Mean platelet volume in obese adolescents with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the accumulation of excess fat in the liver in the absence of alcohol consumption, which commonly coexists with obesity. NAFLD is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is a marker of platelet activation, which is a determinant of atherosclerosis.

AIMS

The first aim of the present study was to investigate the MPV levels in obese adolescents and compare the MPV levels in patients with and without NAFLD and also with healthy controls. The second aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between IR and MPV.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Case records of 128 exogenous obese adolescents were retrospectively evaluated. Laboratory parameters were collected by using a computerized patient database. Insulin resistance was calculated by a homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) index. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with NAFLD (Group 1) and patients without NAFLD (Group 2). Forty-seven healthy children constituted the control group.

RESULTS

MPV was significantly higher in obese adolescents than their healthy peers. Group 1 had significantly higher MPV than group 2. HOMA-IR was significantly higher in group 1 than group 2. MPV was significantly higher in patients with IR than patients without IR. There was a positive correlation between MPV and HOMA-IR. MPV was inversely correlated with HDL cholesterol and platelet count.

CONCLUSION

MPV may be used as a follow-up marker in patients with NAFLD at the point of atherosclerosis.

Hepatic artery resistance in children with obesity and fatty liver

OBJECTIVE

The present study assessed whether there is a correlation between hepatic artery resistive index (HARI) and increase of body mass index and hepatosteatosis grading in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) reflecting hemodynamic effects of hepatosteatosis.

METHODS

Thirty three healthy children [body mass index(BMI): mean+/- standart deviation(SD), min-max: 20.1+/-1.14(18.5-23.7), 33 overweight [BMI:25.1+/-2.2 (18.5-23.7)] and 66 obese [BMI:31.1+/-2(25.6-40)] adolescents were enrolled into the study. To search the relation of HARI with fatty liver degree, study subjects subdivided into groups according to their degree of fatty liver at ultrasonography(US).

RESULTS

Increase of HARI was correlated with increase in BMI (p<0.0001, r=0.533). Increase of HARI was well correlated with increase in degree of fatty liver (p<0.0001, r=0.630).

CONCLUSION

The present study results suggest that there are positive correlations of HARI with BMI and hepatosteatosis grade in obese children with NAFLD. HARI may be a candidate parameter to determine early alarming hemodynamic changes in hepatic tissue of obese children with fatty liver before development of severe stages NAFLD.

Management of phenylketonuria in Europe: survey results from 19 countries

To gain better insight in the most current diagnosis and treatment practices for phenylketonuria (PKU) from a broad group of experts, a European PKU survey was performed. The questionnaire, consisting of 33 questions, was sent to 243 PKU professionals in 165 PKU centers in 23 European countries. The responses were compiled and descriptive analyses were performed. One hundred and one questionnaires were returned by 93/165 centers (56%) from 19/23 European countries (83%). The majority of respondents (77%) managed patients of all age groups and more than 90% of PKU teams included physicians or dieticians/nutritionists. The greatest variability existed especially in the definition of PKU phenotypes, therapeutic blood phenylalanine (Phe) target concentrations, and follow-up practices for PKU patients. The tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4; sapropterin) loading test was performed by 54% of respondents, of which 61% applied a single dose test (20mg/kg over 24h). BH4 was reported as a treatment option by 34%. This survey documents differences in diagnostic and treatment practices for PKU patients in European centers. In particular, recommendations for the treatment decision varied greatly between different European countries. There is an urgent need to pool long-term data in PKU registries in order to generate an evidence-based international guideline.

Health-related quality of life of school-age children with familial Mediterranean fever

OBJECTIVES

To describe and compare the parent proxy-reported and child self-reported physical and psychosocial HRQOL of school age children who have FMF with healthy peers.

METHODS

The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (Peds QL 4.0) Generic Core Scales was used to measure HR-QOL. Fifty-one patients and 81 healthy peers were enrolled in the study. Patients were grouped according to their ages as : 1) Children (8-12 years) and 2) Adolescents (13-18 years). An accompanying parent completed the parent proxy-report of the Peds QL 4.0.

