Prognostic and diagnostic utility of interleukin-6 in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension — a case-control study
Conclusion: IL-6 significantly predict PAH in pediatrics but there is no association between IL-6 level and degree of PAH or mortality. IL-6 may provide a less costly and less invasive method for disease detection.What is Known:• Definitive diagnosis of PAH is made by right heart catheterization, while echocardiography is the gold standard for tracking the course of the disease.What is New:• It was assumed that children with a diagnosis of PAH would have higher serum IL-6 levels than controls. Furthermore, an adverse relationship between the blood IL-6 level and PPAH was predicted. (Source: European Journal of Pediatrics)
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 9, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Correction to: Nutritional risk and functionality of children and adolescents hospitalized with COVID-19
(Source: European Journal of Pediatrics)
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 9, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Electrical Cardiometry during transition and short-term outcome in very preterm infants: a prospective observational study
Conclusions: EC-derived CO estimates within 48  h postnatally were not independently associated with brain injury (any grade) or mortality in the first 14 days of life. CO time trajectory was found to be associated with ICH ≥ grade 2.What is Known:• Bioreactance-derived cardiac output indexed to bodyweight (CO) in the transitional period has been associated with adverse short-term outcome in preterm infants.What is New:• Electrical Cardiometry (EC)-derived CO measurements in very preterm infants during the transitional period are not independently associated with adverse outcome (death or ultrasound detected br...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 8, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Establishing consensus on principles and competencies for the use of play in clinical practice in hospitals: An international Delphi study
Conclusion: According to healthcare professionals, play in clinical practice can be used to communicate and build relationships with paediatric patients and thus potentially help provide patient-centred care. Our findings may help guide and prioritize future research initiatives and operationalize play interventions and practices in hospitals.What is Known:• Evidence suggests that using play in clinical practice can help paediatric patients during hospitals stays.• Despite the evidence supporting the use of play, a shared understanding of why and how paediatric healthcare professionals use play is needed.What is New:â€...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 6, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Association between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms among Canadian adolescents
Conclusion: The study compellingly underscores the significance of incorporating gender-specific factors and substance use in understanding the correlation  between breakfast skipping and psychosomatic symptoms. These insights hold importance for tailoring public health interventions to alleviate the prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms among adolescents by actively addressing breakfast skipping.What is Known:• Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day due to its role in providing the brain with the energy necessary to enhance cognitive functions.• Adolescents commonly exhibit a prevalent lifestyle b...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 6, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Healthcare utilization is increased in children living in urban areas, with ethnicity-related disparities: A big data analysis study
Conclusion: Â This study highlights the substantial population-based disparities in healthcare utilization among children in Israel despite the equalizing effect of the national health insurance law. Rural and low socioeconomic populations seem to have reduced healthcare access, showing decreased healthcare uti lization. Consequently, it is imperative to address these disparities and implement targeted interventions to enhance healthcare access for Arab children and rural communities. The decline in antibiotic usage and hospitalizations suggests positive trends in pediatric health care, necessitating ongoi ng efforts to en...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 6, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Plasma levels of neurogenic inflammation related neuropeptides in pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia and their potential diagnostic value in distinguishing viral and bacterial pneumonia
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that these neuropeptides may be implicated in pediatric CAP. CGRP, SP and NPY together may be a promising candidate in distinguishing viral and bacterial/mixed pneumonia, however, for this, further studies are needed.What is Known:• Neurogenic inflammation contributes to the development and progression of respiratory inflammatory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma.What is New:• Plasma levels of neurogenic inflammation related neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P, vasoactive intestinal peptide and neuropeptide Y are changed ...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 6, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Clinical heterogeneity of sleep quality, emotional and behavioral characteristics, and eating habits in adolescents with obesity: A cluster analysis
Conclusion: There is significant variation in teenagers with obesity who have divergent psychological profiles, which should be taken into account.What is Known:• Patients with obesity present with different clinical characteristics.What is New:• Adolescents with obesity may be partitioned into clusters described in terms of emotional, behavioral patterns, including sleep characteristics, and maladaptive eating habits. (Source: European Journal of Pediatrics)
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 5, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Neonatal hypoglycemia and neurodevelopmental outcomes: Yesterday, today, tomorrow
Conclusion:  To adequately define if a more permissive approach is risk-free for neurodevelopmental outcomes, more research on continuous glucose monitoring and long-term follow-up is still needed.What is Known:• Neonatal hypoglycemia (NH) is a well-known cause of brain injury that could be prevented to avoid  neurodevelopmental impairment.• Diagnosis is challenging, considering the different suggested operational thresholds for NH (<36,<40,<45,<47  or<50 mg/dl).What is New:• A 36 mg/dl threshold seems to be not associated with a worse psychomotor development at 18 months of life  when compared ...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 5, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Increased breadth and neutralization of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants after infection and vaccination: A serosurveillance study in pediatric patients of Southern Switzerland
Conclusions: Despite the high burden of COVID-19 in Southern Switzerland, we observed an initial low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in children, which increased in the later waves. The antibody response was poor in the first three waves and improved in the fourth wave, when children produced higher levels of neutralizing antibodies after vaccination or infection with Delta and/or Omicron variants.What is Known:• Children were marginally affected by the initial SARS-CoV-2 variants.• The number of infected and hospitalized children increased after the appearance of the Omicron variants.What is New:• Seroprevalence of SAR...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 4, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Clinical recommendations for the inpatient management of lower respiratory tract infections in children and adolescents with severe neurological impairment in Germany
AbstractChildren and adolescents with severe neurological impairment (SNI) require specialized care due to their complex medical needs. In particular, these patients are often affected by severe and recurrent lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). These infections, including viral and bacterial etiology, pose a significant risk to these patients, often resulting in respiratory insufficiency and long-term impairments. Using expert consensus, we developed clinical recommendations on the management of LRTIs in children and adolescents with SNI. These recommendations emphasize comprehensive multidisciplinary care and anti...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 3, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
A study on genotypes and phenotypes of short stature caused by epigenetic modification gene variants
Conclusions: Our study provided a new conceptual framework for further understanding short stature. Specific clinical findings may indicate that a short-stature patient may have an epigenetic modified gene variant. (Source: European Journal of Pediatrics)
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 3, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Three-year incidence and acute setting predictors of epilepsy after neonatal and childhood arterial ischaemic stroke: a disease-based cohort study
Conclusion: This study identified specific and reliable acute clinical and imaging predictors of PSE in paediatric patients, helping clinicians identify high-risk patients with potential implications for treatment decisions.What is Known:• Numerous risk factors have been proposed for post-stroke epilepsy, but there is a lack of studies evaluating these variables while accounting for confounding factors and competing risks over time.What is New:• After adjustment for competing events, acute symptomatic seizures, both non-status and status epilepticus, abnormal mental status or motor neurological examination at hospital ...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 3, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Vaccination against COVID-19 — risks and benefits in children
Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination only provides a transient reduction in transmission. Currently, insufficient evidence exists to determine the impact of vaccination on post-acute COVID syndromes in children, which are uncommon.What is Known:• Vaccines against COVID-19 have significantly reduced morbidity and mortality around the world.• Whilst countries have universally recommended vaccines for adults and continue to recommend them for vulnerable populations, there has been more variability in recommendations for children.What is New:• In the setting of near universal existing immunity from infection, the majority of...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 2, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
Problematic video gaming is negatively associated with bone mineral density in adolescents
Conclusion: The results of this study, showing a negative association between PVG and femoral neck BMD in adolescents, underscore the importance evaluating, monitoring, and supporting lower extremity bone health in adolescents with PVG.What is Known:• Adolescents with problematic video gaming are at risk for depression, impaired sleep; sedentary lifestyle; consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs; and high caffeine intake.• These risk factors might lead to compromised bone health.What is New:• Problematic video gaming is associated with the low femoral neck bone mineral density risk in adolescents.• Extended vide...
Source: European Journal of Pediatrics - January 2, 2024 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: research
