Clinical Outcomes after Oat Beta-Glucans Dietary Treatment in Gastritis Patients.

The prevalence of gastritis in humans is constantly growing and a prediction of an increase in this health problem is observed in many countries. For this reason, effective dietary therapies are sought that can alleviate the course of this disease. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of chemically pure oat beta-glucan preparations with different molar masses, low or high, used for 30 days in patients with histologically diagnosed chronic gastritis. The study enrolled 48 people of both genders of different ages recruited from 129 patients with a gastritis diagnosis. Before and after the therapy, hematological, biochemical, immunological and redox balance parameters were determined in the blood and the number of lactic acid bacteria and SCFA concentrations in the feces. Our results demonstrated a beneficial effect of oat beta-glucans with high molar mass in chronic gastritis in humans, resulting in reduced mucosal damage and healthy changes in SCFA fecal concentration and peripheral blood serum glutathione metabolism and antioxidant defense parameters. This fraction of a highly purified oat beta-glucan is safe for humans. Its action is effective after 30 days of use, which sheds new light on the nutritional treatment of chronic gastritis.

Nutritional Aspects of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Diseases.

In the last decade, the role of nutritional management in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases has gained increasing popularity. Disease-specific diets have been introduced as conventional treatments by international guidelines. Patients tend to more willingly accept food-based therapies than drugs because of their relatively "harmless" nature. Apart from a diet's therapeutic role, nutritional support is crucial in maintaining growth and improving clinical outcomes in pediatric patients. Despite the absence of classical "side effects", however, it should be emphasized that any dietary modification might have negative consequences on children's growth and development. Hence, expert supervision is always advised, in order to support adequate nutritional requirements. Unfortunately, the media provide an inaccurate perception of the role of diet for gastrointestinal diseases, leading to misconceptions by patients or their caregivers that tends to overestimate the beneficial role of diets and underestimate the potential adverse effects. Moreover, not only patients, but also healthcare professionals, have a number of misconceptions about the nutritional benefits of diet modification on gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of diet in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases, to detect misconceptions and to give a practical guide for physicians on the basis of current scientific evidence.

Nutritional Lipids and Mucosal Inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic relapsing inflammation in the intestine. Given their role in regulation of inflammation, long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) represent a potential supplementary therapeutic approach to current drug regimens used for IBD. Mechanistically, there is ample evidence for an anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution effect of long-chain n-3 PUFAs after they incorporate into cell membrane phospholipids. They disrupt membrane rafts and when released from the membrane suppress inflammatory signaling by activating PPAR-γ and free fatty acid receptor 4; furthermore, they shift the lipid mediator profile from pro-inflammatory eicosanoids to specialized pro-resolving mediators. The allocation of long-chain n-3 PUFAs also leads to a higher microbiome diversity in the gut, increases short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, and improves intestinal barrier function by sealing epithelial tight junctions. In line with these mechanistic studies, most epidemiological studies support a beneficial effect of long-chain n-3 PUFAs intake on reducing the incidence of IBD. However, the results from intervention trials on the prevention of relapse in IBD patients show no or only a marginal effect of long-chain n-3 PUFAs supplementation. In light of the current literature, international recommendations are supported that adequate diet-derived n-3 PUFAs might be beneficial in maintaining remission in IBD patients.

Strategy for Food Reintroduction Following Empiric Elimination and Elemental Dietary Therapy in the Treatment of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review presents the available data regarding efficacy of nutritional therapy, highlighting clinical decision points and a strategy for reintroduction of foods following an elemental diet for treatment of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders. RECENT FINDINGS: Elemental and empiric elimination diets are highly effective treatments for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. Standardization in the reintroduction phase, after utilizing the diet for disease remission, is lacking. Clinicians are confronted with multiple challenges regarding the best practice for food reintroduction and identification of potential dietary triggers including order of foods being challenged and duration between endoscopic procedures. Individualization is required for preference and adherence to optimize quality of life and treatment success for this burdensome and life altering immune driven gastrointestinal disorder. Age specific concerns for children, teenagers, and adults should be assessed using a patient centric approach.

High-Salt Diet-Induced Gastritis in C57BL/6 Mice is Associated with Microbial Dysbiosis and Alleviated by a Buckwheat Diet.

SCOPE: A high-salt diet is a cause of gastritis, but the associated mechanism remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that gastric flora is associated with a variety of stomach diseases, but it is not known whether gastric flora is involved in gastritis induced by a high-salt diet. METHODS AND RESULTS: Gastritis is successfully induced in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-salt diet (salt: 5% NaCl) for four weeks. Through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the composition of the stomach microbiota of mice fed normal and high-salt diets are compared, the results of which show that the high-salt diet induces significant changes in the gastric flora. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) is used to predict the function of the microbiota in the stomach of mice, and the results indicate that a high-salt diet leads to a decrease in the ability of the gastric microbiota to metabolize polysaccharides and vitamins. A buckwheat diet is used to treat gastritis. The results show gastritis induced by the high-salt diet is significantly alleviated, and the dysbiosis in the stomach also improved. CONCLUSION: Buckwheat diet may be one of the ways to prevent and treat gastritis caused by a high-salt diet.

Eosinophilic esophagitis, gastroenteritis, and colitis in a patient with prior parasite exposure.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGID) comprise a spectrum of inflammatory diseases that can affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. The pathogenesis of these conditions is complex; differentiating between primary and secondary forms of these disorders can be clinically challenging. We report a case of primary EGID in a patient with remote parasite exposure, whose symptoms were initially attributed to irritable bowel syndrome. Endoscopy revealed the rare finding of EGID involving the entire gastrointestinal tract; symptoms improved with an elimination diet. This case raises the possibility of a link between prior parasite exposure and development of EGID, and underscores the necessity of exploring alternative diagnoses in patients with presumed IBS who present with severe symptoms.

Retrospective study of budesonide in children with eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of budesonide (BUD), a locally active steroid, on eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is not well understood. This study is to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of BUD in children with EGE. METHODS: Forty-four children, diagnosed with EGE, were enrolled from 2013 to 2017 in our center. According to patients' preference, all the patients were treated with dietary elimination (DE) and montelukast therapy, or combined with prednisone (PRED)/BUD. Patients' clinical manifestations, treatments, and outcomes were reviewed from the medical records. Twenty-four patients (7 PRED, 7 BUD, 10 DE) received therapy for ≥8 weeks, followed by repeat endoscopy and biopsies. Histological response was defined as <20 eos/hpf (eosinophils per high-power field). RESULTS: Significant number of patients in DE+PRED (6/7, 85.7%) and DE+BUD (6/7, 85.7%) groups achieved histological response than in the DE group (3/10.30%) (p = 0.024). Mean post-treatment peak eos/hpf in the DE+PRED group was 16.57 ± 6.85 vs. 10.00 ± 5.07 in the DE+BUD group vs. 36.60 ± 24.57 in the DE group (p = 0.009). Change of eos/hpf from pre- to post-treatment was -49.86 ± 45.02 vs. -34.29 ± 23.44 in the BUD group vs. -0.3 ± 23.95 in the DE group (p = 0.011). There were no significant differences between DE+PRED and DE+BUD groups (p = 0.470, p = 0.363, respectively). CONCLUSION: BUD is effective in the treatment of EGE and has similar effectiveness with PRED.

New food approaches to reduce and/or eliminate increased gastric acidity related to gastroesophageal pathologies.

OBJECTIVE: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is very common in industrialized countries and rapidly and significantly increasing even in developing countries. The approach in this study is one not commonly found to date in the scientific literature. To assess the ability of reduced-carbohydrate diets and foods that are enriched with acid potential of hydrogen (pH; lemon and tomato) to quickly and exponentially reduce symptoms that are related to conditions such as gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux and unrelated to Helicobacter pylori. METHODS: After the administration of an anamnestic test, 130 patients were selected including 73 women and 57 men, 21 to 67 y, and with a gastritis diagnosis for 92 patients (56 women, 36 men) and reflux gastritis for 38 patients (17 women, 21 men). Study participants followed three dietary treatments in succession. Each treatment lasted 2 wk and treatments were separated by 2 wk of washout. The patients followed a diet that consisted primarily of proteins and fats and included the exponential reduction of glycides (simple and complex). In addition, the treatment provided for the daily intake of the juice of two lemons and approximately 100 g of fresh orange tomato without seeds eaten either raw or cooked and peeled. RESULTS: During treatment and at the end of 2 wk of treatment, the patients reported significant improvements including an almost total disappearance of symptoms that were related to the disease in question. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a carbohydrate-free diet and/or highly hypoglycidal diet that is enriched with acid pH foods appears to lead to a decrease in the pH of the gastric contents, thus inhibiting the further production of hydrochloric acid with a reduction or disappearance of heartburn symptoms that are typical of gastroesophageal diseases.

Recent advances in complementary and replacement therapy with nutraceuticals in combating gastrointestinal illnesses.

The digestive system provides nourishment to the whole body. Disorders in this system would result in many associated illnesses as the body is deprived of essential nutrients. Gastrointestinal diseases, in particular, gastric ulceration, inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer have become more prevalent in all population age groups. While this can be attributed to diet and lifestyle changes, the measures to combat these illnesses with conventional drugs is losing popularity owing to the harsh side effects, drug resistance and lack of patient compliance. The focus of this review is to endorse promising nutraceutical dietary components such as phytosterols, polyphenols, anthocyanins and polyunsaturated fatty acids and their synergistic value, in combination with conventional management of key gastrointestinal diseases. As most of these nutraceuticals are labile compounds, the need for protection and delivery using a carrier system is stressed and the methods for targeting to specific parts of the gastrointestinal tract are discussed. A section has also been devoted to perspectives on co-encapsulation methods of drugs and nutraceuticals using different particle systems. Multilayered carrier systems like double layered and core shell particles have been proposed as an exemplary system to co-encapsulate both drugs and nutrients while keeping them segregated.