RESULTS

Peds QL scores of children (8-12 years) with FMF were significantly lower than healthy peers for physical and psychosocial functioning for both child self-report and parent proxy-report. The parent proxy-report and child self-reported Peds QL scores of adolescent patients (13-18 years) with FMF were lower than the healthy group for physical, emotional and school functioning; however no significant difference was detected regarding the social functioning. Adolescents with FMF had significantly higher social scores when compared to the younger age group (8-12 years) with FMF, 92.6 +/- 8.5 and 82.2 +/- 17.6, respectively (p=0.028). The scores of physical, emotional and school functioning were similar in both groups (p=0.73, p=0.93, and p=0.028). Correlations among child self-report subscales and proxy-report subscales were all significant and varied from moderate to high.

CONCLUSION

This study suggested that assessment of HRQOL has potential clinical implications for the healthcare needs of children and adolescents with FMF. Given the degree of reported impairment in their health-related quality of life, individualized counseling and interventions are needed.

Hepatic glycogenosis: a rare cause of hepatomegaly in Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Hepatomegaly, with or without abnormal liver function tests, was a common feature of both pediatric and adult patients with diabetes mellitus. We are reporting a case of a 16-year-old diabetic boy in whom we found hepatomegaly, mildly elevated transaminases and elevated serum lipids never noticed before. Abdominal ultrasound confirmed hepatomegaly; liver biopsy pointed out a picture compatible with glycogenosis. The patient's abnormal liver function tests, elevated serum lipids and hepatomegaly decreased over a period of 4 weeks with tight metabolic control. This situation was due to overinsulinization because the patient assumed an excessive quantity of food and therefore took an excessive quantity of insulin. In conclusion, hepatomegaly may be seen in diabetic patients due to hepatic glycogen accumulation as a result of excessive food and insulin consumption. In hepatic glycogenosis, the pathological findings improve in 4 weeks when good metabolic control is provided. Therefore, the other reasons must be investigated when hepatomegaly persists for a longer period.

Two cases presenting with pubertal delay and diagnosed as Celiac disease

Pubertal delay may be due to underlying chronic diseases and primary endocrine diseases. Celiac disease, one of the common malabsorption disorders of childhood, may progress silently in some cases, and the cases diagnosed late present with growth failure or disturbance of pubertal development. Currently, due to the changing face of celiac disease, patients are being diagnosed in adolescence with atypical symptoms and findings. This study describes 2 patients aged 13 and 16 years who presented with pubertal delay and who were diagnosed with celiac disease, concluding that routine screening of celiac disease in the differential diagnosis of delayed puberty should be recommended.

Intima-media thickness of carotid artery and susceptibility to atherosclerosis in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

OBJECTIVE

To test, via prospective case-control study, whether measurements of carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) reflect the susceptibility to atherosclerosis in obese children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 80 obese asymptomatic normotensive adolescents (body mass index [BMI], 29.12 +/- 5.13; 8.5-17.5 years) and 30 age- and sex-matched nonobese healthy children (BMI 18.55 +/- 2.24). Children were analysed in 4 groups: Controls formed group 1, 26 children with obesity without hepatosteatosis formed group 2, 32 children with grade 1 hepatosteatosis formed group 3, and 22 children with grade 2 or 3 hepatosteatosis formed group 4. The key parameters were BMI, liver function tests, lipid profiles, glucose, hepatic ultrasonography, and IMT of common carotid artery (CCA), left carotid bulbus (CB), and left internal carotid artery (ICA).

RESULTS

Comparisons of IMT measurements of left CCA, left CB, and left ICA between controls and obesity group revealed statistically significant differences (each segment P < 0.0001). There was an increase in the mean of IMT of each segment with the increase in hepatosteatosis grade (each segment P < 0.0001). The relation between the mean of IMT of left CCA, left CB, and left ICA with BMI (P = 0.001, r = 0.318), alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.007, r = 0.256), and hepatosteatosis (P < 0.0001, r = 0.470) was significant. Multiple regression analysis between left CCA, left CB, and left ICA, and age, sex, relative weight, alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol, obesity, and hepatosteatosis grade was significant for only hepatosteatosis grade.

CONCLUSIONS

The cIMT is significantly higher, increasing susceptibility to atherosclerosis, in obese children with hepatosteatosis than in healthy children or obese children without hepatosteatosis.

Cryptosporidium parvum diarrhea in an infant with short bowel syndrome

Cryptosporidium parvum is an underdiagnosed cause of diarrhea in children. The case of a 1-year-old girl with short bowel syndrome presenting with severe dehydrating diarrhea with a protozoon named C parvum is reported. Although the resection of the small bowel in this patient seemed to cause this severe infection with C parvum, more cases are needed to include the resection of the small bowel as a risk factor for Cryptosporidium infection and/or for a more severe form of diarrhea. Awareness of this infection among clinicians will help to diagnose this infection since special acid fast staining is made on special request.

The prevalence of liver function abnormalities in pediatric celiac disease patients and its relation with intestinal biopsy findings

Abnormal liver function tests and liver damage are seen frequently with celiac disease. However, the pathogenesis of liver functions abnormality is not clearly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of abnormal liver functions in children with celiac disease and its relation with anthropometric measurements and severity of intestinal damage.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty seven patients with celiac disease were included in the study. Anthropometric and laboratory examinations and intestinal biopsies were performed in all the patients. Mucosal lesions were classified according to the Marsh classification. Villous area, crypt height and mitotic count were measured morphometrically for all biopsy samples.

RESULTS

The mean age of patients was 6 +/- 5 years on admission. Alanine aminotransferase levels were normal (group 1) or elevated (group 2) in 20 and 7 patients, respectively. The mean alanine aminotransferase levels were 22.0 +/- 7.2 in group 1 and 70.5 +/- 31.1 U/L in group 2 patients, (p < 0.001). Complaints, mean age, height for age, weight for height, serum albumin level, villous area, crypt height and mitotic count were not significantly different between the two groups. Similarly, the ratio of Marsh classification was not significantly different between the two groups. All patients were given a gluten-free diet. Serum aminotransferase values returned to normal after 7.4 +/- 2.7 months of a gluten-free diet.

CONCLUSION

Abnormalities of liver functions are frequently seen in paediatric celiac disease patients. These abnormalities are not correlated with malnutrition and severity of intestinal mucosal lesions. Liver enzyme activities return to normal levels in a few months after gluten-free diet.

Prokinetic agents in childen with poor appetite

BACKGROUND

Of the feeding disorders in children, poor appetite is probably one of the most common complaints notified by parents. Since gastric motility disorders may be the cause of this symptom, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of prokinetics on children with poor appetite and delayed gastric emptying.

METHODS

Poor appetite was graded by VAS at start and end of treatment. Delayed gastric emptying was assessed by 99mTechnetium tincolloid scintigraphy. Malnutrition was defined according to Waterlow criteria. After initial assessment behavioural feeding recommendations were provided and trimebutine given for 6 months. Scintigraphy was repeated during treatment. Anthropometrical measurements and daily energy intake calculations were performed monthly

RESULTS

21 children (M/F: 12/9) with a mean age of 7 +/- 3 years were studied. At the end of treatment, weight and height standard deviation scores improved significantly (-1.0 +/- 0.6 vs. -0.8 +/- 0.7, p = 0.008 and -1.1 +/- 1.0 vs. -0.8 +/- 0.9, p=0.003, respectively) and malnutrition rate decreased from 81% to 66.7%. Improvement of gastric emptying was shown in 11 out of 16 children but was not statiscally significant (P = 0.059). The visual analogue scale scores of appetite showed significant improvement with therapy (7.5 +/- 1.3 vs. 5.3 +/- 2.0, p = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

Children with poor appetite who have delayed gastric emptying might benefit from prokinetic agent therapy combined with behavioural feeding recommendations.

Delayed gastric emptying in children with poor appetite

BACKGROUND

In this study we aimed to evaluate gastric emptying time in children with poor appetite.

METHODS

Anthropometrical measurements, daily energy intakes and gastric emptying times were determined in 36 children with poor appetite. The children were grouped as those with normal and delayed gastric emptying. These groups were then compared with respect to age and nutritional status.

RESULTS

Malnutrition was found in 63.9% and gastric emptying was delayed in 58.3% of all cases. Children with delayed gastric emptying were significantly older and malnutrition was significantly higher in this group (7.2 +/- 3.1 vs 3.9 +/- 1.5 years, P: 0.001 and 81.0% vs 40.0%, P: 0.017, respectively). Daily mean energy intake was significantly lower than daily mean energy requirement in children with delayed and normal gastric emptying (P = 0.002 and 0.026 respectively).

