Anaemia, iron deficiency and susceptibility to infections.

Anaemia, iron deficiency and infections are three major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality throughout the world, although they predominantly occur in resource limited settings. As the three conditions may have the same underlying aetiologies, they often occur simultaneously and may interact. Being an essential component in erythropoiesis, iron is also essential for proper functioning of the host immune system as well as an essential nutrient for growth of various pathogens, including non-typhoid salmonella.

Health status and quality of life in adult biliary atresia patients surviving with their native livers.

Introduction: Gaining an insight into the quality of life (QOL) in long-term biliary atresia (BA) survivors is becoming more important. Identifying patients with limitations might make tailor made interventions possible. This is the first study investigating the health status (HS) and QOL in adults surviving BA with their native livers, and comparing them with healthy peers.

Nephron sparing surgery (NSS) for unilateral wilms tumor (UWT): the SIOP 2001 experience.

Background: Total nephrectomy (TN) remains the standard treatment of unilateral Wilms tumors (uWT). The SIOP WT-2001 protocol allowed Nephron Sparing Surgery (NSS) for polar or peripherally non-infiltrating tumors.

Aim: Inventory of the current SIOP NSS-experience.

Unilateral atelectasis in a preterm infant monitored with electrical impedance tomography: a case report.

Unlabelled: Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive, radiation-free tool to monitor regional changes in ventilation. This report describes, for the first time, that unilateral atelectasis in an extremely low birth weight infant results in a loss of regional ventilation measured by EIT in the affected lung.

Conclusion: EIT is currently the most promising technique to monitor regional lung aeration continuously at the bedside in this vulnerable population.

Applying the Chicago Classification criteria of esophageal motility to a pediatric cohort: effects of patient age and size.

Background: Applying the 2012 Chicago Classification (CC) of esophageal motility disorders to pediatric patients is problematic as it relies upon adult-derived criteria. As shorter esophageal length and smaller esophago-gastric junction (EGJ) diameter may influence CC metrics, we explored the potential for age- and size-adjustment of diagnostic criteria.

Methods: We evaluated 76 high-resolution solid state impedance-manometry recordings in children referred for manometry (32M; mean age 9 ± 1 years) and 25 recordings from healthy adult subjects (7M; mean age 36 ± 2 years).

Urogenital function after cloacal reconstruction, two techniques evaluated.

Objective: Current surgical techniques for cloacal reconstruction are posterior sagittal anorecto vagino urethroplasty (PSARVUP) and posterior sagittal anorectoplasty (PSARP) with total urogenital mobilization (TUM). The aim of this study was to explore the results of reconstructive cloaca surgery in the Netherlands and evaluate urogenital function after PSARVUP and TUM.

Patients And Methods: Medical records from five pediatric surgical departments in the Netherlands were studied for patients with cloacal malformations treated between 1985 and 2009.

The value of ultrasonography in boys with a non-palpable testis.

Background: In patients with a non-palpable testis (NPT) on physical examination, the testis is assumed either to be situated intra-abdominally or to be hypoplastic or absent. Diagnostic laparoscopy in these boys is considered the preferable first step. In this study the diagnostic value of pre-operative ultrasound for NPT is assessed in comparison with laparoscopy.

Survival prediction model of children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma based on clinical and radiological criteria.

Background: Although diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) carries the worst prognosis of all pediatric brain tumors, studies on prognostic factors in DIPG are sparse. To control for confounding variables in DIPG studies, which generally include relatively small patient numbers, a survival prediction tool is needed.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was performed in the Netherlands, the UK, and Germany with central review of clinical data and MRI scans of children with DIPG.

IBS and FAPS in children: a comparison of psychological and clinical characteristics.

Objectives: It has been suggested that different subcategories of childhood abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (AP-FGIDs) are not separate clinical entities, but represent variable expressions of the same FGID. The aim of the present study was to compare clinical and psychological characteristics of children with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional abdominal pain (FAP), and functional abdominal pain syndrome (FAPS).

Methods: A total of 259 children, ages 8 to 18 years, fulfilling Rome III criteria for IBS or FAPS were included in a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of hypnotherapy.

Tryptophan requirement of the enterally fed term infant in the first month of life.

Objectives: Tryptophan not only is an amino acid essential to protein synthesis but also serves as a precursor in 2 important metabolic pathways: the serotonin and the kynurenine pathways. Tryptophan is related to sleeping patterns. The objective of the present study was to determine the tryptophan requirement of term infants using the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method with L-[1-C]phenylalanine as the indicator.

Amino acids and proteins.

