Adriana Fernández

What Is the Normal Small Bowel Length in Humans? First Donor-Based Cohort Analysis

Normal small bowel length (SBL) has been reported within a wide range, but never studied in a cohort of either pediatric or adult deceased donors. Between 5/2006 and 2/2011, SBL was measured in all grafts procured for intestinal transplantation at a single center and used for either isolated intestinal transplant (15) or multiorgan transplants (5) employing a standardized method. SBL was the only not significantly different variable among pediatric and adult donors divided by age 16. Furthermore, donors were classified in 3 groups: group 1: Height < 70 cm, group 2: 71–150 cm and group 3: ≥ 151 cm. Mean age was: 0.58, 5.6, 22.01 years, respectively. Mean height and weight were 65.8, 123.2, 166.1 cm (p = 0.001) and 6.9, 23.8, 65.2 kg (p = 0.001), for each group. The SBL by group was: 283.0, 324.7, 356.0 cm, remaining as the only nonsignificant variable (p = 0.06), in contrast to BMI, BSA (p = 0.001). The SBL/height ratio: 4.24, 2.7, 2.12 (p = 0.001; rho: –0.623) or SBL/BSA ratio was 8.36, 3.7, and 2.03, respectively (p : 0.0001; rho: –0.9). SBL does not increase with growth like other anthropometric variables. The SBL/height ratio significantly decreases with growth; however, bowel diameter increases, which needs further evaluation.

Comparación del estado clínico-funcional en niños con fibrosis quística detectados por pesquisa neonatal o por síntomas clínicos

INTRODUCTION: Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) has demonstrated better clinical and functional results in patients diagnosed and treated prematurely. OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical and functional state in children with CF detected by newborn screening or by symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study. We compared two groups paired by age, sex and genotype. A group detected by newborn screening (Group N) and other by symptoms (Group S), both confirmed with sweat test. We evaluated: age at diagnosis and enter to the center, z score weight/age (z W/A) at first visit and z score for body mass index (BMI) and height/age (z H/A) in last control, score of Shwachman-Brasfield (S/B), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), first isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) and number of hospitalizations. RESULTS: We included 21 patients in each of the groups from an universe of 250 patients treated in our center. The mean of both groups was 4.4 years. The age at diagnosis was lower in the group N than in the group S (p= 0.002, IC95%:-1.11/- 0.32). z W/A at diagnosis; z IMC; z H/A, score S/B and FEV(1) were better in group N (p< 0.001, 0.3, 0.01, 0.02, 0.1, respectively). The average age of first isolation of Pa and the average of hospitalizations was lower in group N (p= 0.34, IC95%: -1.45/0.51, p= 0.04, IC95%: -3.16/-0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Children with CF detected by neonatal screening programs had better clinical and functional outcome.

Trasplante intestinal en pediatría: análisis de la primera serie de receptores en la Argentina

The present is a retrospective analysis of all pediatric patients that underwent intestinal transplant from March 2006 to March 2010, describing demographics, indications, contraindications, clinical follow up and survival in a single center in Argentina. Based on the results shown one can conclude that intestinal transplant should be considered as a valid treatment for patients with intestinal insufficiency and complications related to parenteral nutrition. The results of our program are similar to those reported in the international Intestinal Transplant Registry. This opens a new perspective to a special population that otherwise would not have any other therapeutic option.

Meeting Report of the XIV International Small Bowel Transplant Symposium: Summary of Presentations, Workshops, and Debates From a Comprehensive Meeting on Intestinal Failure, Rehabilitation, and Transplantation, Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 10–13, 2015:

The 2015 meeting of the Intestinal Transplant Association was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This was the 14th International Small Bowel Transplant Symposium, and it was the first meeting organized as a joint venture of the Transplantation Society, the Intestinal Transplant Association, and the Argentinean Transplant Society (Sociedad Argentina de Trasplantes). Innovative aspects of the classic meeting format included workshops sessions, debates, and multicenter studies. This report highlights the most prominent scientific contributions and results of the first such symposium in a Latin American country.

Long Term Outcomes after Intestinal Transplantation from a Single South-American Center, Lessons Learned

Introduction In many countries, intestinal failure patients (IF pts) had the only option of parenteral nutrition (PN) as available treatment until intestinal transplantation (ITx) evolves as part of a multidisciplinary team. We would like to report the long-term outcomes of a series of ITx performed in children and adults at a single center, 9 years after its creation. Material and Methods retrospective analysis of all consecutive ITx performed between May 2006 and Oct 2017. Diagnoses, pre ITx mean time on PN, indication for ITx, time on the waiting list (WL), type of ITx, mean total ischemia time (TIT), and warm ischemia time (WIT), time for PN discontinuation, 5-year actuarial patient survival are reported. Results 44 patients received 47 ITx. The mean time on PN for the Tx group was 1604 days*. The main indication for ITx was: lack of central venous accesses followed by PN associated liver disease, and catheter related infectious complications. The mean time on the WL was 222 days (SD: 195 days). ITx were performed in 28 children and 16 adults. Thirty-seven procedures were isolated ITx; 10 multiorgan (MTO) (4 combined, 7 multivisceral - 2 with kidney); 4 (8,5%) were re-transplants: 3 isolated, 1 multivisceral; 8 included right colon. Sixteen pts (36%) received the abdominal rectus fascia. All procedures were performed by the same team; TIT was 7:36±2:10 hs, WIT was 39.1±10.5 min. Mean length of implanted intestine: 325 ± 59.5 cm, BC ileostomy were performed in 59.5% of the cases. 18/47 Tx required early re-operations. The overall mean follow up time is 49±45.2 months; the mean time to be off PN was 68 days (* p: 0,001); the overall 5 year pt survival is 55.1%; 60.5% for Isolated ITx vs 35% for MTO (p=0,01); 60.3% for ped recipient’s vs 44.9% for adults (p=NS). Conclusions After 11 years of establishing a dedicated adult and ped IF program, we proved that ITX is a valid therapeutic alternative for pediatric and adult candidates. Long term results are comparable to a large series reported from centers of develop countries or the ITR.