Epidemiology and Diagnostic Accuracy of Respiratory Pathogens in Pediatric Populations: Insights From Global Studies.

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are the most common cause for going to the doctor's at pediatric age. Respiratory infections are still of interest because they are widespread, significantly impact public health by potentially leading to pandemics, drive antimicrobial resistance through antibiotic misuse, more often spread globally due to traveling, and benefit from ongoing advancements in diagnostics and research for better management. This paper's main aim was to offer a systematic review of the literature published over the last 10 years on the etiology of LRTIs. The search strategy was based on reviewing original articles, systematic reviews, position papers, and guidelines published in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PubMed. The review was previously registered with PROSPERO. The final review included 27 articles that met the eligibility criteria (studies identifying the etiology of inferior respiratory infections in children, according to the WHO definition, published in the last 10 years). Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel Version 2406 (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, USA) and SPSS Statistics V.23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, USA). The total number of patients was 2,193,978. Eight articles focused on children younger than five years, and two included children under the age of two. The results revealed that Mycoplasma pneumoniae and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are significant respiratory pathogens with seasonal peaks and age-specific prevalence and that nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) are more reliable than throat swabs for confirming infections due to their higher positive predictive value (PPV). The impact of COVID-19 interventions led to reduced infections from RSV, adenovirus, and influenza viruses, but an increase in rhinovirus post-reopening, with high co-infection rates. Co-infections are common, particularly with pathogens like human bocavirus (HBoV) and RSV, underscoring the need for comprehensive diagnostic approaches. The impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the prevalence of many respiratory pathogens, except for rhinovirus, which increased post-reopening. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for managing respiratory infections, especially in pediatric populations.

Clinical, Biological, and Radiological Findings and Management of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in a Tertiary Hospital in Romania.

Background Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) remain a significant concern in pediatrics due to their substantial burden among childhood diseases. Romania has recently attained the status of a high-income country. Even though the mortality rate from respiratory diseases has significantly declined from 24.1 per 100,000 individuals in 2000 to 5.3 per 100,000 in 2022, the rate remains notably higher than the European average. Diagnosing LRTI is challenging due to its clinical similarity to noninfectious respiratory illness and frequent false-positive results or incidental findings on microbiologic tests. This often leads to antimicrobial overuse and adverse outcomes. Additionally, antibiotic resistance poses a significant global public health threat. Patients and method We conducted a retrospective analysis of pediatric LRTI cases at a tertiary pediatric center in Romania to evaluate diagnostic testing, imaging use, etiology identification, and treatment approaches. Children under 18, admitted to the Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children in Cluj-Napoca during an eight-month peak respiratory season, were included. Data from electronic medical records were analyzed for demographics, symptoms, physical exams, laboratory data, presence of fever, etiology, treatment, and outcomes. Results In total, 222 children were included in this study, with a median age of 29 months. Among the participants, 58% were male. The average hospital stay was 11 days. The total number of cases was almost equally split between bronchiolitis and pneumonia, with lobar pneumonia accounting for 12% of the included patients. We found two statistically significant correlations between the presence of fever, intercostal retracting, and the subtype of LRTI. An inflammatory response defined as an elevated leucocyte count and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) was more likely to appear in pneumonia cases than bronchiolitis. From a therapeutic point of view, the prescription of hydrocortisone was statistically linked to bronchiolitis, but its use did not shorten hospitalization time. Conclusion Policy interventions and targeted treatments can reduce LRTI incidence and improve outcomes. Based on our correlations between specific clinical traits and subtypes of LRTIs, the use of assessment scores in children helps predict severe illness and the need for hospitalization. Promoting hygiene, social distancing, and addressing socioeconomic factors are crucial. Larger sample sizes and advanced diagnostics are needed to refine treatment strategies further. Early antibiotic use in children has long-term health implications, including a higher risk of respiratory-caused premature death in adulthood. This emphasizes the need for improved diagnostic processes and specific etiological identification, with metagenomics showing promise in this area.

Multisystemic Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, A Disease with Too Many Faces: A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare and severe condition associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in children with onset approximately 4-6 weeks after infection. To date, the precise mechanism that causes MIS-C is not known and there are many questions related to the etiology, risk factors, and evolution of this syndrome. We aimed to describe the clinical manifestations, treatment methods, and disease evolution and analyze the main risk factors for MIS-C in children hospitalized in our clinic. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study including children with MIS-C followed-up in the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the Emergency Clinical Hospital for Children Cluj-Napoca, Romania, for 13 months (November 2020-December 2021). RESULTS: We included in our cohort 34 children (mean age 6.8 ± 4.6 years) who met MIS-C criteria: high and prolonged fever associated with organ dysfunction (heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, bone marrow or gastrointestinal organs), and autoantibodies and/or polymerase chain reaction positives for SARS-CoV-2. Nineteen patients (55.88%) had a severe form of the disease, with multiorgan failure and shock, and myocardial or respiratory failure. The number of organs affected in the severe forms was significantly higher (more than 6 in 73.70%) than in mild forms (2-3 in 60%). Cardiac dysfunction, hypoalbuminemia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyponatremia were more important in severe forms of MIS-C. These patients required respiratory support, resuscitation with fluid boluses, vasoactive drugs, or aggressive therapy. All patients with mild forms had fully recovered compared to 63.16% in severe forms. The others with severe forms developed long-term complications (dilation of the coronary arteries, premature ventricular contraction, or myocardial fibrosis). Two patients had an extremely severe evolution. One is still waiting for a heart transplant, and the other died (hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome with multiorgan failure). CONCLUSIONS: From mild to severe forms with multiorgan failure, shock, and many other complications, MIS-C represents a difficult challenge for pediatricians, who must be aware of the correct diagnosis and unpredictable, possibly severe evolution.

