Pediatric Reports最新文献

{"title":"Artificial Intelligence in Pediatric Cardiology: Present Applications and Future Directions.","authors":"Bianca Ada Magnanini, Irene Raso, Sara Santacesaria, Gaia Dell'Acqua, Savina Mannarino","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030070","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030070","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming cardiovascular medicine, with growing applications in pediatric cardiology. AI techniques, particularly machine learning and deep learning, enable the analysis of complex and heterogeneous data, supporting diagnosis, risk stratification, and clinical decision-making. This paper provides an overview of current AI applications in this field, discusses existing challenges, and explores future perspectives. In pediatric cardiology, AI has shown promising results across multiple domains. In electrocardiography, AI algorithms improve diagnostic accuracy and enable early detection of cardiac conditions, even in asymptomatic patients, while facilitating telecardiology-based care pathways. In cardiac auscultation, AI-assisted digital stethoscopes enhance the distinction between innocent and pathological murmurs, supporting primary care physicians and optimizing referral to pediatric cardiologic centers. Multimodality imaging represents one of the most advanced areas of AI applications. In echocardiography, magnetic resonance and computed tomography, AI improves image acquisition, view classification, and automated quantification, contributing to more standardized and reproducible assessments. Additionally, emerging technologies such as virtual reality, integrated with AI, offer innovative tools for education, surgical planning, and patient-specific modelling. Despite these advances, several limitations remain, including limited availability of large pediatric datasets, challenges in model generalizability and issues related to interpretability and integration into clinical workflows. In conclusion, AI represents a powerful complementary tool in pediatric cardiology, with the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize healthcare resources and support the transition toward precision medicine.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13306153/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148319939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Healthcare Utilization and Economic Burden of Pediatric Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Across Five Tertiary Hospitals in Saudi Arabia.","authors":"Nawaf M Almuqati, Mohammed Y Al-Hindi, Hibah A Moussa, Sama H Alzahrani, Manar A Almuntashri, Mansour A Al-Qurashi, Mawyah O Barayyan, Shaykhah M Bin-Sifran","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030071","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030071","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We aimed to describe the healthcare utilization and economic burden of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) among children aged 1-24 months across five tertiary hospitals in Saudi Arabia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 14,320 children diagnosed with LRTIs between August 2021 and July 2025. Data were extracted from the electronic medical records of the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs. Demographics were analyzed using a patient-level dataset, whereas healthcare utilization and costs were evaluated at the episode level. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and multivariable logistic regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 14,320 children contributed 22,895 LRTI-related episodes during the study period. Nearly half of the cohort (49.4%) were aged 1-6 months, and bronchiolitis was the predominant diagnosis (84.6%), followed by pneumonia (15.1%). Overall, 34.4% of patients required hospitalization, while 7.1% required ICU admission. LRTIs accounted for 21.0% of all pediatric ward admissions across participating hospitals. Total direct healthcare costs reached USD 23.0 million. Although ICU admissions represented only 7.1% of episodes, they accounted for 45.1% of total healthcare expenditures. In multivariable analysis, pneumonia was independently associated with higher odds of ICU admission compared with bronchiolitis (aOR 2.91, 95% CI 2.43-3.48; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Significant seasonal variation in LRTI episodes was observed, with higher episode volumes during winter months (<i>p</i> = 0.004).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Pediatric LRTIs impose substantial clinical and financial burdens, particularly among younger infants, marked by disproportionate ICU-related costs.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13305304/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148319895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modified Tal (M-Tal) Score as a Predictor of Outcomes in Infants with Bronchiolitis: A Prospective Study.","authors":"Ipshita Magh, Rashmi Ranjan Das, Ritwick Mohapatra, Swarupa Panda, Nirmal Kumar Mohakud","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030069","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030069","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Bronchiolitis is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants, and early prediction of disease severity and clinical outcomes remains challenging. The Modified Tal (M-Tal) score is a clinical tool used to assess severity; however, its utility in predicting outcomes requires further validation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This prospective study was conducted over a 2-year period at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Infants aged 1-12 months diagnosed with moderate-to-severe bronchiolitis were enrolled. Demographic, clinical, management, and outcome data were recorded.