Background: There is increasing evidence of prematurity being a risk factor for long-term respiratory outcomes regardless the presence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).Aim: To assess the effect of prematurity on respiratory outcomes in children born ≤32 weeks of gestational age at 11 years of age.Materials and Methods: Fifty five ex-preterm children (≤ 32 weeks of gestational age), born in Chieti between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007, performed lung function and diffusing capacity test (DLCO) at 11 years of age. Furthermore, allergy evaluation by skin prick test (SPT), eosinophil blood count and assessment of eosinophilic airways inflammation by exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) were performed. The ex-preterm group was compared to an age- and sex-matched group of term children.Results: No difference for atopic and respiratory medical history was found between ex-preterm children and term controls, except for preschool wheezing that resulted more frequent in ex-preterm children. No difference neither in school-aged asthma frequency nor in lung function assessment at 11 years of age was found between the two groups. Lower DLCO values in ex-preterm children compared to term controls regardless the presence of BPD were found; furthermore, we showed a positive association between DLCO and gestational age. Eosinophil blood count, positive SPTs and FeNO values were similar between the two groups.Conclusions: Diffusing lung capacity was decreased in ex-preterm children at 11 years of age in the absence of lung function impairment and eosinophil airway inflammation, suggesting a non-eosinophilic pattern underlying pulmonary alterations. It could be desirable to include the diffusing capacity assessment in follow-up evaluation of all ex-preterm children.

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep quality and psychological effects on pediatric healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 epidemic in Italy and to evaluate differences between primary and secondary care operators. Pediatric healthcare workers were involved in an online survey to assess sleep quality, stress and anxiety level, self-efficacy and social support in Italian pediatric healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Results We found that 67.4% of our sample suffered from sleep disturbance and 19.4% of subjects suffered from anxiety. Lower values of anxiety and social support were found in primary care staff compared to secondary care one. The associations between healthcare professional figures (being primary or secondary care operators) and mental health outcomes were not statistically significant. However, sex, age and having a SARS-CoV-2 infected relative/friend had an independent effect on mental health outcomes. It is crucial to provide social and psychological support to pediatric healthcare workers. A tailored psychological screening would be desirable for female healthcare workers and for those who have a SARS-CoV-2 infected relative/friend.

More recently, increasing attention has been directed to exploring the function of the global virome in health and disease. Currently, by new molecular techniques, such as metagenomic DNA sequencing, the virome has been better unveiled. By investigating the human lung virome, we could provide novel insights into respiratory diseases. The virome, as a part of the microbiome, is characterized by a constant change in composition related to the type of diet, environment, and our genetic code, and other incalculable factors. The virome plays a substantial role in modulating human immune defenses and contributing to the inflammatory processes. Anelloviruses (AVs) are new components of the virome. AVs are already present during early life and reproduce without apparently causing harm to the host. The role of AVs is still unknown, but several reports have shown that AVs could activate the inflammasomes, intracellular multiprotein oligomers of the innate immune system, which show a crucial role in the host defense to several pathogens. In this narrative revision, we summarize the epidemiological data related to the possible link between microbial alterations and chronic respiratory diseases in children. Briefly, we also describe the characteristics of the most frequent viral family present in the lung virome, Anelloviridae. Furthermore, we discuss how AVs could modulate the immune system in children, affecting the development of chronic respiratory diseases, particularly asthma, the most common chronic inflammatory disease in childhood.

Background: Few studies investigated COVID-19 pandemic psychological effects on pediatric healthcare staff. The aim of this study was to evaluate sleep quality and psychological effects of pediatric healthcare workers during COVID-19 epidemic in Italy and to evaluate potential differences between Primary and Secondary Care operators. Methods: Pediatric healthcare workers were involved in an online survey aimed to characterize responders and to define their clinical expertise in the management of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients during pandemic. Using validated scores, the online questionnaire assessed sleep quality, stress and anxiety level, self-efficacy and social support in pediatric healthcare workers. Results: During COVID-19 outbreak, 67.43% of our population were suffering sleep disturbance, and we found a positive correlation between sleep disturbances with stress and anxiety. Furthermore, 19.42% of subjects were suffering anxiety and 53% were at risk of developing an acute stress disorder. Stress resulted inversely correlated with self-efficacy and social support.Secondary care operators were more affected than family pediatricians by sleep disturbances, stress but especially by anxiety. Social support was considerably higher in secondary care operators compared to family pediatricians.Conclusions: Despite the less exposure and the less infection probability, much of pediatric healthcare workers were suffered sleep disturbance, anxiety and potential stress disorder. In the Pediatric Units, these psychological effects could be related to other factors compared to frontline departments, such as the early confused situation, the difficulties in workplaces managing and in finding personal protective equipment, as well as the subsequent sense of helplessness and frustration.

BackgroundThe gold standard to diagnose food allergy (FA) is a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (OFC), even if it shows potential risk of severe allergic reactions for the patient and is time-consuming. Therefore, easier, and less invasive methods are needed to diagnose FA and predict the tolerance, changing the clinical practice.AimThe main aim of this study was to assess whether the total IgE values at the diagnosis of FA were associated with the duration of the tolerance acquisition and thus of the food elimination diet.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 40 patients allergic to milk or egg who performed an OFC for the reintroduction of the causal food at the Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Unit of the University of Chieti from January 2018 to December 2020.ResultsWe found a positive association of total serum IgE with the elimination diet duration (β = 0.152; CI, 95% 0.04–0.27) after adjusting for age, sex, and type of allergy (milk or egg). We also showed a significant correlation (r = 0.41 and p-value = 0.007) between the total IgE values and the duration of the elimination diet and a significant correlation between the casein specific IgE values at diagnosis of FA and the severity of the clinical presentation (r = 0.66; p-value 0.009).ConclusionTotal serum IgE at baseline, along with the downward trend of food-specific IgE levels (to milk or egg), may be useful in the prognostication of natural tolerance acquisition.