Preventive nasal bacteriotherapy for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections and sleep disordered breathing in children.

Objectives: The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of Streptococcus salivarius 24SMBc administered as a nasal spray in children affected by recurring infections of the upper airways, adenotonsillar hypertrophy, and sleep disordered breathing (SDB).

Methods: Prospective study on 42 children with SDB. Anamnestic and general examination data were collected using the 'Sleep Clinical Record' (SCR) questionnaire during the first inspection and after three months of treatment with Streptococcus salivarius 24SMBc nasal spray.

Foreign body injuries in children: a review.

The aim of this paper was to overview existing knowledge on foreign body (FB) injuries in children, with particular focus on FB types and anatomical locations, clinical presentation and complications. FB injuries represent a severe public health problem in childhood. The fact that the highest prevalence of FB injuries is reported for children between 0 and 3 years of age depends primarily on the fact that they explore objects using their mouth and are also not able to distinguish edible objects from non-edible ones.

OSAS and metabolic diseases: Round Table, 99(th) SIO National Congress, Bari 2012.

This draft of the Official Round Table held during the 99th SIO National Congress is an updated review on the diagnostic tools, the importance of polysomnographic recording and a critical analysis of the surgical techniques in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). The review and analysis of available publications is the premise along with a specific analysis of the relationship between OSAS and metabolic and vascular disorders. In addition, the most recent investigations on sleep disorders and altered glucose metabolism are summarised and discussed together with the results of a study by the authors involving a fairly large number of patients with OSAS and diabetes.

Clinical guideline on adenotonsillectomy: the Italian experience.

Five years after publishing the document on 'The clinical and organizational appropriateness of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy' in 2003, a multidisciplinary group of experts came together again to update this document and to publish a guideline with grading of evidences and recommendations. Major revisions of the previous document were addressed to: (1) the diagnosis and indications for adenotonsillectomy in presence of OSAS in children, (2) the analysis of advantages of new surgical techniques in terms of effectiveness, costs or the risk of postsurgery bleeding and recurrences, and (3) the efficacy of perioperative management in reducing the incidence and duration of post-operative events. In fact, in the last years, a relevant number of evidence became available on the above-mentioned items making the need for a continuing updating of guidelines tangible.

Nasal decongestants in the treatment of chronic nasal obstruction: efficacy and safety of use.

Nasal decongestants are the most powerful drugs in the reduction of nasal obstruction. Despite their large use, local and systemic adverse reactions are frequent. The authors focus on the pharmacology of these kinds of drugs in light of the most recent knowledge on nasal pathophysiology.