Cyclosporine-Induced neurotoxicity during treatment of Crohn's disease: lack of correlation with previously reported risk factors.

A 13-yr-old boy with severe Crohn's disease was admitted with persistent hematochezia requiring transfusion. Cyclosporine A was begun on hospital day 22 because of continued diarrhea and rectal bleeding despite high doses of i.v.

The relationship between insurance class and severity of presentation of inflammatory bowel disease in children.

Objective: To determine whether there is an association between insurance class and the severity of presentation of inflammatory bowel disease in children.

Methods: Twenty underinsured (either no insurance or Medicaid) children were computer-matched with 20 children with private insurance with regard to diagnosis and age but without regard to severity of disease from a pool of 63 patients (20 underinsured patients and 43 insured patients). We compared four patient-reported parameters and eight laboratory values.

Neonatal cholestasis. New approaches to diagnostic evaluation and therapy.

Neonatal cholestasis remains a major diagnostic challenge despite increasing knowledge regarding its pathogenesis. The time constraint and urgency in the investigational process is underscored by the age-dependent success rate of the surgical corrective procedures for EHBA. Appropriate interpretation of imaging and pathologic studies requires a pediatric center familiar with the entities causing neonatal cholestasis.

Evaluation of cavernous transformation of the portal vein by magnetic resonance imaging.

We describe two children who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as part of the evaluation of isolated splenomegaly after Doppler ultrasound was unable to identify the portal vein. The diagnosis of cavernous transformation of the portal vein and the normalcy of the biliary tract and hepatic architecture were confirmed by MRI. Because of the risks associated with computed tomography (CT) and angiographic evaluation of such patients, the use of MRI, a noninvasive modality, in the evaluation of pediatric patients requires further consideration.