Prospective assessment of anxiety among pediatric oncology patients and their caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic a cohort study.

To assess COVID-19-pandemic related anxiety and emotional-behavioral difficulties among oncologic children and their caregivers.Prospective cohort study conducted from March to November 2020.76 pediatric oncological and 28 nonmalignant hematological patients aged 1.6-23.4 years and their caregivers.A total of 104 families completed an age-specific self-report psychological assessment; of these, 20 oncologic families completed the assessment at two time points.Ten percent of the caregivers and 13.9% of the patients reported anxiety disorder. Additionally, 3.1% of the caregivers reported behavioral difficulties. No significant differences emerged between patients' self-reports and caregivers' reports. No differences emerged between oncological and nonmalignant hematological participants.The prevalence of anxiety associated with the COVID-19 pandemic was similar to the reported prevalence of anxiety following a diagnosis of pediatric malignancy.Real-time assessment of psychological effects revealed no COVID-19-associated anxiety. Nonetheless, late effects will need to be monitored.

Tramadol Treatment for Chemotherapy-induced Mucositis Pain in Children.

Mucositis, a painful and debilitating condition, is a common side effect of chemotherapy. The role of tramadol in the treatment of mucositis in pediatric patients has not yet been determined. In this retrospective study, we evaluate whether tramadol as single agent achieved a reduction of pain intensity among oncologic children admitted for mucositis. In total, 34 of 54 (63%) episodes were treated with tramadol alone and achieved adequate pain relief. Tramadol's side effects were mild and manageable.