Burden of Congenital CMV Infection: A Narrative Review and Implications for Public Health Interventions.

Cytomegalovirus causes the most common congenital infection worldwide. With most infants asymptomatic at birth, the few affected may present with variable clinical scenarios, from isolated hearing loss to severe neurologic impairment. Public health interventions include all actions at the health system, community, and individual levels that aim at reducing the burden of congenital Cytomegalovirus.

How does post COVID differ from other post-viral conditions in childhood and adolescence (0-20 years old)? A systematic review.

Background: Post Coronavirus disease (COVID) and other post-viral infection syndromes present an overlap of pathogenesis, onset, progression, and symptom profile. We aimed to systematically describe studies on post-viral conditions and determine the entity of post COVID compared to other post-viral conditions in children.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and GoogleScholar databases (January 1946-3 November 2023), according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Biomarkers in IBD: What to Utilize for the Diagnosis?

The role of biomarkers in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease is not fully characterized. C-reactive protein has a short half-life and elevates quickly after the onset of an inflammatory process; the performance is better in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate is easy to determine, widely available, and cheap, but the long half-life, the influence of age, anemia, smoking, and drugs limit its usefulness.

Comparative study showed that children faced a 78% higher risk of new-onset conditions after they had COVID-19.

Aim: Children have largely been unaffected by severe COVID-19 compared to adults, but data suggest that they may have experienced new conditions after developing the disease. We compared outcomes in children who had experienced COVID-19 and healthy controls.

Methods: A retrospective nested cohort study assessed the incidence rate of new-onset conditions after COVID-19 in children aged 0-14 years.

Clinical features of COVID-19 in Italian outpatient children and adolescents during Parental, Delta, and Omicron waves: a prospective, observational, cohort study.

Introduction: COVID-19 features changed with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 in adults. This study aims to describe COVID-19 symptoms in children and adolescents during the Parental, Delta, and Omicron eras.

Methods: A single-centre, prospective observational study was conducted on individuals aged 0-20 years attending the University Hospital of Padua (Italy) from April 2020 to December 2022.

Personalize, participate, predict, and prevent: 4Ps in inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a complex, immune-mediated, disorder which leads to several gastrointestinal and systemic manifestations determining a poor quality of life, disability, and other negative health outcomes. Our knowledge of this condition has greatly improved over the last few decades, and a comprehensive management should take into account both biological (i.e.

Impact of guidelines implementation on empiric antibiotic treatment for pediatric uncomplicated osteomyelitis and septic arthritis over a ten-year period: Results of the ELECTRIC study (ostEomyeLitis and sEptiC arThritis tReatment in children).

Background: Due to the growing evidence of the efficacy of intravenous (IV) cefazolin with an early switch to oral cefalexin in uncomplicated pediatric osteomyelitis (OM) and septic arthritis (SA) in children, we changed our guidelines for empiric antibiotic therapy in these conditions. This study aims at evaluating the impact of the guidelines' implementation in reducing broad-spectrum antibiotic prescriptions, duration of IV antibiotic treatment and hospital stay, treatment failure and recurrence.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, quasi-experimental study.

Long-term management of Fontan patients: The importance of a multidisciplinary approach.

The Fontan operation is a palliative procedure that leads to increased survival of patients with a functional single ventricle (SV). Starting from 1967 when the first operation was performed by Francis Fontan, more and more patients have reached adulthood. Furthermore, it is expected that in the next 20 years, the population with Fontan circulation will reach 150,000 subjects.

Role of ER Stress Mediated Unfolded Protein Responses and ER Stress Inhibitors in the Pathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Previous investigations have increased the knowledge about the pathological processes of inflammatory bowel diseases. Besides the complex organization of immune reactions, the mucosal epithelial lining has been recognized as a crucial regulator in the commencement and persistence of intestinal inflammation. As the intestinal epithelium is exposed to various environmental factors, the intestinal epithelial cells are confronted with diverse cellular stress conditions.

Obesity and Monitoring Iodine Nutritional Status in Schoolchildren: is Body Mass Index a Factor to Consider?

The frequency of overweight (OW) and obese (OB) children has increased worldwide, particularly in economically developed countries. No studies have been conducted to verify whether the increasing frequency of OW and obesity in schoolchildren may affect the evaluation of iodine nutritional status in populations. The aim of this study was to verify whether urinary iodine concentration (UIC), thyroid volume (TV), and thyroid hypoechoic pattern may be affected by body mass index (BMI) in schoolchildren.

Immunolocalization of leptin and leptin receptor in colorectal mucosa of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and control subjects with no inflammatory bowel disease.

