Predictors of Unplanned Health Care Utilization Among Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Rural Region of the Southeastern US.

Background: Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) imposes significant healthcare costs and strains emergency services. This study aimed to identify factors associated with unplanned healthcare usage among children with IBD in a rural, medically underserved region in the southeastern United States.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed children (<18 years) with moderate or severe IBD followed at an academic pediatric gastroenterology clinic between 2016 and 2021.

Performance Characteristics, Intra- and Inter-operator Agreement of Transient Elastography in Pediatric Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Background And Aims: Transient elastography (TE) is a valuable tool in assessment of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis using liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), respectively. Although widely used in adults, little is known about performance characteristics and reproducibility of TE (using Fibroscan device) in evaluation of pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods: We prospectively recruited children with NAFLD.

Pediatric Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Liver: A Rare Cause of Portal Hypertension.

Hepatic inflammatory pseudotumors or myofibroblastic tumors are benign neoplasms rarely seen in children. We report a case of a previously healthy 10-year-old girl with prolonged fever and abdominal pain who was found to have hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. Imaging revealed a periportal mass along with thrombosis of portal vein and splenomegaly.

The search for noninvasive methods to identify liver fibrosis in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of the obesity epidemic. Recent studies have clearly shown that the stage of fibrosis in adults with NAFLD is the most important histological feature in long-term outcomes and the development of liver-related complications. Despite the paucity of data regarding the natural history of pediatric NAFLD, its progression to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease requiring liver transplantation is well documented.

A 9-Day-Old With Weight Loss and Diarrhea.

A 9-day-old infant girl presented with diarrhea and weight loss of 19% since birth. She was born via spontaneous vaginal delivery at 39 weeks' gestation to a mother positive for group B who received adequate intrapartum prophylaxis. The infant was formula-fed every 2 to 3 hours with no reported issues with feeding or swallowing.

Plasma Cytokeratin-18 Level As a Novel Biomarker for Liver Fibrosis in Children With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Objectives: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the hepatic manifestation of the obesity epidemic and affects approximately 10% of children in the US. The presence of hepatic fibrosis may be the most important factor in determining the prognosis of NAFLD. Noninvasive methods to identify the presence of fibrosis in children with NAFLD are greatly needed.

Otorhinolaryngological Manifestations among HIV Positive Children in Coastal Karnataka.

Introduction: With changed clinical profile of HIV related diseases, our study attempted to analyse otorhinolaryngological manifestations in HIV positive children coming to ART centre of a tertiary referral in South India.

Materials And Methods: Records of 137 children registered at ART Centre, Government Wenlock Hospital, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore from 2004 till 2010 were studied and data for this retrospective study was collected.

Results: Twenty three (16.

Effects of Occupational Tobacco Exposure on Foetal Growth, among Beedi Rollers in Coastal Karnataka.

Introduction: Though there is ample evidence on adverse effects of tobacco exposure caused by smoking during pregnancy on foetal outcomes, there is lack of studies done on the effects of exposure caused by transdermal absorption, as is seen among beedi rolling women. Therefore, this study was planned, to assess the effect of maternal exposure to tobacco, in the form of beedi-rolling, on the birth weight and other neonatal anthropometric measurements.

Materials And Methods: A cross sectional study with controls was conducted, with 102 beedi rollers forming the study group and an equal number of matched controls (control group) (total 204).

Ringxiety and the Mobile Phone Usage Pattern among the Students of a Medical College in South India.

Aims: Technologies like mobile phones may not always work positively but they may have unforeseen adverse effects. This study was conducted to find the proportion of students who experienced ringxiety (phantom ringing) and other perceived effects, as well as the pattern of the mobile phone usage among college students.

Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, south India, among 336 medical students by using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire.