Assessing impaired gastric accommodation in children with functional constipation using the water load test

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate gastric accommodation in pediatric patients with functional constipation using the water load test.

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional case-control study. Herein, the water load test results of children aged >4 years with functional constipation referred to a Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic (functional constipation group) were compared with those of a control group (without functional constipation or chronic abdominal pain) recruited from two public schools. Clinical manifestations outlined in the Rome IV criteria were used to diagnose functional constipation. Water load tests were performed after 3 h of fasting. For the test, the participants were asked to drink as much water as possible in 3 min.

KEY RESULTS

A total of 36 patients and 77 students were included in the functional constipation and control groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in age between the groups (8.6 ± 2.3 years and 8.8 ± 1.8 years in the functional constipation and control groups, respectively). The water load test showed intake volumes of 390 ± 245 mL and 528 ± 219 mL in the functional constipation and control groups, respectively (p = 0.001). The maximum volume in the water load test correlated with the 24 h daily intake of energy (rS = +0.42, p = 0.012), protein (rS = +0.48, p = 0.004), and water (rS = +0.39, p = 0.020) only in the group with functional constipation.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

According to the water load test, gastric accommodation was impaired in children with severe functional constipation. The impairment of gastric accommodation in children with severe functional constipation is related to food intake.

EVALUATION OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN C/T-13910 POLYMORPHISM GENOTYPING RESULTS AND LACTOSE TOLERANCE TEST RESULTS: A RETROSPECTIVE POPULATION-BASED STUDY IN BRAZIL

BACKGROUND

Lactose tolerant test (LTT) is the most broadly used diagnostic test for lactose intolerance in Brazil, is an indirect, minimally invasive and a low-cost test that is widely available in primary care and useful in clinical practice. The C/T-13910 polymorphism in lactase persistence has been well characterized in Caucasian populations, but there are no studies evaluating the concordance between C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping results and LTT results in Brazil, where the population is highly mixed.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate agreement between presence of C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping and malabsorption in LTT results.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of a Brazilian population whose data were collected from a single laboratory database present in several Brazilian states. Results of individuals who underwent both genetic testing for lactose intolerance (C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping) and an LTT from April 2016 until February 2019 were analysed to evaluate agreement between tests. Groups were classified according to age (<10-year-old (yo), 10-17 yo, ≥18 yo groups) and state of residence (São Paulo or Rio Grande do Sul). Results: Among the 404 patients evaluated, there was agreement between the genotyping and LTT results in 325 (80.4%) patients and discordance in 79 (19.6%) patients (k=0.42 -moderate agreement). Regarding the genotype, 47 patients with genotype C/C (lactase nonpersistence) had normal LTT results, and 32 with genotype C/T or T/T (indicating lactase persistence) had abnormal LTT results. Neither age nor state of residence (Rio Grande do Sul or São Paulo) affected the agreement between test results.

CONCLUSION

Considering the moderate agreement between C/T-13910 polymorphism genotyping and LTT results (κ=0.42) in the Brazilian population, we hypothesize that an analysis of other polymorphisms could be a strategy to improve the agreement between genotyping and established tests and suggest that additional studies should focus on exploring this approach.

BACKGROUND

• Lactose intolerance is highly prevalent and may be implicated as a cofactor, or as a differential diagnosis, in many gastrointestinal conditions.

BACKGROUND

• The C/T-13910 polymorphism in lactase persistence is well characterized in Caucasian populations for lactase persistence.

BACKGROUND

• Concordance between genotyping and functional tests does not occur in all patients.

BACKGROUND

• Brazil has a highly mixed population and knowledge regarding presence of other polymorphisms is of importance in clarifying difficult cases.

Hypohydration, Functional Constipation, and Physical Activity in Elementary School Students

This school-based, cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate whether hypohydration is related to functional constipation and physical activity in school-aged children. The study included 452 students aged 6-12 years. Hypohydration, defined as urinary osmolality >800 mOsm/kg, was more prevalent ( P = 0.002) in boys (72.1%) than in girls (57.5%). The difference in the prevalence of functional constipation according to sex (20.1% in boys and 23.8% in girls) was not statistically significant ( P = 0.81). In bivariate analysis, functional constipation was associated with hypohydration in girls (odds ratio = 1.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-3.49), and multiple logistic regression did not reach statistical significance ( P = 0.082). Low proportions of active commuting to school in both sexes were associated with hypohydration. However, there were no associations between functional constipation, active commuting to school, and physical activity scores. In conclusion, multiple logistic regression did not demonstrate an association between hypohydration and functional constipation in school-aged children.

Overweight status, abdominal circumference, physical activity, and functional constipation in children

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of functional constipation and its relationship with the food intake, overweight status, and physical activity of children.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included students from two public schools in the municipality of Osasco, which is located in the metropolitan area of São Paulo. Functional constipation was diagnosed if the clinical manifestations of the Rome IV criteria were present for more than 2 months. A 24-h recall survey was used to determine the daily food intake. Weight, height, abdominal circumference, and bioelectrical impedance were used to evaluate the weight status. Active commuting to school and physical activity scores were assessed using a questionnaire that has been validated in Brazil.

RESULTS

A total of 452 children, aged 6-12 years, were evaluated. Functional constipation was observed in 22.3% of participants. A greater abdominal circumference was associated with functional constipation in girls (p=0.036) in the bivariate analysis but not in the logistic regression model. Boys with functional constipation consumed higher quantities of fats (p=0.041). There was no statistically significant relationship between functional constipation and overweight status (44.6 and 34.5% of children with and without constipation, respectively; p=0.083) and active commuting to school (48.5 and 56.7% of children with and without constipation, respectively; p=0.179).

CONCLUSION

Functional constipation was associated with a greater abdominal circumference in girls in the bivariate analysis, however, without association in the logistic regression model. Boys with functional constipation consumed higher quantities of fat. No association was found between functional constipation, overweight status, and physical activity.

THE FATIGUE RATE INDEX IS HIGHER IN CHILDREN WITH FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION AND RETENTIVE FECAL INCONTINENCE

BACKGROUND

The Fatigue Rate Index (FRI) is a parameter in anorectal manometry (ARM) to assess sustained voluntary contraction, considering the squeeze pressure and fatigability of the external anal sphincter. It is used in adults to detect fecal incontinence even in patients who present normal squeeze pressures. The FRI in adult patients with functional constipation is similar to controls.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and values of FRI in children in relation to the values previously established in adults and comparing children with functional constipation and retentive fecal incontinence to children without retentive fecal incontinence.

