Redox biomarkers in asymptomatic latent human tuberculosis: a comparison with active disease.

BACKGROUND: The latent TB infection (LTBI) is an asymptomatic infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.bt). Previous studies have shown a host-protective role for Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) during Mtb infection and an important involvement of Glutathione peroxidase-4 (Gpx4) in the necrotic pathology of the disease. Furthermore, increasing evidence suggested a crucial role for Glutathione in the granulomatous response to M. tb infection, with altered GSH levels associated to decreased host resistance. The aim of this study was to provide additional tools for discriminating the pathologic TB state and the asymptomatic infection. METHODS: We analyzed the gene expression of HO-1 and Gpx4 enzymes in blood of subjects with LTBI, active TB and healthy controls, and we also measured blood levels of the reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) forms of glutathione, together with the evaluation of GCL expression, the gene responsible for the GSH de novo synthesis. RESULTS: Our findings highlight a shift of glutathione homeostasis towards a more reducing conditions in LTBI, and a different modulation of GSH-dependent genes and HO-1 expression respect to active TB. CONCLUSION: This study can provide useful tools to understand the redox background that address the infection toward the asymptomatic or active disease.

Euterpe music therapy method for children with cerebral palsy.

Introduction: The main purpose of our study was to evaluate whether involvement in a personalized music therapy program (Euterpe method), could improve the condition of children with cerebral palsy and their parents, compared to a control group. It investigated whether it could positively affect children's sleep quality, temperament and quality of life, quality of family life, and parental stress. Methods: A prospective single-center experimental study was conducted at "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital (Rome, Italy). All subjects involved attended an intensive rehabilitation program in the Neurorehabilitation Unit. In a group of patients (n = 25), a music therapy treatment was applied to evaluate the effect before and after the intervention. This group was also compared with a control group (n = 10) undergoing a standard protocol without music therapy. Results: In the experimental group, the analysis shows statistically significant effects in the Disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (p = 0.050) and the Sleep wake transition disorders (p = 0.026) factors, and the total score (p = 0.031) of Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children; the Positive emotionality scale (p = 0.013) of Italian Questionnaires of Temperament (QUIT); the Emotional Functioning (p = 0.029), Social Functioning (p = 0.012), Worry (p = 0.032), Daily Activities (p = 0.032), Total Score (p = 0.039) and Parent HRQL Summary Score (p = 0.035) dimensions of Pediatric Quality of Life for family. While in the control group, only the Attention scale of QUIT (p = 0.003) reaches statistical significance. Discussion: Our study suggests that music therapy with the Euterpe Method has beneficial effects on fundamental aspects of the child's and his parents' lives, such as sleep, emotion control, and quality of family life.

Trans-jugular approach for safe and successful cryoablation of para-Hisian/anterior-septal, anterior, and anterior-lateral accessory pathways in children.

BACKGROUND: Cryoablation of APs localized near the atrioventricular (AV) junction is a well-established ablation strategy in children, and it has proved to be very safe. However, recurrence rates remain considerable for specific accessory pathway (AP) localizations. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a trans-jugular approach for cryoablation of right anterior, anterior-lateral, and anterior-septal APs in children, as compared to the conventional femoral approach. METHODS: From June 2019 to November 2023, 24 consecutive patients (mean age 13.2 ± 4.6, 12 males (50% of total cohort)) with right anterior-lateral, anterior, and anterior-septal/para-Hisian APs underwent 3D non-fluoroscopic transcatheter cryoablation through the right jugular vein at our Institution. Ablation results were compared with 24 patients for whom a conventional trans-femoral approach was used. RESULTS: Acute procedural success rate was 100% (n = 24/24), with a non-statistically significant difference as compared to the control group (100% vs. 83%, p = 0.1). During follow-up (1.1 years, interquartile range 0.6-1.3), one patient (4%) had a recurrence in the trans-jugular group, as opposed to eight (38%) in the control group (p = 0.006). No permanent complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: 3D cryoablation of right anterior-lateral, anterior, and anterior-septal/para-Hisian APs in children using a trans-jugular approach is extremely effective and safe, resulting in higher chronic success rate compared to the conventional femoral approach.

