Seasonal influenza is a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in children, with the potential for severe complications and considerable socioeconomic impact. We conducted a retrospective observational study including 1046 children aged 0–14 years with laboratory-confirmed influenza who accessed the Paediatric Emergency Department of a tertiary center in Bologna, Italy, across three consecutive epidemic seasons (2022–2025). While the entire cohort was analysed, particular attention was given to children with severe complications requiring hospitalization, for whom more detailed clinical and laboratory data were available. Overall, 12.3% of patients required hospitalization, and 6.1% experienced complications, most frequently influenza-associated encephalopathy, lower respiratory tract infections and myositis. Influenza A predominated overall (82.0%), except for in the last season, which saw a predominance of influenza B (57.4%), closely associated with myositis and elevated creatine phosphokinase levels. Younger age was consistently associated with increased severity and hospitalization. Intensive care admissions were rare (0.8%), and no deaths were recorded. Our findings suggest that, although influenza is generally self-limiting, younger children are at higher risk of complications. These results highlight the importance of active surveillance, careful monitoring of clinical manifestations and targeted paediatric vaccination strategies to reduce the burden of seasonal influenza.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a rare condition associated with COVID-19 affecting children, characterized by severe and aberrant systemic inflammation leading to nonspecific symptoms, such as gastrointestinal, cardiac, respiratory, hematological, and neurological disorders. In the last year, we have experienced a progressive reduction in the incidence and severity of MIS-C, reflecting the worldwide trend. Thus, starting from the overall trend in the disease in different continents, we reviewed the literature, hypothesizing the potential influencing factors contributing to the reduction in cases and the severity of MIS-C, particularly the vaccination campaign, the spread of different SARS-CoV-2 variants (VOCs), and the changes in human immunological response. The decrease in the severity of MIS-C and its incidence seem to be related to a combination of different factors rather than a single cause. Maturation of an immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 over time, the implication of mutations of key amino acids of S protein in VOCs, and the overall immune response elicited by vaccination over the loss of neutralization of vaccines to VOCs seem to play an important role in this change.

Background: The transition from pediatric to adult care represents a critical phase for adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD), potentially affecting both clinical management and psychological well-being. This study aimed to evaluate anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents with CKD undergoing a structured transition program and to identify clinical and demographic predictors of psychological distress. Psychological outcomes were also compared with those of a healthy age- and sex-matched control group. Methods: A cross-sectional monocentric study was conducted at the Pediatric Nephrology and Dialysis Unit of IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna—Policlinico di Sant’Orsola, Bologna, Italy. The study included 93 adolescents and young adults with kidney disorders (mean age 17.4 ± 1.4 years) enrolled in a structured transition program. Psychological assessment was performed using BDI-II and STAI-S and T. A healthy control group ( n = 186) was selected using propensity score matching (1:2 ratio) based on age and sex. Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, and multivariate linear regression models. Results: Most patients reported minimal depressive symptoms, whereas clinically significant anxiety was observed in approximately one-third of the cohort. Psychological distress was not associated with clinical indicators such as eGFR, disease duration, or clinical complexity. However, higher daily medication dosing frequency and female sex emerged as significant predictors of increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly, healthy controls reported higher levels of depression and trait anxiety than patients. Conclusions: Medication burden and sex, rather than eGFR, emerged as the primary predictors of psychological distress. Interestingly, patients exhibited lower anxiety and depression levels than their healthy peers, suggesting that intensive family and clinical care support, such as a structured clinical transition program, may act as a protective buffer.

Background The transition from pediatric to adult care represents a critical phase for adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD), potentially affecting both clinical management and psychological well-being. This study aimed to evaluate anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents with CKD undergoing a structured transition program and to identify clinical and demographic predictors of psychological distress. Psychological outcomes were also compared with those of a healthy age- and sex-matched control group. Methods A cross-sectional monocentric study was conducted at the Pediatric Nephrology and Dialysis Unit of IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna- Policlinico di Sant’Orsola, Bologna, Italy. The study included 93 adolescents and young adults with kidney disorders (mean age 17.4 ± 1.4 years) enrolled in a structured transition program. Psychological assessment was performed using BDI-II and STAI-S and T. A healthy control group (n = 186) was selected using propensity score matching (1:2 ratio) based on age and sex. Statistical analyses included t-tests, ANOVA, and multivariate linear regression models. Results Most patients reported minimal depressive symptoms, whereas clinically significant anxiety was observed in approximately one-third of the cohort. Psychological distress was not associated with clinical indicators such as eGFR, disease duration, or clinical complexity. However, higher daily medication dosing frequency and female sex emerged as significant predictors of increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly, healthy controls reported higher levels of depression and trait anxiety than patients. Conclusions Structured multidisciplinary transition programs may help support the emotional well-being of adolescents with CKD, emphasizing the importance of holistic care and the potential benefit of simplifying therapeutic regimens whenever clinically feasible.