Cytokine Profiles Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Meningitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review evaluated the correlation between inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with meningitis. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published until March 2024. A total of 139 articles were identified; 7 studies were eligible, and 3 provided data for the meta-analysis.

Invasive infections by group A Streptococcus infections in Brazil: a pediatric case series.

Objective: Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are Gram-positive cocci that colonize the nasopharynx and/or skin and in rare cases may cause severe invasive infections. Although these infections decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries have observed an increased number of invasive GAS (iGAS) diseases in recent years. The objective of this study was to describe a series of iGAS diseases in a referral hospital for the treatment of pediatric infectious disease in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, between September 2022 and August 2023.

Third stage of the kangaroo method: exclusive breastfeeding and growth of preterm and/or low birth weight newborns.

Objective: To evaluate the rates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and growth of preterm and/or low birth weight newborns during the third stage of the Kangaroo Method (TSKM), at discharge.

Methods: Retrospective study in a reference public maternity hospital between Jan/2014 and Dec/2017, including the preterm (less than 37 weeks) and/or low birth weight (less than 2500 g) newborn infants. Information was collected from medical records.

The role of chest X-ray in the diagnosis of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review concerning low-resource birth scenarios.

Background: Access to diagnostic tools like chest radiography (CXR) is challenging in resource-limited areas. Despite reduced reliance on CXR due to the need for quick clinical decisions, its usage remains prevalent in the approach to neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS).

Objectives: To assess CXR's role in diagnosing and grading NRDS severity compared to current clinical features and laboratory standards.

Missed opportunities in the prevention and diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis: a scoping review.

Objectives: Identify potential barriers, delays, and missed opportunities in the prevention and diagnosis of childhood TB.

Methods: Scoping review according to the PRISMA extension. The definitions considered for the selection followed the acronym PCC where the population (P) is children under 18 years of age with TB disease, the concept (C) refers to missed opportunities for prevention and diagnosis, and context (C) is defined as a diagnosis of TB disease.

Respiratory distress syndrome prediction at birth by optical skin maturity assessment and machine learning models for limited-resource settings: a development and validation study.

Background: A handheld optical device was developed to evaluate a newborn's skin maturity by assessing the photobiological properties of the tissue and processing it with other variables to predict early neonatal prognosis related to prematurity. This study assessed the device's ability to predict respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Methods: To assess the device's utility we enrolled newborns at childbirth in six urban perinatal centers from two multicenter single-blinded clinical trials.

Safe administration of yellow fever vaccine in patients with suspected egg allergy.

Background: The evidence available in the literature on the administration and safety of the yellow fever vaccine in patients with egg allergy is limited.

Objective: We sought to describe the administration of yellow fever vaccine in children with suspected egg allergy using a simplified protocol.

Methods: Children referred to the service from February 2018 to January 2020 with a history of possible egg allergy were classified as probably egg-allergic or not on the basis of history and specific IgE testing.

Maternal and perinatal risk factors associated with congenital syphilis.

Objective: Mother-to-child transmission of syphilis remains an important global public health problem. Untreated intrauterine infection may result in adverse events for the fetus or newborn (NB). Maternal risk factors, such as prenatal care, early diagnosis, and appropriate treatment, significantly impact the likelihood of vertical transmission of syphilis.

Gestational age assessed by optical skin reflection in low-birth-weight newborns: Applications in classification at birth.

Introduction: A new medical device was previously developed to estimate gestational age (GA) at birth by processing a machine learning algorithm on the light scatter signal acquired on the newborn's skin. The study aims to validate GA calculated by the new device (test), comparing the result with the best available GA in newborns with low birth weight (LBW).

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, non-randomized, and single-blinded clinical trial in three urban referral centers for perinatal care in Brazil and Mozambique.

Influence of different methods for calculating gestational age at birth on prematurity and small for gestational age proportions: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Recognizing premature newborns and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) is essential for providing care and supporting public policies. This systematic review aims to identify the influence of the last menstrual period (LMP) compared to ultrasonography (USG) before 24 weeks of gestation references on prematurity and SGA proportions at birth.

Methods: Systematic review with meta-analysis followed the recommendations of the PRISMA Statement.

Newborn Skin Maturity Medical Device Validation for Gestational Age Prediction: Clinical Trial.

Background: Early access to antenatal care and high-cost technologies for pregnancy dating challenge early neonatal risk assessment at birth in resource-constrained settings. To overcome the absence or inaccuracy of postnatal gestational age (GA), we developed a new medical device to assess GA based on the photobiological properties of newborns' skin and predictive models.

