Natural resistance to Meningococcal Disease related to CFH loci: Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies.

Meningococcal disease (MD) remains an important infectious cause of life threatening infection in both industrialized and resource poor countries. Genetic factors influence both occurrence and severity of presentation, but the genes responsible are largely unknown. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) examining 5,440,063 SNPs in 422 Spanish MD patients and 910 controls.

Development and Validation of a New Clinical Scale for Infants with Acute Respiratory Infection: The ReSVinet Scale.

Background And Aims: A properly validated scoring system allowing objective categorization of infants with acute respiratory infections (ARIs), avoiding the need for in-person assessment and that could also be used by non-health professionals is currently not available. We aimed to develop a new clinical assessment scale meeting these specifications.

Methods: We designed a clinical scale (ReSVinet scale) based on seven parameters (feeding intolerance, medical intervention, respiratory difficulty, respiratory frequency, apnoea, general condition, fever) that were assigned different values (from 0 to 3) for a total of 20 points.

Does Viral Co-Infection Influence the Severity of Acute Respiratory Infection in Children?

Background: Multiple viruses are often detected in children with respiratory infection but the significance of co-infection in pathogenesis, severity and outcome is unclear.

Objectives: To correlate the presence of viral co-infection with clinical phenotype in children admitted with acute respiratory infections (ARI).

Methods: We collected detailed clinical information on severity for children admitted with ARI as part of a Spanish prospective multicenter study (GENDRES network) between 2011-2013.

Bacteremia in Children Hospitalized with Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection.

Background: The risk of bacteremia is considered low in children with acute bronchiolitis. However the rate of occult bacteremia in infants with RSV infection is not well established. The aim was to determine the actual rate and predictive factors of bacteremia in children admitted to hospital due to confirmed RSV acute respiratory illness (ARI), using both conventional culture and molecular techniques.

Role of Vitamin D in Hospitalized Children With Lower Tract Acute Respiratory Infections.

Background: Vitamin D is known to have modulatory actions in the immune system. Its influence on the severity of lower tract acute respiratory infections (LT-ARIs) is unclear.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of vitamin D on LT-ARI in paediatric patients.

Viral Co-Infections in Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Lower Tract Acute Respiratory Infections.

Background: Molecular techniques can often reveal a broader range of pathogens in respiratory infections. We aim to investigate the prevalence and age pattern of viral co-infection in children hospitalized with lower tract acute respiratory infection (LT-ARI), using molecular techniques.

Methods: A nested polymerase chain reaction approach was used to detect Influenza (A, B), metapneumovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza (1-4), rhinovirus, adenovirus (A-F), bocavirus and coronaviruses (NL63, 229E, OC43) in respiratory samples of children with acute respiratory infection prospectively admitted to any of the GENDRES network hospitals between 2011-2013.

Impact of Rotavirus Vaccination on Childhood Hospitalization for Seizures.

Background: Rotavirus vaccine (RV) might reduce the risk of hospitalization due to childhood seizures (CS). We aimed to identify and assess variations in the incidence of hospitalizations for CS among children <5 years of age before and after RV introduction.

Methods: Annual hospitalization rates for any kind of CS, before and after RV introduction in 2007, were calculated using the official surveillance system for hospitalization data.

A reverse evidence of rotavirus vaccines impact.

In 2010, and due to a quality problem identified in the vaccine manufacture, the rotavirus (RV) vaccination was withheld in Spain during 5 months. Our study aimed to evaluate the impact that this sudden cease had on rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (RAGE) hospitalizations. An increase in RAGE hospitalization was observed in parallel to the drop in vaccine coverage.

Prospective evaluation of indirect costs due to acute rotavirus gastroenteritis in Spain: the ROTACOST study.

Background: The effect of rotavirus in developed countries is mainly economic. This study aimed to assess the indirect costs induced by rotavirus acute gastroenteritis (RVAGE) in Spain.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted from October 2008 to June 2009.

Pleural antigen assay in the diagnosis of pediatric pneumococcal empyema.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the diagnostic value of rapid pneumococcal antigen detection (PAD) in pleural fluid samples of children with empyema.

Material And Methods: We performed a prospective evaluation in a pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary university hospital of children aged 1 month to 14 years admitted with empyema. Standard cultures (conventional microbiological culture [CMC]), PAD by immunochromatographic testing (Binax NOW Streptococcus pneumoniae; Binax, Portland, ME), and/or real-time polymerase chain reactions (RTPs) on pleural samples were performed in all included patients.

Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in Spain.

With the aim of determining rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (RVVE) in Spain, from Oct-2008/Jun-2009, 467 consecutive children below 2 years old with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) were recruited using a pediatric research network (ReGALIP-www.regalip.org) that includes primary, emergency and hospital care settings.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure with heliox versus air oxygen in infants with acute bronchiolitis: a crossover study.

Objective: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of administering either heliox or air oxygen in combination with nasal continuous positive airway pressure in infants with refractory bronchiolitis.

Patient And Methods: We conducted a prospective, interventional, single-center, crossover study in a teaching hospital including infants 1 month to 2 years of age, consecutively admitted to the PICU from February 2004 to February 2005 for treatment of severe acute bronchiolitis unresponsive to therapy. Patients with a clinical score (Modified Wood's Clinical Asthma Score) of >5, arterial oxygen saturation of <92%, or transcutaneous CO(2) pressure of >50 mmHg despite supportive therapy, nebulized L-epinephrine, and heliox therapy through a nonrebreathing reservoir face mask were eligible.

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure with heliox in infants with acute bronchiolitis.

This is the first study aiming to assess the effects of heliox in combination with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (Hx-nCPAP) as a rescue treatment in infants with refractory acute bronchiolitis. Fifteen out of 78 infants with acute bronchiolitis consecutively admitted to PICU fulfilled the inclusion criteria: clinical score>or=5 or arterial oxygen saturation (SatO2)50 mmHg, despite supportive therapy, nebulized L-epinephrine, and heliox therapy through non-rebreathing reservoir facemask. Hx-nCPAP was added as a rescue treatment.

Terlipressin for catecholamine-resistant septic shock in children.

Objective: To report the effects of terlipressin treatment in four paediatric patients with catecholamine-resistant hypotensive septic shock.

Design And Setting: Case report in the pediatric intensive care unit of a university hospital.

Patients: Four children with severe septic shock and hypotension resistant to high doses of norepinephrine and other cathecolamines.

Heliox therapy in infants with acute bronchiolitis.

Objective: To assess the therapeutic effects of breathing a low-density gas mixture (heliox: 70% helium and 30% oxygen) in infants with bronchiolitis.

Design: Prospective, interventional, comparative study.

Setting: A pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in a tertiary care, teaching hospital.