Critical Care

Empirical validation of the “Pediatric Asthma Hospitalization Rate” indicator

Quality assessment in pediatric care has recently gained momentum. Although many of the approaches to indicator development are similar regardless of the population of interest, few nationwide sets of indicato...

Authors: Lorenza Luciano, Jacopo Lenzi, Kathryn Mack McDonald, Simona Rosa, Gianfranco Damiani, Giovanni Corsello and Maria Pia Fantini

Application of a score system to evaluate the risk of malnutrition in a multiple hospital setting

An increased but unpredictable risk of malnutrition is associated with hospitalization, especially in children with chronic diseases. We investigated the applicability of Screening Tool for Risk of Impaired Nu...

Authors: Maria Immacolata Spagnuolo, Ilaria Liguoro, Fabrizia Chiatto, Daniela Mambretti and Alfredo Guarino

Association between radiological findings and severity of community-acquired pneumonia in children

There are few published data concerning radiological findings and their relationship with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) severity. The aim if this study was to assess radiographic findings in children with...

Authors: Maria Francesca Patria, Benedetta Longhi, Mara Lelii, Carlotta Galeone, Maria Angela Pavesi and Susanna Esposito

Evaluation of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in pediatric patients with acute rotavirus gastroenteritis and dehydration

Dehydration caused by acute rotavirus gastroenteritis is a frequent finding in pediatric patients. The most important treatment modality in these patients is recognising and treating dehydration, electrolyte i...

Authors: Tanju Çelik, Emel Altekin, Rana İşgüder, Yasin Kenesari, Murat Duman and Nur Arslan

Should a hospitalized child receive empiric treatment with acyclovir?

Herpes simplex encephalitis is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality and may be related to timely diagnosis and treatment. While awaiting the results of testing, hospitalization and empiric treat...

Authors: Dina M Kulik, Magda Mekky, Ming Yang, Ari Bitnun and Patricia C Parkin

Unusual osseous presentation of blastomycosis in an immigrant child: a challenge for European pediatricians

Blastomycosis, caused by the thermally dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis is a systemic pyogranulomatous infection, endemic in United States and Canada, with few reported cases in Africa and Asia. It is...

Authors: Margherita Codifava, Azzurra Guerra, Giulio Rossi, Paolo Paolucci and Lorenzo Iughetti

Adams-Stokes attack as the first symptom of acute rheumatic fever: report of an adolescent case and review of the literature

Acquired complete heart block, in pediatric age is mainly the results of direct injury to conduction tissue during cardiac surgery or cardiac catheterisation. It can also be observed in different clinical sett...

Authors: Nicola Carano, Ilaria Bo, Bertrand Tchana, Erica Vecchione, Silvia Fantoni and Aldo Agnetti

Acute adrenal failure as the presenting feature of primary antiphospholipid syndrome in a child

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis and detection of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs). This syndrome may be associated with connective tissue disorder...

Authors: Nicola Improda, Maria Alessio, Donatella Capalbo, Giustina Russo, Ida D’Acunzo, Loredana Palamaro, Claudio Pignata and Mariacarolina Salerno

An unusual case of foreign body aspiration mimicking cavitary tuberculosis in adolescent patient: Thread aspiration

Foreign body aspiration continues to be a serious problem in childhood and adolescent period with significant rate of morbidity and rarely mortality. Half of the foreign body aspiration cases have no history o...

Authors: Erkan Cakir, Emel Torun, Zeynep Seda Uyan, Ozge Akca and Omer Soysal

Inflammation and neurological adverse drugs reactions: a case of long lasting impaired consciousness after oxatomide administration in a patient with gastroenteritis

Oxatomide at therapeutic doses generates occasionally drowsiness in children. When administered at toxic doses, however oxatomide may induce long lasting impaired consciousness. We now report a case of severe ...

Authors: Stefania Antoniazzi, Dario Cattaneo, Valentina Perrone, Carla Carnovale, Simonetta Cherubini, Maria Carmela Mugolino, Francesco Clementi, Gianvincenzo Zuccotti, Emilio Clementi and Sonia Radice

Symptomatic and asymptomatic candidiasis in a pediatric intensive care unit

This study aimed to examine the incidence, epidemiology, and clinical characteristics of symptomatic and asymptomatic candidiasis in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and to determine the risk factors as...

