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Original Article
Cardiology
Assessment of cardiac function in syncopal children without organic causes
Heoungjin Kim, Lucy Youngmin Eun
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(11):582-587.   Published online March 10, 2021
Question: Does a subtle deterioration in cardiac function affect the severity of syncope in patients without underlying disease?
Finding: For syncope patients with reasonable cardiac function but without underlying disease, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) measurements helped reveal subtle differences in cardiac function with syncope and predicted the severity of syncope or a potential recurrent event.
Meaning: TDI measurements might be a useful indicator for predicting the severity of syncope.
Review Article
Cardiology
Application of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing for congenital heart disease
Heeyoung Seok, Rui Deng, Douglas B. Cowan, Da-Zhi Wang
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(6):269-279.   Published online March 2, 2021
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) system has made a big step in the genome editing which still requires technical developments for the efficient applications in the many fields including congenital heart diseases (CHDs), closely related to the genomic abnormality. In this review, we tried to cover the most updated researches of CRISPR-Cas9 in the CHDs to understand the current technologies, eventually becoming therapeutic bases for the CHD patients.
Original Article
Neonatology (Perinatology)
Effects of carnosine and hypothermia combination therapy on hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats
Jun Chul Byun, Seong Ryong Lee, Chun Soo Kim
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(8):422-428.   Published online February 24, 2021
Question: How can we further improve the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia in newborns with hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain injury?
Finding: Combination carnosine and hypothermia therapy effectively reduced brain damage in neonatal rats. The in situ zymography, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling assay, and immunofluorescence study results showed that neuroprotective effects were achieved with combination therapy only.
Meaning: Carnosine and hypothermia have synergistic neuroprotective effects against brain damage following HI injury
Perinatal outcome and possible vertical transmission of coronavirus disease 2019: experience from North India
Ritu Sharma, Shikha Seth, Rakhee Sharma, Sanju Yadav, Pinky Mishra, Sujaya Mukhopadhyay
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(5):239-246.   Published online February 16, 2021
Question: Is there any risk of vertical transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and what is its neonatal profile?
Finding: Biological samples for vertical transmission were negative in all deliveries; however, 2 neonates tested positive for nasopharyngeal COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. No significant neonatal morbidity was observed.
Meaning: COVID-19 does not increase adverse neonatal outcomes and shows a negligible risk of vertical transmission; however, horizontal transmission cannot be underestimated.
Review Article
Infection
Consideration in treatment decisions for refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia
Hye-Kyung Cho
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(9):459-467.   Published online February 10, 2021
• To avoid unnecessary exposure to secondary antibiotics, it is needed to diagnose Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) pneumonia carefully, especially when unresponsiveness to macrolide is suspected.
• Serologic and molecular tests for MP infection and excluding respiratory infection caused by other pathogens might be considered.
• It is necessary to continuously monitor antibiotic susceptibility of MP, and efforts to lower antibiotic pressure are required.
Original Article
Neurobehavior
Is there an association between labor induction and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children?
Ensiyeh Jenabi, Mahdieh Seyedi, Saeid Bashirian, Bita Fereidooni
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(9):489-493.   Published online February 5, 2021
· This meta-analysis pooled all observational (case-control and cohort) studies to obtain the association between labor induction and the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among children.
· The findings showed that labor induction is not associated with increased risk of ADHD among children.
Association between small for gestational age and risk of autism spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis
Ensiyeh Jenabi, Saeid Bashirian, Zahra Asali, Mahdieh Seyedi
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(10):538-542.   Published online January 28, 2021
• The relationship between small for gestational age (SGA) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and remains conflicting.
• We showed based on odds ratio reports in epidemiological studies that SGA can increase the risk of ASD and SGA is a risk factor for ASD.
• The association between SGA and the risk of ASD has further momentum to the current public health emphasis on appropriate prepregnancy weight and weight gain during pregnancy
Endocrinology
Correlation between total air pollutant emissions and incidence of type 1 diabetes in the Russian Federation
Hoon Sung Choi, Jin Taek Kim, Ji-Young Seo, Faina Linkov, Evgeniy Shubnikov, Hong Kyu Lee
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(10):525-530.   Published online January 18, 2021
Question: Is there a quantitative relationship between air pollutant emissions and the incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D)?
Finding: The incidence of T1D in each region of the Russian Federation correlated with the total air pollutants emitted each year.
Meaning: These findings suggest that air pollution contributes to the development of T1D.
