• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2012

Purpose: Tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) polymorphism has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese adults, and known to be a mediator of insulin resistance. In this study, we evaluated the role of TNF-${\alpha}$ promoter polymorphisms and insulin resistance in the development of NAFLD in obese children. Methods: A total of 111 obese children (M:F=74:37; mean age, $11.1{\pm}2.0$ yrs) were included. The children were divided into 3 groups: controls (group I, n=61), children with simple steatosis (group II, n=17), and children with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (group III, n=33). Serum TNF-${\alpha}$ levels, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and TNF-${\alpha}$ -308 and -238 polymorphisms were evaluated. Results: There were no differences in TNF-${\alpha}$ polymorphism at the -308 or the -238 loci between group I and group II + III ($p$=0.134 and $p$=0.133). The medians of HOMA-IR were significantly different between group I and group II + III ($p$=0.001), with significant difference between group II and group III ($p$=0.007). No difference was observed in the HOMA-IR among the genotypes at the -308 locus ($p$=0.061) or the -238 locus ($p$=0.207) in obese children. Conclusion: TNF-${\alpha}$ promoter polymorphisms at the -308 and -238 loci were not significantly associated with the development of NAFLD in children; nevertheless, insulin resistance remains a likely essential factor in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in obese children, especially in the progression to NASH.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2012

Purpose: Interest in peptic ulcer in children has been relatively low because the disease is rarer in children than in adults and there were restrictions in the application of endoscopy to children, but the recent development of pediatric endoscopy is activating research on pediatric peptic ulcer. Thus, this study compared the $H.$ $pylori$ infection rate and clinical and endoscopic findings among pediatric patients diagnosed with peptic ulcer. Methods: We analyzed retrospectively 58 pediatric patients for whom whether to be infected with $H.$ $pylori$ was confirmed selected out of pediatric patients diagnosed with gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer through upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the Department of Pediatrics of Gachon University Gil Hospital during the period from January 2002 to December 2007. A case was considered $H.$ $pylori$ positive if $H.$ $pylori$ was detected in the Giemsa stain of tissue or the results of UBT (urea breath test) and CLO (rapid urease test) were both positive. Results: Of the pediatric patients, 37 were infected with $H.$ $pylori$ and 21 were not. The $H.$ $pylori$ infection rate increased with aging and the result was statistically significant ($p$<0.05). However, $H.$ $pylori$ infection was not in a statistically significant correlation with sex, chief complaint, and gastroduodenal ulcer ($p$>0.05). Conclusion: $H.$ $pylori$ infection increased with aging, but was not significantly correlated with gastroduodenal ulcer. Further research may need to examine prospectively the relation between $H.$ $pylori$ and gastroduodenal ulcer in the Incheon area.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.187-192
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• 2008

Most cases of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma occur in adults. MALT lymphoma is very rare in children. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is known to be an important etiologic factor predisposing to the development of gastric MALT lymphoma. A 12-year-old girl was admitted because of intermittent abdominal pain occurring over the preceding 2 years. Nodular gastritis of the stomach was demonstrated on endoscopy. H. pylori infection was confirmed using the rapid urease test and histopathology. Histopathological examination of gastric biopsy specimens revealed lymphoepithelial lesions pathognomonic of MALT lymphoma, and immunohistochemical staining for CD20 was diffusely positive. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with gastric MALT lymphoma. Clinical manifestations and histopathologic findings compatible with MALT lymphoma improved with the eradication of H. pylori infection. We report a case of primary gastric MALT lymphoma in a child, associated with H. pylori infection and presenting as nodular gastritis.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 2008

Recent studies suggest that sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is one of the possible causes of unexplained recurrent acute pancreatitis in children. A 14-year-old boy who had suffered from idiopathic recurrent acute pancreatitis was diagnosed with SOD. Abdominal ultrasonography, computerized tomography, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed no evidence of stone, tumor, or pancreatic ductal anomaly. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and sphincter of Oddi manometry (SOM) revealed elevated basal pressure and tachyoddia consistent with SOD. Hence, an endoscopic pancreatic sphincterotomy was performed. We report a case of recurrent acute pancreatitis associated with SOD in a child. ERCP and SOM may be considered in patients with multiple unexplained attacks of pancreatic pain and negative abdominal imaging.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.214-218
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• 2008

Primary primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the liver is a rare disease with aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. We report a case of a PNET of the liver in a 13-year-old boy. The patient was admitted to the hospital with fever and abdominal pain. Abdominal CT and MRI revealed a 5.5 cm sized, septated, non-enhancing mass in the hepatic hilum. The patient was initially diagnosed with an inflammatory pseudotumor. Despite 9 days of antibiotic therapy, the patient's clinical symptoms did not improve. A liver biopsy was performed in the interest of formulating a differential diagnosis. This procedure revealed tumor cells positive for CD99 on immunohistochemistry. The patient was diagnosed with a PNET.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.219-222
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• 2008

Crigler-Najjar syndrome is a rare inherited disease associated with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. It is inherited via an autosomal recessive pattern and is caused by mutation in one of the five exons of the bilirubin uridine-diphosphoglucuronate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT1A1) gene. The synthesis of inactive isoforms of bilirubin uridine-diphosphoglucuronate glucuronosyltransferase (B-UGT) results in unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. A 13-year-old boy with jaundice for 4 months was admitted to our hospital. He had unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia with no evidence of infection, hemolysis, or structural abnormalities on abdominal ultrasonography or 99mTc-DISIDA scan. The authors identified a missense mutation of Tyr486Asp in the fifth exon of the UGT1A1 gene and diagnosed the patient with Crigler-Najjar syndrome type II. This is the first reported case of Crigler-Najjar syndrome in a Korean child, and it is also the first reported case of a genetic mutation leading to Crigler-Najjar syndrome in Korea.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.189-195
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• 2018

