Evaluation of a family intervention programme for the treatment of overweight and obese children (Nereu Programme): a randomized clinical trial study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is mainly attributed to environmental factors. In developed countries, the time spent on physical activity tasks is decreasing, whereas sedentary behaviour patterns are increasing.The purpose of the intervention is to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive family-based behavioural multi-component intervention (Nereu programme) and compared it to counselling intervention such as a health centre intervention programme for the management of children's obesity. METHODS/DESIGN: The study design is a randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial using two types of interventions: Nereu and Counselling. The Nereu programme is an 8-month intensive family-based multi-component behavioural intervention. This programme is based on a multidisciplinary intervention consisting of 4 components: physical activity sessions for children, family theoretical and practical sessions for parents, behaviour strategy sessions involving both, parents and children, and lastly, weekend extra activities for all. Counselling is offered to the family in the form of a monthly physical health and eating habits session. Participants will be recruited according the following criteria: 6 to 12 year-old-children, referred from their paediatricians due to overweight or obesity according the International Obesity Task Force criteria and with a sedentary profile (less than 2 hours per week of physical activity), they must live in or near the municipality of Lleida (Spain) and their healthcare paediatric unit must have previously accepted to cooperate with this study. The following variables will be evaluated: a) cardiovascular risk factors (anthropometric parameters, blood test and blood pressure), b) sedentary and physical activity behaviour and dietary intake, c) psychological aspects d) health related quality of life (HRQOL), e) cost-effectiveness of the intervention in relation to HRQOL. These variables will be then be evaluated 4 times longitudinally: at baseline, at the end of the intervention (8 months later), 6 and 12 months after the intervention. We have considered necessary to recruit 100 children and divide them in 2 groups of 50 to detect the differences between the groups. DISCUSSION: This trial will provide new evidence for the long-term effects of childhood obesity management, as well as help to know the impact of the present intervention as a health intervention tool for healthcare centres. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01878994.

Clinical relevance of viral codetection in infants with respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.

INTRODUCTION: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main cause of severe bronchiolitis, especially in infants. The aim of this study is to assess whether codetection of RSV and other respiratory viruses could affect the severity of this infection comparing with unique RSV detection. METHODS: A prospective study from 2016 to 2019 including children under 2 years who were admitted in the Emergency Service of the Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova de Lleida (Spain) was performed. Nasopharyngeal samples from all patients were sent to the laboratory for RSV real-time PCR detection (GeneXpert®). A multiplex PCR that detects other respiratory viruses was done in all RSV-positive samples. Patients'medical records were checked to collect clinical data (hospital length of stay, BROSJOD score, ICU admission, need for ventilatory support or transfer to a reference hospital). Patients were divided in two groups: infants with unique RSV detection and infants with viral codetection. Bivariant analyses were performed to analyze the data obtained. RESULTS: During the period of study 437 RSV bronchiolitis were diagnosed. In 199 of them (177/437; 45,5%) another respiratory virus was detected concomitantly. Bivariant analyses do not show statistically significant differences between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Viral codetection in infants with RSV bronchiolitis is frequent. However, it does not seems to affect the severity of this infection.

Effectiveness of a Multi-Component Intervention for Overweight and Obese Children (Nereu Program): A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of childhood obesity is a complex challenge for primary health care professionals. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nereu Program in improving anthropometric parameters, physical activity and sedentary behaviours, and dietary intake. METHODS: Randomized, controlled, multicentre clinical trial comparing Nereu Program and usual counselling group interventions in primary care settings. The 8-month study recruited 113 children aged 6 to 12 years with overweight/obesity. Before recruitment, eligible participants were randomly allocated to an intensive, family-based multi-component behavioural intervention (Nereu Program group) or usual advice from their paediatrician on healthy eating and physical activity. Anthropometric parameters, objectively measured sedentary and physical activity behaviours, and dietary intake were evaluated pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: At the end of the study period, both groups achieved a similar decrease in body mass index (BMIsd) compared to baseline. Nereu Program participants (n = 54) showed greater increases in moderate-intense physical activity (+6.27% vs. -0.61%, p<0.001) and daily fruit servings (+0.62 vs. +0.13, p<0.026), and decreased daily soft drinks consumption (-0.26 vs. -0.02, p<0.047), respectively, compared to the counselling group (n = 59). CONCLUSIONS: At the end of the 8-month intervention, participants in the Nereu Program group showed improvement in physical activity and dietary behaviours, compared to the counselling group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01878994.

Síndrome de celulitis-adenitis inguinal por Streptococcus agalactiae / Cellulitis-adenitis syndrome inguinal Streptococcus agalactiae

Las infecciones de tejidos blandos en la infancia son producidas habitualmente por el Staphylococcus aureus pero, en los primeros meses de vida, el Streptococcus agalactiae (SGB) puede ser responsable de celulitis con afectación sistémica. El síndrome de celulitis-adenitis por SGB constituye una presentación infrecuente de la infección tardía causada por este germen. Las manifestaciones clínicas consisten en fiebre, mal estado general y signos inflamatorios locales. La localización más frecuente es la submaxilar, siendo excepcional la inguinal. Aportamos el caso de un paciente de 30 días de vida con fiebre, con una placa eritematosa y adenopatías en la zona inguinal derecha. En el hemocultivo se aisló SGB. El tratamiento inicial fue cloxacilina y cefotaxima parenterales cambiándose a las 48 horas, tras la recepción del hemocultivo, por cefotaxima y ampicilina. La evolución fue favorable. En niños menores de 3 meses, ante la presencia de celulitis y adenitis regional, debemos considerar al SGB como posible agente etiológico y contemplar la posibilidad de bacteriemia y afectación del sistema nervioso central para no diferir el tratamiento adecuado.

Soft-tissue infections in children are most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus but, in the first months of life, group B streptococcus (GBS) can be the etiologic agent of cellulitis with systemic involvement. Group B streptococcus cellulitis-adenitis syndrome is a rare form of late-onset disease for this germen. Clinical manifestations include fever and local inflammatory signs. Typical localization is submandibular but the inguinal form is exceptional. We present a case of a 30-day-old infant with fever, an erythematous plaque and lymphadenopathy in the right inguinal area. Blood culture was positive for GBS. Evolution was good with initial parenteral therapy with oxacylin and cefotaxime that was changed at 48 hours of treatment, after the blood culture reception, to ampicilin and cefotaxime. In cases of cellulitis and adenitis in infants during the first 3 months of life, GBS has to be considered the probable etiologic agent, and severe invasive disease has to be ruled-out in order to establish the appropriate antimicrobial therapy.