Treatment of acute pharyngitis in children: an Italian intersociety consensus (SIPPS-SIP-SITIP-FIMP-SIAIP-SIMRI-FIMMG).

Sore throat represents one of the main causes of antibiotic overprescription in children. Its management is still a matter of debate, with countries considering streptococcal pharyngotonsillitis a benign and self-limiting condition and others advocating for its antibiotic treatment to prevent suppurative complications and acute rheumatic fever. Italian paediatricians frequently prescribe antibiotics on a clinical basis regardless of microbiological results.

IgE to cyclophilins in pollen-allergic children: Epidemiologic, clinical, and diagnostic relevance of a neglected panallergen.

Background: Cyclophilins are ubiquitous panallergens whose epidemiologic, diagnostic, and clinical relevance is largely unknown and whose sensitization is rarely examined in routine allergy practice.

Objective: We investigated the epidemiologic, diagnostic, and clinical relevance of cyclophilins in seasonal allergic rhinitis and its comorbidities.

Methods: We examined a random sample of 253 (25%) of 1263 Italian children with seasonal allergic rhinitis from the Panallergens in Pediatrics (PAN-PED) cohort with characterized disease phenotypes.

IgE to cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD) in childhood: Prevalence, risk factors, putative origins.

Background: IgE antibodies to cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCD) are usually clinically irrelevant but they can be a cause of false positive outcomes of allergen-specific IgE tests in vitro. Their prevalence and levels have been so far cross-sectionally examined among adult allergic patients and much less is known about their origins and relevance in childhood.

Methods: We examined CCD with a cross-sectional approach in 1263 Italian pollen allergic children (Panallergen in Paediatrics, PAN-PED), as well as with a longitudinal approach in 612 German children (Multicenter Allergy Study, MAS), whose cutaneous and IgE sensitization profile to a broad panel of allergen extracts and molecules was already known.

Do Vegetarian Diets Provide Adequate Nutrient Intake during Complementary Feeding? A Systematic Review.

During the complementary feeding period, any nutritional deficiencies may negatively impact infant growth and neurodevelopment. A healthy diet containing all essential nutrients is strongly recommended by the WHO during infancy. Because vegetarian diets are becoming increasingly popular in many industrialized countries, some parents ask the pediatrician for a vegetarian diet, partially or entirely free of animal-source foods, for their children from an early age.

Case report: Goiter and overt hypothyroidism in an iodine-deficient toddler on soy milk and hypoallergenic diet.

Soy-based infant formulas (SFs) are often consumed by cow's milk allergic children. However, some concerns have risen since soy intake may adversely affect thyroid function in iodine-deficient or subclinical hypothyroid individuals. We report the first Italian case of SF induced goiter and hypothyroidism registered in our country since National Iodine program has been instituted.

Complementary Feeding Caregivers' Practices and Growth, Risk of Overweight/Obesity, and Other Non-Communicable Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several institutions propose responsive feeding (RF) as the caregivers' relational standard when nurturing a child, from breast/formula feeding onwards. Previous systematic reviews (SRs) on caregivers' feeding practices (CFPs) have included studies on populations from countries with different cultures, rates of malnutrition, and incomes, whereas this SR compares different CFPs only in healthy children (4-24 months) from industrialized countries. Clinical questions were about the influence of different CFPs on several important outcomes, namely growth, overweight/obesity, risk of choking, dental caries, type 2 diabetes (DM2), and hypertension.

Timing of Complementary Feeding, Growth, and Risk of Non-Communicable Diseases: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

No consensus currently exists on the appropriate age for the introduction of complementary feeding (CF). In this paper, a systematic review is conducted that investigates the effects of starting CF in breastfed and formula-fed infants at 4, 4-6, or 6 months of age (i) on growth at 12 months of age, (ii) on the development of overweight/obesity at 3-6 years of age, (iii) on iron status, and (iv) on the risk of developing (later in life) type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and hypertension. An extensive literature search identified seven studies that evaluated the effects of the introduction of CF at the ages in question.

Recommendations on Complementary Feeding as a Tool for Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)-Paper Co-Drafted by the SIPPS, FIMP, SIDOHaD, and SINUPE Joint Working Group.

Adequate and balanced nutrition is essential to promote optimal child growth and a long and healthy life. After breastfeeding, the second step is the introduction of complementary feeding (CF), a process that typically covers the period from 6 to 24 months of age. This process is, however, still highly controversial, as it is heavily influenced by socio-cultural choices, as well as by the availability of specific local foods, by family traditions, and pediatrician beliefs.

Pruritus in pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis: a multidisciplinary approach - summary document from an Italian expert group.

