Browsing by Author "Rotta, Alexandre T"
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Item Open Access Age-related changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiome are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptoms among children, adolescents, and young adults.(Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2022-03-05) Hurst, Jillian H; McCumber, Alexander W; Aquino, Jhoanna N; Rodriguez, Javier; Heston, Sarah M; Lugo, Debra J; Rotta, Alexandre T; Turner, Nicholas A; Pfeiffer, Trevor S; Gurley, Thaddeus C; Moody, M Anthony; Denny, Thomas N; Rawls, John F; Clark, James S; Woods, Christopher W; Kelly, Matthew SBackground
Children are less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and typically have milder illness courses than adults, but the factors underlying these age-associated differences are not well understood. The upper respiratory microbiome undergoes substantial shifts during childhood and is increasingly recognized to influence host defense against respiratory pathogens. Thus, we sought to identify upper respiratory microbiome features associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility and illness severity.Methods
We collected clinical data and nasopharyngeal swabs from 285 children, adolescents, and young adults (<21 years of age) with documented SARS-CoV-2 exposure. We used 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing to characterize the nasopharyngeal microbiome and evaluated for age-adjusted associations between microbiome characteristics and SARS-CoV-2 infection status and respiratory symptoms.Results
Nasopharyngeal microbiome composition varied with age (PERMANOVA, p<0.001, R 2=0.06) and between SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals with and without respiratory symptoms (PERMANOVA, p=0.002, R 2=0.009). SARS-CoV-2-infected participants with Corynebacterium/Dolosigranulum-dominant microbiome profiles were less likely to have respiratory symptoms than infected participants with other nasopharyngeal microbiome profiles (odds ratio: 0.38, 95% confidence interval: 0.18-0.81). Using generalized joint attributed modeling, we identified nine bacterial taxa associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and six taxa that were differentially abundant among SARS-CoV-2-infected participants with respiratory symptoms; the magnitude of these associations was strongly influenced by age.Conclusions
We identified interactive relationships between age and specific nasopharyngeal microbiome features that are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility and symptoms in children, adolescents, and young adults. Our data suggest that the upper respiratory microbiome may be a mechanism by which age influences SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and illness severity.Item Open Access Age-related changes in the upper respiratory microbiome are associated with SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and illness severity.(medRxiv, 2021-03-23) Hurst, Jillian H; McCumber, Alexander W; Aquino, Jhoanna N; Rodriguez, Javier; Heston, Sarah M; Lugo, Debra J; Rotta, Alexandre T; Turner, Nicholas A; Pfeiffer, Trevor S; Gurley, Thaddeus C; Moody, M Anthony; Denny, Thomas N; Rawls, John F; Woods, Christopher W; Kelly, Matthew SChildren are less susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and typically have milder illness courses than adults. We studied the nasopharyngeal microbiomes of 274 children, adolescents, and young adults with SARS-CoV-2 exposure using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We find that higher abundances of Corynebacterium species are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and SARS-CoV-2-associated respiratory symptoms, while higher abundances of Dolosigranulum pigrum are present in SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without respiratory symptoms. We also demonstrate that the abundances of these bacteria are strongly, and independently, associated with age, suggesting that the nasopharyngeal microbiome may be a potentially modifiable mechanism by which age influences SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and severity. SUMMARY: Evaluation of nasopharyngeal microbiome profiles in children, adolescents, and young adults with a SARS-CoV-2-infected close contact identified specific bacterial species that vary in abundance with age and are associated with SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility and the presence of SARS-CoV-2-associated respiratory symptoms.Item Open Access Characterization of In-Flight Medical Events Involving Children on Commercial Airline Flights(Annals of Emergency Medicine, 2019-07) Rotta, Alexandre T; Alves, Paulo M; Nerwich, Neil; Shein, Steven LItem Open Access High-Flow Nasal Cannula versus Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in Critical Bronchiolitis: A Randomized Controlled Pilot(Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care) Cesar, Regina Grigolli; Bispo, Bibiane Ramos Pinheiro; Felix, Priscilla Helena Costa Alves; Modolo, Maria Carolina Caparica; Souza, Andreia Aparecida Freitas; Horigoshi, Nelson K; Rotta, Alexandre TAbstractWe conducted a randomized controlled