Authors: Ali Ertug Arslankoylu, Necdet Kuyucu, Berna Seker Yilmaz and Semra Erdogan

Inhaled Surfactant in the treatment of accidental Talc Powder inhalation: a new case report

The use of talcum powder is incorrectly part of the traditional care of infants. Its acute aspiration is a very dangerous condition in childhood. Although the use of baby powder has been discouraged from many ...

Authors: Federico Matina, Mirella Collura, Maria Cristina Maggio, Patrizio Vitulo, Caterina Lo Piparo and Giovanni Corsello

Acute interstitial nephritis with acetaminophen and alcohol intoxication

Drug-induced acute interstitial nephritis (AIN) represents a growing cause of renal failure in current medical practice. While antimicrobials and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are typically associated ...

Authors: Lauren L Fruchter, Iakovina Alexopoulou and Keith K Lau

Acute lower respiratory tract infection due to respiratory syncytial virus in a group of Egyptian children under 5 years of age

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important causes of acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) in infants and young children. This study was conducted to describe the epidemiology of...

Authors: Aya M Fattouh, Yasmeen A Mansi, Mervat G El-anany, Amany A El-kholy and Hanaa M El-karaksy

Socio-economic determinants in selecting childhood diarrhoea treatment options in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multilevel model

Diarrhoea disease which has been attributed to poverty constitutes a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children aged five and below in most low-and-middle income countries. This study sought to examine...

Authors: Olatunde Aremu, Stephen Lawoko, Tahereh Moradi and Koustuv Dalal

Fever detection in under 5 children in a tertiary health facility using the infrared tympanic thermometer in the oral mode

Authors: Benedict O Edelu, Ngozi C Ojinnaka and Anthony N Ikefuna

Tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation weaning in children affected by respiratory virus according to a weaning protocol in a pediatric intensive care unit in Argentina: an observational restrospective trial

We describe difficult weaning after prolonged mechanical ventilation in three tracheostomized children affected by respiratory virus infection. Although the spontaneous breathing trials were successful, the pa...

Authors: Gustavo Caprotta, Patricia Gonzalez Crotti and Judith Frydman

Body fluids and salt metabolism - Part II

There is a high frequency of diarrhea and vomiting in childhood. As a consequence the focus of the present review is to recognize the different body fluid compartments, to clinically assess the degree of dehyd...

Authors: Mattia Peruzzo, Gregorio P Milani, Luca Garzoni, Laura Longoni, Giacomo D Simonetti, Alberto Bettinelli, Emilio F Fossali and Mario G Bianchetti

Therapeutic approach to bronchiolitis: why pediatricians continue to overprescribe drugs?

Bronchiolitis guidelines suggest that neither bronchodilators nor corticosteroids, antiviral and antibacterial agents should be routinely used. Although recommendations, many clinicians persistently prescribe ...

Authors: Daniele De Brasi, Fortunato Pannuti, Fabio Antonelli, Federica de Seta, Paolo Siani and Luciano de Seta

An unusual case of anisocoria by vegetal intoxication: a case report

A 12 year old boy presented with an acute onset of anisocoria and blurred vision. Ocular motility was normal but his right pupil was dilated, round but sluggishly reactive to light. There was no history of tra...

Authors: Marina Macchiaiolo, Elettra Vignati, Michaela V Gonfiantini, Annalisa Grandin, Maria Teresa Romano, Michele Salata, Diletta Valentini and Alberto Villani

Outcome of children with life-threatening asthma necessitating pediatric intensive care

To report the outcome of children with life-threatening asthma (LTA) admitted to a university Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Authors: Kam-Lun Hon, Wing-Sum Winnie Tang, Ting-Fan Leung, Kam-Lau Cheung and Pak-Cheung Ng

Validation of "Signs of Inflammation in Children that Kill" (SICK) score for immediate non-invasive assessment of severity of illness

To validate the SICK scoring system's ability to differentiate between individuals with higher and lower probabilities of death

Authors: Manoj A Gupta, Anjan Chakrabarty, Ruth Halstead, Mohit Sahni, Jayanti Rangasami, Ashish Puliyel, Vishnubhatla Sreenivas, David A Green and Jacob M Puliyel