Care Services Among Dual Language Learners.
JAMA Pediatrics- importance
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Dual language learners (DLL) (ie, children learning 2 or more languages) present lower school readiness than non-DLL children, putting DLL children at risk of later school difficulties and adverse outcomes. However, it is unclear whether participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services may reduce this gap.
To assess whether ECEC exposure may reduce the school readiness gap between DLL and non-DLL children in a population-based sample.
This census survey study was performed from February to May 2022 in the Canadian province of Quebec using data from the Quebec Survey of Child Development in Kindergarten, which includes all children who attended kindergarten in the 2021 to 2022 school year in public and private schools in Quebec (n = 80 587), except for Cree and Inuit territories.
Children's ECEC arrangement before kindergarten was retrieved from register-based data and teachers and arrangements were categorized as exclusive parental care, childcare, pre-kindergarten only, or childcare and pre-kindergarten. Based on their mother tongue and language of instruction, children were classified as French speaking, English speaking, bilingual French-English speaking, or neither French nor English speaking (allophone) children, the last 2 groups of which represented the DLL category.
Vulnerability in school readiness was defined as a score below the 10th percentile in any of the 5 domains of the validated Early Development Instrument (EDI): (1) physical health and well-being; (2) social competence; (3) emotional maturity; (4) language and cognitive development; and (5) communication skills and general knowledge.
In total, 80 587 children were surveyed, and 71 585 children were included in analyses. Mean (SD) child age was 6.0 (0.3) years, 34 911 children (48.8%) were female, and 18 341 children (25.6%) were DLL. English-speaking, bilingual French-English-speaking, and allophone children were more likely to be vulnerable in the EDI (769 of 2355 children [32.7%], 4814 of 13 981 children [34.4%], and 1622 of 4360 children [37.2%], respectively) than French-speaking children (13 664 of 50 890 children [26.9%]). In logistic regression analyses adjusted for social selection bias in ECEC arrangement, attending ECEC services was associated with a lower risk of being vulnerable among all language groups compared to parental care, with odds ratios ranging from 0.26 (95% CI, 0.25-0.27) to 0.96 (95% CI, 0.80-1.14), except in the emotional maturity domain. ECEC exposure was associated with reduction in vulnerabilities disparities between DLL and non-DLL children after adjusting for confounding factors, including socioeconomic status.
ECEC services may foster school readiness for all children, especially DLL, and should be considered to reduce school inequalities.
Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Child Population Samples: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
JAMA Pediatrics- importance
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Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) before the age of 18 years is a major contributor to the global burden of disease and disability.
To meta-analyze data from samples with children 18 years or younger to estimate the average prevalence of ACEs, identify characteristics and contexts associated with higher or lower ACE exposure, and explore methodological factors that might influence these prevalence estimates.
Studies that were published between January 1, 1998 and February 19, 2024, were sourced from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, and Embase. Inclusion criteria required studies to report the prevalence of 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 or more ACEs using an 8- or 10-item ACEs questionnaire (plus or minus 2 items), include population samples of children 18 years or younger, and be published in English. Data from 65 studies, representing 490 423 children from 18 countries, were extracted and synthesized using a multicategory prevalence meta-analysis. These data were analyzed from February 20, 2024, through May 17, 2024.
ACEs.
The mean age of children across studies was 11.9 (SD, 4.3) years, the age range across samples was 0 to 18 years, and 50.5% were female. The estimated mean prevalences were 42.3% for 0 ACEs (95% CI, 25.3%-52.7%), 22.0% for 1 ACE (95% CI, 9.9%-32.7%), 12.7% for 2 ACEs (95% CI, 3.8%-22.3%), 8.1% for 3 ACEs (95% CI, 1.4%-16.8%), and 14.8% for 4 or more ACEs (95% CI, 5.1%-24.8%). The prevalence of 4 or more ACEs was higher among adolescents vs children (prevalence ratio, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.04-1.30), children in residential care (1.26; 95% CI, 1.10-1.43), with a history of juvenile offending (95% CI, 1.29; 1.24-1.34), and in Indigenous peoples (1.63; 95% CI, 1.28-2.08), as well as in studies where file review was the primary assessment method (1.29; 95% CI, 1.23-1.34). The prevalence of 0 ACEs was lower in questionnaire-based studies where children vs parents were informants (0.85; 95% CI, 0.80-0.90).
In this study, ACEs were prevalent among children with notable disparities across participant demographic characteristics and contexts. As principal antecedent threats to child and adolescent well-being that can affect later life prospects, ACEs represent a pressing global social issue. Effective early identification and prevention strategies, including targeted codesigned community interventions, can reduce the prevalence of ACEs and mitigate their severe effects, thereby minimizing the harmful health consequences of childhood adversity in future generations.
Symptom Screening for Hospitalized Pediatric Patients With Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
JAMA Pediatrics- importance
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Pediatric patients with cancer experience severely bothersome symptoms during treatment. It was hypothesized that symptom screening and provision of symptom reports to the health care team would reduce symptom burden in pediatric patients with cancer.
To determine if daily symptom screening and provision of symptom reports to the health care team was associated with lower total symptom burden as measured by the Symptom Screening in Pediatrics Tool (SSPedi) compared to usual care among pediatric patients with cancer admitted to a hospital or seen in a clinic daily for at least 5 days.
This randomized clinical trial enrolled participants from July 2018 to September 2023 from 8 Canadian tertiary care centers that diagnose and treat pediatric patients with cancer. Patients aged 8 to 18 years with cancer expected to be in a hospital or clinic daily for at least 5 consecutive days were eligible for inclusion. Participants were randomized to intervention (n = 176) vs control (n = 169) groups. Data were analyzed from November 2023 to December 2023.
Intervention participants completed the SSPedi once daily for 5 days. Printed symptom reports were provided daily to the health care team, and email alerts were distributed for severely bothersome symptoms. Control participants received usual care.
The primary outcome was self-reported total SSPedi score on day 5. Secondary outcomes were individual SSPedi symptoms, pain, quality of life, symptom documentation, and intervention provision. The primary analysis compared the day 5 total SSPedi scores between randomized groups using a multiple linear regression model. For the secondary analysis comparing individual SSPedi symptom scores, the odds ratio for the intervention was estimated using a proportional odds model. Pain and quality of life were analyzed using the same approach as the primary outcome. Fisher exact test was used to compare symptom documentation, any intervention, and symptom-specific intervention between groups.
A total of 345 participants were enrolled; median (range) participant age was 13.8 (8.0-18.8) years, and 150 participants (43.5%) were female. Day 5 SSPedi score was significantly better with symptom screening compared to usual care (adjusted mean difference, -2.5; 95% CI, -3.8 to -1.2). Symptom screening reduced the odds of higher individual symptom scores; 8 of 15 symptom reductions were statistically significant. There were no significant differences in pain or quality of life scores between groups. Five symptoms were documented or treated significantly more often with symptom screening than usual care.
In this randomized clinical trial, among pediatric patients with cancer admitted to a hospital or seen in a clinic daily for at least 5 days, symptom screening with SSPedi improved total symptom scores compared to usual care.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03593525.
Eliminating Error in Central Line Scheduling and Placement Using Quality Improvement Methods.
American College of SurgeonsThe Joint Commission defines a sentinel event as "surgery or other invasive procedure performed at the wrong site, on the wrong patient, or that is the wrong (unintended) procedure for a patient regardless of the type of procedure or the magnitude of the outcome." At our institution, we observed a low but consistent rate of incorrect surgical line placement for pediatric patients with cancer.
Following quality improvement methodology and using the resources available on a large academic medical campus we designed and implemented a new multi-factorial process to schedule and place surgical central lines for pediatric patients with cancer. Changes included re-defining responsibilities, adding staff, and redesigning the process with workflows supported by modifications to the electronic medical record. Our primary outcome measures were incorrect central line placement or near miss event per quarter and days between these events.
After implementation the rate of incorrect line placement and near miss events was reduced to zero with 1018 days since the last incorrect line placement.
As a result of our multi-factorial quality improvement initiative in the scheduling and placement of central lines, we were able to eliminate surgical line placement sentinel events and improve care for pediatric patients with cancer.
Travel to High-Volume Centers and Survival After Esophagectomy for Cancer.
JAMA Surgery- importance
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Ongoing efforts have encouraged the regionalization of esophageal adenocarcinoma treatment to high-volume centers (HVCs). Yet such centralization has been linked with increased patient travel burden and reduced postoperative continuity of care.
To determine whether traveling to undergo esophagectomy at HVCs is linked with superior overall survival compared with receiving care locally at low-volume centers (LVC).