Allergy
Sex-based differences in factors associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness in adolescents with childhood asthma
Young Hwan Kim, Yoon Young Jang, Jieun Jeong, Hai Lee Chung
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(5):229-238.   Published online January 14, 2021
Question: What factors are associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in adolescents with childhood asthma?
Finding: Age, mold sensitization, and increased eosinophil count were associated with BHR in boys versus a reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio in girls. Early mold sensitization was a risk factor for persistent BHR in boys only.
Meaning: Sex-specific differences were observed in the factors associated with BHR in adolescents.
Review Article
Allergy
Eosinophils and childhood asthma
Bong Seok Choi
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(2):60-67.   Published online January 6, 2021
•In allergic eosinophilic asthma, eosinophils act as important effector cells and antigen-presenting cells, while in nonallergic eosinophilic asthma, type 2 innate lymphoid cells play an important role in eosinophil activation.
•Sputum eosinophil counts can be helpful for evaluating allergic airway inflammation in asthma.
• Anti-interleukin-5 has broadened the scope of asthma treatment.
Original Article
Allergy
Cohort profile: National Investigation of Birth Cohort in Korea study 2008 (NICKs-2008)
Ju Hee Kim, Jung Eun Lee, So Min Shim, Eun Kyo Ha, Dong Keon Yon, Ok Hyang Kim, Ji Hyeon Baek, Hyun Yong Koh, Kyu Young Chae, Seung Won Lee, Man Yong Han
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(9):480-488.   Published online January 5, 2021
This national cohort study included all Korean children born in 2008 and 2009 observed over a period of more than 10 years. Our findings demonstrate that it is possible to analyze disease onset prior to hospitalization based on information such as lifestyle, eating habits, and risk factors by integrating National Health Insurance System data with national health screening data.
Review Article
Nutrition
Dietary intake and nutritional status of Korean children and adolescents: a review of national survey data
Minji Kang, So Yoon Choi, Minyoung Jung
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(9):443-458.   Published online December 28, 2020
In Korea, several national cross-sectional surveys monitor the diet, nutritional status, and health status of children. This continual dedicated national surveillance system contributes to the identification of nutritional and health issues, establishment of public health policies, and development of nutrition recommendations. This paper provides recent information about the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the Korean Youth Risk...
Critical Care Medicine
Pediatric postintensive care syndrome: high burden and a gap in evaluation tools for limited-resource settings
Chanapai Chaiyakulsil, Rapee Opasatian, Paweethida Tippayawong
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(9):436-442.   Published online December 18, 2020
Pediatric postintensive care syndrome has high impact and burden and can affect a child’s life for decades. The early evaluation and detection of such problems require a simple and less time-consuming surveillance tool. Current evaluation tools can be difficult and strenuous for areas with limited resources. Thus, a new simple tool is required for the early detection and intervention of postintensive care syndrome in critically ill children
Guideline
Endocrinology
2017 Clinical practice guidelines for dyslipidemia of Korean children and adolescents
Jung Sub Lim, Eun Young Kim, Jae Hyun Kim, Jae-Ho Yoo, Kyung Hee Yi, Hyun Wook Chae, Jin-Ho Choi, Ji Young Kim, Il Tae Hwang; the Committee of Dyslipidemia of Korean Children and Adolescents on behalf of Korean Society of Pediatric Endocrinology (KSPE)
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2020;63(12):454-462.   Published online November 25, 2020
Question: How are children and adolescents with dyslipidemia treated and managed in Korea?
Finding: 2017 guidelines recommend to measure nonfasting non-HDL-C as a screening test and introduce new diet methods: Cardiovascular Health Integrated Lifestyle Diet (CHILD)-1, CHILD-2-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and CHILD-2-triglyceride. Statin is the only drug approved in children older than 10 years.
Meaning: New clinical practice guidelines for treating and managing dyslipidemia of Korean children and adolescents are provided.
Original Article
Infection
Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Iranian children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Farhad Sarrafzadeh, Seyed Mojtaba Sohrevardi, Hamid Abousaidi, Hossein Mirzaei
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(8):415-421.   Published online November 20, 2020
The pooled prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 42% among culture-positive cases of S. aureus, 51% in hospitalized children, and 14% in healthy children. The high prevalence of MRSA in Iranian children may be due to insufficient infection control measures in hospitals, inappropriate use of methicillin, inadequate staff training, and over-prescription of antibiotics in Iran.
Nutrition
Impact of preoperative nutritional status on surgical outcomes in patients with pediatric gastrointestinal surgery
Nehal El Koofy, Hadeer Mohamed Nasr Eldin, Wesam Mohamed, Mostafa Gad, Sara Tarek, Gamal El Tagy
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(9):473-479.   Published online November 16, 2020
Question: Is malnutrition a risk factor for postoperative complications in pediatric surgical patients?