Pre-COVID-19-pandemic RSV epidemiology and clinical burden in pediatric primary care in Italy: a comparative analysis across two regions for the 2019/2020 season.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children under 5 years have a significant clinical burden, also in primary care settings. This study investigates the epidemiology and burden of RSV in Italian children during the 2019/20 pre-pandemic winter season. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in two Italian regions. Children with Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) visiting pediatricians were eligible. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and analyzed via multiplex PCR for RSV detection. A follow-up questionnaire after 14 days assessed disease burden, encompassing healthcare utilization and illness duration. Statistical analyses, including regression models, explored associations between variables such as RSV subtype and regional variations. RESULTS: Of 293 children with ARI, 41% (119) tested positive for RSV. Median illness duration for RSV-positive cases was 7 days; 6% required hospitalization (median stay: 7 days). Medication was prescribed to 95% (110/116) of RSV cases, with 31% (34/116) receiving antibiotics. RSV subtype B and regional factors predicted increased healthcare utilization. Children with shortness of breath experienced a 36% longer illness duration. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a significant clinical burden and healthcare utilization associated with RSV in pre-pandemic Italian primary care settings. Identified predictors, including RSV subtype and symptomatology, indicate the need for targeted interventions and resource allocation strategies. RSV epidemiology can guide public health strategies for the implementation of preventive measures.

Parents' Trigger Tool for Children with Medical Complexity - PAT-CMC: Development of a recognition tool for clinical deterioration at home.

AIM: To develop a trigger tool for parents and lay caregivers of children with medical complexity (CMC) at home and to validate its content. DESIGN: This was a multi-method study, using qualitative data, a Delphi method and a concept mapping approach. METHODS: A three-round electronic Delphi was performed from December 2021 to April 2022 with a panel of 23 expert parents and 30 healthcare providers, supplemented by a preliminary qualitative exploration of children's signs of deterioration and three consensus meetings to develop the PArents' Trigger Tool for Children with Medical Complexity (PAT-CMC). Cognitive interviews with parents were performed to assess the comprehensiveness and comprehensibility of the tool. The COREQ checklist, the COSMIN guidelines and the CREDES guidelines guided the reporting respectively of the qualitative study, the development and content validity of the trigger tool and the Delphi study. RESULTS: The PAT-CMC was developed and its content validated to recognize clinical deterioration at home. The tool consists of 7 main clusters of items: Breathing, Heart, Devices, Behaviour, Neuro-Muscular, Nutrition/Hydration and Other Concerns. A total of 23 triggers of deterioration were included and related to two recommendations for escalation of care, using a traffic light coding system. CONCLUSION: Priority indicators of clinical deterioration of CMC were identified and integrated into a validated trigger tool designed for parents or other lay caregivers at home, to recognize signs of acute severe illness and initiate healthcare interventions. IMPACT: The PAT-CMC was developed to guide families in recognizing signs of deterioration in CMC and has potential for initiating an early escalation of care. This tool may also be useful to support education provided by healthcare providers to families before hospital discharge. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Parents of CMC were directly involved in the selection of relevant indicators of children's clinical deterioration and the development of the trigger tool. They were not involved in the design, conducting, reporting or dissemination plans of this research.

Unique Features of Cardiovascular Involvement and Progression in Children with Marfan Syndrome Justify Dedicated Multidisciplinary Care.

Marfan syndrome (MIM: # 154700; MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease representing the most common form of heritable connective tissue disorder. The condition presents variable multiorgan expression, typically involving a triad of cardiovascular, eye, and skeletal manifestations. Other multisystemic features are often underdiagnosed. Moreover, the disease is characterized by age related penetrance. Diagnosis and management of MFS in the adult population are well-described in literature. Few studies are focused on MFS in the pediatric population, making the clinical approach (cardiac and multiorgan) to these cases challenging both in terms of diagnosis and serial follow-up. In this review, we provide an overview of MFS manifestations in children, with extensive revision of major organ involvement (cardiovascular ocular and skeletal). We attempt to shed light on minor aspects of MFS that can have a significant progressive impact on the health of affected children. MFS is an example of a syndrome where an early personalized approach to address a dynamic, genetically determined condition can make a difference in outcome. Applying an early multidisciplinary clinical approach to MFS cases can prevent acute and chronic complications, offer tailored management, and improve the quality of life of patients.

