Gastric emptying delay and gastric electrical derangement in IDDM.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes can develop gastrointestinal motor complications; however, prevalence of gut dysmotility in children with diabetes is poorly understood. We measured gastric emptying time and gastric electrical activity in children with IDDM; presence of dyspeptic symptoms was also assessed. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Gastric emptying time and gastric electrical activity were measured by ultrasonography and electrogastrography (EGG), respectively, in 40 consecutive IDDM children (median age: 9 years [6-14]) without autonomic neuropathy; 15 healthy children (median age: 7 years [4-15]) served as control subjects. The EGG variables studied were percent of electrical dysrhythmias (bradygastria or 0.5-2.0 cpm, tachygastria or 4.0-9.0 cpm; normal rhythm is 2.0-4.0 cpm) and fed-to-fasting ratio of the dominant EGG power. Blood glucose level in the fasting state and 180 min after feeding and HbA1C concentration were also measured. Data are given as median (ranges) and means +/- SD. Statistical analysis was performed using the parametric t test and the nonparametric signed-rank tests, with P < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Gastric emptying time was delayed in 26 patients (group A), whereas in 14 patients (group B), it was in the same range as control values; group A patients significantly differed from group B for increased prevalence of gastric electrical dysrhythmias (P < 0.01) and for a lower fed-to-fasting ratio of the dominant EGG power (P < 0.01). Group B patients did not differ from control subjects for the EGG variables measured. Diabetic children with gastroparesis had significantly higher levels of both HbA1C and blood glucose measured 180 min after feeding than those with normal gastric emptying time (P < 0.05); there was a significant correlation between levels of HbA1C and degree of gastric emptying delay, whereas a significant inverse correlation between gastric emptying time and fed-to-fasting ratio of the dominant EGG power was found both in patients and control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Delay of gastric emptying time and gastric electrical abnormalities are found in a high proportion of children with diabetes and can contribute to poor glycemic control, most likely by causing a mismatch between the onset of insulin action and the delivery of nutrients into the small intestine. Diabetic children with unexplained poor glycemic control should be investigated for abnormalities in gastric motility.

Use of a new thickened formula for treatment of symptomatic gastrooesophageal reflux in infants.

BACKGROUND: Paediatricians are familiar with infants complaining of regurgitation and emesis from gastrooesophageal reflux. These subjects, usually growing satisfactorily and healthy, are affected by "functional" or "symptomatic" gastrooesophagel reflux and are treated with posture changes and thickened feedings. AIM: To evaluate in infants with symptomatic gastrooesophageal reflux the effect of a new formula (Nutrilon AR), containing carob flour/locus bean gum as a thickening agent; both clinical features and oesophageal acid exposure were evaluated. PATIENTS: Twenty-four infants (age range: 5-11 months; median age: 8 months; 8 females) presented at our Unit with a history of chronic postprandial regurgitation. METHODS: During a 24-hour intraoesophageal pH test a traditional formula thickened with rice flour at a concentration of 5% was alternated with the formula Nutrilon AR; thereafter infants were randomly allocated to receive, for two weeks, either a traditional thickened formula or the new formula, in addition to posture changes. RESULTS: Intraoesophageal acid exposure was significantly lower in the periods following the new formula than after traditional formula; at the end of the treatment period patients receiving the new formula had a more significant decrease of both symptomatic score and number of episodes of emesis than patients on traditional formula. CONCLUSIONS: The new available formula, with the characteristics of a thickened meal, is better than a formula, traditionally thickened with added rice flour, in the conservative treatment of infants with symptomatic gastrooesophageal reflux.

Uso de escores preditivos na parada cardiorrespiratória em UTI pediátrica / Application of predictive score in cardiopulmonary arrest in pediatric ICU

