An Evaluation of Cotinine as an Index of Exposure to Tabacco Smoke in Children with Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections Using HPLC Method

The authors evaluated the frequency of exposure to tobacco smoke among children suffering from respiratory tract infections. The investigations comprised 141 children aged from 2 months to 6 years that were treated in the 2nd Department of Pediatric and Allergology of Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute in ?ód? (Poland). 69 of them were exposed to tobacco smoke in their home environment. The remaining 72 children came from non-smoking families. 26 (37.7%) individuals among the passive smokers and 15 (20.83%) among the children from non-smoking families suffered from recurrent respiratory tract infections. Cotinine concentrations were evaluated in the group of 69 children using the HPLC-UV method. The determined average cotinine/creatinine index expressed as median was higher in passive smokers with recurrent respiratory infections than among passive smokers with non-recurrent respiratory infections. Moreover, it was stated that the exposure to cigarette smoke was more often among children of younger and less well educated parents as well as living in poor housing conditions. These studies clearly indicate that there is a need for extensive education on the harmful effects of passive smoking and the recurrence of infections.

Perianal infectious dermatitis: An underdiagnosed, unremitting and stubborn condition

Perianal infectious dermatitis(PID) represents a super-ficial inflammation of the perianal skin, which is of bac-terial origin(classically, group A beta-hemolytic strepto-cocci). This narrative review aims to critically review and summarize the available scientific literature regarding pediatric PID, being the first of its kind, to the best of the author's knowledge. It also reports the first cases of Romanian children with PID. Multiple databases were subjected to systematic literature search(from 1966 to April 30, 2018) to identify studies and case reports of children with PID. As such, this review provides up-dated information about essential aspects of PID(epi-demiology, etiology, pathogenesis, as well as clinical features, required investigations and therapeutic options) and of diagnostic pitfalls. Although a well-defined entity, PID remains largely underdiagnosed. PID may mimic other common conditions with skin manifestations(like candidiasis, pinworms, eczema, irritant dermatitis, anal fissure, hemorrhoids, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, sebor-rheic dermatitis, zinc deficiency dermatosis and even sexual abuse), with consequent unnecessary, sometimes expensive and invasive investigations and futile therapies, which cause patients and families discomfort and distress. Since PID has an unremitting course, early recognition is imperative, as it allows for prompt and efficacious antibiotic therapy. However, PID represents a stubborn condition and, even if properly treated, its recurrence rate remains high. Further well-designed prospective randomized controlled trials, with adequate follow-up, are required in order to formulate the optimum personalized antibiotic therapy(oral alone or in association with topical medication), able to prevent recurrences. Awareness of this condition by healthcare professionals should improve patient outcomes.

Treat-to-target in Crohn's disease:Will transmural healing become a therapeutic endpoint?

Crohn's disease(CD) represents a chronic transmural inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract, which usually leads to structural damage and signific-ant disability. Deep remission--defined by both clinical and endoscopic remission, signifying mucosal healing-represents the current endpoint in the treat--to--target strategy, significantly improving patients' long--term outcomes. Transmural healing(TH) could be a more effe-ctive target, but this possibility remains unclear. This narrative review aims to critically review and summarize the available literature relating TH to long--term outcomes, being the first of its kind and to the best of the author's knowledge. A systematic literature search(from incep-tion to March 31 2018) was performed, using multiple databases, and identifying seven full--text manuscripts. In those studies, long--term favorable outcomes(≥ 52 wk) included sustained clinical remission, as well as fewer therapeutic changes, CD--related hospitalizations, and surgeries. Despite heterogeneous design and me-thodological limitations, six of the studies demonstrated that TH or intestinal healing(TH plus mucosal healing) were predictive for the aforementioned favorable out-comes. Therefore, TH may become a reasonable the-rapeutic target and be included in the concept of deep remission. Further prospective, well-designed, multicenter trials aiming to better define the role of TH in personalized therapy for CD and to determine the long-term influence of TH on bowel damage and disability are warranted.

Direct Costs of Diabetes Care in Pediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes in Greece

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic disease with increasing incidence and major impact on the health care costs. Aim: To estimate the direct cost of pediatric T1D in the Greek National Health System (NHS) and its distribution by service category. Methods: This is a retrospective cost-of-illness study, focusing on the direct costs from the healthcare system’s point of view. All patients aged 0 - 16 years, diagnosed with T1D, who were followed in the Diabetes Outpatients’ Clinic of the University Pediatric Department of one of the two main Pediatric Hospitals in Athens, for a two-year period (1st?January 2011 to 31st December 2012) were included. Results: Total diabetes-related direct costs per person-year were estimated at €2,712 (95% CI 2468 - 2956). Diabetes healthcare provider and education visits including laboratory tests, accounted for only 7.6% of total costs. Cost for hospitalizations was only 1.7%. Medication costs were 17% of total costs and were the highest for multi-injection therapy. Supply costs accounted for 73.7% of the total costs and were the highest for insulin pump therapy (p = 0.000). 12.4% of patients were admitted yearly for diabetes related cause and the mean length of hospitalization was 0.18 days per person-year (95%CI: 0.05 - 0.3). Conclusion: This is a preliminary study based on a single institution’s data, which however constitutes a major referral center, thus dealing with a balanced sample of the Greek pediatric diabetic population. Considering that standards of diabetes care are common throughout the NHS, the management of patients in our hospital represents the common practice for pediatric diabetes in Greece. Data are suggesting that cost for hospitalization and outpatients’ care for T1D patients followed in the public sector was rather low compared to other countries, the medication cost was at similar or lower levels and the cost of supplies was generally higher.

Double balloon enteroscopy examinations in general anesthesia

AIM:To demonstrate that the double balloon enteroscopy(DBE) can be safely performed in general anesthesia with intubation.METHODS:We performed a retrospective examination between August 2005 and November 2008 amongpatients receiving intubation narcosis due to DBE examination.The patients were grouped based on sex,age and physical status.Anesthesia records includedduration of anesthesia,quantity of medication usedand anesthesia-related complications.We determinedthe frequency of complications in the different groupsand their relation with the quantity of medication usedand the duration of anesthesia.RESULTS:We compiled data for 108 cases of general anesthesia with intubation.We did not observeany permanent anesthesia-related complications;themost frequent side effects of anesthesia were hypo-tension(30.55%),desaturation(21.29%),and apnea(17.59%).These complications were significantly more frequent among patients with multiple additional diseases [hypotension(23.1% vs 76.9%,P = 0.005),desaturation(12.3% vs 69.2%,P < 0.001) and apnea(7.7% vs 53.8%,P = 0.001)],however,their incidence was not proportional to the quantity of medication used or the duration of anesthesia.CONCLUSION:General anesthesia with intubation is definitely a viable option among DBE methods.It is highly recommended in patients with multiple additional diseases.

Primary EBV infection and hypersensitivity to mosquito bites： a case report

Dear Editor, Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites （HMB） is primarily seen in children and adolescents in Asia and Central America. HMB may be related to the reactivation of Eps- tein-Barr virus （EBV） in infectzd natural killer （NK） cells and is directly associated with chronic active EBV infection （CAEBV） and NK/T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. The median age at diagnosis of HMB is 6.7 years, and local cutaneous reactions include erythema, bullae, ne- crosis, and ulceration. In addition, systemic symptoms, including high-grade fever, malaise, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatic dysfunction, hematuria, and proteinuria, are often present. While the etiology of HMB remains unclear, mosquito salivary gland extract may trigger EBV reactivation in latently infected NK cells. Upon reactivation, EBV oncogenes, such as latent membrane protein 1 （LMP1）, may induce immortaliza- tion of NK cells, eventually progressing to lymphoma.

Sleep and prematurity: sleep outcomes in preterm children and influencing factors

Background Sleep undergoes changes from birth to adulthood,while sleep disorders are associated with various cognitive deficiencies in childhood.In parallel,prematurity is known to predispose to poor neurodevelopmental outcomes.Our aim is to provide literature data about factors influencing sleep in the premature infants and sleep outcomes in this population.Methods A systematic review was conducted using a variety of health-related databases.Original research papers were considered and no year-of-publication restriction was placed.Results In total,22 articles fulfilled our selection criteria.Available studies present remarkable heterogeneity in terms of methodological design.Compared to full term,premature infants exhibit significant differences in sleep structure,which mainly include differences in electroencephalographic spectral values,in total sleep time and in arousal threshold.Furthermore,prematurity seems to be a risk factor of sleep breathing disorders in childhood and adolescence.Data about the effect of methylxanthines and the environment of neonatal intensive care unit is controversial.With regard to the impact of prematurity-related sleep disorders on future neurodevelopment,available research papers are generally few.Conclusions The alterations in sleep patterns are an outcome of prematurity (immaturity of nervous system) as well as of postnatal factors and comorbidities.Sleep problems in this population of infants seems to be a missing piece of the puzzle of impaired neurodevelopment.Future studies should focus on interventions to improve sleep hygiene and limit neurodevelopmental problems.

Are therapeutic diets an emerging additional choice in autism spectrum disorder management?

Background A nutritional background has been recognized in the pathophysiology of autism and a series of nutritional interventions have been considered as complementary therapeutic options. As available treatments and interventions are not effective in all individuals, new therapies could broaden management options for these patients. Our aim is to provide current literature data about the effect of therapeutic diets on autism spectrum disorder. Data sources A systematic review was conducted by two reviewers independently. Prospective clinical and preclinical stud-ies were considered. Results Therapeutic diets that have been used in children with autism include ketogenic and gluten/casein-free diet. We were able to identify 8 studies conducted in animal models of autism demonstrating a beneficial effect on neurophysiological and clinical parameters. Only 1 clinical study was found showing improvement in childhood autism rating scale after implemen-tation of ketogenic diet. With regard to gluten/casein-free diet, 4 clinical studies were totally found with 2 of them showing a favorable outcome in children with autism. Furthermore, a combination of gluten-free and modified ketogenic diet in a study had a positive effect on social affect scores. No serious adverse events have been reported. Conclusions Despite encouraging laboratory data, there is controversy about the real clinical effect of therapeutic diets in patients with autism. More research is needed to provide sounder scientific evidence.