BMI increase during early childhood in boys with cystic fibrosis and early adrenarche.

Background: Increase in body mass index (BMI) in early childhood (1-6 years) was found to be a contributing factor for impaired final height in boys with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Early adrenarche (before age 9 years in boys) may contribute to an impaired final height by triggering an early acceleration of bone age resulting in a compromised growth spurt during puberty. We aimed to analyze the timing of adrenarche in boys with CF and to associate BMI increase in early childhood to timing of adrenarche.

Graft dilatation and Barrett's esophagus in adults after gastric pull-up and jejunal interposition for long-gap esophageal atresia.

Background: Esophageal replacement (ER) with gastric pull-up (GPU) or jejunal interposition (JI) used to be the standard treatment for long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA). Changes of the ER grafts on a macro- and microscopic level however, are unknown.

Aim: To evaluate long-term clinical symptoms and anatomical and mucosal changes in adolescents and adults after ER for LGEA.

Airway Epithelial Cultures of Children with Esophageal Atresia as a Model to Study Respiratory Tract Disorders.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is a rare birth defect in which respiratory tract disorders are a major cause of morbidity. It remains unclear whether respiratory tract disorders are in part caused by alterations in airway epithelial cell functions such as the activity of motile cilia. This can be studied using airway epithelial cell culture models of patients with EA.

Bacterial Colonization of the Lower Airways in Children With Esophageal Atresia.

Background: Esophageal atresia (EA) is most often accompanied by some degree of tracheomalacia (TM), which negatively influences the airway by ineffective clearance of secretions. This can lead to lower airway bacterial colonization (LABC), which may cause recurrent respiratory tract infections (RTIs). This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and specific pathogens of LABC in EA patients.

Primary Posterior Tracheopexy in Esophageal Atresia Decreases Respiratory Tract Infections.

Esophageal atresia (EA) is often accompanied by tracheomalacia (TM). TM can lead to severe respiratory complaints requiring invasive treatment. This study aims to evaluate if thoracoscopic primary posterior tracheopexy (PPT) can prevent the potential sequelae of TM in patients with EA.