Foram estudados prospectivamente em todos os 108 casos de parada cardiorrespiratoria (PCR) que ocorreram nas 501 internacoes na UTIP da Unesp em dois anos, a idade, estado nutricional, patologias envolvidas, escores prognosticos disfuncao de multiplos orgaos e evolucao. Os principais foram: Insuficiencia Respiratoria, Choque, Broncopneumonia. Houve grande incidencia de entroficos, porem a mortalidade foi crescente com a piora nutricional (eut. - 55,8 por cento; DPCI - 66,7 por cento; DPCII - 75 por cento; DPCIII - 75,9 por cento). O tempo de internacao foi prolongado (apneia/bradicardia - 11,5 + 6,6 d.; PCR sob. - 9,8 + 7,4 d.; PCR =b. - 6,2 + 10.3 d.). A mortalidade foi maior (88,6 por cento nas criancas maiores de um ano com maior instabilidade fisiologica (PRISM - 31.1 + 10,8) e maior intervencao terapeutica (TISS - 50,6 + 7). Com o aumento do numero de disfuncoes organicas aumentou a mortalidade devido a uma maior instabilidade fisiologica e maior necessidade de intervencao terapeutica (um sistema (d.s.) - 16,7 por cento mortalidade; tempo de internacao (t.i) - 2,7 + 2 d.; PRISM 15,5 + 5,7; TISS 27,5 + 6,4; 2 d.s. - 51, 7 por cento mort.; t.i. - 5,3 + 4,7 d.; PRISM 20,5 + 7,7,; TISS 44,1 + 7,3; 3 d.s. - 69 por cento mort., t.i. - 8,5 + 10,8 d.; PRISM 28,2 + 9,1; TISS 50,6 + 5,6; 4 ou + d.s. - 77,3 por cento mort.; t.i. - 9,2 + 11 d.; PRISM 34,7 + 9,1; TISS 53,8 + 4,6). Os sistemas que apresentaram maior incidencia de disfuncao foram o hemodinamico em 104 pacientes com mortalidade de 69 por cento e o respiratorio com mortalidade de 65,4 por cento, porem a disfuncao gastrointestinal, renal e neurologica apresentaram a maior mortalidade (respectivamente 100 por cento, 89,3 por cento e 85,1 por cento) com maior instabilidade fisiologica (PRISM 35,4 + 9,3; 37,5 + 7,7; e 34,7 + 9,6) e maior intervencao terapeutica (TISS 54,3 + 4,6; 55,9 + 5,5; e 52,2 + 6,5). Quando a mortalidade prevista pelo PRISM foi maior que 60 por cento, 81,8 por cento destes pacientes faleceram demonstrando a boa correlacao em prever o obito deste escore preditivo. A medida que a instabilidade fisiologica e a necessidade de intervencao terapeutica aumentou, diminuiu o tempo ate o obito. Concluimos entao ser freqnente a PCR em UTIP (21,6 por cento das internacoes); com mortalidade de 64,8 por cento semelhante a dados de literatura, sendo bem avaliados por dados de escores prognostico; a mortalidade aumenta com a piora nutricional, com o aumento na instabilidade fisiologica medida...

[Prevalence of constipation in school children]. / Prevalência de constipação intestinal em escolares do ciclo básico.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain the prevalence of constipation in school children, as chronic constipation is frequent among children attending our outpatient unit but only scarce data about community prevalence are available. METHODS: 1145 children of the two first school years (52.5% males, median age 8y 4mo) of 5 schools in underprivileged areas were evaluated. They answered a previously validated questionnaire, applied by specially trained students of a practical nurse school. Defecation of scybalous stools and/or straining / pain, usually, were used to characterize constipation, by a strict criterium. Soiling or fecal blood occurring as isolated symptoms were not included in the strict criterium, but were included in two other criteria. RESULTS: The prevalence of constipation was 25.1% for boys and 32.9% for girls, by the strict criterium, and was more frequent among girls (p<0.05). Constipated boys and girls presented, respectively, 30.5% e 31.8% of soiling and 14.6% and 25.7% of fecal blood. In addition 61 boys and 49 girls presented either soiling or fecal blood as isolated symptoms and increased the prevalence by the other criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of constipation in the observed community was high. Due to the severity of the possible complications, this could be considered a public health problem.

[Anthropometric evolution during hospitalization of severe malnourished children with persistent diarrhea receiving standardized nutritional support]. / Evolução antropométrica de crianças hospitalizadas com diarréia persistente e desnutrição grave, submetidas a suporte nutricional.

