Medication-related visits in a pediatric emergency department: an 8-years retrospective analysis

There are limited data on the characterization of medication-related visits (MRVs) to the emergency department (ED) in pediatric patients in Italy. We have estimated the frequency, severity, and classification of MRVs to the ED in pediatric patients

Una pancreatite atipica...

La m. di Kawasaki si può manifestare in modi e con sintomi divers

Evaluation of Bone Mineral Density in a Cohort of Children with Growth Hormone Deficiency

Background: Growth Hormone (GH) plays an important role in linear growth and in bone turnover during childhood. GH deficiency (GHD) may cause secondary osteoporosis associated to low bone mineral density (BMD), impairment of bone turnover and increased fracture rate. The effects of treatment with recombinant human Growth Hormone (rhGH) on bone metabolism are controversial. We aimed to assess BMD using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) among a cohort of children with GHD before rhGH therapy. Furthermore, we aimed to evaluate the association between BMD and auxological, biochemical and therapeutic data at baseline and during rhGH therapy. Methods: We enrolled 193 patients (9.68 ± 3.27 years, 58% males, 75% in a pre-pubertal age) with diagnosed GHD. DEXA was performed before treatment. Anamnestic, anthropometric, biochemical and radiological data were evaluated at baseline and during rhGH treatment (6, 12 and 24 months). Results: The median value of BMD Z-score before rhGH therapy was -1.15 ± 0.97. Analyzing BMD values at baseline, we found differences between pubertal and pre-pubertal patients (BMD SDS -1.54± 0.95 vs. -0.97±0.93; p < 0.001) and between patients with a normal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and subjects with a pathologic MRI (BMD SDS -1.09±0.99 vs.-1.48±0.82 p 0.03, respectively). The absolute value of BMD (g/cm²) was positively correlated with height SDS (r 0.20, p <0.05), BMI SDS (r 0.24, p <0.05) and IGF-1 values (r 0.33, p <0.05); BMD SDS value was positively correlated with target height SDS (r 0.28, p <0.05) and BMI SDS (r 0.36, p <0.05) whereas there was a negative correlation between BMD SDS and the age at GHD diagnosis (r² 0.40, p <0.05). There was no association between BMD values and biochemical and therapeutic data. Conclusions: Our study shows that pubertal patients have a lower BMD than pre-pubertal ones as a consequence of the mild bone demineralization (BMD Z-score -1.15±0.97) secondary to GHD. Therefore, our data suggest starting rhGH therapy early as to promote an optimal growth. DEXA might represent a valid mean to complete the diagnosis in GHD patients and to optimally orient the therapeutic decisions; it should be repeated at the end of treatment in order to evaluate its effect on bone metabolism

Prevalence and risk factors for microalbuminuria in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: long-term experience of a single centre

Objectives: Diabetic nephropathy is a late complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and microalbuminuria (MA) is an early and reversible sign of diabetic renal disease. Aims of this longitudinal study were: to define the prevalence of MA in children and adolescents with T1DM; to identify which risk factors are predictive for the development of MA. Methods: Seventy children and adolescents with T1DM [57% male; age at T1DM onset (T0) 5.95 3.16 yrs] were enrolled. The mean follow-up (FU) period was 7.18 1.89 yrs. Blood and urinary tests were performed once a year from the T0. MA screening was evaluated by urinary albumin concentration (UAC) or by timed urine collections for urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR). MA was considered persistent (PMA) when at least 2 out of 3 consecutive evaluation of UAC and/or ACR were found positive. Results: PMA was found in 13% of patients. Subjects with PMA compared to normoalbuminuric ones had both significantly higher GFR at T0 (p = 0.025) and UAC at 1-year FU (T1) (p = 0.045). Predictive cut-off values for PMA development were 160 ml/min/1.73 m2 for GFR at T0 (sensitivity: 57%, specificity: 75%) and 8.5 mg/L for UAC at T1 (sensitivity:75%, specificity:80%). Relative risk for PMA was 23-times higher when UAC was >8.5 mg/L (p = 0.004). Kaplan- Meier survival curves as a function of age at T0 showed an increased probability of developing PMA among children in which T1DM onset occured between 5 and 11 years of age compared to those with younger onset (p = 0.014) and a pubertal diabetes duration >5 years was also a significant risk factor for PMA (p < 0.0005). Conclusions: Age at T1DM onset, pubertal timing, high UAC, and hyperfiltration predispose to PMA development and increase the risk for diabetic nephropathy. Specific cut-off values at T1DM onset and during first years of FU could provide indications to avoid disease progression

MALATTIA PARODONTALE IN BAMBINI ED ADOLESCENTI CON DIABETE DI TIPO 1: EFFICACIA DELLA SOMMINISTRAZIONE ORALE DI LACTOBACILLUS REUTERI

OBIETTIVI Nei soggetti con diabete di tipo 1 (DM1) il rischio di sviluppare malattia parodontale è fi no a 5-volte maggiore rispetto ai soggetti sani; tuttavia, in età evolutiva, le prove a sostegno dell’associazione tra queste due malattie sono controverse. La somministrazione orale di probiotici crea un biofi lm e protegge i tessuti orali contro l’azione dei batteri patogeni parodontali. Scopo di questo studio longitudinale è stato quello di valutare gli effetti della somministrazione di probiotici (Lactobacillus reuteri) sulla salute orale di bambini ed adolescenti con DM1. METODI Sono stati reclutati 43 pazienti con DM1 (11.3±2.77 anni; durata DM1 58.2±38.0 mesi) randomizzati nel Gruppo A (probiotico - 10^8 CFU/die per 3 mesi) e nel Gruppo B (senza probiotico). Al baseline (T0) e dopo 3 mesi (T1) sono stati valutati i seguenti parametri: Full Mouth Plaque Score (FMPS), Full Mouth Bleeding Score (FMBS), dose di insulina (UI/kg/die) e HbA1c. RISULTATI FMPS al T1 è migliorato sia nel Gruppo A che nel Gruppo B (p<0.05). Nel Gruppo B dal T0 al T1 abbiamo riscontrato un aumento della dose di insulina (0.77±0.17 vs. 0.83±0.18 UI/kg/die; p=0.01) ed un miglioramento dell’HbA1c (82.1±21.4 vs. 69.9±19.1 mmol/mmol; p<0.001). Il controllo metabolico non si è modifi cato nel Gruppo A. Per valutare l’aderenza alla somministrazione del probiotico nei pazienti del Gruppo A abbiamo eseguito un sondaggio telefonico: 13 pazienti su 22 hanno riferito un’assunzione regolare (Gruppo A1), mentre negli altri la compliance è risultata sporadica (Gruppo A2). Confrontando i dati di questi 2 gruppi, al T0 non abbiamo riscontrato differenze nei valori di FMPS e FMBS; al T1 entrambi gli indici sono risultati signifi cativamente inferiori (p<0.05) nel Gruppo A1 rispetto al Gruppo A2. La riduzione longitudinale di FMPS e FMBS è stata dimostrata nel Gruppo A1 (p<0.05) ma non nel Gruppo A2. Nessuna modifi ca signifi cativa della dose di insulina e di HbA1c è stata dimostrata. CONCLUSIONI I nostri dati preliminari suggeriscono che la regolare somministrazione orale di probiotici potrebbe migliorare la salute orale dei bambini e adolescenti con DM1 e confermano l’importante ruolo del controllo glicemico