The expression of leptin and leptin receptor (Ob-R) has been partially elucidated in colon of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), even though leptin is involved in angiogenesis and inflammation. We previously reported overexpression of GLUT5 fructose transporter, in aberrant clusters of lymphatic vessels in lamina propria of IBD and controls. Here, we examine leptin and Ob-R expression in the same biopsies.

Faecal microbiota transplantation in Clostridioides difficile infection: real-life experience from an academic Italian hospital.

Background: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a reasonable therapeutic option for the treatment of infection (CDI) recurrent and refractory (RCDI) to therapy, but little evidence on the long-term impact of this therapy is currently available in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FMT in recurrent and refractory CDI and the modifications of the recipient's gut microbiota in the medium-long term.

Methods: This prospective study collects the clinical and laboratory data of RCDI patients treated with FMT by colonoscopy from February 2016 to October 2019.

Microbiota changes induced by microencapsulated sodium butyrate in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Butyrate has shown anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, providing symptomatic relief when orally supplemented in patients suffering from various colonic diseases. We investigated the effect of a colonic-delivery formulation of butyrate on the fecal microbiota of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs).

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study, 49 IBD patients (n = 19 Crohn's disease, CD and n = 30 ulcerative colitis, UC) were randomized to oral administration of microencapsulated-sodium-butyrate (BLM) or placebo for 2 months, in addition to conventional therapy.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance for assessing fibrosis in Crohn's disease.

Background: Intestinal fibrosis is a key feature of Crohn's Disease lesions, and mucosal biopsies do not exactly represent transmural damage. Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) allows for a panoramic study of the bowel loops. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) through the restriction of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) allows for an accurate evaluation of disease activity in Crohn's Disease patients avoiding contrast agents.

Hyperthyroidism in the pregnant woman: Maternal and fetal aspects.

Hyperthyroidism during pregnancy is uncommon. Nonetheless, prompt identification and adequate management of hyperthyroidism in a pregnant woman is essential, because uncontrolled thyrotoxicosis significantly increases the risk of maternal and fetal complications. Also, fetal prognosis may be affected by the transplacental passage of maternal thyroid stimulating antibodies or thyrostatic agents, both of which may disrupt fetal thyroid function.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Therapies Adversely Affect Fertility in Men- A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Sexual functions are sometimes adversely affected by the therapeutic drugs delivered for treating IBD. Much attention has been focused on pregnancy/sexual issues in women. Relatively less attention has been poured in to address this issue in men.

Quality of life after laparoscopic sigmoid resection for uncomplicated diverticular disease.

Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate the QoL in patients who underwent elective surgery for uncomplicated diverticulitis using a recently developed diverticulitis quality of life questionnaire (DV-QoL).

Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent surgery for uncomplicated diverticulitis or who were hospitalized and treated conservatively for acute uncomplicated diverticulitis episodes in three referral centers, in a 5-year period, were included in the study. The 36-Item Short Form Survey and the DV-QoL were administered to the patients to assess their QoL before and after treatment of diverticular disease.

Addition of Granulocyte/Monocyte Apheresis to Oral Prednisone for Steroid-dependent Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomized Multicentre Clinical Trial.

Background And Aims: Steroid-dependency occurs in up to 30% of patients with ulcerative colitis [UC]. In this setting, few drugs have demonstrated efficacy in inducing steroid-free remission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding granulocyte/monocyte apheresis [GMA] to oral prednisone in patients with steroid-dependent UC.

Glucose transporter expression in the human colon.

Aim: To investigate by immunostaining glucose transporter expression in human colorectal mucosa in controls and patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Colorectal samples were obtained from patients undergoing lower endoscopic colonoscopy or recto-sigmoidoscopy. Patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis ( = 18) or Crohn's disease ( = 10) and scheduled for diagnostic colonoscopy were enrolled.

Prediction of clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease by using confocal laser endomicroscopy: results from a prospective multicenter study.

Background And Aims: Assessment of prognostic factors in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) is of pivotal importance for early intervention and "treat-to-target" strategies. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) enables on-demand in vivo characterization of mucosal inflammatory and architectural changes during endoscopy. We prospectively assessed the value of CLE for prediction of clinical outcome parameters in CD.

Female Reproductive Factors and Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is markedly more common in women than men, the highest female-to-male ratio being recorded during the reproductive period. This evidence has led to the suggestion that female hormonal and reproductive factors may account for the observed DTC gender disparity. This review focuses on current evidence on the risk of DTC in conjunction with major female reproductive factors, including the impact of pregnancy on DTC occurrence and progression/recurrence.