Pica, a Little-Known Condition in Dentistry. Case Report / Pica, una Condición Poco Conocida en Odontología. Reporte de un Caso

ABSTRACT: Pica is a condition associated with the chronic, compulsive consumption of a particular substance or material that is not considered food. Culturally it is not accepted by society and its nutritional value is non-existent. When this behavior is repeated consistently for more than one month, it is considered to be Pica. This eating disorder does not have a clear etiology, but is associated with; orality in children, psychotic disorders, nutritional deficiencies, psychosocial problems, autism, family problems, OCD, stress, abuse, family separations and other traumatic events. In order to detect it, it is necessary to perform a correct anamnesis, clinical examination, radiographic examination, complementary examinations such as blood count, as well as a relationship of trust between the dentist and the patient are necessary. All of them will be able to guide us and make us come out of suspicion that this harmful behavior exists, since patients often hide it.

RESUMEN: Pica es una condición asociada al consumo compulsivo y crónico de alguna sustancia o material en particular, que no es considerada alimento. Culturalmente no es aceptado por la sociedad y su valor nutricional es inexistente. Cuando esta conducta se repite consiste-ntemente durante más de un mes, se considera como Pica. Este desorden de comportamiento alimenticio no tiene una etiología clara, pero se asocia a la oralidad en niños, trastornos psicóticos, deficiencias nutricionales, problemas psicosociales, autismo, problemas familiares, TOC, estrés, abuso, separaciones familiares y otros eventos traumáticos. Para detectarla, es necesaria una correcta anamnesis, examen clínico, radiográfico, exámenes complementarios como hemograma, además de una relación de confianza rapport odontólogo- paciente. El conjunto de ellos nos podrán guiar y salir de sospecha que esta conducta dañina existe, ya que los pacientes muchas veces lo esconden.

Pica em gestantes adolescentes / Pica in pregnant teenagers

Objetivo: Descrever a pica em gestantes adolescentes e o efeito desse comportamento no resultado perinatal. Métodos: Estudo longitudinal com 227 gestantes/puérperas adolescentes e seus recém-nascidos, realizado no período de 2007 a 2010. Os dados foram coletados por consulta aos prontuários e por entrevista padronizada para identificação do comportamento de pica. Resultados: A pica foi referida por 19.8% das adolescentes. Comparando-se as gestantes com e sem o comportamento de pica constatou-se, respectivamente, que a média do ganho de peso no terceiro trimestre (4.87 kg e 6.10 kg; p = 0.019), o ganho de peso no segundo e terceiro trimestres (10.07 kg e 11.58 kg; p = 0.039) e o ganho de peso semanal no terceiro trimestre (0.42 kg e 0.53 kg; p = 0.010) foram significativamente menores na presença desse comportamento. A pica foi mais prevalente nas adolescentes com menor idade (p = 0.000) e condições de saneamento inadequado na moradia (p = 0.007). A pica não associou-se à: adequação do ganho de peso gestacional, intercorrências gestacionais, anemia, peso e idade gestacional ao parto e intercorrências dos recém-natos. Conclusão: O comportamento de pica deve ser investigado no pré-natal e reconhecido como fator de risco para menor ganho de peso gestacional entre as gestantes adolescentes.

Geophagia: a rare cause of Intestinal Obstruction

We report a 4-year-old male child, who presented with abdominal distension and absolute constipation for 4 days. The mother revealed that her child had been picking up sand and eating it for about a month prior to admission. The child was blind since birth and suffered from cerebral palsy and developmental retardation. Abdominal examination revealed a grossly distended abdomen, but no tenderness or guarding. The abdominal swelling had a doughy feel that was dull on percussion. Rectal digital examination revealed a solid sandy mass. Plain abdominal x-ray showed opacifications in both the large and small bowels. A diagnosis of intestinal obstruction due to geophagia was made. The patient was treated conservatively including rectal washouts. The obstruction was relieved and he started to pass normal stools on the 7th day. We discuss this rare case of intestinal obstruction due to geophagia. We review this feeding abnormality. We describe our management including our novel and simple rectal washout technique. The problems that occurred during the course of the treatment and the role of multidisciplinary approach are highlighted

Polipica durante el embarazo: geofagia asociada al consumo de tiza y pagofagia a la ingesta de jabón / Polypica during pregnancy: geophagia associated to chalk consumption and pagophagia simultaneous to soap intake

La polipica es un trastorno que se manifiesta por el consumo persistente de dos o más sustancias no nutritivas. Se describen dos casos de puérperas que presentaron este hábito durante el embarazo, una refiere el consumo diario de tierra y tiza; la otra gestante manifiesta la ingesta diaria de hielo junto con el consumo de jabón con una frecuencia 1 vez a la semana. Ambas mujeres presentaron antecedentes familiares para el trastorno. La evaluación antropométrica fue adecuada tanto para las gestantes como para los neonatos, no obstante en las mujeres la ingesta de hierro resultó deficiente y los parámetros bioquímicos revelaron anemia ferropénica.

