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Extensive Research at Children's Leads the Way in Delivering Courageous Innovation in Pediatric Care

Posted on: Thursday, 22 May 2008, 11:53 CDT

First Care Innovation and Research Report showcases studies that are improving pediatric care in cancer, cardiovascular, neonatology and the local community

MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, Minn., May 22 /PRNewswire/ Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota has published its inaugural Care Innovation and Research Report which showcases Children's leadership, innovation, and commitment to Minnesota families with its breadth of research and sponsored health services programs.

The report highlights the diversity and depth of Children's research programs, which will lead most immediately to advancements in clinical care. The report profiles seven different research studies and two sponsored programs dedicated to delivering the next generation of care for pediatric patients.

"This is research that has a real impact on the improvement of day-to-day pediatric care. We are proud of the important and innovative research we do at Children's," said Alan L. Goldbloom, MD, president and CEO of Children's. "Our commitment to research is a direct reflection of our organization's commitment to the families that entrust their children to us each and every day."

New research highlighted in the report includes: Cancer Studies

Children's of Minnesota, as a member of the Children's Oncology Group, is among the top 10 hospitals for children with newly diagnosed cancer treated annually.

-- Children's is a founding member of a new international consortium, Therapeutic Advances in Childhood Leukemia (TACL), which focuses on rapidly developing and carrying out clinical trials for patients with recurrent leukemia. The 15-member consortium called upon pediatric oncologists from Children's to lead a clinical trial for a medication whose use in children is new. -- Fatigue is often a debilitating side effect for children and teens undergoing chemotherapy. Children's researchers are taking a look at how fatigue and physical performance change over time for cancer patients and what interventions might be able to increase energy levels for kids. Cardiovascular Studies

Children's pediatric cardiovascular program cares for nearly two-thirds of pediatric patients hospitalized for cardiac surgery in the Twin Cities and has long been a leader in creating better therapies for children with heart disease.

-- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can be devastating for babies and children with congenital heart disease, as well as premature infants. At Children's, a pediatric cardiologist is the principal investigator in a multi-center study that seeks to more clearly define preventive therapy. -- Children's is a national pioneer in the surgical treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a condition that was once inevitably fatal. A historic review of HLHS cases found Children's results mirrored leading pediatric institutions. Neonatology Studies

Children's has the largest high-risk neonatal referral program in the region. Among its leading research projects:

-- Brain structures that are critical for memory can be vulnerable from early delivery or other health problems. To better understand the subtle changes in brain activity in premature infants, Children's neonatologists are studying their patterns of recognition and auditory memory compared to full-term, healthy newborns. -- Most infants born prematurely who are hospitalized need assistance to breathe. To help advance care for premature babies, two neonatologists at Children's conducted an observational study to better understand the effectiveness of two widely used mechanical respiratory interventions. Community Advocacy

Children's engages in active partnerships with communities, public agencies, physicians and families to improve the quality and availability of care.

-- Children's operates the most comprehensive home-based palliative care program in the United States. As an elite provider in this field, the Children's Institute for Palliative Care gives community-based health care providers training and support for children facing life-threatening or terminal illness and their families. -- Teen Age Medical Service (TAMS), an outpatient adolescent clinic at Children's, has grant funding to provide health services geared toward eliminating health disparities, as well as focus on preventing long-term vulnerability to chronic illness.

Currently, Children's has more than 300 ongoing research studies and programs, which are coordinated by the Children's Center for Care Innovation and Research.

For more information on these programs, please visit http://www.childrensmnpresskit.org/index.cfm.

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota (http://www.childrensmn.org/) is the seventh-largest children's health care organization in the U.S., with 332 staffed beds at its two hospital campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis. An independent, not-for-profit health care system, Children's of Minnesota provides care through more than 14,000 inpatient visits and more than 200,000 emergency room and other outpatient visits each year.

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota

CONTACT: Allison Sandve of Children's Hospitals and Clinics ofMinnesota, +1-612-813-6615, Allison.Sandve@childrensmn.org

Web site: http://www.childrensmn.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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