This cohort study considered data for all patients diagnosed with stage I through III esophageal adenocarcinoma in the 2010-2021 National Cancer Database. Patients were stratified based on distance traveled to receive care and the annual esophagectomy volume at the treating hospital: the travel-HVC cohort included patients in the top 25th percentile of travel burden who received care at centers in the top volume quartile, and the local-LVC cohort represented those in the bottom 25th percentile of travel burden who were treated at centers in the lowest volume quartile. Data were analyzed from July 2023 to January 2024.
The primary end points were overall survival at 1 year and 5 years. Secondary end points included perioperative outcomes and factors linked with traveling to receive care.
Of 17 970 patients, 2342 (13%) comprised the travel-HVC cohort, and 1969 (11%), the local-LVC cohort. The median (IQR) age was 65 (58-71) years; 3748 (87%) were male and 563 (13%) were female. After risk adjustment and with care at local LVCs as the reference, traveling to HVC was associated with superior survival at 1 year (hazard ratio for mortality [HR], 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58-0.83) and 5 years (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70-0.90). Stratifying by stage, traveling to HVCs was associated with comparable outcomes for stage I disease but reduced mortality for stage III (1-year HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.60-0.87; 5-year HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.74-0.93). Further, traveling to HVC was associated with greater lymph node harvest (β, 5.08 nodes; 95% CI, 3.78-6.37) and likelihood of margin-negative resection (adjusted odds ratio, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.29-2.60).
Traveling to HVCs for esophagectomy was associated with improved 1-year and 5-year survival compared with receiving care locally at LVCs, particularly among patients with locoregionally advanced disease. Future studies are needed to ascertain barriers to care and develop novel targeted pathways to ensure equitable access to high-volume facilities and high-quality oncologic care.
Vagus Nerve Preservation for Early Distal Gastric Cancer With Monitoring and Indocyanine Green Labeling: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
JAMA Surgery- importance
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Radical gastric cancer surgery can cause functional and physiological disorders due to the resection of perigastric vagus nerves. Few studies have used intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring and indocyanine green (ICG) labeling to preserve the perigastric vagus nerve and to evaluate the corresponding effects.
To assess the feasibility and effects of vagus nerve preservation using neurophysiologic monitoring and ICG labeling during laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in patients with early distal gastric cancer.
This open-label, prospective randomized clinical trial initially enrolled 285 patients with clinical stage cT1N0M0 distal gastric cancer from May 2022 to May 2023. This trial was conducted at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University in Jinan, China, and enrolled patients aged 18 to 80 years with histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma scheduled for distal gastrectomy. The final follow-up examination was performed May 1, 2024.
Eligible participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to vagus nerve preservation distal gastrectomy (VPG) or vagus nerve resection distal gastrectomy (VRG).
The primary outcome was the incidence of postsurgical gastroparesis. Secondary outcomes included postoperative gallstone formation, quality of life, morbidity, mortality, overall survival, and disease-free survival up to 12 months postoperatively. All analyses were based on both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.
Of 264 patients included in the intention-to-treat analysis, the median (IQR) patient age was 58.0 (52.0-67.0) years, and 67 patients (25.4%) were female. Both the VPG and VRG groups included 132 patients. Postoperative gastroparesis occurred in 1 patient (0.8%) in the VPG group and in 10 patients (7.6%) in the VRG group. Gallstones developed in 0 patients in the VPG group and in 9 patients (6.8%) in the VRG group. As assessed by mean (SD) score on the 30-item European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, the VRG group experienced more nausea and vomiting at 6 months postsurgery (19.38 [7.62]) than the VPG group (17.15 [9.21]) (P = .03) and had significantly higher rates of persistent appetite loss, reflux symptoms, and eating difficulties at both 6 months and 12 months than the VPG group. Differences in postoperative complications and metastasis were not significant.
Neurophysiologic monitoring and ICG labeling during distal laparoscopic gastrectomy for vagus nerve preservation in patients with early distal gastric cancer are safe and feasible. Preserving the perigastric vagus nerve may retain the function of the remnant stomach and improve quality of life.
Chictr.org.cn Identifier: ChiCTR2200059489.
Imaging in Diagnosis and Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer: A Review.
JAMA SurgeryActive surveillance (AS) has become an increasingly important option for managing low-risk and select intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Although imaging, particularly multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), has emerged in the prebiopsy pathway for the diagnosis of prostate cancer, the role of mpMRI in patient selection for AS and the necessity of prostate biopsies during AS remain poorly defined. Despite well-founded biopsy schedules, there has been substantial investigation into whether imaging may supplant the need for prostate biopsies during AS. This review aimed to summarize the contemporary role of imaging in the diagnosis and surveillance of prostate cancer.
Multiparametric MRI is the most established form of imaging in prostate cancer, with routine prebiopsy use being shown to help urologists distinguish between clinically significant and clinically insignificant disease. The visibility of these lesions on mpMRI closely correlates with their behavior, with visible disease portending a worse prognosis. Combined with other clinical data, risk calculators may better delineate patients with higher-risk disease and exclude them from undergoing AS. While current evidence suggests that mpMRI cannot replace the need for prostate biopsy during AS due to the possibility of missing higher-risk disease, the addition of prostate biomarkers may help to reduce the frequency of these biopsies. The role of prostate-specific antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography is still emerging but has shown promising early results as an adjunct to mpMRI in initial diagnosis.
Imaging in prostate cancer helps to better select patients appropriate for AS, and future studies may strengthen the predictive capabilities of risk calculators. Multiparametric MRI has been shown to be imperative to rationalizing biopsies for patients enrolled in AS. However, heterogeneity in the evidence of mpMRI during AS has suggested that further prospective studies and randomized clinical trials, particularly in homogenizing reporting standards, may reveal a more defined role in monitoring disease progression.
Long-Term Outcomes of Component Separation for Abdominal Wall Hernia Repair.
JAMA Surgery- importance
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Component separation is a reconstructive technique used to facilitate midline closure of large or complex ventral hernias. Despite a contemporary surge in popularity, the incidence and long-term outcomes after component separation remain unknown.
To evaluate the incidence and long-term outcomes of component separation for abdominal wall hernia repair.
This cohort study examined 100% Medicare administrative claims data from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2021. Participants were adults (aged ≥18 years) who underwent elective inpatient ventral hernia repair. Data were analyzed from January through June 2024.
Use of component separation technique during ventral hernia repair.
The primary outcomes were the incidence of component separation over time and operative recurrence rates up to 10 years after surgery for hernia repairs with and without component separation. The secondary outcome was rate of operative recurrence after component separation stratified by surgeon volume.
Among 218 518 patients who underwent ventral hernia repair, the mean (SD) age of the cohort was 69.1 (10.9) years; 127 857 patients (58.5%) were female and 90 661 (41.5%) male. A total of 23 768 individuals had component separation for their abdominal wall hernia repair. The median (IQR) follow-up time after the index hernia surgery was 7.2 (2.7-10) years. Compared with patients who did not have a component separation, patients undergoing repair with component separation were slightly younger; more likely to be male; and more likely to have comorbidities, including obesity, and had surgeries that were more likely to be performed open and use mesh. Proportional use of component separation increased from 1.6% of all inpatient hernia repairs in 2007 (279 patients) to 21.4% in 2021 (1569 patients). The 10-year adjusted operative recurrence rate after component separation was lower (11.2%; 95% CI, 11.0%-11.3%) when compared with hernia repairs performed without component separation (12.9%; 95% CI, 12.8%-13.0%; P = .003). Operative recurrence was lower for the top 5% of surgeons by component separation volume (11.9%; 95% CI, 11.8%-12.1%) as opposed to the bottom 95% of surgeons by volume (13.6%; 95% CI, 13.4%-13.7%; P = .004).
This study found that component separation was associated with a protective effect on long-term operative recurrence after ventral hernia repair among Medicare beneficiaries, which is somewhat unexpected given the intent of its use for higher complexity hernias. Surgeon volume, while significant, had only a minor influence on operative recurrence rates.
Omitting Radiotherapy after Breast-Conserving Surgery in Luminal A Breast Cancer: The LUMINA Study.
American College of SurgeonsThe modern generation of trials evaluating the role of adjuvant radiation have turned to genomic profiling as a further risk stratification tool. T...
Routine Imaging or Symptomatic Follow-Up After Resection of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.
JAMA Surgery- importance
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International guidelines lack consistency in their recommendations regarding routine imaging in the follow-up after pancreatic resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Consequently, follow-up strategies differ between centers worldwide.
To compare clinical outcomes, including recurrence-focused treatment and survival, in patients with PDAC recurrence who received symptomatic follow-up or routine imaging after pancreatic resection in international centers affiliated with the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA).