pilot study in infants with critical bronchiolitis (n = 63) comparing high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC, n = 35) to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP, n = 28). The primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as the need for bilevel positive pressure ventilation or endotracheal intubation. Treatment failure occurred in 10 patients (35.7%) in the CPAP group and 13 patients (37.1%) in the HFNC group (p = 0.88). Pediatric intensive care unit length of stay was similar between the CPAP and HFNC groups (5 [4–7] days and 5 [4–8] days, p = 0.46, respectively). In this pilot study, treatment with HFNC resulted in a rate of treatment failure similar to CPAP.Item Open Access Impact of multidisciplinary engagement in a quality improvement blood conservation protocol for craniosynostosis.(Journal of neurosurgery. Pediatrics, 2020-06-12) Kurlander, David E; Ascha, Mona; Marshall, Danielle C; Wang, Derek; Ascha, Mustafa S; Tripi, Paul A; Reeves, Hollie M; Downes, Katharine A; Ahuja, Sanjay; Rotta, Alexandre T; Lakin, Gregory E; Tomei, Krystal LOBJECTIVE:Patients undergoing open cranial vault remodeling for craniosynostosis frequently experience substantial blood loss requiring blood transfusion. Multiple reports in the literature have evaluated the impact of individual blood conservation techniques on blood transfusion rates during craniosynostosis surgery. The authors engaged a multidisciplinary team and assessed the impact of input from multiple stakeholders on the evolution of a comprehensive quality improvement protocol aimed at reducing or eliminating blood transfusion in patients undergoing open surgery for craniosynostosis. METHODS:Over a 4-year period from 2012 to 2016, 39 nonsyndromic patients were operated on by a single craniofacial plastic surgeon. Initially, no clear blood conservation protocol existed, and specific interventions were individually driven. In 2014, a new pediatric neurosurgeon joined the craniofacial team, and additional stakeholders in anesthesiology, transfusion medicine, critical care, and hematology were brought together to evaluate opportunities for developing a comprehensive blood conservation protocol. The initial version of the protocol involved the standardized administration of intraoperative aminocaproic acid (ACA) and the use of a cell saver. In the second version of the protocol, the team implemented the preoperative use of erythropoietin (EPO). In addition, intraoperative and postoperative resuscitation and transfusion guidelines were more clearly defined. The primary outcomes of estimated blood loss (EBL), transfusion rate, and intraoperative transfusion volume were analyzed. The secondary impact of multidisciplinary stakeholder input was inferred by trends in the data obtained with the implementation of the partial and full protocols. RESULTS:Implementing the full quality improvement protocol resulted in a 66% transfusion-free rate at the time of discharge compared to 0% without any conservation protocol and 27% with the intermediate protocol. The administration of EPO significantly increased starting hemoglobin/hematocrit (11.1 g/dl/31.8% to 14.7 g/dl/45.6%, p < 0.05). The group of patients receiving ACA had lower intraoperative EBL than those not receiving ACA, and trends in the final-protocol cohort, which had received both preoperative EPO and intraoperative ACA, demonstrated decreasing transfusion volumes, though the decrease did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS:Patients undergoing open calvarial vault remodeling procedures benefit from the input of a multidisciplinary stakeholder group in blood conservation protocols. Further research into comprehensive protocols for blood conservation may benefit from input from the full surgical team (plastic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology) as well as additional pediatric subspecialty stakeholders including transfusion medicine, critical care, and hematology.Item Open Access SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Children in the Biospecimens from Respiratory Virus-Exposed Kids (BRAVE Kids) Study.(Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, 2020-11-03) Hurst, Jillian H; Heston, Sarah M; Chambers, Hailey N; Cunningham, Hannah M; Price, Meghan J; Suarez, Lilianna; Crew, Carter G; Bose, Shree; Aquino, Jhoanna N; Carr, Stuart T; Griffin, S Michelle; Smith, Stephanie H; Jenkins, Kirsten; Pfeiffer, Trevor S; Rodriguez, Javier; DeMarco, C Todd; De Naeyer, Nicole A; Gurley, Thaddeus C; Louzao, Raul; Zhao, Congwen; Cunningham, Coleen K; Steinbach, William J; Denny, Thomas N; Lugo, Debra J; Moody, M Anthony; Permar, Sallie R; Rotta, Alexandre T; Turner, Nicholas A; Walter, Emmanuel B; Woods, Christopher W; Kelly, Matthew SBACKGROUND:Children with SARS-CoV-2 infection typically have mild symptoms that do not require medical attention, leaving a gap in our understanding of the spectrum of illnesses that the virus causes in children. METHODS:We conducted a prospective cohort study of children and adolescents (<21 years of age) with a SARS-CoV-2-infected close contact. We collected nasopharyngeal or nasal swabs at enrollment and tested for SARS-CoV-2 using a