Acute Hepatitis of Unknown Origin in Children: Analysis of 17 Cases Admitted to the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome.

This study described 17 cases of children admitted to the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital with acute hepatitis of unknown origin between mid-April and November 2022. Following the World Health Organization's working case definition of probable cases, 17 children, with a median age of 2.1 years (interquartile range: 1.0-7.1), presenting with acute hepatitis non-AE, with serum transaminase >500 IU/L, were included in the study. A pre-specified set of microbiological tests was performed on different biological specimens for all pediatric patients. All patients resulted negative for the common hepatotropic viruses. The most common pathogen detected in blood specimens was human-herpes-virus-7 (52.9%). Adenovirus was detected more frequently in stool specimens (62.5%) than in respiratory (20.0%) or blood samples (17.6%). Regarding Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, one child tested positive two days after admission, while antibodies against spike and nucleoprotein were present in 82.3% of patients. A co-pathogen detection was observed in 94.1% of children. Overall, 16 children recovered without clinical complications, while one patient required liver transplantation. In these cases of acute hepatitis of unknown origin, adenovirus was mainly detected in stool samples. A co-pathogen detection was also frequently observed, suggesting that the etiology of this acute hepatitis is most probably multifactorial.

Prevalence of Rome IV Pediatric Diagnostic Questionnaire-Assessed Disorder of Gut-Brain Interaction, Psychopathological Comorbidities and Consumption of Ultra-Processed Food in Pediatric Anorexia Nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe eating disorder primarily affecting children and adolescents. Disorders of the gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) have gained recognition as significant symptoms in individuals with AN. However, limited studies have explored GI symptoms in pediatric populations with AN using age-specific diagnostic tools. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of DGBIs, their associated psychopathological aspects and their potential correlations with ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption among pediatric AN patients. The study included AN patients who were under the care of a specialized multidisciplinary team. We assessed DGBI-related symptoms using the Rome IV Pediatric Diagnostic Questionnaire on Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (R4PDQ) and conducted psychological evaluations. Dietary intake and UPF consumption were evaluated. Among 56 AN patients, we observed a lower prevalence of DGBIs (functional constipation: 61%; functional dyspepsia: 54%; irritable bowel syndrome: 25%) compared to the existing literature. The psychological assessments revealed high rates of depression (72%) and anxiety (70%). UPF consumption was inversely related to depression levels (p = 0.01) but positively correlated with functional constipation (p = 0.046). This study highlights the importance of using age-specific diagnostic tools and emphasizes the crucial role of a specialized multidisciplinary team in the treatment of AN.

Pediatric acute hospitalization for anorexia nervosa: an economic evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorders which may potentially led to a high risk of health medical complications, suicide and self-harming behaviour. Since Covid-19 pandemic onset in March 2020, evidence suggested an increase occurrence of AN. The main aim of the retrospective analysis is to define the cost of hospitalization in the acute phase (HAP) at IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy, over 2 years study. Secondary purposes are defining the main risk factors for a prolonged hospitalization (including age, sex and comorbidities) and the possible influence of Covid-19 pandemic on AN admission and hospital stay. METHODS: for the purpose of the study, we included children and adolescents aged less than 18 years, admitted to IRCCS Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy, with a diagnosis of AN. Medical costs were calculated consulting the Lazio Regional Health Service Tariffs. Basing on the date of hospital admission, patients were later divided into two subgroups: subgroup A included patients hospitalized prior than Covid-19 onset (from March 2019 to February 2020) and subgroup B those admitted after (from March 2020 to October 2022). RESULTS: a total of 260 patients has been included in the study with a median age of 15 years (range 6-18 years). The total health care cost of AN hospitalized patients was of EUR 3,352,333 with a median cost of EUR 11,124 for each admission (range EUR 930 - 45,739) and a median daily cost of EUR 593 (range EUR 557-930). Median cost was higher in case of comorbidities, guarded patients, enteral feeding. A prolonged hospitalization has been documented in subgroup A with a higher economic burden. CONCLUSIONS: the economic burden of eating disorders is of note. Adequate sanitary policies as well as health economic analyses are required to gain insight into the cost-effectiveness of AN management. TRIAL REGISTRATION: 2526-OPBG-2021.

