# Literature Updates and Evidence Review — GCMD Library living collection

Updated: n/a · 1 episodes · 0 cited statements

## Episodes
### Topic-Specific Updates
- [Appendicitis treatment, VACTERL screening updates, and new pediatric sepsis criteria](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861) — podcast · 4:40 · [machine version](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861.md)

## Chapters
- [0:16](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=16) Appendectomy versus antibiotics for uncomplicated appendicitis in children (Ep 1)
- [1:51](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=111) VACTERL screening updates for anorectal malformations including gynecologic anomalies (Ep 1)
- [3:01](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=181) New international consensus criteria for pediatric sepsis using Phoenix score (Ep 1)
- [4:24](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=264) Closing remarks (Ep 1)

## Statements
Every statement is attributed, typed, and timestamped; the link is the citation.

## Host summaries
Recaps by a host of what the experts said — not the host's own clinical position.
- Recent literature has been supporting treating appendicitis with antibiotics rather than surgery — Lizzy Lee summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 1:07](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=67)
- The Saint Peter et al. trial was a multi-center randomized trial in Canada, the US, Finland, Sweden, and Singapore investigating whether antibiotic treatment is inferior to appendectomy — Lizzy Lee summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 1:12](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=72)
- 34% of children treated with antibiotics eventually required surgery within a year compared to only 7% in the surgery group — Lizzy Lee summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 1:24](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=84)
- There were no deaths in either the antibiotic or surgery group for uncomplicated appendicitis — Lizzy Lee summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 1:32](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=92)
- Children in the antibiotic group had a higher risk of mild to moderate adverse events compared to the surgery group — Lizzy Lee summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 1:32](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=92)
- Antibiotics were not as effective as surgery for treating non-perforated appendicitis in children, as it did not meet the threshold for non-inferiority — Lizzy Lee summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 1:39](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=99)
- Zooadal used the PHIS database and performed a multi-institutional cohort study of all ARM patients between 2016 and 2022 — Alex Halpern summarizing a resource [Ep 1 · 2:16](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=136)
- In ARM patients, rates of associated anomalies were 45.4% vertebral/spinal, 77.4% cardiac, 10.2% TEF, 39.0% renal, and 15.7% limb — Alex Halpern summarizing a resource [Ep 1 · 2:25](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=145)
- 25.8% of female ARM patients had a congenital gynecologic malformation diagnosed — Alex Halpern summarizing a resource [Ep 1 · 2:40](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=160)
- The most common anomalies associated with ARMs are cardiac, vertebrospinal, renal, and gynecologic — Alex Halpern summarizing a resource [Ep 1 · 2:45](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=165)
- The authors suggest changing the VACTERL acronym to VACTERL-G to include gynecologic anomalies — Alex Halpern summarizing a resource [Ep 1 · 2:53](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=173)
- The Schlappbach et al. study was a worldwide study with a Delphi consensus process that aimed to update the definitions of sepsis and septic shock — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 3:20](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=200)
- The Phoenix sepsis score includes variables in cardiovascular function, respiratory function, coagulation, and neurological function — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 3:29](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=209)
- The Phoenix sepsis score correlates the definition with an actual mortality rate — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 3:42](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=222)
- Sepsis is defined as suspected infection plus 2 points in the Phoenix sepsis score — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 3:48](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=228)
- Septic shock is defined as sepsis plus cardiovascular dysfunction, seen when there is 1 point in the cardiovascular variable of the Phoenix sepsis score — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 3:48](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=228)
- Sepsis has a mortality rate of 7.1% — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 4:06](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=246)
- Septic shock has a mortality rate of 10.8% to 33.5% according to the research settings — Cecilia Gigena summarizes what Dr. Alex Halpern said [Ep 1 · 4:06](https://library.globalcastmd.com/watch/appendicitis-treatment-vacterl-screening-updates-and-new-pediatric-sepsis-criter-16861?t=246)

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