International Journal of Pediatrics最新文献

{"title":"Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Newborn Growth Parameters.","authors":"Rayen Aoun, Souheil Hallit, Georges Nicolas","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/1763085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/1763085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>We are aimed at assessing the influence of different bariatric procedures on fetal growth and risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective study was conducted at one hospital in Lebanon. A group of pregnant women with a history of bariatric procedures (<i>n</i> = 36) was compared with a control group of women without prior bariatric surgery (<i>n</i> = 98). Then, the study group was further stratified according to the type of procedure into purely restrictive and mixed bariatric techniques.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Pregnancies following bariatric surgery were associated with significantly lower mean birthweight, shorter birth length, and smaller head circumference, along with a decreased likelihood of large-for-gestational-age infants. In contrast, the risk of SGA infants was higher.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest a potential association between pregnancy following bariatric surgery and an increased risk of SGA infants. These results underscore the importance of providing appropriate preoperative counseling to women of reproductive age considering such procedures. For those with a history of bariatric surgery, optimizing nutritional status prior to conception and ensuring close monitoring of maternal nutrition and fetal growth throughout pregnancy are crucial. Preventive strategies aimed at reducing the risk of SGA outcomes in this population should be emphasized.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"1763085"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13131062/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147823529","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":"Newborn Vitals in the First 10 min Do Not Differ With Mode of Delivery.","authors":"Archana S Nimbalkar, Minal Patel, Krishna Mori, Shraddha Patel, Reshma Pujara, Dipen V Patel, Mayur K Shinde, Somashekhar M Nimbalkar","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/7764047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/7764047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We compared the physiological transition of neonates > 35 weeks old that are born vaginally versus those born by elective LSCS using SpO2, heart rate, and temperature in the first 10 min of life. We recorded the SpO2 of babies at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 s until 5 min (15-s intervals) and every 30 s after that until 10 min. Heart rate was recorded using a stethoscope at 30-s intervals by counting for 6 s and multiplying by 10. The Temperature was recorded every 1-10 min via a digital thermometer. The study included 221 neonates, with 111 being born vaginally. Baseline characteristics such as gestational age, sex, and weight were comparable. The mean duration of skin-to-skin contact was higher in the vaginal deliveries as compared with LSCS (32.1 [8.6] vs. 4.6 [4], <i>p</i> < 0.001). The mean SpO2 in both groups at different time intervals was not statistically significant up to 6 min. It was higher in normal vaginal deliveries until 9 min (statistically significant). After 9 min, it was similar in both groups. Heart rate and temperature were similar in both groups. Physiological parameters in the newborn do not differ much despite the difference in delivery methods.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7764047"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13069433/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678491","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":"Markers for the Severity of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Multivariate Analysis.","authors":"Georgi Vasilev, Nadzhie Gorelyova, Russka Shumnalieva, Latchezar Tomov, Dayana Gandi Abousaid, Iren Tzotcheva, Snezhina Lazova, Tsvetelina Velikova","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/5409585","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/5409585","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Our goals were to find and grade children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) by clinical severity and the degree of different system involvement based on multivariate clinical laboratory data and identify the best predictors and scores for disease prognosis and risk stratification.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We enrolled 51 patients with confirmed MIS-C from a single center, and 34 general laboratory parameters and markers were included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Using the <i>K</i>-means clustering method on kernel principal component analysis (K-PCA) projections, we identified that our MIS-C patients could be separated into three clusters. Children belonging to Cluster 3 have the highest levels of ferritin, LDH, ASAT, ALAT, GGT, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, azotemia, urea, and creatinine, followed by Cluster 2. In contrast, Cluster 1 showed the lowest levels, <i>p</i> < 0.05. Children belonging to Clusters 3 and 2 also needed inotropic support significantly more frequently than Cluster 1 (30% and 10% vs 0%, Fisher exact test <i>p</i> = 0.04). Furthermore, respiratory distress was found only in patients of Clusters 2 and 3 (<i>p</i> = 0.002). Regarding liver involvement, Clusters 2 and 3 more frequently had cholestasis (61% and 75% vs. 28%, <i>p</i> = 0.012), whereas Cluster 3 was more prominently characterized by an enlarged liver (44% vs. 0% and 5%, <i>p</i> = 0.004). Therefore, our clusters represent different grades, and liver and kidney involvement stages are graded by severity. From ROC curve analysis and several logistic regressions, we identified that age equal to or higher than 9 years old and ferritin levels higher than 470 ng/mL could help distinguish children with more severe kidney and liver involvement with a high probability (ROC AUC = 77<i>%</i>, <i>p</i> = 0.03 and ROC AUC = 75<i>%</i>, <i>p</i> = 0.04) approximately equal to the discriminatory potential of creatinine, urea, GGT and total bilirubin. Moreover, levels of LDH with a cutoff of 363 U/l could identify the children within Cluster 3 (ROC AUC = 80<i>%</i>, <i>p</i> = 0.004).