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Guacci P, Ballabio C, Folegatti A, Giancotti L, Scordo A, Pensabene L, Parma B, Selicorni A, Luini C, Agosti M, Salvatore S. No COVID-19 pandemic impact on incidence and clinical presentation of celiac disease in Italian children. Acta Paediatr 2024. [PMID: 38801140 DOI: 10.1111/apa.17296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
AIM We aimed to evaluate the impact of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic on the incidence and clinical presentation of celiac disease (CD) in children. METHODS The diagnoses of CD were compared between the COVID-19 pandemic (from April 2020 to March 2022) and the pre-pandemic period (from April 2018 to March 2020) in three Italian Paediatric Gastroenterology centres (Varese, Como, Catanzaro). Electronic patient records were reviewed and additional information were collected through parental interview. The diagnosis of CD was made according to ESPGHAN criteria. SARS-CoV-2 infection was diagnosed based on pre-vaccination positive serum antibodies or nasopharyngeal swabs. Z test and chi-square were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS The overall number of paediatric diagnosis of CD did not differ between the two years pre-pandemic and pandemic periods (177 and 172 cases) in the three Italian participating centres. Clinical presentation of CD was also similar throughout the study periods. SARS-CoV-2 infection has been documented in 10.6% of children but only in 5.8% of these occurred before CD diagnosis. CONCLUSION Different to what reported for other autoimmune diseases, the incidence and presenting symptoms of CD in our paediatric population did not change during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the previous 2 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Guacci
- Pediatric Department, Hospital 'F. Del Ponte', University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Claudia Ballabio
- Department of Pediatrics, Mariani Foundation Center for Fragile Children, ASST-Lariana, Sant'Anna Hospital, San Fermo della Battaglia, Como, Italy
| | - Alice Folegatti
- Pediatric Department, Hospital 'F. Del Ponte', University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Laura Giancotti
- Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Alessia Scordo
- Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Licia Pensabene
- Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Barbara Parma
- Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, Magna Graecia University, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Angelo Selicorni
- Department of Pediatrics, Mariani Foundation Center for Fragile Children, ASST-Lariana, Sant'Anna Hospital, San Fermo della Battaglia, Como, Italy
| | - Chiara Luini
- Pediatric Department, Hospital 'F. Del Ponte', University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Massimo Agosti
- Pediatric Department, Hospital 'F. Del Ponte', University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
| | - Silvia Salvatore
- Pediatric Department, Hospital 'F. Del Ponte', University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
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Dembiński Ł, Grzybowska-Chlebowczyk U, Toporowska-Kowalska E, Walkowiak J, Gładysiewicz B, Dądalski M, Korczowski B, Czkwianianc E, Zagierski M, Jarocka-Cyrta E, Soroczyńska-Wrzyszcz A, Pytrus T, Krawiec P, Banaszkiewicz A. Pediatric endoscopy in times of pandemic: A nationwide retrospective analysis. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:396-400. [PMID: 38246113 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal endoscopy is a procedure that carries an increased risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection to medical staff. In patients, COVID-19 is a risk factor for adverse events of medical procedures. This study analyzed the real-life risk of, and factors contributing to, infection transmission to endoscopic personnel, and possible adverse events of the endoscopy procedure and anesthesia in children with COVID-19. METHODS Nationwide retrospective analysis of medical records of children with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who underwent gastrointestinal endoscopy in Poland between February 2020 and February 2022. RESULTS Fifty-eight patients were included in the analysis, 35% of whom had COVID-19 symptoms at the time of endoscopy. The dominant indications for endoscopy were foreign body or corrosive substance ingestion and gastrointestinal bleeding. Nine cases of virus transmission were registered among endoscopic personnel. In all of these cases, the endoscopy team was unaware of the patient's infection (p < 0.01), although symptoms were present in 78% of the children. Lack of use of personal protective equipment was the strongest predictor of SARS-CoV-2 transmission (p < 0.01). The risk of infection was not statistically significantly dependent on the method of anesthesia, intubation or the type of endoscopy. No statistically significant correlation was found between symptomatic infection and adverse events of endoscopy or anesthesia occurrence. There was one reported anesthesia-related adverse event involving extubation difficulties due to worsening respiratory infection symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to endoscopic personnel during procedures in children is low and depends on compliance with infection prevention and control measures. Performing gastrointestinal endoscopy in children with COVID-19 does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Dembiński
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | | | - Ewa Toporowska-Kowalska
- Department of Pediatric Allergology, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Jarosław Walkowiak
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Beata Gładysiewicz
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Pediatrics Clinic, Regional Polyclinical Hospital, Kielce, Poland
| | - Maciej Dądalski
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartosz Korczowski
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Gastroenterology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical College, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Czkwianianc
- Department of Gastroenterology, Allergology and Pediatrics, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, Lodz, Poland
| | - Maciej Zagierski
- Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, Allergology and Nutrition, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Jarocka-Cyrta
- Department of Clinical Pediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Provincial Specialist Children's Hospital, Olsztyn, Poland
| | | | - Tomasz Pytrus
- Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Krawiec
- Department of Pediatrics and Gastroenterology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Banaszkiewicz
