Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of multimodal rheumatologic complex treatment (MRCT) in childhood and adolescence. MRCT means a high-frequency treatment program of at least 11 h per week. Methods: MRCTs in children, carried out between May 2009 and May 2022 at the Department of Pediatrics of the University Hospital in Halle (Saale), were included in this study. The effects of the MRCT were evaluated based on inflammatory activity, functionality (using the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ)), subjective statements regarding pain intensity, state of health, and coping with the illness, as well as the objective determination of joint mobility. Data were analyzed retrospectively using t-tests to compare different groups and values before and after treatment. Results: During the study period, N = 133 MRCTs were conducted in n = 95 children. The most common diagnosis was juvenile idiopathic arthritis (83.2%). The c-reactive protein (CRP) fell from an average of 25.3 mg/L to 7.3 mg/L, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) fell from 29.5 mm in the first hour to 17.9 mm. Pain intensity was reduced from 5.4 to 4.0. The state of health and coping with the illness also improved. The disability index showed a moderate reduction from 0.92 to 0.81. Furthermore, an improvement in joint mobility was observed. Positive effects were also shown in patients with somatoform disorders. Conclusions: Due to the positive effects of MRCT on subjective well-being and physical health, the treatment program can be recommended for affected children, including patients with an additional diagnosed somatoform disorder.

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune disease, and its diagnosis can cause considerable anxiety and uncertainty for those affected. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a one-day educational seminar on disease-specific knowledge among patients with SLE. Additionally, the influence on subjective needs, the cognitive and emotional impact of the disease, and health-related lifestyle were examined. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention group or a waiting list control group. Both groups attended the seminar. Disease-specific knowledge was measured using a multiple-choice questionnaire. The primary objective was the change in knowledge after the intervention. Results: Thirty-nine participants were included in the analysis. The mean score difference between the waiting list control group and the intervention group was 3.4 points out of a maximum of 20 (95% CI 1.8 to 5) immediately after the seminar and 1.6 (95% CI −0.6 to 3.5) three months later. Pooled data from both groups showed an increase in SLE-specific knowledge from 13.7 points to 17.3 points. Three months later, SLE-specific knowledge remained above the initial value at 15.4 points. However, no influence on lifestyle was observed. Conclusion: A one-day seminar can increase disease-specific knowledge and reduce unmet informational needs but does not lead to lifestyle modifications.

Die COVID-19-Pandemie hat vor dem Hintergrund mehrfacher Lockdowns für unzählige Kinder und Jugendliche den bisherigen Alltag grundlegend verändert. Studiendaten aus Deutschland deuten darauf hin, dass psychische- und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten zugenommen haben. Kinder und Jugendliche mit niedrigem sozioökonomischem Status oder Migrationshintergrund haben zudem ein höheres Risiko, durch die COVID-19-Pandemie erheblich belastet zu werden. Die Anzahl der Kindeswohlgefährdungen nimmt seit Einführung der Statistik im Jahr 2012 kontinuierlich zu. Zwischen 2017- bis -2019 zeigte sich ein jährlicher Anstieg von 10% der Kindeswohlgefährdungen. Im Jahr 2020 registrierten die Behörden ca. 5000 Fälle mehr als 2019, was einen Anstieg von 9% beschreibt. Ob durch Schul- und Kitaschließungen viele Fälle unentdeckt geblieben sind oder sich durch mehr Hinweise aus der sensibilisierten Bevölkerung (+21%) das Dunkelfeld aufhellt, ist abschließend noch nicht geklärt. Längsschnittstudien werden benötigt, um die langfristigen psychosozialen Folgen der COVID-19-Pandemie abzubilden. Against the backdrop of multiple lockdowns for countless children and adolescents, the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed everyday life. Study data from Germany indicate that mental and behavioral symptoms have increased. Children and adolescents with low socioeconomic status or migrant backgrounds are also at higher risk of being significantly burdened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of reported child welfare cases has been increasing steadily since statistics were introduced in 2012. Between 2017 and 2019, an annual increase of 10% of child welfare endangerments was recorded. In 2020, authorities registered approximately 5000 more cases than in 2019, a 9% increase. Whether many cases remained undetected due to school and daycare closures or whether more tips from the sensitized population (+21%) lightened the dark field has not yet been clarified conclusively. Longitudinal studies are needed to map the long-term psychosocial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Publication Date: 03 December 2021 (online) © 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

The aim of this study was to assess the mental health situation of children and adolescents during a period of less strict COVID-19-pandemic-related measures after the first pandemic wave. This cross-sectional study was conducted in July 2021 by carrying out an online survey among children and adolescents (aged 10–18 years) from Halle (Saale), Germany (n = 233). The questionnaire measured important aspects of mental health among young people, namely health-related quality of life (HRQoL, using the self-report version of the KIDSCREEN-10), mental health problems in general (using the SDQ), depressive symptoms (using the CES-DC), and psychosomatic complaints (using the HBSC symptom checklist). In addition, other important health issues such as sleep behavior and related difficulties, disordered eating, and any positive consequences of the pandemic were addressed. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 223 children participated in the survey. About 69.7% of the participating children and adolescents had a high HRQoL, while 10.5% displayed abnormal results on the SDQ. There were indications of emotional problems in 16.5% of the participants based on the SDQ subscales. Almost 44% of the participants were screened as positive for depressive symptoms on the CES-DC, with girls and older adolescents being more likely to be affected. This also applied for psychosomatic complaints. Here, irritability was experienced at least once a week or more frequently by 58.9% of the children and adolescents. Although we had a small sample size, this study showed a high prevalence of mental health problems regarding the SDQ and HRQoL. However, our study population showed a better mental health than comparable studies conducted earlier in the pandemic. Depressive symptoms were still substantially higher than those in pre-pandemic data. We hypothesize that this might reflect the fact that there were a few COVID-19-related restrictions at the time when our survey took place. Based on these findings, we assume that the mental health of children and adolescents differed between different phases in the pandemic.