Esophageal Remodeling Correlates With Eating Behaviors in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

INTRODUCTION: There are limited data characterizing eating habits among pediatric patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We compared eating behaviors in pediatric patients with EoE with healthy controls and assessed the degree of correlation with symptomatology, endoscopic and histologic findings, and esophageal distensibility. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, observational study where subjects consumed 4 food textures (puree, soft solid, chewable, and hard solid) and were scored for eating behaviors including number of chews per bite, sips of fluid per food, and consumption time. Symptomatic, endoscopic, histologic, and esophageal distensibility data were collected for case subjects. RESULTS: Twenty-seven case subjects and 25 healthy controls were enrolled in our study (mean age 11.0 years, 63.5% male). Compared with healthy controls, pediatric patients with EoE demonstrated more chews per bite with soft solid (13.6 vs 9.1, P = 0.031), chewable (14.7 vs 10.7, P = 0.047), and hard solid foods (19.0 vs 12.8, P = 0.037). Patients with EoE also demonstrated increased consumption time with soft solid (94.7 vs 58.3 seconds, P = 0.002), chewable (90.0 vs 65.1 seconds, P = 0.005), and hard solid foods (114.1 vs 76.4 seconds, P = 0.034) when compared with healthy controls. Subgroup analysis based on disease status showed no statistically significant differences in eating behaviors between active and inactive EoE. Total endoscopic reference score positively correlated with consumption time ( r = 0.53, P = 0.008) and number of chews ( r = 0.45, P = 0.027) for chewable foods and with number of chews ( r = 0.44, P = 0.043) for hard solid foods. Increased consumption time correlated with increased eosinophil count ( r = 0.42, P = 0.050) and decreased esophageal distensibility ( r = -0.82, P < 0.0001). DISCUSSION: Altered eating behaviors including increased chewing and increased consumption time can be seen in pediatric patients with EoE, can persist despite histologic remission, and may be driven by changes in esophageal distensibility.

Eosinophilic Esophagitis: The "Not-So-Rare" Disease.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a relatively newly described disorder with increasing incidence. Patients with EoE may present at all ages from childhood through adulthood. Presenting symptoms may vary from feeding refusal, gagging, and/or vomiting in the younger population, dysphagia, chest pain, and abdominal pain in adolescents, as well as emergent food impactions. However, there are strict diagnostic criteria that must be met to make the diagnosis. Specifically, the diagnosis of EoE requires at least 15 eosinophils per high-powered field in the esophageal biopsies and symptoms of esophageal dysfunction after other causes, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia, have been ruled out. Common treatments include diet modifications and/or topical corticosteroids.

Enteral Feedings in Children: Sorting Out Tubes, Buttons, and Formulas.

Enteral nutrition (EN) is the provision of food or nutrients beyond the esophagus via a tube either to the stomach or small intestines. Choosing the route, method, and formula for administration of EN to infants and children is complicated by the increasing options available. Indications and contraindications change as surgical procedures and medical treatments advance. Human milk remains the normative standard for infant formulas; if a safe supply is available, it is recommended as optimal nutrition for infants, including via enteral tube access. For infants without an available supply of human milk and children older than 12 months, a wide variety of formulas are available, including the renewed interest in formulas using cooked table foods. This article presents the different methods of EN access placement, maintenance, formula recommendations, and advancement of EN. It is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of the options and recommendations for EN.

Rectal prolapse and cystic fibrosis.

Screening for cystic fibrosis (CF) is suggested in patients with rectal prolapse (RP). Little is known about the association between CF and RP in the era of newborn screening for CF. Our retrospective review showed that 3.6% of patients with RP had CF, and 3.5% of patients with CF had RP. No demographic or clinical factors appear to predict the likelihood of RP in patients with CF. Sweat chloride testing for patients with RP has a low yield in the era of newborn screening but may still need to be considered in children with RP to avoid missing the rare child with CF.

Calprotectin in cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that intestinal inflammation plays a major role in gastrointestinal symptoms in cystic fibrosis (CF). Fecal calprotectin is a marker that is elevated in several gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases, but little is known about its value in CF. We aimed to look for associations of elevated fecal calprotectin among CF patients and whether its level correlates with the clinical manifestations of CF. METHODS: A single stool specimen was collected from 62 patients with CF. Fecal calprotectin was measured using the commercially available ELISA kits (PhiCal™ test). Clinical data were collected from patients' records and CF registry. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between CF patients with normal and abnormal fecal calprotectin levels. However, patients who were not receiving inhaled antibiotics had higher fecal calprotectin levels than those who were. CONCLUSION: Elevated fecal calprotectin may not accurately predict intestinal inflammation in CF. However, the fact that it was elevated in both pancreatic sufficient and insufficient groups supports the concept of "cystic fibrosis enteropathy" regardless of the pancreatic status.