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Washington T, Taylor A, Kieran K. Just Get in Line: Rural-Urban Differences in Access to Pediatric Renal-Bladder Ultrasounds. J Surg Res 2024; 293:511-516. [PMID: 37827029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Health-care disparities in rural and underserved areas may be exacerbated by the pandemic, personnel challenges, and supply chain limitations. This study aimed to quantify current variation in rural and urban pediatric renal ultrasound availability. METHODS We identified all hospitals statewide and contacted radiology departments posing as a parent trying to schedule an appointment for a routine pediatric renal-bladder ultrasound. Intervals between day of contact and first available appointment were compared between rural and urban institutions. RESULTS We were able to contact 42/48 (87.5%) rural hospitals, and 20/39 (51.3%) urban hospitals. Scheduling could not be completed in 5 rural and 7 urban hospitals. The median wait time for the 37 remaining rural and 13 remaining urban hospitals was similar: 7 (range: 0-21) days in rural hospitals and 6 (range: 0-17) days in urban hospitals (P = 0.81). If contact was made, the likelihood of scheduling within 7 d was similar in rural and urban areas (odds ratio [OR] = 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03-1.97; P = 0.18). However, patients were much more likely to have a completed call at a rural hospital (OR = 6.65; 95% CI: 2.3-19.2; P = 0.0005), and so in reality, patients were 2.89 times as likely to be able to schedule an renal-bladder ultrasound within 7 d at a rural compared with an urban institution (95% CI: 1.19-7.03; P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS While access to pediatric renal sonograms was similar within a week at rural and urban institutions once telephone contact was made, it was significantly more difficult to schedule appointments at urban institutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Washington
- Division of Urology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington
| | - Amy Taylor
- Division of Urology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kathleen Kieran
- Division of Urology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington; Department of Urology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
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Crocco M, Malerba F, Calvi A, Zampatti N, Gandullia P, Madeo A, Tappino B, Proietti S, Bonassi S. Health-related quality of life in children with coeliac disease and in their families: A long-term follow-up study. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2024; 78:105-112. [PMID: 38291681 DOI: 10.1002/jpn3.12049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to assess long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents with coeliac disease (CD), and their parents. METHODS We re-evaluated prospectively the HRQoL and clinical characteristics of 80 families, assessed 5 years earlier, using a disease-specific questionnaire, the CD Dutch Questionnaire (CDDUX), and a generic questionnaire, the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). RESULTS After a 10-year follow-up, there was no significant change in the total CDDUX and PedsQL scores in children and their parents when compared to the evaluation conducted 5 years earlier. The total CDDUX score reflected a neutral QoL, while for the generic PedsQL was good-very good. The only significant decrease after 5 years was the PedsQL subdomain Emotional functioning. Patients who admitted voluntarily eating gluten reported lower score in CDDUX Diet. Lower scores in subdomain "Physical functioning" (PedsQL) were reported in patients with positivity of TTG or associated diseases. CONCLUSIONS The CDDUX score indicated a consistently stable and neutral QoL perception among coeliac patients and caregivers, even after 10-year postdiagnosis, suggesting minimal fluctuations in the impact of CD on disease-specific health domains over time. Furthermore, the consistently good PedsQL score could be a reflection of the resilience of coeliac families in coping with this chronic condition. Gluten-free diet compliance was confirmed to be determinant of HRQoL in the long term. The study confirms the importance of extending surveillance on these patients, possibly using different questionnaires, to assess QoL from different perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Crocco
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federica Malerba
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Angela Calvi
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Noemi Zampatti
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Gandullia
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Madeo
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Barbara Tappino
- Laboratory for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (LABSIEM), IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
| | - Stefania Proietti
- Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
- Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele University, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Bonassi
- Unit of Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy
- Department of Human Sciences and Quality of Life Promotion, San Raffaele University, Rome, Italy
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Ancona S, Bianchin S, Zampatti N, Nosratian V, Bigatti C, Ferro J, Trambaiolo Antonelli C, Viglizzo G, Gandullia P, Malerba F, Crocco M. Cutaneous Disorders Masking Celiac Disease: Case Report and Mini Review with Proposal for a Practical Clinical Approach. Nutrients 2023; 16:83. [PMID: 38201912 PMCID: PMC10780572 DOI: 10.3390/nu16010083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated systemic gluten-related disorder characterized by a wide spectrum of intestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations, including damage to cutaneous and connective tissue. We report a rare case of chronic severe dermatitis involving connective tissue and cutaneous vascular vessels as the main clinical presentation of undiagnosed seronegative gluten disorder. A gluten-free diet dramatically improved the intestinal and cutaneous clinical damage in the patient. Pitfalls and the steps of differential diagnosis are described. We also review the literature regarding studies of CD and connective tissue diseases to extend the knowledge of these rare associations. We propose a practical diagnostic approach in suspected CD in autoimmune cutaneous disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Ancona
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy (P.G.); (F.M.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Bianchin
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Noemi Zampatti
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Carolina Bigatti
- UO Nephrology Dialysis and Transplant, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy
| | - Jacopo Ferro
- Pathology Unit, U.O.C. Anatomia Patologica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genova, Italy; (J.F.); (C.T.A.)
