No abstract

An ectopic thyroid located at the base of the tongue is a rare entity, resulting from early developmental defects of thyroid gland embryogenesis during its descent from the foramen caecum to its normal eutopic pretracheal site. This condition is the main cause of congenital primary hypothyroidism, even though signs and symptoms of thyroid dysfunction may also appear later in childhood. Lingual thyroid may sometimes present with symptoms of respiratory obstruction or feeding difficulties. We illustrate the case of a 7-year-old girl with subclinical hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis arising in a lingual thyroid. She had never suffered from upper airway obstructive symptoms, but did refer a 3-month history of cough. Rapid normalisation of thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and termination of the cough were attained when the L-thyroxine treatment started. After 6 months a significant reduction of lingual thyroid size was also noted. The diagnostic procedures and therapeutic options in childhood are discussed.

Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is a possible complication of intestinal failure (IF), with a multi-factorial pathogenesis. The reduction of bone density (BMD) may be radiologically evident before manifestation of clinical signs (bone pain, vertebral compression, and fractures). Diagnosis relies on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Incidence and evolution of MBD are not homogeneously reported in children. The aim of this systematic review was to define the prevalence of MBD in IF children and to describe risk factors for its development. A comprehensive search of electronic bibliographic databases up to December 2021 was conducted. Randomized controlled trials; observational, cross-sectional, and retrospective studies; and case series published between 1970 and 2021 were included. Twenty observational studies (six case-control) were identified and mostly reported definitions of MBD based on DXA parameters. Although the prevalence and definition of MBD was largely heterogeneous, low BMD was found in up to 45% of IF children and correlated with age, growth failure, and specific IF etiologies. Data demonstrate that long-term follow-up with repeated DXA and calcium balance assessment is warranted in IF children even when PN dependence is resolved. Etiology and outcomes of MBD will be better defined by longitudinal prospective studies focused on prognosis and therapeutic perspectives.

Acute Viral Bronchiolitis is one of the leading causes of hospitalization in the first 12–24 months of life. International guidelines on the management of bronchiolitis broadly agree in recommending a minimal therapeutic approach, not recommending the use of bronchodilators. Guidelines, generally, consider bronchiolitis as a “unique disease” and this runs the risk of not administering therapy in some patients who could benefit from the use of bronchodilators, for instance, in those who will develop asthma later in their life and face first episode in the age of bronchiolitis. Today, there is growing evidence that bronchiolitis is not a single illness but can have different “endotypes” and “phenotypes,” based on age, personal or family history of atopy, etiology, and pathophysiological mechanism. There is evidence that some phenotypes of bronchiolitis are more strongly associated with asthma features and are linked to higher risk for asthma development. In these populations, possible use of bronchodilators might have a better impact. Age seems to be the main feature to suggest a good response to a bronchodilator-trial, because, among children > 6 months old with bronchiolitis, the presence of a subset of patients with virus-induced wheezing or the first episode of asthma is more likely. While waiting for new research to define the relationship between therapeutic options and different phenotypes, a bronchodilator-trial (using short-acting β2 agonists with metered-dose inhalers and valved holding chambers) seems appropriate in every child with bronchiolitis and age > 6 months.

No abstract

Background Oxidative stress takes part in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The OxIBDiet (NCT04513015) is a multicentre ongoing project designed to evaluate oxidative status of IBD children and adults and to estimate the effects of an antioxidant diet in a subgroup of IBD patients. Methods The total antioxidant capacity, measured through the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP, µmol/equivalent FeSO4) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC, plasma trolox equivalents), lipid peroxidation, as serum levels of the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs, µmol MDA) and the degree of protein oxidation, as advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP, µmol/g protein), were measured. Activities (nmol/min/mg of protein) of the main antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-Transferase (GST) and catalases (CAT) were evaluated in PMNs cells and plasma. Oxidative biomarkers were correlated with clinical parameters. Results Twenty-three adults (mean age: 33,7, IQR 20,5 years, 42% male, 63% in remission) and 41 children with IBD (mean age: 12, IQR 4 years, 52% male, 61% in remission) were enrolled and compared respectively to 29 adults and 23 children controls. FRAP was significantly reduced in IBD children compared to adults (202 vs 277 mcmol/eq FeSO4, p<0.0001) and was correlated with age (r=0.5718; p<0.0001). Plasmatic ORAC was significantly higher in IBD children compared to controls and adults with IBD (Figure 1). ORAC in IBD subjects resulted inversely correlated to age (r= -0.4417, p=0.0004) and use of biologics (r= -0.4246, p=0.0006). AOPP were elevated in paediatric IBD versus controls (p=0.0049) and correlated to the diagnosis of Crohn at the multiple regression analysis (r=-0.732; p=0.023). The main antioxidant enzymes plasmatic activities are shown in table 1. Conclusion The antioxidant system and therefore the antioxidant capacity is significantly different in IBD compared to controls and evolve from paediatric to adult age, maybe as an effort to compensate the persistent redox imbalance and inflammation. Involvement of antioxidant cascade in IBD pathogenesis and role in therapeutic approach will be better outlined by the final results.

Introduction Liver injury during SARS‐CoV‐2 infection has a multifactorial pathogenesis and it is frequent in pediatric cases. Case presentation We report a case with severe hypertransaminasemia associated with mild SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Conclusion This highlights the potential need of hepatic function evaluation during acute illness and follow‐up even in non‐critically ill children with COVID‐19.

No abstract