0000000000350318
AUTHOR
Cristiana Barbera
Hepatitis B virus infection in native versus immigrant or adopted children in Italy following the compulsory vaccination.
Background: Compulsory vaccination of children against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was introduced in Italy in 1991. Patients and Methods: To evaluate the current importance of pediatric HBV infection, we studied 359 HBsAg-positive children admitted to 16 centers in Italy from 1991 to 1998. 185 patients were natives of Italy and 174 (39 immigrants and 135 adopted) came from highly endemic countries (eastern Europe: 60.9%, Asia: 16.7%, Africa: 14.9% and Central and South America: 5.7%). Results: Transaminase levels were moderately altered in both Italian (mean 134 UI/l) and foreign children (mean 168 UI/l). In total, 77% of Italian children and 88% of foreign children tested HBeAg posit…
Variable phenotypic expression of chylomicron retention disease in a kindred carrying a mutation of the Sara2 gene
Chylomicron retention disease is a recessive inherited disorder characterized by fat malabsorption and steatorrhea and is associated with failure to thrive in infancy. We describe a kindred carrying a mutation of Sara2 gene causing a chylomicron retention phenotype. The proband was a 5-month-old baby, born of consanguineous, apparently healthy parents from Morocco, with failure to thrive. There was a large quantity of fats in feces and malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Intestinal biopsies showed a diffused enterocyte vacuolization with large cytosolic lipid droplets. Chylomicron retention disease or Anderson disease was hypothesized, and the Sara2 gene was analyzed by direct sequencing…
Management of chronic hepatitis C in childhood: The impact of therapy in the clinical practice during the first 2 decades
Background and aim: Treatment of chronic hepatitis C in children is controversial and its role in the clinical practice is unknown. We retrospectively investigated the impact of treatment in a large cohort of children with chronic hepatitis C over the past 20years. Methods: 376 hepatitis C virus RNApositive children were recruited consecutively in five Italian centres since 1990and followed for1–17years. Results: 86 (23%)subjects were treated: 73 with recombinant interferon alone and 13 with pegylated-interferon and ribavirin. Sustained clearance of hepatitis C virus RNA was observed in 25%of the former, in 92%of the latter and in 9% of untreated cases(p < 0.001). Loss of viraemia was re…
Acute pancreatitis in children. An Italian multicentre study
Abstract Aim . To evaluate the clinical, morphological and aetiological aspects of acute pancreatitis in children in Italy. Patients . The hospital records of 50 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis observed in 5 Italian Pediatric Departments were reviewed. Results . A total of 25 males and 25 females (median age 10.5 years, range 2–17) were studied. Of these patients, 48 (96%) had abdominal pain. The pancreatitis was associated with biliary disease in 10 patients (20%); it was due to viral infection in 6 patients (12%), pancreatic duct abnormalities in 4 (8%), familial chronic pancreatitis in 3 (6%), trauma in 5 (10%) and other causes in 5 (10%); the pancreatitis was of unknown ori…