Polypica is a disorder that manifests itself through the persistent consumption of two or more non-nutritious substances. Two cases were reported regarding puerperal women who presented the habit during pregnancy, one of them referred due to her daily consumption of earth and chalk and the other gestating woman because she revealed the daily intake of ice together with soap consumption with a frequency of one time a week. Both women had family backgrounds for the disorder. The anthropometric evaluation was adequate both for pregnant women and neonates; however, iron intake was deficient for women and biochemical parameters revealed iron deficiency anemia.

Ingestão de itens não alimentares (Pica) em pacientes em diálise peritoneal / Intake of non-food items (Pica) in peritoneal dialysis patients

Introdução: A palavra pica é definida como o desejo intenso e persistente da ingestão de itens não-alimentares com pouco ou nenhum valor nutricional.Pacientes em diálise podem estar propensos a tal distúrbio. Objetivo: Investigar a prevalência de pica em pacientes em diálise peritoneal. Métodos:Através de entrevista e aplicação de questionário, foram avaliados 106 pacientes maiores de 20 anos, submetidos à diálise peritoneal ambulatorial contínua(DPAC) ou à diálise peritoneal automatizada (DPA). Nos pacientes que apresentavam pica, foram coletados exames bioquímicos, incluindo: albumina,cálcio, creatinina, ferritina, ferro, fósforo, glicemia, hematócrito, hemoglobina, potássio, transferrina e uréia séricos, além do Kt/V para determinação da adequação dialítica. Os pacientes tiveram peso e estatura medidos, para cálculo do índice de massa corporal (IMC). Resultados: A idade dos pacientes foi de 57,1±14,3 anos (média±DP). Observou-se que 32% (n=34) dos indivíduos entrevistados apresentavam pica. Destes, a maioria dos praticantes(76,5%, n=26) era do sexo feminino. Os itens ingeridos em maior prevalência foram: gelo (25%), vinagre (20,8%) e suco de limão puros (12,5%). Não houvediferença significativa na presença de pica entre obesos e não obesos, assim como o problema não foi associado à anemia, sobrepeso ou à inadequacidade dialítica. Conclusão: A ingestão de itens não-alimentares não é um achado incomum na população em diálise peritoneal.

Introduction: The word pica is defined as an intensive and persistent desire for the intake of non-food items with little or no nutritional value. Dialysis patientsmay be susceptible to such disturbance. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of pica in a population of peritoneal dialysis patients. Methods: An openinterview and a questionnaire were applied to 106 patients in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and automated peritoneal dialysis (APD).Patients younger than 20 years were excluded from the study. For those patients who presented pica, biochemical analysis was performed, which included the serum measurements of albumin, calcium, creatinine, ferritin, iron, phosphorus, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, potassium, transferrin and urea. Moreover, the delivery dose of dialysis was assessed by the calculation of Kt/V. Also, the body mass index (BMI) was calculated using measured weight and height. Results: The pica practice was observed in 32% (n=34) of the PD patients, whose age was 57.1±14.3 years (mean ±SD). From these patients, the majority of pica practitioners (76.5%, n=26) was female. The most reported consumed items were: ice (25%), pure vinegar (20.8%) and lemon juice(12.5%). There was no significant difference in the presence of pica between obese and non-obese patients, and the problem was not associated w i t h anemia, overweight or dialysis inadequacy. Conclusion: The intake of non-food items is not an uncommon finding in the peritoneal dialysis population.

Trichobezoar

Trichobezoar is an uncommon condition often presenting, among other signs, with a history of trichotillomania and trichophagia. We report an unusual case of gastric trichobezoar with extension into jejunum in a patient with an unusual habit of ingesting hair plucked from other people's scalp

Geophagia leading to hypokalemic quadriparesis in a postpartum patient.

Pica is an eating disorder associated with ingestion of variety of non-food substances. A postpartum patient who presented with acute flaccid quadriparesis was detected to have severe hypokalemia. After extensive investigations for cause of hypokalemia, history of geophagia (clay-eating) was obtained. Approach to hypokalemia and health hazards of pica are discussed.

Causes of childhood diarrhea as perceived by mothers in the Punjab, Pakistan.

