Factors associated with COVID-19 presentation in children with asthma are poorly defined. Our study aimed to assess the clinical course of COVID-19 in children with asthma, with particular attention ...to possible risk factors for severe disease and long-term sequelae in this group of patients. We assessed the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with asthma six months before their regular outpatient visit to the asthma clinic. Characteristics of patients presenting with signs of SARS-CoV-2 upper (URTI) or lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) were compared. We focused on factors previously associated with COVID-19 severity. Twenty-seven percent of patients (57/210) reported exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the symptomatic group, 36% (15/42) reported symptoms of LRTI and 64% (27/42) of URTI. Poorer asthma control was observed in patients with LRTI compared to URTI (80% vs. 7%, p < 0.001). In addition, children with poorer asthma control had a higher risk of presenting with SARS-CoV-2 LRTI in a multiple logistic regression analysis. COVID-19 disease course was not associated with regular ICS use and asthma severity. However, patients on regular ICS had better asthma control (p = 0.026). We found no PFT deterioration post-COVID-19 in either group of patients. Our results suggest good asthma control and treatment adherence prior to infection are associated with better COVID-19 outcomes in children with asthma.
Izhodišča: Cistična fibroza (CF) je najpogostejša kronična avtosomno recesivno dedna bolezen belcev. Kaže se s prizadetostjo številnih organov, zato se bolniki spremljajo v centrih CF s ...specializiranim multidisciplinarnim timom strokovnjakov. Eden takih je center CF Pediatrične klinike Ljubljana, kjer se vodijo vsi otroci in mladostniki s CF v Sloveniji. Od ustanovitve centra dalje vodimo zbirko podatkov o bolnikih, ki nam je v pomoč pri analizi razmer in pri primerjavi kakovosti obravnave naših bolnikov z drugimi evropskimi centri CF.
Metode: Izvedli smo retrospektivno raziskavo z namenom pregledati in oceniti kazalce bolezni otrok in mladostnikov s CF, vodenih na Pediatrični kliniki Ljubljana v letu 2020. Pri 78 vključenih bolnikih smo analizirali podatke o demografskih značilnostih, genetskih mutacijah, pljučni funkciji, prehranjenosti, kroničnih okužbah in zdravljenju s CFTR modulatornimi zdravili (angl. cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR – regulator transmembranske prevodnosti pri cistični fibrozi). Za primerjavo z drugimi evropskimi centri smo uporabili podatke iz letnega poročila Evropskega registra CF za leto 2020.
Rezultati: Leta 2020 smo v našem centru obravnavali 78 bolnikov, izmed katerih je bilo 56 % (44/78) bolnikov moškega spola. Povprečna starost bolnikov je znašala 13,2 leta (SD 6,4 let), z razponom od 1,2 leta do 25,5 leta. Mutacija F508del je bila najpogosteje zastopana, saj je bilo kar 88,5 % nosilcev vsaj ene, pri 64,1 % obolelih pa je bila mutacija prisotna na obeh alelih. Povprečni forsirani izdihani volumen v 1 sekundi (FEV1) naših bolnikov je bil nad evropskim povprečjem, prevalenca kronične okužbe s povzročiteljem Pseudomonas aeruginosa pa nižja od evropskega povprečja. V letu 2020 smo 21 bolnikom uvedli CFTR modulatorno zdravilo, od tega 5 bolnikom lumakaftor/ivakaftor in 16 bolnikom eleksakaftor/tezakaftor/ivakaftor.
Zaključek: Kazalci kakovosti obravnave otrok in mladostnikov s CF v Sloveniji dosegajo in pogosto presegajo evropsko povprečje. Med prvimi državami v Evropi smo pričeli uvajati CFTR modulatorna zdravila, ki obetajo pomembno izboljšanje kliničnega stanja in kakovosti življenja bolnikov s CF.
Abstract
Background
In adults, anti–tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy is associated with progression of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI) to TB disease, but pediatric data are limited.
...Methods
Retrospective multicenter study within the Paediatric Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group, capturing patients <18 years who developed TB disease during anti–TNF-α therapy.
Results
Sixty-six tertiary healthcare institutions providing care for children with TB participated. Nineteen cases were identified: Crohn’s disease (n = 8; 42%) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n = 6; 32%) were the commonest underlying conditions. Immune-based TB screening (tuberculin skin test and/or interferon-γ release assay) was performed in 15 patients before commencing anti–TNF-α therapy but only identified 1 LTBI case; 13 patients were already receiving immunosuppressants at the time of screening. The median interval between starting anti–TNF-α therapy and TB diagnosis was 13.1 (IQR, 7.1–20.3) months. All cases presented with severe disease, predominantly miliary TB (n = 14; 78%). One case was diagnosed postmortem. TB was microbiologically confirmed in 15 cases (79%). The median duration of anti-TB treatment was 50 (IQR, 46–66) weeks. Five of 15 (33%) cases who had completed TB treatment had long-term sequelae.