Pediatric vital signs monitoring in hospital wards: Recognition systems and factors influencing nurses' attitudes and practices.

AIMS: To describe: 1) systems in place for recognition and response to deteriorating children in Italy, 2) attitudes and practices of registered nurses (RN) towards vital signs (VS) monitoring in pediatric wards, 3) the associations of nurses attitudes and pratices with nurses' and organizational characteristics. DESIGN AND METHODS: A multicentre cross-sectional correlational study. Data were collected between January-May 2020 using: an adapted version of the 'Survey on Recognition and Response Systems in Australia', and the 'Ped-V Scale'. Descriptive and adjusted linear regression analysis was performed, accounting for clustering. RESULTS: Ten Italian hospitals participated, 432 RNs responded to the Ped-V scale (response rate = 52%). Five (50%) hospitals had a VS policy in place, three hospitals (30%) had a Pediatric Early Warning System (PEWS), almost all hospitals had a system in place to respond to deteriorating children. Following multivariate regression analysis, having a PEWS was significantly associated with Ped-V scale 'Workload', 'Clinical competence', 'Standardization' dimensions; gender was associated with 'key indicators' and pediatric surgical ward with 'Clinical competence'. CONCLUSIONS: The use of VS policies and PEWS was not consistent across hospitals caring for children in Italy. Nurses' attitudes and practices (i.e., perception of workload, and clinical competence) were significantly lower in hospitals with increased complexity of care/PEWS. Gender was significantly associated with knowledge scores. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: System strategies to improve nurses' attitudes and practices towards VS monitoring and education are warranted to support effective behaviors towards VS monitoring, their interpretation, and appropriate communication to activate the efferent limb of the rapid response system.

Accuracy of Pancreatic Stone Protein for diagnosis of sepsis in children admitted to pediatric intensive care or high-dependency care: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic Stone Protein (PSP) is one of the most promising diagnostic and prognostic markers. The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of PSP, compared to C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and Procalcitonin (PCT) for sepsis diagnosis in pediatric patients. Furthermore, we explored the correlation of PSP levels with sepsis severity and organ failure measured with PELOD-2 score. METHODS: Forty pediatric patients were enrolled following admission to pediatric intensive care, high dependency care or pediatric ward. PSP blood levels were measured in Emergency Department (nanofluidic point-of-care immunoassay; abioSCOPE, Abionic SA, Switzerland) on day 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 from the onset of the clinical signs and symptoms of sepsis or SIRS. Inclusion criteria were: 1) patient age (1 month to 18 years old), 2) signs and symptoms of SIRS, irrespective of association with organ dysfunction. Exclusion criteria were: 1) hemato-oncological diseases and/or immunodeficiencies, 2) pancreatic diseases. RESULTS: Septic patients showed higher PSP levels than those with non-infectious systemic inflammation. The optimal cut-off in diagnosis of sepsis for PSP at day 1 was 167 ng/ml resulted in a sensitivity of 59% (95% IC 36%-79%) and a specificity of 83% (95% IC 58%-96%) with an AUC of 0.636 for PSP in comparison to AUC of 0.722 for PCT and 0.503 for C-RP. ROC analysis for outcome (survival versus no survival) has showed AUC 0.814 for PSP; AUC 0.814 for PCT; AUC of 0.657 for C-RP. CONCLUSIONS: PSP could distinguish sepsis from non-infectious systemic inflammation; however, our results need to be confirmed in larger pediatric population.

Feasibility of a Stop Smoking Program for Healthcare Workers in an Italian Hospital: Econometric Analysis in a Total Worker Health® Approach.

