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Question: Can hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) cure pediatric transfusion-dependent thalassemia in Thailand? What influences its outcomes? Finding: Among 266 HSCT procedures, 5-year overall survival and event-free survival rates were 91.3% and 81.0%, respectively. Outcomes were comparable between related and unrelated donors. Pre-HSCT ferritin >2,500 ng/mL, low CD34+ cell dose, and oral busulfan conditioning were associated with unfavorable survival. Longterm complications affected 22.7% of survivors. Meaning: Optimizing pre-HSCT care, ensuring adequate grafting, and long-term surveillance are crucial. |
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Question: Does atrial septal defect (ASD) physiology affect postrepair mitral valve growth in patients with coarctation of the aorta or an interrupted aortic arch? Finding: Mitral valve growth occurred after biventricular repair but not single-ventricle palliation, particularly in patients with small valves and low ASD pressure gradients. Meaning: The ASD pressure gradient determines mitral valve growth and should guide surgical strategies in patients with borderline hypoplastic left heart syndrome. |
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Question: Is prolonged monitoring of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rcSO2) and hemodynamic parameters a feasible approach? Can these measures predict the neurological outcomes in extremely preterm infants? Finding: We used a neurocritical care bundle from birth to discharge or term-equivalent age. Infants with poor outcomes had significantly lower rcSO2 values. Meaning: Understanding rcSO2 and hemodynamic parameters may help manage cerebral hypoxia and reduce neurological complications in extremely preterm infants. |
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Question: What are the characteristics and clinical implications of thrombocytopenia in preterm neonates born to mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus? Finding: Nearly one-third of preterm infants developed thrombocytopenia. Key modulators of this risk included gestational age, maternal hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and hydroxychloroquine use. Thrombocytopenia may be associated with neonatal morbidity. Meaning: Platelet count should be monitored during the first week of life, and infants should be assessed for potential complications. |
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Question: Can a basophil activation test (BAT) of cord blood predict a cow's milk allergy? Finding: Infants with a high casein-BAT value were more likely to develop food allergy symptoms in the first year, whereas cow’s milk BAT showed no predictive association. Meaning: Cord blood casein BAT may help identify newborns at increased risk for early-life food allergies, enabling closer monitoring and preventive strategies, although larger studies are needed for validation. |
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Question: How does obesity severity affect baseline fitness and improvements in key obesity-related measures following participation in a structured lifestyle modification program? Finding: Severely obese youth showed poorer baseline physical fitness but greater improvements in key obesity-related measures following lifestyle interventions. Meaning: Early targeted intervention may help prevent progression to more severe obesity and declines in physical fitness in patients with obesity. |
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Question: Do gut microbiota differ between patients with Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) and healthy children, and can specific bacterial taxa predict postoperative HSCRassociated enterocolitis (HAEC)? Finding: Patients with HSCR showed gut dysbiosis with reduced diversity. Postoperative microbial changes included increased alpha diversity. Certain taxa, such as Eubacterium and Collinsella, were associated with recovery or HAEC. Meaning: Distinct microbial signatures may help identify HAEC risk and guide microbiota-based strategies to improve outcomes. |
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This study provides the first comprehensive estimated global burden of neonatal disorders attributable to risk factors in 1990–2021 stratified by sex, cause, sociodemographic index (SDI), and region. We identified persistent disparities across SDI levels, with low birthweight and short gestation contributing most to the age-standardized disability-adjusted life year rate of neonatal disorders. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted context-specific interventions to reduce infant mortality and improve neonatal health equity. |
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In a population‑based cohort of 74,466 children, 25% experienced early adiposity rebound (AR) by age 3. Daily breakfast and routine napping at 1.5 years were independently associated with lower odds of AR, while obesity at 1.5 years was a strong predictor. These modifiable routines could help delay AR and enable early identification during routine child health checks. |
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Question: Can probiotic BLa80 bring long-term benefits to the health of young children? Finding: This trial demonstrated that the daily administration of s BLa80 at 5×109 colony-forming units for 3 months in children can reduce the risk of eczema, upper respiratory tract infections, and acute tracheitis/bronchitis as well as beneficially improve the gut microbiome without any adverse effect. Meaning: Bla80 can bring definite health benefits to young children. |
