Association between uridin diphosphate glucuronosylotransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene polymorphism and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of UGT1A1*28 and UGT1A1*60 polymorphisms of UGT1A1 gene and their association with hyperbilirubinemia.

Study Design: The study was performed at a single centre - at the Department of Obstetrics of the Medical University of Gdansk in Poland. DNA was isolated from Guthrie cards of 171 infants.

Graves' disease, Celiac disease and liver function abnormalities in a patient--clinical manifestation and diagnostic difficulties.

Autoimmune diseases due to probable common pathogenesis tend to coexist in some patients. Complex clinical presentation with diverse timing of particular symptoms and sophisticated treatment with numerous side effects, may cause diagnostic difficulties, especially in children. The paper presents diagnostic difficulties and pitfalls in a child with Graves' disease, celiac disease and liver function abnormalities.

The mRNA level of the transforming growth factor β1 gene, but not the amount of the gene product, can be considered as a potential prognostic parameter in inflammatory bowel diseases in children.

Purpose: Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) plays a role in cell proliferation and differentiation, and it can modulate immune response. In this work, we asked whether levels of either TGF-β1 or mRNA of the corresponding gene in plasma or tissue can be useful in diagnosing and/or monitoring of the clinical course of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Methods: The study group consisted of 104 pediatric patients with IBD: 36 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 68 with ulcerative colitis (UC); 42 children represented the control group.

[Reliability of self-reported maternal smoking during early lactation period].

Unlabelled: Smoking cigarettes is very common among lactating women. The objective evaluation of an exposure to cigarette smoke is needed, as cotinine concentration. On many research a questionnaire is the only determinant of fact and intensification of smoking.

[Pleiotropic action of vitamin D3 with particular stress on its role in gastrointestinal diseases in children].

This review presents aspects of pleiotropic actions of vitamin D3, in particular amongst the development period population. It describes the relationship between vitamin D3andgastrointestinal diseases (inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, liver and pancreas pathologies), central nervous system and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, we underline the role of vitamin D3 in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of malignancies and autoimmune diseases.

[Primary sclerosing cholangitis in children - clinical manifestations and diagnostic difficulties].

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a rare chronic disease of intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts, which causes cholestasis with inflammation and fibrosis ultimately resulting in biliary cirrhosis. The review focuses on clinical manifestations and diagnostic difficulties in primary sclerosing cholangitis in children.

[Gene polymorphism of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the pathogenesis and clinical course of chronic hepatitis in children].

Unlabelled: Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a cytokine modulating the immune response. The role of TGF-beta1 gene polymorphisms in the incidence and modification of the clinical course of these diseases has been recently evaluated. THE AIM of the study was to assess the relation between TGF-beta1gene polymorphism and the incidence of chronic hepatitis, the course of the disease, TGF-beta1 level in plasma and TGF-beta1 mRNA expression in liver tissue.

[Role of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in the pathogenesis and clinical course of chronic hepatitis in children].

Unlabelled: Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is known to play a key role in processes of cell proliferation and differentiation. It also plays an important role in modulation of the immune response. Various diseases may arise both from excessive and insufficient activity of this cytokine.

[Vasculitis in children].

Vasculitis is a group of rare diseases of unknown etiology, characterised by inflammation and necrosis of blood vessels, contributing to various clinical consequences. The variety of clinical symptoms and presence of symptoms from various syndromes often make the diagnosis difficult. Until now no causal treatment has been established.

[Therapy of chronic viral hepatitis type B in children after previous ineffective interferon-alpha treatment].

Unlabelled: THE AIM of this study was to estimate the efficacy of nucleoside analogue (lamivudine) in the therapy of chronic viral hepatitis type B in children, after previous, ineffective treatment with interferon-alpha.

Patients And Methods: we analyzed 53 children with chronic viral hepatitis type B, who had not responded to Interferon-alpha treatment conducted 1-7,5 years before this study (mean 4,0 +/- 7,5; median 4 years). Inclusive criteria to re-therapy with lamivudine were as follows: increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity, detected at least three times during 6 months before treatment, HBsAg and HBeAg present in the blood, viral HBV DNA detected for at least 6 months before the beginning of lamivudine therapy (above 200 genome copies per mL) and inflammation activity observed in liver biopsy specimen (biopsy performed within previous 24 months).

[HBV gene variants and polymerse gene mutations in children with chronic hepatitis B in the course of the antiviral therapy].

Unlabelled: THE AIM OF THE STUDY was to evaluate the occurrence of HBV genotypes and the emergence of polymerase gene mutations in children with chronic hepatitis B in the course of the lamivudine therapy.

Material And Methods: eighteen children (aged from 6 to 15 years, mean age 11,8 years, 10 boys and 8 girls) with chronic hepatitis B were included in the study. All patients were treated with 100 mg lamivudine tablets given daily orally for 12-16 months.

[Chronic hepatitis B in children--is it still a real problem?].

Over one million people all over the world die every year due to the complications of HBV infections. This problem is particularly important in Asia, Africa and in the West Pacific region where HBV infection is widely spread (from 5-20% up to 80% of all infected people in the world). In these regions HBV infections are transmitted mostly perinatally or during early childhood.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis of viral etiology--a rare condition in children?

Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) comprises 5% to 10% of all cases of acute cholecystitis in adults and appears to be even less frequently diagnosed in children. The diagnosis of AAC is established upon some clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings, which may sometimes be ambiguous and confusing especially in children. Diagnostic difficulties may result in either delayed diagnosis or unnecessary surgical intervention.

[Reactive oxygen species and antioxidative barrier in asthma].

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) participate in chronic inflammation, e.g. asthma.

[Short bowel syndrome in children - own experience].

The Aim: of this study was to analyze the clinical status of children with short bowel syndrome (SBS) shortly after the resection and during following years.

Material And Methods: we reviewed retrospectively 5 children with SBS aged from 2 years and 7 months till 14 years and 5 months, who were on total parenteral nutrition due to intestinal resection. The resection was performed, when they were either newborns or infants.

[Immune components of human milk].

Many benefits of breast-feeding have been generally accepted. In the article the constituents of human milk supporting the immune system of breast fed babies are reviewed. The effect of maternal undernutrition on immunological properties of breast milk is also presented.

[Giardiasis in children - clinical diversity and diagnostic problems based on own experience].

Unlabelled: Parasitosis still remains a significant pediatric health problem, despite improving hygienic conditions and social awareness.

The Aim Of This Study: was to analyze clinical manifestations of Giardia lamblia infection in children hospitalized in the Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology and Oncology of Medical University of Gdansk.

Material And Methods: studied children included 49 patients aged 2.

[Etiology of community - acquired acute diarrhea in children].

The Aim: of the study was to analyse the etiology of home acute diarrhea in children.

Material And Methods: 2636 children with community-acquired acute diarrhea were included in the study. Stool samples were analysed for the presence of Salmonella spp, Shigella spp, rotaviruses and adenoviruses.

[Mesenteric lymphadenopathy - a valid health problem in children].

The Aim: of the study is to evaluate the reasons of mesenteric lymphadenopathy and its clinical picture in hospitalized children.

Material And Methods: the study was performed on 127 children (49 girls and 78 boys age of 8 months to 18 years; mean age 9 years and 3 months) hospitalized in the Department of Paediatrics, and Paediatric Gastroenterology and Oncology, Medical University of Gdansk. Ultrasonography showed enlarged abdominal lymph nodes in all children.

[Bone mineral density in inflammatory bowel diseases in children].

Objective: determination of bone mineral density in children treated because of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Material And Methods: 42 patients were included: 21 with ulcerative colitis and 21 with Crohn's disease. The duration of illness was from 2.

[Congenital extrahepatic biliary atresia as a cause of cholestasis in newborns and infants].

Unlabelled: Congenital extrahepatic biliary atresia (CEBA) is one of the most common causes of cholestasis in newborns and infants.

The Aim Of The Study: was the analysis of clinical presentation, results of laboratory and imaging investigations as well as clinical outcome of children with extrahepatic cholestasis caused by CEBA.

Materials And Methods: the analyzed group included 15 children aged from 2 weeks to 4 months.

The "sugar" clear cell tumor of the lung-clinical presentation and diagnostic difficulties of an unusual lung tumor in youth.

A case of the "sugar" clear cell tumor of the lung in a 16-year-old boy is presented. The course of the disease with general symptoms, never reported before, highlights diagnostic difficulties of an extremely rare lung tumor in youth. The boy presented with daily spikes of unexplained high fever of 6 weeks' duration with features of hypochromic microcytic anemia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, alpha(2)- and beta-globulins, and elevated platelet count.

Lamivudine therapy for children with chronic hepatitis B.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness and side-effects of lamivudine therapy for children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who fail to respond to or have contraindications to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy.

Methods: Fifty-nine children with CHB were treated with 100 mg lamivudine tablets given orally once daily for 12 mo. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity was evaluated monthly during the therapy and every 3 mo after its discontinuation.

[Autoimmunity in children with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin].

The role of interferon alpha or the virus itself in the pathogenesis and the risk of autoimmunological disorders in patients infected with HCV, still remain unknown, especially in children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of autoantibodies and the risk of autoimmunological disorders in children with chronic hepatitis C, treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin in the Department of Paediatrics, Paediatric Gastroenterology and Oncology in Gdansk. In the studied group of 12 patients, in 4 cases autoantibodies were present in low titers prior to the treatment and they had no prognostic value for the response to the therapy or the risk of autoimmunological disorders.

[Therapeutic difficulties in a patient with ulcerative colitis and concomitant HBV and HCV infection].

The aim of the paper was to describe therapeutic difficulties in a patient with ulcerative colitis. In the long-term clinical course of the disease a concomitant infection with hepatotropic viruses (HBV, HCV) was diagnosed. Due to the different treatment of autoimmunological diseases and chronic viral hepatitis the necessity of further search of therapeutic schedules for this group of patients is still needed.