Articles

X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets: an Italian experts’ opinion survey

X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) is the first cause of inherited hypophosphatemia and is caused by mutation in the PHEX gene, resulting in excessive expression of the phosphaturic factor FGF23. Symptoms ar...

Authors: F. Emma, M. Cappa, F. Antoniazzi, M. L. Bianchi, I. Chiodini, C. Eller Vainicher, N. Di Iorgi, M. Maghnie, A. Cassio, A. Balsamo, F. Baronio, L. de Sanctis, D. Tessaris, G. I. Baroncelli, S. Mora, M. L. Brandi…

Ovotesticular differences of sex development: male or female? Case series

The choice of the sex of rearing in patients with ovotesticular differences of sex development (OT-DSD) is difficult. The final decision should be given by the patient himself or herself, but families’ opinion...

Authors: Maria-Grazia Scarpa, Arianna Lesma, Massimo Di Grazia and Waifro Rigamonti

Effects of an intervention to prevent the bullying in first-grade secondary schools of Palermo, Italy: the BIAS study

Bullying is one of the most common expressions of violence in the peer context during school years. This study investigates the prevalence of bullying and the short-term effects on students’ bullying perceptio...

Authors: Claudio Costantino, Alessandra Casuccio, Claudia Marotta, Stefania Enza Bono, Gianmarco Ventura, Walter Mazzucco, Francesco Vitale and Vincenzo Restivo

Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis: an update focused on clinical grading system

Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a severe disease with a prevalence of < 1 case out of 10,000 in Europe, which occurs mainly in pediatric age and is characterized by a severe and often bilateral chronic in...

Authors: A. M. Zicari, G. Capata, M. Nebbioso, G. De Castro, F. Midulla, L. Leonardi, L. Loffredo, A. Spalice, L. Perri and M. Duse

Prevalence of antibiotic use in a tertiary care hospital in Italy, 2008–2016

Few data are available about temporal trends of antibiotic use in hospitalized children. The aim of the current study was to investigate the pattern and trends of antibiotic use over the years 2008–2016 in the...

Authors: Marta Luisa Ciofi degli Atti, Carmen D’Amore, Jacopo Ceradini, Valerio Paolini, Gaetano Ciliento, Giuseppe Chessa and Massimiliano Raponi

Adolescent selfie: an Italian Society of Paediatrics survey of the lifestyle of teenagers

Epidemiological studies worldwide indicate that teenagers are at risk of internalizing and externalizing problems that persist into adulthood. In our country, there are few epidemiological studies on adolescen...

Authors: Martina Smorti, Annarita Milone, José Gonzalez Gonzalez and Giovanni Vitali Rosati

The role of miR-29c/B7-H3/Th17 axis in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia in children. Recent studies demonstrated that the incidence of severe or fatal M. pneumoniae was gradually in...

Authors: Qing-ling Li, Yin-yin Wu, Hui-ming Sun, Wen-jing Gu, Xin-xing Zhang, Mei-juan Wang, Yong-dong Yan, Chuang-li Hao, Wei Ji and Zheng-rong Chen

Polymorphic variants (p.Ser141Ser and p.Arg737Gly) at the NAGLU gene are really indicative of pseudodeficiency alleles?

Filocamo et al. recently published a paper describing the presence of a pseudodeficiency allele, constituted by p.Ser141Ser and p.Arg737Gly polymorphisms at the NAGLU gene, which leads to a reduced level of the a...

Authors: Diana Rojas Malaga, Sandra Leistner-Segal and Ana Carolina Brusius-Facchin

Serum catalase, thiol and myeloperoxidase levels in children passively exposed to cigarette smoke

Free radicals found in cigarette smoke can harm all tissues and cellular structures in the human body. Passive smoking increases free radical production, leads to the depletion of antioxidants and increases ox...

Authors: Emel Torun, Feyza Ustabas Kahraman, Ahmet Zaid Goksu, Aysel Vahapoglu and Zeynep Ebru Cakin

Adrenal hemorrhage in newborn: how, when and why- from case report to literature review

Neonatal adrenal hemorrhage is a relatively uncommon condition (0.2–0.55%). Various risk factors have been reported in addition to birth asphyxia, such as sepsis, coagulation disorders, traumatic delivery, and...

Authors: M. S. Toti, P. Ghirri, A. Bartoli, C. Caputo, E. Laudani, F. Masoni, L. Mele and R. Bernardini

Pilot study for the understanding and use of probiotics by different paediatric healthcare professionals working in different European countries

Consumers’ conviction of the benefits of probiotics is influenced by their existing beliefs and by the information they receive from healthcare professionals. The attitude of healthcare professionals towards c...

Authors: Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, Fügen Çullu Çokuğraş, Mehmet Vural, Julije Mestrovic, Luigi Nigri, Ruggiero Piazzolla, Ida Giardino, Michele Conoscitore and Leyla Namazova-Baranova

Lung clearance index in subjects with cystic fibrosis in Italy

The Lung Clearance Index (LCI) is an index derived from washout recordings, able to detect early peripheral airway damage in subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF) with a greater sensitivity than spirometry.

Authors: Enrico Lombardi, Simone Gambazza, Ugo Pradal and Cesare Braggion

Clinical features and prognosis of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura associated with systemic lupus erythematosus: a review of 25 cases

To report the clinical features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Their diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis were also discussed.

Authors: Ji Li, Jing-Jing Jiang, Chang-Yan Wang, Shan Jian, Yu Zhou, Ming-Sheng Ma, Xiao-Yan Tang, Lin Wang, Mei-Ying Quan, Yu Zhang, Juan Xiao, Yan-Yan He and Hong-Mei Song

Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry based serum metabolic analysis for premature infants and the relationship with necrotizing enterocolitis: a cross-sectional study

Preterm birth and feeding are the most important pathogenic factors of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Metabonomic has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of other diseases, but there is ...

Authors: Fusheng Wang, Weizhong Li, Guanghuan Wang, Menglu Yu, Jun Zhong, Chenbin Xu, Danli Li and Yongcui Zhou

Angioma serpiginosum: a case report and review of the literature

Angioma serpiginosum is a rare vascular anomaly whose pathogenesis is still unknown. It is characterized by the onset of vascular reddish macules and papules during childhood, lesions are usually monolateral w...

Authors: Andrea Diociaiuti, Mario Cutrone, Roberta Rotunno, Rita De Vito, Iria Neri, Elisa Pisaneschi and May El Hachem

The impact of IGF-I, puberty and obesity on early retinopathy in children: a cross-sectional study

Childhood obesity has been correlated with coronary heart disease, but the correlation with microvascular disease remains unclear. The retinal microcirculation is affected early in the process of atheroscleros...

Authors: Carla Bizzarri, Stefania Pedicelli, Antonino Romanzo, Sarah Bocchini, Giorgia Bottaro, Stefano Cianfarani and Marco Cappa

Nationwide survey of neonatal transportation practices in Italy

Despite regionalization of perinatal care provides for the “in utero” transfer of high-risk pregnancies, there will always be a number of neonates who undergo acute inter-facility transport. The presence of a ...

Authors: Maurizio Gente, Roberto Aufieri, Rocco Agostino, Tiziana Fedeli, Maria Grazia Calevo, Paolo Massirio and Carlo Bellini

Prevalence, types, and malformations in congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in newborns: a retrospective hospital-based study

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUTs) are some of the most common birth defects affecting newborns. CAKUTs often have poor birth outcomes owing to the limited experience of physicians i...

Authors: Zhong-yi Li, Yan-min Chen, Li-qian Qiu, Dan-qing Chen, Chong-gao Hu, Jian-yun Xu and Xiao-hui Zhang

Two novel mutations in exon 3 of PHOX2B gene: think about congenital central hypoventilation syndrome in patients with Hirschsprung disease

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation increasing during sleep and affected patients are unable to perceive and respond to hypercarbia with increased ve...

Authors: Maria Giovanna Paglietti, Claudio Cherchi, Federica Porcaro, Emanuele Agolini, Alessandra Schiavino, Francesca Petreschi, Antonio Novelli and Renato Cutrera

Abstracts from the 24th Congress of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis and the 14th National Congress of Cystic Fibrosis Italian Society

Authors:

Factors associated with low birth weight among babies born at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Low birth weight is defined as infant born with weight of less than 2500 g. It is one of the major public health problems worldwide. In Ethiopia, there are limited evidences on factors contributing to low birt...

Authors: Melese Siyoum and Teshome Melese

Influenza vaccination: opinions of health care professionals working in pediatric emergency departments

Vaccine coverage of health care professionals against influenza is still low in Italy, as well as in other European countries.

Authors: Luciano Pinto, Raffaele Falsaperla, Alberto Villani, Giovanni Corsello, Roberto Del Gado, Adolfo Mazzeo and Riccardo Lubrano

Treatment outcomes and factors affecting time-to-recovery from severe acute malnutrition in 6–59 months old children admitted to a stabilization center in Southern Ethiopia: A retrospective cohort study

Despite improving access to Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) management, information on the quality of the service, as measured by timely recovery, is scare. This study is designed to assess treatment outcomes ...

Authors: Anteneh Fikrie, Akalewold Alemayehu and Samson Gebremedhin

Preterm birth: seven-year retrospective study in a single centre population

Preterm birth is a health and social problem, considered the leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. It is associated with higher rates of neurodevelopmental morbidity, sensorineural impairments and oth...

Authors: Roberta Granese, Eloisa Gitto, Gabriella D’Angelo, Raffaele Falsaperla, Giovanni Corsello, Donatella Amadore, Gloria Calagna, Ilaria Fazzolari, Roberta Grasso and Onofrio Triolo

Neonatal respiratory support strategies for the management of extremely low gestational age infants: an Italian survey

We aimed to survey Delivery Room and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) respiratory strategies dedicated to the extremely low gestational age newborn (ELGAN – GA < 28 wks) in Italy.

Authors: Flavia Petrillo, Camilla Gizzi, Gianfranco Maffei, Piero G. Matassa, Maria Luisa Ventura, Cinzia Ricci, Roberta Pastorino and Giovanni Vento

Ventricular bigeminy and trigeminy caused by hypophosphataemia during diabetic ketoacidosis treatment: a case report

Hypophosphatemia has many causes, and is often encountered during DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) treatment. However, it rarely requires clinical intervention.

Authors: Konrad Miszczuk, Joanna Mroczek-Wacinska, Robert Piekarski, Beata Wysocka- Lukasik, Renata Jawniak and Iwona Ben-Skowronek

Vitamin D inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines in the airways of cystic fibrosis patients infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa- pilot study

Vitamin D plays an important role in inflammatory responses after antigen exposure. Interleukin-23 (Il-23) promotes Il-17-dependent inflammation during Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) pulmonary infection. ...

Authors: M. Olszowiec-Chlebna, A. Koniarek-Maniecka, A. Brzozowska, A. Błauż, B. Rychlik and I. Stelmach

The gliadin-CFTR connection: new perspectives for the treatment of celiac disease

Familial loss-of-function mutations of the gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channel protein cause cystic fibrosis (CF), the most frequent inherited life-threatenin...

Authors: Luigi Maiuri, Valeria R. Villella, Valeria Raia and Guido Kroemer

Medico-legal considerations on “Lotus Birth” in the Italian legislative framework

The term “Lotus Birth” identifies the practice of not cutting the umbilical cord and of leaving the placenta attached to the newborn after its expulsion until it detaches spontaneously, which generally occurs ...

Authors: Alessandro Bonsignore, Francesca Buffelli, Rosagemma Ciliberti, Francesco Ventura, Andrea Molinelli and Ezio Fulcheri

Long-term follow-up of newborns at neurological risk

In order to give a new contribution to the knowledge of the psycho-physical, behavioral and socio-relational development of the individuals who were born at neurological risk, we have carried out a research wo...

