The disappearance of respiratory syncytial virus and influenza viruses in children during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic - are non-pharmaceutical interventions as effective as vaccines?

OBJECTIVE: Respiratory viral diseases are common in children. A viral diagnostic test is necessary, because COVID-19 shows signs and symptoms similar to those of common respiratory viruses. The article aims at analyzing the presence of respiratory viruses that were common before the pandemic in children who were tested for suspected COVID-19, and is also concerned with how common respiratory viruses were impacted by COVID-19 measures during the second year of pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nasopharyngeal swabs were examined to detect the presence of respiratory viruses. The respiratory panel kit included SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, rhinovirus/enterovirus, parainfluenza 1, 2, 3 and 4, coronaviruses NL 63, 229E, OC43, and HKU1, human metapneumovirus A/B, human bocavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A/B, human parechovirus, and adenovirus. Virus scans were compared during and after the restricted period. RESULTS: No virus was isolated from the 86 patients. SARS-CoV-2 was the most frequently observed virus, as expected, and rhinovirus was the second, and coronavirus OC43 was the third. Influenza viruses and RSV were not detected in the scans. CONCLUSIONS: Influenza and RSV viruses disappeared during the pandemic period and rhinovirus was the second most common virus after the CoVs during and after the restriction period. Non-pharmaceutical interventions should be established as a precaution to prevent infectious diseases even after the pandemic.

Post-tonsillectomy morbidities: randomised, prospective controlled clinical trial of cold dissection versus thermal welding tonsillectomy.

BACKGROUND: New surgical techniques and devices have been described that decrease post-tonsillectomy morbidities. This study aimed to compare the two most popular tonsillectomy techniques. METHOD: Forty children underwent tonsillectomies using both the thermal welding and cold dissection techniques. In each patient, one side was removed with thermal welding and the other was removed with cold dissection. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in intra-operative blood loss, and the mean operation time was significantly lower on the thermal welding side compared with the cold dissection side. On the cold dissection side, tissue healing (i.e. the rate of complete tissue healing) was better and less pain was reported compared with the thermal welding side. However, there were no significant differences between the two techniques in terms of throat pain scores on the 1st, 3rd or 14th day post-operatively, or tissue healing scores on any of the post-operative days assessed. CONCLUSION: Cold dissection resulted in better tissue healing and lower pain scores than thermal welding, but thermal welding was associated with less intra-operative blood loss and lower mean operation time than cold dissection.

Is re-irradiation effective in symptomatic local recurrence of non small cell lung cancer patients? A single institution experience and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: To determine reirradiation results of patients with recurrent non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 38 NSCLC patients who showed clinical and/or radiological progression and were retreated with hypofractionated irradiation (RT) were retrospectively evaluated. Two parallel or oblique opposed fields were used for reirradiation of the recurrent tumor while excluding the spinal cord. "Improvement" and "complete or near complete response" were defined as > or = 50% and 75-100% regression of symptoms, respectively. Log-rank test, chi-square test and Cox regression analysis were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Median age was 58 years (range 33-80) and only 3 patients were females. Median follow-up was 13.5 months (range 4-65). In the initial and second course of RT the total dose was 30 Gy (range 28.8-67.2) and 25 Gy (range 5-30) and the number of fractions was 10 (range 9-33) and 10 (range 1-10), respectively. The median interval between the two RT courses was 35 weeks (range 4-189). After reirradiation improvement was observed in 86% of the patients assessable for hemoptysis, in 77% with cough, in 69% with dyspnea, and in 60% with thoracic pain. After reirradiation, the median survival time was 3 months (range 0-55). Two-year survival rates from diagnosis were 28.8% and from reirradiation 5.8%. An interval more than 35 weeks between the end of initial RT and the start of reirradiation was found as the only independent prognostic factor affecting survival. No grade III-IV RTOG late side effects were observed. CONCLUSION: In initially non-metastatic NSCLC patients, reirradiation can be a safe and effective treatment for palliation after recurrence. Large prospective studies are needed to confirm the safety, effectiveness and economical advantages of this modality.