Sonographic Evaluation of Gallbladder Motility in Children with Chronic Functional Constipation

Background/Aims

Studies in adults suggest that constipation may not be a purely colonic pathology and may be a component of a generalized gastrointestinal (GI) motor disorder in which proximal GI motility can be impaired. Pediatric data are scarce, and the natural history of the disorder remains undefined. We aimed to evaluate gallbladder motility in a subset of Asian children with chronic functional constipation.

Methods

Abdominal ultrasound was performed on 105 children, including 55 patients (aged 3 to 13 years) with chronic functional constipation who met the inclusion criteria and 50 age- and gender-matched controls. The gallbladder contractility index was calculated based on the preprandial and postprandial gallbladder areas. Preprandial and postprandial values for gallbladder volume and wall thickness were evaluated.

Results

The mean value of the contractility index for the patients (15.77±24.68) was significantly lower than the mean value for the controls (43.66±11.58) (p=0.001). The mean postprandial gallbladder volumes and areas were larger in children with gallbladder hypomotility (p<0.05). The mean duration of constipation (4.8 months) was significantly higher (p=0.004) in the children with gall-bladder hypomotility.

Conclusions

Gallbladder motility is significantly impaired in children with chronic functional constipation. This study contributes to the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, which will enable advancement in and improved management of children with chronic constipation and associated gallbladder hypomotility.     

AKI in Hospitalized Children: Comparing the pRIFLE,AKIN, and KDIGO Definitions

Background and objectives

Although several standardized definitions for AKI have been developed, no consensus exists regarding which to use in children. This study applied the Pediatric RIFLE (pRIFLE), AKI Network (AKIN), and Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria to an anonymized cohort of hospitalizations extracted from the electronic medical record to compare AKI incidence and outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU pediatric populations.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Observational, electronic medical record–enabled study of 14,795 hospitalizations at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital between 2006 and 2010. AKI and AKI severity stage were defined by the pRIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO definitions according to creatinine change criteria; urine output criteria were not used. The incidences of AKI and each AKI stage were calculated for each classification system. All-cause, in-hospital mortality and total hospital length of stay (LOS) were compared at each subsequent AKI stage by Fisher exact and Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests, respectively.

Results

AKI incidences across the cohort according to pRIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO were 51.1%, 37.3%, and 40.3%. Mortality was higher among patients with AKI across all definitions (pRIFLE, 2.3%; AKIN, 2.7%; KDIGO, 2.5%; P<0.001 versus no AKI [0.8%–1.0%]). Within the ICU, pRIFLE, AKIN, and KDIGO demonstrated progressively higher mortality at each AKI severity stage; AKI was not associated with mortality outside the ICU by any definition. Both in and outside the ICU, AKI was associated with significantly higher LOS at each AKI severity stage across all three definitions (P<0.001). Definitions resulted in differences in diagnosis and staging of AKI; staging agreement ranged from 76.7% to 92.5%.

Conclusions

Application of the three definitions led to differences in AKI incidence and staging. AKI was associated with greater mortality and LOS in the ICU and greater LOS outside the ICU. All three definitions demonstrated excellent interstage discrimination. While each definition offers advantages, these results underscore the need to adopt a single, universal AKI definition.     

Prevalence and Histological Features of the Gastric Cardia-type Mucosa in Children

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that the presence of gastric cardia in adults (with or without inflammation or intestinal cells) is a metaplastic condition. The presence of gastric cardia in children would argue against this contention. We examined the presence and determinants of gastric cardia-type mucosa at a normally located z-line in children without underlying gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-predisposing disorders. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of consecutive pediatric patients undergoing routine upper endoscopy. We excluded patients with coagulopathy or bleeding disorder, prior gastric or esophageal surgery, major congenital disorders, or neurodevelopmental disorders. Biopsies were obtained with the endoscope in the anterograde position within 5 mm below the endoscopic z-line, and were examined for the presence of gastric cardia-type mucosa, defined as both mucous and oxynto-mucous glands. RESULTS: Eighteen (47%) of 38 subjects has gastric cardia mucosa. There were no significant differences in age, gender, or race between patients with and without gastric cardia-type mucosa. There were no differences between the groups in weight and height either at birth or at the time of endoscopy, in the mother's age at childbirth or history of peripartum problems. There were no differences in symptoms suggestive of reflux such as spitting up or difficulty of gaining weight. Neither history of gastroesophageal testing nor histological esophagitis (38% versus 40%) was different between the groups with and without gastric cardia-type mucosa. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric cardia-type mucosa is unlikely to be a metaplastic condition since it is present in a large proportion of children undergoing endoscopy. Neither histological esophagitis nor GERD symptoms are significantly associated with the presence of gastric cardia-type mucosa.     

