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Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a food allergy that results in repetitive vomiting, lethargy, and pallor within 1 to 4 hours of food ingestion. One of the issues in its management is the introduction of new foods. Over the past 25 years, suggestions have been made mainly based on the likelihood that a given food family could induce an episode of acute FPIES. Thus, foods have been categorized into low, moderate, and high risk. The suggestion was always to postpone the introduction of moderate- or high -risk foods, leaving the decision whether to introduce them at home or in hospital to the doctor. These suggestions were designed for all children with acute FPIES, regardless of their geographical area. However, it is true that these suggestions are the result of expert opinion. In recent years, studies have been published that have shown that the risk category of foods varies according to geographical area and so does the prevalence of single FPIES versus multiple FPIES. For this reason, we believe that the introduction of new foods in the child with acute FPIES can and should be tailored according to the geographical area. (c) 2023 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2024;12:620-3)

OBJECTIVE: Probiotics are living microorganisms that, when administered per os in adequate amounts, may confer a health benefit on the host by the regularization of an unbalanced gastroenteric microbiota. The objective of this study was to evaluate treatment effectiveness, safety, and palatability of a probiotic’s combination (Lactobacillus reuteri LRE02-DSM 23878 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus LR04-DSM 16605) in a pediatric Emergency Department setting with functional gastrointestinal disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three groups were enrolled: children with functional abdominal pain; children with gastroenteritis; children with gas colic. Self-reporting sheets were delivered to each patient/parent after probiotics treatment. The primary outcome was to evaluate the evolution of clinical conditions in enrolled children. RESULTS: The outcomes showed a statistical difference among children treated with probiotics and those who did not. In the functional abdominal pain group, 58.2% of patients had a moderate symptoms improvement and 33.5% had a complete disappearance of symptoms, while in the gas colic group, 68.2% of the infants had a moderate improvement and 23.2% had a complete resolution. In the gastroenteritis group, stool consistency and number of evacuations improved in children who took probiotic administration as well. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics therapy, at the recommended dosage of five drops per day for 15 days, is associated with symptoms improvement. Moreover, the use of probiotics led to a stool consistency’s normalization in a shorter time, evaluated with BSS. A randomized trial is needed to confirm these results.

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Aim: To assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on pediatric emergency department (ED) visits for acute bronchiolitis during the epidemic season. Methods: A retrospective analytical cross-sectional study was performed in our hospital, analyzing medical charts of all children under 2 years of age with a diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis admitted to our ED in the last years. Demographics and clinical data of patients affected with acute bronchiolitis during the 2020–2021 season—COVID-19 outbreak—were compared to those of the 5 previous years. Results: We observed an average drop of 84% of the rate of acute bronchiolitis managed by pediatricians in ED in 2020–2021 compared with bronchiolitis seasons of 5 previous years. We also reported, during the COVID-19 outbreak, a higher number of children affected by acute bronchiolitis referred to ED as Emergency Consultations who required hospitalization. Regarding etiological agents, no differences in respiratory virus circulation, especially RSV, were observed in the two groups. The multivariate analysis showed no correlation between the diagnosis of RSV bronchiolitis and COVID-19 period or prematurity; lower age was associated with an increased likelihood of exhibiting RSV bronchiolitis (odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.86–0.95 p <.01). Conclusion: Our data emphasize the reduction in the rate of admission to pediatric ED for acute bronchiolitis during the COVID-19 outbreak, regardless of changes in circulating respiratory viruses. Therefore we want to highlight the importance of nonpharmacological preventive hygiene measures that should be maintained even at the end of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The causal connection between serum biomarkers and COVID-19 severity or pathogenicity in children is unclear. The aim of this study was to describe clinical and immunological features of children affected by COVID-19. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether these cytokines could predict severity of COVID-19. All children (aged 0−18) admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Department and tested with nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 were recruited and assigned to three groups: COVID-19, other infections, control group. Clinical and laboratory data of these patients, including circulating cytokine levels, were analyzed in three groups. Fever was the most frequent symptom in COVID-19 (67.3%). Neutropenia was found in the COVID-19 group (p < 0.05); no difference was observed for lymphocyte counts in the three groups. Higher levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were found in the COVID-19 group compared to other infections and control groups (p = 0.014 and p = 0.001, respectively). Whereas, in the COVID-19 group, no difference was observed as for the same cytokines among sub-groups of different disease severity (p = 0.7 and p = 0.8). Serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha were higher in COVID-19 children than in children with other infectious diseases, but those levels did not correlate with disease severity. Clinical studies in a large pediatric population are necessary to better define the role of the immune-mediated response in SARS-CoV-2 infections in children.

