Publications by authors named "Ludovica Betti"

Background: Outdoor air pollution is supposed to influence the course of bronchiolitis, but the evidence is limited. The present study aimed at evaluating the role of outdoor air pollutants on hospitalization for bronchiolitis.

Methods: Infants aged ≤12 months referred for bronchiolitis to our Pediatric Emergency Department in Bologna, Italy, from 1 October 2011 to 16 March 2020 (nine epidemic seasons) were retrospectively included.

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Bronchiolitis is the main cause of hospitalization in infants. Diagnosis is clinical, and treatment is based on hydration and oxygen therapy. Nevertheless, unnecessary diagnostic tests and pharmacological treatments are still very common.

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Article Synopsis
  • Air pollutants lead to health issues by causing oxidative stress, triggering inflammation, and impairing the immune system, starting from prenatal stages and continuing into childhood when kids are most vulnerable.* -
  • They are linked to both acute conditions like asthma and infections (e.g., bronchiolitis, pneumonia) and can cause long-term problems such as chronic asthma and reduced lung function.* -
  • Despite progress in air quality policies, there's a need for stronger actions to improve respiratory health in children, which could have lasting benefits for their lung development.*
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Diet is a matter of interest in the pathogenesis and management of Crohn's Disease (CD). Little is known about CD children's dietary habits. Our aim was assessing the quality and the amount of nutrient intake in a group of CD pediatric patients.

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Background: Lockdown measures during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic determined radical changes to behavioral and social habits, that were reflected by a reduction in the transmission of respiratory pathogens and in anthropogenic atmospheric emissions.

Objective: This ecological study aims to provide a descriptive evaluation on how restrictive measures during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impacted Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) referrals for asthma exacerbations, and their potentially associated environmental triggers in Bologna, a densely populated urban area in Northern Italy.

Methods: Files of children evaluated for acute asthma during 2015 to 2020 at the PED of Sant'Orsola University Hospital of Bologna were retrospectively reviewed.

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Human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) is one of the most common causes of congenital infection in the post-rubella era, representing a major public health concern. Although most cases are asymptomatic in the neonatal period, congenital CMV (cCMV) disease can result in permanent impairment of cognitive development and represents the leading cause of non-genetic sensorineural hearing loss. Moreover, even if hCMV mostly causes asymptomatic or pauci-symptomatic infections in immunocompetent hosts, it may lead to severe and life-threatening disease in immunocompromised patients.

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