Authors: Enrico Gasparrini, Francesca Rosati and Maria Teresa Gaetti

Association of neural tube defects with maternal alterations and genetic polymorphisms in one-carbon metabolic pathway

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord invoked by the insufficient intake of folic acid in the early stages of pregnancy and have a complex etiology involving both gen...

Authors: Chun-Quan Cai, Yu-Lian Fang, Jian-Bo Shu, Lin-Sheng Zhao, Rui-Ping Zhang, Li-Rong Cao, Yi-Zheng Wang, Xiu-Fang Zhi, Hua-Lei Cui, Ou-Yan Shi and Wei Liu

An observational study of fixed-dose Tanacetum parthenium nutraceutical preparation for prophylaxis of pediatric headache

Migraine is one of the most prevalent chronic pain manifestations of childhood. Despite the multitude of available treatments, parents are often concerned about chronic therapies and pediatricians have insuffi...

Authors: Filomena Moscano, Michela Guiducci, Lucia Maltoni, Pasquale Striano, Maria Giuseppina Ledda, Francesco Zoroddu, Umberto Raucci, Maria Pia Villa and Pasquale Parisi

10-year experience with umbilical cord blood IgE and microbiome therapy

The benefit of probiotics in newborn children in relation to allergy and general morbidity later in life appears to be controversial. Allergic diseases represent an increasingly important health problem worldw...

Authors: Jiří Liška, Konrad Siala, Blanka Čuláková, Václav Holeček, Štěpánka Sobotová, Josef Sýkora and František Šefrna

Assessment of Preptin peptide level in the sera of rachitic children and in breast milk of their mothers

Preptin is a 34-residue pancreatic hormone that stimulates osteoblast proliferation and reduces osteoblast apoptosis.

Authors: Gihan M. Bebars, Salem A. Sallam, Shereen S. Gaber and Alshimaa H. Abdelaziz

Why is “early childhood intensive care” an Italian association of neonatology study group?

To date, a large number of children are hospitalized inappropriately in adult intensive care units, where the minimum standards of care are not applied to young patients. It is well-known that the child is not...

Authors: Nicola Pozzi, Gabriella D’Angelo and Eloisa Gitto

Combined effect of different factors on weight status and cardiometabolic risk in Italian adolescents

The observed increase in body weight and cardiometabolic risk (CR) in youth from developed countries contributes to the global burden of chronic diseases in adult age. The aim of this work is to provide a patt...

Authors: Antonino Bianco, Anna Rita Filippi, João Breda, Vincenza Leonardi, Antonio Paoli, Luca Petrigna, Antonio Palma and Garden Tabacchi

Consensus communication strategies to improve doctor-patient relationship in paediatric severe asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that is very common among youth worldwide. The burden of this illness is very high not only considering financial costs but also on emotional and social functioning. Gu...

Authors: Antonietta Cappuccio, Filomena Bugliaro, Silvia Maria Elena Caimmi, Valeria Caldarelli, Lucia Caminiti, Enza D’Auria, Emanuela di Palmo, Marzia Duse, Alessandro Giovanni Fiocchi, Francesco Gesualdo, Ahmad Kantar, Enrico Lombardi, Anna Lucania, Margherita Marchiani, Maria Giulia Marini, Gianluigi Marseglia…

Vitamin K deficiency bleeding in an apparently healthy newborn infant: the compelling need for evidence-based recommendation

Vitamin K is a key point for guarantee normal blood clotting and its level in newborns is commonly low, so a supplementation after delivery is mandatory.

Authors: Simone Ceratto and Francesco Savino

Globalization of pediatric research: pharmacological RCTs in Latin America

Globalization caused a shift in trial locations towards low-middle income countries, raising ethical concerns. These include the risk that conditions primarily affecting children in these countries will be neg...

Authors: Federica Arienti, Claudia Pansieri, Chiara Pandolfini, Andrea Biondi and Maurizio Bonati

Can we still do something-and what?-for a seemingly missing syndrome?

Although several modifiable risk factors have been identified, and prone and side sleep positions were identified as preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the epidemiology of sudden unexpected deaths...

