Early onset of puberty during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: experience from two Pediatric Endocrinology Italian Centers.

Objectives: During COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, reports of evaluations for suspected precocious puberty significantly raised. We aimed to assess the increase of precocious puberty in patients referred to Pediatric Endocrinology Units of Brescia (Italy), to determine clinical characteristics of patients undergoing a GnRH stimulation test before and during lockdown and evaluate the role of environmental factors in pubertal development.

Methods: Clinical and biochemical data of patients undergoing GnRH stimulation test were collected and stratified in two groups: March 2019 - February 2020 (Period 1) and March 2020 - February 2021 (Period 2).

Developing a Predictive Score for Chronic Arthritis among a Cohort of Children with Musculoskeletal Complaints--The Chronic Arthritis Score Study.

Objective: To explore if features obtained from a carefully taken medical history can be predictors of the final diagnosis in children with musculoskeletal complaints.

Study Design: We collected detailed clinical information on 178 children referred to our Pediatric Immunology and Rheumatology Unit by their primary care pediatrician for musculoskeletal complaints; a univariate logistic analysis was performed to identify variables correlated with the diagnosis of chronic arthritis. The variables identified were combined in a linear score that indicates the probability for a patient with musculoskeletal pain to receive the diagnosis of chronic arthritis.