This was a prospective, international, cross-sectional study. Patients from a total of 33 E-AHPBA centers from 13 countries were included between 2020 and 2021. According to the predefined study protocol, patients who underwent PDAC resection and were diagnosed with disease recurrence were prospectively included. Patients were stratified according to postoperative follow-up strategy: symptomatic follow-up (ie, without routine imaging) or routine imaging.
Symptomatic follow-up or routine imaging in patients who underwent PDAC resection.
Overall survival (OS) was estimated with Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using the log-rank test. To adjust for potential confounders, multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between follow-up strategy and recurrence-focused treatment. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to study the independent association between follow-up strategy and OS.
Overall, 333 patients (mean [SD] age, 65 [11] years; 184 male [55%]) with PDAC recurrence were included. Median (IQR) follow-up at time of analysis 2 years after inclusion of the last patient was 40 (30-58) months. Of the total cohort, 98 patients (29%) received symptomatic follow-up, and 235 patients (71%) received routine imaging. OS was 23 months (95% CI, 19-29 months) vs 28 months (95% CI, 24-30 months) in the groups who received symptomatic follow-up vs routine imaging, respectively (P = .01). Routine imaging was associated with receiving recurrence-focused treatment (adjusted odds ratio, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.22-5.41; P = .01) and prolonged OS (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.56-.99; P = .04).
In this international, prospective, cross-sectional study, routine follow-up imaging after pancreatic resection for PDAC was independently associated with receiving recurrence-focused treatment and prolonged OS.
Tracking and Transition Probability of Blood Pressure From Childhood to Midadulthood.
JAMA Pediatrics- importance
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Despite its relevance for pediatric blood pressure (BP) screening, the long-term predictive utility and natural progression of pediatric BP classification remain understudied.
To evaluate BP tracking from childhood to midadulthood using the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) thresholds and estimate transition probabilities among BP classifications over time considering multiple time points.
The analyses were performed in 2023 using data gathered from September 1980 to August 2018 within the longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. Participants had BP examined 9 times over 38 years, from childhood (aged 6-12 years) or adolescence (15-18 years) to young adulthood (21-27 years), late young adulthood (30-37 years), and midadulthood (39-56 years).
BP classifications (normal, elevated, hypertension) were based on AAP guidelines for children and adolescents and the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for adults.
Outcomes were BP classifications at follow-up visits. Tracking coefficients were calculated using generalized estimated equations. Transition probabilities among BP classifications were estimated using multistate Markov models.
This study included 2918 participants (mean [SD] baseline age, 10.7 [5.0] years; 1553 female [53.2%]). Over 38 years, the tracking coefficient (odds ratio [OR]) for maintaining elevated BP/hypertension was 2.16 (95% CI, 1.95-2.39). Males had a higher probability than females of progressing to and maintaining hypertension and a lower probability of reverting to normal BP from childhood to midadulthood (transition probability: from normal BP to stage 2 hypertension, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.17-0.22 vs 0.08; 95% CI, 0.07-0.10; maintaining stage 2 BP, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.27-0.39 vs 0.14; 95% CI, 0.09-0.21; from stage 2 hypertension to normal BP, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.19-0.26 vs 0.58; 95% CI, 0.52-0.62. For both sexes, the probability of transitioning from adolescent hypertension to normal BP in midadulthood was lower (transition probability, ranging from 0.16; 95% CI, 0.14-0.19 to 0.44; 95% CI, 0.39-0.48) compared with childhood hypertension (transition probability, ranging from 0.23; 95% CI, 0.19-0.26 to 0.63; 95% CI, 0.61-0.66). The probability of maintaining normal BP sharply decreased in the first 5 to 10 years, stabilizing thereafter. Children with normal BP generally maintained this status into adolescence (male: transition probability, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.60-0.67; female: transition probability, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.79-0.84) but decreased by young adulthood (male: transition probability, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.39-0.44; female: transition probability, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.67-0.71).
Results of this cohort study reveal an enduring association of childhood and adolescent BP (AAP thresholds) with later BP. Although childhood normal BP tends to be maintained into adolescence, the probability of reverting to and sustaining normal BP decreases notably from adolescence to young adulthood. The findings of this study underscore the importance of prevention to maintain normal BP starting in childhood, suggesting adolescence as a potential critical period. The results suggest the potential for less frequent screenings for children with initially normal BP.