Ultrasound detection of pneumonia in febrile children with respiratory distress: a prospective study.

Unlabelled: To analyse the usefulness of bedside lung ultrasound (LUS) in detecting lung consolidation in a paediatric emergency room (ER) setting, febrile children seen at our ER from 2008 to 2012 with a moderate to severe respiratory distress underwent LUS, chest X-ray (CXR) and laboratory investigations. At first ER assessment, LUS identified a lung consolidation in 207 patients of 222 children enrolled, with a liver-like appearance in 75 (36.2%) and an associated pleural effusion in 36.

Association of procalcitonin with acute pyelonephritis and renal scars in pediatric UTI.

Background And Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common childhood bacterial infections that may involve renal parenchymal infection (acute pyelonephritis [APN]) followed by late scarring. Prompt, high-quality diagnosis of APN and later identification of children with scarring are important for preventing future complications. Examination via dimercaptosuccinic acid scanning is the current clinical gold standard but is not routinely performed.

Prediction of moderate and high grade vesicoureteral reflux after a first febrile urinary tract infection in children: construction and internal validation of a clinical decision rule.

Purpose: Urinary tract infection leads to a diagnosis of moderate or high grade (III or higher) vesicoureteral reflux in approximately 15% of children. Predicting reflux grade III or higher would make it possible to restrict cystography to high risk cases. We aimed to derive a clinical decision rule to predict vesicoureteral reflux grade III or higher in children with a first febrile urinary tract infection.

Is vitamin D status known among children living in Northern Italy?

Purpose: To assess vitamin D status in children aged 2-220 months in northeastern Italy (latitude 46°). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentration was assessed in 93 children afferent to the Pediatric Department of the Hospital of Udine.

Methods: Vitamin D status was defined as follows: sufficient with serum 25OHD between 50 and 250 nmol/l (level 4); insufficient between 37.

Procalcitonin is a predictor for high-grade vesicoureteral reflux in children: meta-analysis of individual patient data.

Objective: To assess the predictive value of procalcitonin, a serum inflammatory marker, in the identification of children with first urinary tract infection (UTI) who might have high-grade (≥3) vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Study Design: We conducted a meta-analysis of individual data, including all series of children aged 1 month to 4 years with a first UTI, a procalcitonin (PCT) level measurement, cystograms, and an early dimercaptosuccinic acid scan.

Results: Of the 152 relevant identified articles, 12 studies representing 526 patients (10% with VUR ≥3) were included.