Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections in early childhood: a newly defined clinical condition.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (R-URTIs) pose a significant challenge in pediatric healthcare, affecting both children and their families. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical implications of R-URTI in children aged 0-5 years. METHODS: This observational study involved a sample of 483 children aged 0-5 years, focusing on establishing a practical and dynamic definition of R-URTI. Family pediatricians prospectively collected socio-demographic information, medical history, and recorded the occurrence of URTI episodes. Children were followed from recruitment until March 2021, predating the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: A substantial prevalence of R-URTIs was found, estimating it at 5-10% among this age group. To define R-URTI, a practical and dynamic criterion was proposed: children experiencing a minimum of four URTI episodes, each lasting four days or more, within a six-month period, with intervals of well-being in between. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlighted that specific risk factors for R-URTI were elusive, suggesting that this condition may affect children regardless of their family or clinical history. Moreover, the study's stratification by age group and times of observation facilitated patient-specific clinical decision-making. The proposed definition may represent a valuable tool for clinicians in diagnosing and addressing R-URTI cases.

Leading reasons for antibiotic prescriptions in pediatric respiratory infections: influence of fever in a primary care setting.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic overuse in children is a significant public health concern, as it can lead to the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Although respiratory infections account for most antibiotic prescriptions in children, many of these infections are viral and do not require antibiotics. In this study, we aimed to investigate the use of antibiotics in children with respiratory infections in a primary care setting and to explore the possible role of fever on antibiotic prescription. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study that evaluated preschool children aged 0-5 years who were assessed by their primary care pediatricians for respiratory infectious diseases between October 2019 and March 2021. The study involved 69 public primary care pediatricians and a total of 678 pediatric episodes for respiratory infections. RESULTS: Amoxicillin/clavulanate was the most frequently prescribed drug. Bronchitis accounted for most of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions (73%). Furthermore, the presence of fever was associated with a ~ 300% increase in the likelihood of prescribing antibiotics for respiratory infections that do not typically require antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize the need for adherence to international guidelines and recommendations in the primary care of children to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and prevent the development of antibiotic resistance. This study also underscores the potential relevance of new studies to evaluate antibiotic prescription attitudes in other clinical settings and geographical areas.

Persistence of Lockdown Consequences on Children: A Cross-sectional Comparative Study.

Lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant psychological impact on children and adolescents. This study compared lockdown effects on children aged 1-10 years in 2020 and 2021. Two structured questionnaires were administered to 3392 parents in 2020, and 3203 in 2021. Outcomes considered for the data analysis included sleep changes, episodes of irritability, attention disturbances, distance learning and number of siblings. For data analysis, children were divided into two groups: pre-scholar (1-5 years old) and older ones. The lockdown was associated with a significant increase in sleep disturbances in 2020 and persisted after a year. The high prevalence of mood changes persisted unchanged in children under the age of 10 in 2020 and in 2021. Even if strengthened family ties seemed to mitigate the negative impact of lockdowns in 2020, this effect appeared absent or at least reduced in 2021. Irritability and rage in children were perceived to have increased in 2021 compared to 2020. A significant reduction in digital device use was observed in 2021 compared to 2020. Overall, the most harmful consequences of the lockdown in 2020 were still observed in 2021. Further studies are needed to analyze possible psychological effects that the generation who experienced the pandemic during early childhood may have, particularly in their future adolescence, in order to identify possible intervention practices to support families.

