Mariarosaria La Rocca

Dr. Mariarosaria La Rocca


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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19 January 2025 in Children
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Simone Foti RandazzeseSimone Foti Randazzese
Simone Foti Randazzese
MRMariarosaria La Rocca
Mariarosaria La Rocca
Bruno BombaciBruno Bombaci
Bruno Bombaci
APAlessandra Di Pisa
Alessandra Di Pisa
EGElèna Giliberto
Elèna Giliberto
Stefano PassanisiStefano Passanisi
Stefano Passanisi
Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most common acute complication in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, and contributes significantly to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare burden. This review aims to explore the multifaceted aspects of severe diabetic ketoacidosis in pediatric age, including its epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, complications and emphasizing advances in prevention strategies. Incidence rates vary due to influences from geographic, socioeconomic, cultural and demographic factors. Pathogenesis is linked to insulin deficiency and an excess of counter-regulatory hormones, which disrupt glucose, protein, and lipid metabolism, causing hyperglycemia, ketosis, acidosis, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances. According to the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes guidelines, severe diabetic ketoacidosis is characterized by a pH < 7.1 or bicarbonate < 5 mmol/L. This condition can lead to a wide range of life-threatening complications, including cerebral edema that represents the leading cause of death. Several prevention strategies, including awareness campaigns, early diagnosis of diabetes, regular monitoring and management, effective insulin therapy, education, access to healthcare and technological assistance, may contribute to reduce the risk of severe diabetic ketoacidosis episodes in children and adolescents.

Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Simone Foti RandazzeseSimone Foti Randazzese
Simone Foti Randazzese
FTFabio Toscano
Fabio Toscano
AGAntonella Gambadauro
Antonella Gambadauro
MRMariarosaria La Rocca
Mariarosaria La Rocca
GAGiulia Altavilla
Giulia Altavilla
Sara MantiSara Manti
Sara Manti
Cough is one of the most common reasons leading to pediatric consultations, negatively impacting the quality of life of patients and caregivers. It is defined as a sudden and forceful expulsion of air from the lungs through the mouth, typically triggered by irritation or the stimulation of sensory nerves in the respiratory tract. This reflex is controlled by a neural pathway that includes sensory receptors, afferent nerves, the brainstem’s cough center, efferent nerves, and the muscles involved in coughing. Based on its duration, cough in children may be classified as acute, lasting less than four weeks, and chronic, persisting for more than four weeks. Neuromodulators have shown promise in reducing the frequency and severity of cough by modulating the neural pathways involved in the cough reflex, although they require careful monitoring and patient selection to optimize the outcomes. This review aims to examine the rationale for using neuromodulators in the management of cough in children.

5 September 2025 in Medicina
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Bruno BombaciBruno Bombaci
Bruno Bombaci
MCMarco Calderone
Marco Calderone
APAlessandra Di Pisa
Alessandra Di Pisa
MRMariarosaria La Rocca
Mariarosaria La Rocca
ATArianna Torre
Arianna Torre
Stefano PassanisiStefano Passanisi
Stefano Passanisi
Background and Objectives: Automated insulin delivery (AID) systems represent a major advancement in type 1 diabetes (T1D) management, particularly in pediatric populations. However, real-world evidence comparing their effectiveness to conventional multiple daily injection (MDI) therapy in youth remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of transitioning from MDI therapy to AID systems on glycemic control in children and adolescents with T1D, and to explore potential differences based on baseline HbA1c levels and device type. Materials and Methods: In this single-center, retrospective observational study, 76 children and adolescents with T1D were evaluated before and after switching from MDI to either the Medtronic MiniMed™ 780G or Tandem t:slim X2™ Control-IQ system. Glycemic control was assessed using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-derived metrics at three time points: the last 15 days of MDI therapy (T0), 15 days after (T1), and 6 months after (T2) AID initiation. Statistical comparisons were conducted across time points and between subgroups stratified by baseline HbA1c and AID system. Results: Significant improvements in glycemic control were observed as early as 15 days after AID initiation, with sustained benefits at 6 months. Time in range (TIR) increased from 62.0% at baseline to 76.7% at 15 days and 75.8% at 6 months, and time in tight range (TITR) from 39.8% to 53.9% at T1 and 52.1% at T2 (both p < 0.001). Improvements were more pronounced in participants with higher baseline HbA1c (+16.9% for TITR and +22.3% for TIR). No significant differences in glycemic outcomes were observed between device groups, although algorithm-driven differences in insulin delivery patterns were noted. Total daily insulin dose and BMI increased significantly over time (p < 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: AID therapy leads to rapid and sustained improvements in glycemic control among youth with T1D, particularly in those with suboptimal baseline control. These benefits highlight the clinical value of AID systems, while also emphasizing the need for monitoring potential metabolic impacts.

22 September 2024 in Nutrients
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Simone Foti RandazzeseSimone Foti Randazzese
Simone Foti Randazzese
LCLucia Caminiti
Lucia Caminiti
MRMariarosaria La Rocca
Mariarosaria La Rocca
CICristina Italia
Cristina Italia
FTFabio Toscano
Fabio Toscano
Sara MantiSara Manti
Sara Manti
Hen’s egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies in the Western world, with an increase in recent years. It affects about 9.5% of the pediatric population, and the onset most often occurs before the first year of life. The occurrence of spontaneous oral tolerance acquisition varies among studies, but it is generally high by school age. Nowadays, allergen immunotherapy may represent the only therapeutic strategy able to modify the natural history of hen’s egg allergy. Specifically, many children with hen’s egg allergy may tolerate baked eggs. Food processing, specifically high temperatures, alters the allergenicity of hen’s egg proteins by causing conformational changes in allergen epitopes, which makes them less allergenic. This review aims to discuss the scientific evidence in the field of baked egg oral immunotherapy in hen’s egg-allergic children, with a meticulous examination of the pertinent literature surrounding the subject matter.

7 February 2026 in Children
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
MCMarco Calderone
Marco Calderone
SASara Aramnejad
Sara Aramnejad
EGElèna Giliberto
Elèna Giliberto
Bruno BombaciBruno Bombaci
Bruno Bombaci
MRMariarosaria La Rocca
Mariarosaria La Rocca
Stefano PassanisiStefano Passanisi
Stefano Passanisi
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a common chronic autoimmune disease in childhood, often presenting abruptly and frequently complicated by diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis. T1D develops through well-defined presymptomatic stages characterized by islet autoimmunity and progressive dysglycemia, offering a window for early identification. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on screening for T1D in children and adolescents, focusing on target populations, screening strategies, and methodological approaches for autoantibody detection. Data from major international programs involving familial, high-risk, and general population screening are discussed, highlighting their impact on reducing diabetic ketoacidosis at onset, improving metabolic outcomes, and facilitating structured follow-up and family education. Advances in assay technologies, including electrochemiluminescence, multiplex platforms, and novel ultrasensitive methods, have enhanced the feasibility and accuracy of large-scale screening. The review also examines the public health implications, cost-effectiveness, and ethical considerations of implementing population-based screening, particularly in light of emerging disease-modifying therapies such as teplizumab. Overall, available evidence supports screening as a meaningful strategy to shift T1D diagnosis from an acute emergency to a predictable clinical trajectory, with potential benefits extending from individual patient outcomes to healthcare system sustainability.