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Gallbladder Polyps in Children

Background:Gallbladder polyps are rare lesions protruding into the gallbladder lumen with variable clinical presentation. No standard treatment algorithm has been developed for pediatric gallbladders, and the malignant potential of the gallbladder is not clear in children. Therefore, a retrospective study was performed to evaluate the clinical features and treatment options of gallbladder polyps in children.Methods:Between 2014 and 2020, children diagnosed with gallbladder polyps were evaluated for age, gender, clinical features, results of follow-up with ultrasound findings, and treatment options retrospectively.Results:The records of 15 patients with a mean age of 13.2 years (2-20 years) were included. The male: female ratio was 7 : 8. Gallbladder polyps was detected incidentally in 73.3% (n = 11) of the patients. Four (20%) of the patients were symptomatic (26.7%) and complained about abdominal pain. Laboratory tests were normal except in 3 patients who showed slightly increased liver function tests. Two of the patients had 3 polyps on admission. The polyps were 2-10 mm in size. The size of the polyp increased in 5 patients (33.3%) and disappeared in 4 patients (26.6%) in follow-up ultrasound examinations. Five of the patients underwent cholecystectomy and 1 of them was scheduled for surgery. Five of the asymptomatic patients who have polyps less than 10 mm in size are still on follow-up. In patients with cholecystectomy, the histopathology of gallbladders revealed cholesterol polyps (n = 2) and hyperplastic polyps (n = 2). One of the patients with cholecystectomy showed no polyps in histopathological evaluation.Conclusion: Despite the lack of a standardized algorithm, our data suggested that multiple polyps, polyps with increased in size or greater than 10 mm, and the presence of symptoms might require cholecystectomy in children. Asymptomatic patients with small-sized polyps can be identified using ultrasound, and the polyps may disappear during the subsequent follow-up.     

Sonographic and Angiographic Features of Intramural Hematoma as a Cause of Failed Coronary Angioplasty

A characteristic feature of a specific type of dissection after PTCA was observed in seven cases with severe obstruction of the vessel segments proximal and/or distal to the dilatation site. The underlying cause in the absence of an angiographically visible dissection flap was revealed by intravascular ultrasound. The obstruction was caused by an extraluminal obstruction by an echodense mass increasing in size with time, and without a dissection flap even as assessed by intravascular ultrasound. This phenomenon was interpreted as an intramural hematoma extending between media and adventitial border of the vessel. In six of seven cases, bailout therapy by either stenting or redilatation and creation of a typical dissection flap relieved the vessel obstruction. In one case of extension of the hematoma into the left main coronary artery, CABG was performed. Intravascular ultrasound provided a conclusive insight into the underlying morphology of failed PTCA in cases without angiographic features of a dissection. It helped in deciding and controlling the bailout strategy, which was the stenting of the entry into the hematoma at the initial dilatation site.     

Synovitis of the wrist caused by Mycobacterium florentinum

Mycobacterium florentinum is a newly identified, rare, slow-growing species of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Here, we report a case of M. florentinum-induced synovitis of the wrist in an immunocompromised Japanese patient. M. florentinum was identified by sequence analysis of the rpoB, hsp65, and 16S rRNA genes. The M. florentinum strain in this study could not be differentiated from certain M. triplex strains by the hsp65 or 16S rRNA sequences alone, because they occasionally shared more than 99 % sequence identity. The isolated M. florentinum strain was only susceptible to clarithromycin and amikacin. Initially, the patient was treated with clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and ethambutol, and then with clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and rifampicin. To our knowledge, M. florentinum-induced synovitis has not been previously reported. Our results suggest that, in addition to other well-known pathogenic NTM, the recently identified M. florentinum strain should be considered as a possible cause of synovitis. Moreover, we should be cautious when identifying M. florentinum because this strain closely resembles M. triplex in genotype.     

Characterization of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinomas Using Sonographic Features in Malignant Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Retrospective Analysis

The diagnosis of malignant thyroid nodules is still a clinical challenge. This study aimed to determine the ultrasonographic characteristics of papillary thyroid carcinoma.The ultrasonographic and pathological data of 2453 thyroid nodules in a cohort of 1895 Chinese patients who underwent thyroidectomy from January 2010 to December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.Anteroposterior and transversal (AP/TR) diameters ≥1, solid structure, infiltrative margins, hypoechoic appearance, and microcalcifications were more common in malignant nodules than in benign nodules (P < 0.01). These ultrasonographic features were independent risk factors of malignancy (P < 0.01) as determined by logistic regression analysis. Based on multivariate analysis, these characteristics were also present in large nodules (diameter >10 mm). However, in small nodules (diameter ≤10 mm), only AP/TR ≥1 and infiltrative margins were independent risk factors of malignancy (P < 0.01).Ultrasonography is of high diagnostic value for malignant thyroid nodules and may help to improve the differential diagnosis. Small and large nodules have distinct ultrasonographic features.     

Clinical and Histological Features of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

Background  

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming more frequently diagnosed as the prevalence of obesity in children increases rapidly.     