Incidence of acute respiratory infections in preschool children in an outpatient setting before and during Covid-19 pandemic in Lombardy Region, Italy.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in children is difficult to estimate because they are typically treated in outpatient settings and the majority of epidemiological data originate from hospital settings and refer to the most severe illnesses. Therefore, the incidence of ARTIs in a real-world setting remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the incidence of ARTIs, upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in children aged 0-5 years in an outpatient setting. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted in Lombardy, Italy, from October 1st, 2019, to March 31st, 2021, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in March 2020. Caucasian healthy children aged 0-5 years were recruited from 69 Family Pediatricians (FP) and followed-up in an outpatient setting. Data were collected whenever a child was referred to FP and ARTI was diagnosed (Covid-19 related ARTI were excluded). The primary outcome was an estimate of the incidence of ARTIs. The incidence of ARTIs in different age groups and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of ARTIs were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: We enrolled 484 children, 249 male (51.8%), mean age of 2.39 ± 1.68 years. The mean estimated incidence of ARTIs was 12.1/100 children × 30 days (95% CIs: 9.5-12.9), with the highest value observed in infants aged 1-12 months (24.9/100 children × 30 days; 95% CIs: 17.6-28.9). The mean estimated incidence of URTIs was higher than that of LRTIs (8.3 - CIs: 7.6-8.9 vs 3.8/100 children × 30 days - CIs: 6.4-4.3, respectively). The comparison of ARTIs, which occurred in the pre-pandemic winter, to those measured during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealed an impressive 82.1% drop in the incidence rate (CIs: 77.8-85.7). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that infants aged 1-12 months are more likely to develop ARTIs than older children and that COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the epidemiology of ARTIs in children aged 0-5 years.

Distance learning, technological devices, lifestyle and behavior of children and their family during the COVID-19 lockdown in Lombardy: a survey.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent national lockdowns, school closures and distance learning may have had both negative and positive effects on physical and mental health of children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a large group of children between 1 and 10 years old in Lombardy, Italy (n = 3392). Their parents filled in a survey answering single or multiple-choice questions about their offspring's behavior changes (including sleep, dietary habits, emotional disturbances), relationship with siblings, parents and peers, the use of digital technologies, and distance learning experience during the lockdown. RESULTS: Parents reported lifestyles and emotional alterations during the lockdown. The modifications of family relationships, parents' remote working, and screen time were associated with sleep, emotional and behavioral modifications. Distance learning was overall considered adequate. CONCLUSIONS: This study reported the most updated data on the effects of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on children between 1 and 10 years of age in a large sample of Italian schoolchildren. The results of this study point out that pediatricians and authorities should support relationships within families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents' remote working might play an important role for this purpose.

Do the opinions of pediatricians influence their recommendations on complementary feeding? Preliminary results.

Complementary feeding practices are debated among pediatricians, primarily regarding whether nutritional needs or developmental readiness should be prioritized in recommendations for starting complementary feeding. The aim of the present study was to analyze the timing of the start of complementary feeding and the related motivations with an 8-item online survey administered to active members of the Italian Society of Primary Care Pediatricians. The participation rate was 43.3% (350 of 808), and 213 (60.9%) and 137 (39.1%) of the participants chose items related to developmental readiness and nutritional needs, respectively, as the criteria for starting complementary feeding. Approximately 74% of the participants reported that they recommended starting complementary feeding between 5 and 6 months of age, 17% recommended starting before 5 months, and 8% recommended starting after 6 months. Predefined schemes were proposed by 38% of the participants, and a responsive feeding modality was proposed by 13%, while the majority (49%) recommended both modalities depending on family characteristics. Regarding recommendations based on nutritional needs, 89% of pediatricians reported providing indications concerning the quantity of meat consumed during the first year of life, and 91% reported recommending introducing added salt only after 12 months of age. Compared with pediatricians who emphasized developmental readiness, those who prioritized nutritional needs suggested earlier complementary feeding start and a higher use of predefined schemes and were more likely to make recommendations regarding meat quantity and added salt (p < 0.0001).Conclusions: Pediatricians who used a developmental readiness criterion for starting complementary feeding may less frequently provide nutritional advice to parents, even if a trend to harmonize the different positions regarding complementary feeding start time is emerging.What is Known:• Pediatricians make suggestions for introducing complementary feeding based on scientific evidence, local traditions, and personal beliefs.• Either infants' nutritional needs or their developmental readiness currently is used as determinant for the timing of complementary feeding.What is New:• More than 60% of Italian pediatricians consider developmental readiness a priority for introducing complementary feeding.• Pediatricians following the criterion of developmental readiness may less frequently give detailed nutritional advice.

Updated Guidelines for the Management of Acute Otitis Media in Children by the Italian Society of Pediatrics: Prevention.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, new information has been acquired regarding the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of acute otitis media (AOM). The Italian Pediatric Society, therefore, decided to issue an update to the Italian Pediatric Society guidelines published in 2010. METHODS: The search was conducted on Pubmed, and only those studies regarding the pediatric age alone, in English or Italian, published between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2018, were included. Each study included in the review was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) methodology. The quality of the systematic reviews was evaluated using the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2 appraisal tool. The guidelines were formulated using the GRADE methodology by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. RESULTS: The importance of eliminating risk factors (passive smoking, environmental pollution, use of pacifier, obesity, limitation of day-care center attendance) and the promotion of breastfeeding and hygiene practices (nasal lavages) was confirmed. The importance of pneumococcal vaccination in the prevention of AOM was reiterated with regard to the prevention of both the first episode of AOM and recurrences. Grommets can be inserted in selected cases of recurrent AOM that did not respond to all other prevention strategies. Antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended for the prevention of recurrent AOM, except in certain carefully selected cases. The use of complementary therapies, probiotics, xylitol and vitamin D is not recommended. CONCLUSIONS: The prevention of episodes of AOM requires the elimination of risk factors and pneumococcal and influenza vaccination. The use of other products such as probiotics and vitamin D is not supported by adequate evidence.

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pediatric obesity: consensus position statement of the Italian Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology and the Italian Society of Pediatrics.

The Italian Consensus Position Statement on Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Obesity in Children and Adolescents integrates and updates the previous guidelines to deliver an evidence based approach to the disease. The following areas were reviewed: (1) obesity definition and causes of secondary obesity; (2) physical and psychosocial comorbidities; (3) treatment and care settings; (4) prevention.The main novelties deriving from the Italian experience lie in the definition, screening of the cardiometabolic and hepatic risk factors and the endorsement of a staged approach to treatment. The evidence based efficacy of behavioral intervention versus pharmacological or surgical treatments is reported. Lastly, the prevention by promoting healthful diet, physical activity, sleep pattern, and environment is strongly recommended since the intrauterine phase.

Pertussis-associated persistent cough in previously vaccinated children.

To evaluate the role of Bordetella pertussis infection, 96 otherwise healthy 7- to 17-year-old subjects who were suffering from a cough lasting from 2 to 8 weeks were prospectively recruited. At enrolment, a nasopharyngeal swab and an oral fluid sample were obtained to search for pertussis infection by the detection of B. pertussis DNA and/or an elevated titre of anti-pertussis toxin IgG. Evidence of pertussis infection was found in 18 (18.7 %; 95 % confidence interval, 11.5-28.0) cases. In 15 cases, the disease occurred despite booster administration. In two cases, pertussis was diagnosed less than 2 years after the booster injection, whereas in the other cases it was diagnosed between 2 and 9 years after the booster dose. This study used non-invasive testing to show that pertussis is one of the most important causes of long-lasting cough in school-age subjects. Moreover, the protection offered by acellular pertussis vaccines currently wanes more rapidly than previously thought.

