Greta Ridley - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Greta Ridley

Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2003

Paediatrics and Child Health, May 1, 2001

BACKGROUND: The International Network of Paediatric Surveillance Units (INoPSU) was established i... more BACKGROUND: The International Network of Paediatric Surveillance Units (INoPSU) was established in 1998 and met formally for the first time in Ottawa, Ontario in June 2000. OBJECTIVES: To document the methodology and activities of existing national paediatric surveillance units; the formation of INoPSU; the diseases studied by INoPSU members; and the impact of such studies on education, public health and paediatric practice. METHODS: Directors of paediatric surveillance units in Australia,

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Jan 21, 2009

Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) are related condi... more Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) are related conditions with similar clinical features of variable severity. Survival of patients with HUS and TTP has improved greatly over the past two decades with improved supportive care for patients with HUS and by the use of plasma exchange (PE) with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for patients with TTP. Separate pathogenesis of these two disorders has become more evident, but management overlaps. To evaluate the benefits and harms of different interventions for HUS and TTP separately, in patients of all ages. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), conference proceedings, reference lists of articles and text books and contact with investigators were used to identify relevant studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating any interventions for HUS or TTP in patients of all ages. Three authors independently extracted data and evaluated study reporting quality using standard Cochrane criteria. Analysis was undertaken using a random effects model and results expressed as risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). For TTP, we found six RCTs (331 participants) evaluating PE with FFP as the control. Interventions tested included antiplatelet therapy (APT) plus PE with FFP, FFP transfusion and PE with cryosupernatant plasma (CSP). Two studies compared plasma infusion (PI) to PE with FFP and showed a significant increase in failure of remission at two weeks (RR 1.48, 95% 1.12 to 1.96) and all-cause mortality (RR 1.91, 95% 1.09 to 3.33) in the PI group. Seven RCTs were undertaken in children with HUS. None of the assessed interventions used (FFP transfusion, heparin with or without urokinase or dipyridamole, shiga toxin binding protein and steroids) were superior to supportive therapy alone, for all-cause mortality, neurological/extrarenal events, renal biopsy changes, proteinuria or hypertension at the last follow-up visit. Bleeding was significantly higher in those receiving anticoagulation therapy compared to supportive therapy alone (RR 25.89, 95% CI 3.67 to 182.83). PE with FFP is still the most effective treatment available for TTP. For patients with HUS, supportive therapy including dialysis is still the most effective treatment. All studies in HUS have been conducted in the diarrhoeal form of the disease. There were no RCTs evaluating the effectiveness of any interventions on patients with atypical HUS who have a more chronic and relapsing course.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Dec 15, 2014

Analysis 2.6. Comparison 2 Environmental-Dust control, Outcome 6 Blood lead level (dichotomous ≥1... more Analysis 2.6. Comparison 2 Environmental-Dust control, Outcome 6 Blood lead level (dichotomous ≥15 µg/dL).. Analysis 2.7. Comparison 2 Environmental-Dust control, Outcome 7 Blood lead level (dichotomous ≥15 µg/dL) ICC

Autism : the international journal of research and practice, Jan 6, 2015

The academic achievement of individuals with autism spectrum disorder has received little attenti... more The academic achievement of individuals with autism spectrum disorder has received little attention from researchers despite the importance placed on this by schools, families and students with autism spectrum disorder. Investigating factors that lead to increased academic achievement thus would appear to be very important. A review of the literature was conducted to identify factors related to the academic achievement of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 19 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Results indicated that many individuals demonstrate specific areas of strength and weakness and there is a great deal of variability in general academic achievement across the autism spectrum. Adolescents and individuals with lower IQ scores were underrepresented, and few studies focused on environmental factors related to academic success. The importance of individualised assessments that profile the relative strengths and w...

Journal of Clinical Epidemiology

Prognosis research: toward evidence-based results and a Cochrane methods group ''A Cochrane colla... more Prognosis research: toward evidence-based results and a Cochrane methods group ''A Cochrane collaboration for systematic reviews of prognosis studies could be envisaged'' Hemingway, 2006 [1]

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

To assess whether existing data collection mechanisms can provide accurate and sufficient informa... more To assess whether existing data collection mechanisms can provide accurate and sufficient information about the prevalence of autism in Australia. Summary data about the number of children aged 0-16 years known to have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were gathered from State and Territory health, disability, education sources and autism associations. Summary data were also provided by national sources. Initial contact was made by letter, and follow-up was undertaken by telephone or email. For the years 2003-2004, the estimated prevalence of autism for 6- to 12-year-olds ranged from 9.6 to 40.8/10 000 for the State and Territory data, and from 12.1 to 35.7/10 000 for the national data. There was a similar variation in prevalence estimates for children aged 0-5 and 13-16 years. There was also a variation in prevalence estimates between age groups. Inconsistencies in autism prevalence estimates calculated from existing data sources suggest that further efforts are needed to ensure th...

Journal of paediatrics and child health, 2002

The Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU), through active surveillance, collects informa... more The Australian Paediatric Surveillance Unit (APSU), through active surveillance, collects information on the epidemiology of rare or uncommon childhood conditions. This research resource allows paediatricians to collaborate at State, national and international levels. The APSU sends a monthly report card to all (currently 971) paediatricians in Australia, who in turn indicate whether or not they have seen a patient in the last month with any of the conditions listed (98% response rate in 1999). Study investigators, notified by the APSU of positive case reports, obtain demographic and clinical data on the patient from the reporting doctor by postal questionnaire (90% response rate in 1999). Since 1993, the APSU has monitored 27 conditions, including conditions that are vaccine-preventable, otherwise infectious, genetic, congenital and non-communicable. Information collected is disseminated to paediatricians and other health professionals via an annual report, newsletters and publicat...

Paediatrics & child health, 2001

The International Network of Paediatric Surveillance Units (INoPSU) was established in 1998 and m... more The International Network of Paediatric Surveillance Units (INoPSU) was established in 1998 and met formally for the first time in Ottawa, Ontario in June 2000. To document the methodology and activities of existing national paediatric surveillance units; the formation of INoPSU; the diseases studied by INoPSU members; and the impact of such studies on education, public health and paediatric practice. Directors of paediatric surveillance units in Australia, Britain, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Latvia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Switzerland were asked to provide information on each unit's affiliations, funding and staffing; the method of case ascertainment, the mailing list and response rates; and diseases studied. Original articles that reported data derived from units were identified by a search of an electronic database (MEDLINE), and additional information was obtained from units' annual reports. Worldwide, 10 units (established from 1986 to 1997), ...

It has been reported that rates of epilepsy and mortality are higher among the population with au... more It has been reported that rates of epilepsy and mortality are higher among the population with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than in the general population. The aim of this systematic review is to provide comprehensive evidence for clinicians, carers, and people with ASD regarding these outcomes. METHOD Studies were eligible for inclusion if the main focus of the study involved observation over a period of 12 months or more of an initially defined population (with appropriate diagnostic label). Studies were also required to have at least 30 participants in order to differentiate case series from cohort studies. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Reviews of Effectiveness, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched. The date of the last search was September 2010. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed and a meta-analysis was undertaken. RESULTS Twenty-one studies were identified, 16 measuring the percentage of participants with epilepsy and five measuring mortality using a standardized mortality ratio. The pooled estimate for the percentage of participants with epilepsy was 1.8% (95% CI 0.4-9.4%) in studies in which the majority did not have an intellectual disability and the mean age was <12 years at follow-up, and 23.7% (95% CI 17.5-30.5%) in studies in which the majority did have an intellectual disability and the mean age at follow-up was more than 12 years. The pooled estimate for the standardized mortality ratio was 2.8 (95% CI 1.8-4.2). INTERPRETATION The prevalence of epilepsy is higher among the population with ASD than in the general population. People with ASD have a higher risk of mortality than the general population. This has important health promotion implications.

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 2014

There is evidence that OSA in children can be associated with acute and chronic effects on the ca... more There is evidence that OSA in children can be associated with acute and chronic effects on the cardiovascular system due to repetitive episodes of apnea and hypoxemia. To assess whether there is an association between OSA and echocardiographic findings in children and whether that association persists after adenotonsillectomy. A literature search was conducted based on PUBMED, EMBASE and LILACS. Children with OSA and children who did not have OSA, who were aged ≤12 years. Two reviewers extracted data independently; the risk of bias was assessed by examining the selected sample, the recruitment method, completeness of follow up, and blinding. Seven studies met all the inclusion criteria and methodological requirements. There was a significant difference with elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure levels in OSA participants compared to those without OSA at preoperative assessment [mean difference (MD) 8.67; confidential interval (CI) 95% 6.09, 11.25]. OSA participants showed a statistically significant increased interventricular septum (IVS) thickness (mm) [MD 0.60; CI 95% 0.09, 1.11]; and right ventricular (RV) dimension (cm/m) [MD 0.19; CI 95% 0.10, 0.28]. There was also a significant increase in right ventricular (RV) dimension (cm/m) [MD 0.10; CI 95% 0.05, 0.14] in OSA children. There is moderate quality evidence regarding possible association between OSA and right heart repercussions. More prognosis studies are needed, to allow the combination of results in a meta-analysis.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Protocol), 1996

