Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and cystatin C is associated with blood pressure in ex-preterm children and adolescents.

Background: As preterm birth is a risk factor for hypertension (HTN), biomarkers for early prediction of HTN in childhood is an emerging need. The aims of the study were to evaluate serum biomarkers in ex-preterm children and examine for associations with office peripheral and central SBP (cSBP), ambulatory BP parameters and pulse wave velocity (PWV).

Methods: This case-control study included children and adolescents born prematurely (ex-preterms) and at full term (controls).

Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on parental and childhood stress levels in Greece.

Objective: The impact of COVID-19 vaccination on parental and childhood stress levels has not been thoroughly investigated. Our aim was to explore the above relationship and identify factors that may influence the dissemination of stress within the family during the pandemic.

Subjects And Methods: A cross-sectional e-survey was conducted among a nationwide sample of parents in May 2021 in Greece.

Parents under siege: the psychological impact of COVID-19 outbreak on children's caregivers.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: It is well known that parenting stress is an important but often underestimated psychosocial variable. Data regarding the impact of the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on parental psychology are currently lacking. The aim of the present study was to assess parenting stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greece.

Pediatric Pulmonary Function Testing in COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond. A Position Statement From the Hellenic Pediatric Respiratory Society.

As the COVID-19 pandemic is still evolving, guidelines on pulmonary function testing that may dynamically adapt to sudden epidemiologic changes are required. This paper presents the recommendations of the Hellenic Pediatric Respiratory Society (HPRS) on pulmonary function testing in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 era. Following an extensive review of the relevant literature, we recommend that pulmonary function tests should be carried out after careful evaluation of the epidemiologic load, structured clinical screening of all candidates, and application of special protective measures to minimize the risk of viral cross infection.

Subjective sleep-related breathing disorders and executive function in children with intermittent or mild persistent asthma.

Objective: The impact on executive function performance of sleep-related disorders in asthmatic children has been scarcely studied in community settings. The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) in children with intermittent or mild persistent asthma in primary care settings, and to examine the possible correlations with measures of executive function.

Methods: We performed a case-control study including 76 children with asthma (intermittent or mild persistent) and 85 healthy controls.

Uric Acid Associates With Executive Function in Children and Adolescents With Hypertension.

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Beware the inhaled steroids or corticophobia?

Inhaled corticosteroids have been the cornerstone of atopic, allergic asthma management for more than half a century. They have side effects (as does every medication), but they have transformed the control of asthma and saved many lives since their introduction. The current review revisits local and systemic side effects of inhaled corticosteroids and explores the prevalence and nature of parental fears (“corticophobia”) in different parts of the world.

Association of IL-10 gene promoter polymorphisms with food allergy susceptibility and serum IL-10 level in a pediatric Caucasian population.

Background: Interleukin 10 has been shown to play a critical role in the regulation of the immune responses in allergic diseases.

Aim: To investigate if genetic polymorphisms in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene are associated with food allergy (FA) susceptibility in Caucasian pediatric patients with concomitant allergic diseases and IL-10 levels.

Methods: The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at -1082A > G (rs1800896), -819 T > C (rs1800871), and -592A > C (rs1800872) of 62 pediatric patients with IgE-mediated FA were analyzed and correlated with clinical parameters, serum IgE and IL-10 levels.

Lung Function Variability in Children and Adolescents With and Without Asthma (LUV Study): Protocol for a Prospective, Nonrandomized, Clinical Trial.

Background: Variability analysis of peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) has been used in research to predict exacerbations in adults with asthma. However, there is a paucity of data regarding PEF and FEV1 variability in healthy children and adolescents and those with asthma.

Objective: The objective of this study is the assessment of PEF and FEV1 variability in (1) healthy children and adolescents, to define the normal daily fluctuation of PEF and FEV1 and the parameters that may influence it, and (2) children and adolescents with asthma, to explore the differences from healthy subjects and reveal any specific variability changes prior to exacerbation.

Estimated Arterial Stiffness and Prediction of Vascular Aging: The Rising of a New Era.

Arterial stiffness has been associated with cardiovascular events and correlated with cardiovascular risk factors. In the new guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension, the evaluation of arterial stiffness, and specifically carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (c-f PWV), was taken into account for the detailed screening of the hypertensive population. Despite the importance of arterial stiffness as a target organ damage, the measurement is time-consuming, not practical, needs expensive equipment and experienced staff.

Central SBP and executive function in children and adolescents with primary and secondary hypertension.

Objectives: The aims of the study were to assess executive function performance in children and adolescents with primary and secondary hypertension, and to investigate for associations with central SBP and ambulatory blood pressure.

Methods: Forty-six pediatric patients with secondary hypertension because of kidney diseases and 46 patients with primary hypertension underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, pulse wave analysis, and assessment of executive function using Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Results for comparisons are presented as mean (SD).

Impact of ambulatory SBP and overweight on executive function performance in children and adolescents.

Background And Aim: Neurocognitive impairment has recently emerged as a hypertensive target organ damage in children and adolescents. In the present study, we aimed to examine the effect of hypertension and overweight on executive function performance in youth.