METHODS

This retrospective study evaluated 105 ARM performed from Jan 2014 to Apr 2015. 42 patients were selected (were able to perform a voluntary contraction and had no co-morbidities other than functional constipation). 14 (33.3%) of those collaborated in sustaining contraction for 40 seconds (s), allowing the evaluation of the FRI. Patients with retentive fecal incontinence secondary to functional constipation (n=7, aged 6 to 13 years, six boys) were our interest group. Patients with functional constipation without fecal incontinence (n=7, aged 6 to 13 years, four boys) were considered a reference group. The ARM were performed with a radial eight-channel perfusion catheter (DynamedTM, São Paulo, Brazil) and the FRI was calculated (Proctomaster 6.4) in the first 20 s and overall 40 s of sustained voluntary contraction.

RESULTS

14 of the selected 42 collaborated in sustaining contraction for 40 s, allowing the evaluation of the FRI. In the first 20 s of contraction, the fecal incontinence group showed a significantly higher mean FRI (2.48±1.39 min) compared to the reference group (1.13±0.72 min, P=0.042), which was not observed in the 40 s interval due to less uniform contraction. The anal resting pressure was higher in the fecal incontinence group (76.83 mmHg) than in the reference group (54.13 mmHg), but the statistical study did not reach significance (P=0.051).

CONCLUSION

The FRI is feasible in children. The mean FRI obtained in this study is lower than the reported in constipated adults. The mean FRI among children with functional constipation and retentive fecal incontinence is higher than among constipated children without retentive fecal incontinence.

CLINICAL SPECTRUM OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION AND BOWEL-HABIT PATTERNS OF SCHOOLCHILDREN RECRUITED FROM TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND A SPECIALIZED OUTPATIENT CLINIC

BACKGROUND

Early diagnosis of functional constipation is important for reducing its negative consequences on the health of children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical spectrum of functional constipation and bowel habit patterns in schoolchildren recruited from two primary schools and patients from a pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 452 students from two elementary schools in the city of Osasco and 81 patients with functional constipation seen in an outpatient clinic specializing in pediatric gastroenterology. All children were aged between 6 and 12 years. The Rome IV criteria (two features for more than 1 month) and the Bristol scale were used.

RESULTS

The prevalence of functional constipation among the elementary school students was 22.3% (n=101). Among the 351 students who did not have functional constipation, 182 (51.9%) had one of the clinical manifestations of the Rome IV criteria. Bristol stool scale types 1 and 2 were observed in 14 (8.3%) of the 169 students without any clinical manifestation of the Rome IV criteria and in 28 (15.4%) of the 182 students who presented one of the Rome IV criteria for functional constipation (P=0.060). A comparison of the clinical manifestations of children with functional constipation identified at school in relation to those seen at the specialized clinic showed the following differences: fewer than two bowel movements per week (21.8% and 54.3%; P<0.001, respectively), one or more episodes of fecal incontinence per week (14.8% and 53.1%; P<0.001), and retentive posturing (70.3% and 40.7%, P<0.001). Only 18 (17.8%) of the 101 students identified at the schools with functional constipation had received any treatment for this disease in the previous 2 months.

CONCLUSION

As expected, the frequency of more severe clinical manifestations was higher in children seen at specialized clinics. Only a small proportion of the children identified with functional constipation at primary schools had undergone any form of treatment in the previous 2 months. More than half of the children without functional constipation in elementary schools reported one of the Rome IV clinical manifestations. Finally, functional constipation has a broad clinical spectrum and also requires attention for the prevention and the management of its early clinical manifestations.

Association between abuse and neglect with functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome in adolescents

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association between violence exposure, abuse, and neglect victimization with functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome in adolescents.

METHODS

Observational cross-sectional case-control study conducted with adolescents from two public schools in the municipality of Osasco, metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. A self-administered questionnaire validated for Brazilian Portuguese Child Abuse Screening Tools - Children's version (ICAST-C) was used to screen the different types of violence. The definition of functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome was performed using the Rome IV criteria for adolescents. Parents or legal guardians completed the questionnaire for socioeconomic assessment and signed the informed consent form.

RESULTS

265 students aged 11-17 years, 157 females, were evaluated. Functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome were found in 74 (27.9%) of the 265 adolescents. Violence exposure was found in 82.6% of the 265 screened adolescents, physical abuse in 91.3%, psychological abuse in 93.2%, sexual abuse in 12.1%, and neglect in 53.6%. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed an association (p < .05) between functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with violence exposure (OR = 2.77), physical abuse (OR = 2.17), psychological abuse (OR = 2.95), and neglect (OR= 2.31). There was no association with sexual abuse.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome were associated with violence exposure, physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect in adolescent students from public schools. No association was found with sexual abuse. Further studies are necessary to investigate the causal relationship between violence and functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Is there any association between overweight, physical activity, fat and fiber intake with functional constipation in adolescents?

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of functional constipation and its association with overweight, physical activity and the estimation of fat and fiber intake in adolescents.Methods: In all, 386 adolescents aged 14-19 years from the city of Maceió (Alagoas, Northeast Brazil) were included in this study. Participants responded to standardized questionnaires that assessed bowel habits, physical activity and the estimation of fat and dietary fiber intake. Functional constipation was defined according to the Rome criteria. Weight and height were measured using standard methods. Body mass index (BMI) was used to evaluate whether a participant was overweight.Results: The prevalence of constipation was 24.9%. The median BMI was higher in female adolescents with constipation (22.6) compared with female adolescents without constipation (20.0; p = .001). Physical inactivity (fewer than 300 min of physical activity per week) was more frequent in females (62.7%; 126/201) than in males (42.2%; 78/185; p = .000). No association was observed between physical inactivity and functional constipation. Excessive intake of fat in the diet was found in 45.3% (175/386) of participants, while poor dietary fiber intake was found in 84.2% (325/386) of participants. No association was found between a fat-rich diet and constipation. Low dietary fiber intake was associated with constipation in female adolescents (odds ratio = 3.42, 95% confidence interval: 1.08 and 12.06).Conclusions: The prevalence of constipation was high among this group of adolescents. Constipation was not associated with physical inactivity but was associated with a low dietary fiber intake and higher BMI values in female adolescents.

Gut microbiota of children with atopic dermatitis: Controlled study in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil

BACKGROUND

It is possible that imbalances in the composition of the gut microbiota or the relationship of the microbiota with the host may be implicated in the origin of allergy. Therefore, we studied the intestinal microbiota of children with atopic dermatitis (AD).

