Invasive Group A streptococcal infections: are we facing a new outbreak? A case series with the experience of a single tertiary center.

BACKGROUND: In pediatric age, Group A Streptococcus (GAS) is responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, from mild localized infections to life-threatening invasive diseases. In December 2022, the World Health Organization reported an increased incidence of scarlet fever and invasive GAS infections (iGAS) cases in Europe and the United States. In line with these observations, surveillance has been strengthened in our Region, allowing the identification of certified or highly suspected forms of iGAS. CASE PRESENTATION: We report here 4 emblematic cases of iGAS admitted to our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the short time span from mid-February to mid-March 2023. Particularly, we describe a case of pleuropneumonia (4 year old boy) and a case of respiratory failure (2 year old boy), who necessitated Non-Invasive Ventilation support, a case of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (6 year old girl), presenting with multi-organ failure, who needed Invasive Ventilation, and a case of meningitis (5 year old girl). All these patients needed intensive care support. CONCLUSIONS: Accurate differential diagnosis and early treatment both could help to reduce the transmission of GAS and consequently the risk of severe iGAS. These cases confirmed the need for close monitoring and appropriate notification, in order to verify their actual increased incidence.

Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells as a Global Pediatric Prospective Approach in the Treatment of Respiratory Failure Associated with Surfactant Protein C Dysfunction.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a new therapeutic strategy to treat congenital and acquired respiratory system diseases. We describe a case report of an 18-month-old male patient with progressive chronic respiratory failure, associated with mutations of the surfactant protein C gene (SFTPC) due to c.289G > T variant p.Gly97Ser (rs927644577) and c.176A > G variant (p.His59Arg), submitted to repeated intravenous infusions of allogeneic bone marrow (BM) MSCs. The clinical condition of the patient was monitored. Immunologic studies before and during MSC treatment were performed. No adverse events related to the MSC infusions were recorded. Throughout the MSC treatment period, the patient showed a growth recovery. Starting the second infusion, the patient experienced an improvement in his respiratory condition, with progressive adaptation to mechanical ventilation. After the third infusion, five hours/die of spontaneous breathing was shown, and after infusion IV, spontaneous ventilation for 24/24 h was recorded. A gradual decrease of lymphocytes and cell subpopulations was observed. No variations in the in vitro T cell response to PHA were determined by MSC treatment as well as for the in vitro B cell response. A decrease in IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10 levels was also detected. Even though we cannot exclude an improvement of pulmonary function due to the physiological maturation, the well-known action of MSCs in the repair of lung tissue, together with the sequence of events observed in our patient, may support the therapeutic role of MSCs in this clinical condition. However, further investigations are necessary to confirm the result and long-term follow-up will be mandatory to confirm the benefits on the pulmonary condition.

Longitudinal Anthropometry and Body Composition in Children With SARS-CoV-2-Associated Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Acute coronavirus disease 2019 infection has been shown to negatively affect body composition among adult and malnourished or obesity children. Our aim is to longitudinally evaluate body composition in children affected by the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C). METHODS: In this cohort study, we recruited 40 patients affected by MIS-C, aged 2-18 years old, who were admitted in our clinic between December 2020 and February 2021. Physical examination for each participant included weight, height, body mass index (BMI) z score, circumferences, and skinfolds assessment. The same measurements were repeated during outpatient follow-up at 10 (T2), 30 (T3), 90 (T4), and 180 (T5) days after hospital discharge. Fat mass and fat free mass were calculated according to skinfolds predictive equations for children and adolescents. A control group was randomly selected among patients attending a pediatric nutritional outpatient clinic. RESULTS: BMI z score significantly decrease between preadmission and hospital discharge. Similarly, arm circumference z score, arm muscular area z score, and arm fat area z score significantly decreased, during hospital stay. Fat mass index (FMI) significantly increased over time, peaking at T3. Fat free mass index decreased during hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to assess body composition in a numerically large pediatric MIS-C population from acute infection to 6 months after triggering event. FMI and anthropometric parameters linked to fat deposits were significantly higher 6 months after acute event. Thus, limiting physical activity and having sedentary lifestyle may lead to an accumulation of adipose tissue even in healthy children who experienced MIS-C and long hospitalization.

