Stay-at-home orders, physical distancing, face masks and other non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) do not only impact COVID-19, but also the dynamics of various other infectious diseases. Bronchiolitis is a clinically diagnosed viral infection of the lower respiratory tract, and causes a yearly seasonal wave of admissions in paediatric wards worldwide. We counted 92,5% less bronchiolitis hospitalisations in Antwerp before the expected end of the peak this year (of which only 1 RSV positive), as compared to the last 3 years. Furthermore, there was a >99% reduction in the number of registered RSV cases in Belgium. Conslusion: The 2020 winter bronchiolitis peak is hitherto nonexistent, but we fear a ‘delayed’ spring/summer bronchiolitis peak when most NPIs will be relaxed and pre-pandemic life restarts. What is known? • Bronchiolitis causes a yearly seasonal wave of admissions in paediatric departments worldwide. • Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) do not only impact COVID-19, but also the dynamics of various other infectious diseases. What is new? • The 2020 winter bronchiolitis peak is hitherto nonexistent. • A ‘delayed’ spring or summer bronchiolitis peak could happen when most NPIs will be relaxed and pre-pandemic life restarts.

The objective of this study was to compare prospectively, in urge syndrome and dysfunctional voiding, clinical patterns with urodynamic patterns, to assess changes in urodynamic patterns after treatment, and to correlate urodynamic patterns and parameters with treatment outcome. In the European Bladder Dysfunction Study 97 children with clinically diagnosed urge syndrome received standard treatment, to which was randomly added placebo, oxybutynin or bladder training with online feedback. In a separate branch 105 children with clinically diagnosed dysfunctional voiding were randomly allocated to standard treatment or standard treatment plus pelvic floor training with online feedback. In all children urodynamic studies were performed before and immediately after treatment. In urge syndrome detrusor overactivity was present in 33% of cases before and 27% after treatment (of which 65% were de novo). Detrusor overactivity did not correlate with treatment outcome. In dysfunctional voiding increased pelvic floor activity during voiding, which was present in 67% of cases before and 56% after treatment (of which 45% were de novo), did not correlate with treatment outcome. In urge syndrome as well as in dysfunctional voiding neither maximum detrusor pressure during voiding, cystometric bladder capacity, bladder compliance nor free flow patterns correlated with treatment outcome. Neither detrusor overactivity nor increased pelvic floor activity during voiding correlated with treatment outcome. Standard treatment could be the first choice in urge syndrome as well as in dysfunctional voiding, reserving urodynamic studies for patients in whom this first approach fails.

Authors from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany tried to clarify the relationship between disordered defecation and non‐neuropathic bladder‐sphincter dysfunction; they found few arguments for a casual relationship between these conditions. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationship between disordered defecation and non‐neuropathic bladder‐sphincter dysfunction (NNBSD) by comparing the prevalence of symptoms of disordered defecation in children with NNBSD before and after treatment for urinary incontinence (UI), and assessing the effect of such symptoms on the cure rate for UI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the European Bladder Dysfunction Study, a prospective multicentre study comparing treatment plans for children with NNBSD, 202 children completed questionnaires on voiding and on defecation, at entry and after treatment for UI. Four symptoms of disordered defecation were evaluated; low defecation frequency, painful defecation, fecal soiling, and encopresis. RESULTS: At entry, 17 of the 179 children with complete data sets had low defecation frequency and/or painful defecation (9%), classified as functional constipation (FC). Of the 179 children, 57 had either isolated fecal soiling or soiling with encopresis (32%), classified as functional fecal incontinence (FFI). After treatment for UI, FFI decreased to 38/179 (21%) (statistically significant, P = 0.035); for FC there were too few children for analysis. After treatment for UI, 19 of the 179 children (11%) reported de novo FFI. Symptoms of disordered defecation did not influence the cure rate of treatment for UI. CONCLUSIONS: FFI improved significantly after treatment for UI only, but not in relation to the outcome of such treatment. FFI did not influence the cure rate for UI. There was little to support a causal relation between disordered defecation and NNBDS (‘functional elimination syndrome’).