on behalf of the European Group for Validation of the Step-by-Step Approach abstract BACKGROUND: A sequential approach to young febrile infants on the basis of clinical and laboratory parameters, including procalcitonin, was recently described as an accurate tool in identifying patients at risk for invasive bacterial infection (IBI). Our aim was to prospectively validate the Step-by-Step approach and compare it with the Rochester criteria and the Lab-score.

For children with or without primary nonsevere reflux, prophylaxis does not reduce the rate of recurrent febrile urinary tract infections after the first episode.

Both PCT and CRP are valuable markers in predicting SBI in children with fever without source and they perform better than WBC and ANC. PCT appears more accurate at the beginning of infections, but overall CRP may be the most convenient marker for its better sensitivity and feasibility.

Detailed data on clinical presentations and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in Europe are still lacking. In this descriptive study, we report on 130 children with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed by 28 centers (mostly hospitals), in 10 regions in Italy, during the first months of the pandemic. Among these, 67 (51.5%) had a relative with COVID-19 while 34 (26.2%) had comorbidities, with the most frequent being respiratory, cardiac, or neuromuscular chronic diseases. Overall, 98 (75.4%) had an asymptomatic or mild disease, 11 (8.5%) had moderate disease, 11 (8.5%) had a severe disease, and 9 (6.9%) had a critical presentation with infants below 6 months having significantly increased risk of critical disease severity (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.3 to 29.1). Seventy-five (57.7%) children were hospitalized, 15 (11.5%) needed some respiratory support, and nine (6.9%) were treated in an intensive care unit. All recovered. Conclusion:This descriptive case series of children with COVID-19, mostly encompassing of cases enrolled at hospital level, suggest that COVID-19 may have a non-negligible rate of severe presentations in selected pediatric populations with a relatively high rates of comorbidities. More studies are needed to further understand the presentation and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in children with special needs. What is Known:• There is limited evidence on the clinical presentation and outcomes of children with COVID-19 in Europe, and almost no evidence on characteristics and risk factors of severe cases. What is New:• Among a case series of 130 children, mostly diagnosed at hospital level, and with a relatively high rate (26.2%) of comorbidities, about three-quarter had an asymptomatic or mild disease.• However, 57.7% were hospitalized, 11.5% needed some respiratory support, and 6.9% were treated in an intensive care unit.

AbstractsResults Of the 1123 infants (Invasive Bacterial Infection -IBI-, 48; 4.2%), 488 (43.4%) were classified as low risk criteria for IBI according to the "step by step" approach (vs 693-61.7%-with the Labscore and 458-40.7%-with the Rochester criteria). The prevalence of IBI in the low-risk criteria patients was 0.2% (95% CI 0-0.6%) using the "step by step" approach (vs 0.7%-95% CI 0.1-1.3% with the Labscore and 1.1%-95% CI 0.1-2%-with Rochester). Using the "step by step" approach, 1 patient with IBI was not correctly classified (2.0%, CI95% 0-6.12) vs 5 using the Labscore or Rochester (10.4%, CI95% 1.76-19.04%). Conclusions A sequential approach to young febrile infants including procalcitonin identifies better patients more suitable for outpatient management. Inhaled foreign bodies are very serious problem in the pediatric pulmonology since they increase the rate of morbidity and mortality. Aim of this study was analysis of endoscopic changes caused by vegetable foreign bodies (VFB) in correlation with their long -standing in the bronchial tree. ENDOSCOPIC ASPECTS OF INHALED VEGETABLE FOREIGN BODIES IN CHILDREN Material and MethodsIn ten years period (2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) inhaled foreign bodies were removed in 219 children (age 6 mths-14 yrs), 60.27%-male and 39.73%-female. Most of the children (57.50%) belong to the youngest group of age (1-2 yrs). The inhaled foreign bodies were from organic origin in 208 (94.97%). Of these, 203 (92.69%) were with vegetable origin. The most commonly found grains were peanuts (57.14%). Inhaled foreign bodies were single object in 123 (56.16%) while in 96 (43.80%) they were multiple. Results Endoscopically we found:Insignificant inflammation (some hours presence of VFB) in 48 (23.64%)Significant inflammation -vulnerable mucous membrane (VFB with presence more than 3 days) in 78 (38.42%) Severe inflammation -manifest inflammation (VFB more than 7 days presence) in 77 (37.93%). In this group of children we detected:-granulomatous formations 57 (82.60%)-decubital changes 28 (40.57%)-mucopurulent secretion 41 (59.42%). Conclusion Severity of the endoscopic changes was closely correlated with the quality of the foreign body (vegetable ones), the period of lodgement and the age of the patients. Timely broncoscopic extirpation of VFB decreases the percentage of complications and represents the most successful and only logically carried out therapeutically procedure.