Postoperative apnea after pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Objective: Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS), which causes gastric outlet obstruction and hypochloremic hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, could pose a risk of postoperative apnea in patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of postoperative apnea in babies admitted to a tertiary-level pediatric surgical center in Milano, Italy with diagnosis of IHPS in 2010-2019. The secondary objective is to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative apnea. Methods: This is a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study. All patients admitted to our institution with diagnosis of IHPS during the study period were enrolled. Demographic and surgical variables, along with blood gas parameters, were obtained from the population. Postoperative apnea was defined as a respiratory pause longer than 15 s or a respiratory pause lasting less than 15 s, but associated with either bradycardia (heart rate <120 per minute), desaturation (SatO2 <90%), cyanosis, or hypotonia. Occurrence was obtained from nursing charts and was recorded as a no/yes dichotomous variable. Results: Of 122 patients, 12 (9.84%) experienced apnea and 110 (90.16%) did not. Using univariate analysis, we found that only postoperative hemoglobin was significantly different between the groups (p=0.03). No significant multivariable model was better than this univariate model for prediction of apnea. Conclusions: Postoperative anemia, possibly due to hemodilution, increased the risk of postoperative apnea. It could be hypothesized that anemia can be added as another apnea-contributing factor in a population at risk due to metabolic changes.

Epidemiological and Clinical Profile of Pediatric Burns in the COVID-19 Era: The Experience of a Reference Center.

Pediatric burns represent a significant public health problem. We analyzed the characteristics of pediatric burns in a reference center, in order to identify better strategies for prevention and care. Burn patients admitted to the pediatric departments of our hospital from January 2020 to June 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. Age, gender, the etiology of injuries, the total burn surface area (TBSA), the degree of burns, the length of hospital stay (LOS), concomitant SARS-CoV-2 infection, and burn surface microbial colonization were analyzed. Forty-seven patients were included in the analysis (M:F = 1:0.67). Most of the cases involved patients between 0 and 4 years of age (83%). Hot liquid burns accounted for 79% of cases, flame burns for 9%, thermal burns for 6%, scald burns for 4% and chemical burns for 2%. Mean TBSA was 14 ± 11%. A second-degree lesion was detected in 79% of patients and third-degree in 21%. Mean LOS was 17 days. No additional infection risks or major sequelae were reported in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fifteen different species of bacteria plus C. parapsilosis were isolated, while no anaerobic microorganisms were detected. In the light of our experience, we recommend a carefully planned and proactive management strategy, always multidisciplinary, to ensure the best care for the burned child.

Thyroid Function and Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents with Neuromotor Disability.

Thyroid function plays a crucial role in nervous system integrity and metabolic homeostasis. We evaluated the pattern of TSH, FT4 and FT3 release in children with neuromotor impairment (NI) in relationship with metabolic syndrome (MS). We enrolled 55 patients with NI and 30 controls. Clinical parameters, thyroid function and MS presence were recorded. Principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis, and logistic regression models were performed. MS was detected in 54.5% of patients. Four clusters were identified: the first one included only controls and, contrasting with cluster 4, was exclusively characterized by children with disability and MS. This latter showed increased FT4 and FT3 and decreased TSH levels. Cluster 2, characterized by disability without MS showed high FT4 and FT3, whereas cluster 3 with low FT4 and FT3 mainly included disability (90%) and showed prevalent MS (57%). The association between TSH and NI is represented by a U-shape structure. The TSH, FT3 and FT4 release patterns may reflect thyrotropic adaptation, allostatic response and compensatory mechanisms. These mechanisms, found in both MS and disability, show that the odds of having a condition of NI with or without MS increase as the TSH values deviate, in both directions, from a value of 2.5 mLU/mL.

The parental psychological distress caused by separation from their critically ill child during the COVID-19 pandemic: A tale of two cities.

