Management of Acute Bronchiolitis in Spoke Hospitals in Northern Italy: Analysis and Outcome.

Bronchiolitis is an acute viral infection of the lower respiratory tract that affects infants and young children. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common causative agent; however, other viruses can be involved in this disease. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical features of infants aged less than 12 months hospitalized for acute bronchiolitis in our Pediatric Units of Chivasso, Cirié, and Ivrea in Piedmont, Northern Italy, over two consecutive bronchiolitis seasons (September 2021-March 2022 and September 2022-March 2023).

Plasma arachidonic acid and serum thromboxane B2 concentrations in phenylketonuric children are correlated with dietary compliance.

Phenylketonurics display lower arachidonic acid levels in plasma lipids, reflecting the lower intake due to the dietary treatment poor in phenylalanine-rich animal foods. Plasma arachidonic acid levels and serum thromboxane B2 concentrations have been measured in 13 treated phenylketonuric children and compared with those of 12 healthy controls. A direct relationship between plasma arachidonic acid and thromboxane B2 concentrations has been observed only in phenylketonurics, whose plasma arachidonic acid status correlated negatively with their dietary compliance.

Fatty acid metabolism in phenylketonuria.

Children treated for phenylketonuria (PKU) have a low intake of whole animal foods. Consequently, the dietary intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is just a few milligrams per day, mostly represented by arachidonic acid (AA). In a consecutive series of studies, we assessed in treated PKU children their long-chain PUFA status, the AA-related eicosanoid synthesis and the effects of specific PUFA supplementations.

Preliminary results of a nutritional survey in a sample of 35,000 Italian schoolchildren.

An investigation of the nutrient intake of a large-scale sample (n = 35,072), drawn from the Italian school-age population (7-10 years) was carried out in a nationwide survey of nutritional patterns. Friuli, the Piedmont, Latium and Sicily regions were selected as representative of the nation's north-south and east-west socio-economic divisions. A food frequency questionnaire was used to assess nutritional intake.