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Approximately 1 in 5 children with acute pancreatitis develops recurrent attacks, and over one-third of such cases progress to chronic pancreatitis. Progression is closely linked to genetic mutations, particularly PRSS1, and anatomical abnormalities, whereas demographic and routine clinical factors lack predictive value. These results support early genetic and anatomical assessments, enabling targeted follow-ups and timely interventions in highrisk pediatric patients. |
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Question: Which immunomodulatory strategies can reduce mortality in children with acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE)? Finding: High-dose methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg/day) significantly improved the survival of high-risk patients, particularly when combined with tocilizumab. Meaning: These findings support the use of a severity-based immunotherapy approach to optimize the outcomes of pediatric ANE. |
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Question: Associations have been made between maternal sleep disorders during pregnancy and allergic diseases including bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and allergic conjunctivitis/rhinitis/hay fever in their children. Finding: In the crude model, sleep disorders during pregnancy were associated with all examined allergic diseases in children. After adjustment, significant associations remained for atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis/rhinitis/hay fever. Meaning: The study highlights associations between maternal sleep and child allergic diseases. |
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Question: Does maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affect newborn gut microbiota and metabolomic profiles? Finding: Neonates born to mothers with diet-controlled GDM exhibited reduced gut microbiota α-diversity, altered β-diversity, and metabolic shifts, including changes in fumarate and succinate levels, with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and adipocytokine signaling pathway activation. Meaning: Maternal GDM affects early microbial colonization and metabolism in newborns and may have long-term health implications. |
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Sleep disorders affect more than half of pregnancies worldwide and can harm maternal health and offspring outcomes. Prioritizing maternal sleep as a public health strategy may help prevent prenatal and pediatric allergic diseases and reduce their burden. Other maternal health strategies may also reduce the burden of offspring allergic diseases, while adequate maternal sleep is associated with other offspring outcomes, underscoring its importance as a key public health strategy. |
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Early lipid screening, including lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), in children/adolescents is key to identifying and managing dyslipidemia and reducing the risk of early-onset cardiovascular disease. This study shows that prevalence of elevated Lp(a) in high-risk Portuguese children is alarming, with over 30% at intermediate/high risk and nearly 1% at very high-risk (>430 nmol/L). Since Lp(a) is mostly genetically determined, one-time early screening in atrisk children is crucial for timely monitoring and prevention. |
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Question: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most prevalent chronic lung disease of prematurity. Numerous nonpharmacological/pharmacological interventions have been investigated without clear consensus. Can ciclesonide, a new synthetic glucocorticoid, effectively treat BPD? Finding: Ciclesonide mitigated hyperoxia-induced lung injury and right ventricular hypertrophy in newborn rats. Meaning: These findings suggest that postnatal ciclesonide may be an alternative to existing corticosteroids for the treatment of BPD. |
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Question: Can cytokine levels predict low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) in children post–cardiopulmonary bypass? Finding: Elevated interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels were associated with LCOS, with an increase in IL-8 of >56 pg/mL from baseline to immediately postoperative being the strongest predictor. Meaning: Monitoring immediately postoperative IL-8 levels may help identify pediatric patients at risk of LCOS, enabling timely interventions to improve outcomes. |
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Question: Addressing crucial genetic variants within the vitamin D pathway and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) susceptibility, the vitamin D receptor, vitamin D binding protein, and CYP27B1-1260 polmorphisms might be associated with COVID-19 occurrence and severity in children. Finding: The FokI FF genotype might be an independent risk factor for COVID-19 severity in childhood. Meaning: This research may further elucidate genetic susceptibility to multisystem viral infections and establish genetic markers for severe clinical outcomes. |
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Question: Does human leukocyte antigen (HLA)–B*58:01 increase the risk of cutaneous reactions in pediatric patients with hematological and oncological diseases receiving allopurinol? Finding: : Of 108 patients, 17.6% carried HLA–B*58:01 but none developed skin reactions. The only rash occurred in an HLA-B*58:01–negative patient. Meaning: Short-duration allopurinol may mitigate severe cutaneous adverse reaction risk regardless of genotype. Routine HLA-B*58:01 screening may be unnecessary in pediatric patients with hematological and oncological diseases briefly receiving allopurinol. |
