Conservative long-term treatment of children with eosinophilic esophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Current treatments of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), including restrictive diets or glucocorticoids, provide only transient improvement. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use in EoE does not lead to histologic improvement; however, the long-term use of PPI on symptoms and prevention of complications has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of PPI as maintenance therapy in children with EoE. METHODS: Eosinophilic esophagitis was diagnosed based on initial endoscopic biopsies and persistent eosinophilic inflammation despite PPI therapy. Inclusion criteria included diagnosis of EoE and PPI use as primary maintenance treatment. Patients were excluded if they were treated with dietary or glucocorticoid therapy. Histologic evidence of inflammation as well as degree of subepithelial fibrosis at presentation was compared with most recent biopsies while receiving PPI therapy. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (30 males and 8 females; average age 6.7 ± 5.4 years) fulfilled inclusion criteria. Duration of follow-up was 3.0 ± 2.4 years. At presentation, vomiting was significantly more frequent in the younger patients, whereas dysphagia occurred more frequently in the older patients. At follow-up, 26 patients were asymptomatic, and the remaining 12 patients' symptoms were significantly improved. No complications of stricture or food impaction were seen. Significant eosinophilic inflammation persisted in 28 patients. No difference in degree of subepithelial fibrosis at diagnosis compared with most recent biopsies. The z-scores of the treated EoE patients significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Patients with EoE treated with PPIs show an improvement in symptoms and z-scores despite persistent eosinophilic inflammation. PPI treatment may be useful maintenance therapy in children with EoE.

A Simple Allergist-Led Intervention Improves Resident Training in Anaphylaxis.

Physicians underrecognize and undertreat anaphylaxis. Effective interventions are needed to improve physician knowledge and competency regarding evidence-based anaphylaxis diagnosis and management (ADAM). We designed and evaluated an educational program to improve ADAM in pediatrics, internal medicine, and emergency medicine residents from two academic medical centers. Anonymous questionnaires queried participants' demographics, prior ADAM clinical experience, competency, and comfort. A pretest assessing baseline knowledge preceded a 45-minute allergist-led evidence-based presentation, including practice with epinephrine autoinjectors, immediately followed by a posttest. A follow-up test assessed long-term knowledge retention twelve weeks later. 159 residents participated in the pretest, 152 participated in the posttest, and 86 participated in the follow-up test. There were no significant differences by specialty or site. With a possible score of 10, the mean pretest score (7.31 ± 1.50) was lower than the posttest score (8.79 ± 1.29) and follow-up score (8.17 ± 1.72) (P < 0.001 for both). Although participants' perceived confidence in diagnosing or managing anaphylaxis improved from baseline to follow-up (P < 0.001 for both), participants' self-reported clinical experience with ADAM or autoinjector use was unchanged. Allergist-led face-to-face educational intervention improves residents' short-term knowledge and perceived confidence in ADAM. Limited clinical experience or reinforcement contributes to the observed decreased knowledge.

Pharmacotherapy of pediatric and adolescent HIV infection.

Significant advances have been made in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection over the past two decades. Improved therapy has prolonged survival and improved clinical outcome for HIV-infected children and adults. Sixteen antiretroviral (ART) medications have been approved for use in pediatric HIV infection. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has issued "Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in Pediatric HIV Infection", which provide detailed information on currently recommended antiretroviral therapies (ART). However, consultation with an HIV specialist is recommended as the current therapy of pediatric HIV therapy is complex and rapidly evolving.

Interleukin 7 receptor alpha-chain-mutation severe combined immunodeficiency without lymphopenia: correction with haploidentical T-cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is a rare primary immunodeficiency characterized by abnormal lymphocyte development and lymphopenia. It often presents during the first year of life with recurrent, opportunistic infections, failure to thrive, and malabsorption. OBJECTIVE: To advocate newborn screening for SCID. METHODS: We reviewed the case histories of dizygotic twins with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) at the age of 6 months. RESULTS: Full-term fraternal twin girls were born to nonconsanguineous parents. Twin A developed recurrent oral candidiasis at 2 months, followed by pneumococcal bacteremia and PCP. At 5 months she had failure to thrive, but her absolute lymphocyte count was normal (5,887 cells/mm3). Subsequently, twin B presented with acute respiratory distress and was also diagnosed as having PCP; her absolute lymphocyte count was 5,852 cells/mm3. Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes from both girls demonstrated a T-B+NK+ phenotype consistent with interleukin 7 receptor alpha-chain-mutation SCID. Both girls received a haploidentical T-cell-depleted bone marrow transplant from their mother. In the interim, a homozygous point mutation in the interleukin 7 receptor alpha-chain gene was identified in twin B. Both parents were found to be carriers. Twin A died of chronic lung disease 8 months after transplantation; twin B is currently thriving. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis and treatment of SCID are associated with an increased rate of survival and improved long-term outcome. Some patients with SCID can present without lymphopenia. Thus, we advocate that more sensitive screening tests be considered for inclusion in the newborn screening program currently used in most states.