Hair-thread strangulation syndrome in childhood: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Hair-thread strangulation syndrome describes the constriction of a body part by a tightly wound hair or thread. This research aims to review the literature about this entity. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to characterise hair-thread strangulation syndrome in subjects aged ≤16 years. This pre-registered review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022363996) followed the PRISMA methodology. RESULTS: Subjects with digital strangulation were significantly younger (median = 4.0 [interquartile range: 2.0-6.1] months; n = 143) than females with genital strangulation (9.0 [6.8-11] years; n = 36), males with genital strangulation (5.1 [1.9-8.0] years; n = 36), and subjects with non-digital and non-genital strangulation (24 [13-48] months; n = 11). Digital strangulation was followed by an amputation in five (3.5%) and a reconstructive surgical intervention in seven (4.9%) cases. Sequelae occurred in four (11%) cases after female genital strangulation: clitoris autoamputation (n = 2) and surgical removal of a necrotic labium minus (n = 2). Severe complications were observed in 14 (39%) cases with male genital strangulation: urethral fistula (n = 7), urethral transection (n = 2), and partial penile autoamputation (n = 5). A partial uvular autoamputation was observed in one case (9.0%) with non-digital and non-genital strangulation. CONCLUSIONS: Early recognition and management are crucial to avoid sequelae or long-term care in hair-thread strangulation syndrome.

Expert panel diagnosis demonstrated high reproducibility as reference standard in infectious diseases.

OBJECTIVE: If a gold standard is lacking in a diagnostic test accuracy study, expert diagnosis is frequently used as reference standard. However, interobserver and intraobserver agreements are imperfect. The aim of this study was to quantify the reproducibility of a panel diagnosis for pediatric infectious diseases. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Pediatricians from six countries adjudicated a diagnosis (i.e., bacterial infection, viral infection, or indeterminate) for febrile children. Diagnosis was reached when the majority of panel members came to the same diagnosis, leaving others inconclusive. We evaluated intraobserver and intrapanel agreement with 6 weeks and 3 years' time intervals. We calculated the proportion of inconclusive diagnosis for a three-, five-, and seven-expert panel. RESULTS: For both time intervals (i.e., 6 weeks and 3 years), intrapanel agreement was higher (kappa 0.88, 95%CI: 0.81-0.94 and 0.80, 95%CI: NA) compared to intraobserver agreement (kappa 0.77, 95%CI: 0.71-0.83 and 0.65, 95%CI: 0.52-0.78). After expanding the three-expert panel to five or seven experts, the proportion of inconclusive diagnoses (11%) remained the same. CONCLUSION: A panel consisting of three experts provides more reproducible diagnoses than an individual expert in children with lower respiratory tract infection or fever without source. Increasing the size of a panel beyond three experts has no major advantage for diagnosis reproducibility.

Childhood extraordinary daytime urinary frequency-a case series and a systematic literature review.

Childhood extraordinary daytime urinary frequency is likely a common but underreported condition characterized by daytime frequent voiding and typically not linked with complaints of burning, urinary incontinence, altered urinary stream, changes in the nighttime voiding pattern, excessive fluid intake and excessive urinary volume. To determine the features and outcome of extraordinary daytime urinary frequency, we report our experience with 14 children and the results of a formal systematic analysis of peer-reviewed English-language literature on this topic. Nineteen case series were found (together with 16 mostly pertinent comments), with each case series providing details on from one to 119 children. On the basis of our experience and the findings of our systematic analysis, we conclude that, in general practice, extraordinary daytime urinary frequency is a common cause of urinary frequency, that the age of such patients is, on average, 6 years and that the micturation abnormalities persist for an average of 6 months. The results of this review must be viewed with an understanding of the limitations of the analysis process, which incorporated data exclusively from case series.

Isolated extraordinary daytime urinary frequency of childhood: a case series of 26 children in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: The term 'isolated extraordinary daytime urinary frequency' designates an abnormally increased diurnal frequency of painless urination in a completely toilet-trained child with normal urinalysis. METHODS: We report the history of 26 children (16 boys and 10 girls; aged between 4.1 and 10 years) who were referred to us between 2002 and 2006 and subsequently diagnosed with this condition. RESULTS: Possible psychosocial problems, or recent emotional stressors, were disclosed in the majority of the children: recent (36 months or less) asylum seekers (n = 9), school-related problems (n = 4), parental divorce (n = 2) or death of the mother (n = 1). Possible dietary causes were observed in 9 patients: oxalate-rich beverages (n = 5) and liberal ingestion of 'acidic' juices (n = 4). A diet low in oxalates was recommended when children were consuming large quantities of oxalate-rich beverages; and a diet low in acidic juice was recommended in those liberally ingesting acidic juices. Reassurance and observation were the approach in the remaining cases. The median duration of the symptoms was 5 months. A longer (p < 0.05) duration was noted in children of asylum seekers. CONCLUSIONS: This functional condition is easily identifiable, but often under- or misdiagnosed. Confounding the condition might result in redundant investigation.