Clinical picture and epidemiological aspects of COVID-19 in infants

Spitalul Clinic Județean de Urgență Arad, Universitatea de Vest „Vasile Goldiș” din Arad, Universitatea „Lucian Blaga” din Sibiu, Spitalul Clinic de Pediatrie, SibiuThe viral infection with SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is still a public health issue which affect the entire world population. Since December 2019, a type of pneumonia of unknown etiology has appeared in central of China. The first case of COVID-19 was reported in December in Wuhan, Hubei Province, after which it spread rapidly around the world. In mid-March, the World Health Organization declared a COVID-19 pandemic. At the onset of this infectious outbreak there were few pediatric patients, at that time it was thought that they were not susceptible to infection. The cases of infection in children gradually appeared with the family aggregation. Affecting newborns and infants has caused concern, as they represent an age group with a developing immune system. Initially, a small number of cases was reported in infants, and the clinical manifestations were less severe compared to the clinical manifestations that were found in adulthood. The most common symptoms were fever and cough. In most of the cases, the clinical evolution in infants was favorable, the complications were developed in infants who presented with other associated conditions.Infecția cu virusul SARS-CoV-2 (Sindrom acut respirator sever-coronavirus 2) reprezintă o problemă de sănătate publică afectând în scurt timp întreaga populație a globului. Începând din luna decembrie a anului 2019, în China, a apărut un tip de pneumonie de etiologie necunoscută. Primul caz de COVID-19 a fost raportat în luna decembrie în Wuhan, provincia Hubei, după care s-a răspândit rapid în întreaga lume. La jumătatea lunii martie 2020, Organizația Mondială a Sănătății a declarat pandemie de COVID-19. La debutul acestui focar infecțios au fost puțini pacienți de vârstă pediatrică. În acel moment s-a crezut că aceștia nu sunt susceptibili de a se infecta. Cazurile de infecție la copii au apărut treptat, odată cu apariția agregării familiale. Afectarea nou-născuților și a sugarilor a creat motive de îngrijorare, aceasta fiind o grupă de vârstă cu un sistem imunitar în curs de dezvoltare. Inițial, la sugar s-a raportat un număr scăzut de cazuri, iar tabloul clinic a fost mai puțin sever, comparativ cu cel întâlnit la vârsta adultă. Cele mai frecvente simptome clinice au fost febra și tusea. În majoritatea cazurilor, evoluția clinică la sugar a fost favorabilă, complicații au dezvoltat sugarii care au prezentat și alte afecțiuni asociate

Cardiovascular risk in obese children

Institutul Inimii de Urgență pentru Boli Cardiovasculare „Niculae Stăncioiu”, Cluj-Napoca, județul Cluj, România, Universitatea „Lucian Blaga” din Sibiu, județul Sibiu, RomâniaIntroduction. The global prevalence of obesity is on the rise [1]. The well established correlation between excess weight and cardiovascular disease has been raising concerns regarding this pandemic [2, 3]. Paediatric obesity is also on the rise, which may indicate the development of a growing incidence of obesity-related comorbidities and cardiac patients in the future [4]. Assertive action in this direction requires a keen knowledge of the mechanisms that clarify the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease. Aim of the study. To provide an overview of the current literature regarding the influence of paediatric obesity on cardiovascular risk and the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. Materials and methods. We performed literature searches using the Medline/ PubMed databases and referred to international guidelines where applicable. Results and conclusions. The complex mechanisms that establish the link between obesity and cardiovascular risk begin in the early years of childhood and contribute to the formation of a cluster of detrimental characteristics that include physical inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, smoking and an altered metabolism defined by elevated insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. It is reasonable to assume that there is a high chance that today’s obese children migh become tomorrow’s cardiac patients. This knowledge encourages the development of protocols to better define the cardiovascular risk of obese children and to take preventive action where possible