Missed Opportunities in Guideline-Based Fatty Liver Screening Among 3.5 Million Children.

Objective: Determine screening rates and examine socio-demographic characteristics of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MAFLD) screening in a large population of obese children.

Methods: We used Explorys (IBM) which contains aggregated population-level electronic health record data from approximately 360 hospitals and 317,000 providers across the United States to determine MAFLD screening rates. In children 10 to 14 years, obesity was determined based on body mass index ≥ 95%, or encounter with an international classification of disease obesity code.

Adolescent Hepatitis C: Prevalence, Impact, and Management Challenges.

The prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV), a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, is rising in the United States (US) and other high-income countries, especially among youth and young adults. This surge in cases is closely associated with the opioid crisis and intravenous drug use (IVDU). However, its prevalence and impact on the adolescent population have not been thoroughly studied and therefore is poorly understood.

Burden of Psychiatric Disorders among Pediatric and Young Adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-Based Analysis.

Purpose: There is increasing prevalence of psychiatric disorders among inflammatory bowel Disease (IBD) population. Further, presence of psychiatric disorders has been shown as an independent predictor of quality of life among patients with IBD. We intended to explore the prevalence of various psychiatric disorders among pediatric and young adult population with IBD as a population-based analysis.

Clinical Characteristics of Children Needing Inpatient Treatment after Failed Outpatient Treatment for Fecal Impaction.

Purpose: Treatment of chronic constipation and fecal impaction is usually outpatient and requires high or frequent doses of laxatives. However, there are children who fail outpatient treatments, sometimes repeatedly, and are ultimately hospitalized. We sought to compare the characteristics of the children who failed outpatient treatment and needed inpatient treatment vs those who achieved success with outpatient treatment, in an effort to identify attributes that might be associated with a higher likelihood towards hospitalization.

Usefulness of Assessment of Stool Form by the Modified Bristol Stool Form Scale in Primary Care Pediatrics.

Purpose: Rome criteria are considered the gold standard for diagnosing functional constipation. The modified Bristol stool form scale (m-BSFS) was validated to measure stool form in children. However, neither the potential use of the m-BSFS as a tool to facilitate the diagnosis of potential constipation, nor the agreement between m-BSFS and stool consistency by Rome has been studied.

Health-related quality of life in children with autoimmune liver disease.

Background And Aim: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL), a pivotal outcome indicator of health care interventions, has not been evaluated in children with autoimmune liver disease (AILD). The aim of this study was to determine HRQOL in children with AILD and the factors affecting it.

Methods: The Pediatric Quality Of Life Inventory, generic core scale, was used to collect HRQOL data on children with AILD.

Enhancement of humoral and cellular immunity with an anti-glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis factor receptor monoclonal antibody.

Adjuvants, including antibodies to tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily members, augment immune responses. One member of this family, glucocorticoid-induced tumour necrosis factor receptor (GITR), is expressed at low levels on naive/resting T cells, B cells and macrophages, but at higher levels on T regulatory cells. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of a rat anti-mouse GITR monoclonal antibody, 2F8, to stimulate murine humoral and cellular immunity in a prime boost model with particular attention to posology and antigen-specific effects.

Use and safety of rifaximin in children with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Rifaximin, Food and Drug Administration approved for traveler's diarrhea, has been used in adult patients with active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This retrospective review was undertaken to determine its role in the treatment of pediatric IBD.

Methods: A review of children with IBD, who were treated with rifaximin from 2005 to 2007 at our institution, was performed.