Pediatric Health, 2008

Since the efficacy of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) against invasive pneumococcal disease ... more Since the efficacy of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) against invasive pneumococcal disease in young children was first demonstrated in clinical trials in California, USA, in the late 1990s, it has been studied in more diverse populations and introduced into infant vaccination programs in the USA, Australia, Canada and several European countries. This review briefly describes the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease, recent literature on PCV trials in various study populations, the impact of 7-valent PCV infant vaccination on the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease, with special reference to indirect effects in older age groups and the emergence of serotype replacement disease. Variations in vaccine administration schedules, effects on noninvasive pneumococcal diseases, and the use of the polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine or future formulations of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines from the perspective of policy decisions for population-wide childhood pneumococcal vacc...

Reviews, 1996

Lead poisoning is associated with physical, cognitive and neurobehavioural impairment in children... more Lead poisoning is associated with physical, cognitive and neurobehavioural impairment in children and trials have tested many household interventions to prevent lead exposure. This is an update of the original review by the same authors first published in 2008. To determine the effectiveness of household interventions in preventing or reducing lead exposure in children as measured by reductions in blood lead levels and/or improvements in cognitive development. We identified trials through electronic searches of CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, 2010, Issue 2), MEDLINE (1948 to April Week 1 2012), EMBASE (1980 to 2012 Week 2), CINAHL (1937 to 20 Jan 2012), PsycINFO (1887 to Dec week 2 2011), ERIC (1966 to 17 Jan 2012), Sociological Abstracts (1952 to 20 January 2012), Science Citation Index (1970 to 20 Jan 2012), ZETOC (20 Jan 2012), LILACS (20 Jan 2012), Dissertation Abstracts (late 1960s to Jan 2012), ClinicalTrials.gov (20 Jan 2012), Current Controlled Trials (Jan 2012), Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (Jan 2012) and the National Research Register Archive. We also contacted experts to find unpublished studies. Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials of household educational or environmental interventions to prevent lead exposure in children where at least one standardised outcome measure was reported. Two authors independently reviewed all eligible studies for inclusion, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We contacted trialists to obtain missing information. We included 14 studies (involving 2656 children). All studies reported blood lead level outcomes and none reported on cognitive or neurobehavioural outcomes. We put studies into subgroups according to their intervention type. We performed meta-analysis of both continuous and dichotomous data for subgroups where appropriate. Educational interventions were not effective in reducing blood lead levels (continuous: mean difference (MD) 0.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.09 to 0.12, I(2) = 0 (log transformed); dichotomous ≥ 10µg/dL (≥ 0.48 µmol/L): relative risk (RR) 1.02, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.30, I(2)=0; dichotomous ≥ 15µg/dL (≥ 0.72 µmol/L): RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.09, I(2) = 0). Meta-analysis for the dust control subgroup also found no evidence of effectiveness (continuous: MD -0.15, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.11, I(2) = 0.9 (log transformed); dichotomous ≥ 10µg/dL (≥ 0.48 µmol/L): RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.18, I(2) =0; dichotomous ≥ 15µg/dL (≥ 0.72 µmol/L): RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.35 to 2.07, I(2) = 0.56). When meta-analysis for the dust control subgroup was adjusted for clustering, no statistical significant benefit was incurred. The studies using soil abatement (removal and replacement) and combination intervention groups were not able to be meta-analysed due to substantial differences between studies. Based on current knowledge, household educational or dust control interventions are ineffective in reducing blood lead levels in children as a population health measure. There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of soil abatement or combination interventions.Further trials are required to establish the most effective intervention for prevention of lead exposure. Key elements of these trials should include strategies to reduce multiple sources of lead exposure simultaneously using empirical dust clearance levels. It is also necessary for trials to be carried out in developing countries and in differing socioeconomic groups in developed countries.

Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 2012

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects between 60 and 70/10,000 children (Fombonne, 2009). Core f... more Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects between 60 and 70/10,000 children (Fombonne, 2009). Core features of ASD are severe and pervasive deficits in social communication and interactions; and restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, and activities (Levy, Mandell, & Schultz, 2009). Males are affected about four times more frequently than females. Although there is currently no known cause, evidence suggests that the cause is highly genetic with multifactorial risk factors that interact leading to changes in brain development (Levy et al., 2009). There are distinct diagnostic classifications within ASD in which there is the requirement for various types and numbers of criteria within the three clinical domains of communication, social interaction and behaviour problems/differences. While 'Autism Spectrum Disorder' is a commonly used term in clinical practice it is not recognised by current mainstream disease classification systems such as the

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2008

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 2002