Purpose: We investigated fecal calprotectin (FC) levels in preterm infants with and without feeding intolerance (FI), and compared the FC levels according to the type of feeding. Methods: The medical records of 67 premature infants were reviewed retrospectively. The fully enteral-fed infants were classified into two groups; the FI group (29 infants) and the control group (31 infants). Seven infants with necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and perinatal asphyxia were excluded. If breast milk (BM) or preterm formula (PF) could not be tolerated by infants with FI, amino acid-based formula (AAF) was tried temporarily. Once FI improved, AAF was discontinued, and BM or PF was resumed. We investigated the FC levels according to the type of feeding. Results: Significant differences were found in gestational age, birth weight, age when full enteral feeding was achieved, and hospital stay between the FI and control group (p<0.05). The FC levels in the FI group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). The FC levels in the AAF-fed infants with FI were significantly lower than those in the BM- or PF-fed infants (p<0.05). The growth velocities (g/d) and z scores were not significantly different between the FI and control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: The FC levels in AAF-fed infants with FI showed significantly lower than those in the BM- or PF-fed infants with FI. The mitigation of gut inflammation through the decrease of FC levels in AAF-fed infants with FI could be presumed.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.170-175
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• 2018

Purpose: Lactose intolerance (LI) is perceived to be frequent in Asia and has been reported to have considerable impact on dietary intake, nutritional status and the quality of life. We aimed to gather information from healthcare professionals on the perceived incidence, diagnosis and management of LI in 1 to 5 year old children in Southeast Asia. Methods: An anonymous electronic survey was sent randomly among healthcare professionals registered in the database of the pediatric societies in Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore between June and October 2016. Results: In total, 259 health care professionals responded of which 45.5% (n=118) were from Thailand, 37.4% (n=97) from Indonesia and 16.9% (n=44) from Singapore. Of the participants who responded (n=248), primary LI prevalence among children 1 to 3 years of age was estimated to be less than 5% by 56.8%. However, about 18.9% (n=47) answered they did not know/unsure. Regarding secondary LI, 61.6% of respondents (n=153) estimated the prevalence to be less than 15%. But again, 10.8% (n=27) answered they did not know or unsure. Rotavirus gastroenteritis was ranked as the top cause for secondary LI. There was considerable heterogeneity in the diagnostic methods used. The majority of respondents (75%) recommended lactose-free milk to manage primary and secondary LI. Conclusion: More education/training of pediatricians on this topic and further epidemiological studies using a more systematic approach are required.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2018

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe our treatment experiences with patients who had acute abdomen (AA) with common bile duct (CBD) dilatation. Methods: The treatment outcomes in children with AA and CBD dilatation were retrospectively reviewed. According to the shape of the intrahepatic bile ducts on ultrasonography (US), the origin of the pain was estimated as choledochal cyst (CC) complication or choledocholithiasis in normal CBD. Patients with complicated CC underwent surgery, and patients with choledocholithiasis in a normal appearing CBD underwent symptomatic treatment initially. Results: Of the 34 patients, 30 (88.2%) were female. The mean age of the patients was $6.4{\pm}4.9$ (range, 0.8-17) years. Seventeen (50.0%) patients had CBD stones and 17 (50.0%) did not. Surgical treatment was performed in 20 (58.8%) patients, 2 of whom underwent preoperative stone removal with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and an operation. Conservative treatment was applied in 12 (35.3%) patients (8 with and 4 without stones), 1 of whom developed symptom relapse and underwent an operation. Among the 8 patients with CBD stones, 4 (4/17, 23.5%) had complete resolution of the stones and recovery of the CBD diameter after conservative treatment. US findings of patients with stone showed a fusiform or cylindrical shape of the CBD in 14 (82.4%) patients. Conclusion: The presence of stones in the distal CBD and the US features of CBD dilatation may be helpful to diagnose and treat the causes of biliary dilatation. Conservative treatment can be considered as initial therapy in patients with uncomplicated CBD dilatation with stone.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.176-183
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• 2018

Purpose: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a major cause of morbidity and remains a major cause of hospitalization. Following the Syrian refugee crisis and insufficient clean water in the region, this study reviews the etiological and epidemiological data in Lebanon. Methods: We prospectively analyzed demographic, clinical and routine laboratory data of 198 children from the age of 1 month to 10 years old who were admitted with the diagnosis of AGE to a private tertiary care hospital located in the district of Nabatieh in south Lebanon. Results: Males had a higher incidence of AGE (57.1%). Pathogens were detected in 57.6% (n=114) of admitted patients, among them single pathogens were found in 51.0% (n=101) of cases that consisted of: Entamoeba histolytica 26.3% (n=52), rotavirus 18.7% (n=37), adenovirus 6.1% (n=12) and mixed co-pathogens found in 6.6% (n=13). Breast-fed children were significantly less prone to rotavirus (p=0.041). Moreover, children who had received the rotavirus vaccine were significantly less prone to rotavirus (p=0.032). Conclusion: Our findings highlight the high prevalence of E. histolytica infection as the major cause of pediatric gastroenteritis in hospitalized children, during the summer period likely reflecting the insanitary water supplies and lack of hygiene. Moreover the 42.4% of unidentified causative pathogens should prompt us to widen our diagnostic laboratory arsenal by adopting new diagnostic technologies.