| | - Chiara Trambaiolo Antonelli
- Pathology Unit, U.O.C. Anatomia Patologica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genova, Italy; (J.F.); (C.T.A.)
| | | | - Paolo Gandullia
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy (P.G.); (F.M.)
| | - Federica Malerba
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy (P.G.); (F.M.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genova, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Crocco
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy (P.G.); (F.M.)
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Lerner A, Benzvi C, Vojdani A. HLA-DQ2/8 and COVID-19 in Celiac Disease: Boon or Bane. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2977. [PMID: 38138121 PMCID: PMC10745744 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to pose a global threat. While its virulence has subsided, it has persisted due to the continual emergence of new mutations. Although many high-risk conditions related to COVID-19 have been identified, the understanding of protective factors remains limited. Intriguingly, epidemiological evidence suggests a low incidence of COVID-19-infected CD patients. The present study explores whether their genetic background, namely, the associated HLA-DQs, offers protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes. We hypothesize that the HLA-DQ2/8 alleles may shield CD patients from SARS-CoV-2 and its subsequent effects, possibly due to memory CD4 T cells primed by previous exposure to human-associated common cold coronaviruses (CCC) and higher affinity to those allele's groove. In this context, we examined potential cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 epitopes and human-associated CCC and assessed the binding affinity (BA) of these epitopes to HLA-DQ2/8. Using computational methods, we analyzed sequence similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and four distinct CCC. Of 924 unique immunodominant 15-mer epitopes with at least 67% identity, 37 exhibited significant BA to HLA-DQ2/8, suggesting a protective effect. We present various mechanisms that might explain the protective role of HLA-DQ2/8 in COVID-19-afflicted CD patients. If substantiated, these insights could enhance our understanding of the gene-environment enigma and viral-host relationship, guiding potential therapeutic innovations against the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Lerner
- The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 5262160, Israel;
- Research Department, Ariel University, Ariel 4077625, Israel
| | - Carina Benzvi
- The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan 5262160, Israel;
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Pepe A, Mandato C, Di Leo T, Boccia G, Lucaroni G, Franci G, Mauro C, Di Cara G, Valitutti F. Celiac Disease on the Bed-Side: Embedding Case Finding and Screening in Hospitalized Children. Nutrients 2023; 15:4899. [PMID: 38068757 PMCID: PMC10708066 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Strategies for diagnosing celiac disease (CD) include case-finding and population-screening programs. Case finding consists of testing individuals at increased risk for the disease due to symptoms or associated conditions. Screening programs are widespread campaigns, which definitely perform better in terms of unveiling CD diagnoses but nowadays are still debatable. The global prevalence of CD is around 1% but it almost doubles when considering screening programs among school children. Within this framework, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of CD among hospitalized children in the Pediatric Department of a Southern Italy University Hospital in the period from January 2018 through December 2021. In addition, we attempted to explore, at the time of diagnosis, the prevalence of leading clinical alerts due to malabsorption/malnutrition such as anemia or failure to thrive or due to systemic inflammation/immune dysfunction as hypertransaminasemia and thyroid dysfunction. METHODS Data records of pediatric patients admitted as inpatients and tested by anti-transglutaminase IgA antibodies (TGA-IgA) were retrospectively analyzed. CD was diagnosed according to either 2012 or 2020 ESPGHAN guidelines, depending on the year of diagnosis. CD autoimmunity (CDA) was a wider group defined within our protocol if patients had elevated TGA-IgA on at least one occasion, regardless of anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA-IgA) and without biopsy confirmation. RESULTS During the observation period, 3608 pediatric patients were admitted and 1320 were screened for CD (median age 5 years, IQR 2-9 years; CD test rate: 36.6% out of all admissions). The available prevalence of newly diagnosed CD was 1.59% (21 patients diagnosed) and the available prevalence of CDA was 3.86% (51 subjects). Among CD patients, underweight/malnourished children accounted for 28.6% (6 out of 21). CONCLUSIONS The estimated prevalence of CD diagnoses within our setting was comparable to the most recent population-screening programs. The estimated prevalence of CDA was even higher. A hospital-admission CD testing during routine blood draws might be a non-invasive, cost-effective and valuable approach to reduce discrepancy of prevalence between case-finding and population-screening programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Pepe
- Pediatrics Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (A.P.); (C.M.); (G.L.)
