Publications by authors named "Ana Moreno-Alvarez"

Objectives/background: Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and free vitamin D are new markers that are being studied as a possible markers of vitamin D status. The main aim of our study was to analyze the VDBP genotype and quantify the levels of free vitamin D in a sample of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional, and prospective study including patients with CF and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency who were clinically stable.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Liver fibrosis is the result of chronic liver injury of different etiologies produced by an imbalance between the synthesis and degeneration of the extracellular matrix and dysregulation of physiological mechanisms. Liver has a high regenerative capacity in the early stage of chronic diseases so a prompt liver fibrosis detection is important. Consequently, an easy and economic tool that could identify patients with liver fibrosis at the initial stages is needed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Unlabelled: IMPACT-III and IMPACT-III-P are health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaires for patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (p-IBD) and their parents/caregivers. We aimed to perform a transcultural adaptation and validation for the Spanish context. Translation, back-translation, and evaluation of the questionnaires were performed by an expert committee and 12 p-IBD families.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This systematic review was conducted with the objective of understanding the efficacy and safety of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the pediatric population. We used PubMed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1 June 2010 and 30 June 2023, performed in patients from birth to 18 years old with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who received treatment with any PPI. This literature search yielded 76 articles and 13 of these met the inclusion criteria.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This study focuses on how gene expression changes may affect pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) in their response to anti-TNF treatments like infliximab and adalimumab.
  • Researchers analyzed blood samples from 24 patients to identify genes that could predict early treatment responses, discovering 102 differentially expressed genes.
  • Key findings included four validated genes (CEACAM8, LCN2, LTF2, and PRTN3) that showed increased expression in responders, highlighting their potential role in treatment effectiveness and involvement in immune responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * A total of 340 pediatric patients treated with infliximab or adalimumab were genotyped for 9 specific genetic variants, revealing that certain variants are linked to poorer long-term treatment outcomes.
  • * Identifying these genetic markers could help tailor anti-TNF therapy for children, allowing healthcare providers to better predict which patients are likely to benefit in the long run, pending further validation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the genetic variants rs2395185 and rs2097432 in HLA genes and their effect on the long-term efficacy of anti-TNF treatments in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  • Researchers conducted an analysis on 340 pediatric IBD patients from Spanish hospitals, using statistical methods to assess the impact of these genetic polymorphisms on treatment outcomes.
  • Results showed that specific alleles (homozygous G for rs2395185 and C for rs2097432) were linked to a reduced long-term response to anti-TNF drugs, highlighting a difference in response between children and adults with Crohn's disease treated with infliximab.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is recommended as a first-line therapy to induce remission of Crohn's disease (CD) and is considered as effective as corticosteroid treatment. However, the dietary restriction causes lack of adherence and poor tolerance to the therapy. Partial enteral nutrition (PEN), which allows for the ingestion of some food, could be a better tolerated alternative, but it is unknown whether it is as effective at inducing CD remission as EEN.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This randomized clinical trial (Registration: NCT03085134) assessed if an extensively hydrolyzed formula (EHF) supplemented with two human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) and reduced protein content (2.20 g/100 kcal) supports normal growth in infants with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). Secondary outcomes were gastrointestinal tolerability, safety, and effect on infections.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers analyzed gene expression profiles from blood samples of 12 patients (6 responders and 6 non-responders) before and after two weeks of anti-TNF treatment using advanced RNA sequencing techniques.
  • * They found specific genes that were significantly overexpressed in non-responders, indicating potential biomarkers for early response to anti-TNF therapy in pediatric IBD patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is more complex in children and they will have to live with the disease for much longer. For this reason, it is necessary to optimize treatment. The polymorphisms associated with the response to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) drugs in adults with IBD have not been analyzed in children.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: Identifying DNA variants associated with trough serum anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) levels could predict response to treatment in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To date, no specific studies have been performed in children. The aim of this study was to identify genetic variants associated with trough serum anti-TNF levels and whether these variants are differential markers for infliximab and adalimumab.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Around a 20-30% of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are diagnosed before they are 18 years old. Anti-TNF drugs can induce and maintain remission in IBD, however, up to 30% of patients do not respond. The aim of the work was to identify markers that would predict an early response to anti-TNF drugs in pediatric patients with IBD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is more effective than corticosteroids for achieving mucosal healing in children with Crohn's disease, without the negative side effects of steroids.
  • A study covering 222 newly diagnosed pediatric patients found that 83% achieved clinical remission after an average of 8 weeks of EEN, with significant reductions in faecal calprotectin levels.
  • Factors predicting a better response to EEN include specific scores on the Crohn's disease activity index, lower calprotectin levels, elevated CRP, and ileal involvement, suggesting EEN should be first-line treatment for pediatric Crohn's disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The objective of this prospective cohort study was to compare fructose malabsorption in patients with functional chronic abdominal pain and in healthy children. The sample was divided into two groups: asymptomatic children and pain-predominant functional gastrointestinal disorders according to the Rome IV criteria. All children were tested for fructose malabsorption by a standardized breath hydrogen test.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The frequency of some Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Transmembrane Conductance Regulator gene (CFTR) mutations varies between populations. Genetic testing during newborn screening (NBS) for CF can identify less common mutations with low clinical expression in childhood and previously considered mild but not fully characterized, such as the mutation p.Val232Asp (c.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Kiwifruit allergy has been described mostly in the adult population, but immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated allergic reactions to kiwifruit appear to be occurring more frequently in children. To date, 13 allergens from kiwifruit have been identified. Our aim was to identify kiwifruit allergens in a kiwifruit allergic-pediatric population, describing clinical manifestations and patterns of recognition.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF