Cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha A promoter gene polymorphism at position -308 G-->A and pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: implications in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Objectives: Our pilot study aimed to determine the effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) 308 G-->A promoter single-nucleotide polymorphism in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), its influence on inflammatory activity and the clinical manifestations.

Methods: We obtained genomic DNA from 164 subjects, 82 with long-standing IBD aged 8 to 18 years: 46 with Crohn disease (CD) and 36 with ulcerative colitis (UC). Eighty-two healthy children served as the control population.

Effects of a specially designed fermented milk product containing probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 and the eradication of H. pylori in children: a prospective randomized double-blind study.

Goals: To determine the efficacy of triple therapy supplemented with a specially designed fermented milk product containing specific probiotic Lactobacillus casei (L. casei) DN-114 001 strain on Helicobacter pylori eradication in children.

Background: Lactobacillus species possess in vitro activity against H.

Aspects of oxidative stress in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus is considered to be one of a rank of free radical diseases. The existence of hyperglycemia produces increased oxidative stress (OS) via non-enzymatic glycation, glucose autoxidation, and alterations in polyol pathway activity with subsequent influences on the whole organism. In childhood, Type 1 diabetes prevails and is characterized by its autoimmune character with progressive destruction of beta cells and lack of insulin in genetically predisposed patients.

Gastric emptying of solids in children with H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative non-ulcer dyspepsia.

Objective: There is currently no data available in children on possible relationships among Helicobacter pylori, gastric motility and gastric inflammation. This is a prospective study of gastric emptying (GE) in symptomatic children with and without H. pylori who met symptom-based criteria for non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD).

Acquired angioedema and Helicobacter pylori infection in a child.

Unlabelled: We describe a 10-year-old boy with acquired Helicobacter pylori infection and simultaneous angioedema which is a rare but life-threatening condition. Our patient was hospitalised with generalised angioedema and severe circulatory shock due to extreme loss of fluids and proteins into interstitial tissues (weight gain 10 kg within 2 days, extreme haemoconcentration--haemoglobin 206 g/l, haematocrit 0.570, leucocytosis 18,300 /microl, high lactate 13.

Parameters of oxidative stress in children with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and their relatives.

Oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of the study was to compare OS parameters in diabetic children and their first-degree relatives. Fifty diabetic children from the West Bohemian Region were examined as well as their 32 siblings (12 Boys and 20 girls) and 65 of their parents during a period of 6 months.