Objective: This study aims to validate a device that uses the photobiological model of skin maturity adjusted to the clinical data to detect GA and establish its accuracy in discriminating preterm newborns.

Risk factors for catheter-related infection in children with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Rationale: To understand the risk factors for catheter-related infection during treatment of pediatric cancer is essential to implement measures to prevent its occurrence.

Background: We performed a comprehensive systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis to identify and synthesize the main risk factors for catheter-related infection in children undergoing oncological treatment.

Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in Medline, Embase, Lilacs, and BVS (Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde) until January 2022, following PRISMA guidelines.

Latent tuberculosis: Risk factors, screening and treatment in liver transplantation recipients from an endemic area.

Background: Patients undergoing solid organ transplantation, particularly those who live or have lived in tuberculosis (TB) endemic areas, are at a high risk of developing TB. The majority of post-transplantation TB cases are associated with reactivation of latent TB infection (LTBI). Brazil is in a single position with overlapping areas of high TB endemicity and high transplant activity.

Bloodstream infection in pediatric patients with febrile neutropenia induced by chemotherapy.

Introduction: Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious complication of cancer chemotherapy. The present study aimed to identify risk factors for documented infection in pediatric patients with FN and cancer.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included patients under 18 years from 2016 to 2018.

Psychometric properties of CVFQ7-BR-toxo to evaluate vision-related quality of life in children with congenital toxoplasmosis in Brazil.

Purpose: The high prevalence and severity of congenital toxoplasmosis in Brazil, with several affected individuals progressing to low vision, emphasize the importance of evaluating their quality of life. In this study, the Children's Visual Function Questionnaire (CVFQ) was adapted to the sociocultural context of Brazilian children, and its psychometric properties were investigated for evaluating the vision-related quality of life of these individuals.

Methods: This was a nested cross-sectional epidemiological study that prospectively monitored a cohort of 142 preschool children at a single referral university hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and visceral leishmaniasis in children: a series of cases and literature review.

Objective: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis syndrome (HLHS) is characterized by an immunological hyperactivation of cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages, leading to the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. HLHS associated with Visceral Leishmaniasis might be difficult to diagnose once symptoms are similar, resulting in the death of untreated patients. Our aim is to describe a series of cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis with HLHS admitted to a referral hospital for infectious diseases.

Risk factors for neurological complications in children with Flavivirus infection.

This study aims to characterize the acute neurological manifestations caused by DENV, ZIKV, and YFV during hospitalization; identify the risk factors associated with persistent neurological complications after discharge; and evaluate the time to resolution during clinical follow-up. A prospective study evaluated 505 children, between March 2014 and July 2019, hospitalized with neurological manifestations and that doctors suspected infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Viral infection of collected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was confirmed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Neurological manifestations due to dengue virus infection in children: clinical follow-up.

The aim was to assess neurological complications in children with an invasive neurological disease by dengue virus (DENV) and the time to resolve symptoms after hospital discharge. A prospective study was conducted at a referral hospital for infectious diseases in Brazil between March 2014 and July 2019. All children hospitalized with neurologic manifestations and DENV RNA detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were followed up until complete resolution of neurological complications.

Neurologic Manifestations of Noncongenital Zika Virus in Children.

We evaluated neurologic complications following noncongenital Zika virus infection in 11 children who presented with central nervous system signs. Zika virus RNA was detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid. Approximately one-quarter of patients required antiepileptic medication in follow-up, and 2 children progressed to learning difficulties or developmental delay.

Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis in pediatric patients with oncohematological diseases.

Introduction: Invasive fungal diseases represent important causes of morbidity and mortality among pediatric oncohematological patients. Acute invasive fungal rhinosinusitis is a rare and aggressive disease that occurs mainly in immunocompromised patients. The mortality rate is high and therefore, accurate and early diagnosis is essential.

Diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children and adolescents: comparison of two versions of the Brazilian Ministry of Health scoring system.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concordance between two versions of the scoring system (2011 and 2019), recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children and adolescents. A retrospective descriptive study was performed to assess the medical records of children and adolescents with PTB, in TB units from Brazilian cities located in Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Parana States, from January 1 st , 2004, to December 1 st , 2018. Patients aged 0 to 18 years old with a diagnosis of PTB were included.

Yellow fever in children and adolescents previously immunized in Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Background - Yellow fever (YF) is a viral hemorrhagic fever that is transmitted by arthropods. It can occur with little symptomatic manifestations to the most fulminant forms. The most effective way to avoid YF is through vaccination.