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Background: Disease registries are comprehensive databases that record detailed information on patients diagnosed with specific conditions, providing valuable insights into their diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. This study aims to describe the pilot phase of the national pediatric Immune Thrombocytopenia(ITP) registry (NPITP) in Iran, serving as the inaugural interpretive report. Methods: This patient-centered software system was implemented as a national program across multiple pediatric centers in Iran. Several focus groups were conducted to establish a minimum data set (MDS) comprising six main classes, 14 sub-classes, and 187 data elements. Following expert consensus on the final data set, a web-based software tool was developed by the dedicated IT team, accessible online and offline via https://disreg.sbmu.ac.ir/q/ITP.html. The registry included children aged between two months and 18 years with a platelet count below 100 × 109/L, based on predefined inclusion criteria. Results: Within a four-month period, a total of 60 ITP patients were registered, including 41 (68.3%) newly diagnosed cases, 68 (13.6%) persistent cases, and 14 (23.3%) with chronic ITP. The mean age of the registered patients was 55.93 ± 9.72 months. The most frequently observed bleeding symptoms were petechiae (68.3%), purpura (51.6%), and ecchymosis (13.3%). Among the newly diagnosed patients, 20 (33.3%) received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), 17 (28.3%) were treated with prednisolone, and 17 (28.3%) received combined IVIG and steroid therapy. Of all patients, 40 (66.7%) demonstrated a complete response to treatment, while 16 (26.7%) exhibited a partial response. Four patients (6.7%) remained unresponsive to therapy. Treatment-related complications, such as Cushing's syndrome, edema, weight gain, hirsutism, and mood disorders, were reported in 10 patients (16.6%). However, the majority of patients (81.7%) did not experience therapy-related complications. Conclusion: The pilot phase of the NPITP registry successfully implemented a web-based software tool for data collection, aiming to enhance the quality of care, facilitate clinical research, and support health service planning in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the relatively high frequency of central nervous system infections and considerable mortality and morbidity reported to be caused by herpes simplex viruses among the other viral agents, having a clear knowledge about their epidemiological profile seems necessary. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the relative frequency and prevalence of herpes simplex encephalitis and meningitis in patients tested for viral etiologies. A comprehensive systematic review was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, searching for studies on the prevalence and relative frequency of herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 encephalitis and meningitis. Seventy-one studies were included. Overall, the prevalence of herpes simplex virus encephalitis among patients tested was 8% (95% confidence interval, 6%-11%; I2 = 98%) and the prevalence of herpes simplex virus meningitis among aseptic patients tested was 4% (95% confidence interval, 3%-7%; I2 = 95%), and a significant difference was observed by region. The results of our subgroup analysis for herpes simplex virus encephalitis revealed a prevalence of 8% for pediatric patients and adolescents and 12% for adults. The results for herpes simplex virus meningitis showed a prevalence of 4% for pediatric patients and adolescents and 9% for adults. We observed significant differences in the frequency of herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2 detection rates by region. Having high rates of missed cases due to inadequate, highly sensitive paraclinical tests performed on patients with suspected viral central nervous system infection is one of the possible factors. More studies are needed to detect the possible flaws in the process of diagnosis in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]