METHODS

Cross-sectional study with 81 children aged 5-11; 23 with AD and 58 controls. Surveys were conducted to obtain demographic, socioeconomic and neonatal data. Diagnosis of AD was made based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Eubacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, B. fragilis, E. coli, Lactobacillus spp., S. aureus, E. faecalis, Salmonella spp., M. smithii, Bifidobacterium spp., C. difficile and C. perfringens were quantified using real-time PCR.

RESULTS

The analysis showed an association between presence of C. difficile (OR: 5.88; 95 % CI: 1.24; 27.98), greater abundance of bifidobacteria (OR: 11.09; 95 % CI: 2.14; 57.39) and a lower abundance of lactobacilli (OR: 0.07; 95 % CI: 0.01; 0.51) in the gut microbiota of children with AD. Counts of Eubacteria (0,05×10³ and 8.49×10³), B. fragilis (0.72×10⁹ and 4.5×10⁹), Lactobacillus spp. (0.02×10⁸ and 0.38×10⁸), E. coli (0.13×10⁹ and 1.52×10⁹) and M. smithii (0.02×10⁸ and 0.31×10⁸) were lower in children with AD (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed that children living in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (Brazil) with AD have a different microbiota pattern with higher prevalence of C. difficile, lower abundance of Lactobacillus and greater abundance of bifidobacteria, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Prevalence of voluntary dehydration according to urine osmolarity in elementary school students in the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the prevalence of voluntary dehydration based on urine osmolarity in elementary school students from two public educational institutions in the metropolitan region of São Paulo and evaluate whether there is a relationship between voluntary dehydration and nutritional status or socioeconomic status.

METHODS

Analytical cross-sectional study with students from two public schools in the city of Osasco. The determination of urine osmolarity was performed using the freezing method of the Advanced® Osmometer Model 3W2. Urine osmolarity greater than 800 mOsm/kg H2O was considered voluntary dehydration. During data collection, the weights and heights of the students, environmental temperatures and air humidity levels were obtained.

RESULTS

A total of 475 students aged six to 12 years were evaluated, of whom 188 were male. Voluntary dehydration occurred in 63.2% of the students and was more frequent in males than in females. The prevalence of voluntary dehydration was more frequent in males aged six to nine years than in females. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between males and females aged 10 to 12 years. No association was found between voluntary dehydration and nutritional status or socioeconomic status.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of voluntary dehydration was high in elementary school students and was more frequent in males. No association was found between voluntary dehydration and nutritional or socioeconomic status.

Fecal microbiota analysis of children with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth among residents of an urban slum in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the fecal microbiota composition of children living in an urban slum in Brazil, with or without small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and to investigate the occurrence of stunting and anemia.

METHODS

A total of 100 children were studied, aged 5-11 years, from the municipality of Osasco, São Paulo. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was screened through hydrogen and methane breath test with lactulose. Weight and height were measured, and the height-for-age and body mass-for-age anthropometric indexes were calculated. The occurrence of anemia was investigated by capillary hemoglobin. Analysis of bacterial phylum, genus, and species was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in fecal samples.

RESULTS

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was identified in 61.0% of the children. A lower mean of height-for-age Z-score ([-0.48±0.90] vs. [-0.11±0.97]; p=0.027), as well as capillary hemoglobin ([12.61±1.03g/dL] vs. [13.44±1.19g/dL]; p<0.001) was demonstrated in children with SIBO when compared with children without small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Children with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth presented a higher frequency of Salmonella spp., when compared to those without small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (37.7% vs. 10.3%; p=0.002). Higher counts of total Eubacteria (p=0.014) and Firmicutes (p=0.038) were observed in children without small intestinal bacterial overgrowth; however, a higher count of Salmonella (p=0.002) was found in children with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

CONCLUSION

Children who lived in a slum and were diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth showed lower H/A Z-scores and hemoglobin levels. Furthermore, differences were observed in the fecal microbiota of children with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, when compared to those without it; specifically, a higher frequency and count of Salmonella, and lower counts of Firmicutes and total Eubacteria.

Water and fluid intake in the prevention and treatment of functional constipation in children and adolescents: is there evidence?

OBJECTIVE

To study the evidence on the role of water and fluid intake in the prevention and treatment of functional intestinal constipation in children and adolescents.

SOURCE OF DATA

A search was carried out in the Medline database (between 1966 and 2016) for all published articles containing the following words: constipation, water, and fluids, published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. All original articles that assessed children and adolescents were selected by title and abstract. The references of these articles were also evaluated.

SYNTHESIS OF DATA

A total of 1040 articles were retrieved. Of these, 24 were selected for reading. The study included 11 articles that assessed children and adolescents. The articles were divided into two categories, those that evaluated water and fluid intake as a risk factor for intestinal constipation and those that evaluated their role in the treatment of intestinal constipation. Five articles were included in the first category. The criteria for assessing fluid intake and bowel rhythm were different in each study. Three studies demonstrated an association between low fluid intake and intestinal constipation. Regarding treatment, five articles with heterogeneous methodologies were found. None of them clearly identified the favorable role of fluid intake in the treatment of intestinal constipation.

CONCLUSION

There are few articles on the association between fluid intake and intestinal constipation. Epidemiological evidence indicates an association between lower fluid intake and intestinal constipation. Further clinical trials and epidemiological studies that consider the international recommendations for fluid intake by children and adolescents are required.

The impact of antibiotics on growth in children in low and middle income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether antibiotic treatment leads to improvements in growth in prepubertal children in low and middle income countries, to determine the magnitude of improvements in growth, and to identify moderators of this treatment effect.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

Medline, Embase, Scopus, the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, and Web of Science.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomised controlled trials conducted in low or middle income countries in which an orally administered antibacterial agent was allocated by randomisation or minimisation and growth was measured as an outcome. Participants aged 1 month to 12 years were included. Control was placebo or non-antimicrobial intervention.

RESULTS

Data were pooled from 10 randomised controlled trials representing 4316 children, across a variety of antibiotics, indications for treatment, treatment regimens, and countries. In random effects models, antibiotic use increased height by 0.04 cm/month (95% confidence interval 0.00 to 0.07) and weight by 23.8 g/month (95% confidence interval 4.3 to 43.3). After adjusting for age, effects on height were larger in younger populations and effects on weight were larger in African studies compared with other regions.

CONCLUSION

Antibiotics have a growth promoting effect in prepubertal children in low and middle income countries. This effect was more pronounced for ponderal than for linear growth. The antibiotic growth promoting effect may be mediated by treatment of clinical or subclinical infections or possibly by modulation of the intestinal microbiota. Better definition of the mechanisms underlying this effect will be important to inform optimal and safe approaches to achieving healthy growth in vulnerable populations.