Introduction: A child's critical illness is a stressful event for the entire family, causing significant emotional distress among parents and changes to family functioning. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has abruptly caused modifications in visitation policies of Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in many countries. We hypothesized that caregivers with no or severely restricted access to PICUs would demonstrate increased psychological distress as compared to those who had limitless access (LA) to PICUs. Methods: Sociodemographic variables, levels of psychological distress, ratings of family functioning, and ability to cope with stressful events were collected with an online survey in a group of caregivers after their child's hospitalization. Ratings of psychological distress were compared between caregivers with no/severely restricted (NA) and with LA to PICUs. Results: Measures of depression, anxiety, and global severity index (GSI) of psychological distress were significantly higher in NA caregivers as compared to LA. Among demographic characteristics of the sample, only gender influenced the severity of psychological symptoms: women showed an increased score on levels of somatization, depression, anxiety, and GSI. Avoidant coping style positively correlated with measures of depression. Univariate General Linear Model (GLM) analyses of the effects of sex, age, visitation policies of PICUs, and score of avoidant coping strategies on measures of psychological distress confirmed a significant univariate effect of no access to PICUs on parents' psychopathological scores. Conclusion: Restrictions imposed on visitation policies in PICU during the pandemic negatively impacted families' psychological wellbeing. A balance between the safety of patients, families, and health care professionals and meeting the needs of families is of utmost importance.

Cardiac dysfunction in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: An Italian single-center study.

BACKGROUND: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a novel condition temporally associated with SARS-CoV2 infection. Cardiovascular involvement is mainly evident as acute myocardial dysfunction in MIS-C. The aim of this study was to describe the cardiac dysfunction in patients with MIS-C, defining the role of severity in the clinical presentations and outcomes in a single cohort of pediatric patients. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study on patients diagnosed with MIS-C, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition, and referred to Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital in Milan from November 2020 to February 2021. Patients were managed according to a local approved protocol. According to the admission cardiac left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), the patients were divided into group A (LVEF < 45%) and group B (LVEF ≥45%). Pre-existing, clinical, and laboratory factors were assessed for evaluating outcomes at discharge. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were considered. Cardiac manifestations of MIS-C were reported in 26 patients (81%). Group A included 10 patients (9 M/1F, aged 13 years [IQR 5-15]), and group B included 22 patients (15 M/7 M, aged 9 years [IQR 7-13]). Significant differences were noted among clinical presentations (shock, diarrhea, intensive care unit admission), laboratory markers (leucocytes, neutrophils, and protein C-reactive), and cardiac markers (troponin T and N-terminal pro B-type Natriuretic Peptide) between the groups, with higher compromission in Group A. We found electrocardiogram anomalies in 14 patients (44%) and rhythm alterations in 3 patients (9%), without differences between groups. Mitral regurgitation and coronary involvement were more prevalent in group A. Total length of hospital stay and cardiac recovery time were not statistically different between groups. A recovery of cardiac functioning was reached in all patients. CONCLUSION: Despite significant differences in clinical presentations and need for intensive care, all of the MIS-C patients with significant cardiac involvement in this study completely recovered. This suggests that the heart is an involved organ and did not influence prognosis if properly treated and supported in the acute phase.

Six-month multidisciplinary follow-up in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: An Italian single-center experience.

Background: A severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to SARS-CoV-2 has been described after infection. A limited number of reports have analyzed the long-term complications related to pro-inflammatory status in MIS-C. We evaluated multiorgan impairment at the 6-month follow-up in MIS-C. Methods: We enrolled 33 pediatric patients consecutively hospitalized for MIS-C and monitored for almost 6 months. The inter-relationship of patient's features and disease severity at admission with long term complications was studied by multivariate analysis. Results: Endo-metabolic derangement, cardiac injury, respiratory, renal and gastrointestinal manifestations and neurological involvement are part of the initial presentation. The most abnormalities appear to resolve within the first few weeks, without significant long term dysfunction at the 6-months follow-up, except for endocrine (non-thyroidal illness syndrome in 12.1%, insulin resistance in 21.2%) and neurological system (27.3% cognitive or psychological, behavioral, adaptive difficulties). Endocrine and heart involvement at admission represent a significant factor on the long term sequelae; however no association between severity score and long-term outcome was noted. Conclusions: The severity of initial clinical presentation may be associated to organ domain, however it is not related to long term sequelae. The prevalent organ restoration supports a predominant indirect immune-mediated injury triggered by a systemic inflammatory response; however a direct damage due to the viral entry could be not excluded. Eventhought our preliminary results seem to suggest that MIS-C is not a long-term risk condition for children health, a longer follow-up is mandatory to confirm this hypothesis.

Blood Fatty Acids Profile in MIS-C Children.