Finding: There is a high incidence of malnutrition in pediatric surgical patients. Stunting increases the risks of postoperative complications and extended hospital stays, while underweight status contributes to extended hospital stays.
Meaning: Preoperative nutritional assessments are crucial to improving postoperative outcomes. Anemia increases the risk of postoperative complications and should be corrected preoperatively.
Hematology
Changes in the prevalence of anemia in Korean adolescents, 1998–2018
Jun Young An, Yoo Rha Hong, Seom Gim Kong
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(2):86-92.   Published online November 16, 2020
Question: Over the past 21 years, has the prevalence of anemia decreased among Korean adolescents?
Finding: The prevalence of anemia in boys aged 10–18 years decreased from 3.0% to 0.5% over the study period, whereas that in girls did not change significantly over time (increased from 7.9% to 8.5%).
Meaning: The prevalence of anemia in female adolescents remains high, requiring attention and efforts to improve it.
Review Article
Allergy
Food allergies and food-induced anaphylaxis: role of cofactors
Meeyong shin
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(8):393-399.   Published online November 12, 2020
Question: What are the roles of cofactors in food allergies and food-induced anaphylaxis?
Finding: Cofactors reportedly play a role in approximately 14%–30% of anaphylactic reactions. Cofactors such as exercise, infection, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, dehydration, and alcohol can increase intestinal permeability and antigen uptake, thereby causing allergic symptoms.
Meaning: Routine assessment of the possible involvement of cofactors is essential for the management of patients with food-induced anaphylaxis.
Neonatology (Perinatology)
Neurodevelopmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants in the Neonatal Research Network of Japan: importance of neonatal intensive care unit graduate follow-up
Yumi Kono; on behalf of the Neonatal Research Network of Japan
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(7):313-321.   Published online November 9, 2020
· Very low birth weight infants remain at high risk of developing neurodevelopmental impairments in early childhood.
· It is important to establish a network follow-up protocol and complete assessments with fewer dropouts to enable clarification of the outcomes of registered infants.
· All possible strategies should be employed to maintain good compliance after neonatal intensive care unit discharge.
Original Article - Clinical trial
WITHDRAWN:Randomized controlled trial of effect of N-acetylcysteine as an antioxidant on iron overload in children with thalassemia major
Yasmen A Mohamed, Mohamed H Meabed, Amany Ashraf, Dalia S Morgan, Mostafa G Abdul Latif, Rehab M Abd-Elkareem, Heba M Ahmed
Background: β-Thalassemias are characterized by the presence of mutations in the globin gene that result in the absence or reduced synthesis of β-globin chains of the hemoglobin tetramer. Several studies have reported increased oxidative stress in β-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a derivative of L-cysteine amino acid, is commonly used as a mucolytic drug. Numerous studies have reported efficient...
Original Article
Allergy
Influence of age at complementary food introduction on the development of asthma and atopic dermatitis in Korean children aged 1–3 years
Jihyun Lee, Meeyong Shin, Bora Lee
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(8):408-414.   Published online November 1, 2020
Question: Is age at the time of complementary food introduction associated with asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD) in early childhood?
Finding: We found no significant association between age at the time of complementary food introduction and the incidence of AD and asthma in Koreans aged 1–3 years.
Meaning: Our findings suggest that the influence of individual allergenic foods on the development of AD and asthma should be clarified.
Nephrology (Genitourinary)
Expression profiling of cultured podocytes exposed to nephrotic plasma reveals intrinsic molecular signatures of nephrotic syndrome
Stuti Panigrahi, Varsha Chhotusing Pardeshi, Karthikeyan Chandrasekaran, Karthik Neelakandan, Hari PS, Anil Vasudevan
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(7):355-363.   Published online November 1, 2020
Question: Is it possible to classify nephrotic syndrome (NS) through gene expression profiling of podocytes exposed to NS plasma?
Finding: Our data showed different expression profiles in podocytes exposed to nephrotic plasma from different clinical groups, suggesting the molecular stratification of patients into intrinsic subtypes.
Meaning: Transcriptome profiling of podocytes treated with NS plasma can stratify patients into intrinsic subtypes and provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of podocyte injury.
Urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin: a marker of urinary tract infection among febrile children
Ji Hyun Moon, Kee Hwan Yoo, Hyung Eun Yim
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(7):347-354.   Published online October 17, 2020
Question: Reliably diagnosing urinary tract infection (UTI) in febrile children is often difficult. Can urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) better predict UTI and acute pyelonephritis (APN) than serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count?