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LDH and ferritin, as well as age into consideration, could help the clinical assessment of the underlying severity.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"5409585"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13067057/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678460","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":"Effect of Isolation On Mental Health Profiles of Caregivers of Children with Medical Complexity: A Mixed Methods Embedded Case Study.","authors":"Nora Fayed, Apsara Ali Nathwani, Rachel Martens, Eyal Cohen","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/1003571","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/1003571","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The aim was to obtain mental health profiles of caregivers of children with medical complexity (Co-CMC) during periods of adjustment and adaptation through embedded case study during shared isolation in 2020.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A sequential mixed-methods embedded case study of mental health adjustment from an online community-dwelling sample of Co-CMC, Canada. The <i>quantitative</i> 'unit of analysis' was collected prospectively to classify study participants as having 'well' or 'below-average' mental health, based on norm-referenced self-reported mental health trajectories using the PROMIS General Mental Health Scale. The <i>qualitative</i> 'unit of analysis' was conducted with a purposively selected subgroup of Co-CMC caregivers, from each trajectory group, to provide an inductive framework of mental health adjustment. Distinguishing features between caregivers who demonstrated well, from below-average mental health, were obtained through triangulating both units of analysis into 'profiles'.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over 70% of Co-CMC (n = 35) reported below-average (i.e., unwell) mental health, while caregivers with average or above average mental health (i.e., well) (n = 12) showed group declines after 6 months. Home care choices, positive orientations, familial support-adaptations, and adapted employment qualitatively distinguished members of the 'well' group from the 'unwell', while financial concerns were unique descriptions to Co-CMC in the 'unwell' group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study was the first in-depth profile of mental health of Co-CMC, based on prospective longitudinal data and qualitative descriptions to enhance understanding of the trajectories. The distinguishing factors can be used to screen and potentially prevent caregiver mental health problems, as well as identify interventions to promote thriving families.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"1003571"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12973327/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147437284","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":"Neurodevelopmental Trajectories at 3 Years: Insights From the NASCITA Italian Birth Cohort.","authors":"Giulia Segre, Elisa Roberti, Rita Campi, Antonio Clavenna, Maurizio Bonati","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/9936886","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/9936886","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Early childhood development is critically influenced by exposure to stressful life events. Identifying children with warning signs (WS) for developmental disorders early is essential for timely intervention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Family pediatricians evaluated the neurodevelopment of 148 children from the NASCITA cohort using the CDC's Learn the Signs, Act Early Milestones checklist, whereas parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Univariate and multivariate analyses evaluated associations between WS and maternal characteristics, data concerning pregnancy, delivery and the newborns' health, sleep disturbances and life habits.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 14% of children showed WS for developmental disorders at 36 months, a lower percentage than at 24 months (15.8%): for two out of three children, WS disappeared between 24 and 36 months. Persistent WS were noted in 5% of children. Key risk factors identified include older maternal age at delivery (OR 8.93, 95% CI: 1.87-42.62) and maternal unemployment (OR 4.75, 95%CI: 1.40-16.09). Reading aloud emerged as a protective practice, emphasizing its potential in early interventions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These results highlight the need for continuous monitoring of WS and the importance of positive parental practices in mitigating developmental risks. Early identification by primary care practitioners is crucial in addressing developmental concerns early and improving long-term outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9936886"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12969220/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147437373","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":"Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Preterm Infants: An Inflammatory Condition at the Crossroads of Intestinal Immaturity, Dysbiosis, and Nutrition.","authors":"Adonis Muganza Nyenga, Olivier Mukuku, Janet Sunguza Ziazia, Stanislas Okitotsho