real-time PCR assay. RESULTS:Of 382 children, 293 (77%) were SARS-CoV-2-infected. SARS-CoV-2-infected children were more likely to be Hispanic (p<0.0001), less likely to have asthma (p=0.005), and more likely to have an infected sibling contact (p=0.001) than uninfected children. Children ages 6-13 years were frequently asymptomatic (39%) and had respiratory symptoms less often than younger children (29% vs. 48%; p=0.01) or adolescents (29% vs. 60%; p<0.0001). Compared to children ages 6-13 years, adolescents more frequently reported influenza-like (61% vs. 39%; p<0.0001), gastrointestinal (27% vs. 9%; p=0.002), and sensory symptoms (42% vs. 9%; p<0.0001), and had more prolonged illnesses [median (IQR) duration: 7 (4, 12) vs. 4 (3, 8) days; p=0.01]. Despite the age-related variability in symptoms, we found no differences in nasopharyngeal viral load by age or between symptomatic and asymptomatic children. CONCLUSIONS:Hispanic ethnicity and an infected sibling close contact are associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among children, while asthma is associated with decreased risk. Age-related differences in the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection must be considered when evaluating children for COVID-19 and in developing screening strategies for schools and childcare settings.Item Open Access SARS-CoV-2 Infections Among Children in the Biospecimens from Respiratory Virus-Exposed Kids (BRAVE Kids) Study.(medRxiv, 2020-09-01) Hurst, Jillian H; Heston, Sarah M; Chambers, Hailey N; Cunningham, Hannah M; Price, Meghan J; Suarez, Liliana; Crew, Carter G; Bose, Shree; Aquino, Jhoanna N; Carr, Stuart T; Griffin, S Michelle; Smith, Stephanie H; Jenkins, Kirsten; Pfeiffer, Trevor S; Rodriguez, Javier; DeMarco, C Todd; De Naeyer, Nicole A; Gurley, Thaddeus C; Louzao, Raul; Cunningham, Coleen K; Steinbach, William J; Denny, Thomas N; Lugo, Debra J; Moody, M Anthony; Permar, Sallie R; Rotta, Alexandre T; Turner, Nicholas A; Walter, Emmanuel B; Woods, Christopher W; Kelly, Matthew SBACKGROUND: Children with SARS-CoV-2 infection typically have mild symptoms that do not require medical attention, leaving a gap in our understanding of the spectrum of illnesses that the virus causes in children. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of children and adolescents (<21 years of age) with a SARS-CoV-2-infected close contact. We collected nasopharyngeal or nasal swabs at enrollment and tested for SARS-CoV-2 using a real-time PCR assay. RESULTS: Of 382 children, 289 (76%) were SARS-CoV-2-infected. SARS-CoV-2-infected children were more likely to be Hispanic (p<0.0001), less likely to have a history of asthma (p=0.009), and more likely to have an infected sibling contact (p=0.0007) than uninfected children. Children ages 6-13 years were frequently asymptomatic (38%) and had respiratory symptoms less often than younger children (30% vs. 49%; p=0.008) or adolescents (30% vs. 59%; p<0.0001). Compared to children ages 6-13 years, adolescents more frequently reported influenza-like (61% vs. 39%; p=0.002), gastrointestinal (26% vs. 9%; p=0.003), and sensory symptoms (43% vs. 9%; p<0.0001), and had more prolonged illnesses [median (IQR) duration: 7 (4, 12) vs. 4 (3, 8) days; p=0.004]. Despite the age-related variability in symptoms, we found no differences in nasopharyngeal viral load by age or between symptomatic and asymptomatic children. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic ethnicity and an infected sibling close contact are associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection risk among children, while a history of asthma is associated with decreased risk. Age-related differences in the clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection must be considered when evaluating children for COVID-19 and in developing screening strategies for schools and childcare settings.Item Open Access The Effects of Furosemide on Oxygenation in Mechanically Ventilated Children with Bronchiolitis.(Journal of pediatric intensive care, 2020-06) Kulkarni, Mandar; Slain, Katherine N; Rotta, Alexandre T; Shein, Steven LFluid balance management, including diuretic administration, may influence outcomes among mechanically ventilated children. We retrospectively compared oxygenation saturation index (OSI) before and after the initial furosemide bolus among 65 mechanically ventilated children. Furosemide was not associated with a significant change in median OSI (6.25 [interquartile range: 5.01-7.92] vs. 6.06 [4.73-7.54], p = 0.48), but was associated with expected changes in fluid balance and urine output. Secondary analysis suggested more favorable effects of furosemide in children with worse baseline OSI. The reported common use of furosemide by pediatric intensivists obligates further study to better establish its efficacy, or lack thereof, in mechanically ventilated children.Item Open Access The Impact of an Emergency Department Upgrade to Level I Trauma Status on the Timeliness of Nontrauma Computed Tomography Scans(The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2020-06) Ukwuoma, Onyinyechi I; Dingeldein, Michael; Sheele, Johnathan M; Rotta, Alexandre T; Apperson-Hansen, Carolyn; Dingeldein, Leslie