Treatment of Sandifer Syndrome with an Amino-Acid-Based Formula.

Objective To study the presentation and treatment in two infants who presented with refractory Sandifer syndrome (SS). Study Design We retrospectively reviewed the cases of two infants who presented to our outpatient clinic with SS who were refractory to conventional treatment. Results We report two patients with refractory SS who responded to treatment with hypoallergenic formula.

Anorectal motility abnormalities in children with encopresis and chronic constipation.

Objective: To evaluate the response to rectal distension in children with chronic constipation and children with chronic constipation and encopresis.

Study Design: We studied 27 children, aged 3 to 16 years, with chronic constipation; 12 had encopresis. Anorectal motility was measured with a solid state catheter.

Fructose intolerance in children presenting with abdominal pain.

Objectives: We determined the occurrence of fructose malabsorption in pediatric patients with previous diagnoses of abdominal pain caused by a functional bowel disorder, whether the restriction of fructose intake changes the reporting of symptoms, the role of fructose dosage, and the severity of resultant symptoms.

Patients And Methods: We administered a fructose breath test to children presenting with persistent unexplained abdominal pain. Patients randomly received 1, 15, or 45 g fructose, and breath hydrogen was measured for 3 hours after ingestion.

Biliary dyskinesia in the pediatric patient.

The term biliary dyskinesia commonly describes a motility disorder of the biliary tract that is divided into two main categories: gallbladder dyskinesia (GBD) and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD). SOD is further subdivided into biliary SOD and pancreatic SOD. GBD causes typical biliary colic without gallstones, whereas SOD typically presents with recurrent pancreatitis or chronic abdominal pain, usually after cholecystectomy.

Hypoxia-induced hypomyelination in the developing brain is mammalian target of rapamycin-4E-binding protein-1 signaling dependent.

We hypothesized that changes in the expression levels of genes in the mammalian target of rapamycin are involved in the hypoxia-induced growth retardation in the brain including hypomyelination. Microarray and proteomic studies showed a 2.3-fold increase in the expression levels of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein-1 and a 3-fold decrease in the levels of FK506-binding protein-1 in a neonatal model of hypoxia, indicating a signal transduction impairment through mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).

Esophageal food impaction in children.

Objectives: To determine the clinical presentation, radiographic, endoscopic and manometric findings, and clinical outcome of esophageal food impaction (EFI) in pediatric patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical course of 12 pediatric patients with EFI over a 10-year period.

Results: All 12 patients described initially presented to our emergency department for care.