171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
|
 |
October 2006
This edition:
Letter From Our Chair
 |
L. Lyndon Key, MD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Pediatrics |
Dear faculty, Children's Hospital staff and other friends,
Over the past 15 years, there has been a marked change in demographics. In 2006, 80 percent of pediatric applicants were women. The American Board of
Pediatrics provides the following statistics for the past 15 years:
[read more]
Feature Story
DCRI lab wins private funding from Kentucky foundation
The Malia C.O.R.D. Foundation has selected Dr. Bernard Maria's lab in the Darby Children's Research Institute (DCRI) to receive a $160,000,
one-year renewable grant to study spinal cord tumors.
A private foundation based in northern Kentucky, the Malia C.O.R.D. Foundation was established by Dan and Kara Heck to help find a cure for
their daughter Malia, who was born with a spinal cord tumor. The foundation also awarded a grant to Dr. George Jallo of Johns Hopkins Hospital
in Baltimore, where he is also working to develop a cure for spinal cord tumors.
[read more]
Message From Our Medical Director
 |
J. Philip Saul, MD
Medical Director
Director, Pediatric Cardiology |
This month, I am pleased to welcome a new physician, David Gregg, MD, and a new type of service to the Children's Hospital and adult
hospital. Dr. Gregg and I will co-direct a newly designated unit for adults with congenital heart disease, a joint venture between the
Children's Heart Center of South Carolina and the MUSC Heart and Vascular Center. Although it may seem incongruous, progress in surgery
for these patients now means that over half of the patients with congenital heart disease in the United States are over the age of 18
years. Many have been "fully" repaired, but many have medical issues remaining that tend to worsen with age. These patients often have
unique problems which require both traditional adult and pediatric services, making their care ideally suited to a combined pediatric/adult
program. To that end, after training in adult cardiology, Dr. Gregg did a year of training at the University of California, San Francisco,
dedicated specifically to the adult with congenital heart disease. The clinic will reside in the Children's Hospital until joining the adult
programs in their move to the new Heart and Vascular Center in 2007. Services will be individualized, depending on the needs of the patients
and the expertise of the physicians in the adult and pediatric cardiology programs. This is a program whose time has clearly come and we are
delighted to be able to hang up this new shingle.
Update From Our Administrator
 |
John Sanders, MHA
Administrator
MUSC Children's Hospital |
Surveys, Surveys, Surveys!
September was a very busy month for various surveys at the MUSC Children's Hospital. We began with the unannounced joint commission visit
which lasted a full week with five surveyors. These surveys are getting improving greatly as they focus on the care that is provided to the
patients. I am very happy to report that the Medical Center and the Children's Hospital faired very well in this extensive survey. One week
after having the Joint Commission here, we were surprised with our annual Department of Health and Environmental Control survey. Once again,
our organization did very well. These surveys are always educational and they provide a good look at the great services that are provided in
our organization.
Finally, over the last four weeks we have been completing the Child magazine Children's Hospitals survey. This is the only survey that
ranks children's hospitals based on programs and outcomes. This year's survey was very comprehensive with a focus on pulmonary care, emergency
medicine, neonatal services, hematology/oncology services and pediatric orthopedics. Over the years, the MUSC Children's Hospital has ranked
in the top 25. This year will be very competitive as a record number of hospitals have completed their surveys. Results regarding our standing
will come later this month. In the meantime, we will continue to focus on providing the best care for our kids.
Whether it is the joint commission, the state or Child magazine, it is always a great opportunity to highlight our care and the amazing
staff of the MUSC Children's Hospital.
Darby Children's Research Institute News
 |
Bernard L. Maria, MD, MBA
Executive Director
Darby Children's
Research Inst. |
|
 |
Inderjit Singh, PhD
Scientific Director
Darby Children's
Research Inst. |
|
Lab works to find cure for spinal cord tumors
With new funding secured from the Malia CORD Foundation in July, researchers in Dr. Bernard Maria's DCRI lab are able to continue their research on spinal cord tumors.
The study is evaluating the efficacy of hyaluronan acid (HA) oligomers in spinal cord gliomas. Researchers hope the inhibitors will
target the molecules that interfere with invasiveness, drug resistance, and resistance to chemotherapy.
"What we have is a novel approach in that the molecule that we're targeting - the HA inhibitor -- has many downstream effects," says
Jennie Gilg, a PhD who manages the lab. "It affects many targets in the cell."
[read more]
Evidence-Based Tip
 |
Laura Cousineau, MLS
MUSC Library
Dept. of Pediatrics EBM Faculty |
Critical Appraisal
Last month we learned how to search for the evidence using PubMed. This month we will focus on evaluating the evidence. Although a randomized
controlled trial is the one of the best forms of evidence available, it must be a well-designed study, free from bias, in order to justify its
recommendations for patient care. We want to consider if the results of the study are valid, using the set of questions listed on the next page.
[read more]
A special thanks to the following individuals for their efforts in putting together Kids Connection each month.
Managing Editor: Bernard L. Maria, MD, MBA
Publisher: Jennifer Cherock (Trio Solutions Inc.) and Jessica Munday (Trio Solutions Inc.)
Web design: Brian Dadin (Trio Solutions Inc.)
Feature Writer: Mary Sue Lawrence, Trio Solutions Inc
Contributing Writers:
Lyndon Key,
Bernard Maria,
John Sanders,
Inderjit Singh,
Laura Cousineau
|
|
Print Version
