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Objective: Sacroiliitis (SI), an inflammatory arthropathy, may accompany pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), present with non- specific back pain, hence might be unnoticed. The aims of this study were to assess the frequency of the SI in children with IBD and determine the characteristics of the association of SI with the clinical hallmarks of the IBD., Methods: In this prospective, cross sectional study, twenty-seven children with IBD, 7-18 years of age were evaluated. Patients with low back pain or stiffness, alternating buttock pain, or hip pain were examined for the presence of SI. The radiologic manifestations on X-ray suggesting sacroilitis were confirmed with Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Results: Twenty-seven children (16 girls, female/male=1.45), with mean age of 12.55±3.6 years, of which 52% had ulcerative colitis (UC), 41% had Crohn's disease (CD), and two had indeterminate colitis (IC). The median time from IBD diagnosis was 6.0 (18.0) months for patients with SI and 12.0 (13.5) months for patients without SI. Low back pain or stiffness was observed in 13 patients (48%). SI was present in eight (30%) of the children with IBD. The patients with CD were more prone to SI (45% of CD vs. 21% of UC patients). All patients with SI were negative for HLA-B27 genotyping. The disease activity and gender were not associated with increased risk for SI. MRI was remarkable for bone marrow edema in all of the patient, followed by erosions in six of them (75%), synovial enhancement observed in five (63%), and erosion associated enthesitis of the pelvic region was observed in two (25%) of the patients., Conclusion: SI may remain obscured in children with IBD. Children with CD are more prone to SI than those with UC. Pediatric rheumatology-pediatric gastroenterology collaboration might augment screening in at-risk patients., (Copyright © by by Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Health - Available online at www.northclinist.com.)

Objective: Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori ) is a gram-negative bacterium and one of the reasons for gastritis, peptic and duodenal ulcers. It is a crucial public health problem for both children and adults, especially in developing countries. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori positivity in children and to compare with updated Sydney classification criteria., Methods: This study was conducted from January 2015 to June 2017. This study included 885 children aged 0-17 year(s). Endoscopic biopsies were evaluated for the diagnosis of infection due to H. pylori ., Results: The findings showed that 418 (47.2%) of 885 children were positive for H. pylori , and this positivity had a significantly increasing correlation with the presence of chronic inflammation, neutrophilic activity, lymphoid aggregates, and follicles. Erythematous pangastritis and antral nodularity on endoscopic findings had a correlation with H. pylori positivity., Conclusion: In this hospital-based study, the findings suggest that H. pylori infection is a problem for children and more extensive studies are needed to determine the prevalence of H. pylori positivity among children., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (Copyright: © 2020 by Istanbul Northern Anatolian Association of Public Hospitals.)

Background: Studies evaluating the role of indoor molds in the development of allergic or respiratory symptoms in schools are few in childhood., Objective: This study aimed to investigate relation between indoor molds and allergic diseases or respiratory symptoms in primary school's children in Edirne, Turkey., Methods: Ten public primary schools were included into the study. A thorough assessment, using a questionnaire and inspection surveys was carried out. The concentration of culturable mold was assessed in the dust samples in the schools. Indoor temperature and humidity were measured. A total of 1374 students who completed valid questionnaires were included in the study, and dust-samples were collected from the schools., Results: Cumulative and current prevalence rates of wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were found as 31.4%, 9.3%, 16.2%, 6.0% and 13.4%, 11.9%, 15.1%, 2.1%, respectively. The most frequent mold-species detected in indoor dusts were Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus. Although the prevalence rates of allergic diseases and respiratory symptoms were high, indoor mold amounts were low in the schools in our region and no significant correlation was determined between indoor mold amount and the prevalence of these diseases in schools or classrooms., Conclusion: Even though allergic molds are present in schools, the mold-exposure may not be an important predisposing factor for development of allergic and respiratory diseases the schools in our region.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of short-course antimicrobial therapies [single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg, not exceeding 1 g), 5 days of azithromycin (10 mg/kg on day 1, then 5 mg/kg daily on days 2-5) and the traditional 10-day course of amoxicillin/clavulanate (90/6.4 mg/kg/day in 2 doses)] in children with acute otitis media (AOM). The study was conducted as a prospective, comparative, open randomized trial between February 2001 and April 2003, and 104 children were enrolled, with a mean age of 3.8 (2.3) years. The clinical and otoscopic assessments of the children were made on days 0, 3, 11 and 30 after admission, and tympanometry was performed on day 30. The patients were diagnosed and followed with a scoring system. Clinical success was achieved in 29/34 patients (85.3%) in the ceftriaxone group, 27/31 patients (87.1%) in the azithromycin group and 34/39 children (87.2%) in the amoxicillin/clavulanate group. The rate of persistence of middle-ear fluid did not differ between the three groups (p>0.05). During the one-month period, no recurrent case was observed. The most common drug-related adverse effects were associated with the gastrointestinal system. In conclusion, for the treatment of children with AOM, the clinical success of single-dose intramuscular ceftriaxone and of five-day azithromycin treatments was comparable to that of the traditional 10-day therapy with high-dose amoxicillin/clavulanate.