Methane production and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in children living in a slum

AIM

To analyze small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in school-aged children and the relationship between hydrogen and methane production in breath tests.

METHODS

This transversal study included 85 children residing in a slum and 43 children from a private school, all aged between 6 and 10 years, in Osasco, Brazil. For characterization of the groups, data regarding the socioeconomic status and basic housing sanitary conditions were collected. Anthropometric data was obtained in children from both groups. All children completed the hydrogen (H(2)) and methane (CH(4)) breath test in order to assess small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). SIBO was diagnosed when there was an increase in H(2) ≥ 20 ppm or CH(4) ≥ 10 ppm with regard to the fasting value until 60 min after lactulose ingestion.

RESULTS

Children from the slum group had worse living conditions and lower nutritional indices than children from the private school. SIBO was found in 30.9% (26/84) of the children from the slum group and in 2.4% (1/41) from the private school group (P = 0.0007). Greater hydrogen production in the small intestine was observed in children from the slum group when compared to children from the private school (P = 0.007). A higher concentration of hydrogen in the small intestine (P < 0.001) and in the colon (P < 0.001) was observed among the children from the slum group with SIBO when compared to children from the slum group without SIBO. Methane production was observed in 63.1% (53/84) of the children from the slum group and in 19.5% (8/41) of the children from the private school group (P < 0.0001). Methane production was observed in 38/58 (65.5%) of the children without SIBO and in 15/26 (57.7%) of the children with SIBO from the slum. Colonic production of hydrogen was lower in methane-producing children (P = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

Children who live in inadequate environmental conditions are at risk of bacterial overgrowth and methane production. Hydrogen is a substrate for methane production in the colon.

Abdominal radiograph in the assessment of fecal impaction in children with functional constipation: comparing three scoring systems

OBJECTIVES

To compare three radiological scores in the study of fecal impaction in children with constipation. To investigate whether these radiological scores are useful in the assessment of fecal disimpaction therapy and if they present a relation with total colonic transit time.

METHODS

The Barr, Blethyn and Leech scores were measured by three observers, independently, in 123 abdominal radiographs. Interobserver agreement in the diagnosis of fecal impaction was calculated for the three scores. In 30 radiographs, the analysis of the scores was performed before and after fecal disimpaction. Total colonic transit time was calculated in 59 radiographs with the use of radiopaque markers.

RESULTS

The agreement between pairs of observers was assessed by the kappa coefficient and was good for the Barr (0.56, 0.59 and 0.69) and Leech scores (0.53, 0.58 and 0.61). The Blethyn score presented lower kappa coefficients (0.26, 0.32 and 0.36). In the comparison of methods, Leech and Barr showed a good correlation. After fecal disimpaction, there was a statistically significant reduction (p < 0.001) of scores, most significantly with the Barr score. There was no relation between radiographic scores and colonic transit time.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no relation between fecal impaction assessed by radiography of the abdomen and total colonic transit time. Plain radiographs may be a useful tool for the diagnosis of fecal impaction. The Barr score can be considered a good method of analysis, especially to assess the response to treatment of fecal impaction.

Parasitoses intestinais se associam a menores índices de peso e estatura em escolares de baixo estrato socioeconômico

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de parasitoses intestinais, correlacionando-as com os fatores socioeconômicos e ambientais, peso, estatura e hemoglobina, em crianças de dois estratos socioeconômicos, no município de Osasco (SP). MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, comparando 84 crianças de seis a dez anos, residentes em área sem saneamento básico e moradia precária, com 35 crianças de escola particular no mesmo município, que possuíam boas condições socioeconômicas e de moradia. Excluíram-se aquelas com diarreia há menos de 30 dias ou doença grave. Utilizou-se questionário padronizado para avaliar as condições socioambientais. A avaliação nutricional foi realizada mediante escores Z de peso para idade, estatura para idade e índice de massa corpórea. A determinação da hemoglobina em amostra de sangue capilar foi realizada pelo método Hemocue® e a pesquisa de parasitas intestinais, pelos métodos de Hoffman, Ritchie, Kinyoun e swab anal. RESULTADOS: Parasitose intestinal ocorreu em 60,7% das crianças da favela e em 5,9% das crianças da escola particular (p<0,001; OR 24,7). A média dos escores Z de peso para idade, estatura para idade e índice de massa corpórea foi menor nas crianças parasitadas (-0,78±0,84; +0,50±0,90; -0,76±0,96) em relação àquelas não parasitadas (-0,18±1,18; +0,03±1,10; -0,28±1,16), sendo as diferenças estatisticamente significantes (p<0,05). Não houve diferença nos valores médios de hemoglobina entre as crianças parasitadas e não parasitadas do grupo da favela (12,6±1,1g/dL e 12,8±1,2g/dL); p=0,58. CONCLUSÕES: A parasitose intestinal foi mais prevalente em crianças da favela e se associou a menores índices de peso e de estatura.

Overweight and constipation in adolescents

Background

The association between overweight and gastrointestinal symptoms has been recently studied in the literature; however, few studies have evaluated the association between overweight and constipation in adolescents in a community-based sample. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of constipation and its association with being overweight in a community-based survey with adolescents.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 1,077 adolescents who were enrolled in five schools in the city of Sao José dos Campos, Brazil. Constipation was defined according to modified and combined Rome III criteria for adolescents and adults. Being overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) that was equal to or greater than that of the 85^th percentile for age and gender.

Results

Constipation was diagnosed in 18.2% (196/1077) of the included adolescents. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of constipation in males and females who were both younger and older than 14 years. Fecal incontinence was observed in 25 adolescents, 22 (88.0%) of whom were diagnosed as being constipated. The prevalence of being overweight was found in 13.5% (145/1077) of the study population. The prevalence of constipation was observed to be similar in adolescents who were (19.4%; 28/144) and were not (18.0%; 168/933) overweight (p = 0.764; OR = 1.10). Fecal incontinence that was associated with constipation was more frequent in adolescents who were overweight (37.0%; 8/28) than in adolescents who were not overweight (8.5%; 14/168; p = 0.005; OR = 4.40).

Conclusions

The prevalence of constipation was high among the investigated adolescents. There was no association between being overweight and constipation; however, an association between being overweight and fecal incontinence in constipated adolescents was confirmed.

