Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is early life's most common food allergy. There is limited data on the development of respiratory allergies in childhood for infants with CMPA. This study aimed to evaluate the development of respiratory allergic diseases in childhood according to the mechanism of CMPA in patients with CMPA in the first two years of life. Patients who were diagnosed with CMPA in the first two years of life and were over five years old during the study period were included in the study. The sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data of patients were recorded, and the status of respiratory allergic disease development in patients was assessed using the ISAAC questionnaire. A total of 301 patients were included in the study; 182 (60.5%) were male. Most of the patients had mixed-type (87;28.9%) and had non-IgE-mediated (n:87;28.9%) CMPA. Of CMPA cases, 27.9% developed doctor-diagnosed asthma and 31.2% developed doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis. Doctor-diagnosed asthma was observed mostly with IgE-mediated CMPA (n:30;37%), and doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis was observed mostly with non-IgE-mediated CMPA (n:32;36.8%), and these differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.094, p = 0.385). Also, maternal asthma increased the risk of doctor-diagnosed asthma, while parental consanguinity, allergic rhinitis in mother/sibling, and paternal eczema were risk factors for doctor-diagnosed allergic rhinitis. In this study, 27.9% of patients with CMPA in the first two years of life developed doctor-diagnosed asthma, and 31.2% developed allergic rhinitis. There was no difference in the frequency of occurrence based on the mechanism of CMPA development.

RSV is a major health concern for infants. A new long-acting anti-RSV monoclonal antibody has been introduced in some countries. This study aims to assess pregnant women’s awareness of RSV and their attitudes toward infant immunization with the anti-RSV monoclonal antibody. A survey on the RSV mAb was conducted with 217 pregnant women, consisting of 28 questions on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of RSV infection and the RSV mAb, and attitudes toward giving the mAb to their infant. Pregnant women were specifically surveyed about the use of nirsevimab. Among the participants, 18.5% reported that their child had previously experienced an RSV infection, with 47.6% requiring hospitalization. Willingness expressed by 50.7% to get the RSV mAb, 27.8% were undecided, and 21.6% would not get immunized. The main reason for refusal was lack of information (67.3%). Notably, 58.4% of undecided mothers would consider the RSV mAb if included in the routine immunization schedule. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that “having previously heard of the RSV mAb” and “receipt of other nonroutine vaccines” were independent factors influencing the consideration of the RSV mAb. A thorough literature review revealed no other studies assessing pregnant women’s attitudes toward RSV mAb; it showed they would be more willing to accept it if included in Turkey’s national vaccine programs. Further studies are needed globally to find if RSV vaccination rates increase if the benefits of infection protection and detailed information about the RSV vaccine are provided to mothers or families.

Background Enterococcal bloodstream infections (EBIs) are increasingly concerning in pediatric patients due to high morbidity, mortality, and antimicrobial resistance, especially vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). This study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics, species distribution, risk factors, and outcomes of pediatric EBSIs, focusing on VRE and mortality predictors. Methods This retrospective study analyzed 368 children with confirmed enterococcal bacteremia. Demographic, clinical, microbiological, and treatment data were collected. Comparative analyses were done between species, VRE vs. vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE), and mortality outcomes. Logistic regression identified independent risk factors for VRE and mortality. Results Mean age was 5.2 ± 3.8 years, with 53.8% male. Common underlying conditions included hematologic/oncologic malignancies (20.9%), necrotizing enterocolitis (18.8%), and neurological disorders (16.8%). E. faecalis (51.9%) and E. faecium (41.6%) were the most frequent isolates, with VRE detected in 10.9%, predominantly among E. faecium isolates. Older age, prior VRE colonization, E. faecium infection, total parenteral nutrition (TPN) use, and persistent bacteremia significantly increased the risk of VRE infection. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 9.0%, while the total mortality during follow-up reached 20.7%. Thirty-day mortality was independently predicted by prior carbapenem use (OR = 3.2), whereas overall mortality was significantly associated with receipt of TPN (OR = 1.9), ICU admission (OR = 6.5), persistent bacteremia (OR = 3.6), and prior vancomycin use (OR = 2.2). Conclusion Pediatric EBSIs are linked with significant comorbidities and mortality. VRE presence, persistent infection, and prior broad-spectrum antibiotic use increase mortality risk, highlighting the need for antimicrobial stewardship and risk-based management.

Objective: Thrombocytosis, particularly in children, can lead to spurious biochemical findings such as pseudohyperkalemia, which may result in unnecessary interventions if unrecognized. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of platelet count on serum potassium levels in children with thrombocytosis and to analyze the association between potassium levels and the etiological factors of thrombocytosis. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 1899 pediatric patients with platelet counts >600×10⁹/L were analyzed over one year. After excluding conditions that could affect serum potassium (e.g., essential thrombocytosis, anemia, polycythemia/leukocytosis, renal or hepatic disease, and hyperbilirubinemia), 1210 cases of reactive thrombocytosis were included. Patients with available serum potassium measurements and follow-up data at 3 and 6 months were assessed. Results: The mean age of the 1210 patients was 2.7±3.4 years, and 54.8% were male. Thrombocytosis was primarily due to infections (71.8%) and surgery, burns, or trauma (28.2%). Platelet counts ranged from 600×10⁹/L to 2.193×10⁹/L, and serum potassium levels from 2.47 to 9.3 mEq/L. Hyperkalemia occurred in 20.4% of patients, increasing with higher platelet counts (16.7% for 600–900×10⁹/L, 29.1% for 900–1000×10⁹/L, and 33.5% for >1000×10⁹/L). Significant decreases in platelet and potassium levels were observed at 3- and 6-month follow-ups (p<0.001). A weak positive correlation was observed between platelet and potassium levels (r=0.187), more pronounced in infection-related cases (r=0.218). Potassium increased by 0.06 mEq/L for every 100×10⁹/L rise in platelet count, with a significant correlation only above 1000×10⁹/L (r=0.196, p=0.038). Conclusion: Pseudohyperkalemia is a common yet overlooked phenomenon in pediatric thrombocytosis. Recognizing the quantitative platelet–potassium relationship can prevent diagnostic confusion and unnecessary treatment.