Controversies in the treatment of mild asthma. What novelties and practical implications?

Mild asthma is prevalent in childhood and causes as many as 30%-40% asthma exacerbations requiring emergency visits. The management of "intermittent" and "mild persistent" asthma phenotypes is still a matter of debate, even if the role of inhaled corticosteroids, both continuous and intermittent, is a cornerstone in this field. Recent updates of the guidelines on the strategies to manage these patients are coming, since the role of inflammation in these asthma phenotypes is crucial, as well as the potential side effect and risks of short-acting beta 2 agonists overuse, prescribed as the only "as-needed" treatments.

Intermittent and mild persistent asthma: how therapy has changed.

In the last few years much attention has been focused on research on severe asthma and the role of biologicals in its treatment, also in children. However, mild asthma is way more common in childhood and still causes as many as 30-40% of asthma exacerbations requiring emergency consultation. The management of "intermittent" and "mild persistent" asthma phenotypes is still a matter of debate, even if the role of inhaled corticosteroids, both continuous and intermittent, is a cornerstone in this field.

Evolution of congenital hypothyroidism in a cohort of preterm born children.

Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is reported to be more common in preterm infants than in term infants, especially in sick preterm infants. Though a frequent possibility of transitory thyroidal alterations in this category of neonates, the evolution of CH to transient or permanent forms is unpredictable.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 28 preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation) who had exhibited a positive screening for CH at birth during the period 2000-2015 followed in our Center.

Case Report: Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (Seidlmayer purpura) - a dramatic presentation for a benign disease.

We present a case of an 11-month-old girl who was referred to our unit for an erythematous rash that appeared on the face and extremities. Personal and family history was not relevant. Laboratory tests were normal.

Acute abdominal pain in an adolescent girl with an ovarian yolk sac tumor.

Yolk sac tumor (YST) is a rare tumor that usually occurs in the first two decades of life. It is considered the second most common malignant germ cell tumor of the ovary, characterized by a rapid growth and a bad prognosis due to the frequent metastasis. We report the case of a 12-year-old girl who came to our observation for an acute abdominal pain.

A case of Kallmann syndrome associated to a novel missense mutation of the FGFR1 gene.

Background: Loss-of-function mutations of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 gene (FGFR1) have been reported so far. These mutations have been described in the extracellular domain, consisting of three Ig-like domains in the single transmembrane helix and in the intracellular region, containing a tyrosine kinase domain and cause about 10% of all cases of Kallmann syndrome. FRGR1 mutations could be associated with non reproductive phenotype such as cleft palate and dental agenesis and a wide spectrum of reproductive phenotype.

Prediction of Transient or Permanent Congenital Hypothyroidism from Initial Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Levels.

Objective: To identify factors that discriminate between transient and permanent congenital hypothyroidism.

Methods: Retrospective evaluation of 58 children with congenital hypothyroidism and eutopic thyroid gland. Gender, gestational age, birth weight, TSH and serum thyroxine levels at diagnosis and L-thyroxine dose at 12 and 24 months of age were analyzed.