Should hemophiliac patients be circumcised?

Social and cultural integration of hemophilic boys into society is one of the most important cornerstones of modern hemophilia therapy. Circumcision, a traditional procedure, is an important ritual for Muslims and Jews and an important social problem for the hemophiliac patient and his family. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychosocial dimension of circumcision and the opinions of parents and children. A total of 105 hemophiliac patients and parents were interviewed and surveyed. Of these, 94% of the parents of uncircumcised patients wanted circumcision for their children. Most parents saw circumcision as a mandatory procedure. Hemophilic boys (60%) and their parents (82%) have an inferiority complex because the boys are unable to be circumcised. Bleeding risk is the primary reason of anxiety (70%). The parents of all the circumcised patients were happy after circumcision. In conclusion, circumcision is an important social problem of hemophilic patients that needs to be solved.     

Should open Kasai portoenterostomy be performed for biliary atresia in the era of laparoscopy?

Kasai portoenterostomy has been the treatment of choice for neonates with biliary atresia since its introduction. With the advance in laparoscopic techniques, a few centers have reported the feasibility of performing laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy. However, the outcome of this new technique is not known. Here, we aim to evaluate, as the only referral center for liver transplantation, our experience with patients referred for transplantation after failed Kasai portoenterostomy. A retrospective study was carried out between October 1996 and September 2005. The records of all patients with the diagnosis of biliary atresia were retrieved. The type of procedure and clinical outcome of the patients were noted. Early failure of Kasai enterostomy was defined as the need for liver transplantation within 1-year post-Kasai operation. For the period studied, a total of 72 patients with biliary atresia were identified. Sixty-three of the 72 patients had their Kasai portoenterostomies performed openly while nine patients underwent laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy in a center experienced in laparoscopic surgery. Six of these patients were referred for transplantation within 1 year, giving the early failure rate of 66.6%. In comparison, the early failure rate for open Kasai procedure was 38.5%. Regarding post-operative complications, one patient who underwent laparoscopic Kasai procedure also suffered intestinal volvulus after initial surgery and another was found to have internal herniation of the Roux loop. Laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy seems to be associated with more post-operative complications and worse early clinical outcome. As a result, we remain guarded about the present-day technique of laparoscopy for biliary atresia.     

Do we still need oral food challenges for the diagnosis of food allergy?

Food challenges are standard in the diagnosis in patients suspected of being allergic to food. However, their role is regularly questioned due to the time required to perform them, and to their cost and the inherent risk of severe reactions. Food challenges have been challenged by recent advances defining threshold values for food‐specific IgE helping to predict the probability of having symptoms to the suspected food. Also, identification of major allergens to various highly allergenic foods such as peanuts or tree nuts has contributed to an increased accuracy of IgE testing. Altogether, these new data have contributed to a better definition of the role of oral food challenges in the diagnosis of food allergy. Oral food challenges are not outdated and remain the gold standard in the diagnosis of food allergy.     

Should routine childhood immunizations be compulsory?

Routine childhood immunizations are compulsory in a small number of countries, including the United States of America. Arguments used to justify making immunizations compulsory include enhancing the health of the community and treating as paramount the rights of the child to be protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. But compulsory immunization infringes the autonomy of parents to make choices about child rearing, an autonomy which we generally respect unless doing so seriously endangers the child's health. We present a historical review and ethics discussion on whether routine childhood immunizations should be compulsory. We conclude that, for both ethical and practical reasons, routine immunization should not be compulsory if adequate levels of immunization can be achieved by other means.     

Should healthy children be vaccinated against influenza?

Influenza is often regarded as an illness of the elderly portion of the population because most of the excess mortality associated with influenza epidemics occurs in that age group. However, evidence derived from a large number of clinical studies carried out in different countries and various settings has clearly demonstrated that the burden of influenza is also substantial in children. The attack rates of influenza during annual epidemics are consistently highest in children, and young children are hospitalized for influenza-related illnesses at rates comparable to those for adults with high-risk conditions. Especially among children younger than 3 years of age, influenza frequently predisposes the patient to bacterial complications such as acute otitis media. Children also serve as the main transmitters of influenza in the community. A safe and effective vaccine against influenza has been available for decades, but the vaccine is rarely used even for children with high-risk conditions. Despite several existing problems related to influenza vaccination of children, the current evidence indicates that the advantages of vaccinating young children would clearly outweigh the disadvantages. Considering the total burden of influenza in children, children younger than 3 years of age should be regarded as a high-risk group for influenza, analogously with the age-based definition of high risk among persons 65 years of age or older. Annual influenza vaccination should be recommended to all children from 6 months to 3 years of age.     

Can food allergy be prevented? The current evidence

Food allergy is a recognized public health concern, for which preventative strategies are required. Although an intervention that adequately protects against the development of food allergy has still to be identified, limited benefits have been shown for the prevention of related allergic conditions such as eczema, and to a lesser extent asthma and rhinitis; these benefits are usually limited to at-risk populations. Prevention strategies need to be tested using randomized controlled study designs that account for the numerous methodological challenges, safety concerns, and necessary ethical limitations.