Background: Over 20% of healthcare workers (HCWs) are active smokers. Smoking is a targeted issue for workplace health promotion (WHP) programs. Objective: Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Stop Smoking Promotion (SSP) intervention, a 6-hour training course for HCWs, which took place from May 2018 to July 2019. Methods: We compared HCWs who successfully quit smoking (n = 15) to those who did not (n = 25) in terms of Sickness Absence Days (SADs). Moreover, we conducted an econometric analysis by calculating the return on investment and implementing a break-even analysis. Findings: Among the 40 enrolled workers, a success rate of 37.5% was observed after a span of over two years from the SSP intervention (with nurses and physicians showed the best success rate). Overall, participants showed a noticeable absenteeism reduction after the SSP intervention, with a reduction rate of 85.0% in a one-year period. The estimated ROI for the hospital was 1.90, and the break-even point was 7.85. In other words, the organization nearly doubled its profit from the investment, and the success of at least eight participants balanced costs and profits. Conclusion: Our pilot study confirms that WHP programs are simple and cost-saving tools which may help improve control over the smoking pandemic in healthcare settings.

Myocardial Functional Imaging in Pediatric Nuclear Cardiology.

The role of nuclear medicine in pediatric cardiology has grown rapidly over the years, providing useful functional and prognostic information and playing a complementary role to morphological imaging in the evaluation of myocardial perfusion, cardiovascular inflammation and infections, and cardiac sympathetic innervation. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize and highlight the most important evidence on pediatric nuclear cardiology, describing clinical applications and the possibilities, advantages, and limitations of nuclear medicine techniques. Moreover, a special focus will be given to the minimization of radiation exposure in pediatric nuclear cardiology imaging, a critical topic in children.

Respiratory syncytial virus: can we still believe that after pandemic bronchiolitis is not a critical issue for public health?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection among infants and young children, resulting in annual epidemics worldwide. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-pharmacological interventions were applied, interfering with the circulation of most respiratory viruses, including RSV. The aim of this study is to analyze the RSV infection trend among hospitalized infants during the actual epidemic season (2022-2023) in comparison with the last pre-pandemic season (2018-2019), in order to outline whether significant differences emerge due to COVID-19 pandemia. We retrospectively reviewed medical data on infants hospitalized at the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital with diagnosis of bronchiolitis in the current epidemic season and in the last pre-pandemic season, 2018-2019. RSV remains the main etiological agent of bronchiolitis in terms of frequency and severity of infections in the ongoing epidemic season. The first RSV case of the 2022-2023 season was detected at week 42 vs week 47 in the 2018-2019 season. The length of epidemic season was of 17 weeks in 2022-2023 vs 18 weeks in 2018-2019. Comparing the two seasons, age at admission was significantly higher in the current season (median age 2022-2023 65 days vs median age 2018-2019 58 days), but the disease severity was similar.       Conclusions: The 2022-2023 bronchiolitis season in Italy started earlier than the usual pre-pandemic seasons but seasonality pattern may be going back to the pre-pandemic one. This season was not more severe than the previous ones. The impact of RSV disease on health care systems and costs remains a critical issue. What is Known: • RSV is one of the major leading causes of hospitalization among children aged less than 3 months. SarsCOV2 pandemic interfered with the seasonal circulation of most respiratory viruses, Including RSV. What is New: • The 2022-2023 bronchiolitis season in Italy started and peaked earlier than the usual pre-pandemic seasons but seasonality pattern may be realigning to the pre-pandemic one. The impact of RSV disease on health care systems and costs is concerning.

Influenza viruses circulation in a tertiary care children hospital in Rome: a comparison between 2022 and the previous 5 years.

BACKGROUND: Influenza surveillance aims to determine onset, duration and intensity of the seasonal Influence-like Illness (ILI); data collection begins in the week 42 of a year and ends in the week 17 of the following year. In this observational study, we report the experience of a tertiary care children hospital in Rome about Influenza viruses circulation during the calendar year 2022 (January-December) in comparison with the previous five years (2017-2021), with a special focus on the weeks 18-41, usually not under surveillance. METHODS: This retrospective study involved 36782 respiratory samples referred to 21354 patients (pts), median age 2.63 years, admitted with respiratory symptoms at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in the years 2017-2022. Respiratory viruses were detected by molecular Allplex™ Respiratory Panel Assays (Seegene, Korea). RESULTS: Regarding the pre pandemic years, 2017-2019, distribution of Flu positive patients focused in the first weeks of the year (weeks 1-17). During the pandemic period, Flu was not detected. In 2022, 239 Flu viruses were identified: 37 FluA (weeks 1-17), 29 FluA (weeks 18-41) and 168 FluA and 5 FluB (weeks 42-52). For the year 2022, during the non-epidemic period, the number of Flu viruses detected corresponded to 12.1% of total Flu detected, respect to 0-1.7% for the previous five years (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: When compared with pre SARS-CoV-2 pandemic years, our data show a significant increase in Influenza cases during weeks 18-41/2022 and reveal an unexpected summer circulation of these viruses: just weeks 26-30 showed to be influenza virus free. A national year-round Flu surveillance could be useful to understand if changing in influenza epidemiology is transitional or likely to persist in the following years.

