Diagnosis of celiac disease and applicability of ESPGHAN guidelines in Mediterranean countries: a real life prospective study.

Background: We assessed how the diagnosis of Celiac Disease (CD) is made and how the new ESPGHAN guidelines can be applied in children from countries with different resources.

Methods: A real life prospective study was performed in 14 centres of 13 different Mediterranean countries. Participants were asked to apply the usual diagnostic work-up for CD according to their diagnostic facilities.

Celiac disease in the Mediterranean area.

Background: The World Gastroenterology Organization recommends developing national guidelines for the diagnosis of Celiac Disease (CD): hence a profile of the diagnosis of CD in each country is required. We aim to describe a cross-sectional picture of the clinical features and diagnostic facilities in 16 countries of the Mediterranean basin. Since a new ESPGHAN diagnostic protocol was recently published, our secondary aim is to estimate how many cases in the same area could be identified without a small intestinal biopsy.

Frequency of Helicobacter pylori infection among Egyptian children presenting with gastrointestinal manifestations.

Background And Aims: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) and other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common complaints among children. The role of Helicobacter pylori in the causation of these complaints remains controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of H.

Burden of celiac disease in the Mediterranean area.

Aim: To estimate the burden of undiagnosed celiac disease (CD) in the Mediterranean area in terms of morbidity, mortality and health cost.

Methods: For statistics regarding the population of each country in the Mediterranean area, we accessed authoritative international sources (World Bank, World Health Organization and United Nations). The prevalence of CD was obtained for most countries from published reports.

Cystic fibrosis detection in high-risk Egyptian children and CFTR mutation analysis.

Background: Knowledge about Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in Egypt is very limited. The objective of this study was to screen for CF in Egyptian children with suggestive clinical features and to identify causative genetic mutations.

Methods: Sixty-one patients from the Chest Unit, Cairo University Children's Hospital, Egypt, were included.

Effect of nitazoxanide for treatment of severe rotavirus diarrhoea: randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Rotavirus is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years, but there is no effective treatment. We assessed the activity of nitazoxanide, a broad-spectrum anti-infective drug, against rotavirus in cell culture and in a clinical trial in paediatric patients hospitalised with severe rotavirus diarrhoea.

Methods: We did a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 50 children admitted to the Cairo University Children's Hospital between June 15 and Aug 23, 2005, with severe rotavirus diarrhoea.