Asthma and allergic rhinitis are common problems in children and the causative pollen allergens vary according to the geographical area. The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of sensitization to common inhalant allergens, especially pollens, in Turkish children living in the Trakya region and to determine differences between rural and urban areas. Allergen skin testing was prospectively performed on 539 children aged between 4 and 17 years with respiratory allergy. The reaction was considered to be positive if the mean wheal diameter was at least 3 mm greater than that of the negative controls. We detected positive skin reactions in 420 (77.9%) children. Two hundred and eighty-one (52.1%) mite, 277 (51.4%) pollen, 174 (32.3%) mold, 65 (12.1%) animal dander, 12 (2.2%) cockroach and 6 (1.1%) latex skin sensitivities were detected. Among the pollen allergies 173 were cereal pollen (32.1%), 170 grass pollen (31.5%) and 144 tree pollen allergies (26.7%). The most common positive skin test among the pollens was to cultivated wheat (Titicum vulgare) (n = 116, 21,5%), followed by rye grass (Lolium perenne) and orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata). Positive skin reactions to Alternaria, to Candida albicans, and to all pollens except Ulmus competris, Pinus sylvetris, Platanus vulgaris and Tilia platyphyllos, were higher in children with allergic rhinitis than in those with asthma. In children from rural areas, allergic skin reactivity was found to be more common against Candida albicans, sheep dander and all pollens except Corylus avellana, Fraxinus excelsior, Populus alba, Pinus sylvetris, Platanus vulgaris and Chenopodium album, than in urban children. Although Trakya is close to Greece and other Mediterranean countries, this study suggests that the pollens, which sensitize children, are not similar.

Objectives: This study was designed to determine normal values of pedobarography during standing and walking in adolescents in our country and to investigate correlations between demographic data and pedobarographic values., Methods: Fifty volunteers (25 girls, 25 boys; mean age 14 years; range 13 to 15 years) who were found to have healthy feet according to the AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) clinical rating system for the ankle and foot were enrolled into the study. Plantar pressures were measured during standing and walking tasks with the use of the Mini-Emed pedobarographic device., Results: Static measurements showed significantly higher pedobarographic values for right medial forefoot and toes in girls, and for left midfoot in boys (p<0.05). Overall, no significant differences existed between static pressure values for the right and left feet. The mean right medial foot pressure was higher than that of the contralateral foot in girls. There were no significant differences between the right and left feet in boys. Dynamic measurements showed a significantly larger contact area of the right foot in boys, and a significantly higher maximum plantar pressure of the left medial forefoot in girls (p<0.05). The strength of the correlation of body weight and body mass index was high with maximum plantar pressures (r=0.87 and r=0.83), and moderate with contact area of the foot (r=0.63 and r=0.59) in static measurements. Body weight (r=0.64) and body mass index (r=0.54) were moderately correlated with contact area of the foot in dynamic measurements., Conclusion: Appreciation of normal plantar pressure values in adolescents is important in monitoring the development stages of foot, in the assessment of foot disorders, and in making proper footwear modifications in compliance with age.