Paediatrics

Top Medical News
Multistrain probiotics improve survival outcomes in preemies
Jairia Dela Cruz, 8 hours ago
Multistrain probiotics confer significant mortality-reduction benefit in preterm infants, according to the results of a network meta-analysis.
Increasing BP level in late adolescence ups risk of cardiovascular events
9 hours ago
Rising levels of blood pressure (BP), starting at 120/80 mm Hg, during late adolescence contribute to a gradual elevation in the risk of major cardiovascular events, reports a study in Sweden.
Long-term prophylaxis reduces attacks, improves QoL in Chinese patients with hereditary angioedema
Sarah Cheung, 14 hours ago

In a prospective study by the University of Hong Kong, long-term prophylaxis (LTP) with garadacimab or lanadelumab reduces attacks and improves quality of life (QoL) in Chinese patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) who experienced frequent attacks. No adverse events (AEs) were reported.

Dabrafenib-trametinib combo improves response in BRAF V600-mutant paediatric glioma
Elaine Soliven, 22 hours ago
First-line treatment with dabrafenib plus trametinib significantly increased overall response rate (ORR) in paediatric patients with low-grade glioma harbouring BRAF V600 mutations compared with standard chemotherapy, according to a recent study.
Selfhood development tied to adolescent mental health
Audrey Abella, 6 days ago
A meta-analysis found evidence associating selfhood development with adolescent mental health.
Drug monitoring may prevent weight gain in ASD patients taking aripiprazole
Stephen Padilla, 27 Sep 2023
A recent study exploring the relationship between aripiprazole pharmacokinetics (PK), side effects, and effectiveness in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has found that higher plasma levels correlate with greater weight gain.
Prenatal, intrapartum, neonatal factors increase EoE risk
27 Sep 2023
Development of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is associated with prenatal, intrapartum, and neonatal factors, particularly preterm birth and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), suggests a study.
Special Reports
Product Highlight - Mac Dual-Action
12 Sep 2023
Hexylresorcinol 2.4 mg lozenge
Product Highlight - ZAVICEFTA
12 Sep 2023
Ceftazidime 2 g, avibactam 0.5 g powder for concentrate for solution for infusion
Long COVID: What we have learned so far
Prof. Ghassan Dbaibo, 27 Apr 2023

The WHO defines long COVID as a condition that occurs 3 months from COVID-19 onset, whose symptoms last ≥2 months and cannot be attributed to an alternative diagnosis. In an interview with MIMS Doctor, Professor Ghassan Dbaibo of the Center for Infectious Diseases, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, describes the evolving attitudes towards long COVID among healthcare professionals (HCPs), some unexpected predisposing factors, potential biological mechanisms behind prolonged symptom duration and shares data on vaccination’s protective effects against long COVID.

Optimizing executive function skills in children: What healthcare professionals should know
Dr. Evelyn Law, 04 Feb 2023
Executive function (EF) skills in childhood predict academic success better than a child’s intelligence quotient (IQ), and are associated with better physical health, more stable careers, and higher socioeconomic status in adulthood. [Psychol Sci 2005;16:939-944; J Clin Psychiatry 2012;73:941-950; Pediatrics 2013;131:637-644] Despite this, EF is an important topic that is often overlooked. To learn more about EF, MIMS Doctor interviewed Dr Evelyn Law, a clinician scientist specialising in developmental and behavioural paediatrics. Dr Law is Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore.
Management of multidrug-resistant organisms in paediatric patients: Role of newer antimicrobial agents
Assoc Prof. Louis Grandjean, Adj Asst Prof. Natalie Tan, 01 Jul 2022

The management of multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections in children is complex, with limited studies and a relative lack of approved new antibiotics with paediatric indications.

At a recent Meet-the-Expert session, Dr Louis Grandjean, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Associate Professor at University College, London, UK, addressed the growing threat of MDR infections in children and discussed treatment strategies and options for management. He focused on ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI, Zavicefta®), whose approval in Singapore was recently expanded to include paediatric patients aged 3 months and older.

Adj Asst Prof Natalie Tan, Senior Consultant at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, chaired this webinar, which was organized by Pfizer under the auspices of the Singapore Paediatric Society and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Bilastine in children – understanding principles and practice
24 Feb 2022
Allergic rhinitis is the most frequently occurring form of allergy in the world. It has a high burden in childhood, affecting sleep, concentration, and consecutively, learning. Professor Nikolaos Papadopoulos delivered a lecture on the evidence base and clinical experience supporting the use of Bilastine in children at the 11th Singapore Sleep, Allergy and Rhinology conference on 1 October 2020.
Management of allergic rhinitis – focus on Bilaxten
14 Jan 2022
Allergic rhinitis can induce two types of symptoms in patients: i) histamine-mediated symptoms such as vasodilatation, rhinorrhoea, itching and sneezing, and ii) allergic inflammation resulting from the action of eosinophils in the nasal lining. H1-antihistamine therapy is a mode of therapy that seeks to mitigate the histamine-mediated symptoms of allergic rhinitis; this therapy aims to relieve symptoms and to improve quality of life in patients.
Conference Reports
Children should stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines
Audrey Abella, 30 Aug 2023
Uptake of COVID-19 vaccine among children 12–17 years of age is high (~80 percent) in Singapore, but for the 5–11-year age group, it is less than 30 percent. This could have been driven in part by vaccine hesitancy among parents. [Front Pediatr 2022;10:994675]
mRNA vaccines against respiratory infections in children: What’s new?
Elvira Manzano, 30 Aug 2023
Despite the striking mortality burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), no active vaccines are currently available to prevent RSV in children, says Dr Sherlock Lai, medical director, Moderna Singapore, at SiPPAC 2023.
Adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes higher in complicated twins
Audrey Abella, 20 Jul 2023
Survivors of complicated monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies (ie, complicated twins) have a higher rate of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes compared with uncomplicated twins, suggests a study presented at RCOG 2023.
Another IBAT inhibitor makes its case in large PFIC trial
Jairia Dela Cruz, 30 Jun 2023
The ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitor maralixibat appears to quell itching and reduce serum bile acid concentration in children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), while having a tolerable safety profile, according to data from the phase III MARCH-PFIC trial said to be the largest to date.
Long-term data support teduglutide safety for SBS-IF
Audrey Abella, 30 Jun 2023
In a pooled analysis of two long-term paediatric extension trials evaluating short bowel syndrome-associated intestinal failure (SBS-IF), the glucagon-like peptide-2 analogue teduglutide (TED) demonstrated a safety profile that aligned with previous data.
Faecal transplant helps teens with refractory IBS
Jairia Dela Cruz, 29 Jun 2023
For adolescents with treatment-refractory irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is safe and beneficial, easing abdominal pain and improving health-related quality of life, according to a study presented at ESPGHAN 2023.
New scorecard helps detect peanut allergy
Elvira Manzano, 27 Jun 2023
Paediatricians may have a new tool in a scorecard that could ably detect peanut allergy in infants with atopic dermatitis (AD).