Challenges in meeting fellowship procedural guidelines in pediatric therapeutic endoscopy and liver biopsy.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess the opportunities for therapeutic endoscopy, liver biopsies, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placements available to fellows during a 3-year pediatric gastroenterology fellowship, and to evaluate access to ancillary procedural-training opportunities. METHODS: Data were collected from 12 pediatric gastroenterology fellowship programs in the United States. Procedures completed in the years 2009-2011 were queried using CPT codes and endoscopy databases. The maximal opportunity for procedures was based on the total procedures performed by the institution in 3 years divided by the total number of fellows in the program. The centers completed a questionnaire regarding ancillary opportunities for endoscopic training. RESULTS: There is significant variability in pediatric endoscopic training opportunities in specialized gastrointestinal (GI) procedures. Under the 1999 guidelines, no centers were able to meet the thresholds for polypectomy and control of nonvariceal bleeding. The 2013 guidelines allowed the number of programs reaching polypectomy thresholds to increase by 67% but made no difference for control of bleeding despite a decrease in the threshold. Training in PEG placement was not available in 42% of the surveyed centers. Elective ancillary procedural training is offered by 92% of the surveyed centers. CONCLUSIONS: Most training programs do not have the volume of therapeutic endoscopy procedures for all of the fellows to meet the training guidelines. Training in therapeutic endoscopy, PEG placement, and liver biopsy in pediatric GI fellowships should be supplemented using all of the possible options including rotations with adult GI providers and hands-on endoscopy courses. A shift toward evaluating competency via quality measures may be more appropriate.

Obesity is not associated with increased mortality and morbidity in critically ill children.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of obesity on mortality, length of mechanical ventilation, and length of stay (LOS) in critically ill children. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study in 2- to 18-year-olds, admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin from 2005-2009 who required invasive ventilation. Weight z score was used to categorize patients as normal (-1.89 to 1.04), overweight (1.05-1.65), obese (1.66-2.33), and severely obese (>2.33). Underweight patients were excluded. Age, gender, admission type, Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 score, operative status, trauma status, admission Pediatric Outcome Performance Category, and diagnosis categories were also collected. The outcomes were mortality, total ventilator days, and PICU LOS. Univariate analysis was used to compare the groups, and multivariate logistic regression was used to compare mortality. Total ventilation days and LOS were modeled with linear regression. RESULTS: In total, 1030 patients were included in the study, with 753 normal weight, 137 overweight, 76 obese, and 64 severely obese. The risk-adjusted mortality rates in overweight (odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-1.82), obese (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.31-1.48), and severely obese patients (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.45-2.34) were not significantly different compared with the normal-weight group. Total ventilation days (P = .9628) and PICU LOS (P = .8431) were not significantly different between the groups after adjusting for risk factors. CONCLUSION: Critically ill overweight, obese, and severely obese children who require invasive mechanical ventilation have similar mortality, length of stay in the PICU, and ventilator days as compared with normal-weight children.

Discovery of gluten as the injurious component in celiac disease.

Celiac disease is a common disorder that was first identified in the early 1900s. Multiple diets were used to treat celiac disease until 1953, when Dicke, Weijers, and van de Kamer identified gluten as the cause of the symptoms. Today, gluten avoidance continues to be the only treatment for patients with celiac disease.

Effect of gluten-free diet on growth and glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes and asymptomatic celiac disease.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of a gluten-free diet on growth and glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) and asymptomatic, biopsy-proven celiac disease (CD). Each case of CD was compared to two children with DM and no CD. We studied weight, height, and hemoglobin A1c (HgbAlc) up to 12 months pre- and post- CD diagnosis in 29 cases and 58 controls. The change in body mass index (deltaBMI Z-score) over 2 years was significantly higher in CD cases vs. controls (mean +/- SD 0.33 +/- 0.74 vs. +/- 0.08 +/- 0.46; p = 0.023). However, BMI Z-score did not change in CD patients diagnosed with DM for > 1 year. Mean HgbA1c was similar between groups throughout the study. In conclusion, children with asymptomatic CD and DM do not have significant changes in BMI, height Z-score or metabolic control 1 year post-diagnosis.