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 120 infants were included (mean age 7.7 months; 61.7% males). Moderate bronchiolitis accounted for 81.7% of cases. The mean duration of illness at admission was 4.1 days. Severe bronchiolitis was associated with significantly longer duration of oxygen therapy (<i>p</i> = 0.034) and hospital stay (<i>p</i> = 0.028). Each one-point increase in M-Tal score was associated with an increase of 0.69 days in hospital stay (<i>p</i> = 0.012), 9.8 h in oxygen requirement (<i>p</i> < 0.01), and 0.32 days in PICU stay (<i>p</i> = 0.04).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The M-Tal score at admission is a useful predictor of clinical outcomes in infants with moderate-to-severe bronchiolitis. Higher scores are associated with increased need for respiratory support and prolonged hospitalization, supporting its role in early risk stratification and management planning.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214627/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sleep Difficulties, Sleep Duration, and Sleeping Place in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal Study on Stability and Inter-Relations from 1 to 5 Years.","authors":"Tanja Poulain, Juliane Ludwig, Nico Grafe, Andreas Merkenschlager, Wieland Kiess","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030068","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030068","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>This longitudinal study examined the association between sleep duration, sleep difficulties, and sleeping place at one year (t1) and corresponding characteristics at 4/5 years of age (t2).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected from 2018 to 2021 (t1) and from 2021 to 2024 (t2) in the LIFE Child cohort study conducted in Leipzig, Germany. Parents completed the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire at t1 and the Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire at t2. Associations between sleep characteristics at t1 and t2 were estimated using linear and logistic regression models. All associations were adjusted for child sex, age at t2, and maternal education.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analyses showed significant associations between shorter sleep durations, later sleep onset times, more frequent nightly awakenings and bed sharing and room sharing at t1 and more sleep difficulties at t2. A shorter sleep duration at t2 was predicted by shorter sleep and more parent-perceived sleep difficulties at t1. Bed sharing and room sharing at t1 were significantly associated with a lower probability of sleeping alone at t2.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results indicate that sleep duration, sleep difficulties, and sleeping places are already stable in early childhood.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214682/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predictors of Length of Hospital Stay Among Under-Five Children with Clinical Pneumonia at a Rural Tertiary Hospital Setting in South Africa.","authors":"Sanelisiwe Rosemary Mkhize, Olufunmilayo Olukemi Akapo, Siyonela Mlonyeni, Mirabel Kah-Keh Nanjoh","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030067","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030067","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pneumonia of viral and polymicrobial origin predominates the pathological profile of clinical childhood pneumonia, with high admissions rates in recent times. Identifying factors associated with prolonged hospital stay may aid in developing risk reduction strategies for improved admission outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A facility-based historical cross-sectional study was conducted with a random selection of 186 medical records from January 2020 to December 2024 of children aged 0 to 5 with clinical pneumonia at a tertiary Hospital in Mthatha.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over the five-year study period, clinical pneumonia accounted for 10.4% (95% CI: 9.8-11.1%, n = 950/9098) of the total under-five admissions. The median age was 108.5 (interquartile range (IQR) = 48.0-345.5) days, mainly comprising males (51.1%) and infants (65.2%), with viral (91.6%) and mild (88.0%) forms of pneumonia. The median length of hospital stay was 5 (IQR = 3.3-8) days, and 91 (49.5%) of the children had a prolonged hospital stay. In modified Poisson regression, infants [(relative risk (RR) = 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6-4.3), <i>p</i> < 0.001]; neonates (RR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2-4.6, <i>p</i> = 0.013); bacterial pneumonia (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.6, <i>p</i> = 0.007); being hypoxic (RR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3-3.6, <i>p</i> = 0.003); absence of other respiratory tract infections (RR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.1, <i>p</i> = 0.003), incomplete vaccination (RR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.2, <i>p</i> = 0.038), non-usage of herbal medications (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.2, <i>p</i> < 0.001), difficult breathing (RR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.6, <i>p</i> = 0.028), current breastfeeding (RR = 0.6, 95% CI: 0.4-1.0, <i>p</i> = 0.048), other morbidities (RR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5-0.9, <i>p</i> = 0.002) were associated with prolonged length of hospital stay.