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Objective: Several studies have reported outbreaks of Kawasaki disease among children amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Vitamin D possesses high utility in modulating the immune system to repair and prevent severe inflammation in COVID-19. This study aims to explore the association between Kawasaki disease and vitamin D levels in pediatric patients and describe the potential role of vitamin D in promoting recovery and preventing complications associated with Kawasaki disease in pediatric patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: The association between Kawasaki disease and vitamin D was explored adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, utilizing databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. The association between COVID-19 and Kawasaki disease was also assessed by reviewing relevant literature. Results: Most studies indicated that patients with Kawasaki disease had lower vitamin D levels. Vitamin D supplementation was also found to be deficient in the pediatric population with Kawasaki disease. Inflammation of the endothelium, cytokine storms, and endothelial dysfunction in patients suffering from COVID-19 may contribute to the development of Kawasaki disease. Vitamin D is believed to have protective potential for Kawasaki disease outcomes by modulating the inflammatory response. Conclusion: Administering vitamin D to pediatric patients with viral infections like COVID-19 is expected to accelerate clinical improvement and prevent complications from Kawasaki disease.

Objective: The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in pediatric patients are increasing. Currently, the diagnostic method for IBD is inconvenient, expensive, and difficult. S100A12, a type of calcium-binding protein, detected in the feces of patients with IBD has recently been suggested as a promising diagnostic tool. Hence, the authors aimed to evaluate the accuracy of fecal S100A12 in diagnosing IBD in pediatric patients by performing a meta-analysis. Methods: The authors performed a systematic literature search in five electronic databases for eligible studies up to July 15, 2021. Pooled diagnostic accuracies of fecal S100A12 were analyzed as the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were standardized mean difference (SMD) of fecal S100A12 levels between IBD and non-IBD groups and a comparison of diagnostic accuracies between fecal S100A12 and fecal calprotectin. Results: Seven studies comprising 712 children and adolescents (474 non-IBD controls and 238 IBD cases) were included. Fecal S100A12 levels were higher in the IBD group than in the non-IBD group (SMD = 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19–2.58; p < 0.0001). Fecal S100A12 could diagnose IBD in pediatric patients with a pooled sensitivity of 95% (95% CI = 88%–98%), specificity of 97% (95% CI = 95%–98%), and area under the receiver operating summary characteristics (AUSROC) curve of 0.99 (95% CI = 0.97–0.99). Fecal S100A12 specificity and AUSROC curve values were higher than those of fecal calprotectin (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Fecal S100A12 may serve as an accurate and non-invasive tool for diagnosing pediatric IBD.

Introduction: A range of phototherapy devices are commercially available. The American Academy of Pediatrics (2004) recommends routine intensity measurement of phototherapy devices to ensure that babies affected by hyperbilirubinemia receive effective phototherapy. Objective: The aims of this study were to calculate the irradiance decay velocity of phototherapy devices used in a tertiary care hospital to evaluate whether current maintenance procedures for phototherapy devices are effective, and to contribute to the improvement of a standardized maintenance procedure in daily practice, thus helping to ensure that all babies affected by hyperbilirubinemia receive prompt treatment. Methods: This research represents a prospective observational study conducted at Dr. Soetomo Academic Teaching Hospital in Surabaya, Indonesia from February 2019–July 2019. The intensities of 11 phototherapy devices were measured at specific times using a Bili Blanket Meter II. We calculated the Δ irradiance differences in μW/cm2/nm and calculated them as velocity μW/cm2/nm/hour of use. Results: Among the 11 phototherapy devices included in this study, nine were fluorescent and two were light-emitting diode (LED) machines. The mean (standard deviation) irradiance decay velocity of the fluorescent lamps was 0.02 (±0.03) μW/cm2/nm/hour of use, while that of the LED lamps was 0.015 (±0.007) μW/cm2/nm/hour of use. The fastest irradiance decay velocity was 0.08 μW/cm2/nm/hour of use, while the slowest irradiance decay velocity was

Objective: The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in pediatric patients are increasing. Currently, the diagnostic method for IBD is inconvenient, expensive, and difficult. S100A12, a type of calcium-binding protein, detected in the feces of patients with IBD has recently been suggested as a promising diagnostic tool. Hence, the authors aimed to evaluate the accuracy of fecal S100A12 in diagnosing IBD in pediatric patients by performing a meta-analysis. Methods: The authors performed a systematic literature search in five electronic databases for eligible studies up to July 15, 2021. Pooled diagnostic accuracies of fecal S100A12 were analyzed as the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were standardized mean difference (SMD) of fecal S100A12 levels between IBD and non-IBD groups and a comparison of diagnostic accuracies between fecal S100A12 and fecal calprotectin. Results: Seven studies comprising 712 children and adolescents (474 non-IBD controls and 238 IBD cases) were included. Fecal S100A12 levels were higher in the IBD group than in the non-IBD group (SMD = 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19-2.58; p < 0.0001). Fecal S100A12 could diagnose IBD in pediatric patients with a pooled sensitivity of 95% (95% CI = 88%-98%), specificity of 97% (95% CI = 95%-98%), and area under the receiver operating summary characteristics (AUSROC) curve of 0.99 (95% CI = 0.97-0.99). Fecal S100A12 specificity and AUSROC curve values were higher than those of fecal calprotectin (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Fecal S100A12 may serve as an accurate and non-invasive tool for diagnosing pediatric IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]