Conclusions
LTBI screening is frequently false-negative in this patient population, likely due to immunosuppressants impairing test performance. Therefore, patients with immune-mediated diseases should be screened for LTBI at the point of diagnosis, before commencing immunosuppressive medication. Children on anti–TNF-α therapy are prone to severe TB disease and significant long-term morbidity. Those observations underscore the need for robust LTBI screening programs in this high-risk patient population, even in low-TB-prevalence settings.
Children and adolescents on tumor necrosis factor-ɑ inhibitors are prone to severe tuberculosis disease, especially miliary tuberculosis, resulting in significant morbidity. False-negative immunodiagnostic tests are common and a low threshold to initiate targeted investigations is recommended.
Background: Young children and rarely adolescents with cystic fibrosis can develop hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration with metabolic alkalosis. The purpose of this article was to review the ...incidence of this metabolic disorder in our CF patients.Methods: We investigated the medical records of all children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who are under follow-up in the CF center at the University Childrenʹs Hospital Ljubljana, and were hospitalised or treated on an outpatient basis due to hyponatremic, hypochloremic dehydration in the period from 2007–2012. Data analysis included clinical and laboratory findings.Results: A total of 4 children (7.2 %) from Ljubljana CF center (55 patients under the age of 19 years) were enrolled in the study. We observed 5 episodes of hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration in 4 patients (one boy had two episodes). All were homozigous for ΔF 508 mutation. Two had episodes in summer and two in autumn, so that no season prevalence of its occurence was found. Median age at admission to the hospital due to hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration was 7 months (range 4–34). One boy had a hypovolemic shock at the time of admission to the hospital.Conclusions: The results of our study show that dehydration with hypoelectrolytaemia is a rare complication in children with CF in Slovenia, but due to the severity of clinical signs it is an important disorder. Vomiting and fatigue are the warning signs that should alert parents and physicians to consider the possibility of this complication which can be prevented by proper hydration and salt replacement. If left untreated, it can cause seizures, arrhythmias and even death.
Background: Young children and rarely adolescents with cystic fibrosis can develop hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration with metabolic alkalosis. The purpose of this article was to review the ...incidence of this metabolic disorder in our CF patients.Methods: We investigated the medical records of all children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who are under follow-up in the CF center at the University Childrenʹs Hospital Ljubljana, and were hospitalised or treated on an outpatient basis due to hyponatremic, hypochloremic dehydration in the period from 2007–2012. Data analysis included clinical and laboratory findings.Results: A total of 4 children (7.2 %) from Ljubljana CF center (55 patients under the age of 19 years) were enrolled in the study. We observed 5 episodes of hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration in 4 patients (one boy had two episodes). All were homozigous for ΔF 508 mutation. Two had episodes in summer and two in autumn, so that no season prevalence of its occurence was found. Median age at admission to the hospital due to hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration was 7 months (range 4–34). One boy had a hypovolemic shock at the time of admission to the hospital.Conclusions: The results of our study show that dehydration with hypoelectrolytaemia is a rare complication in children with CF in Slovenia, but due to the severity of clinical signs it is an important disorder. Vomiting and fatigue are the warning signs that should alert parents and physicians to consider the possibility of this complication which can be prevented by proper hydration and salt replacement. If left untreated, it can cause seizures, arrhythmias and even death.
Background: Young children and rarely adolescents with cystic fibrosis can develop hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration with metabolic alkalosis. The purpose of this article was to review the ...incidence of this metabolic disorder in our CF patients. Methods: We investigated the medical records of all children diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who are under follow-up in the CF center at the University Childrens Hospital Ljubljana, and were hospitalised or treated on an outpatient basis due to hyponatremic, hypochloremic dehydration in the period from 2007-2012. Data analysis included clinical and laboratory findings. Results: A total of 4 children (7.2 %) from Ljubljana CF center (55 patients under the age of 19 years) were enrolled in the study. We observed 5 episodes of hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration in 4 patients (one boy had two episodes). All were homozigous for F 508 mutation. Two had episodes in summer and two in autumn, so that no season prevalence of its occurence was found. Median age at admission to the hospital due to hyponatremic hypochloremic dehydration was 7 months (range 434). One boy had a hypovolemic shock at the time of admission to the hospital. Conclusions: The results of our study show that dehydration with hypoelectrolytaemia is a rare complication in children with CF in Slovenia, but due to the severity of clinical signs it is an important disorder. Vomiting and fatigue are the warning signs that should alert parents and physicians to consider the possibility of this complication which can be prevented by proper hydration and salt replacement. If left untreated, it can cause seizures, arrhythmias and even death.
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