Amino acids and protein are key factors for growth. The neonatal period requires the highest intake in life to meet the demands. Those demands include amino acids for growth, but proteins and amino acids also function as signalling molecules and function as neurotransmitters.

Early versus late reconstruction of cloacal malformations: the effects on postoperative complications and long-term colorectal outcome.

Introduction: Patients with a cloacal malformation generally undergo reconstructive surgery within the first years of life. However, the ideal age for surgery has rarely been mentioned. The aim of this study was to report differences in outcome between early (<6 months) and late repair of cloacal malformations.

Advances in infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) is a common condition in infancy, characterized by an acquired narrowing of the pylorus, which requires surgery. These infants usually present with projectile, nonbilious vomiting, with a palpable 'olive' in the abdomen and sometimes a 'peristaltic wave' after being fed with formula or breast milk. Although IHPS is a common disorder, its etiology is largely unknown.

Intestinal malrotation and volvulus in adult life.

Introduction: Midgut volvulus due to intestinal malrotation is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction when occurring in adult life. This paper documents the difficulties in reaching an early diagnosis.

Presentation Of Case: We describe the case of an 85-year-old man with non-specific abdominal complaints for 20 years, who presented with sudden onset central abdominal pain.

Exclusively breastfed infants at risk for false negative double blind placebo controlled milk challenge.

The double blind placebo controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) is the gold standard for diagnosing cow's milk allergy (CMA). However, false-negative DBPCFC have been reported. We present 2 cases with a false negative DBPCFC in exclusively breastfed infants suspected of CMA.

The interaction between malaria and human immunodeficiency virus infection in severely anaemic Malawian children: a prospective longitudinal study.

Objective: Malaria and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are co-prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa and cause severe anaemia in children. Interactions between these infections occur in adults, although these are less clear in children. The aim of study was to determine their interaction in a cohort of severely anaemic children.

Supportive care in pediatric cancer: the road to prevention of thrombosis.

The survival rate of children with cancer has increased impressively to almost 80% over the last decades as a result of improved diagnostic procedures and multimodal treatment strategies. Therefore, it becomes more and more important to prevent mortality and morbidity of treatment-associated complications, including venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTE occurs predominantly in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, lymphoma, and sarcoma.

Accuracy of tidal breathing measurement of FloRight compared to an ultrasonic flowmeter in infants.

Introduction: Monitoring breathing pattern is especially relevant in infants with lung disease. Recently, a vest-based inductive plethysmograph system (FloRight®) has been developed for tidal breathing measurement in infants. We investigated the accuracy of tidal breathing flow volume loop (TBFVL) measurements in healthy term-born infants and infants with lung disease by the vest-based system in comparison to an ultrasonic flowmeter (USFM) with a face mask.

Laparoscopic appendectomy: State of the art. Tailored approach to the application of laparoscopic appendectomy?

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in developed countries. The treatment of acute appendicitis is either open or laparoscopic appendectomy. The latter has gained wide acceptance in the past years, although the debate on the true merits of laparoscopic appendectomy is still on going.

Adaptive regulation of amino acid metabolism on early parenteral lipid and high-dose amino acid administration in VLBW infants - a randomized, controlled trial.

Background & Aims: An anabolic state can be achieved upon intravenous amino acid administration during the immediate postnatal phase despite a low energy intake. The optimal dosing of amino acid and energy intake has yet to be established. The aim was to quantify the efficacy of early initiation of parenteral lipids and increased amounts of amino acids on metabolism and protein accretion in very low birth weight infants.

Evaluation of gastroesophageal function and mechanisms underlying gastroesophageal reflux in infants and adults born with esophageal atresia.

Purpose: To evaluate the mechanisms underlying gastroesophageal reflux (GER) following esophageal atresia (EA) repair and gastroesophageal function in infants and adults born with EA.

Methods: Ten consecutive infants born with EA as well as 10 randomly selected adult EA patients were studied during their first postoperative follow-up visit and a purposely planned visit, respectively. A (13)C-octanoate breath test and esophageal pH-impedance-manometry study were performed.

One-year followup study on clinical findings and changes in magnetic resonance imaging-based disease activity scores in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate whether clinical disease activity findings during 1-year followup of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is associated with changes of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based disease activity scores.

Methods: Patients with JIA who had active knee involvement were studied using an open-bore MRI. After followup of a median of 1.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress, unfolded protein response and altered T cell differentiation in necrotizing enterocolitis.

Background: Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) play important roles in chronic intestinal inflammation. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in preterm infants and is characterized by acute intestinal inflammation and necrosis. The objective of the study is to investigate the role of ER stress and the UPR in NEC patients.