Pediatric tertiary emergency care departments in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a Croatian national multicenter study.

AIM: To assess the number of visits to pediatric emergency departments in Croatia and reasons for visiting before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients visiting emergency departments of four tertiary medical centers between February 25 and April 25, 2018 and 2019, and between February 25 and April 24, 2020. Antimicrobial prescription was analyzed as well. RESULTS: There were altogether 46 544 visits - 18218 in 2018, 19699 in 2019, and 8634 in 2020. The overall number of visits in 2020 significantly decreased compared with 2018 and 2019 (52% and 56% reduction, respectively), mostly due to a decreased number of visits due to certain infectious diseases: acute gastroenteritis (89.2%), sepsis/bacteremia (81.2%), urinary tract infections (55.3%), and lower respiratory tract infections (58%). Most visits were self-referrals regardless of the analyzed period, and the majority of patients did not require hospitalization. There were no significant differences in the number of visits requiring urgent medical care, such as those due to seizures and urgent surgery. The most frequently prescribed antibiotic in all periods was amoxicillin, followed by amoxicillin/clavulanate and oral cephalosporins. CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in the number of pediatric emergency department visits and hospital admissions is indirectly related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the reduction was due to a decreased number of infectious disease cases. However, the number of visits requiring urgent medical intervention did not change.

Does elevated urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid level predict acute appendicitis in children?

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency in children, and appendectomy is the most frequent acute abdominal operation. Prompt diagnosis and surgical treatment are required to reduce the risk of perforation and prevent complications, especially in small children. Enterochromaffin cells that contain large amounts of serotonin are mostly located in the distal appendix. Serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) could therefore be a marker for acute appendicitis. OBJECTIVE: We tested urinary 5-HIAA concentrations in spot urine samples from children with acute appendicitis. METHODS: We enrolled 93 patients who underwent surgery for suspicion of acute appendicitis. The diagnosis was made intraoperatively and confirmed histopathologically. Additionally, urine samples from 102 healthy children were collected as controls. Their 5-HIAA was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Acute appendicitis was diagnosed in 81 patients, whereas there were other explanations for abdominal pain in the remaining 12 patients in the non-appendicitis group. The control group comprised 102 healthy children. Considering the median of all measured 5-HIAA values as the cut-off, we analysed the proportions of patients with elevated values in all the groups. Our analysis showed that statistically there was no significant difference in the distribution of percentages among the groups. The area under the curve for 5-HIAA was 0.55 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.62) with sensitivity and specificity 60.4% and 48.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Urine 5-HIAA concentration measured in spot samples is not a reliable method for diagnosing acute appendicitis in children.

Fatal Outcome of Emphysematous Gastritis due to Sarcina ventriculi Infection.

Sarcina ventriculi is an increasingly common bacterium with a variable pathogenic role. It is often an incidental finding in asymptomatic patients but can also lead to life-threatening conditions, such as gastric perforation and emphysematous gastritis. We report a case of a 14-year-old boy with fatal emphysematous gastritis caused by S. ventriculi, who presented with abdominal pain and vomiting. His medical history included infantile left hemiparesis and operation of patent ductus arteriosus. Emergency surgery was scheduled due to the extremely dilated stomach and gastric pneumatosis, and a total gastrectomy was performed. On the third postoperative day, he suddenly dies, and the diagnosis was confirmed postmortem. This case is an opportunity to review the clinical presentation of emphysematous gastritis and to point out the role of the histopathological examination for the identification of the bacteria.

The Importance of Primary Reconstruction in the Treatment of Blast Related Hand Injuries During Childhood.

INTRODUCTION: Blast injuries are common during wartime but are also related to various holiday festivals worldwide. Despite strict legislations, these devices still cause serious injuries leaving permanent disabilities. Children are affected in numerous cases with the hand being the most affected body region. The aim of our study was to profile the blast related hand injuries and to review treatment modalities that we used. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients treated for blast-devices related hand injuries between 2006 and 2015 was performed. RESULTS: 112 patient with blast related hand injuries were treated in our department during the 10-year period. Most of the patients were male. The dominant hand was injured in 83.9% of the patients. Associated injuries were observed in 14.3% of patients. 90 children were treated on an out-patient basis, mostly due to hand burns (86.7%) or uncomplicated blast injuries (13.3%). 22 children required hospitalization due to severe blast and crush injuries and amputations. Surgery was carried out as the urgent procedure and involved debridement with primary repair. In the case of amputations debridement and sufficient skin ensuring complete wound coverage was the procedure of choice. CONCLUSION: Blast related injuries of the hand during childhood are frequent and can cause different and complex defects. Besides prevention of these injuries, primary reconstruction of the affected hand is of outmost importance in preventing long-term consequences.