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Stratification of under-five children at admission according to age, type of pneumonia, vaccination status, and presence of other morbidities are needed to enhance monitoring and timely medical interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214862/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acquired Platelet Dysfunction with Eosinophilia: A Narrative Review.","authors":"Anselm Chi-Wai Lee","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030066","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030066","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>. Acquired platelet dysfunction with eosinophilia (APDE) is a transient bleeding disorder initially thought to occur exclusively in Southeast Asia. There are no uniformly agreed diagnostic criteria, and its full clinical features have not been defined. <b>Methods</b>. A literature search was conducted through MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar for publications on APDE in order to explore patient demography, epidemiology, diagnostic criteria, and laboratory findings of the disease. <b>Results</b>. Ten retrospective, observational studies, five case series, and 21 case reports were identified with a total of 431 patients. Diagnostic criteria varied, with a two-tier approach for the diagnosis of impaired platelet function. In recent years, cases of APDE have been reported extensively outside of the Malay peninsula. Male patients (243/390, 62.3%) predominated. Their ages ranged from 11 months to 30 years, with only 40 (9.3%) subjects aged 18 years or older. Eosinophilia was absent in 10 to 33% of subjects in a few observational studies. Thrombocytopenia was present in 42 (9.7%) subjects. Parasitic infestation was less common in the new millennium. Spontaneous recovery within six months was the trend, and serious complications were extremely rare. <b>Conclusions</b>. APDE is no longer restricted to Southeast Asia. A uniform set of diagnostic criteria is needed. Clinician awareness followed by reliable but easily available laboratory tests is essential to confirm diagnosis. It is proposed that rapid diagnosis can be accomplished by screening the blood smear for grey platelets by a trained examiner followed by confirmatory platelet aggregometry. National or international collaboration and prospective studies are required to delineate the core and variable clinical and laboratory features of APDE.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214754/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036306","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Severe Macular Commotio Retinae Following a Fall from a Horse in a Pediatric Patient.","authors":"Bogumiła Wójcik-Niklewska, Zofia Oliwa, Karina Dzięcioł, Adrian Smędowski","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030065","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background and Clinical Significance: Blunt ocular trauma is a significant but often underestimated cause of visual impairment, particularly among adolescents involved in high-risk activities such as horseback riding. While most equestrian injuries affect the head and extremities, ocular trauma, especially commotio retinae, can result in severe visual complications. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 15-year-old girl who sustained blunt ocular trauma to the left eye following a fall from a horse and presented with decreased visual acuity. Multimodal imaging revealed outer retinal abnormalities on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), including ellipsoid zone irregularities. Early-phase fluorescein angiography showed central hypofluorescence in the foveal region with surrounding mild mottled hyperfluorescence, without clear vascular abnormalities. Fundus photography demonstrated subtle macular changes. Visual acuity improved significantly following treatment, with partial resolution of macular changes, although mild outer retinal irregularities persisted on follow-up imaging. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of early ophthalmic evaluation and advanced retinal imaging in blunt ocular trauma. Given the high risk of visual injury during equestrian activities, especially in pediatric and adolescent populations, preventive strategies such as mandatory helmet use and rider education are essential. Implementation of standardized follow-up protocols is also recommended to monitor long-term retinal changes in patients with traumatic maculopathy.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mind the Gap: Exploring Parental Intentions, Actual Engagement, and Associated Outcomes in Tailored Digital Parent Training.","authors":"Or Brandes, Chen R Saar, Orly Sapir-Budnero, Amit Baumel","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030064","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030064","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives:</b> Digital parent training (DPT) programs offer scalable solutions for childhood disruptive behaviors but face significant engagement challenges. Although content tailoring may enhance outcomes, its clinical impact remains under-examined. This study aimed to (a) describe the correspondence between program recommendations, parental choices and engagement, and (b) examine how initial decisions are associated with subsequent engagement and therapeutic outcomes. <b>Methods:</b> A secondary analysis of three randomized trials included 151 parents of children (ages 3-7) with disruptive behaviors. Participants were classified as 'Recommendation-Adherent' (<i>n</i> = 63) or 'Beyond-Recommendation' (<i>n</i> = 88) based on whether initial content selections matched or exceeded program recommendations. Clinical outcomes (child behavior, parenting