Prevalence and Clinical Features of Celiac Disease in Healthy School-Aged Children.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in healthy school-aged children in the northern region of Cyprus and to investigate the existence of potential markers that may accompany CD. This is the first study to measure the prevalence of CD in the northern region of Cyprus.

Methods: This study included 3792 school-aged children who were between the ages of 6 and 10 years between January 2015 and October 2016.

Prevelance of hepatitis D co-enfection in children with hepatitis B infection: cross-sectional analyses from Western Turkey.

Background/aims: Effective hepatitis B virus control has warranted a decline in hepatitis B virus prevalence over the world with a relevant reduction in hepatitis B virus-associated delta hepatitis. However, despite the dramatic decline in hepatitis D virus infection rate, no further decrease was recorded after 2000. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate: I- The prevalence of hepatitis D virus co-infection in children with hepatitis B virus infection in Western Turkey; II- The influence of neonatal hepatitis B virus vaccination on hepatitis D virus co-infection rate; and III- The impact of co-infection on prognosis of liver disease.

Peptic ulcer disease in children: an uncommon disorder with subtle symptomatology.

Background/aims: Data concerning peptic and infectious ulcers in children are limited. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, presenting symptoms and significance of symptomatology in ulcer diagnosis in the pediatric age group.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2000 and 2009, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy charts were examined retrospectively.

Gastroesophageal reflux in children with functional constipation.

Background/aims: Functional constipation and gastroesophageal reflux disease are two major and commonly encountered components of childhood functional gastrointestinal disorders. Epidemiological studies in the adult population support that there is a significant overlap between the different functional disorders of the digestive tract. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with functional constipation and to compare clinical findings and 24-h esophageal pH monitoring with a group of patients with suspected gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The diagnostic value of multimodal evoked potentials in the determination of subclinical neurological involvement of Wilson's disease.

Aims: Wilson's disease (WD) is a progressive degeneration of hepatolenticular tissue caused by excessive tissue-damaging copper accumulation and in which liver involvement most frequently presents in childhood. Neurological signs also accompany liver disease with time. However, subclinical neurological involvement may occur earlier and diagnostic methods that reveal this subclinical involvement are not well established.

Giant cell hepatitis and autoimmune hemolytic anemia after chickenpox.

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia with giant cell hepatitis is a distinct entity in children. It is usually fatal with progressive liver disease. Immunosuppressive treatment with conventional drugs offers some response; however, it is usually only temporary.

Determination of intracellular Th1/Th2 type cytokines in lymphocytes of chronic hepatitis B patients treated with interferon-alpha.

Background/aims: Host-related immune factors in childhood chronic hepatitis B and change in the initial profile with interferon (IFN)-α treatment need to be clarified.

Methods: Sixteen patients were included in the study, and 10 million units of IFN-α treatment 3 times per week for 6 months was initiated. Pre- and post-treatment percentages of interleukin (IL)-2 and IFN-γ in CD4+ T cells were assessed to determine intracellular T helper cell 1 (Th1) type cytokine expression.

Dietary vitamin A intake and serum retinol concentrations of preschool children from different socio-economical levels in Izmir, Turkey.

Aim: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), especially in its subclinical form, is a world health problem in young children. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of VAD among preschool children in various socio-economic groups in Izmir, Turkey.

Methods: One hundred and one children aged 24-59 months were selected for the study with cluster sampling method.

Steroid response in moderate to severe pediatric ulcerative colitis: a single center's experience.

Background: we aimed to analyze clinical and inflammatory markers of steroid non-response in patients with moderate/severe ulcerative colitis (UC) at the time of diagnosis.

Methods: this study included patients who were graded as having moderate/severe UC and received corticosteroids as first-line therapy. Demographic, clinical and laboratory findings and pediatric ulcerative colitis activity scores (PUCAS) were recorded.

Infectious complications in pediatric liver transplantation candidates.

We analyzed infections that occurred within one month prior to LT, identified factors associated with their occurrence and effect of infections on post-transplant mortality. The study group included 40 consecutive children who underwent LT. Sites and types of infection and culture results were recorded prospectively.

Chronic constipation in Turkish children: clinical findings and applicability of classification criteria.

We aimed to evaluate general features of children with chronic constipation and classified them according to the Iowa criteria and Rome II criteria in order to analyze applicability of these criteria in our population. The medical records of 485 children who were referred for chronic constipation over a six-year period were evaluated retrospectively. We found that 7.

