Incidence, etiologies, and outcomes of severe pediatric community-acquired empyema before and after the pandemic: an Italian multicentric study.

Unlabelled: An increase in severe and invasive infections has been reported since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, most evidence comes from monocentric studies without nationwide representativeness. This multicenter, nationwide, retrospective study, conducted within the network of the Italian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SITIP), aimed to compare the severity of empyema at presentation in children (aged 1 month to 18 years) admitted to 19 Italian hospitals before, during, and after the pandemic.

Delayed diagnosis of isolated congenital H-type tracheoesophageal fistula: a case report of surgical repair supported by TachoSil as an adjunct in chronically inflamed tissues.

Background: H-type tracheoesophageal fistulas (TEFs) are rare congenital malformations characterized by an abnormal connection between the trachea and esophagus in the absence of esophageal atresia. These lesions may remain undiagnosed for years due to subtle and non-specific symptoms, often resulting in chronic pulmonary complications. Delayed diagnosis can contribute to the development of long-standing inflammation and fibrosis, which significantly complicates surgical intervention.

Preoxygenation With and Without Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in Lung-Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Optimal preoxygenation is critical in emergency medicine to prevent desaturation during airway management, especially in high-risk populations. Identifying the most effective preoxygenation device across diverse patient groups remains a clinical priority.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of 3 preoxygenation devices-nonrebreather mask (NRM), bag-valve mask (BVM), and BVM with positive end-expiratory pressure (BVM plus PEEP)-in lung-healthy volunteers.

Virtual Reality for Preoperative Planning and Education in Pediatric Surgery: Preliminary Results for the Treatment of Congenital Malformations and Tumors.

Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a valuable tool in surgical planning, offering detailed anatomical spatial orientation and three-dimensional (3D) navigation. This study explores using virtual reality head-mounted display (VR-HMD) technology in preoperative planning for pediatric surgery, aiming to improve outcomes in treating congenital malformations and tumors while advancing surgical education.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on pediatric patients diagnosed with congenital malformations and tumors who received treatment between 2021 and 2024 at the "V.

Neonatal Outcomes of Mothers with Syphilis During Pregnancy: A Retrospective Single Center Experience.

Background/objectives: Syphilis during pregnancy can be easily missed with potential severe outcomes of the newborns, including congenital syphilis (CS). We report the neonatal outcomes of a cohort of mothers with syphilis during pregnancy.

Methods: a retrospective cohort study in a referral university hospital in Rome, enrolling mother/newborn couples followed up from 2016 to 2023 by a multidisciplinary team including infectious disease specialists, obstetricians, microbiologists, neonatologists and pediatricians.

Prevalence and risk factors of anemia in internationally adopted children: a cohort study.

Background: Adoptive children, who have often experienced inadequate healthcare, malnutrition, and exposure to infectious diseases in their countries of origin, are vulnerable to a range of health problems among which anemia is a major one, potentially leading to long term sequelae. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with anemia in a cohort of internationally adopted children evaluated at the Pediatric Clinic of the Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" in Rome.

Endocrinologic Dysfunctions and Neuropsychiatric Sequelae in Pediatric Patients With a History of Central Nervous System Infection (ENDLESS): A Prospective Monocentric Study.

Introduction: Central nervous system (CNS) infections represent some of the most critical pediatric health challenges, characterized by high mortality rates and a notable risk of long-term complications. Despite their significance, standardized guidelines for endocrinological follow-up of CNS infection survivors are lacking, leading to reliance on the expertise of individual centers and clinicians.

Materials And Methods: Prospective monocentric observational study conducted at the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli in Rome, Italy.

Impact of social determinants of health on the outcomes of Latin American children with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C).

Importance: There is growing understanding that Social Determinants of Health (SDH) impact on the outcomes of different pediatric conditions. We aimed to determine whether SDH affect the severity of MIS-C.

Design: Retrospective cohort study, 2021-2023.

Severe bronchiolitis before and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective database analysis by the Italian Network of PICU study group (TIPNet).

Background: The first post-COVID-19 pandemic year demonstrated an unusual bronchiolitis epidemic in both hemispheres and has been attributed to the removal of barriers implemented during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several countries reported an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, with more hospitalizations and a greater need for respiratory support. We aimed to evaluate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the epidemiology and management of severe bronchiolitis in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in Italy.

Beliefs and attitudes of PICU doctors and nurses on parental presence and open visiting policies: an Italian nationwide survey.

