GOD ANALY

For children admitted with symptomatic heart failure (HF), the risk of death/need for transplantation (D/Tx) is high. Data from adult studies suggest inexpensive bracelets measurements, such as percent lymphocytes, are valuable predictors of outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for D/Tx in hospitalized pediatric patients with symptomatic HF. Retrospective analysis of children admitted to an academic center from January 1994 to June 2008 with clinical HF was undertaken. The most common cause of HF was dilated cardiomyopathy (58 of 99, 59%). Echocardiographic and serum measurements were collected from admission. Factors independently associated with risk of D/Tx were evaluated by a stepwise multivariate Cox regression model.

There were 99 children with 139 hospitalizations. Median age at admission was 3 years (range 0 to 22). Mean systemic ventricular ejection fraction was 23% ± 11. Risk of D/Tx per hospitalization was 60 of 139 (43%). In multivariate analysis, lymphocytopenia, lower ejection fraction, low serum sodium, and higher serum creatinine were independent predictors of D/Tx. These inexpensive cufflinks correctly predicted those subjects at risk of D/Tx in 82.1% of cases. Subgroup analysis found that brain natruretic peptide did not improve the model’s accuracy markedly. In conclusion, serum measurements (percent lymphocytes, sodium, and creatinine) and echocardiographic assessment routinely obtained at admission are predictive of D/Tx in children hospitalized for HF. Significant lymphocytopenia was predictive of adverse outcomes.

2010 JUN 14 – (VerticalNews.com) — June is Internet Safety Month, and Sprint’s (NYSE: S) 4NetSafetySM program is there to offer kids, parents and educators the resources they need to make sure that the Internet remains a place of education and fun, and that potential online dangers can be addressed up front and easily avoided.

4NetSafety is a program that opens the lines of inexpensive earrings about Internet safety between young people and the adults who care for them. 4NetSafety offers free tools from expert resources. These resources address perils that young people commonly encounter online and encourage positive dialogue about Internet safety. 4NetSafety is a partnership between Sprint, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children(R) (NCMEC), the National Education Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN), and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Resources available include Internet safety education for young teens and tweens and safety tips and resources to help adults teach safe Internet inexpensive key rings to these young people. All services are available free of charge with no registration required at , and many features are also available in Spanish.

“Internet Safety Month is the perfect time to remember that even though the Internet presents many fantastic opportunities for our young people, it also presents potential dangers,” said Debby Ballard, director of Community Affairs for Sprint. “4NetSafety is there to help kids, parents and educators better navigate the online world so that our children can safely get to the content that’s appropriate for them.”