MIS-C (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children) linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection, is a pathological state observed in subjects younger than 21 years old with evidence of either current SARS-CoV-2 infection or exposure within the 4 weeks prior to the onset of symptoms, the presence of documented fever, elevated markers of inflammation, at least two signs of multisystem involvement, and, finally, lack of an alternative diagnosis. They share with adult COVID-19 patients the presence of altered markers of inflammation, but unlike most adults the symptoms are not pulmonary but are affecting several organs. Lipid mediators arising from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) play an important role in the inflammatory response, with arachidonic acid-derived compounds, such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, mainly pro-inflammatory and ω3 PUFA metabolites such as resolvins and protectins, showing anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution activities. In order to assess potential alterations of these FA, we evaluated the blood fatty acid profile of MIS-C children at admission to the hospital, together with biochemical, metabolic and clinical assessment. All the patients enrolled showed altered inflammatory parameters with fibrinogen, D-dimer, NT-proBNP, ferritin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), C-reactive protein (CRP) and TrygIndex levels over the reference values in all the subjects under observation, while albumin and HDL-cholesterol resulted below the normal range. Interestingly, linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA) and the ω3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) results were lower in our study when compared to relative amounts reported in the other studies, including from our own laboratory. This significant alteration is pointing out to a potential depletion of these PUFA as a result of the systemic inflammatory condition typical of these patients, suggesting that LA- and AA-derived metabolites may play a critical role in this pathological state, while ω3 PUFA-derived pro-resolution metabolites in these subjects may not be able to provide a timely, physiological counterbalance to the formation of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators. In conclusion, this observational study provides evidence of FA alterations in MIS-C children, suggesting a significant contribution of ω6 FA to the observed inflammatory state, and supporting a potential dietary intervention to restore an appropriate balance among the FAs capable of promoting the resolution of the observed inflammatory condition.

Nutritional, Gastrointestinal and Endo-Metabolic Challenges in the Management of Children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1.

The management of patients with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 (SMA1) is constantly evolving. In just a few decades, the medical approach has switched from an exclusively palliative therapy to a targeted therapy, transforming the natural history of the disease, improving survival time and quality of life and creating new challenges and goals. Many nutritional problems, gastrointestinal disorders and metabolic and endocrine alterations are commonly identified in patients affected by SMA1 during childhood and adolescence. For this reason, a proper pediatric multidisciplinary approach is then required in the clinical care of these patients, with a specific focus on the prevention of most common complications. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide the clinician with a practical and usable tool about SMA1 patients care, through a comprehensive insight into the nutritional, gastroenterological, metabolic and endocrine management of SMA1. Considering the possible horizons opened thanks to new therapeutic frontiers, a nutritional and endo-metabolic surveillance is a crucial element to be considered for a proper clinical care of these patients.

Supporting the Regional Network for Children with Burn Injuries in a Pediatric Referral Hospital for COVID-19.

Considerable reorganization of the regional network for pediatric burn treatment during the pandemic was required to cope with severe burn injuries in small children. In support of the emergency network for burns during the COVID-19 pandemic, we referred to regional indications for centralization in our hospital for all children aged less than 5 years who presented with severe burns, >15% of total body surface area (TBSA), or who necessitated admittance to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A new service with a dedicated management protocol was set up to treat pediatric burns in our SARS-CoV-2 pediatric hospital during the lockdown period. A multidisciplinary burn treatment team was set up to offer compassionate and comprehensive burn care. Patient's clinical data, burn features, treatment and follow up were recorded. A higher number of admissions was recorded from February to December 2020 compared with the same period in 2019 (52 vs. 32 admissions). Eighteen patients were admitted to the COVID-19 Service (10 M/8 F; 3.10 ± 2.6 yrs); ten children (55.5%) were hospitalized in the ward and eight in the ICU (44.5%). Fifty percent of the cases presented with lesions extending over >15% TBSA; in one case, TBSA was 35%. All patients suffered 2nd-degree burns; while five patients also had 3rd degree lesions covering more than 15% TBSA. All of the injuries occurred at home. No major secondary infections were recorded. Successful treatment was achieved in 94.4% of cases. The average length of stay was 15.2 ± 12.6 days. A proactive, carefully planned service, involving a multidisciplinary team, was created to ensure appropriate care in a pediatric hospital during the COVID-19 period, despite the effective pandemic associated challenges. Better health promotion in pediatric burn cases should also include dedicated TBSA assessment and a database of children's burn characteristics.

Impaired Glucose-Insulin Metabolism in Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Related to SARS-CoV-2 in Children.