Consumo de fibra alimentar por crianças e adolescentes com constipação crônica: influência da mãe ou cuidadora e relação com excesso de peso

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a influência da mãe ou da cuidadora sobre o consumo de fibra alimentar por crianças e adolescentes com constipação crônica bem como sua relação com a ocorrência de excesso de peso. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 38 crianças e adolescentes com constipação funcional e suas respectivas cuidadoras. Para análise do consumo de fibra alimentar, foi utilizado o registro alimentar de três dias. Peso e estatura foram aferidos para verificar o estado nutricional. A história familiar de constipação foi investigada. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos pacientes com constipação (89,5%; 34/38) apresentava consumo insuficiente de fibra (inferior à idade +5g). Das 38 cuidadoras, apenas uma (2,6%) apresentou ingestão de fibra superior à recomendação mínima (20g/dia). Excesso de peso foi encontrado em 28,9% (11/38) dos pacientes e em 60,5% (23/38) das suas responsáveis. Associação entre excesso de peso e presença de constipação foi verificada entre as cuidadoras (p=0,046). As crianças e adolescentes do sexo feminino com excesso de peso apresentaram menor ingestão de fibra, comparadas às sem excesso de peso (p=0,011). Nos pacientes do sexo masculino, essa associação não foi observada. O consumo de fibra pelas cuidadoras com excesso de peso foi inferior ao das demais (p=0,027). Observou-se correlação entre consumo de fibra pelas crianças com constipação e suas cuidadoras, nos sexos masculino (r=+0,561; p=0,005) e feminino (r=+0,782; p<0,001). CONCLUSÕES: Observou-se relação entre o consumo de fibra alimentar por crianças e adolescentes com constipação crônica e suas respectivas cuidadoras. O consumo insuficiente de fibra associou-se ao excesso de peso e à presença de constipação no gênero feminino.

Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the feces of schoolchildren of two different socioeconomic groups: children from a favela and children from a private school

OBJECTIVE

To determine the number of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium colonies in the feces of schoolchildren from two different socioeconomic levels.

METHODS

We analyzed fecal samples of children aged 6 to 10 years without gastrointestinal symptoms or recent use of antimicrobials. The first group included 86 children living in a favela in the city of Osasco, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. The second group included 36 children attending a private school in the same city. Body mass index (BMI) was used to assess nutritional status according to the reference values of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Specific anaerobic culture media were used for isolation of colonies for 48 and 72 hours at 37 degrees C. The number of colonies was determined using the plate-counting method.

RESULTS

The mean lactobacillus (1.125 x 10(9) colony-forming units, CFU/g) and bifidobacterium (1.675 x 10(9) CFU/g) counts in the private school group were higher (p < 0.001) than those in the favela group: 0.250 x 10(9) and 0.350 x 10(9) CFU/g, respectively. In the favela group, children with BMI z score < -1.0 standard deviation (SD) (n = 28) showed lower mean (p < 0.05) lactobacillus (0.100 x 10(9) CFU/g) and bifidobacterium (0.095 x 10(9) CFU/g) counts than the children with BMI >or= -1.0 SD (n = 57): 0.350 x 10(9) and 0.420 x 10(9) CFU/g, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The microbiota of schoolchildren living in unfavorable environmental conditions shows lower numbers of fecal lactobacillus and bifidobacterium colonies, especially in children with lower BMI values.

Effects of conventional treatment of chronic functional constipation on total and segmental colonic and orocecal transit times

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects of conventional treatment of chronic functional constipation on total and segmental colonic transit times and on orocecal transit time.

METHODS

A total of 34 consecutive patients with functional constipation attending a specialized outpatient clinic were included in the study. Total and segmental colonic transit times were assessed using radiopaque markers. Hydrogen breath test was used to evaluate lactulose and bean orocecal transit times. Treatment consisted of disimpaction, general and dietary fiber intake instruction, and mineral oil administration.

RESULTS

At admission, colonic dysmotility was found in 71.9% (23/32) of patients. All patients who complied with the treatment showed improvement of clinical symptoms after 6 weeks of treatment, when 82.6% (19/23) of those with dysmotility at admission returned to normal or reduced the severity of colonic transit patterns. Transit time decreased (medians) between admission and eighth week of treatment: lactulose orocecal transit (from 70 to 50 minutes, p = 0.002), bean orocecal transit (from 240 to 220 minutes, p = 0.002), and total colonic transit (from 69.5 to 37.0 hours, p = 0.001). The need for mineral oil therapy for constipation after a 12-month treatment was associated with persistence of total colonic transit higher than 62 hours at the eighth week of treatment (p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

The conventional therapeutic approach yielded good results regardless of the presence or not of colonic dysmotility at inclusion in the study. Digestive tract motility abnormalities in functionally constipated children may be reversed, and may be secondary to constipation.

A single center experience with high-dose (HD) IL-2 treatment for patients with advanced melanoma and pilot investigation of a novel gene expression signature as a predictor of response

9003

Background: HD IL-2 remains one of two FDA-approved therapies for the treatment of patients (pts) with advanced melanoma. Initial studies conducted 15–20 years ago reported 16% response rate with 8% of pts achieving durable responses. The toxicity of HD IL-2 limits its application to pts treated in specialized centers. We present the clinical outcome of pts treated over a recent 2 year period with HD IL-2 at a single institution and an associated retrospective pilot study evaluating the predictive value of a novel tumor gene expression signature. Methods: Clinical and radiological data were collected and analyzed on 49 consecutive pts treated with HD IL-2 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 10/05 - 10/07. Response was evaluated via RECIST. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tumor was obtained on consenting pts and classified as either Class 1, defined by melanocyte-specific genes including MITF, or Class 2, represented by immune genes, using the DNA-mediated Annealing, Selection, and Ligation (DASL) technique. Two-sided Fisher's Exact test was used to compare the proportion of responses for pts in the two classes. Results: Clinical response occurred in 16 of the 49 pts (32.6%), with 5 pts (10.2%) having a CR. Two other pts had stable disease > 12 mos; 3 pts who progressed after response had resection to NED. 10 pts remain disease/progression free at a minimum of 16 mos following treatment. 28 pts (including 13 of 16 responders) had sufficient tumor for DASL analysis. Among the 21 categorized as Class 1, 7 (33%) were responders. Of the 7 classified as Class 2, 6 (86%) were responders. This difference in response was statistically significant (p = 0.0286). Conclusions: The overall and CR rates in a contemporary series of pts with metastatic melanoma treated with HD IL-2 are twice that reported in initial studies suggesting some treatment selection on clinical grounds since the 1990s. Pts with tumors expressing an immune signature by DASL appeared more likely to respond. This finding requires prospective validation, but suggests immune-related gene expression might contribute to IL-2 responsiveness.

