The burden of viral lower respiratory tract infections during the neonatal period: six-year experience at a tertiary referral hospital.

AIM: To identify the epidemiological and clinical features of acute viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) caused by respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory viruses, and to determine the risk factors for the severe disease among neonates. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of neonates aged up to 44 postconceptional weeks who were hospitalized at a tertiary referral hospital due to confirmed viral LRTI between January 2015 and December 2020. RESULTS: Of 228 neonates with viral LRTI, one-third were born prematurely. A seasonal distribution of LRTIs from December to March was noticed, peaking in February. Forty-two percent of neonates were treated in the neonatal intensive care unit. One third of these presented with complications and needed mechanical ventilation. The most detected viruses were respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus. Prematurity was identified as a risk factor for worse clinical course and more complications, while rhinovirus infection was associated with an increased risk of apnea. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of respiratory syncytial virus LRTI in the neonatal period is high, although other respiratory viruses can also cause a severe respiratory disease. In preterm infants, rhinovirus infection presents an important risk factor for a severe course of LRTI with complications. Infection with two respiratory viruses leads to a more severe clinical course.

How health care professionals confront and solve ethical dilemmas - a tale of two countries: Slovenia and Croatia.

AIM: To assess the differences in the way how Slovenian and Croatian health care professionals (HCPs) confront ethical dilemmas and perceive the role of hospital ethics committees (HECs). METHODS: This cross-sectional, survey-based study involved HCPs from three Slovenian and five Croatian university medical centers (UMC). The final sample sizes were 308 (244 or 79.2% women) for Slovenia and 485 (398 or 82.1% women) for Croatia. RESULTS: Compared with Croatian physicians, Slovenian physicians reported a higher share of ethical dilemmas regarding waiting periods for diagnostics or treatment, suboptimal working conditions due to interpersonal relationships in the ward, and end-of-life treatment withdrawal, and a lower share regarding access to palliative care and patient information protection. Compared with Croatian nurses, Slovenian nurses reported a lower share of ethical dilemmas regarding the distribution of limited resources, recognizing the patient's best interests, and access to palliative care. Compared with Croatian other HCPs, Slovenian other HCPs reported a lower burden of ethical dilemmas regarding waiting periods for diagnostics or treatment, distribution of limited resources, and access to palliative care. When encountering an ethical dilemma, all HCPs in both countries would first consult their colleagues. Slovenian and Croatian HCPs recognized the importance of the HECs to a similar extent, but viewed their role differently. CONCLUSION: Croatian and Slovenian HCPs are confronted with different ethical dilemmas and perceive the role of HECs differently.

Clinical and Radiological Characteristics of Non-Benign Pineal Cyst Lesions in Children.

Background: With the increasing availability and advances in brain imaging, pineal cyst lesions (PCL) are becoming a common finding in the pediatric population. In the absence of evidence-based guidelines, optimal diagnostic and therapeutic approaches have not been established, and there is a risk of under- or overtreatment of these patients. Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical presentation and radiological features of PCL in a cohort of pediatric patients and to identify clinical parameters more commonly associated with neoplasms in the pineal region. In addition, the prevalence of PCL in the pediatric population of Slovenia was estimated. Methods: In this observational, cohort study, children treated at University Children's Hospital, Ljubljana, Slovenia in the period 1997-2016 were included if PCL was found on brain imaging. We analyzed indications for referral to a neurologist, clinical signs and symptoms, radiological features, treatment and outcome. Results: The cohort consisted of 143 children with PCL. Pineocytoma was suspected in 31 children (21.7%). Six children underwent surgery - pineocytoma was confirmed in two cases and germinoma in one (2/3 of these children had signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP), while PCL was benign in the remaining 4 cases. Only 2 PCL enlarged during the study period, both <2mm, none of these children developed neoplasm. Two children had PCL >20mm in diameter; both showed signs of increased ICP, one patient was found to have a germinoma of the pineal region, while the other had no neoplasm. Conclusions: Most PCL do not change their features during radiological follow-up and even atypical PCL are very rarely associated with a malignant neoplasm of the pineal region. A PCL larger than 20 mm and signs of increased ICP were identified as potential markers for selecting patients at risk.

The first nationwide study on facing and solving ethical dilemmas among healthcare professionals in Slovenia.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients and families are often faced with ethical dilemmas. The role of healthcare ethics committees (HECs) is to offer support in these situations. AIM: The primary objective was to study how often HCPs encounter ethical dilemmas. The secondary objective was to identify the main types of ethical dilemmas encountered and how HCPs solve them. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, survey-based study among HCPs in 14 Slovenian hospitals. A questionnaire was designed and validated by HCPs who were selected by proportional stratified sampling. Data collection took place between April 2015 and April 2016. RESULTS: The final sample size was n = 485 (385 or 79.4%, female). The response rates for HCPs working in secondary and tertiary level institutions were 45% and 51%, respectively. Three hundred and forty (70.4%) of 485 HCPs (very) frequently encountered ethical dilemmas. Frequent ethical dilemmas were waiting periods for diagnostics or treatment, suboptimal working conditions due to poor interpersonal relations on the ward, preserving patients' dignity, and relations between HCPs and patients. Physicians and nurses working in secondary level institutions, compared to their colleagues working in tertiary level institutions, more frequently encountered ethical dilemmas with respect to preserving patients' dignity, protecting patients' information, and relations between HCPs and patients. In terms of solutions, all HCPs most frequently discussed ethical dilemmas with co-workers (colleagues), and with the head of the department. According to HCPs, the most important role of HECs is staff education, followed by improving communication, and reviewing difficult ethical cases. CONCLUSIONS: Waiting periods for diagnostics and treatment and suboptimal working conditions due to poor interpersonal relations are considered to be among the most important ethical issues by HCPs in Slovenian hospitals. The most important role of HECs is staff education, improving communication, and reviewing difficult ethical cases.