Neurological involvement in children with familial Mediterranean fever: a systematic review.

Background: Although typical findings of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), such as brief fever episodes and abdominal or chest pain, have been largely described, little is known about the neurological manifestations of the disease in childhood.

Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted in PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, using MeSH terms related to FMF and neurological manifestations. Studies involving patients under 18 years of age diagnosed with FMF with neurological manifestations were included.

Predictors of uveitic macular edema and functional prognostic outcomes: real-life data from the international AIDA Network uveitis registry.

Objectives: To detect factors capable of predicting the development of macular edema (ME) throughout the disease course in patients affected by non-infectious uveitis (NIU).

Methods: Predictive factors leading to the development of ME were analyzed through regression analysis. The functional impact of ME on best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was also examined.

Obesity‑related kidney disease: a review on ultrasound applications.

Pediatric obesity is a growing global health concern, associated with metabolic, cardiovascular, and kidney complications. Early identification and intervention are crucial to preventing long-term morbidity. This review examines the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical implications of childhood obesity, focusing on its impact on kidney health.

Predictive factors for therapeutic response and cluster analysis in syndrome of undifferentiated recurrent fever (SURF).

Introduction: Syndrome of undifferentiated recurrent fever (SURF) refers to a group of recurrent fevers without a clear monogenic cause. Clinical spectrum, treatment response predictors and management strategies remain unclear.

Objective: This study aims to longitudinally analyse a homogeneously selected cohort of 101 SURF patients, to identify factors associated with colchicine resistance and to evaluate the efficacy of interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitors.

Biomarkers in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: towards precision diagnosis and personalized therapy?

Purpose To Review: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic disease in children, characterized by persistent joint inflammation with heterogeneous clinical subtypes. Early diagnosis and targeted treatment remain critical to improving long-term outcomes. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on the identification and validation of biomarkers to enhance diagnostic precision, predict disease course, and guide therapeutic decisions.

Pediatric ultrasound on YouTube: a multicenter quality assessment and ten practical recommendations.

Background: Digital communication is increasingly influencing the way medical knowledge is accessed and shared, particularly in pediatrics. Among various platforms, YouTube has emerged as a major source of health-related information, not only for healthcare professionals but also for the general population. However, the open nature of social media raises concerns about the consistency, reliability, and educational quality of the content shared.

Global variations in artificial intelligence-generated information on juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate similarities and variations of information provided by Large Language Models (LLMs) across diverse world regions by analyzing responses to validated questions on oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (oJIA).

Methods: The ten PICOs related to the oJIA treatment on the 2021 American College of Rheumatology recommendations were simultaneously prompted in English to ChatGPT 4o from five different countries (Canada, India, Italy, Kenya and Türkiye). Readability was assessed through the Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), distinctiveness of terms through the Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) analysis.

Tocilizumab effectiveness in paediatric non-infectious uveitis: data from the International AIDA Network Registries on ocular inflammatory disorders.

To describe tocilizumab (TCZ) effectiveness in 15 children with refractory non-infectious uveitis. Reported outcomes are the number of relapses before and after treatment, steroid-sparing effect and drug retention rate. Macular oedema, fluorangiographic findings and ocular complications are also reported.

Long-term efficacy and safety of colchicine and anti-IL-1 blockers in FMF: results from the Eurofever multicenter observational study.

Introduction: The majority of currently available data on familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) come from retrospective national or international studies.

Methods: An observational study collected data on the Eurofever international FMF cohort. Patients fulfilling genetic and clinical Eurofever criteria were considered as FMF+.

Adalimumab Monotherapy or Combination Therapy With Methotrexate in Paediatric Uveitis: Data From the AIDA Network Uveitis Registry.

Background: The study objective was to compare the effectiveness of adalimumab (ADA) in monotherapy and in combination with methotrexate (MTX) for paediatric noninfectious uveitis (NIU).

Methods: Registry-based observational study. Children receiving ADA for active uveitis were divided into the ADA monotherapy group (group 1) and the ADA plus MTX combination group (group 2).

Fat, flames and ultrasounds: the effects of obesity on pediatric joint inflammation.

The association between childhood obesity and the early appearance of joint degeneration, particularly in the infrapatellar "Hoffa's" fat pad, highlights the importance of early diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this review is to describe the role of ultrasound imaging as a first-line imaging tool for the early detection, prevention, and follow-up of degenerative structural changes in children's joints. By combining ultrasound findings with clinical assessments and indices, healthcare providers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of obesity-related joint alterations.

Safety and efficacy of long term asfotase alfa treatment in childhood hypophosphatasia.

Background: Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by a deficiency of tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) due to loss-of-function variants of the ALPL gene. HPP is characterized by an extremely variable age of onset and clinical presentation, largely depending on the type of genetic disruption. Childhood HPP commonly presents with skeletal deformities, bone fragility, precocious tooth loss, muscle weakness and sometimes neurological implications.

AI am the future: artificial intelligence in pediatric rheumatology.

Purpose Of Review: There is a growing interest in the applications of artificial intelligence in pediatric rheumatology. Although concerns with training datasets, ethical considerations, and the need for a major utilization of explainable artificial intelligence are still ongoing challenges, significant advancements have been made in recent years. In this review, we explore the most recent applications of artificial intelligence in pediatric rheumatology, with a special focus on machine learning models and their outcomes.