Authors: Rita Campi and Maurizio Bonati

Not only Alagille syndrome. Syndromic paucity of interlobular bile ducts secondary to HNF1β deficiency: a case report and literature review

paucity of interlobular bile ducts is an important observation at liver biopsy in the diagnostic work-up of neonatal cholestasis. To date, other than in the Alagille syndrome, syndromic paucity of interlobular...

Authors: Michele Pinon, Michele Carboni, Davide Colavito, Fabio Cisarò, Licia Peruzzi, Antonio Pizzol, Giulia Calosso, Ezio David and Pier Luigi Calvo

Italian translation, cultural adaptation, and pilot testing of a questionnaire to assess family burden in inherited ichthyoses

Inherited ichthyoses are rare disorders characterized by generalized skin scaling. Among them, autosomal recessive congenital ichthyoses (ARCI) form a major subgroup presenting lifelong and severely disabling ...

Authors: May El Hachem, Damiano Abeni, Andrea Diociaiuti, Roberta Rotunno, Francesco Gesualdo, Giovanna Zambruno and Christine Bodermer

Pediatric meningococcocal meningitis in the acute phase: how much does it cost?

Meningococcal meningitis (MM) is known to be responsible of high cost for the Public Health Administration. Aim of the work is to calculate the costs for the hospitalization of pediatric patients affected by MM.

Authors: Elena Bozzola, Stefano Guolo, Enea Bonci, Chiara Rossetti, Mauro Bozzola, Massimiliano Raponi and Alberto Villani

Comparison of minor head trauma management in the emergency departments of a United States and Italian Children’s hospital

Pediatric head trauma management varies between emergency departments globally. Here we aim to compare the pediatric minor head trauma management between a US and Italian hospital.

Authors: Brittany M. Stopa, Stefano Amoroso, Luca Ronfani, Elena Neri, Egidio Barbi and Lois K. Lee

SIADH versus adrenal insufficiency: a life-threatening misdiagnosis

Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) in children is an uncommon but severe condition which can be either inherited or acquired. It consists in clinical manifestation of defective production or ineffective actio...

Authors: Stefano Pintaldi, Angela Lora, Katy Vecchiato, Andrea Taddio and Egidio Barbi

Correction to: Evaluation of serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D levels in children with autism Spectrum disorder

The original article [1] contained an error in author Mohammad Taghi Mansouri’s name.

Authors: Ali Asghar Arastoo, Hesam Khojastehkia, Zahra Rahimi, Morteza Abdullatif Khafaie, Syed Ahmad Hosseini, Mohammad Taghi Mansouri, Shabnam Yosefyshad, Maryam Abshirini, Karimimalekabadi Noshin and Maria Cheraghi

Correction to: Morphine-induced supraventricular tachycardia in near-term fetus

The original article [1] contained an error whereby all authors’ names were mistakenly inverted.

Authors: Vincenzo Zanardo, Alphonse Simbi, Matteo Parotto, Lorenzo Severino, Riccardo Carta, Pietro Guerrini and Gianluca Straface

The association of prenatal and postnatal macrolide exposure with subsequent development of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The association between macrolides use and subsequent occurrence of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) is still debatable. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis...

Authors: Hamdi H. Almaramhy and Abdulmohsen H. Al-Zalabani

Analysis of the predicting factors of recurrent wheezing in infants

Clinically, asthma in children under 5 years old is under estimated because lack of diagnostic criteria. The current study was, therefore, designed to identify the predicting factors for recurrent wheezing in ...

Authors: Jia Zhai, Yingxue Zou, Jie Liu, Xingnan Jin, Cuian Ma, Jiao Li, Run Guo and Bing Huang

Dynamic Ghrelin and GH serum levels during combined simultaneous arginine clonidine stimulation test in children with dwarfism

Combined simultaneous arginine clonidine stimulation (CSACS) test represents a more appropriate stimulus to detect Ghrelin, for it does not affect glucose metabolism.

Authors: Guangzhong Zhou and Rongzeng Du