An interaction between metabolic glucose impairment and coronavirus disease 2019 is reported. The development of a severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) related to SARS-CoV-2 infection has been described. We evaluated the impact of MIS-C on glycemic patterns in pediatric patients. A group of 30 children and adolescents affected by MIS-C were considered; all patients were normal weight. Clinical and biochemical assessments, including surrogate markers of insulin resistance (IR) such as homeostasis model analysis-IR (HOMA-IR) and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) indexes, were recorded. Patients were also invited to undergo an intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring (isCGM). HOMA-IR index was calculated in 18 patients (60%), of which 17 (94%) revealed a pathological value. TyG index was computed for all patients and pathological values were detected in all cases. In 15 patients, isCGM data were recorded on average for 9 days (±3 days). Overall, average glucose was 105 mg/dL (±16 mg/dL) and average time spent in the 70-180 mg/dL range (TIR) was 93.76%, with nearly 10% of glucose readings in the 141-180 mg/dL range; glycemic fluctuations over the hyperglycemic threshold were detected in four patients. Regular glucose monitoring may be useful to prevent metabolic imbalance and obtain a better outcome.

The Challenges of a Children's Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Pediatric Surgeon's Point of View.

During the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, in the pediatric surgical setting, it has been essential to avoid and contain infections as well as to protect both the patients and the surgical team. During this emergency, procedures and workflow were adapted to provide the safest possible environment for both the surgical team and the patients. Pediatric surgical activities were reorganized during the COVID-19 pandemic at the "Vittore Buzzi" Children's Hospital, which is a pediatric/maternal hospital located in Milan (Lombardy Region), Italy. Resources were optimized in order to maintain high levels of care and quality of assistance. During the COVID-19 emergency, the pediatric surgical department at the "Vittore Buzzi" Children's Hospital became an acute care surgical service. For the reorganization of surgical activities, institutional protocols were adapted in order to preserve the pediatric-specific characteristics of our service; five crucial points were specifically addressed. The pediatric surgical procedures carried out during the initial two months of the Italian lockdown are also reported. Continuity of care was maintained for children affected by severe diseases, such as tumors and neurosurgical conditions, whose treatment could not be deferred. Telemedicine and telecommunication were adopted as quick-support modalities for pre- and post-operative care. This reorganization allowed us to preserve the "pediatric specificity" and all care-related procedures offered at this high-quality/high-volume surgical care referral center.

Characteristic of COVID-19 infection in pediatric patients: early findings from two Italian Pediatric Research Networks.

Detailed data on clinical presentations and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in Europe are still lacking. In this descriptive study, we report on 130 children with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed by 28 centers (mostly hospitals), in 10 regions in Italy, during the first months of the pandemic. Among these, 67 (51.5%) had a relative with COVID-19 while 34 (26.2%) had comorbidities, with the most frequent being respiratory, cardiac, or neuromuscular chronic diseases. Overall, 98 (75.4%) had an asymptomatic or mild disease, 11 (8.5%) had moderate disease, 11 (8.5%) had a severe disease, and 9 (6.9%) had a critical presentation with infants below 6 months having significantly increased risk of critical disease severity (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 29.1). Seventy-five (57.7%) children were hospitalized, 15 (11.5%) needed some respiratory support, and nine (6.9%) were treated in an intensive care unit. All recovered.Conclusion:This descriptive case series of children with COVID-19, mostly encompassing of cases enrolled at hospital level, suggest that COVID-19 may have a non-negligible rate of severe presentations in selected pediatric populations with a relatively high rates of comorbidities. More studies are needed to further understand the presentation and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in children with special needs. What is Known: • There is limited evidence on the clinical presentation and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in Europe, and almost no evidence on characteristics and risk factors of severe cases. What is New: • Among a case series of 130 children, mostly diagnosed at hospital level, and with a relatively high rate (26.2%) of comorbidities, about three-quarter had an asymptomatic or mild disease. • However, 57.7% were hospitalized, 11.5% needed some respiratory support, and 6.9% were treated in an intensive care unit.