Preventive Effect of Cow's Milk Fermented with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 on Common Infectious Diseases in Children: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Fermented foods have been proposed to prevent common infectious diseases (CIDs) in children attending day care or preschool. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of dietary supplementation with cow's skim milk fermented with the probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 in reducing CIDs in children attending day care or preschool. Methods: Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on healthy children (aged 12-48 months) consuming daily 7 grams of cow's skim milk fermented with L. paracasei CBA L74 (group A), or placebo (maltodextrins group B) attending day care or preschool during the winter season. The main outcome was the proportion of children who experienced ≥1 episode of CID during a 3-month follow-up. Fecal biomarkers of innate (α- and ß-defensins, cathelicidin) and acquired immunity (secretory IgA) were also monitored. Results: A total of 126 children (71 males, 56%) with a mean (SD) age of 33 (9) months completed the study, 66 in group A and 60 in group B. At intention to treat analysis, the proportion of children presenting ≥1 CID was 60% in group A vs. 83% in group B, corresponding to an absolute risk difference (ARD) of -23% (95% CI: -37% to -9%, p < 0.01). At per-protocol-analysis (PPA), the proportion of children presenting ≥1 CID was 18% in group A vs. 40% in group B, corresponding to an absolute risk difference (ARD) of -22% (95% CI: -37% to -6%, p < 0.01). PPA showed that the proportion of children presenting ≥1 acute gastroenteritis (AGE) was significantly lower in group A (18% vs. 40%, p < 0.05). The ARD for the occurrence of ≥1 AGE was -22% (95% CI: -37% to -6%, p < 0.01) in group A. Similar findings were obtained at PPA regarding the proportion of children presenting ≥1 upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), which was significantly lower in group A (51% vs. 74%, p < 0.05), corresponding to an ARD of -23% (95% CI: -40% to -7%, p < 0.01). Significant changes in innate and acquired immunity biomarkers were observed only in subjects in group A. Conclusions: Dietary supplementation with cow's skim milk fermented with L. paracasei CBA L74 is an efficient strategy in preventing CIDs in children.

Sleep habits and pattern in 1-14 years old children and relationship with video devices use and evening and night child activities.

BACKGROUND: Sleep in childhood and adolescence is crucial for mental and physical health; however several researches reported an increasing trend towards a sleep deprivation in this age. Due to the lack of recent epidemiological studies in Italy, the aim of our study was to depict sleep habits and patterns in Italian children aged 1-14 years and to evaluate their relationships with video devices use (TV, tablet, smartphone, PC) and evening/night child activities. METHODS: A structured interview was conducted during 2015 by 72 Family Pediatricians in 2030 healthy children aged 1-14 years by a cross-sectional survey named "Ci piace sognare". Total sleep duration was calculated, 2015 National Sleep Foundation Recommendations were used as reference. Optimal sleepers were defined children sleeping in own bed all night without awakenings. Multivariable median regression was performed to identify predictors of sleep duration and multivariable logistic regression for predictors of optimal sleep. RESULTS: Total sleep duration and numbers of awakenings decreased with age. Only 66.9% of children had sleep duration in agreement with Recommendations (50% in 10-14 years group). Before sleeping 63.5% of children used video devices (39.6% at 1-3 years), 39.1% read, 27.5% drank and 19.5% ate. Bottle users at bedtime were 30.8% at 1-3 years, 16.6% at 3-5 years and 4.9% at 5-7 years. Overall, 23.4% of children changed sleeping place during the night, 22.4% referred sleeping problems in the first year of life. Video devices use was negative predictor of sleep duration (-0.25 h [95%CI:-0.35,-0.14], p < 0.001). Optimal sleep was inversely related with bedroom TV (OR 0.63 [0.50,0.79], p < 0.001), with sleeping disorders in the first year (OR 0.62 [0.48,0.80], p < 0.001)), with bottle use (OR 0.64 [0.44,0.94], p < 0.05) and posivively related with high mother's education level (OR 1.44 [1.11,1.88], p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: About one third of 1 to 14 year Italian children sleep less than recommended, one half in teenage. Modifiable risk factors for sleep abnormalities such as video devices use, bedroom TV and bottle use should be target of preventive strategies for a correct sleep. Pediatricians should give priority to the identification of sleep disorders early in life.

Serotypes not Included in 13-Valent Pneumococcal Vaccine as Causes of Acute Otitis Media with Spontaneous Tympanic Membrane Perforation in a Geographic Area with High Vaccination Coverage.

In 177 children living in an area with high 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 coverage, who had acute otitis media complicated with spontaneous tympanic membrane perforation, Streptococcus pneumoniae was identified in the middle ear fluid of 48 (27.1%) subjects, with 37 (77.1%) cases caused by nonpneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 serotypes.