Given the inadequate overall awareness of the main disease features and treatment modalities of pruritus in pediatric patients with atopic dermatitis, a multidisciplinary Italian expert group met with the major aim of increasing knowledge of the condition for improved diagnosis and better management among specialists involved in disease management. Herein, the overall features of the condition are reviewed, along with its etiopathogenesis and symptoms. Likewise, management options are summarized, emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach, minimally composed of a management team that includes a pediatrician, dermatologist, psychologist, play assistant, and dedicated nurse.

Early molecular biomarkers predicting the evolution of allergic rhinitis and its comorbidities: A longitudinal multicenter study of a patient cohort.

Background: Pollen-related seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR) is a very frequent pediatric disease in Westernized countries. Risk factors and disease phenotypes have been thoroughly examined in several cross-sectional studies. By contrast, only a few studies have examined disease evolution in patient cohorts.

Prevention of food and airway allergy: consensus of the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Paediatrics, the Italian Society of Paediatric Allergy and Immunology, and Italian Society of Pediatrics.

Background: Allergic sensitization in children and allergic diseases arising therefrom are increasing for decades. Several interventions, functional foods, pro- and prebiotics, vitamins are proposed for the prevention of allergies and they can't be uncritically adopted.

Objective: This Consensus document was developed by the Italian Society of Preventive and Social Paediatrics and the Italian Society of Paediatric Allergy and Immunology.

Matrix effect on baked egg tolerance in children with IgE-mediated hen's egg allergy.

Background: Children with IgE-mediated hen's egg allergy (IgE-HEA) often tolerate baked egg within a wheat matrix.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of wheat matrix and the effects of little standardized cooking procedures on baked egg tolerance.

Methods: Fifty-four children with IgE-HEA were enrolled.

Prevalence and Clinical Relevance of IgE Sensitization to Profilin in Childhood: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Little is known about the prevalence and clinical relevance of hypersensitivity to the plant panallergen profilin in children.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate prevalence, risk factors and clinical relevance of profilin sensitization in a large cohort of Italian children of different ages living in different geographic areas.

Methods: Children with pollen allergy enrolled by 16 pediatric outpatient clinics sited in three main geographic areas of Italy were studied.

The effect of component-resolved diagnosis on specific immunotherapy prescription in children with hay fever.

Background: Sensitization to profilins and other cross-reacting molecules might hinder proper specific immunotherapy (SIT) prescription in polysensitized patients with pollen-related allergic rhinitis (AR). In these patients, component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) might modify SIT prescription by improving the identification of the disease-eliciting pollen sources.

Objectives: We sought to measure the effect of CRD on SIT prescription in children with pollen-related AR.

Clinical management of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome.

Purpose Of Review: The article discusses the clinical management of patients affected by food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), focusing on established therapeutic choices and future options.

Recent Findings: After FPIES has been diagnosed and avoidance of the culprit food prescribed, the most important management needs are as follows. First, recurrence of acute FPIES episodes due to accidental ingestion of culprit food.

Nutritional management and follow up of infants and children with food allergy: Italian Society of Pediatric Nutrition/Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Task Force Position Statement.

Although the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of food allergy recognize the role of nutrition, there is few literature on the practical issues concerning the nutritional management of children with food allergies. This Consensus Position Statement focuses on the nutritional management and follow-up of infants and children with food allergy.It provides practical advices for the management of children on exclusion diet and it represents an evidence-based consensus on nutritional intervention and follow-up of infants and children with food allergy.

Pollen-induced allergic rhinitis in 1360 Italian children: comorbidities and determinants of severity.

Background: Pollen-induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR) is highly prevalent and rapidly evolving during childhood. General practitioners may not be fully aware of the nature and severity of symptoms experienced by patients and might underestimate the prevalence of moderate or severe disease. Thus, the relevance of early diagnosis and intervention may be overlooked.

Specific oral tolerance induction with raw hen's egg in children with very severe egg allergy: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Treatment of severe egg allergy is avoidance of hen's egg (HE) and carrying self-injectable epinephrine. Specific oral tolerance induction (SOTI) seems a promising alternative treatment. However, some aspects of SOTI are still considered experimental.

A new model for conservative food challenge in children with immunoglobulin E-mediated cow's milk allergy.

Background: The diagnostic gold standard for food allergy is an oral food challenge (OFC) with the suspected food. Usually, an OFC is stopped at the onset of mild objective symptoms for fear of severe reactions, but there is no consensus on this issue.

Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness and side effects of a new model of oral milk challenge in order to increase the diagnostic accuracy of cow's milk protein allergy and reduce the number of useless elimination diets.

Molecular insight into IgE-mediated reactions to sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed proteins.

Background: Food allergy is becoming a major public health concern in recent times. Several sesame seed allergenic proteins have been identified. However, sensitization toward these proteins does not follow a common and unique pattern of clinical reactivity, as shown by the differential geographic recognition of single proteins.