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OBJECTIVE: Age estimation of living or dead individuals has a strategic importance in medicine, anthropology, and forensic science, in the context of mass disasters and in civil or criminal matters such as adoption or asylum. Teeth play a major role in this context in particular, the third molars are useful for determining whether an individual has reached the legal age of 18 years because they are still in development from the age of 14. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a sample of 307 panoramic radiographs performed on healthy subjects aged between 13 and 23 was analyzed to consider the correlation between the maturity index of the third molar (I3M) and age to verify the reliability of the cutoff 0.08 indicated by Cameriere et al in a sample of Italian subjects living in the Province of Messina (Sicily, South Italy) to discern the adult subjects from the minors. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The analysis of 307 panoramic radiographs resulted in a sensitivity of 89.2% with a confidence interval of 95%, a specificity of 96.5% with a confidence interval of 95%, and a positive predictive value of 96.7%. RESULTS: The method proved itself reliable in estimating adulthood in the population of the Messina- Sicily, but the I3M should not be used as the sole indicator to determine whether a person is younger or older than 18 years because age estimation based on dental methods alone has limitations as the third molars suffer from many variations related to their morphology, their location, and their development. CONCLUSION: We recommend a combination of several methods that are available to increase accuracy of age estimation, depending on the different legal requirements in civil or criminal cases.
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Gastroparesis is a long-term complication of diabetes related to autonomic neuropathy. It is clinically characterized by delayed gastric emptying and upper gastrointestinal symptoms including early satiety, postprandial fullness, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Gastric emptying scintigraphy is the gold standard for the diagnosis as it reveals delayed gastric emptying. Therapeutic strategies include dietary modifications, improvement of glycemic control, and prokinetic drugs. Case descriptions of diabetic gastroparesis in pediatric age are very scarce. We hereby report the case of a 16-year-old adolescent with severe presentation of diabetic gastroparesis. She presented with recurrent episodes of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain which led progressively to reduced oral intake and weight loss. Her past glycemic control had been quite brittle as demonstrated by several hospitalizations due to diabetic ketoacidosis and recurrent episodes of severe hypoglycemia. After the exclusion of infectious, mechanical, metabolic, and neurological causes of vomiting, a gastric emptying scintigraphy was performed, leading to the diagnosis of gastroparesis. Treatment with metoclopramide was started with progressive relief of symptoms. To improve glycemic control, insulin therapy with advanced hybrid closed loop system was successfully practiced. Pediatricians should seriously consider diabetic gastroparesis in children and adolescents with long-standing, poorly controlled diabetes.
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Background: Previous studies have shown that during COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to the imposed lockdown, significant psychological problems had emerged in a significant part of the population, including older children and adolescents. School closure, leading to significant social isolation, was considered one of the most important reasons for pediatric mental health problems. However, how knowledge of COVID-19 related problems, modification of lifestyle and age, gender and severity of COVID-19 pandemic had influenced psychological problems of older children and adolescents has not been detailed. To evaluate these variables, a survey was carried out in Italy. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was carried out by means of an anonymous online questionnaire administered to 2,996 students of secondary and high schools living in Italian Regions with different COVID-19 epidemiology. Results: A total of 2,064 adolescent students (62.8% females; mean age, 15.4 ± 2.1 years), completed and returned the questionnaire. Most of enrolled students showed good knowledge of COVID-19-related problems. School closure was associated with significant modifications of lifestyle and the development of substantial psychological problems in all the study groups, including students living in Regions with lower COVID-19 incidence. However, in some cases, some differences, were evidenced. Sadness was significantly more frequent in females (84%) than males (68.2%; p < 0.001) and in the 14-19-year-old age group than the 11-13-year-old age group (79.2% vs. 70.2%; p < 0.001). Missing the school community was a significantly more common cause of sadness in girls (26.5% vs. 16.8%; p < 0.001), in southern Italy (26.45% vs. 20.2%; p < 0.01) and in the 14-19-year-old group (24.2% vs. 14.7%; p < 0.001). The multivariate regression analysis showed that male gender was a protective factor against negative feelings (p < 0.01), leading to a decrease of 0.63 points in the total negative feelings index. Having a family member or an acquaintance with COVID-19 increased the negative feelings index by 0.1 points (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study shows that school closures because of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak was associated with significant lifestyle changes in all the students, regardless of age and gender. Despite some differences in some subgroups, the study confirms that school closure can cause relevant mental health problems in older children and adolescents. This must be considered as a reason for the maintenance of all school activities, although in full compliance with the measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.
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PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of unindicated CT phases and the resultant excess of absorbed radiation doses to the uterus and ovaries in women of reproductive age who have undergone CT for non-traumatic abdomino-pelvic emergencies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed all abdomino-pelvic CT examinations in women of reproductive age (40 years or less), between 1 June 2012 and 31 January 2015. We evaluated the appropriateness of each CT phase on the basis of clinical indications, according to ACR appropriateness criteria and evidence-based data from the literature. The doses to uterus and ovaries for each phase were calculated with the CTEXPO software, taking into consideration the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) after measuring the size of every single patient. RESULTS: The final cohort was composed of 76 female patients with an average age of 30 (from 19 to 40 years). In total, 197 CT phases were performed with an average of 2.6 phases per patient. Out of these, 93 (47%) were unindicated with an average of 1.2 inappropriate phases per patient. Unindicated scans were most frequent for appendicitis and unlocalized abdominal pain. The excesses of mean radiation doses to the uterus and ovaries due to unindicated phases were, respectively, of 38 and 33 mSv per patient. CONCLUSION: In our experience, unindicated additional CT phases were numerous with a significant excess radiation dose without an associated clinical benefit. This excess of radiation could have been avoided by widespread adoption of the ACR appropriateness criteria and evidence-based data from the literature.
