Effect of a Gluten Free Diet on Hepatitis B Surface Antibody Concentration in Previously Immunized Pediatric Celiac Patients / 대한소아소화기영양학회지

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of gluten-free diet (GFD) on hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) concentrations among previously immunized pediatric celiac disease (CD) subjects.METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated pediatric CD subjects in serological remission who were previously immunized for hepatitis B virus as infants. The temporal relationship between HBsAb concentration, the amount of time on a GFD, and age were evaluated.RESULTS: Overall, 373 CD subjects were analyzed: 156 with HBsAb sampled prior to GFD initiation and 217 after initiation of a GFD and in serological remission. Median age at HBsAb concentration measurement for those before and after GFD initiation was 5.3 years (interquartile range [IQR], 3.1–9.2 years) and 7.6 years (IQR, 5.4–10.9 years), respectively (p<0.001). There was no sex difference between the groups. The median time of HBsAb measurement was 2 months (IQR, 0–5.7 months) before and 12.8 months (IQR, 5.3–30.3 months) after initiation of GFD. The HBsAb concentration was low in 79 (50.6%) and 121 (55.7%) subjects before and after GFD initiation, respectively (p=0.350). Age was inversely associated with low HBsAb concentrations. Neither being on a GFD nor sex was associated with low HBsAb concentrations.CONCLUSION: Adherence to a GFD does not affect HBsAb concentration in children with CD. Age is inversely associated with HBsAb concentration.

Endoscopic Findings in Children with Isolated Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colorectal polyps are a common cause of lower gastrointestinal bleeding in children. Our aim was to study the causes of isolated lower gastrointestinal bleeding and to analyze the characteristics of the colorectal polyps found in our cohort. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed colonoscopic procedures performed between 2007 and 2015. Children with isolated lower gastrointestinal bleeding were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 185 colonoscopies were performed for isolated lower gastrointestinal bleeding. The median patient age was 8 years, and 77 patients (41.6%) were found to have colonic polyps. Normal colonoscopy findings were observed and acute colitis was detected in 77 (41.6%) and 14 (7.4%) patients, respectively. Single colonic polyps and 2–3 polyps were detected in 73 (94.8%) and 4 (5.2%) patients with polyps, respectively. Of the single polyps, 69 (94.5%) were juvenile polyps, among which 65 (94.2%) were located in the left colon. CONCLUSIONS: Single left-sided juvenile polyps were the most common cause of isolated lower gastrointestinal bleeding in our study. It was rare to find multiple polyps and polyps proximal to the splenic flexure in our cohort. A full colonoscopy is still recommended in all patients in order to properly diagnose the small but significant group of patients with pathologies found proximal to the splenic flexure.