Background: The aim of the study is to investigate doctors' and nurses' beliefs and attitudes towards family presence and open visiting policies in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) in Italy.

Methods: A multicentric nationwide study was carried out in all 30 Italian PICUs. All doctors and nurses were asked to complete the Italian version of the Beliefs and Attitudes toward Visitation in ICU Questionnaire (BAVIQ).

Efficacy of core biopsies for diagnosing inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in pediatric patients: case series from a single tertiary referral center.

Background: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are rare, often non-metastasizing neoplasms characterized by fibro/myofibroblastic spindle cells with varying infiltrates of plasma cells, lymphocytes, and/or eosinophils. Despite their generally indolent nature, IMTs can exhibit locally aggressive behavior and a significant tendency for local recurrence, making complete surgical resection the standard treatment approach. Accurate diagnosis can be challenging due to the overlap in imaging features with more aggressive tumors, necessitating preoperative biopsies to enable differential diagnosis and guide treatment decisions.

Lung ultrasound assessment of atelectasis following different anesthesia induction techniques in pediatric patients: a propensity score-matched, observational study.

Introduction: Atelectasis is a well-documented complication in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia. Its incidence varies significantly based on surgical procedures and anesthesia techniques. Inhalation induction, commonly used to avoid the discomfort of venipuncture, is suspected to cause higher rates of respiratory complications, including atelectasis, compared to intravenous induction.

Cytokine Profile in Children Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Preliminary Findings.

We provide preliminary evidence that, also in children, Long coronavirus disease (COVID) may be characterized by a proinflammatory signature. Ten Long COVID patients, 7 convalescent subjects after COVID infection and 4 healthy controls were enrolled. When adjusted for sex, children with long COVID had statistically significant differences in the levels of Flt3L, CD5, uPA, CCL23, CD40 and TGFα.

Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Display (HMD) and Preoperative Patient-Specific Simulation: Impact on Decision-Making in Pediatric Urology: Preliminary Data.

Aim Of The Study: To assess how virtual reality (VR) patient-specific simulations can support decision-making processes and improve care in pediatric urology, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Patients And Methods: Children diagnosed with urological conditions necessitating complex procedures were retrospectively reviewed and enrolled in the study. Patient-specific VR simulations were developed with medical imaging specialists and VR technology experts.

Minimal Access in Pediatric Surgery: An Overview on Progress towards Dedicated Instrument Developments and Anesthesiologic Advances to Enhance Safe Completion of Procedures.

Surgical techniques are evolving in Pediatric Surgery, especially in the area of minimal access surgery (MAS) where indications for applications are expanding. Miniaturization of instruments, using natural orifices, single incisions, or remotely controlled robot-assisted procedures, promises to increase the benefits of MAS procedures in pediatrics. Many pediatric pathologies are rare, and specialized surgical and anesthesiologic instruments are necessary to manage them, defined as "orphan devices", for which development and dissemination on the market are slowed down or sometimes hindered by regulatory standards and limiting financial conflicts of interest.

Determinants of antibiotic prescription in children with adenovirus respiratory tract infections.

We performed this study to evaluate factors associated with antibiotic prescriptions in children with adenovirus infection, since no studies have attempted to address this aspect in the pediatric population. Retrospective study of children younger than 18 years of age tested positive for adenovirus on a syndromic nasopharyngeal test from 2018 to 2023. We compared the need of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), invasive ventilation, and other respiratory support, viral etiologies, clinical presentations, imaging, and laboratory results in the precovid (2018-2019) and covid (2020-2022) period.

Management and outcomes of bronchiolitis in Italy and Latin America: a multi-center, prospective, observational study.

Unlabelled: We aimed to describe differences in the epidemiology, management, and outcomes existing between centers located in countries which differ by geographical location and economic status during to post-pandemic bronchiolitis seasons.  This was a prospective observational cohort study performed in two academic centers in Latin America (LA) and three in Italy. All consecutive children with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis were included, following the same data collection form.

COVID-19 and Children: Reflections after Three Years.

Three years after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, enough experience has been gained to derive reflections on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 in children [...

Predictors of Urinary Abnormalities in Children Hospitalised for Their First Urinary Tract Infection.

We aimed to investigate if children with their first UTI and a concomitant positive blood culture have a higher risk of abnormalities. We performed a retrospective study of children younger than 18 years of age with their first UTI. Multivariate logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate if positive blood cultures are associated with urinary abnormalities.