In order to estimate the nutritional rehabilitation (NR) during admission of malnourished children with persistent diarrhea (PD) receiving standardized nutritional support (NS), we prospectively evaluated the weight, height, head circumference and arm measurements (AM) of 20 children, 19 below 1 year, admitted to the ward with weigh/age -2.89 to -5.21 standard deviation. Four infants comprised the death group (DG) and 16 survived (SG). The SG was separated, according to initial weight behavior, into weight gain (WG) or weight loss (WL). Compared to SG at admission, DG only had lower AM and more metabolic-infectious alterations (p<05). The survivors presented NR but this was evident for WL only when considering the minimum weight. DG received less calories than SG and weight loss during the pre-death period was higher than for WL (p<05). It was concluded that very altered AM, severe metabolic-infectious insults, low caloric input and high weight loss velocity are associated to bad prognosis; severely malnourished infants with PD began NR during hospitalization while receiving adequate NS, but minimum weight must be considered for this evaluation; AM must be obtained at admission, due to its prognostic value, and adequate NS as well as anthropometric follow-up during the hospital stay are essential.

Análise dos casos de choque séptico e coagulaçäo intravascular disseminada em UTI: pediatria / Septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation in the intensive care unit

Realizou-se uma análise retrospectiva de 44 internaçöes na UTI pediátrica da Universidade Estadual Paulista-Unesp por choque séptico e coagulaçäo intravascular disseminada (CIVD), diagnosticados de acordo com os critérios propostos por Sprung (1991) e história crônica e laboratorial compativel com CIVD, segundo os critérios descritos por Forbes (1990) e Montgomery e Hathaway (1980). No periodo estudado 27,5 por cento dos pacientes sépticos apresentaram choque séptico e CIVD, grupo de risco foram lactentes menores de 6 meses (mais ou menos 55 por cento), desnutridos de II e II grau (>60 por cento), associaçäo infecciosa e falência de múltiplos órgäos e sistemas de acordo com critérios propostos por Wilkinson (DMOS> 4 órgäos.=80 por cento mortalidade). Encontrou-se alteraçäo hematológica no grupo de óbitos e nos sobreviventes, porém com maior gravidade nos óbitos

[Clinical and alimentary history of children attending a pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic with functional chronic constipation and its possible complications]. / História clínica e alimentar de crianças atendidas em ambulatório de gastroenterologia pediátrica (GEP) com constipação intestinal crônica funcional (CICF) e suas possíveis complicações.

In order to better understand the natural history of chronic functional constipation, a questionnaire was applied to 163 children and infants, before beginning standardized treatment. Median age (range) at start was 3 mo(0-108 mo) but age at arrival at the Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit was 53 mo(2-146 mo). In 62.4% of the cases symptoms began before or up to 3 mo after cow's milk introduction and rarely around (-/+ 6 mo) toilet training. Possible complications appeared progressively, often at preschool or school age or as the first noticeable manifestation: recurrent abdominal pain (61.1%), fecal soiling (45.4%), fecal blood (35%), enuresis (23.3%), vomiting (19%), urinary infection (17.9%), urinary retention (8.6%). Abdominal distension was rarely detected on physical examination and was usually discrete. In conclusion, children attended in Botucatu begin their constipation at an early age, frequently associated with weaning,and important complications may ensue along years. This evolution should be avoided by prevention and early treatment of constipation.

[The fat absorption test in children]. / Prova de absorção de gordura em crianças.

To overcome the difficulties observed with fecal fat estimations, we studied fat absorption in 4 m to 12 years old children, assessing increments of serum triglycerides after administration of corn oil. Eighteen well-nourished children without gastrointestinal symptoms or parasites, 31 children with protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM), with or without protracted diarrhea and/or intestinal parasites and nine children with specific malabsorptive entities were studied. Serum triglycerides (TG) were measured before, 2 and 4 hours after the administration of 2 g/kg of corn oil per os. For control infants below 2 years no significant differences between the fasting level and those after 2 and 4 hours were observed. For children above this age significant absorption occurred by 2 hours but more intensively after 4 hours, an increment of TG above 35 mg% being considered normal. A good discrimination between TG increments of controls and malabsorptive children over 2 years was observed. In conclusion, the oral fat loading test, is applicable for children over 2 year of age. For infants below this age other schedules should be tested.

Carbohydrate malabsorption in infants with diarrhea: diagnostic and evolutive aspects.

