RESUMO
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common cause of liver disease in children and adolescents in the United States of America (USA) and probably in the entire western hemisphere, due to the increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Steatosis can progress to inflammation, fibrosis and even cirrhosis, which increases the morbidity and mortality associated to liver disease. In every overweight and obese child a thorough analysis should be performed including liver function tests and liver ultrasound, in order to establish a timely diagnosis. The liver biopsy is the most specific study to rule out other potentially treatable entities. It is necessary to count on non-invasive methods to detect children with NAFLD and identify those in risk of progression. Biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and fibrosis have been reported. The main goal of the treatment is to modify the life style, starting with a healthy diet and an increase of physical activity. Regarding pharmacological treatment, there is evidence of histological improvement with vitamin E use, as opposed to metformin, but more conclusive studies regarding this subject are needed.
La enfermedad por hígado graso no alcohólico (EHGNA) es actualmente la primera causa de enfermedad hepática en niños y adolescentes en Estados Unidos de América (EUA) y probablemente en el mundo occidental, dado el incremento en la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad. La esteatosis hepática puede progresar a inflamación, fibrosis y cirrosis que incrementa la morbilidad y mortalidad asociadas a enfermedad hepática. En todo niño con sobrepeso y obesidad se requiere un escrutinio mediante determinación de transaminasas y ultrasonido hepático para un diagnóstico oportuno. La biopsia hepática es el estudio con mayor discriminación para descartar otras entidades potencialmente tratables. Es necesario contar con métodos no invasivos para detectar niños con EHGNA e identificar a aquellos con riesgo de progresión. Se han reportado biomarcadores de inflamación, estrés oxidativo, apoptosis y fibrosis. El tratamiento tiene como objetivo la modificación del estilo de vida con dieta saludable y mayor actividad física. Respecto a tratamiento farmacológico, hay evidencias de mejoría histológica con vitamina E, y no se presenta ningún beneficio con Metformin, pero se requieren más estudios con resultados más sólidos.
Assuntos
Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica , Criança , Humanos , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/diagnóstico , Hepatopatia Gordurosa não Alcoólica/epidemiologia , Prevalência , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is an important cause of portal hypertension among children. The etiology is heterogeneous and there are few evidences related to the optimal treatment. AIM AND METHODS: To establish guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of EHPVO in children, a group of gastroenterologists and pediatric surgery experts reviewed and analyzed data reported in the literature and issued evidence-based recommendations. RESULTS: Pediatric EHPVO is idiopathic in most of the cases. Digestive hemorrhage and/or hypersplenism are the main symptoms. Doppler ultrasound is a non-invasive technique with a high degree of accuracy for the diagnosis. Morbidity is related to variceal bleeding, recurrent thrombosis, portal biliopathy and hypersplenism. Endoscopic therapy is effective in controlling acute variceal hemorrhage and it seems that vasoactive drug therapy can be helpful. For primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding, there are insufficient data for the use of beta blockers or endoscopic therapy. For secondary prophylaxis, sclerotherapy or variceal band ligation is effective; there is scare evidence to recommend beta-blockers. Surgery shunt is indicated in children with variceal bleeding who fail endoscopic therapy and for symptomatic hypersplenism; spleno-renal or meso-ilio-cava shunting is the alternative when Mesorex bypass is not feasible due to anatomic problems or in centers with no experience. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective control studies are required for a better knowledge of the natural history of EHPVO, etiology identification including prothrombotic states, efficacy of beta-blockers and comparison with endoscopic therapy on primary and secondary prophylaxis.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Identifying liver fibrosis is important to evaluate the severity of liver damage and to establish a prognosis. Utility of non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis has been proved in adults but there are few reports in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate Fibrotest® score and APRI suitability to identify children with liver fibrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 68 children with chronic liver disease requiring liver biopsy were prospectively included from three 3rd-level pediatric hospitals. The same pathologist evaluated all liver biopsies; fibrosis degree was determined by METAVIR score. Serum samples were obtained to determine Fibrotest® and APRI. AUROC were used to determine cut-off and differentiate between advanced fibrosis (METAVIR F3, F4) and no fibrosis (F0). RESULTS: 68 biopsies were evaluated; METAVIR > F3 was identified in 26 (38%). Non invasive liver fibrosis markers to differentiate between advanced and no fibrosis were: Fibrotest® AUROC = 0.90 (95% CI 0.77-1.00) (cut-off value 0.35) sensitivity 88.00% (95% CI 68-96) and specificity 80% (95% CI 29-98); and for APRI AUROC = 0.97 (95% CI 0.92-1.00) (cut-off value 0.82), sensitivity 88% (95% CI 68-96) and specificity = 100% (95% CI 46-100). CONCLUSION: These results suggest the utility of Fibrotest® and APRI to identify advanced fibrosis; they can be recommended to select patients for liver biopsy and during patient follow-up.
Assuntos
Aspartato Aminotransferases/sangue , Cirrose Hepática/sangue , Cirrose Hepática/diagnóstico , Hepatopatias/complicações , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Adolescente , Biomarcadores/sangue , Biópsia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Doença Crônica , Testes Diagnósticos de Rotina , Feminino , Humanos , Fígado/patologia , Cirrose Hepática/patologia , Hepatopatias/sangue , Hepatopatias/etnologia , Masculino , México , Contagem de Plaquetas , Prognóstico , Estudos Retrospectivos , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical and bacteriologic efficacy of two therapeutic trials to eradicate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in two series of pediatric patients with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: n = 36 children with RAP-associated H. pylori infection. Age 9.8 +/- 3.1 years, 19 boys and 17 girls. Clinical and bacteriologic efficacy of two therapeutic trials was compared: Group A (1996-1997), n = 9, amoxicillin, bismuth subsalicilate, and metronidazol, and group B (1991-1993), n = 27, omeprazol, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin. Initially and post-treatment, H. pylori evaluation was carried out with upper endoscopy and gastric biopsies. For statistics, we used Student t test, chi2, Fisher test, and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: We found that 33/36 cases had gastritis at endoscopy, two with duodenal ulcer; nodular gastritis was observed in more than one half of total cases. All cases fulfilled histologic criteria of gastritis according to Sydney Score. In group A eradication was achieved in 28.6%, while in group B eradication rose to 77.8% (p < 0.05). In group A, 8/9 and in group B 15/27 persisted with RAP (p = 0.113). CONCLUSIONS: High frequency of abnormal and histologic findings was observed in the series presented on children with RAP and H. pylori. Eradication efficacy in the omeprazol/amoxicillin/clarithromycin group was higher when compared with bismuth subsalicilate/amoxicillin/metronidazol trial. This efficacy is comparable to pediatric series treated with the same therapeutic trial.