[Table: see text]

Percepção das mães sobre a importância das práticas alimentares no tratamento da constipação crônica funcional

OBJETIVO: Analisar o significado das práticas alimentares compreendendo as percepções, experiências e valores sobre a alimentação de mães de crianças e adolescentes com diagnóstico de constipação crônica funcional. MÉTODOS: 17 mães foram entrevistadas com base em um questionário semidirigido, que compreendia questões relacionadas à alimentação. Para análise, as falas foram agrupadas nos temas: "ambiente familiar durante as refeições", "dificuldades relacionadas à alimentação da criança e do adolescente", "atitudes das mães frente à recusa de alimentos" e "conhecimentos maternos sobre alimentação e sua relação com a constipação crônica funcional". RESULTADOS: A idade das mães variou de 20 a 35 anos. A maioria era casada, possuía ensino fundamental incompleto e renda familiar entre dois e três salários mínimos. Observou-se, no relato das mães, que: muitas não consideram o momento das refeições em família agradável; a limitação financeira é a maior dificuldade relacionada à alimentação dos filhos; a maioria delas, frente à recusa alimentar, adota estratégias para convencer a criança a aceitar a refeição; demonstram ter noção da importância da alimentação para melhora da constipação; creem que alguns alimentos têm efeito "obstipante". CONCLUSÕES: Mães de crianças com constipação intestinal crônica sabem que a alimentação é importante no tratamento dessa afecção e, no entanto, apenas uma parcela reconhece o papel das fibras alimentares. A refeição não é um momento prazeroso e o fator financeiro é limitante para definir os alimentos que compõem a dieta dessas crianças.

Aggressiveness and hostility in the family environment and chronic constipation in children

OBJECTIVE

To compare the emotional aspects of children with and without constipation.

METHODOLOGY

Some emotional aspects were studied in children with and without constipation. A nonstructured interview was performed with the mothers regarding the emotional aspects of their children. The children were asked to tell a story based on the observation of a board from the thematic children apperception test. This is a qualitative study using the technique of constant comparison.

RESULTS

In the interview with the mothers of constipated children.

CONCLUSION

In the children with constipation a higher prevalence of some emotional aspects was observed.

A randomized double-blind clinical trial of the effect of non-absorbable oral polymyxin on infants with severe infectious diarrhea

The present study evaluated the effect of non-absorbable oral polymyxin on the duodenal microflora and clinical outcome of infants with severe infectious diarrhea. Polymyxin was chosen because classic enteropathogenic Escherichia coli was more sensitive to this antibiotic. Twenty-five infants were randomly assigned to a 7-day treatment with oral polymyxin (2.5 mg/kg in 4 daily doses) or placebo. Duodenal and stool cultures were performed before and after the treatment. Five patients were excluded during the study because of introduction of parental antibiotic therapy due to clinical sepsis (N = 3) or rapid clinical improvement (N = 2). In the polymyxin group, small bowel bacterial overgrowth occurred in 61.5% of the cases (8/13) before treatment and in 76.9% (10/13) after treatment. In the placebo group these values were 71.4% (5/7) and 57.1% (4/7), respectively. By the 7th day, clinical cure was observed in 84.6% of the cases (11/13) in the polymyxin group and in 71.4% (5/7) in the placebo group (P = 0.587). Considering all 25 patients included in the study, clinical cure occurred on the 7th day in 12/14 cases (85.7%) in the polymyxin group and 6/11 cases (54.5%) in the placebo group (P = 0.102). Clinical sepsis occurred in 3/11 (27.3%) of the patients in the placebo group and in none (0/14) in the polymyxin group (P = 0.071). Oral polymyxin was not effective in reducing bacterial overgrowth or in improving the clinical outcome of infants hospitalized with severe infectious diarrhea. Taking into account the small sample size, the rate of cure on the 7th day and the rate of clinical sepsis, further studies with greater number of patients are necessary to evaluate these questions.

Características clínicas de pacientes pediátricos com constipação crônica de acordo com o grupo etário

RACIONAL: Não existem estudos avaliando as características clínicas de constipação de acordo com os grupos etários pediátricos. OBJETIVO: Avaliar as características da constipação crônica de acordo com o grupo etário. MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospectivo para avaliar informações demográficas e características clínicas de pacientes pediátricos atendidos em ambulatório especializado entre maio de 1995 e dezembro de 2002. Os dados obtidos foram analisados de acordo com o grupo etário (lactentes, pré-escolares, escolares e adolescentes). RESULTADOS: Foram estudados 561 pacientes, predominando o grupo etário de pré-escolares (42,9%), seguido de escolares (26,9%), lactentes (19,1%) e adolescentes (11,0%). Não se observou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os gêneros nas quatro faixas etárias. Menos que três evacuações por semana foi observado em maior percentual nos pré-escolares (65,8%) e escolares (59,6%) do que nos lactentes (52,4%) e adolescentes (43,1%). Escape fecal foi observado em 75,6% dos pré-escolares com idade maior do que 48 meses, 68,2% dos escolares e 76,7% dos adolescentes. Maior freqüência de escape fecal no gênero masculino (80,7%) do que no feminino (50,0%) foi observada apenas no grupo etário de escolares. Comportamento de retenção (67,6%, 40,7%, 27,2%), medo de defecar (70,2%, 44,2%, 29,7%) e dor abdominal (80,8%, 69,6%, 73,6%) foram observados, respectivamente, com maior freqüência nos pré-escolares do que nos escolares e adolescentes. CONCLUSÃO: Observaram-se diferenças nas características clínicas de pacientes com constipação crônica segundo o grupo etário, no entanto, em todas as faixas etárias observou-se duração prolongada da queixa de constipação e elevada freqüência de complicações como dor abdominal e escape fecal.

