High-dose interferon results in high HBsAg seroclearance in children with chronic hepatitis B infection.

Clinical trials for chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection in children have shown usefulness of interferon alpha 2b (IFN-alpha) in eliminating HBV replication and in improving liver histology. Although it is not the ultimate goal of the interferon treatment for chronic HBV infection, it has been suggested in adults that HBsAg clearance decreases the likelihood of development of hepatocellular carcinoma, and prolongs the survival. HBV DNA clearance has been shown to be higher with higher doses of interferon in children, but it was rarely associated with HbsAg clearance. Ten MU/m2 was tried in 46 children who had biopsy-proven chronic HBV infection. They received IFN-alpha subcutaneously three times/week for six months. The treatment regimen was completed in 41 children and the second liver hiopsy was carried out one year after the end of the treatment in 30 of 41 patients. With this schedule, 15 (36.6%) children showed persistent loss of HBV DNA 12 months after the cessation of the treatment, 20 (48.7%) lost HBeAg, and eight (19.5%) developed anti-HBs antibody with loss of HBsAg. A significant improvement in liver histology was obtained in children with HBV DNA clearance. Serum ALT levels normalized in all HBeAg seroconverters. These findings suggested that the 10 MU/m2 IFN-alpha treatment was well tolerated and resulted in a high rate of HbsAg clearance in addition to HBV DNA clearance in a group of chidren with chronic HBV infection.

A rare and often unrecognized cause of hematochezia and tenesmus in childhood: solitary rectal ulcer syndrome.

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is an unusual disorder of childhood, which usually presents with rectal bleeding, mucous discharge, prolonged straining, tenesmus, and localized pain in the perineal area. After the first description by Cruveilhier, Madigan and Morson further detailed the clinical and pathologic features of SRUS in 1969. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is not well-understood. The postulated mechanism responsible for rectal prolapse in most cases seems to be excessive straining efforts during which high intra-abdominal pressure forces the anterior rectal mucosa firmly into the contracting puborectalis muscle. The anterior rectal mucosa is frequently forced into the anal canal and as a consequence becomes strangulated, causing congestion, edema, and ulceration. Histologically, the presence of fibromuscular obliteration of the lamina propria with disorientation of muscle fibers is characteristic, which could be secondary to chronic mechanical and ischemic trauma and inflammation by hard stools, and intussusception of the rectal mucosa. Although the syndrome is well-recognized in adults, the pediatric experience with this condition is limited and often remains unrecognized or misdiagnosed. A misdiagnosis has been reported in one fourth of adult cases, and the correct diagnosis usually delayed approximately 5 to 7 years. There are few pediatric case reports in English literature. Here, we describe 2 children with SRUS, aged 11 and 14 years, whose SRUS was diagnosed 2 and 6 years, respectively, after the onset of the first signs and symptoms.