CONCLUSION

In children with poor appetite, probability of gastric motility disorders should be taken into consideration. Especially in children with failure to thrive at preschool and early school years gastric motility studies should be undertaken.

Fatty liver in obese children: prevalence and correlation with anthropometric measurements and hyperlipidemia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of ultrasonography-proven fatty liver with liver functions, serum lipid levels and anthropometric measurements in children with exogenous obesity. Three hundred and twenty-two patients (183 girls, 56.8%) with a mean age of 11.4+/-3.2 years (4-18 years) who presented with the complaint of obesity were enrolled. In 38 (11.8%) patients, increased liver echogenicity resembling fatty liver was found (Group 1). The body mass index percentages of group 1 patients were significantly higher than of those without fatty liver (Group 2) (157.7+/-18.0 vs 151.3+/-17.8, p=0.038). Alanine and aspartate aminotransferase levels of group 1 patients were significantly higher than of group 2 (p=0.002 vs p=0.028, respectively). Triglyceride levels were significantly higher in group 1 patients (120.8+/-88.8 vs 100.5+/-58.5 mg/dl, p=0.044). In conclusion, ultrasonography is an easy and noninvasive method for the diagnosis of fatty liver in children with obesity. Body mass index and serum lipids were higher in group 1 patients. The diagnosis and early treatment of obesity in childhood is important for the prevention and better treatment of related complications. Thus, ultrasonography should be a part of the early evaluation of obese children.

High altitude and blood pressure in children

We aimed to evaluate the blood pressure of children who had similar demographic characteristics but lived at different altitudes. Blood pressure of the children attending primary schools in Izmir (sea level: n = 425) and Van (altitude: 1725 m, n = 291) were measured by mercurial sphygmomanometer for this study. They were similar with respect to age, sex, weight, height, and BMI. Mean age of the children was 10.51 +/- 0.87 years (range: 9 to 12 years), and 358 (50 percent) of them were female. Mean systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the children living in Van than in the children living in Izmir (104.72 +/- 11.2 vs. 97.96 +/- 25.5 mmHg, respectively, p < .001). Similarly mean diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the children living in Van than in the children living in Izmir (63.98 +/- 9.3 vs. 59.91 +/- 10.0 mmHg, respectively, p < .001). When blood pressure was evaluated with regard to height percentile, the number of children with a blood pressure over 90 percentile were 19 (4.5 percent) and 48 (16.5 percent) for systolic blood pressure, and 25 (5.9 percent) and 37 (12.7 percent) for diastolic blood pressure among the children living in Izmir and Van, respectively (p < .001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were found to increase in parallel to the increase in body mass index in children living in Van (r = 0.358, p < .001 and r = 0.235, p < .001, respectively). However, blood pressures were not correlated to body mass index in children living in Izmir. A difference of 1700 m in altitude was associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels in children with similar demographic characteristics, and at this altitude, body mass index and blood pressure showed a positive correlation.

Serum leptin concentrations in children with mild protein-energy malnutrition and catch-up growth

BACKGROUND

The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between changing nutritional anthropometric data and serum leptin concentrations during the catch-up growth process in children.

METHODS

Thirty children with mild protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) were followed for 6 months and their anthropometric measurements and serum leptin concentrations were recorded during follow up.

RESULTS

Twenty-two (73.3%) of the 30 children showed catch-up growth. All parameters and serum leptin concentrations increased during the period of catch-up growth. In the remaining eight children, weight for height, percentage standard body mass index, percentage standard body height and mean serum leptin concentrations did not show any significant increase at the 6 month follow-up. Mean serum leptin concentration was higher in children with catch-up growth than in the controls.

CONCLUSION

During recovery from malnutrition, leptin concentrations increase in relation to fat mass if the fat mass reaches a critical point, and leptin might trigger catch-up growth with its regulator effects on growth. Although weight gain was noted in both groups, an increase in leptin concentration was observed only in children who showed catch-up growth. More interestingly, the mean leptin concentration was much higher in children with PEM who had catch-up growth compared to the control group and in children who failed to have catch-up growth. In children with catch-up growth, the higher serum leptin concentrations compared to healthy children and to children without catch-up growth despite significant weight gain suggests that leptin affects nutritional status in catch-up growth as a dynamic process, rather than merely being an index of body fat content.