Agreement between magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in the postnatal evaluation of congenital lung malformations: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare postnatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the reference standard computed tomography (CT) in the identification of the key features for diagnosing different types of congenital lung malformation (CLM). METHODS: Respiratory-triggered T2-weighted single-shot turbo spin echo (ss-TSE), respiratory-triggered T1-weighted turbo field echo (TFE), balanced fast field echo (BFFE), and T2-weighted MultiVane sequences were performed at 1.5 T on 20 patients prospectively enrolled. Two independent radiologists examined the postnatal CT and MRI evaluating the presence of cysts, hyperinflation, solid component, abnormal arteries and/or venous drainage, and bronchocele. Diagnostic performance of MRI was calculated and the agreement between the findings was assessed using the McNemar-Bowker test. Interobserver agreement was measured with the kappa coefficient. RESULTS: CT reported five congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAMs), eight segmental bronchial atresias, five bronchopulmonary sequestrations (BPS), one congenital lobar overinflation, one bronchogenic cyst, and three hybrid lesions. MRI reported the correct diagnosis in 19/20 (95%) patients and the malformation was correctly classified in 22/23 cases (96%). MRI correctly identified all the key findings described on the CT except for the abnormal vascularization (85.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV, 94.1% NPV, 95% accuracy for arterial vessels; 57.1% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% PPV, 84.2% NPV, 87% accuracy for venous drainage). CONCLUSIONS: MRI can represent an effective alternative to CT in the postnatal assessment of CLM. In order to further narrow the gap with CT, the use of contrast material and improvements in sequence design are needed to obtain detailed information on vascularization, which is essential for surgical planning. KEY POINTS: • Congenital lung malformations (CLMs) can be effectively studied by MRI avoiding radiation exposure. • Crucial features of CLM have similar appearance when comparing CT with MRI. • MRI performs very well in CLM except for aberrant vessel detection and characterization.

The infant with severe bronchiolitis: from high flow nasal cannula to continuous positive airway pressure and mechanical ventilation.

Bronchiolitis is one of the most frequent reasons for Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) admission in children less than 1 year of age. It causes a wide spectrum of clinical scenarios from mild to severe respiratory failure and supportive therapy range from high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) to nonconventional ventilation and extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the most severe forms. Aim of this article is to review the available ventilation mode in children with bronchiolitis and the scientific evidence. The main medical databases were explored to search for clinical trials that address management strategies for respiratory support of infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. HFNC use is increasing and it seems to be useful as first line therapy in the emergency room and in the pediatric ward to prevent PICU admission but it is not clear yet if it is equivalent to noninvasive ventilation (NIV). NIV use in bronchiolitis is well established, mainly in continuous positive airway pressure mode in moderate and severe bronchiolitis. A mild evidence towards use of NIV to prevent endotracheal intubation is raising from few studies. Finally, for patients who failed a NIV trial, endotracheal intubation should be considered as the best option to support ventilation with conventional, nonconventional mode and ECMO in the most severe acute respiratory distress syndromes. There is a lack of quality studies for the use of any of the proposed ventilatory support in infants with bronchiolitis, especially in the severe forms. Nevertheless, in the last two decades daily use of noninvasive positive pressure supports have reached a large consensus based on clinical judgement and weak published evidence. We need specific and clear guidelines on which is the optimal management of these patients, and more robust randomized clinical trials to best evaluate timing and efficacy of HFNC and NIV use.

Hemoconcentration: a major risk factor for neurological involvement in hemolytic uremic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Shigatoxin-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (STEC-HUS) is a common thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in which central nervous system (CNS) involvement is responsible for the majority of deaths and for severe long-term sequelae. We have analyzed the role of hemoconcentration in disease severity. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of the records and laboratory data at presentation of all patients with STEC-HUS cases (n = 61) over a 10-year period. The patients were grouped into three severity classes: group A, comprising patients who did not require dialysis; group B, patients who were dialyzed without CNS involvement; group C, patients with CNS involvement. RESULTS: Patients with CNS involvement (group C) had a higher mean hemoglobin level (11.2 ± 2.3 g/dL) than those of group A or B ( 9.4 ± 2.1 and 7.5 ± 1.9 g/dL, respectively; p < 0.0001). We also observed that the higher the initial hemoglobin level, the more severe the long-term renal damage (p < 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with STEC-HUS, hemoconcentration and hypovolemia may be responsible for more severe ischemic organ damage (both short and long term) at disease onset, and these signs should be regarded as risk factors for CNS damage and for more severe TMA. Therefore, we recommend that hydration status should be actively monitored in HUS patients and that dehydration, when diagnosed, should be promptly corrected.