Development of an algorithm for the management of cervical lymphadenopathy in children: consensus of the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics, jointly with the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and the Italian Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

UNLABELLED: Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common disorder in children due to a wide spectrum of disorders. On the basis of a complete history and physical examination, paediatricians have to select, among the vast majority of children with a benign self-limiting condition, those at risk for other, more complex, diseases requiring laboratory tests, imaging and, finally, tissue sampling. At the same time, they should avoid expensive and invasive examinations when unnecessary. The Italian Society of Preventive and Social Pediatrics, jointly with the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, the Italian Society of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, and other Scientific Societies, issued a National Consensus document, based on the most recent literature findings, including an algorithm for the management of cervical lymphadenopathy in children. METHODS: The Consensus Conference method was used, following the Italian National Plan Guidelines. Relevant publications in English were identified through a systematic review of MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from their inception through March 21, 2014. RESULTS: Basing on literature results, an algorithm was developed, including several possible clinical scenarios. Situations requiring a watchful waiting strategy, those requiring an empiric antibiotic therapy, and those necessitating a prompt diagnostic workup, considering the risk for a severe underling disease, have been identified. CONCLUSION: The present algorithm is a practice tool for the management of pediatric cervical lymphadenopathy in the hospital and the ambulatory settings. A multidisciplinary approach is paramount. Further studies are required for its validation in the clinical field.

Pidotimod for the prevention of acute respiratory infections in healthy children entering into daycare: A double blind randomized placebo-controlled study.

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are very common in pediatric age and reach a peak in the first 4 years of life, especially in children attending daycare. Pidotimod, a synthetic immunostimulant, may reduce the incidence of ARTIs in children with predisposing risk factors. Nevertheless studies on healthy children are presently lacking. We performed a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial study to assess the efficacy of Pidotimod in a population of 3-year-old healthy children who just entered kindergarten. The main outcome was the incidence of respiratory infections in this population and the secondary outcome was the prescription of antibiotics. The study group consisted of healthy 3-year-old children who had not yet attended day-care centers. Patients were enrolled by a convenience sample of 17 family pediatricians (FP). Children were randomized to receive either Pidotimod 400 mg per os or placebo twice daily for the last 10 days of each month from October 2013 to April 2014. Any time a child presented to his/her FP with fever and ARTI was diagnosed, clinical and therapeutic data were collected. A total of 800 children were pre-screened, 733 did not meet the inclusion criteria and 10 refused to participate. Of the 67 eligible subjects, 57 were successfully enrolled within the study recruitment period and randomized to receive Pidotimod (n = 29) or placebo (n = 28). Eight children were lost to follow-up. In the final analysis were thus included 24 children who received Pidotimod and 25 who received placebo. The incidence rate ratio for respiratory infections was 0.78 (95%CI 0.53 to 1.15, p = 0.211) for Pidotimod vs. placebo. The corresponding risk ratio for antibiotic usage was 0.56 (95%CI 0.27 to 1.16, p = 0.120). In our trial, Pidotimod did not prove to be statistically superior to placebo for the prevention of ARTI in a population of healthy children who entered kindergarten. However, Pidotimod showed some potential as a means for reducing antibiotic usage in these children.

Acceptability of meningococcal serogroup B vaccine among parents and health care workers in Italy: a survey.