Food-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is an IgE-mediated allergy resulting from the combination of the ingestion of an offending food and physical exercise. According literature, oral food challenge (OFC) followed by physical exercise (OFCPE) should be considered the diagnostic gold standard. In the absence of adverse reactions, other cofactors should be added (e.g. acetylsalicylic acid, alcohol in adulthood), one at a time. But many other factors increase patient's reactivity. This could reduce the sensitivity of the OFCPE and, consequently, make instructions for patients less reliable. On the other hand, the addition of cofactors not reported by the patient may reduce test specificity. With the help of two exemplary stories, that present opposite outcomes, diagnostic difficulties of FDEIA are discussed.

With the help of a routine clinical case, we highlighted the difference between two of the best asthma guidelines available at the time regarding therapeutic suggestions for the so-called “third step” for school-age asthmatic children. We have analyzed the scientific evidence that each of the two guidelines brings to support their position. Finally, we have motivatedly solved the clinical scenario. However, the question of disagreement between two guidelines remains unresolved. This can lead to unjustified differences in the management of schoolchildren with persistent asthma.

With the help of a routine clinical case about delayed urticaria induced by drug, we have analyzed the scientific societies reports published during the last 5 years on this topic. We highlighted the differences between the EAACI consensus and documents on drug allergy, commenting their positions and some of their definitions on delayed urticaria. However, the question of disagreement between definitions of delayed urticaria can generate confusion. It would be beneficial to have more and “official” clearness about this topic because of its important clinical application to our patients.

Introduction In a society that perpetuates the strive for a perfect appearance, a fit body has become synonymous with success, but simultaneously hard to achieve. This represents a fertile ground for the development of Exercise Addiction (EA) alongside other disorders, such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). This study aims to explore the diffusion of EA in fitness settings in the United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Hungary and the previously unexplored association with appearance anxiety, BDD, self-esteem and the use of fitness supplements. Methods A large cross-sectional sample (N = 1711) was surveyed in fitness settings using the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI) and Rosenberg’s Self Esteem Scale (RSE) in addition to questions surrounding the use of fitness supplements. Results Compulsive exercise, appearance anxiety and low self-esteem were present in this sample according to the psychometric measures used (EAI, AAI, RSE). 11.7% scored over the cut off for EA, with alarming peaks in the Netherlands (20.9%) and the United Kingdom (16.1%). 38.5% were found at risk of BDD, mainly female (47.2%). 39.8% used fitness enhancing supplements without medical consultation (95.5%). This cohort of supplement users scored higher in both EAI and AAI. The logistic regression model revealed a strong association between the consumption of sport products and the level of EA across the sample with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.03. Other co-variable factors among female were appearance anxiety (AAI; OR 1.59) and to a lesser extent self-esteem (RSE) (OR 1.08). Conclusions This study identified a high risk of EA, appearance anxiety and BDD amongst a cohort of gym users internationally. The previously-unexplored association between these disorders and the unsupervised use of a variety of fitness products, including illicit drugs, highlights the need for informed and integrated responses targeting such vulnerable individuals.

Background: Few studies on the age of resolution of Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES) induced by solid foods are available. In particular, for FPIES induced by egg, the mean age of tolerance acquisition reported in the literature ranges from 42 to 63 months. Objective: We have assessed whether the age of tolerance acquisition in acute egg FPIES varies depending on whether the egg is cooked or raw. Methods: We conducted a retrospective and multicentric study of children with diagnosis of acute egg FPIES seen in 10 Italian allergy units between July 2003 and October 2017. The collected data regarded sex, presence of other allergic diseases, age of onset of symptoms, kind and severity of symptoms, cooking technique of the ingested egg, outcome of the allergy test, age of tolerance acquisition. Results: Sixty-one children with acute egg FPIES were enrolled, 34 (56%) males and 27 (44%) females. Tolerance to cooked egg has been demonstrated by 47/61 (77%) children at a mean age of 30.2 months. For 32 of them, tolerance to raw egg has been demonstrated at a mean age of 43.9 months. No episodes of severe adverse reaction after baked egg ingestion have been recorded. Conclusions: It is possible to perform an OFC with baked egg, to verify the possible acquisition of tolerance, at about 30 months of life in children with acute egg FPIES.

Food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is classified as non-IgE-mediated or cell-mediated food allergy, although there is an atypical phenotype so defined for the presence of specific IgEs. All diagnostic criteria for FPIES include the absence of skin or respiratory symptoms of IgE-mediated type. We present four cases that suggest that specific IgEs may have a pathogenic role, resulting in the existence of different FPIES phenotypes. This could be important from a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view.

We describe two case reports presenting some novel information on fish FPIES. Fish FPIES to one fish does not always start at the same time to other fish. Additionally, development of tolerance to the index fish do not necessarily imply tolerance to other reactive fish. This reflects on the best management of children with FPIES fish.