Authors’ conclusions: the risk of tendon rupture associated with fluoroquinolone treatment was small. The association with tendinitis was also very low. Other more common potential adverse drug effects may be more important to consider for treatment decision-making, particularly in adolescents without other risk factors for tendon injury.
Reviewers’ commentary: in this observational retrospective cohort study, it is evidenced that the use of fluoroquinolones in adolescents does not present more associated tendon tears or injuries. In combination with other drugs, their use should be considered.
González Rodríguez MP, Flores Villar S. Evid Pediatr. 2021;17:40
Authors’ conclusions: COVID-19 infection during pregnancy was associated with substantial increases in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide when infected pregnant women were compared with their not-infected counterparts, especially if they were symptomatic or had comorbidities.
Reviewers’ commentary: the study reports increased adverse events and neonatal complications in pregnant women with COVID-19, providing evidence that underlines the need to minimize, with all possible measures, the risk of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women through vaccination, the use of masks, hand washing and social distancing.
Authors’ conclusions: newborns with birth weights of 1.0 to 1.799 kg receiving immediate kangaroo mother care, had lower mortality at 28 days of life than those with later kangaroo care. Differences in mortality at 72 h of life were not significant.
Reviewers’ commentary: in this study, carried out in tertiary-level hospitals in lower-middle-income countries, the kangaroo mother method applied from birth reduced mortality at 28 days in infants with a birth weight between 1,0 and 1,799 kg. Being an affordable and inexpensive technique, these results support the use of kangaroo mother care from birth without waiting for stabilization as an alternative to conventional neonatal care, especially in low-resource settings.
Aizpurua Galdeano P, Fernández Rodríguez MM. Evid Pediatr. 2021;17:42
Authors’ conclusions: although both treatment modalities studied are effective, cognitive-behavioral treatment is somewhat more effective in the long term than usual medical care for the treatment of pediatric functional abdominal pain.
Reviewers’ commentary: there is evidence that the treatment of functional abdominal pain should be based on non-pharmacological treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, rather than on the use of drugs. It would be desirable to identify which factors will make a child do better with cognitive-behavioral therapies compared to those others in which no results are obtained, to offer each one an individualized option.
Pérez-Moneo Agapito B, Molina Arias M. Evid Pediatr. 2021;17:43
Authors’ conclusions: the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assays in saliva were lower compared with nasopharyngeal swabs in children. Lower viral loads documented from saliva in younger children and those with longer duration of symptoms, probably limited the diagnostic performance of saliva in children <6 years of age and those with duration of symptoms ≥4 days.
Reviewers’ commentary: in general, saliva is a worse sample than nasopharyngeal exudate for the diagnosis of COVID-19 by RT-PCR in symptomatic patients. Sensitivities trend to be equal in the most infectious patients, those with high viral loads. In children under 6 years of age, the sensitivity of the saliva test is unacceptably low.
Rodríguez-Salinas Pérez E, Aparicio Rodrigo M. Evid Pediatr. 2021;17:44
Authors’ conclusions: the BCG vaccine administered in the first 24 hours of life reduces the incidence of all cause infections, especially in males less than 2500 grams. Its prioritization in high neonatal morbimortality settings might have significant public-health benefits.
Reviewers’ commentary: BCG vaccine at birth compared to its application in the sixth week of life reduces the rate of infections not related to tuberculosis. This is especially relevant in countries with low health resources.
Ortega Páez E, Esparza Olcina MJ. Evid Pediatr. 2021;17:45
Editorial