| | - Claudia Mandato
- Pediatrics Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (A.P.); (C.M.); (G.L.)
| | - Tiziana Di Leo
- Clinical Pathology and Biochemistry Unit, University Hospital “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, 84131 Salerno, Italy;
| | - Giovanni Boccia
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (G.B.); (G.F.)
| | - Giulia Lucaroni
- Pediatrics Section, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (A.P.); (C.M.); (G.L.)
| | - Gianluigi Franci
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy; (G.B.); (G.F.)
| | - Carolina Mauro
- Pediatric Unit, Department of Maternal and Child Health, University Hospital “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, 84131 Salerno, Italy;
| | - Giuseppe Di Cara
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Francesco Valitutti
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy;
- European Biomedical Research Institute of Salerno (EBRIS), Via De Renzi 50, 84125 Salerno, Italy
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Röckert Tjernberg A, Malmborg P, Mårild K. Coronavirus disease 2019 and gastrointestinal disorders in children. Therap Adv Gastroenterol 2023; 16:17562848231177612. [PMID: 37305380 PMCID: PMC10243097 DOI: 10.1177/17562848231177612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
During the past 3 years, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a great impact on people all over the world. However, it has become evident that disease manifestations and severity differ across age groups. Most children have a milder disease course than adults but possibly more pronounced gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Given the child's developing immune system, the impact of COVID-19 on disease development may differ compared to adults. This study reviews the potential bi-directional relationship between COVID-19 and GI diseases in children, focusing on common pediatric conditions such as functional GI disorders (FGID), celiac disease (CeD), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Children with GI diseases, in general, and CeD and IBD, in particular, do not seem to have an increased risk of severe COVID-19, including risks of hospitalization, critical care need, and death. While infections are considered candidate environmental factors in both CeD and IBD pathogenesis, and specific infectious agents are known triggers for FGID, there is still not sufficient evidence to implicate COVID-19 in the development of either of these diseases. However, given the scarcity of data and the possible latency period between environmental triggers and disease development, future investigations in this field are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Röckert Tjernberg
- Department of Pediatrics, Kalmar County Hospital, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar S-391 85, Sweden
| | - Petter Malmborg
- Sachs’ Children and Youth Hospital, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karl Mårild
- Department of Pediatrics, Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Clinical Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Lexner J, Lindroth Y, Sjöberg K. The risk for celiac disease after Covid-19 infection. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:174. [PMID: 37217874 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-02795-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease leading to gastrointestinal symptoms and mineral deficiencies. The pathogenetic mechanisms, besides the clear HLA association, are elusive. Among environmental factors infections have been proposed. Covid-19 infection results in a systemic inflammatory response that often also involves the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Covid-19 infection could increase the risk for CD. PATIENTS AND METHODS All patients, both children and adults, in the county Skåne (1.4 million citizens) in southern Sweden with newly diagnosed biopsy- or serology-verified CD or a positive tissue transglutaminase antibody test (tTG-ab) during 2016-2021 were identified from registries at the Departments of Pathology and Immunology, respectively. Patients with a positive Covid-19 PCR or antigen test in 2020 and 2021 were identified from the Public Health Agency of Sweden. RESULTS During the Covid-19 pandemic (March 2020 - December 2021), there were 201 050 cases of Covid-19 and 568 patients with biopsy- or serology-verified CD or a first-time positive tTG-ab tests, of which 35 patients had been infected with Covid-19 before CD. The incidence of verified CD and tTG-ab positivity was lower in comparison to before the pandemic (May 2018 - February 2020; 22.5 vs. 25.5 cases per 100 000 person-years, respectively, incidence rate difference (IRD) -3.0, 95% CI -5.7 - -0.3, p = 0.028). The incidence of verified CD and tTG-ab positivity in patients with and without prior Covid-19 infection was 21.1 and 22.4 cases per 100 000 person-years, respectively (IRD - 1.3, 95% CI -8.5-5.9, p = 0.75). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that Covid-19 is not a risk factor for CD development. While gastrointestinal infections seem to be an important part of the CD pathogenesis, respiratory infections probably are of less relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Lexner
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Clinical Sciences, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Ylva Lindroth
- Division of Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Klas Sjöberg
- Department of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Department of Clinical Sciences, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
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