Publications by authors named "Catherine Mark"

Purpose: Impact of infection management care pathway implementation is uncertain in pediatric cancer. Objective was to determine whether fewer patients received clinical practice guideline (CPG)- and care pathway-inconsistent care after implementation of an adapted infection management care pathway compared to pre-implementation.

Methods: We implemented adapted infection management care pathways based on CPGs for prophylaxis, and initial, ongoing, and prolonged fever and neutropenia (FN) management in three centers.

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Purpose: Care pathways are an implementation tool to help bridge the gap between evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and clinical practice. At four pediatric cancer institutions in Ontario, Canada, institution-specific care pathways for the management of infection complications in pediatric oncology were created. To standardize care delivery approaches across institutions, a project to harmonize the institution-specific care pathways was undertaken.

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Background: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has been an established treatment for movement disorders since its FDA approval in 1996. However, disparities in DBS care, particularly concerning race, gender, socioeconomic status, and geography, remain a significant concern globally.

Objectives: This systematic scoping review and grounded theory qualitative analysis aimed to synthesize existing research on worldwide disparities in DBS provision and to develop theoretical solutions to enhance equity and improve the quality of research in DBS disparities.

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Purpose: The Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) supported an effort to implement infection management care pathways based on clinical practice guidelines, to improve the consistency of infection management in pediatric cancer patients. The objective of this qualitative study was to describe the perspective of healthcare professionals (HCPs) following implementation.

Methods: Four tertiary pediatric oncology centers in Ontario, Canada, implemented the pathways.

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Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is the most common posttransplant malignancy in children. We reviewed data from 3 Canadian pediatric centers to determine patient characteristics, treatment approaches, and outcomes for children with monomorphic PTLD. There were 55 eligible children diagnosed between January 2001 to December 2021.

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The prognostic impact of PICALM::MLLT10 status in childhood leukaemia is not well described. Ten International Berlin Frankfurt Münster-affiliated study groups and the Children's Oncology Group collaborated in this multicentre retrospective study. The presence of the PICALM::MLLT10 fusion gene was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and/or RNA sequencing at participating sites.

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Published outcomes for children with cancer with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have varied. Outcome data for pediatric oncology patients in Canada, outside of Quebec, have not been reported. This retrospective study captured patient, disease, and COVID-19-related infectious episode characteristics and outcome data for children, 0 to 18 years, diagnosed with a first COVID-19 infection between January 2020 to December 2021 at 12 Canadian pediatric oncology centers.

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Candida auris can persist for long periods on hospital surfaces and on the skin. C. auris has the ability to form drug-resistant biofilms, which can substantially impact on patient outcome.

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Vaccinationis a critical tool in the prevention of COVID-19 infection for individuals and for communities. The mRNA vaccines contain polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a stabilizer. Currently, in North America, only the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine is approved for individuals aged 12-17.

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Background: There is significant evidence for cognitive decline following deep brain stimulation (DBS). Current stimulation paradigms utilize gamma frequency stimulation for optimal motor benefits; however, little has been done to optimize stimulation parameters for cognition. Recent evidence implicates subthalamic nucleus (STN) theta oscillations in executive function, and theta oscillations are well-known to relate to episodic memory, suggesting that theta frequency stimulation could potentially improve cognition in Parkinson's disease (PD).

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This article aims to provide a structured and concise guide for the general paediatrician managing a child with hemihypertrophy. Hemihypertrophy is a relatively uncommon condition. The significance is that a proportion of those affected are at risk of developing malignancies in childhood.

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Smallpox produced the death of up to thirty percent of those infected, so Jenner's preventive method spread quickly. The Spanish government designed and supported a ten-year effort to carry smallpox vaccine to its American and Asian territories in a chain of arm-to-arm vaccination of children. An expedition directed by Doctor Francisco Xavier de Balmis sailed from Corunna in November 1803, stopping in the Canary Islands, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela.

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