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Question: Although children with postacute sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (PASC) may experience persistent symptoms that affect their quality of life (QoL), a screening tool for identifying high-risk children is lacking. Finding: Kinder Lebensqualität fragebogen (KINDL) and Children's Somatic Symptom Inventory-24 (CSSI-24) were significantly correlated. An optimal KINDL cutoff score (74.75) detected those at high risk of a reduced QoL. Meaning: Integrating KINDL and CSSI-24 into routine pediatric outpatient care may enable timely identification and interventions for children at risk of PASC-related impairments. |
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Question: How does the gut microbiota profile of infants with biliary atresia (BA) differ from that of infants with non-BA cholestasis and healthy infants in the Indonesian population? Finding: The unique fecal microbiome composition of the BA group differed significantly from that of the other 2 groups. Meaning: There is an urgent need to improve dysbiosis in BA and non-BA cholestasis to prevent worsening liver injury in cholestasis. |
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Question: What are the nationwide trends and mortality risk factors of nutritional versus hereditary rickets among children in Asia? Finding: In 2012–2018, the incidence of rickets steadily increased, whereas mortality rates declined. Mortality is associated with a low household income, anemia, chronic kidney disease, secondary hyperparathyroidism, and a prolonged hospital stay. Meaning: Early diagnosis and targeted interventions addressing social and medical vulnerabilities are critical to reducing ricket-related mortality. |
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Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has transformed pediatric type 1 diabetes care by facilitating tighter glycemic control, reducing hypoglycemia, and improving quality of life. Recent advances in CGM technology and the expansion of insurance coverage in Korea have led to its broader adoption. Emerging metrics such as time in tight range offer refined tools for individualized glycemic assessment, highlighting CGM’s evolving role in personalized pediatric diabetes management. |
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Question: What are the recent trends and determinants of breastfeeding in South Korea? Finding: Breastfeeding rates in South Korea declined significantly from 2007 to 2021, with lower rates observed in preterm, low-birthweight, and multiple-birth infants as well as rural or lower-income households. Meaning: Targeted interventions, including prenatal education, postnatal support, and community-based programs, are required to address disparities and improve breastfeeding rates. |
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· A safe and accessible source of somatic cell generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in pediatric neurogenic disorders · A noninvasive and simple method for isolating urine cells, which can effectively reprogram into pluripotent stem cells using episomal vectors · Establishing a urine-derived iPSC bank as a reliable and scalable resource for disease modeling, therapeutic testing, and personalized medicine in pediatric neurogenic disorders. |
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Question: What pharmacological strategies can limit ischemia-reperfusion injury in pediatric patients with testicular torsion? Finding: In a rat model of testicular torsion, linezolid reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and tissue injury via the Toll-like receptor 4/mitogen-activated protein kinase/nuclear factor kappa beta pathway. Meaning: Linezolid may offer a pharmacological approach to attenuate testicular damage in pediatric patients with testicular torsion, warranting further clinical investigation. |
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This study assessed the effects of vitamin C on children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Vitamin C supplementation improved clinical symptoms within 48–72 hours compared to placebo but did not reduce the length of hospital stay (LOS). These findings suggest that vitamin C is beneficial for managing CAP severity, but does not affect LOS. |
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Question: Are pediatric patients with heart disease who are receiving diuretics at risk of thiamin deficiency (TD)? Finding: Fifteen percent of the patients had TD. TD was associated with inadequate dietary thiamin intake and increasing age. Meaning: The thiamin pyrophosphate effect should be assessed in those with high risk of TD. Dietary counseling should be emphasized to ensure adequate dietary thiamin intake. |
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Question: Does a respiratory severity score (RSS)-guided postnatal corticosteroid protocol improve respiratory outcomes of extremely preterm (EP) infants without worsening neurodevelopmental outcomes? Finding: The protocol enabled targeted and early steroid use, thereby reducing severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia without affecting mortality or causing neurodevelopmental impairments. Meaning: The RSS-guided protocol may offer a more precise and individualized postnatal corticosteroid therapy for EP infants. |
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