Effect of melanoma on immune function in regional lymph nodes (LN)

8000

Background: Metastatic melanoma is associated with various measures of systemic and local immune suppression. We hypothesized that immune suppression in the regional LN basin exists and may facilitate melanoma progression. Methods: We collected portions of regional LNs from tumor uninvolved sentinel LNs (USLN) (remote from primary melanoma removal) and from macroscopically involved nodes (TILN) from therapeutic node dissections in successive melanoma patients. Lymphocytes were extracted, stained using surface and internal antibodies to T cell receptor zeta chain (TCRζ), T regulatory cells (CD4+CD25+ Fox 3p+) (Tregs) and tumor associated myeloid cells (CD11b+ CD14- CD15+) (TAMC), and analyzed via flow cytometer. Results from USLN specimens were compared with TILN. Results: 30 LNs (14 USLN/16 TILN) from 30 patients were evaluated. Median age of patients was 48 years (range 30–83); 20 were male. USLN patients were stage IB (12) or IIA (2); TILN patients were stage IIIB (5), IIIC (5), and IV (6). 7 patients with TILN and none with USLN have progressed. TILN had significantly less TCRζ chain expression than SLN (62% vs. 85%; p = 0.0001). This amounts to a localized decrease of 23% of TCRζ expression (95% CI 13%; 34%). No significant relationship between lymph node involvement and Treg or TAMC was documented. Conclusion: Regional LN involvement with melanoma is associated with a significant reduction in lymphocyte TCRζ expression indicating immune suppression. The mechanism for this is uncertain, but does not appear to be related to changes in Tregs or TAMC (arginase producing cells). We plan to further investigate TCRζ expression in microscopically involved SLNs and SLNs removed at time of primary excision to see if immune changes precede macroscopic tumor involvement. Supported by Harvard Skin SPORE Project 5 and Immune Monitoring Core P50CA93683–01

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Prevalência de constipação em adolescentes matriculados em escolas de São José dos Campos, SP, e em seus pais

RACIONAL: Existem poucas informações a respeito da constipação em adolescentes. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de constipação em adolescentes matriculados em escolas de São José dos Campos, SP, Brasil, e a concomitância de constipação em seus pais biológicos. MÉTODOS: Neste estudo transversal foi analisada amostra de conveniência composta por alunos com idade entre 9 anos e 9 meses e 18 anos e 7 meses e seus respectivos pais biológicos em cinco escolas de São José dos Campos. Para a coleta dos dados foi utilizado um questionário individual. Foram analisados 372 adolescentes cujos pais também responderam ao questionário. Constipação foi caracterizada quando o adolescente apresentava eliminação de fezes com consistência obrigatoriamente endurecida e a ocorrência de pelo menos uma das seguintes características: dor ou dificuldade para evacuar, escape fecal e sangue em torno das fezes. Fezes com formato de cíbalos ou em pelotas grandes e secas e intervalo entre as evacuações maior ou igual a três dias foram considerados critérios que isoladamente caracterizavam constipação. Para os pais, constipação foi caracterizada de acordo com os critérios de Roma II. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de constipação nos adolescentes foi igual a 22,3%, sendo mais freqüente no sexo feminino (27,4%) do que no masculino (14,9%). Constipação nos pais (7,3%; 20/274) foi menos freqüente do que nas mães (27,3%; 88/322). Observou-se concordância muito leve quanto à concomitância de constipação no adolescente e em sua mãe (kappa = 0,12) e à concomitância de constipação no adolescente e em seu pai (kappa = 0,05). CONCLUSÕES: Constipação intestinal é um distúrbio prevalente neste grupo de adolescentes. Não se constatou concordância relevante entre constipação nos adolescentes e em seus pais biológicos.

[Effectiveness of anorectal manometry using the balloon method to identify the inhibitory recto-anal reflex for diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate results of anorectal manometry performed with equipment made in Brazil for the screening of Hirschsprung's disease in children with chronic constipation.

METHODS

Results of 372 anorectal manometries performed consecutively in children with chronic constipation were evaluated. The equipment (Proctosystem Viotti) has two channels for pressure registration by the balloon method and is connected to a computer using specific software. Absence of the inhibitory recto-anal reflex was considered suggestive of Hirschsprung's disease and diagnosis was confirmed by traditional diagnostic methods.

RESULTS

Absence of the inhibitory recto-anal reflex was found in 14 (3.8%) of the 372 anorectal manometry examinations. Diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease was confirmed in 9 out of 14 patients by characterization of aganglionosis upon rectal biopsy. In the other 5 patients, rectal biopsy was not performed in view of a satisfactory evolution with the clinical treatment for constipation. In 4 out of the 5 patients the inhibitory recto-anal reflex was demonstrated with a second anorectal manometry examination.

CONCLUSIONS

The equipment used for anorectal manometry presented a satisfactory performance. Diagnosis of Hirschsprung disease was discarded in 86.5% of the patients with chronic constipation because the inhibitory recto-anal reflex was detected. Manometric evaluation also made possible the identification of a small group of patients in which more than half had Hirschsprung's disease.

Dietary fiber, energy intake and nutritional status during the treatment of children with chronic constipation

The present prospective study was carried out to determine dietary fiber and energy intake and nutritional status of children during the treatment of chronic constipation. Twenty-five patients aged 2 to 12 years with chronic constipation were submitted to clinical evaluation, assessment of dietary patterns, and anthropometry before and after 45 and 90 days of treatment. The treatment of chronic constipation included rectal disimpaction, ingestion of mineral oil and diet therapy. The standardized diet prescribed consisted of regular food without a fiber supplement and met the nutrient requirements according to the recommended daily allowance. The fiber content was 9.0 to 11.9 g for patients aged less than 6 years and 12.0 to 18.0 g for patients older than 6 years. Sixteen patients completed the 90-day follow-up and all presented clinical improvement. The anthropometric variables did not change, except midarm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness which were significantly increased. Statistically significant increases were also found in percent calorie intake adequacy in terms of recommended daily allowance (55.5 to 76.5% on day 45 and to 68.5% on day 90; P = 0.047). Percent adequacy of minimum recommended daily intake of dietary fiber (age + 5 g) increased during treatment (from 46.8 to 52.8% on day 45 and to 56.3% on day 90; P = 0.009). Food and dietary fiber intake and triceps skinfold thickness increased during follow-up. We conclude that the therapeutic program provided a good clinical outcome.

[Breath methane in children with chronic constipation]

RATIONALE

Methane is an intestinal gas which may be excreted in the expired air of about 10% of children.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to investigate methane production by children with functional chronic constipation and methane concentration in the expired air before and after a bowel movement induced by a phosphate enema.

METHODS

Seventy-five patients with functional chronic constipation aged from 3 to 13 years were studied. Methane concentration in the expired air was determined using a gas chromatograph (Quintron, model 12i). Methane production was considered present if the breath methane concentration was equal or greater than 3 ppm.

RESULTS

Methane production was present in 44 (86.3%) of 51 patients with constipation and fecal soiling versus only 7 (29.2%) of 24 patients with constipation without fecal soiling. After six weeks of therapy for constipation, the number of methane producers decreased by 65.2%. None of the 10 children with normal intestinal habit produced methane. Expired air methane concentration was determined before and after a bowel movement induced by a phosphate enema in 20 patients with impacted stool. From these 20 patients, 12 were methane producers. The median (percentiles 25 and 75 between parenthesis) of methane concentration decreased from 21.5 (15.0-25.5) ppm before to 11.0 (4.0-12.5) ppm after the bowel movement.

