Atopic dermatitis (AD) management in an Italian pediatric clinic.

AIM: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by dry skin and variable pruritus sometimes associated with allergic disease in other organs as asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis. AD affects deeply the Quality of Life, thus can be extremely disabling and may cause psychological problems for both affected children and their families. METHODS: In order to investigate the estimated prevalence of the disease and the beliefs of the Italian pediatricians, a group of 437 Italian family pediatricians covering a population of almost 380000 children participated in a study based on a questionnaire of 38 items. RESULTS: According to answers of the participants, the incidence of AD has been estimated around 10% of the population and food allergy is believed to be the trigger of the acute phase of the disease in infants. As a second opinion, dermatologists are consulted more frequently than allergologists. CONCLUSION: The use of emollients is advised in general whilst topical corticosteroids treatment is prescribed only in selected cases; more than 50% of pediatricians do not prescribe topical calcineurin inhibitors.

[Convoluted-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in children: a clinical case]. / Linfoma a cellule convolute nell'infanzia: considerazioni su un caso clinico.

A case of convoluted cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in a 4 year old male is reported. Initially the patient presented with respiratory distress which led to the diagnosis of left pleural effusion. Neither several thoracenteses, nor the insertion of the chest tube were able to reduce the effusion, and in the meantime a pericardial effusion was observed. After two pericardiocenteses were unsuccessful, pericardiotomy was performed and an extensive invasion of pericardium, pleurae, mediastinum and diaphragm was demonstrated. The child died 48 hours later and the hystological diagnosis was of convoluted cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. The possibility of a neoplastic disease should be considered when such a contrast, between an insidious beginning with negative laboratory studies and the presence of an extremely severe clinical picture, not modified by treatment, is present. Early diagnosis and specific treatment are the only possibilities for survival.