This study was carried out in the southern Punjab, Pakistan, to outline the causes of childhood diarrhea as perceived by mothers. Two hundred households in ten villages were randomly selected. Information was obtained from mothers, through a questionnaire, in-depth interviews, and direct observations. The focus was on obtaining information from mothers of children who were below five years of age. Causes of diarrhea reported by mothers were categorized in seven different domains. Causes relating to the digestive system, especially consumption of too much food, were the most important, followed by causes pertaining to contamination and those pertaining to the humoral theory of 'hot' and 'cold'. The mothers' health status was perceived as determining the health of her child through her breast milk. Through in-depth interviews, diarrhea as a symptom of envy and malice was brought up. The study draws attention to the complexity and heterogeneity of beliefs, attitudes and practices concerning diarrhea. This makes it difficult to come up with general rules for health education campaigns. Rather, in health education, the outstanding 'good' and 'bad' behavior should be selected and should be the focus. On the other hand, the heterogeneity of beliefs, attitudes and practices prevailing in the community could make mothers more receptive to new ideas than when a small set of rigid cultural norms would dominate thinking on disease transmission and hygiene. The study found that despite the mother's central role as caretaker one should not focus only on the traditional mother-child relationship, but also include the husband-wife relationship, and target other individuals involved in setting norms within the household or within the nearby community.

Chumbo no sangue de crianças e passivo ambiental de uma fundição de chumbo no Brasil / Blood lead levels in children and environmental legacy of a lead foundry in Brazil

OBJETIVO: Determinar os níveis de chumbo no sangue de crianças que moravam próximo a uma fundiçäo de chumbo desativada na Cidade de Santo Amaro da Purificaçäo, Estado da Bahia, em setembro de 1998; e identificar fatores associados à variaçäo destes níveis. MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal com crianças de 1 a 4 anos de idade que residiam a menos de 1 km da fundiçäo. Mäes ou responsáveis por 47 crianças responderam questionários sobre transtornos do hábito alimentar (comer barro, terra, reboco ou outros materiais) e outros aspectos epidemiológicos relevantes. A concentraçäo de chumbo no sangue foi determinada por espectrofotometria de absorçäo atômica. RESULTADOS: O nível médio de chumbo foi de 17,1 ± 7,3 mig/dL. Os níveis de chumbo no sangue foram cerca de 5 mig/dL mais elevados em crianças que tinham transtorno do hábito alimentar, independentemente da idade, presença de escória visível no peridomicílio, situaçäo de emprego do pai, história familiar de intoxicaçäo pelo chumbo e desnutriçäo. CONCLUSÖES: O passivo ambiental da fundiçäo de chumbo, desativada em 1993, permanece como um fator de risco relevante para elevar os níveis desse metal no sangue de crianças, particularmente aquelas que apresentam transtornos do hábito alimentar

Perforación intestinal por pica / Small bowel perforation due to pica

Se presenta el caso de paciente masculino de 24 años de edad, con antecedentes del uso de diversos inhalantes tóxicos, que ingresó al Servicio de Urgencias del Hospital General de México, con un cuadro de abdomen agudo y oclusión intestinal. Fue sometido a laparotomía, encontrandose oclusión intestinal complicada con perforación, causada por objetos extraños, como tapas de refresco y licor, papel de aluminio, limones en fracciones, plásticos y huesos de pollo, que en total sumaron 24. Se le realizó resección intestinal, ileostomía y procedimiento de Hartmann para el segmento distal. Su evolución posoperatoria fue tórpida. Fue sometido a dos reoperaciones más por obstrucción y evisceración. Esta última, se presentó nuevamente y fue ocasionada por la gran inquietud secundaria a síndrome de abstinencia a algún tóxico no determinado y tuvo que ser manejado con abdomen abierto contenido hasta su egreso 20 días después. En conclusión, el fenómeno de pica es muy raro, generalmente se presenta en pacientes con deficiencia mental, pero también puede presentarse en pacientes con estado neurológico alterado que, por efecto de drogas o alcohol, ingieren todo tipo de objetos, los cuales en determinado momento puedan causar un cuadro de obstrucción y/o perforación en cualquier parte del tubo digestivo. Es importante reconocer el síndrome de abstinencia a tóxicos, para evitar posibles complicaciones posoperatorias

Tricobezoar y úlcera gástrica en pediatría: reporte de 1 caso / Gastric trichobezoar and ulcer in pediatric patient: a case report

Presentamos un caso de tricobezoar gástrico diagnosticado en una paciente pediátrica que presentaba tricotilomanía y tricofagia. Se halló además una úlcera gástrica no sangrante en curvatura mayor, hallazgo radiográfico confirmado en el acto quirúrgico en que se extirpó el tricobezoar. Se hace una revisión sobre las características más importantes que acompañan a esta rara patología

Pica asociada con ascariasis: presentación de un caso / Pica associated with ascariasis: report of a case

Se presenta una niña de 8 años que come piedras como manifestación típica de una pica asociada con una ascariasis moderada. Se exponen los pocos hallazgos clínicos y la ventaja de la anamnesis con la ayuda de la radiología para llegar al diagnóstico. Se comparan los datos de nuestra paciente con lo informado por la literatura médica internacional. Se hace una revisión bibliográfica y se menciona la posible causa, las complicaciones y se exponen las posibilidades terapéuticas, señalándose que el tratamiento y curación resultan de difícil control médico, aunque 6 meses después del tratamiento la paciente se encontraba asintomática