Performance of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assays in paediatric tuberculosis: a multicentre PTBNET study.

RATIONALE: In 2016, a new interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) was introduced, QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus), claimed to have improved sensitivity in active tuberculosis (TB). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the performance of QFT-Plus, compared with previous generation IGRAs and the tuberculin skin test (TST), in children with TB in Europe. METHODS: Multicentre, ambispective cohort study within the Paediatric Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (ptbnet), a dedicated paediatric TB research network comprising >300 members, capturing TB cases <18 years-of-age diagnosed between January 2009 and December 2019. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 1001 TB cases from 16 countries were included (mean age (IQR) 5.6 (2.4-12.1) years). QFT-Plus was performed in 358, QFT Gold in-Tube (QFT-GIT) in 600, T-SPOT.TB in 58 and TST in 636 cases. The overall test sensitivities were: QFT-Plus 83.8% (95% CI 80.2% to 87.8%), QFT-GIT 85.5% (95% CI 82.7% to 88.3%), T-SPOT.TB 77.6% (95% CI 66.9% to 88.3%) and TST (cut-off ≥10 mm) 83.3% (95% CI 83.3% to 86.2%). There was a trend for tests to have lower sensitivity in patients with miliary and/or central nervous system (CNS) TB (73.1%, 70.9%, 63.6% and 43.5%, respectively), and in immunocompromised patients (75.0%, 59.6%, 45.5% and 59.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the latest generation IGRA assay, QFT-Plus, does not perform better than previous generation IGRAs or the TST in children with TB disease. Overall, tests performed worse in CNS and miliary TB, and in immunocompromised children. None of the tests evaluated had sufficiently high sensitivity to be used as a rule-out test in children with suspected TB.

A Study on the Relationship between Type 2 Diabetes and Taste Function in Patients with Good Glycemic Control.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has a very high impact on quality of life as it is characterized by disabling complications. There is little evidence about taste alterations in diabetes. Since many individual factors are involved in the onset of diabetes, the purpose of our study is to search a possible link between diabetes and individual taste function. Thirty-two participants with T2DM and 32 volunteers without T2DM (healthy controls) were recruited. Four concentrations of each of the four basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter), and pure rapeseed oil and water, were applied with cotton pads to the protruded tongue, immediately posterior to its first third, either to the left or right side. The results showed significant differences between groups in the ability to recognize sour, bitter, sweet, and water. Taste scores were lower in subjects with T2DM than in healthy controls, and an age-related decline in taste function was found. The taste function reduction associated with T2DM was not related to gender, disease duration, and glycemic control. In conclusion, it can be hypothesized that a general alteration of taste function can lead patients with type 2 diabetes to search for foods richer in sugars, as in a vicious circle, thus decreasing the likelihood of remission of diabetes mellitus.

Impact of Elderly Masticatory Performance on Nutritional Status: An Observational Study.

Background and Objectives: Masticatory limitations on the dietary habits of edentulous subjects restrict their access to adequate nutrition, exposing them to a greater risk of protein energy malnutrition. The aim of this study is to verify the existence of an association between Masticatory Performance (MP) and nutritional changes in the elderly. Materials and Methods: 76 participants were enrolled. MP testing was performed using the two-color chewing gum mixing test. The system used reveals the extent to which the two differently colored chewing gums mix, and allows discrimination between different MPs. The assessment of the participants' nutritional statuses was carried out through a food interview. Anthropometric parameters were collected, and bioimpedance analysis was performed. Results: Mean MP was 0.448 ± 0.188. No statistically significant differences were detected between male and female subjects (p > 0.05). According to the Body Mass Index (BMI), obese patients had a lower MP than overweight and normal weight subjects (0.408 ± 0.225, 0.453 ± 0.169 and 0.486 ± 0.181, respectively). MP values were lower both in male and female subjects with a waist circumference above the threshold than those below it (0.455 ± 0.205 vs. 0.476 ± 0.110, respectively, in males and 0.447 ± 0.171 vs. 0.501 ± 0.138, respectively, in females). No relationship was noticed between MP and bioimpedance parameters (p > 0.05). Conclusions: A statistically significant relation was observed between MP and the number of missing teeth. A reduced MP could worsen nutritional parameters. A reduced MP did not seem to negatively affect bioimpedance parameters.

Acute mastoiditis in an Italian pediatric tertiary medical center: a 15 - year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Acute mastoiditis is the main suppurative complication of acute otitis media. Its incidence ranges from 1.2 to 4.2/100.000 children/year and a rise has been reported in the last years. There are controversial data regarding risk factors for mastoiditis and its complications. AIM OF THE STUDY: to evaluate demographics and clinical characteristics of children with acute mastoiditis and to identify possible risk factors for complications. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical charts of all the children aged 1 month-14 years admitted to our Paediatric Emergency Department from January 2002 to December 2016. RESULTS: One hundred forty-seven cases (97 males and 50 females) were included in the analysis, mean age was 4.8 ± 3.6 years and 28.2% of the patients were younger than 2 years. We found an increasing number of mastoiditis per year during the last 3 years of the study. Children younger than 2 years were less treated with antibiotics for acute otitis media or treated for a shorter period (p < 0.05), while they were treated at higher antibiotic's dosage for mastoiditis (p < 0.01). Older children presented more frequently with symptoms such as earache or retroauricular pain (p < 0.0001, p < 0.001). We didn't identify any risk factor for mastoiditis complications in our study. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the introduction of pneumococcal vaccines, the incidence of acute mastoiditis in our population has not been reduced during the last years. We have to face all the reasons why this condition is still relevant, such as antibiotic resistance, new pathogens involved and a possible role played by the implementations of therapeutic acute otitis media guidelines restricting the use of antibiotics in this disease. A particular attention should be given to younger children where signs and symptoms may be less pronounced, therefore acute otitis media or mastoiditis may be misunderstood and appropriate treatment delayed.

Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: a 10 year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive obesity management can only be accomplished by a multidisciplinary team. Despite the numerous efforts made, a winning solution has not been reached yet. When patients do not respond to conventional treatment, LAGB (Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding) is a generally effective approach with minimal involvement in anatomical modification. STUDY AIM: The aim of this study is to highlight how LAGB can guarantee long-term weight loss and a reduced incidence of complications and reoperations, when it is integrated in a multidisciplinary context and in a long period of close follow-up. METHODS: 50 patients underwent LAGB between 2007 and 2008. From the sixth month after surgery, the LAGB was calibrated every 8-12 weeks, depending on the patient's response to the dietetic program and on his/her clinical and psychological situation. The follow up was planned every two weeks during the first six months after surgery, subsequently once a month during the first year; then every three months up to three years after surgery and every six months thereafter. RESULTS: After 6 months we found a significant weight loss that was progressive up to the second year. From the second year after surgery, the patients maintained their weight up to the tenth year of follow-up, without weight regain. In addition, an improvement of all metabolic parameters was found. CONCLUSIONS: LAGB guarantees good results in terms of weight loss and metabolic control; the careful choice of patients and a close and accurate follow-up are essential for the success of this surgical procedure.