A new meningococcal serogroup B vaccine (4 CMenB) has recently been licensed. This study assessed the acceptability of 4 CMenB vaccine among parents and healthcare workers (HCWs). From May to July 2013 in Milan, Italy, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 2050 parents of infants presenting at immunization clinics for the mandatory hexavalent vaccination and submitted to 350 HCWs involved in immunization practices. 1842 parents (89.1%) responded to the survey; 64.4% of parents wanted their child to receive the 4 CMenB vaccine and 5.1% would not vaccinate their children. Multivariate analysis showed that recognition of the severity of meningitis [a life threatening vs a mild or unthreatening disease (Odds ratio (OR): 2.3; confidence interval (CI): 1.4-3.6], awareness of vaccination as a beneficial preventive measure (very beneficial vs not beneficial OR = 6.4; CI 3.0-13.7) and knowledge of the Meningococcal C vaccine (OR = 1.4; CI 1.1-1.8) were strongly associated to willingness to receive 4 CMenB vaccine. On the contrary, level of education was associated with refusal of immunization (university vs education level lower than middle school OR = 0.68; CI 0.47-0.97). Among the parents who were willing to immunize their children, 66.9% would agree with three injections to be administered during the same visit. A total of 291 HCWs (83.1%) agreed to participate in the survey; 73% considered 4 CMenB vaccine a priority in infants' immunization schedule; 26.8% of HCWs suggested the concomitant administration with routine infant immunization. Parental and HCWs acceptability of 4 CMenB vaccine was high. Increasing knowledge about meningitis and vaccine prevention might further increase the acceptability of this vaccine.

Inter-society consensus document on treatment and prevention of bronchiolitis in newborns and infants.

Acute bronchiolitis is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection and hospitalization in children less than 1 year of age worldwide. It is usually a mild disease, but some children may develop severe symptoms, requiring hospital admission and ventilatory support in the ICU. Infants with pre-existing risk factors (prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, congenital heart diseases and immunodeficiency) may be predisposed to a severe form of the disease. Clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis is manly based on medical history and physical examination (rhinorrhea, cough, crackles, wheezing and signs of respiratory distress). Etiological diagnosis, with antigen or genome detection to identify viruses involved, may have a role in reducing hospital transmission of the infection. Criteria for hospitalization include low oxygen saturation (<90-92%), moderate-to-severe respiratory distress, dehydration and presence of apnea. Children with pre-existing risk factors should be carefully assessed.To date, there is no specific treatment for viral bronchiolitis, and the mainstay of therapy is supportive care. This consists of nasal suctioning and nebulized 3% hypertonic saline, assisted feeding and hydration, humidified O2 delivery. The possible role of any pharmacological approach is still debated, and till now there is no evidence to support the use of bronchodilators, corticosteroids, chest physiotherapy, antibiotics or antivirals. Nebulized adrenaline may be sometimes useful in the emergency room. Nebulized adrenaline can be useful in the hospital setting for treatment as needed. Lacking a specific etiological treatment, prophylaxis and prevention, especially in children at high risk of severe infection, have a fundamental role. Environmental preventive measures minimize viral transmission in hospital, in the outpatient setting and at home. Pharmacological prophylaxis with palivizumab for RSV bronchiolitis is indicated in specific categories of children at risk during the epidemic period. Viral bronchiolitis, especially in the case of severe form, may correlate with an increased incidence of recurrent wheezing in pre-schooled children and with asthma at school age.The aim of this document is to provide a multidisciplinary update on the current recommendations for the management and prevention of bronchiolitis, in order to share useful indications, identify gaps in knowledge and drive future research.

Nasal saline irrigation in preschool children: a survey of attitudes and prescribing habits of primary care pediatricians working in northern Italy.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that nasal saline irrigation (NSI) alone can be effective in children with infectious and/or allergic respiratory problems, but no study has assessed the awareness or clinical use of NSI among practising pediatricians. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the use of NSI in pre-school children by primary care pediatricians working in northern Italy. METHODS: Nine hundred randomly selected National Health Service primary care pediatricians with an e-mail address were sent an e-mail asking whether they were willing to respond to a questionnaire regarding the use of NSI. The 870 who answered positively were sent an anonymous questionnaire by post and e-mail that had 17 multiple-choice items. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were received from 860 of the 870 primary care pediatricians (98.8%). NSI was used by almost all the respondents (99.3%), although with significant differences in frequency. It was considered both a prophylactic and a therapeutic measure by most of the respondents (60.3%), who prescribed it every day for healthy children and more frequently when they were ill. Most of the primary care pediatricians (87%) indicated an isotonic solution as the preferred solution, and the most frequently recommended administration devices were a nasal spray (67.7%) and bulb syringe (20.6%). Most of the pediatricians (75.6%) convinced parents to use NSI by explaining it could have various beneficial effects, and two-thirds (527/854; 61.7%) thought that most of the parents agreed about the importance of NSI. Analysis of possible associations between NSI prescribing behaviour and the demographic data revealed an associations with age and gender, with pediatricians aged <50 years prescribing NSI more frequently than their older counterparts (p < 0.01), and females prescribing NSI more frequently than males (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In Northern Italy, most primary care pediatricians prescribe NSI for both the prophylaxis and therapy of upper respiratory tract problems in pre-school children. However, many aspects of the procedure are not clarified, and this reduces parental compliance. Given the medical and economic advantages of NSI, this situation should be changed as soon as possible.

