Predictors of Response to Exclusive Enteral Nutrition in Newly Diagnosed Crohn´s Disease in Children: PRESENCE Study from SEGHNP

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been shown to be more effective than corticosteroids in achieving mucosal healing in children with Crohn´s disease (CD) without the adverse effects of these drugs. The aims of this study were to determine the efficacy of EEN in terms of inducing clinical remission in children newly diagnosed with CD, to describe the predictive factors of response to EEN and the need for treatment with biological agents during the first 12 months of the disease. We conducted an observational retrospective multicentre study that included paediatric patients newly diagnosed with CD between 2014–2016 who underwent EEN. Two hundred and twenty-two patients (140 males) from 35 paediatric centres were included, with a mean age at diagnosis of 11.6 ± 2.5 years. The median EEN duration was 8 weeks (IQR 6.6–8.5), and 184 of the patients (83%) achieved clinical remission (weighted paediatric Crohn’s Disease activity index [wPCDAI] < 12.5). Faecal calprotectin (FC) levels (μg/g) decreased significantly after EEN (830 [IQR 500–1800] to 256 [IQR 120–585] p < 0.0001). Patients with wPCDAI ≤ 57.5, FC < 500 μg/g, CRP >15 mg/L and ileal involvement tended to respond better to EEN. EEN administered for 6–8 weeks is effective for inducing clinical remission. Due to the high response rate in our series, EEN should be used as the first-line therapy in luminal paediatric Crohn’s disease regardless of the location of disease and disease activity.

Spanish Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diagnostic Delay Registry: SPIDER Study From Sociedad Española de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátrica

Background and Aims: Diagnostic delay (DD) is especially relevant in children with inflammatory bowel disease, leading to potential complications. We examined the intervals and factors for DD in the pediatric population of Spain. Methods: We conducted a multicentric prospective study, including 149 pediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients, obtaining clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical data. Time to diagnosis (TD) was divided into several intervals to identify those where the DD was longer and find the variables that prolonged those intervals. Missed opportunities for diagnosis (MODs) were also identified. Results: Overall TD was 4.4 months (interquartile range [IQR] 2.6-10.4), being significantly higher in Crohn's disease (CD) than in ulcerative colitis (UC) (6.3 [IQR 3.3-12.3] vs. 3 [IQR 1.6-5.6] months, p = 0.0001). Time from the visit to the first physician until referral to a pediatric gastroenterologist was the main contributor to TD (2.4 months [IQR 1.03-7.17] in CD vs. 0.83 months [IQR 0.30-2.50] in UC, p = 0.0001). One hundred and ten patients (78.3%) visited more than one physician (29.9% to 4 or more), and 16.3% visited the same physician more than six times before being assessed by the pediatric gastroenterologist. The number of MODs was significantly higher in CD than that in UC patients: 4 MODs (IQR 2-7) vs. 2 MODs ([IQR 1-5], p = 0.003). Referral by pediatricians from hospital care allowed earlier IBD diagnosis (odds ratio 3.2 [95% confidence interval 1.1-8.9], p = 0.025). Conclusions: TD and DD were significantly higher in CD than those in UC. IBD patients (especially those with CD) undergo a large number of medical visits until the final diagnosis.

Chylomicron Retention Disease: a Description of a New Mutation in a Very Rare Disease

Chylomicron retention disease, also known as Anderson's disease, is a rare hereditary hypocholesterolemic disorder, recessive inherited, characterized by nonspecific symptoms as abdominal distension, steatorrhea, and vomiting associated with failure to thrive. We describe a patient with failure to thrive, chronic diarrhea and steatorrhea who the diagnosis of chylomicron retention disease was established after several months of disease progression. The genetic study confirmed a homozygosity mutation in SAR1B gene, identifying a mutation never previous described [c.83_84delTG(p.Leu28Argfs*7)]. With this case report the authors aim to highlight for this very rare cause of failure to thrive and for the importance of an attempting diagnosis, in order to start adequate management with low fat diet supplemented with fat-soluble vitamins, reverting the state of malnutrition and avoiding possible irreversible and desvantating complications.

Gluten-Free Diet: Always as Easy, Useful, and Healthy as People Think?

A diet free of wheat and other gluten-containing foods is followed by individuals with celiac disease and by unaffected persons. Although the evidence and pathophysiology of gluten-induced symptoms are well established in celiac disease, they are still limited in non-celiac patients. At present, a gluten-free diet is often seen as a healthy lifestyle change instead of an adequate dietary therapy required for a specific condition. Consequently, the market for gluten-free products is steadily growing and improving; in fact, pseudocereals and genetically modified foods and crops are gaining importance in attempts to cover the dietary and nutritional needs of a population that demands it. There is currently interest not only in modifying crops to improve their agronomic traits and product flavor and appearance, but also to improve the nutritional content of crops and/or to silence certain genes with greater risk of allergenicity. However, the gluten-free diet trend is not hazard free, and many people can end up struggling with dietary disorders after making this decision. Therefore, we should be familiar with and take into account the potential shortage of certain nutrients in some of the gluten-free alternative products, which are now being fortified to prevent nutrient deficiencies and their consequences.

[Rumination syndrome: Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties of a not so uncommon disorder]

INTRODUCTION

Rumination syndrome is an uncommon gastrointestinal functional disorder that may be difficult to diagnose, as not many physicians are aware of this condition. In many cases, patients undergo numerous tests and are prescribed several treatments based on erroneous diagnoses. When the correct diagnosis is eventually made, therapy for the syndrome can be difficult and complex because of its multifactorial nature. The aim of this study was to present our experience with this condition, by presenting an analysis of the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic data of our patients.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

A prospective and retrospective study was conducted on all cases of rumination syndrome diagnosed between January 2010 and May 2016 in patients attending the Paediatric Gastroenterology Departments of two hospitals: Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa and Hospital Materno-Infantil Vall d'Hebron (Barcelona, Spain).

RESULTS

The analysis included 12 patients, with a mean age at the onset of symptoms of 9 years and 1 month, and the mean time period to make the diagnosis was 2 years and 3 months. A mean of 8.1 complementary tests were carried out before establishing the diagnosis. In 10 of the 12 patients, some type of treatment had been given before the diagnosis of rumination syndrome, but was unsuccessful in all cases. Ten of our patients underwent the novel, experimental biofeedback therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the limited knowledge of this condition among attending professionals in terms of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment, patients with rumination syndrome are often misdiagnosed and undergo numerous avoidable complementary tests, and invasive, costly treatments.