Methods: The study population included 116 consecutive children and adolescents referred to our outpatient hypertension clinic who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and assessment of executive function by Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF).

Interleukin 10: the critical role of a pleiotropic cytokine in food allergy.

Despite advances in research, the pathophysiology of food allergy has not yet been fully elucidated. IL-10 has both a pro- and anti-inflammatory effect on the development of food allergy and in order to understand its different immune-modulatory effects the factors that influence the inflammatory microenvironment need to be taken into account. Specific single nucleotide polymorphisms of the IL-10 gene seem to confer an increased risk of developing food allergy, but to date there is a substantial lack of genome- wide association studies regarding the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of the disease.

Sleep disorders and executive function in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease.

Objective: The impact of sleep-related disorders in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease on executive function performance has been scarcely studied. The aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of sleep-related disorders in chronic kidney disease pediatric patients, and to examine possible correlations with measures of executive function.

Methods: We performed a case-control study including 51 children with chronic kidney disease stages 2-5, aged 5-18 years, and 51 healthy controls.

'They said it was bronchiolitis; is it going to turn into asthma doctor?'.

Acute bronchiolitis is a common paediatric disease of infancy. Its association with subsequent asthma development has puzzled clinicians and epidemiologists for decades. This article reviews the current state of knowledge regarding the role of acute bronchiolitis in the inception of asthma.

Six-year follow-up study on the effect of combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion on lung function and quality of life in young people with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Objectives: The effects of spinal surgery on lung function and quality of life (QoL) are important patient outcomes. Long-term follow-up of lung function and QoL in those undergoing combined anterior and posterior spinal fusion (A/PSF) for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is poorly documented with only one study extending beyond 2 years, though available evidence points to a decrement in lung function. Our study evaluated long-term change in lung function and QoL following A/PSF for AIS.

Urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum betalactamase-producing bacteria in children: a matched casecontrol study.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing pathogens are emerging as a cause of urinary tract infections (UTI) worldwide. In this matched-case control study, clinical characteristics and associated risk factors for ESBL UTI were evaluated. In a total of 463 positive urine cultures, 48 (10.

Wheezing defined.

Wheeze is both a symptom to parents (reported as noisy breathing) and a sign to clinical staff - with very differing perspectives between parents and clinicians on what constitutes "wheeze". The purpose of this article is to consider these differences of understanding from the perspective of different stakeholders so that nobody is "lost in translation". Misunderstandings may lead to epidemiologic and treatment faults.

Surgical treatment of persistent fetal vasculature and visual rehabilitation: one-year followup.

We present the management and postoperative course of a persistent fetal vasculature (PFV) case. A four-year-old girl visited the Eye Department of Hippokration, General Hospital of Thessaloniki due to reduced visual acuity of her left eye. She was diagnosed with PFV and underwent surgery (lensectomy, capsulorhexis of the posterior capsule, insertion of an intraocular lens in the posterior chamber, and posterior vitrectomy) in order to dissect the PFV.

A "sweet" hydrothorax in a child on peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an established, effective long term renal replacement treatment modality for children with end stage renal disease (ESRD). A rarely reported complication of PD in children is the development of hydrothorax1. We report the case of an 8-year-old boy that developed a right-sided pleural effusion during automated PD (APD), in order to raise awareness amongst paediatricians; we also review the diversity of clinical presentation and the available diagnostic tools, discuss theories regarding aetiology and highlight the available treatment options.

Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in Greek children.

Background And Aim: Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) is one of the most important procedures in paediatric pulmonology. To the best of our knowledge there is no review - audit summarising the experience with FFB in children in Greece. We therefore analysed retrospectively all FFBs performed by the paediatric pulmonology team in our hospital in order to analyse indications for bronchoscopy in our population, explore diagnostic yield for each indication and highlight potential complications.

Life-threatening hyponatremia and acute renal failure due to iatrogenic neonatal bladder rupture.

Neonatal urinary ascites is a rare entity, usually associated with a spontaneous rupture of the bladder with an underlying pathology such as high pressure or wall disruption. Its presentation involves abdominal distension, metabolic derangement and respiratory compromise. We report the case of a male neonate with solitary functioning kidney presented with life-threatening persistent hyponatremia and acute renal failure due to iatrogenic bladder rupture after catheterization.

Use of propranolol in infantile haemangiomas: report of five cases and review of the literature.

Infantile haemangiomas are common benign tumours that do not require treatment unless they cause significant functional impairment or disfigurement. We report our experience with the off-label use of propranolol in 5 children with haemangiomas and review the relevant literature.

Successful treatment of a spontaneous haemothorax with recombinant factor VIIa in a haemophilic child with inhibitors.

Haemophilia A is an X-linked disorder caused by a deficiency of factor VIII. Haemorrhage in various sites may occur spontaneously or secondary to trauma depending on the severity of the deficiency. Common manifestations include haemarthrosis, epistaxis, gastrointestinal haemorrhage and haematuria.