Self-care in children and young people with complex chronic conditions: a qualitative study using Emotional Text Mining.

Objectives: To explore: (1) self-care behaviors in children and young people (range: 6 months-24 years) with complex chronic conditions, characterized by the diagnosis of a severe chronic condition, substantial family-identified needs, functional limitations associated with technology dependence, and intensive use of healthcare services; (2) the contribution to self-care of family members and other persons involved in the child's health and daily life context (e.g., health professionals and teachers), and (3) the principal factors that might have influenced the self-care process associated with developmental age. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in an Italian academic tertiary pediatric hospital between September 2020 and May 2021. Overall, 25 focus groups and 7 online interviews were conducted via videoconferencing. Textual data were analyzed using Emotional Text Mining to identify three levels of communication: the factors, the main themes (clusters), and the sub-themes. Results: A total of 104 participants were enrolled, including 27 patients with complex chronic conditions (12 males, mean age = 11.1 ± 4.40), 33 parents, 6 siblings, 33 health professionals, and 5 teachers. Participants described the process of self-care through four main factors: "self-care", "external settings", "family", and "management". Five clusters (themes) were identified: (1) Self-care management (device; consulting); (2) Shift of agency (influencing factors; parents; school); (3) Self-care support (normal life and personal development; multidisciplinary support); (4) Daily self-care maintenance/monitoring; (5) Treatment adherence. Self-care management was mostly relevant for parents of children aged between 6 months and 3 years. Conclusion: The self-care process varies according to the needs related to the specific developmental age and the evolution of the clinical condition over time. The contribution of the family, health professionals, and social networks is fundamental for adequate self-care. To help families manage the unstable condition of their children at home, it is necessary to strengthen support networks implement home care, and ensure continuity of care.

Changes in the Cath Lab in the Treatment of Adult Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: A 12-Year Experience in a Single Referral Center with the Establishment of a Dedicated Working Group.

BACKGROUND: Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are a growing population needing ongoing care. The aim of this study was to investigate if a dedicated ACHD team impacted the timing and indication of invasive cardiology procedures in these patients at our hospital. METHODS: Our retrospective single-center study enrolled adult patients with moderate or complex congenital heart disease and with at least one cardiac catheterization between January 2010 and December 2021. According to the period, procedures were labeled as group A (2010 to 2015) or group B (2016 to 2021) and further divided into diagnostic (DCC) and interventional cardiac catheterizations (ICC). RESULTS: 594 patients were eligible for the study. Both DCC (p < 0.05) and ICC increased between groups A and B (p < 0.05). In group B: Fontan patients accounted for the majority of DCC (p < 0.001), while DCC decreased in arterial switch repair (p < 0.001). In Fontan patients, conduit stenting was prevalent (p < 0.001), while fenestration closures dropped (p < 0.01). In patients with tetralogy of Fallot and native outflow tract, percutaneous pulmonary valve implantations (PPVI) increased, with a concurrent reduction in pulmonary valve replacements (p < 0.001 vs. surgical series). In right ventricular conduits, ICC increased (p < 0.01), mainly due to PPVI. Among Mustard/Senning patients, baffle stenting increased from Group A to Group B (p < 0.001). In patients with pulmonary atresia and biventricular repair, ICC often increased for pulmonary artery stenting. CONCLUSIONS: A dedicated working group could improve ACHD patients' indications for interventional procedures, leading to tailored treatment, better risk stratification and optimizing time until heart transplantation.

The Efficacy of the Global Intensive Feeding Therapy on Feeding and Swallowing Abilities in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study.