[Usefulness of the 5-6-yrs-old anthropometric health report for the evaluation of childhood overweight and obesity: pilot study in Lombardia (Italy)]. / Utilità della scheda bilancio di salute per la rilevazione di sovrappeso e obesità nei bambini tra 5 e 6 anni: esperienza pilota in Lombardia.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the possibility to use the Anthropometric Health Report (AHR), containing the BMI value, for overweight/obesity evaluation in 5-6-years-old children. DESIGN: Between January 2001 and December 2004, 4619 AHR had been examined. BMI values were compared with age and sex-specific BMI cutoffs, according to Cole, as well as with a single BMI value, calculated as the mean between boys and girls cutoff at 5.5 yrs of age. SETTING: 4619 children of ASL Provincia di Milano 2, aged 5-6 years were examined. PARTECIPANTS: 81 Family Pediatricians working in the area of Provincia di Milano 2. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An easily available and low cost method for epidemiological studies on overweight and obesity in childhood. RESULTS: During the study period the number of examined children increased constantly (from 8% to 30% of the overall resident population). Also the correct compilation of the AHR raised (from 47% to 95%). The elevated percentage of overweight children (range 17-23%) and obese children (range 5-7%) in the study group confirms other published data in this age group. The use of a single BMI cutoff did not affect significantly (p > 0.05) the results with regard to the use ofage and sex-specific cut offs. Required time for carrying out the study was limited. Efficiency increased during the study: the number ofAHRs analyzed per hour increased from 37.5 in 2001 to 103.5 in 2004. Some critical points about current uses of AHR are discussed CONCLUSIONS: AHR could be used for epidemiological purposes. It could be considered an useful method in monitoring overweight/obesity in 5-6 years old children as well as in checking the efficacy of prevention and therapeutic strategies.

A prospective multicentre study of the nutritional status in children on chronic peritoneal dialysis.

The anthropometry-bioimpedance analysis-nutrition (ABN) score is a recently proposed objective method of assessing malnutrition in children on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) that uses nine parameters based on anthropometry, skinfold thickness and bioimpedance analysis. The aim of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to apply it to children treated with CPD in seven Italian paediatric nephrology centres, with a score of < 10.33 (the 3rd percentile in a population of 264 healthy children) classifying the children as malnourished. The other considered parameters were age, age at the start of dialysis and duration of dialysis; serum haemoglobin, urea, creatinine, total protein, albumin, transferrin, bicarbonate and C-reactive protein; residual urine output; urinary and peritoneal creatinine clearance; and daily protein and energy intake. The study enrolled 43 patients (mean age 10.2 +/- 4.2 years), 21 of whom (48.8%) had an ABN score of < 10.33: 15 with mild, five with moderate, and one with severe malnutrition. The malnourished patients started CPD at a younger age (P < 0.05) and had a longer duration of dialysis (P < 0.01), and a significant worsening in nutritional status was observed in those treated for more than 12 months of dialysis; they also had significantly lower serum albumin, creatinine and haemoglobin levels. In conclusion, protein-calorie malnutrition is common in children receiving CPD. A younger age at the start of dialysis and a longer duration of treatment are clear risk factors, and counterbalance the long-term viability of CPD in paediatric age.