A randomised, double-blind study of polyethylene glycol 4000 and lactulose in the treatment of constipation in children.

Background: Chronic constipation is frequent in children. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of PEG 4000 and lactulose for the treatment of chronic constipation in young children.

Methods: This randomised, double-blind study enrolled 88 young children aged 12 to 36 months, who were randomly assigned to receive lactulose (3.

Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency: prevalence and SLC25A13 mutations among Thai infants.

Background: The most common causes of cholestatic jaundice are biliary atresia and idiopathic neonatal hepatitis (INH). Specific disorders underlying INH, such as various infectious and metabolic causes, including neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) especially, in East Asian populations are increasingly being identified. Since most NICCD infants recovered from liver disease by 1 year of age, they often are misdiagnosed with INH, leading to difficulty in determining the true prevalence of NICCD.

Acute pancreatitis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia after chemotherapy.

Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a complication in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receiving chemotherapy and has often been reported associated with L-asparaginase (L-asp) therapy.

Objectives: To determine the incidence, risk factors, clinical data, outcome, and mortality of AP in children with ALL.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study was conducted by reviewing the data of total 192 pediatric ALL patients from Pediatric Oncology Registry at Ramathibodi Hospital from 2000 to 2006 to assess incidence, clinical data, outcome, and mortality of AP.

Novel ABCB11 mutations in a Thai infant with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.

Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) type 2 is caused by mutations in ABCB11, which encodes bile salt export pump (BSEP). We report a Thai female infant who presented with progressive cholestatic jaundice since 1 mo of age, with normal serum gamma-glutamyltransferase. Immunohistochemical staining of the liver did not demonstrate BSEP along the canaliculi, while multidrug resistance protein 3 was expressed adequately.

Genetic polymorphisms in Thai neonates with hyperbilirubinemia.

Aim: Polymorphisms of the UGT1A1 gene, SLCO1B1 gene and GST gene have been associated with significant hyperbilirubinemia. We would like to determine whether the variation of UGT1A1 gene, SLCO1B1 gene and GST gene may play a significant role in neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Thai infants.

Methods: Ninety-one study subjects (hyperbilirubinemic group) and 86 control subjects were studied.

Inflammatory bowel disease in Thai children: presentations and outcomes of treatment.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by idiopathic chronic intestinal inflammation, due to abnormalities in gastrointestinal immunoregulation. Pediatric IBD has been rarely reported in Thailand. We describe eight children, five girls and three boys, who were diagnosed with IBD at Ramathibodi Hospital during 1999-2005 and had a follow-up of more than one year.

A rapid serologic test and immunoblotting for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection in children.

The gold standard for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection requires an endoscopic biopsy of gastric mucosa for histological examination, urease test and culture. Noninvasive serological tests are useful as a screening test for H. pylori infection.

Modified percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes: experience in Thai children.

Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a well-established alternative to open gastrostomy for providing long-term enteral nutrition. Although the commercial PEG tube is available and suitable for the procedure, its cost is relatively high for low socioeconomic people. Therefore, modified PEG tubes have been used in our hospital.

Effects of sodium butyrate and acidic fibroblast growth factor on TDC32300 cultured cells.

Background: Many studies have demonstrated that transition duct cells (TDC) are facultative liver stem cells. Our laboratory established TDC32300 cell lines with hepatic progenitor markers. The authors proposed that cell culture using sodium butyrate (NaBut) and acidic fibroblast growth factors (aFGF) may support the differentiation of TDC32300 cells along the hepatic lineage.