In developed countries, cerebrovascular diseases are among the 10 most common causes of death in both the pediatric and adult population. The prevalence of fatal outcomes following arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) in various groups of pediatric patients ranges from 1% to almost 32%. However, a constant improvement in stroke mortality among children has been observed. The extent of the decline differs among studies (from nearly tenfold to twofold decline), as it depends on the study population. While a portion of this variability might be explained by factors such as health care access, population age, diseases related to ethnicity, and different etiologies of stroke in studied populations, the understanding of such differences is still insufficient. Risk factors for death in the early stages of the disease are poorly understood and are usually based on the clinical presentations of relatively small groups of pediatric patients. Familiarity with these factors may be of significant importance for prognosis, but also for the early selection of patients requiring careful supervision. The present study aimed to analyze and discuss the current literature data on the incidence of early death and risk factors for early death in children suffering from stroke.

Background and objectives: In the paediatric population, hand injuries are one of the most frequent injuries and the second most frequent area of fracture. It is estimated that hand injuries account for up to 23% of the trauma-related causes of emergency department visits. Not only are they a significant factor in health care costs, but they may also lead to detrimental and long-term consequences for the patient. The discrepancy observed between the published studies suggests a geographical variation in their epidemiology. The aim of this study is to determine the localisation of injuries and fractures involving the hand in the paediatric population of the Polish Silesia region. This exploratory cross-sectional study involved 1441 post-traumatic hand X-ray examinations performed at the Department of Diagnostic Imaging of the John Paul II Upper Silesian Child Health Centre in Katowice between January and December 2014. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 656 girls and 785 boys who were 11.65 ± 3.50 and 11.51 ± 3.98 years old, respectively (range: 1–18 years). All examinations were evaluated for the location of the injury and presence of fracture(s). Results: Finger injuries were dominant (n = 1346), with the fifth finger being the most frequently injured (n = 381). The majority of injuries were observed among children who were 11 years old (n = 176), with a visible peak in the 11- to 13-year-old group. A total of 625 bone fractures were detected. Fractures of the proximal phalanges (n = 213) and middle phalanges (n = 159) were most common, and fifth finger (n = 189) predominance was again observed. A gender-independent positive correlation was found between patients’ age and finger injuries (p < 0.01) as well as metacarpal injuries (p < 0.01). There was no correlation between patients’ age and fractures in these locations (p > 0.05). Metacarpal injuries (p < 0.01), finger injuries (p < 0.01), fractures (p = 0.01), and fractures with displacement (p = 0.03) were more common among males regardless of age. Conclusions: The results indicate that 11-year-old boys are at an increased risk of hand injuries and fractures. The distal and middle phalanges of the right hand, especially of the fifth digit, were the most susceptible to fracture localisation. Thus, injuries in these areas should be perceived as most likely to cause fractures and therefore demand careful examination.

Czy terapia komórkami macierzystymi to przyszłość w leczeniu pacjentów z Mózgowym Porażeniem Dziecięcym? - Barbara Krukowska-Andrzejczyk, Agnieszka Cebula, Ewa Głuszkiewicz, Ilona Kopyta

Ogniskowa dysplazja korowa – aktualny stan wiedzy z uwzględnieniem populacji pediatrycznej - Agnieszka Cebula, Ilona Kopyta