Wembonyama","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/9191604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/ijpe/9191604","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains one of the most devastating gastrointestinal emergencies in neonatology, primarily affecting preterm and low-birthweight infants. Despite advances in neonatal intensive care that have markedly improved survival among these high-risk populations, NEC continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is a complex, multifactorial disease that develops at the crossroads of intestinal immaturity, gut microbiota dysbiosis, impaired mucosal immunity, and suboptimal nutritional practices-particularly the use of formula feeding versus breast milk. In high-income countries, the increasing survival of extremely preterm infants has contributed to a higher incidence of NEC. Moreover, low- and middle-income countries, including those in sub-Saharan Africa, must anticipate a similar rise in NEC cases as neonatal care systems evolve and survival rates improve. Proactive strategies are therefore essential to mitigate the burden of this disease. This narrative literature review synthesizes current evidence on NEC pathogenesis, diagnostic approaches, key risk factors, and evidence-based preventive interventions. Emphasis is placed on the role of enteral feeding practices, microbial colonization, and early identification of at-risk neonates. Furthermore, the review explores strategic clinical practices such as the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, the cautious use of antibiotics, and the potential role of probiotics. Ultimately, reducing NEC incidence and improving outcomes is crucial for lowering neonatal mortality rates globally, particularly in vulnerable preterm populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9191604"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12907265/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146214218","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":"Differences in Clinical Manifestations of Human Parechovirus-Related Meningitis in Neonates After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Exploratory Study.","authors":"Seong Wan Kim, Hyun Joo Jung, Yoong-A Suh, Jang Hoon Lee, Moon Sung Park, Seoheui Choi","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/9170564","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/9170564","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Human parechovirus (HPeV) is one of the major causes of viral meningitis in neonates. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, a resurgence of HPeV infections was reported worldwide. This exploratory case series is aimed at describing the symptoms of neonatal HPeV meningitis occurring after the lifting of large-scale quarantine measures.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively reviewed eight neonates admitted between June 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, with fever and HPeV detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using the FilmArray Meningitis/Encephalitis Panel. Demographic variables, clinical presentation, laboratory data, respiratory support requirements, and treatment courses were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fever was the primary presenting symptom. Despite the absence of leukocytosis or pleocytosis, fever duration was prolonged (mean 4.3 days). Four patients (50%) exhibited respiratory symptoms requiring high-flow nasal cannula support. Hyponatremia occurred in two neonates without neurological manifestations-an observation not commonly described in previous cohorts. No patients required invasive ventilation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This small, single-center series suggests possible variations in neonatal HPeV presentation after the COVID-19 pandemic; however, findings are preliminary and hypothesis-generating. Larger multicenter studies with subtype analysis and long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up are essential.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"9170564"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12897580/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146203797","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":"Determinants of Body Mass Index Among Vocational College Adolescents.","authors":"Galia M Nasybullina, Svetlana S Delets, Ekaterina D Konstantinova, Tatiana A Maslakova, Anatoly N Varaksin, Svetlana Yu Ogorodnikova","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/2440122","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/2440122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of deviations from normal body weight among students of secondary vocational educational institutions and their association with dietary and nondietary factors. The transition from adolescence to adulthood is a unique period during which lifelong eating habits are formed. The study involved 401 boys and 408 girls aged 15-17 years. Height and weight were measured; a questionnaire on diet, meal frequency, and portion size was completed to assess the set of consumed products, nutritional value of the diet, physical activity level, and smoking status. Descriptive statistics, Student's <i>t</i>-test, Mann-Whitney test, and multiple linear regression were used. The prevalence of underweight was 16% among boys and 15% among girls; the prevalence of overweight was 11.2% and 13.7%, and the prevalence of obesity was 4.2% and 5.1%, respectively. Overweight/obese young adults had higher median consumption of brown bread, dairy products, and eggs compared with normal weight young adults. Overweight girls ate more meat and potatoes. Our results add to the literature linking the prevalence of underweight among adolescents to dietary and nondietary factors. Our results suggest that improving nutrition among students may reduce the risk of chronic diseases in the future.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"2440122"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12824874/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146054803","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":"Neurogenic Appendicopathy in Pediatric Appendectomies During the COVID-19 Era: A Retrospective Analysis of Histologically Negative Cases.","authors":"Yavuz Yilmaz, Elif Emel Erten, Merve Meryem Kiran, Duriye Ozer Turkay","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/7391055","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/7391055","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In approximately 15% of cases undergoing surgery for acute appendicitis (AA), normal findings are observed in the histological examination of the appendix. Neurogenic appendicopathy (NA) is clinically indistinguishable from AA and is relatively less known. This retrospective study is designed to investigate the frequency of NA in patients operated on during the COVID-19 pandemic who were PCR-negative for COVID-19 and showed no histological evidence of appendicitis.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Pediatric patients presenting with classic symptoms of AA (right lower quadrant pain, tenderness, and nausea/vomiting) and supporting laboratory/ultrasonographic findings underwent appendectomy based on standard clinical criteria.COVID-19 seronegative patients, who were operated on with a preliminary diagnosis of AA before and during the pandemic, were divided into two groups, each consisting of 20 randomly selected patients with similar age and equal gender distribution. The groups were defined as follows: Group 1: Patients who underwent surgery for AA before the pandemic and showed no histological evidence of appendicitis. Group 2: Patients who underwent surgery for AA during the pandemic, had no history of COVID-19, were PCR-negative, and showed no histological evidence of appendicitis.The examination and laboratory findings of both groups were recorded. All appendix sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and S-100. The slides were independently analyzed and scored by two different pathologists (Observers 1 and 2) who were blinded to the patients' clinical histories.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ages, genders, fevers, vomiting, diarrhea, dysuria findings, white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein levels, appendiceal diameters, and lengths of hospital stay of the 40 cases included in the study were recorded and compared. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of fever, diarrhea, dysuria, and elevated white blood cell counts. In histological examination, both Observers 1 and 2's scores for Group 2 showed statistically significant differences in terms of NA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>NA is characterized by a concentration of nerve cells in the appendix. It is clinically indistinguishable from AA but can be identified through histopathological examination. During the pandemic, in cases with symptoms of AA but no histological evidence, S-100 staining of the samples revealed a concentration of nerve fibers in the region. These findings suggest that even PCR-negative cases may still be affected by the virus during the pandemic or that the virus may have a localized interaction with the gastrointestinal system.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"7391055"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12820790/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146031568","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":"Pulmonary Peak Flow Assessment: An Easy Tool for Cardiac Output Estimation in Hemodynamically Stable Neonates.","authors":"Angela Alfarano, Roberto Marzollo, Serena Amighetti, Cesare Tomasi, Maria Ilaria Bosio, Salvatore Aversa, Elena Borelli, Mario Motta, Francesco Maria Risso","doi":"10.1155/ijpe/8395241","DOIUrl":"10.1155/ijpe/8395241","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Right ventricular output (RVO) assessment can estimate systemic blood flow (SBF) in neonates but requires advanced echocardiography expertise. Pulmonary peak flow (PPF) could be an easier surrogate for RVO. This study is aimed at evaluating the correlation between RVO and PPF in neonates and assessing their intraobserver variability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this single-center, longitudinal, observational study, we included term and preterm neonates admitted to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit between February and July 2022. A neonatologist with experience in functional echocardiography recorded targeted neonatal scans. Recordings were analyzed off-line for echocardiographic measurements. After 12 months, a second analysis of the recordings was performed by the same examiner to avoid recall bias. We compared the two analyses for intraobserver variability assessment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We analyzed a cohort of 33 term and preterm infants. We found a strong positive correlation between RVO and PPF (<i>p</i> < 0.001). RVO showed a mean intra-observer difference of 34.2 mL/kg/min; PPF showed a mean intraobserver difference of 2.2 cm/s.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings support the use of PPF as a surrogate for RVO for cardiac output estimation in term and preterm neonates. Because of its simplicity, rapidity, and low intraobserver variability, PPF could be a useful tool for SBF assessment. Future studies should be performed to evaluate the correlation between PPF and other echocardiographic markers of low SBF.</p>","PeriodicalId":51591,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Pediatrics","volume":"2026 ","pages":"8395241"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12781998/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145953824","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}