High Prevalence of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease in Children With Intestinal Failure.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence and clinical features of gastrointestinal (GI) eosinophilic inflammation among pediatric patients with intestinal failure (IF). METHODS: Medical records of all patients studied in our institution's IF program who underwent GI endoscopy over a 15-year period were reviewed, and clinical, pathologic, nutrition, and laboratory data collected. RESULTS: One hundred five patients underwent 208 GI endoscopic procedures with biopsy. The overall prevalence of eosinophilic inflammation, defined as increased eosinophils in at least 1 tissue type on at least 1 endoscopy, was 39 of 105 (37%). The tissue-specific prevalence of eosinophilic inflammation ranged widely, with the colon/rectosigmoid being the most common (18/68, 26%), followed by the esophagus (17/83, 20%), ileum (9/54, 17%), duodenum (4/83, 5%), and stomach (3/83, 4%). Higher peripheral eosinophil count and hematochezia were associated with eosinophilic inflammation in the colon (P = 0.002 and 0.0004, respectively). The use of a strict elemental diet for 3 months before endoscopy was not associated with a decreased frequency of eosinophilic inflammation in any tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Eosinophilic inflammation is a common histopathological finding in patients with IF. Colonic eosinophilic inflammation is associated with clinical symptoms of GI blood loss, and peripheral eosinophilia, and was not abrogated by a strict elemental diet.

Perforated duodenal ulcer: An unusual manifestation of allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis.

Spontaneous perforation of a duodenal ulcer secondary to allergic eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) has not been previously reported. We present such a case in a teenager who presented with peritonitis. After exploration and operative repair of his ulcer, he continued to experience intermittent abdominal pain, and further evaluation revealed eosinophilic gastroenteritis in the setting of multiple food allergies. His EGE resolved after adhering to a restrictive diet. Both duodenal ulcers and EGE are very rarely seen in pediatric patients. EGE has a variable presentation depending on the layer(s) of bowel wall affected and the segment of the gastrointestinal tract that is involved. Once diagnosed, it may respond to dietary changes in patients with recognized food allergies, or to steroids in patients in whom an underlying cause is not identified. Our case highlights the need to keep EGE in the differential diagnosis when treating pediatric patients with duodenal ulcers. The epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of EGE are also discussed, along with a review of the current literature.

Milk-sensitive eosinophilic gastroenteritis in a 2-month-old boy.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare disease of unknown aetiology, characterised by eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal wall with various gastrointestinal manifestations. Clinical presentation and radiological findings are non-specific and there is an overlap with more frequent childhood diseases requiring a high degree of clinical suspicion for accurate diagnosis. We describe a 2-month-old boy with prolonged diarrhoea, vomiting and food refusal. Diagnosis was settled by histology. The treatment with elemental diet was successful, with clinical resolution and catch-up growth.

Efficacy of Dietary Treatment for Inducing Disease Remission in Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis.

OBJECTIVES: Various dietary interventions have been used to treat patients with eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE). Concrete evidence as to the effectiveness of such treatments in inducing disease remission is, however, lacking. The aim of the study was to systematically review the efficacy of dietary therapies in inducing EGE remission. METHODS: We performed a systematic search for the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS libraries for studies investigating the efficacy of dietary interventions (in both histological and symptomatic remission) for children and adults with EGE and colitis. RESULTS: The search yielded 490 references; 30 were included in the review, with most of these references being "low-quality" individual cases or short case series. No significant publication bias was found. Elemental diets in children were linked to 75.8% of clinical improvement, but few of these patients underwent a histological evaluation. Allergy-testing results have been used scarcely in EGE. Empiric elimination of allergy-associated foods was the most commonly used option. The variable results in terms of symptom relief, however, were scarcely accompanied by histological confirmation. Clinical and methodological heterogeneity hindered the performance of quantitative summaries for the efficacy of dietary therapies in inducing disease remission. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic improvements reported for dietary treatment in EGE by most of the available literature are questionable because of the lack of objective evaluation of clinical changes and the very limited assessment of histological remission. Because of the relative lack of well-designed, high-quality studies, the unequivocal use of dietary treatment for patients with EGE and colitis cannot be supported. Further research should be undertaken.

Successful Treatment of Collagenous Gastritis in a Child With a Gluten-Free Diet.

Collagenous gastritis is a rarely encountered disease entity first described in 1989, and it is very rarely reported in children. We report the case of a 13-year-old boy with clinical, endoscopic, and histological findings of collagenous gastritis who reported rapid and sustained symptom resolution on a gluten-free diet.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease and inflammatory bowel disease in children: is it a disease continuum?

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (EGID) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are two distinct disorders that share some clinical manifestations but have different diagnostic criteria. In this article, we reviewed the clinical data of three children with EGID who later developed IBD. This study is a retrospective case note review that was conducted between 2007 and 2012. EGID seems to precede IBD in some subsets of children in whom the diagnosis of IBD may take a few years to fully develop.