Neonatal haemostatic parameters in correlation to gestational age and birth weight.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to establish reference ranges for neonatal coagulation and fibrinolysis parameters and to investigate their relationship with gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW).

Methods: A single-centre prospective study was conducted in all healthy neonates born in our hospital during the study period, excluding those with maternal or neonatal disorders and diseases that affect haemostasis. The following parameters were measured: fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) as well as factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII, von Willebrand (vWF), protein C, free protein S, antithrombin (AT), activated protein C resistance (APCr), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1).

Associations of Apolipoprotein A, High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein and Fasting Plasma Insulin in Obese Children With and Without Family History of Cardiovascular Disease.

Background: The worldwide prevalence of childhood obesity has increased from 4.2% to 6.7% during the last two decades.

Atrial septal aneurysms in childhood: prevalence, classification, and concurrent abnormalities.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the prevalence of atrial septal aneurysms in the paediatric population and to define coexisting abnormalities and their incidence.

Background: Few papers refer to the prevalence of atrial septal aneurysms in childhood.

Methods: We enrolled a total of 4522 children aged more than 12 months who underwent a transthoracic echocardiography.

Socioeconomic status, area remoteness, and survival from childhood leukemia: results from the Nationwide Registry for Childhood Hematological Malignancies in Greece.

The aim of the present nationwide Greek study is to assess whether survival from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is modified by socioeconomic status (SES) and area remoteness. Detailed precoded information derived from a personal interview conducted by specially trained health personnel with the child guardians was available for 883 ALL and 111 AML incident childhood cases registered in the Nationwide Registry for Childhood Hematological Malignancies during the period 1996-2010. Parental socioprofessional category was recorded on the basis of ISCO68 and ISCO88 codes; the exact traveling distance between residence and the treating hospital was ad hoc calculated.

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.

Brain natriuretic peptide as a cardiotoxicity biomarker in children with hematological malignancies.

Aim: Aim of our study was to evaluate BNP as early cardiotoxicity biomarker after completion of chemotherapy in twenty children with hematological malignancies at diagnosis (t=0) and after completion of intensive chemotherapy (t=1).

Methods: Demographic data, underlying disease, cumulative anthracyclines dose, measurement of serum BNP and evaluation of systolic function of left ventricle with ejection fraction (EF) and shortening fraction (FS) in both times . Pathological values for EF and FS were found in 4 (20%) and 1 (5%) patient at t=1, while respective values were normal at diagnosis.

Epileptic seizures after octreotide administration in a 6.5-year-old female with ALL and L-asparaginase associated pancreatitis: a possible drug interaction.

Introduction: Octreotide is a synthetic somatostatin analogue which has been suggested for use in the management of acute pancreatitis, though its safety and effectiveness in the pediatric setting has not been extensively studied.

Case Report: we present a rare case of a 6.5-year-old female with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and L-asparaginase (L-asp) induced pancreatitis, who developed epileptic seizures, possibly associated with octreotide administration.

Transient myeloproliferative disorder in a newborn with down syndrome treated with rasburicase for the risk of development of tumor lysis syndrome: A case report.

Introduction: Transient myeloproliferative disorder is a hematologic abnormality characterized by an uncontrolled proliferation of myeloblasts in peripheral blood and bone marrow that primarily affects newborns and babies with Down syndrome. Tumor lysis syndrome is rarely associated with transient myeloproliferative disorder.

Case Presentation: Transient myeloproliferative disorder was diagnosed in a seven-day-old baby girl with Down syndrome, who was referred to our department due to hyperleukocytosis.

Immunization of preterm infants with 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Objective: The safety and immunogenicity of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) in preterm infants were assessed in this study.

Methods: Three parallel groups of infants received 3-dose primary immunization with PHiD-CV at 2, 4, and 6 months of age and a booster dose at 16 to 18 months: preterm I (gestation period ≥ 27 and <31 weeks, N = 50); preterm II (≥31 and <37 weeks, N = 87); and term (≥37 weeks, N = 149). Solicited symptoms and adverse events were recorded.

In vitro fertilization and risk of childhood leukemia in Greece and Sweden.

Background: Cancer risk in children born after in vitro fertilization (IVF) remains largely unknown. We aimed to investigate risk of leukemia and lymphoma following IVF using two nationwide datasets.

Methods: The hospital-based case-control study in Greece derived from the National Registry for Childhood Hematological Malignancies (1996-2008, 814 leukemia and 277 lymphoma incident cases with their 1:1 matched controls).

Candida hellenica var. hellenica as a possible cause of respiratory infection in a child with acute myeloid leukemia.

Candida hellenica var. hellenica (teleomorph Zygoascus meyerae) is a member of the genus Zygoascus that comprises species isolated from environmental sources such as damaged grapes. A case of a possible pneumonia due to this uncommon yeast in a pediatric oncology patient suffering from acute myeloid leukemia is described.

Tumour necrosis factor gene polymorphisms and migraine in Greek children.

Introduction: Migraine is considered to be a multifactorial, complex disease. Various genetic and environmental factors contribute to the manifestation of this disease. The aim of this study was to determine whether polymorphisms in the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) region are associated with the risk of migraine.

Procalcitonin as an early marker of bacterial infection in neutropenic febrile children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Objective And Design: The aim of this study was to assess the value of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-8, and soluble TNF receptor II (sTNFRII) in early and rapid diagnosis of infection in neutropenic children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and to distinguish bacterial from viral infections.

Patients: The study included five groups (A, B, C, D, and E) of children with ALL undergoing intensive chemotherapy. Groups A and B consisted of neutropenic children with bacterial and viral infection, respectively.

Management of paediatric sinonasal rhabdomyosarcoma.

Background And Aim: Rhabdomyosarcoma is the commonest malignant tumour of the nose and paranasal sinuses in the paediatric population. Due to its rarity and largely unknown biological behaviour, the treatment of this tumour is complex and controversial. We present the results of multimodality treatment of paediatric sinonasal rhabdomyosarcoma, and we explore the role of surgery in the management of this malignancy.

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among Greek children indicates that the virus is still prevalent: Implications for universal vaccination.

A national cross-sectional seroprevalence survey was conducted in order to evaluate the current seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among 1,383 children, aged 0-14 years, residing in Greece. Stratification of the study population was conducted according to age and area of residence. Sera from study participants were tested for the presence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies.

Haemostatic profile of full-term, healthy, small for gestational age neonates.

Background: Small for Gestational Age (SGA) neonates often appear with haemostatic alterations, principally due to hepatic dysfunction that results from chronic intrauterine hypoxia. Polycythaemia and thrombocytopenia are common findings in this neonatal population.

Study Design: We performed a comparison of coagulation, natural inhibitors and fibrinolysis between SGA and Appropriate for Gestational Age (AGA) infants born full term [gestational age (G.

Enterococcus faecalis: an unusual cause of meningitis in a child with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Enterococcal meningitis is an uncommon disease in children, most frequently reported in infants or in children with central nervous system pathology. We report a rare case of Enterococcus faecalis meningitis in an 11-year-old child with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The patient during the course of chemotherapy became neutropenic, febrile, agitated, and disoriented with clinical signs of meningeal irritation.

Holoprosencephaly and diabetes insipidus in a 3-month-old infant.

Holoprosencephaly is a developmental defect caused by incomplete cleavage of the embryonic forebrain structures during early embryogenesis. We describe a 3-month-old boy with median cleft palate, surgically reconstructed cleft lip, hypotelorism with a flat nose, cryptorchidism, clubfoot, and microcephaly. During the laboratory investigation, his blood sodium level was 154 mmol/L and urine specific gravity was 1.