Frontiers in Pediatrics

BackgroundNeonatal jaundice management increasingly relies on transcutaneous bilirubinometry (TcB), yet discrepancies with serum bilirubin (TSB) have limited its clinical reliability. This study introduces Skin Residual Bilirubin Volume (SRBV) as a physiologically grounded framework to enhance TcB interpretation. ObjectiveTo evaluate SRBV as an explanation for TcB-TSB discordance and assess whether incorporating SRBV improves the interpretability and reliability of TcB measurements during diagn...

Students who frequently miss school are at greater risk for academic difficulty. High levels of absenteeism as early as kindergarten have been associated with long-term consequences, such as low reading proficiency in Grade 3 and low academic achievement in Grade 5, both of which have been associated with lower rates of high school graduation and enrollment in post-secondary education. The prevalence of school absenteeism has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic and there have bee...

BackgroundColorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains a significant cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Right- and left-sided tumours differ in clinical, morphological, and molecular features. Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumours, often right-sided, are associated with distinct histopathological characteristics and prognostic implications. In Sri Lanka, molecular MSI testing is currently unavailable, highlighting the need for alternative predictive approaches. ObjectivesGeneral...

Sepsis caused by drug-resistant pathogens remains a major contributor to under-five mortality in low- and middle-income countries, threatening progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2. Blood culture, the gold standard for sepsis diagnosis and antimicrobial stewardship, remains underutilised in routine pediatric care. This study assessed the extent and determinants of blood culture utilisation among hospitalised children under five years with suspected sepsis at four antimicrobial r...

Academic institutions privilege norms of continuous productivity and uninterrupted availability, creating conformity pressures that systematically disadvantage those who deviate from an implicit template of the ideal academic. This study explores how doctoral students and faculty in the health sciences perceive the reproduction of social homogeneity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine participants at a German university hospital. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic anal...

Background: Quadriceps weakness may reduce sagittal plane shock absorption during landing, shifting load toward the frontal plane and increasing knee abduction moment (KAM), a biomechanical risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between isokinetic quadriceps strength and peak KAM during drop vertical jump landing in adolescent athletes. Study Design: Secondary analysis of previously collected data. Methods: He...

Objective To test the effectiveness of a postpartum behavioural intervention delivered by automated text messaging in reducing weight. Design Two parallel group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Setting Recruitment from five areas across the United Kingdom (Belfast, Bradford, Stirling, London and Cardiff) through healthcare and community pathways, including social media. Participants A diverse sample of 892 women between 6 weeks and 24 months postpartum, aged 18 years or more and with a...

ObjectiveMyositis-associated interstitial lung disease (myositis-ILD) consists of two predominant radiologic patterns of lung injury--nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and organizing pneumonia (OP)--that oftentimes coexist. However, it remains unclear whether either is associated with clinical outcomes. We aimed to assess the therapeutic response in patients with NSIP-compared to those with OP-predominant myositis-ILD. MethodsThis retrospective, single-center cohort study recruited part...

Background Persistent inequities in immunisation coverage, particularly among zero-dose and under-immunised children, continue to challenge Pakistan's Expanded Programme on Immunization. Weak feedback loop, inconsistent data quality, and limited real-time monitoring impede effective decision-making. This Implementation Research was conducted under the MAINSTREAM Initiative funded by Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (AHPSR) and supported by the Aga Khan Community Health Services De...

Background The microbial aetiology of early childhood caries (ECC) in sub-Saharan African populations remains poorly characterised, with most studies focusing on conventional cariogenic pathogens like Streptococcus mutans. This study aimed to characterise the salivary microbial profile of children with ECC in urban Kano, northern Nigeria. Methods In this cross-sectional study of 162 children aged 3-5 years in urban Kano, unstimulated saliva samples were collected and analysed using standard bact...

Aim and ObjectivesThe study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of titanium inserts for interdental papilla reconstruction, comparing it with the Han and Takei technique using subepithelial connective tissue grafts. The objectives included assessing the black triangle height, papilla height and papilla presence index (PPI) at baseline, 1 month and 3 months postoperatively along with the evaluation of Early Wound Healing Score (EHS) during the first week of post operative healing period. Patient...

IntroductionDigital technologies are reshaping how health professionals are trained, and extended reality (XR) has gained attention as a tool for skills development in dental education. Yet, successful integration depends largely on educators perceptions, readiness, and working conditions. This study aimed to explore dental educators views of the educational value of XR, what barriers they experience, and how familiarity with immersive technologies relates to their use in teaching. Materials an...

Background: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) are radiologic findings of increased lung density or fibrosis in individuals without clinical interstitial lung disease (ILD) and are associated with increased mortality and progression to ILD. Understanding physiologic trajectories of lung function preceding ILA diagnosis may illuminate early mechanisms of lung injury. Methods: We recruited participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Lung Study, a prospective ...

BackgroundCanine impaction represents one of the most challenging clinical scenarios in orthodontic practice, with maxillary canines being the second most commonly impacted teeth after third molars. The management of impacted canines through orthodontic traction requires an advanced understanding of biomechanical principles, surgical techniques, and patient-specific factors. The decision to attempt traction must be informed by accurate differentiation between mechanical impaction and primary fai...

BackgroundThis study of Malawian children with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) sought to detect demographic, clinical, and echocardiographic risk factors for mortality. MethodsPediatric patients with RHD were recruited from March to October, 2018 from clinic rosters and inpatient consults in Lilongwe and Blantyre, Malawi. An echocardiogram was performed upon study enrollment. Cox regression analyses were performed to assess for factors associated with mortality over nearly 2 years of follow-up. ...

Introduction Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is invasive to measure. Therefore, in clinical care, estimated GFR is derived from serum levels of endogenous filtration markers such as creatinine and cystatin C. Multiple studies from high income countries showed differences between estimated glomerular filtration rate based on cystatin C (eGFRcys) and creatinine (eGFRcr). This study aimed to assess the agreement between eGFRcys and eGFRcr in Ethiopian children and identify factors influencing high...

The recent Lancet Commission on Nigerias health system highlighted high out of pocket expenditures on health and underfunding of the public health sector as major obstacles to Nigerias achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Nigeria has sought to address these gaps by extending health insurance coverage. This paper measures health insurance coverage and access to care in Nigeria circa 2023, using the first round of the Peoples Voice Survey (PVS). We analyze health insurance coverage by...

Purpose To quantify and compare the peak force applied on the glottis during endotracheal intubation across five laryngoscopy techniques, two intubation conditions (standard and simulated laryngospasm), and two operator experience levels, and to assess the effects of stylet use and operator anthropometric characteristics on applied force. Methods This prospective, manikin-based experimental study enrolled 50 operators (30 experienced, 20 less experienced). Each performed endotracheal intubation ...

Objectives: Compare Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scores over time following ACL reconstruction (ACLR) between male and female patients aged 15 to 25 years with primary ACL injuries and ACL reinjuries. Design: Retrospective cohort design. Setting: Sports physical therapy clinics. Participants: 332 patients aged 15-25 years who underwent ACLR following either primary ACL injury or ACL reinjury, either contralateral or ipsilateral graft reinjury, and had a...

This study compared the effects of a 25-min nap opportunity and a 10-min non-sleep deep rest (NSDR) condition on perceptual, cognitive, and physical performance in physically active young adults. Sixty participants (26 female, 34 male; 22 {+/-} 4 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups (nap, NSDR, control; n = 20 each). All groups completed identical assessments immediately, 20 min, and 40 min post-intervention. Mixed-effects models, adjusted for sex, prior-night sleep, and weekly p...