Pathogenic Connections in Post-COVID Conditions: What Do We Know in the Large Unknown? A Narrative Review.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease has long-term effects, known as post-COVID conditions (PCC) or long-COVID. Post-COVID-19 syndrome is defined by signs and symptoms that occur during or after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection which persist for more than 12 weeks and cannot be supported by an alternative diagnosis. The cardiovascular damage caused by COVID-19 in the severe forms of the disease is induced by severe systemic inflammation, considered to be one of the causes of myocardial lesions, with increased levels of circulating cytokines and toxic response mediators. We have focused on conditions that can induce long-COVID-19, or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults or children (MIS-C/MIS-A), with an emphasis on endocrinological and metabolic disorders. Although described less frequently in children than in adults, long-COVID syndrome should not be confused with MIS-C, which is an acute condition characterized by multisystem involvement and paraclinical evidence of inflammation in a pediatric patient who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. At the same time, we mention that the MIS-A symptoms remit within a few weeks, while the duration of long-COVID is measured in months. Long-COVID syndrome, along with its complications, MIS-A and MIS-C, represents an important challenge in the medical community. Underlying comorbidities can expose both COVID-19 adult and pediatric patients to a higher risk of negative outcomes not only during, but in the aftermath of the SARS-CoV-2 infection as well.

The Impact of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media with and without Cholesteatoma in Patients from Northeastern Romania.

Quality of life is a widely used concept that tends to become an important part of clinical management. The present study performs an analysis of the impact of suppurative chronic otitis media with and without cholesteatoma on quality of life, using the COMQ-12 questionnaire. It was applied to a group of 40 healthy people and to 40 patients before surgery, and the answers to the questions were analyzed and correlated with socioeconomic factors. After the confirmation of the diagnosis based on clinical and imaging information, the patients completed the COMQ-12 questionnaire. It was observed that the chronic ear problems had negative impacts of varying degrees on daily and long-term activities. The evaluation and analysis of information can be used in setting therapeutic targets.

Primary complement and antibody deficiencies in autoimmune rheumatologic diseases with juvenile onset: a prospective study at two centers.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and clinical relevance of inherited complement and antibody deficiency states in a large series of patients with various autoimmune rheumatologic diseases (ARD) with juvenile onset. METHODS: A total number of 117 consecutive patients from 2 tertiary referral hospitals were included in the study. All patients underwent genetic screening for type I C2 deficiency and C4 allotyping. Serum levels of immunoglobulin classes measured systematically throughout their regular medical care were recorded retrospectively. RESULTS: Our cohort of patients included 84 with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), 21 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 6 with systemic vasculitis, 2 with juvenile scleroderma, 2 with idiopathic uveitis, 1 with mixed connective tissue disease and 1 with SLE/scleroderma overlap syndrome. We have found 16 patients with evidence of primary immunodeficiency in our series (13.7%), including 7 with C4 deficiency, 5 with selective IgA deficiency, 3 with C2 deficiency and 2 with unclassified hypogammaglobulinemia (one also presented C4D). Of the 84 patients with JIA, 4 (4.8%) had a complement deficiency, which was less prevalent than in the SLE cohort (23.8%), but all of them have exhibited an aggressive disease. Most of our patients with primary antibody deficiencies showed a more complicated and severe disease course and even the co-occurrence of two associated autoimmune diseases (SLE/scleroderma overlap syndrome and SLE/autoimmune hepatitis type 1 overlap). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings among others demonstrate that complement and immunoglobulin immunodeficiencies need careful consideration in patients with ARD, as they are common and might contribute to a more severe clinical course of the disease.

Correlations Among Parental and Neonatal Anthropometric Parameters, Feeding Practices and Infant Obesity.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Infant and adult obesity is becoming a real public health concern in Romania, similar to other countries of the European Union. Maternal obesity and excessive weight gain during pregnancy are proven risk factors for the obesity of the child. The protective role of the breastfeeding against obesity has also been demonstrated. The most important issue is whether the choice of a milk formula with the right protein composition could or not protect the newborn from becoming a future obese infant and child. Our study aims to describe the characteristics of a group of macrosomic newborns, in relation to the mothers' weight gain during pregnancy, mode of delivery, birth weight, complications at birth, time of first feeding and type of feeding during maternity stay. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on 179 newborns with birth weights >4000 grams, born over a period of three months (March-May) in 6 large maternity hospitals in Romania. RESULTS: the newborns had a mean gestational age of 39.5 weeks and a mean birth weight of 4195 grams. Male newborns were prevalent (74%). More than half were born by Cesarian section and had Apgar scores with a median of 9. Macrosomes are prone to complications at birth and in our study those were mainly hypoglycemia and birth trauma. Time at first feeding was 95 minutes (mean), with a high percentage of formula/mixed feeding (68%). CONCLUSION: Macrosomia itself attracts the risk of birth by cesarean section (54% of study group), birth trauma and a low rate of exclusive breast milk feeding (32% of study group) at discharge.