Twenty three infants with acute or protracted diarrhea were investigated for carbohydrate (CHO) malabsorption during their normal feeding schedules. All infants were fed a chicken-meat formula which contained rice flour and maltodextrin. End-tidal respiratory H2 concentrations were sequentially evaluated in different clinical settings and compared to fecal pH and reducing substances. Fecal pH below 6.0 and/or breath H2 greater than 25 ppm were considered evidence of CHO malabsorption, as these values disappeared while infants were submitted to a trial of CHO withdrawal per os, reappearing after CHO reintroduction. Values of fecal pH greater than 6.0 most often (84,2%) occurred along with H2 less than 25 ppm, thus frequently reflecting a good CHO absorption. pH values below 6.0, however, although reflecting CHO malabsorption, did not predict the presence of significant H2 concentrations in expired air. In 44.4% of the well-nourished or only mildly malnourished infants some evidence of CHO malabsorption was present, whereas this occurred in all severely malnourished infants. This last group of infants had a longer history of diarrhea prior to admission and needed a longer hospitalization. The frequency of H2 values greater than 25 ppm decreased progressively during the clinical evolution, along with an increase in CHO ingestion, findings possibly related to nutritional improvement. The hydrogen breath test and fecal pH allowed the diagnosis of CHO fermentation when applied as in this study, without a conventional CHO overload and without previous fasting. It did, however, not predict clinical intolerance, as signs of CHO malabsorption still occurred in infants whose diarrhea had already subsided.

Constipacao intestinal cronica em criancas atendidas no ambulatorio de gastroenterologia infantil da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu - UNESP (1977-1980). / Chronic intestinal constipation in children attended at the Pediatric Gastroenterology Ambulatory of the Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu - UNESP (1977-1980)

Foram analisados os prontuarios de 59 criancas com constipacao intestinal cronica atendidas consecutivamente no Ambulatorio de Gastroenterologia Pediatrica do Departamento de Pediatria da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu. Em 40 casos (67,8%) a constipacao iniciou-se no primeiro ano de vida, mas houve um intervalo de tempo importante antes de haver encaminhamento para tratamento especializado. O estado nutricional foi bom em 72,9% dos casos.Encoprese ou soiling esteve presente em 22% dos casos. Em 64,4% dos casos o tratamento clinico foi eficaz, sem necessidade de tratamento psiquiatrico especializado.Apenas um dos casos sem resolucao ou recorrencia da constipacao apresentou ausencia dos reflexos mioentericos a manometria anorretal. Concluiu-se que, principalmente quando nao existem facilidades para tratamento psiquiatrico especializado, o apoio psicologico pela equipe de gastrenterologos pediatras pode ser suficiente para a resolucao da maioria dos casos, desde que seja observado esquema terapeuticos padronizado

Sindrome da diarreia aguda e protraida em criancas internadas no Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu. / Acute and protracted diarrhea syndrome in children hospitalized at Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu

Foi feito estudo prospectivo de 39 casos de diarreia internados na Enfermaria de Pediatria da FMB, 74,4% dos quais ja previamente manipulados. Detectou-se dois fatores predisponentes para o desenvolvimento da diarreia grave: peso baixo ao nascer e curta duracao do aleitamento materno; no entanto, raramente a diarreia ocorreu no mes que se seguiu a retirada de leite materno. Foi alta a frequencia com que foram isolados enteropatogenos das fezes, principalmente dos casos com evolucao protraida. A conduta adotada levou a cura relativamente rapida em 89,7% dos casos, e houve evidencias de que a ma-absorcao de hidratos de carbono inclusive monossacarideos e talvez a intolerancia a proteina do leite de vaca foram importantes fatores de perpetuacao das diarreias. Raramente a melhora da diarreia ocorreu apos antibioticoterapia, embora esta fosse necessaria para grande parte dos casos devido as intercorrencias infecciosas. Isto nos leva a supor que esquemas terapeuticos como o empregado, encurtando o tempo de duracao da diarreia e, portanto, diminuindo o numero de intercorrencias, seja importante fator na diminuicao de mortalidade pela diarreia, pois os obitos que ocorreram foram consequentes a intercorrencias graves, tais como a septicemia. A partir das observacoes feitas foram sugeridas algumas modificacoes no esquema terapeutico proposto