Surge of Pediatric Respiratory Tract Infections After the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Concept of "Immune Debt".

Objective: To investigate a dose-response relationship between the magnitude of decrease in pediatric respiratory tract infections (RTI) during the 2020 implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) and the rise thereafter during NPI lifting.

Study Design: We conducted an interrupted, time-series analysis, based on a multinational surveillance system. All patients <16 years of age coming to medical attention with various symptoms and signs of RTI at 25 pediatric emergency departments from 13 European countries between January 2018 and June 2022 were included.

A randomized clinical trial of intranasal dexmedetomidine versus inhaled nitrous oxide for procedural sedation and analgesia in children.

Background: Procedural sedation and analgesia is an important part of pediatric emergency care, safe and clinically useful alternatives for adequate management are necessary. The objective of this clinical trial was to evaluate the non-inferiority of intranasal dexmedetomidine to nitrous oxide with respect to analgesia for a painful procedure in children 3-15 years of age.

Methods: This prospective, equally randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial was conducted at a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Pre-admission virus detection during the COVID-19 pandemic in children with and without symptoms of infection.

Aim: Pre-admission viral screening is used only in exceptional situations such as pandemics. We therefore evaluated pre-admission screening for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza during the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing epidemiology and clinical features of admitted children.

Methods: Children were screened at a paediatric emergency department from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2022 by nasopharyngeal sampling and polymerase chain reaction kit.

A randomized double-blind trial of intranasal dexmedetomidine versus intranasal esketamine for procedural sedation and analgesia in young children.

Background: Procedural sedation and analgesia are commonly used in the Emergency Departments. Despite this common need, there is still a lack of options for adequate and safe analgesia and sedation in children. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether intranasal dexmedetomidine could provide more effective analgesia and sedation during a procedure than intranasal esketamine.

International Care programs for Pediatric Post-COVID Condition (Long COVID) and the way forward.

Background: Pediatric Post-COVID-Condition (PPCC) clinics treat children despite limited scientific substantiation. By exploring real-life management of children diagnosed with PPCC, the International Post-COVID-Condition in Children Collaboration (IP4C) aimed to provide guidance for future PPCC care.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional international, multicenter study on used PPCC definitions; the organization of PPCC care programs and patients characteristics.

Seizures in hospitalised paediatric patients with SARS-CoV-2 and comparison of severity with seizures in hospitalised paediatric patients with other respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based cohort study.

Objective: To study seizures in patients hospitalised due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and compare their severity with seizures in patients hospitalised due to other viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs).

Design: Observational population-based cohort study.

Setting: Northern Stockholm.

Presentations of children to emergency departments across Europe and the COVID-19 pandemic: A multinational observational study.

Background: During the initial phase of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, reduced numbers of acutely ill or injured children presented to emergency departments (EDs). Concerns were raised about the potential for delayed and more severe presentations and an increase in diagnoses such as diabetic ketoacidosis and mental health issues. This multinational observational study aimed to study the number of children presenting to EDs across Europe during the early COVID-19 pandemic and factors influencing this and to investigate changes in severity of illness and diagnoses.

Myxovirus resistance protein A for discriminating between viral and bacterial lower respiratory tract infections in children - The TREND study.

Objective: Discriminating between viral and bacterial lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children is challenging, leading to an excessive use of antibiotics. Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) is a promising biomarker for viral infections. The primary aim of the study was to assess differences in blood MxA levels between children with viral and bacterial LRTI.

Etiology of Clinical Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Swedish Children Aged 1-59 Months with High Pneumococcal Vaccine Coverage-The TREND Study.

(1) Immunization with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines has decreased the burden of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children and likely led to a shift in CAP etiology. (2) The Trial of Respiratory infections in children for ENhanced Diagnostics (TREND) enrolled children 1-59 months with clinical CAP according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria at Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Children with rhonchi and indrawing underwent "bronchodilator challenge".

Introducing a New Algorithm for Classification of Etiology in Studies on Pediatric Pneumonia: Protocol for the Trial of Respiratory Infections in Children for Enhanced Diagnostics Study.

Background: There is a need to better distinguish viral infections from antibiotic-requiring bacterial infections in children presenting with clinical community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to assist health care workers in decision making and to improve the rational use of antibiotics.

Objective: The overall aim of the Trial of Respiratory infections in children for ENhanced Diagnostics (TREND) study is to improve the differential diagnosis of bacterial and viral etiologies in children aged below 5 years with clinical CAP, by evaluating myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) as a biomarker for viral CAP and by evaluating an existing (multianalyte point-of-care antigen detection test system [mariPOC respi] ArcDia International Oy Ltd.) and a potential future point-of-care test for respiratory pathogens.

Respiratory viruses associated with community-acquired pneumonia in children: matched case-control study.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of death in children worldwide and a substantial proportion of childhood CAP is caused by viruses. A better understanding of the role of virus infections in this condition is needed to improve clinical management and preventive measures. The aim of the study was therefore to assess the association between specific respiratory viruses and childhood CAP.

Long term effectiveness of adjuvanted influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine in children.

Background: Immunological studies have indicated that the effectiveness of AS03 adjuvanted monovalent influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine (Pandemrix) may be of longer duration than what is seen for non-adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccines. Sixty-nine percent of children 6 months-18 years of age in Stockholm County received at least one dose of Pandemrix during the 2009 pandemic. We studied the effectiveness of the vaccine during the influenza seasons 2010-2011 and 2012-2013 in children hospitalized with virologically confirmed influenza.

Sinusitis and pneumonia hospitalization after introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Background And Objective: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of pneumonia and sinusitis. Pneumonia kills >1 million children annually, and sinusitis is a potentially serious pediatric disease that increases the risk of orbital and intracranial complications. Although pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is effective against invasive pneumococcal disease, its effectiveness against pneumonia is less consistent, and its effect on sinusitis is not known.

Clinical utility of PCR for common viruses in acute respiratory illness.

Background: Acute respiratory illness (ARI) accounts for a large proportion of all visits to pediatric health facilities. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses allow sensitive detection of viral nucleic acids, but it is not clear to what extent specific viruses contribute to disease because many viruses have been detected in asymptomatic children. Better understanding of how to interpret viral findings is important to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics.

Effectiveness of the monovalent AS03-adjuvanted influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine against hospitalization in children because of influenza.

We studied the effectiveness of the AS03-adjuvanted monovalent vaccine (Pandemrix(®)) for the prevention of severe pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in children, in 2009. All children hospitalized for influenza-like illness in Stockholm County during the peak of the pandemic were included. We compared the frequency of vaccinated children between influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 PCR positive cases and PCR negative controls in a retrospective case-control study.