CONCLUSION

Methane production was associated with chronic constipation with soiling and decreased when impacted stool decreased.

Cow's milk protein intolerance and chronic constipation in children

Cow's milk protein (CMP) allergy was investigated in 25 children (age-range 3 months to 11 years) with chronic constipation. A diagnosis of constipation was made on the basis of a history of painful elimination of hard stools for at least 1 month, whether or not associated with a reduced frequency of stools or soiling. The children were evaluated using clinical parameters and the following laboratory tests: total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE); specific IgE (radioallergosorbent test [RAST]) for whole cow's milk, alpha-lactoalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and a food group; and skin-prick tests with whole milk, alpha-lactoalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, and casein. Following the evaluation, the children were submitted to a CMP-free diet for a period of 4 weeks. In seven patients (28%), constipation disappeared during the CMP-free diet and reappeared within 48-72 h following challenge with cow's milk. In two infants a rectal biopsy revealed allergic colitis and they therefore did not undergo the challenge. High serum levels of total IgE were observed in five of the children who showed a clinical improvement (71%), a positive skin-test in two (29%), and detectable specific IgE in two (29%). These results suggest that CMP allergy or intolerance should be considered as a cause of chronic refractory constipation in children, although the underlying mechanism still require further investigation.

Dissociation of hemopoietic chimerism and allograft tolerance after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Creation of stable hemopoietic chimerism has been considered to be a prerequisite for allograft tolerance after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). In this study, we demonstrated that allogeneic BMT with bone marrow cells (BMC) prepared from either knockout mice deficient in both CD4 and CD8 T cells or CD3E-transgenic mice lacking both T cells and NK cells maintained a high degree of chimerism, but failed to induce tolerance to donor-specific wild-type skin grafts. Lymphocytes from mice reconstituted with T cell-deficient BMC proliferated when they were injected into irradiated donor strain mice, whereas lymphocytes from mice reconstituted with wild-type BMC were unresponsive to donor alloantigens. Donor-specific allograft tolerance was restored when donor-type T cells were adoptively transferred to recipient mice given T cell-deficient BMC. These results show that donor T cell engraftment is required for induction of allograft tolerance, but not for creation of continuous hemopoietic chimerism after allogeneic BMT, and that a high degree of chimerism is not necessarily associated with specific allograft tolerance.

[Dermatoglyphic patterns in celiac disease]

In 1990 a project was performed in Israel in which the authors reported a higher frequency of whorls and a lower frequency of ulnar loops in the dermatoglyphic pattern of children with celiac disease than in children belonging to control group. Based on these findings we carried out a similar study with our local population. Thirty six celiac children, their parents and siblings had their fingerprints analysed and compared to a control group matching for age, sex and race, in order to assess the efficiency of this method for the diagnosis of celiac disease. A statistically significant higher frequency of whorls and arches was found in celiac children than in control group (whorls = 40.6%, arches = 11.7%; whorls = 30.3%, arches = 5.0%, respectively) as well as a strong correlation between the dermatoglyphic pattern of the parents and their celiac children. There was also a statistically higher frequency of whorls > = 4 in celiac children (55.6%) than in controls (30.6%). The conclusion is that the dermatoglyphic pattern analysis can be used as a complementary data. Due to its low sensitivity (55.6%) and specificity (69.4%) considering the presence of four or more whorls, it is not useful as a screening or as a method itself, for the diagnosis of celiac disease.

Pathology review in an early prostate cancer detection program: results from the American Cancer Society-National Prostate Cancer Detection Project

Biopsy materials obtained in the American Cancer Society National Prostate Cancer Detection Project were reviewed at the Central Pathology Laboratory at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Of 265 cases submitted, 177 were diagnosed as prostatic carcinoma, 7 as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), 13 as atypical glands or atypical hyperplasia, and the remaining 68 were benign hyperplasias. Irrespective of the means of detectin or the grading system used (Gleason or WHO-Mostofi), a large majority of the cancers were detected as low-grade tumors. Of 27 cases of PIN reported, 20 were associated with cancer, leaving 7 cases with the sole diagnosis of PIN. These data may indicate the increased use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), digital rectal examination (DRE), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in the United States is shifting the spectrum of prostate cancer pathology toward early low-grade tumors.

Cell-cycle kinetics of permanent glioma-cells measured by pulse labeling with bromodeoxyuridine

Cell phase distribution and cycle kinetics of six human glioblastoma cell lines were characterized after labelling with 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd). Cycle time (T(c)), DNA synthesis time (T(s)), and potential doubling time (T(pot)) were compared with the actual doubling time (T(d)) of the growing cell population. Mathematical estimates closely correlated with T(d). Low labelling index (LI) correlated with short T(s) and vice versa. T(s) and LI allowed grouping of the cell lines in two clusters. The mean number of silver stained nucleolar organizer regions (mAgNORs) and percentage of cells with more than five AgNORs (pAgNOR) were counted. AgNORs closely related to LI. Low mAgNORs and pAgNORs correlated with fast T(s) among the clustered cell lines.

[Bronchial asthma and duodenal ulcer and erosive bulbo-duodenitis in children: report of 6 cases]

The coexistence of moderate and severe asthma and duodenal ulcer is not very well established as yet. We started a protocol trying to establish the presence of reflux esophagitis in children with moderate or severe asthma. Thirty two patients underwent upper digestive endoscopy and, surprisingly, we found six children (18.7%) with the following digestive aspects: four children had duodenal ulcer, and two had erosive duodenitis. We report these cases and discuss some etiopathogenic aspects about these possible association, and beware the clinician to pay attention to abdominal pain in children with bronchial asthma.

Pancreatitis in patients with Reye's syndrome

Three patients who died of a Reye's syndrome had biochemical or pathological evidence of pancreatitis. None of the 38 survivors had clinical or biochemical evidence of pancreatic dysfunction. The use of hypertonic glucose solutions and exogenous insulin may reverse the metabolic abnormalities seen in Reye's syndrome and may spare the pancreas, thereby preventing the development of pancreatitis. In addition, serum calcium and glucose concentrations appear to correlate with pancreatic function and may be of value in detecting the occurrence of pancreatitis. It is our impression that the development of pancreatitis protends a poor prognosis in patients with Reye's syndrome.