The Outcome of Knee Synovitis in Early Arthritis Provides Guidelines for Management

The aim of the study was to examine the clinical outcome of patients presenting to an early arthritis clinic with synovitis of the knee. The patients were assessed at presentation for evidence and pattern of joint inflammation. These patients were then reassessed at 3, 6 and 12 months and thereafter annually to determine clinical outcome. One thousand six hundred and thirty-three consecutive referrals were examined, 903 of whom had early synovitis. One hundred and thirty had knee synovitis at presentation, of whom 73 fulfilled ACR criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the study. All 73 presented with a symmetrical polyarthritis that included the small joints and had persistent disease at 1 year. Of the remaining 57 patients, 61% of those presenting with an oligoarthritis and 33% with a polyarthritis (including knee synovitis) were in remission at 1 year. None of those presenting as a monoarthritis of the knee had inflammation at 1 year or fulfilled ACR criteria for RA at any time. It was concluded that patients presenting with knee synovitis in the absence of a small joint polyarthritis usually have a benign course following standard therapy. No patient who presented with monoarthritis developed RA. Knee synovitis as part of a polyarthritis (even when not fulfilling ACR criteria) probably justifies disease-modifying antirheumatic drug at presentation. Received: 11 March 1999 / Accepted: 26 July 1999     

Comparison of the Epidemiological and Clinical Features of Tick-Borne Encephalitis in Children and Adults

Summary The aim of this prospective study was to compare epidemiological data and clinical features in children and adults with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Patients with aseptic meningitis diagnosed at the University Medical Centre, Department of Infectious Diseases, Ljubljana, Slovenia, from June to August 1997, in whom the diagnosis of TBE was ascertained by the presence of serum IgM antibodies against TBE virus, who were serologically negative for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and had a negative PCR CSF result on enteroviral infection, were included in the study. Out of 213 patients with aseptic meningitis, 80 (37–56%) fulfilled inclusion criteria. There were 20 children and 60 adults. In both groups males predominated. Virtually all patients had headache and fever, and more than 50% suffered from vomiting. The majority of patients in both groups recalled a tick bite, had a biphasic course of the illness, and was found to have obviously expressed meningeal signs. In both groups the median CSF leukocyte count was somewhat lower than 100 × 10⁶/l with a predominance of lymphocytes. Children were more often given antibiotics during the initial phase of TBE than adults (p = 0.0095). Several other statistically significant distinctions (p < 0.05) were found including the frequency of fatigue, malaise, vertigo, photophobia, myalgias, arthralgias, as well as elevated CSF albumin and protein concentration, elevated albumin quotient and IgG quotients; all these findings were more often present in adults. In addition a longer duration of fever, more frequent need for anti-edematous treatment and longer hospitalization were found in adults. Direct comparison of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of TBE in children and adults revealed differences in several clinical and laboratory features and corroborates the previous conclusion that TBE in childhood is a milder illness than TBE in adults. Received: May 18, 1999 · Revision accepted: January 11, 2000     

儿童过敏性紫癜合并消化道出血的内镜表现

目的探讨儿童过敏性紫癜合并消化道出血的临床特征及胃镜下表现类型与特点。方法从950例过敏性紫瘢住院患儿中筛选出60例有消化道出血症状并辅以胃镜检查的患儿的病历资料,分析其临床表现和胃镜检查资料。结果60例过敏性紫癜患儿均有不同程度的消化道出血症状,临床表现包括腹痛、呕吐、消化道出血(呕血、便血)、腹泻等。胃镜下黏膜病变包括,充血水肿、点片状出血斑、多发性糜烂和多处不规则的溃疡等。结论胃镜检查可帮助早期诊断不典型过敏性紫癜,对合并消化道出血或以消化道症状为首发表现者应及早行胃镜检查,以明确临床诊断和及时正确治疗。     

A Preliminary Study on Dermatoglyphics in Children with Bronchial Asthma A Report on 84 Asthmatic Children

A commercially available forced oscillation unit was used to perform pulmonary function testing in 90 healthy children, aged 4 to 7 years. Normal values for resistance and reactance of the respiratory system, resonant frequency, and frequency dependence are reported. The implications of each of the forced oscillation parameters, and their potential usefulness as objective measures of pulmonary function in young children, are discussed.     

马凡综合征151例初步分析

目的:对马凡综合征患者作回顾性分析.方法:根据Pyeritz诊断标准收集马凡综合征患者151例,初步分析其临床及病理表现.结果:病程小于2天的患者,主动脉夹层检出率(89.1%)显著高于病程大于等于2天者(43.8%)(P<0.01).术前高敏C反应蛋白水平,急性主动脉夹层者明显高于陈旧性主动脉夹层者、无主动脉夹层者(P<0.01).主动脉直径大于或等于60mm者(57.5%),主动脉夹层检出率显著高于主动脉直径小于60 mm者(41.7%),差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).5例无主动脉扩张,伴随主动脉瓣及二尖瓣反流,4例左心室扩张.5例出现主动脉瓣粘液样变性.结论:病史和高敏C反应蛋白的水平对提示是否出现主动脉夹层有价值.大多数患者的主动脉瓣、二尖瓣反流及左心室扩张继发于主动脉扩张;小部分患者的这种血流动力学改变可先于主动脉扩张.主动脉瓣与主动脉壁的病理改变可能同时发生,甚至更早.