styles) and objective usage metrics were assessed at baseline and post intervention. <b>Results:</b> Many parents chose to expand the intervention scope beyond clinical recommendations (e.g., 91.5% selected the non-recommended Emotion Regulation module). However, this proactive initial intention did not increase objective engagement; groups did not differ significantly in total usage time, login days, or module completion rates. Although both groups showed comparable improvements in child behavior, intending to adhere to the recommended pathway was associated with significantly greater reductions in permissive parenting (laxness; <i>p</i> = 0.029) after adjusting for baseline differences. <b>Conclusions:</b> The findings highlight a discrepancy between parents' intent to expand intervention scope and their actual engagement capacity. While the decision to adhere to a tailored pathway was associated with specific improvements in permissive parenting, the observational nature of the study precludes causal claims. Nevertheless, the results suggest that guided tailoring may serve as a protective function against choice overload. Aligning program demands with the practical realities of parental effort could help families focus finite energy on essential clinical targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214641/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Children with Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis: Associations with Etiology, Lung Function, and CT Extent.","authors":"Taner Adiguzel, Bulent Karadag","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030062","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background/objectives: </strong>Childhood non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis is clinically heterogeneous. We aimed to describe fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels in affected children and examine associations with etiology, spirometry, and CT-defined disease extent.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-center prospective observational study included 100 clinically stable children aged 6-18 years with CT-confirmed non-CF bronchiectasis evaluated between September 2014 and December 2015. FeNO was measured before spirometry using an online single-breath electrochemical technique. Chest CT was reviewed at the lobar level, with the lingula counted separately, and disease extent was summarized by the number of involved lobar regions. Associations were assessed using Spearman correlation and non-parametric tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean age was 14.9 ± 2.0 years, 55% were male, and mean FeNO was 20.9 ± 14.0 ppb. FeNO correlated positively with FEV1 (% predicted), FVC (% predicted), and FEF25-75 (% predicted) (all <i>p</i> < 0.01). FeNO was higher in males and adolescents than in females and younger children, respectively. FeNO did not differ by CT-defined lobar extent. It was lower in primary ciliary dyskinesia than in asthma overlap. Overall, 82% of the cohort received an ICS-containing maintenance regimen and household tobacco smoke exposure was present in 58%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>FeNO was associated with selected functional indices and etiologic subgroups, but not with CT-defined structural extent, suggesting a greater role in clinical phenotyping than in reflecting radiologic burden. Rather than reflecting overall disease severity, FeNO may be more relevant as a marker of T2-leaning airway inflammatory phenotype in selected children with non-CF bronchiectasis. These findings should be interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating, particularly for etiologic subgroup comparisons and for FeNO interpretation in the setting of treatment and environmental confounding.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214936/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Point-of-Care Ultrasound Detects Rapid Muscle Loss in Pediatric ECMO Patients-A Secondary Analysis Paper.","authors":"Mohammad Sabobeh, Elizabeth Seewer, William Hunt Stafford, Nicolas Chiriboga, Thomas Spentzas, Shyam Popat, Alyssa Clark, David B Kantor, Hitesh S Sandhu, Saad Ghafoor","doi":"10.3390/pediatric18030063","DOIUrl":"10.3390/pediatric18030063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Critically ill children requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support are at high risk of immobility, deconditioning, and muscle loss. There is a lack of screening and diagnostic tools to quantify muscle loss in this population.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to evaluate the use of bedside ultrasound as a practical and effective method for detecting muscle loss in this high-risk group.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>This is a secondary analysis of a prospective observational clinical study conducted between January 2024 and January 2025 that used ultrasound to describe muscle loss in critically ill children aged 2 to 18 years.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The primary study enrolled 35 patients, five of whom required ECMO support. All patients who required ECMO showed significant muscle loss (>10%) in the quadriceps femoris, as measured by muscle thickness and cross-sectional area, compared with baseline measurements obtained before ECMO cannulation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Point-of-care muscle ultrasound could be a reliable, cost-effective tool for assessing muscle loss in pediatric patients on ECMO.</p>","PeriodicalId":45251,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Reports","volume":"18 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13214624/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}