Finding: uNGAL better facilitated the prediction of UTI and APN, than serum CRP and WBC counts in febrile children.
Meaning: uNGAL is a suitable biomarker for UTI and APN in febrile children.
Gastroenterology
Celiac disease in children: Increasing prevalence and changing clinical presentations
Hasan M. Isa, Eman Farid, Jaafar J. Makhlooq, Afaf M. Mohamed, Jumana G. Al-Arayedh, Fawzeya A. Alahmed, Shima Medani
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(6):301-309.   Published online October 17, 2020
Question: What are the prevalence and clinical characteristics of celiac disease (CD) in children in Bahrain?
Finding: We found a significant increase in CD prevalence over the last decade (P=0.0001). A male predominance was noted. Atypical presentations were common. Most patients had poor adherence to a gluten-free diet.
Meaning: CD is an underdiagnosed condition. Atypical symptoms should be considered to prevent missing patients with CD.
Review Article
Neurology
Myths and truths about pediatric psychogenic nonepileptic seizures
Jung Sook Yeom, Heather Bernard, Sookyong Koh
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(6):251-259.   Published online October 17, 2020
• Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) are events that look like epileptic seizures but are not caused by abnormal electrical discharges.
• PNES are a manifestation of psychological and emotional distress.
• Treatment for PNES does not begin with the psychological intervention but starts with the diagnosis and how the diagnosis is delivered.
• A multifactorial biopsychosocial process and a neurobiological review are both essential components when treating PNES
Original Article
Gastroenterology
Acquired noncaustic esophageal strictures in children
Elif Sag, Aysenur Bahadir, Mustafa Imamoglu, Sefa Sag, Gokce Pinar Reis, Erol Erduran, Murat Cakir
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2020;63(11):447-450.   Published online October 15, 2020
Question: Which clinical findings suggest esophageal structure in children with dysphagia?
Finding: The presence of solid dysphagia, malnutrition, and a comorbid condition is suggestive of esophageal stricture in children with dysphagia.
Meaning: Patients with findings suggestive of noncaustic esophageal stricture should receive early referral to pediatric gastroenterology units.
Infection
Febrile urinary tract infection in children: changes in epidemiology, etiology, and antibiotic resistance patterns over a decade
Woosuck Suh, Bi Na Kim, Hyun Mi Kang, Eun Ae Yang, Jung-Woo Rhim, Kyung-Yil Lee
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(6):293-300.   Published online October 14, 2020
Question: How has the antibiotic susceptibility of urinary pathogens changed and what does it imply?
Finding: A yearly increase in multidrug-resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing pathogens was observed. A higher recurrence rate was observed in cases of febrile urinary tract infection caused by ESBL producers in patients with underlying vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).
Meaning: The initial empirical antibiotic should reflect the changing susceptibility patterns and underlying VUR status.
Endocrinology
Zinc transporter 8 autoantibody in the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in children
Nur Rochmah, Muhammad Faizi, Siti Wahyu Windarti
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2020;63(10):402-405.   Published online October 6, 2020
Question: Can zinc transporter 8 autoantibody (ZnT8A) be used for diagnosing type 1 diabetes (T1D)?
Finding: Twenty-two of 30 subjects with type 1 diabetes (73.3 %) were positive for ZnT8A compared to 5 of 18 controls (27.8%).
Meaning: ZnT8A has potential for clinical applications in the diagnosis of T1D.
Developmental and Behavioral Medicine
Is meconium exposure associated with autism spectrum disorders in children?
Ensiyeh Jenabi, Erfan Ayubi, Salman Khazaei, Saeid Bashirian, Mojtaba Khazaei
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(7):341-346.   Published online October 4, 2020
• Meconium exposure is weakly associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) development in children.
• More evidence based on large prospective cohort studies is required to conclude whether meconium exposure is associated with an increased risk of ASD.
Review Article
Neurology
Is it really a seizure? The challenge of paroxysmal nonepileptic events in young infants
Seung Yeon Jung, Joon Won Kang
Clin Exp Pediatr. 2021;64(8):384-392.   Published online September 18, 2020
Paroxysmal nonepileptic events (PNE) comprise of a variety of nonepileptic behaviors and are divided into various types. A more accurate diagnosis is possible by examining the video clip provided by the caregiver. In infants, physiologic PNE accounts for the majority of the PNE. It is important to exclude epilepsy, for which blood tests, electroencephalography, and imaging tests can facilitate differential...