A rare cause of refractory ascites in a child: familial Mediterranean fever.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is hereditary episodic febrile syndrome characterized by acute attacks of fever and serosal inflammation, generally lasting 1-3 days and resolves spontaneously. Apart from abdominal pain, patients may present with variety of abdominal manifestations such as acute peritonitis, mechanical intestinal obstruction, diarrhea, bowel infarction, amyloidosis and small amounts of peritoneal fluid during the acute attacks. A 6-year-old boy was admitted with massive ascites.

Long-term effect of gluten-free diet on growth velocity in Turkish children with celiac disease.

We sought to analyze the long-term growth in children with celiac disease (CD) as well as the association of height and weight SD score at the end of 4 years with the demographic and clinical presentation at initial admission. Thirty-four children with CD were enrolled in the study and followed for at least 4 years. Patients were divided into three groups (Group 1: patients 10 years, at the time of diagnosis).

A rare complication of central catheter in an infant with intestinal failure.

Objective: To report the successful percutaneous transcatheter removal of a snapped intracardiac fragment of the central vein catheter in an infant.

Clinical Presentation And Intervention: A 3-month-old infant with short bowel syndrome who required long-term parenteral nutrition via portacath central catheter was hospitalized. Two months after the insertion of the second catheter, the distal tip of the catheter snapped and became tangled in the heart.

Childhood cirrhosis, hepatopulmonary syndrome and liver transplantation.

Objectives: The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is characterized as a triad: liver disease, intrapulmonary vascular dilatation, and arterial hypoxemia. The aim of this study is to analyze outcome of children with HPS in liver transplant era.

Methods: Between September 1996 and November 2006, 172 cirrhotic patients (median age 5 years; range 0.

Nutritional status of infants with neonatal cholestasis.

Purpose: We constructed a study to determine the association of anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and bone mineral content with nutritional status in infants with neonatal cholestasis.

Methods: The study included 38 children with neonatal cholestasis. Nutritional status was assessed by Waterlow criteria, and anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and bone mineral content were correlated with the nutritional status at initial admission and at the end of 2 months after nutritional support.

Comparison of two different regimens of combined interferon-alpha2a and lamivudine therapy in children with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of two regimens of combined interferon-alpha2a (IFN-alpha2a) and lamivudine (3TC) therapy in childhood chronic hepatitis B.

Methods: A total of 177 patients received IFN-alpha2a, 9 million units (MU)/m2 for 6 months. In group I (112 patients, 8.

The influence of marginal zinc deficient diet on post-vaccination immune response against hepatitis B in rats.

Aim: To evaluate in vitro T lymphocyte proliferation and specific antibody response to hepatitis B vaccination in two groups of rats fed with normal and marginal zinc content.

Methods: Twenty-two Wistar-Albino rats were randomly assigned into two groups and were fed with constant diet. Zinc was suplemented 10mg/kg dry weight in group I (marginal zinc content) (n=14) and 30mg/kg dry weight in group II (n=8).

Impact of liver transplantation on renal function of patients with congenital hepatic fibrosis associated with autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease.

Congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF) is an uncommon autosomal recessive malformation. It may be associated with extrahepatic manifestations such as polycystic kidney disease. The main consequence is portal hypertension and bleeding from varices.

Effect of long-term lamivudine in chronic hepatitis B virus-infected children.

Objective: To evaluate, retrospectively, biochemical, serological and histological responses in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-infected children who received combination therapy and continued with prolonged treatment with lamivudine (3TC).

Patients And Methods: CHB infection was defined as the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in serum screened at 3-month intervals for at least 1 year, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels >1.5 times the normal limit and CHB with histological activity index (HAI) >5 by liver biopsy.

Biliary atresia in Turkish children.

Aim: To evaluate surgical success, survival rate and relationship of outcome parameters with time at diagnosis and operation of extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) patients in Izmir, Turkey.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data were reviewed from case reports of 27 EHBA patients. Twenty-five patients were operated on using Kasai procedure and two cases received liver transplants without portoenterostomy due to decompansated liver cirrhosis on diagnosis.

Comparison of antiviral effect of lamivudine with interferon-alpha2a versus -alpha2b in children with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Aim: To compare additive efficacy of combination therapy including interferon (IFN)-alpha2a+lamivudine (3TC) to IFN-alpha2b+3TC in children with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Material And Methods: Chronic hepatitis B infection was determined by presence of HBsAg, HBeAg and HBV DNA in serum screened at 3 months intervals for at least 1 year, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels more than 1.5-times the upper normal limit and chronic hepatitis with histological activity index (HAI) more than 6 by liver biopsy.