Pediatric rheumatology on social media: experts ensure accuracy, public drives engagement - a comparative analysis.

We aimed to investigate the quality and characteristics of content related to pediatric rheumatology on social media, comparing posts by health professionals (HPs) and non-HP (NHPs). Content creators, engagement metrics, sentiment, and misinformation were evaluated in the 150 most popular posts from 18 hashtags related to pediatric rheumatology on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The Journal of American Medical Association Benchmark Scale (JAMA) and the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials (PEMAT-A/V) were used to assess quality, understandability and actionability in educational videos, respectively.

Towards the definition of disease phenotypes in paediatric SAPHO syndrome: a national multicentric study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to confirm the presence of different disease phenotypes of paediatric SAPHO syndrome (pSAPHO) based on their skin manifestations in a large cohort of Italian patients.

Methods: Patients with pSAPHO were enrolled in the Eurofever Registry and the data retrospectively analysed. The patients were categorized according to their skin manifestations into an acne - hidradenitis suppurativa (Acne-HS) group and a palmoplantar pustulosis - psoriasis vulgaris (PPP-PV) group and were compared with patients without skin manifestations (chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis, CNO).

Amyloidosis in Childhood: A Review of Clinical Features and Comparison with Adult Forms.

Amyloidosis is a rare multisystem disorder characterized by extracellular accumulation of insoluble fibrils in various organs and tissues. The most common subtype in the pediatric population is systemic reactive amyloidosis, typically developing secondary to chronic inflammatory conditions and resulting in deposition of serum amyloid A protein in association with apolipoprotein HDL3. Clinical presentation is highly variable and is mostly influenced by specific organs involved, precursor protein type, and extent of amyloid deposition, often closely reflecting clinical features of the underlying disease.

How social media are changing pediatricians and pediatrics? - A claim for regulation.

Background: Social media has revolutionized the way healthcare professionals communicate with the public, particularly in Pediatrics. With over 5 billion users globally, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have become increasingly popular even among caregivers in recent years. These channels offer unique opportunities to improve public health education, allowing pediatricians to reach a wide audience with evidence-based content.

Familial Mediterranean fever in children from central-southern Italy: a multicentric retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Although familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a relevant disease in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, there are still few reports from Italy.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients with FMF diagnosed according to the EuroFever/PRINTO classification criteria in three pediatric rheumatology referral centers in central-southern Italy. Logistic regression analysis assessed the associations between age at disease onset and symptoms.

Serum hepcidin evaluation as a promising biomarker in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: An important area of research in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) aims to identify sensitive and reliable biomarkers of disease activity. The key iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin-25 (HEP) has been advocated as a potential biomarker to assess anaemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency in adults with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study evaluating the utility of serum HEP in 79 non-systemic onset JIA patients (14 males, 65 females), with/without anaemia, determining its correlations with disease activity, assessed by the JIA Disease Activity Score (JADAS)-27, anaemia parameters, and iron status indices.

Reliability of a generative artificial intelligence tool for pediatric familial Mediterranean fever: insights from a multicentre expert survey.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a popular tool for clinical and research use in the medical field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of a generative AI tool on pediatric familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).

Methods: Fifteen questions repeated thrice on pediatric FMF were prompted to the popular generative AI tool Microsoft Copilot with Chat-GPT 4.

The Diagnostic Role of Skin Manifestations in Rheumatic Diseases in Children: A Critical Review of Paediatric Vasculitis.

Skin lesions are frequently observed in children with rheumatic diseases, particularly in conditions such as IgA vasculitis (IgAV) and Kawasaki disease (KD). In paediatric vasculitis, the presence of skin lesions serves as an early indicator, emphasising the importance of timely diagnosis to prevent complications, such as cardiac or renal involvement. Conversely, autoinflammatory disorders like juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) may manifest with cutaneous manifestations either at the onset of disease or during its progression.

Skeletal muscle as a pro- and anti-inflammatory tissue: insights from children to adults and ultrasound findings.

Previously regarded as a movement and posture control agent, the skeletal muscle is now recognized as an endocrine organ that may affect systemic inflammation and metabolic health. The discovery of myokines such as IL-6, released from skeletal muscle in response to physical exercise, is now one of the most recent insights. Myokines are the mediators of the balance between the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses.

Associations of C reactive protein to albumin ratio, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, platelet to lymphocyte ratio with disease activity in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Introduction: Recent works in the scientific literature reported the role of C reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) as biomarkers of disease activity in rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: To investigate the role of CAR, PLR and NLR as potential markers of disease activity in children with non-systemic JIA (nsJIA) and their correlation with the risk of persistent disease activity of flare during follow up.

Methods: Our prospective, cross-sectional study involved 130 nsJIA patients (74 with active disease and 56 with inactive disease according to Wallace criteria) and 62 healthy controls.

Molecular Mechanisms of Fetal and Neonatal Lupus: A Narrative Review of an Autoimmune Disease Transferal across the Placenta.

This study, conducted by searching keywords such as "maternal lupus", "neonatal lupus", and "congenital heart block" in databases including PubMed and Scopus, provides a detailed narrative review on fetal and neonatal lupus. Autoantibodies like anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB may cross the placenta and cause complications in neonates, such as congenital heart block (CHB). Management options involve hydroxychloroquine, which is able to counteract some of the adverse events, although the drug needs to be used carefully because of its impact on the QTc interval.