Early initiation of the respiratory syncytial virus season in 2021-2022, Greece.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common viral pathogen causing respiratory disease in the pediatric population. An unexpected sudden upsurge of RSV infections among children was observed in September 2021 in Greece. Forty-one rhinopharyngeal samples from children under the age of 2 years with confirmed RSV bronchiolitis were tested to identify the genotype(s) of the RSV strain(s).

Novel Mutations Involved in Charcot-Marie-Tooth 4C and Intrafamilial Variability: Let's Not Miss the Forest for the Trees.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth 4C is characterized by early-onset, rapid progression, and mainly associated with gene mutations. We reported a male patient carrying a novel heterozygous nonsense mutation in gene along with a heterozygous known pathogenic mutation. Symptoms began at 15 months and by 14 years, he presented significant motor impairment.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Greece, 2016-2018.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of acute bronchiolitis in infants and young children. Children under the age of 2 years, hospitalized for bronchiolitis in the pediatric clinic of a tertiary hospital in northern Greece, were tested for RSV infection during two RSV seasons (2016-2017 and 2017-2018). RSV was detected in 37 of 71 (52.

Therapies that are available and under development for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: What about lung function?

Background: Respiratory failure is the principal source of morbidity and mortality among patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy exerting a negative influence on their total quality of life. The aim of this review is to provide systematically current literature evidence about the effects of different treatment options (available or under development) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy on the pulmonary function of these patients.

Methods: A comprehensive search was undertaken using multiple health-related databases, while two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility of studies.

Sleep and prematurity: sleep outcomes in preterm children and influencing factors.

Background: Sleep undergoes changes from birth to adulthood, while sleep disorders are associated with various cognitive deficiencies in childhood. In parallel, prematurity is known to predispose to poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Our aim is to provide literature data about factors influencing sleep in the premature infants and sleep outcomes in this population.

A rare radiological finding in an infant with respiratory distress.

We report the case of an infant who presented with respiratory distress at the Emergency Department. A chest radiograph showed interposition of colon loops between the right hemidiaphragm and liver, while abdominal and thoracic ultrasound examinations were normal. The aforementioned radiological finding was considered to be Chilaiditi's sign.

Herpeticum-like rash in a child with atopic dermatitis: early clinical suspicion is valuable.

Dermatological conditions may be associated with serious underlying medical conditions which require urgent treatment. We describe the case of a 6-year-old boy with erythematous vesicles with erosion and crusting on face, cheeks, and forehead. Due to the medical history of atopic dermatitis, eczema herpeticum was suspected and appropriate treatment was immediately initiated.

Description of an Mutation in a Girl with Severe Congenital Neutropenia: A Paradigm of Targeted Genetic Screening Based on Clinical Findings.

We describe the case of a 5-year-old girl with severe congenital neutropenia presenting with recurrent skin and respiratory infections. Sequence analysis of and HAX1 genes identified a mutation in heterozygous state in exon 2 of the gene: c.157C > G (p.

Dysphagia diagnosis with questionnaire, tongue strength measurement, and FEES in patients with childhood-onset muscular dystrophy.

Introduction: Dysphagia in progressive muscle diseases is primarily due to muscle weakness. Objective of our study is to investigate the prevalence and phenotypes of dysphagia in patients with childhood onset muscular dystrophy (MD) with the use of a validated questionnaire, the measurement of tongue strength and Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).

Methods: Prospective observational longitudinal study of dysphagia in a cohort of 58 patients attending the Pediatric Department Center for Neuromuscular Diseases.

Sleep Disturbances in Children with Rolandic Epilepsy.

 The aim of this study is to investigate through polysomnography sleep quality in children with rolandic epilepsy and compare sleep variables between these children and healthy controls.  Our study population included 15 children with rolandic epilepsy and 27 healthy children who underwent overnight polysomnography. Parameters about sleep architecture and sleep respiratory events were recorded and analyzed.

Sleep respiratory parameters in children with idiopathic epilepsy: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The aim of this study is to explore and compare through polysomnography respiratory sleep parameters between children with idiopathic epilepsy and healthy children.

Methods: Our cross-sectional study included 40 children with idiopathic epilepsy and 27 healthy children, who underwent overnight polysomnography. Data about sleep respiratory parameters were obtained and statistically analyzed.

Impaired glucose metabolism and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in obese prepubertal asthmatic children.

Introduction: The prevalence of asthma and obesity has risen in parallel over the last decades, but the exact mechanisms linking these two diseases still remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), impaired glucose metabolism, obesity, and asthma in prepubertal children.

Methods: A total of 71 prepubertal children were included in the study and divided in four groups according to the presence of asthma and their Body Mass Index (BMI): Group 1-Healthy Controls (HC), Group 2-Non Obese Asthmatics (NOA), Group 3-Obese Non Asthmatics (ONA), Group 4-Obese Asthmatics (OA) Αll children underwent spirometry and bronchial hyperresponsiveness testing by using the cumulative Provoking Dose of mannitol (PD primary study variable); homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index was calculated in order to evaluate insulin resistance.

Sleep apneas and epilepsy comorbidity in childhood: a systematic review of the literature.

Purpose: Our aim is to review studies which assess the prevalence of sleep apneas in children with epilepsy and discuss possible mechanisms linking these two conditions, as well as the impact of sleep apneas on the prognosis of these children.

Methods: PubMed was used as the medical database source, and articles were selected and classified according to their originality, level of evidence, and relevance to the broad scope of the review.

Results: Children with epilepsy have a higher prevalence of sleep breathing disorders in comparison to healthy children, but this prevalence varies widely depending on the methodology of each study.

Reduced exercise capacity in Greek children with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disease that is increasingly recognized among pediatric population. The exercise capacity of adults with OSAS has been demonstrated to be impaired, but there are no data about pediatric exercise response.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiopulmonary response to exercise in children with OSAS and to correlate exercise capacity and severity of OSAS.

Human bocavirus infections in hospitalized Greek children.

Introduction: The epidemiology of human bocavirus (HBoV) infections has not been described in Greece, a south-eastern European country. To define the epidemiological profile and the clinical characteristics associated with HBoV infection in a population of children hospitalized with respiratory tract infection.

Material And Methods: During a one-year period throat swab samples were collected from 370 previously healthy children, aged 14 days to 13 years, admitted to two different paediatric wards because of respiratory tract infection.

Bronchiectasis secondary to primary immunodeficiency in children: longitudinal changes in structure and function.

Background: Primary immunodeficiency is a common cause of bronchiectasis in children. The term bronchiectasis suggests an irreversible process; however, disease progression following treatment is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the progression of bronchiectasis in children with primary immunodeficiency after institution of treatment.

Acute laryngotracheobronchitis and associated transient hyperphosphatasemia: a new case of transient hyperphosphatasemia in early childhood.

We report the case of a 20-month old boy with markedly elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, documented during an episode of acute laryngotracheobronchitis. Biochemical investigations and imaging studies revealed no evidence of bone or liver disease. Transient hyperphosphatasemia (TH) was confirmed when serum ALP levels normalized within 2 months.