The present investigation aims to explore the efficacy of Global Intensive Feeding Therapy (GIFT) on feeding and swallowing abilities in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). GIFT was developed as an intensive rehabilitation approach, divided into 30 sessions for 2 weeks, three times a day. GIFT focused on (a) encouraging desensitization; (b) widening the food repertoire (in terms of both variety and quantity); (c) reducing inappropriate mealtime behaviors; and (d) encouraging the development of appropriate chewing and swallowing abilities. GIFT was preliminarily implemented among 11 children with a diagnosis of ASD. To measure the efficacy of GIFT, the Karaduman Chewing Performance Scale (KCPS), the Brief Autism Mealtime Behavior Inventory (BAMBI), and food repertoire were investigated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test in three different times: baseline (T1), after treatment (T2), and one month after treatment (T3). Using Bonferroni correction, statistically significant differences were found between T1 and T2 for behavioral issues, as measured with BAMBI (p = 0.007), as well as for chewing abilities as measured with KCPS (p = 0.005) and for food acceptance (p = 0.005). These improvements were maintained after a month of follow-up, thanks to the collaboration of families and/or primary caregivers. In conclusion, GIFT seems to be an effective approach to improving behavioral issues, food acceptance, and chewing abilities in children with ASD.

Development and Pilot Study of a Pediatric Screening for Feeding and Swallowing Disorders in Infants and Children: The Pediatric Screening-Priority Evaluation Dysphagia (PS-PED).

Feeding and swallowing disorders (FSD) are common during childhood, with a prevalence of 85% in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. A comprehensive screening is essential to identify FSD and improve health outcomes in a clinical setting. This study aims to develop a new Pediatric Screening tool capable of identifying FSD. This screening tool was developed in three steps: selecting variables based on clinical experience, searching the literature and finding agreement between experts with a two-round Delphi study. This process, which reached 97% of agreement between experts, led to the development of the Pediatric Screening-Priority Evaluation Dysphagia (PS-PED). PS-PED comprises 14 items divided into three main domains: clinical history, health status and feeding condition. We also carried out a pilot test for measuring internal consistency, as measured with Cronbach Coefficient alpha. Concurrent validity, as measured with Pearson correlation coefficient, was tested using a videofluoroscopy swallow study (VFSS) classified with the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS). The pilot test was conducted on 59 children with different health conditions. Our findings showed good internal consistency (alpha = 0.731), and a strong linear correlation with PAS (Pearson 0.824). Furthermore, comparing PS-PED and PAS scores, we find preliminary strong discriminant validity to identify children with FSD (p < 0.01). Our results provide evidence on using the 14-item PS-PED as a screening tool for FSD in a clinical sample of children with heterogeneous disease.

Clonal Spread of Hospital-Acquired NDM-1-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in an Italian Neonatal Surgery Unit: A Retrospective Study.

This article reports a rapid and unexpected spread of colonization cases of NDM-1 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli in a neonatal surgical unit (NSU) at Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome, Italy. Between the 16th of November 2020 and the 18th of January 2021, a total of 20 NDM-1 carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (n = 8) and E. coli (n = 12) were isolated from 17 out of 230 stool samples collected from neonates admitted in the aforementioned ward and time period by an active surveillance culture program routinely in place to monitor the prevalence of colonization/infection with multidrug-resistant Gram-negative microorganisms. All strains were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, detection of resistance determinants, PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) and multilocus-sequence typing (MLST). All isolates were highly resistant to most of the tested antibiotics, and molecular characterization revealed that all of them harbored the blaNDM-1 gene. Overall, IncA/C was the most common Inc group (n = 20/20), followed by IncFIA (n = 17/20), IncFIIK (n = 14/20) and IncFII (n = 11/20). MLST analysis was performed on all 20 carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) strains, revealing three different Sequence Types (STs) among E. coli isolates, with the prevalence of ST131 (n = 10/12; 83%). Additionally, among the 8 K. pneumoniae strains we found 2 STs with the prevalence of ST37 (n = 7/8; 87.5%). Although patient results were positive for CPE colonization during their hospital stay, infection control interventions prevented their dissemination in the ward and no cases of infection were recorded in the same time period.