Smaranda Diaconescu

Sarcoidosis associated with infliximab therapy in ulcerative colitis: A case report

Rationale: Although immunomodulatory therapy has been clearly stated as an important landmark in treatment of ulcerative colitis, significantly improving the quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, there are several aspects to be considered regarding the possible side-effects of anti-TNF alpha agents. In spite of a good safety profile, biologic TNF antagonists may induce paradoxical inflammation, which can manifest as sarcoid-like granulomatosis, consisting of noncaseating granulomas in the affected organs. Patient concerns: We report the case of a 30-year-old male patient, with no personal or familial history of lung disease, with a personal history of ulcerative colitis (UC), under clinical remission following infliximab therapy in maintenance dose, who was admitted for treatment administration, but also for dyspnea, nocturnal sweating, and nonproductive cough. Diagnoses: Based on clinical manifestations, biological landmarks excluding various infections, CT scan, fibrobronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage for culture and immunohistochemical examination, followed by mediastinoscopy with sampling of paratracheal lymph node, which underwent histopathological examination, the patient was diagnosed with drug- induced stage II pulmonary sarcoidosis. Interventions: Since the patient had developed severe allergic reaction after being administered Infliximab at admission, the biological treatment was immediately discontinued. Following the diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis, corticotherapy was initiated. Patient outcomes: After corticotherapy was initiated, the patient had a favorable outcome at 3 months reevaluation, both regarding the course of ulcerative colitis and sarcoidosis. Lessons: Patients under biological therapy using anti-TNF alpha agents must be carefully monitored, in order to early identify potential paradoxical inflammation (such as sarcoidosis) as a side-effect. The drug-related pulmonary disease tends to improve upon withdrawal of the drug, with occasional requirement of steroid treatment. However, a thorough strategy should be assembled in the case of UC relapse in this patient category, with switching to adalimumab or surgical approach as main possibilities.

Diagnostic Difficulties in a Pediatric Insulinoma: A Case Report.

AbstractInsulinomas are functional neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors rarely encountered in pediatric pathology.Insulinomas are usually solitary and sporadic, but may occur in association with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. Whipples triad—hypoglycemia, simultaneous compatible adrenergic and/or neurological signs, and relief of symptoms upon the administration of glucose—remains the fundamental diagnostic tool.We report a case of insulinoma in an 11-year-old boy with malnutrition and mild psychic retardation.History revealed neuroglycopenic symptoms associated with hypoglycemia that returned to normal values after glucose intravenous infusion; before admission in our unit, the levels of circulating insulin, as well as the abdominal ultrasound and abdominal computed tomography scan, were reported within normal range. During hospitalization in our service, the glycemic curves showed recurring low values associated with low glycated hemoglobin, positive fasting test, and elevated C-peptide. The pancreatic ultrasound was inconclusive, but the magnetic resonance imaging revealed a high signal focal area with a diameter of 1 cm, located in the tail of pancreas. Conventional enucleation of the lesion prompted a spectacular normalization of glucose metabolism and the alleviation of the main clinical symptoms. The child had a favorable evolution in the clinical follow-up, presenting with weight gain and progressive remission to complete disappearance of most symptoms—except for the mental impairments.Although in our case Whipples triad was apparent from the beginning, the diagnosis was delayed due to the failure of conventional imaging methods in locating the tumor. Weight loss and mental impairment contributed to the diagnosis pitfalls.Pediatricians should be aware of confusing and nonspecific symptoms, especially when children with insulinoma present mental or neurological retardation. Despite the existence of medical regimens, surgery remains the gold standard for the therapeutic approach to this condition.

Foreign Bodies Ingestion in Children: Experience of 61 Cases in a Pediatric Gastroenterology Unit from Romania

The ingestion of foreign bodies is a worldwide pediatric pathology. We assessed the clinical, endoscopic, and therapeutic aspects of this condition in a pediatric gastroenterology unit. We reviewed 61 patients (median age of 3.25 ± 4.7 years). The most frequently ingested objects were coins (26.23%), unidentified metal objects (13.11%), bones (8.19%), batteries, and buttons (6.55%). The clinical features we encountered included abdominal pain (55.73%), vomiting (34.42%), and asymptomatic children (29.5%). Routine X-ray examination enabled finding the foreign body in 42 of the cases. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed within 24–72 hours. 25 cases resulted in a negative endoscopy (40.98%), 19 objects (31.14%) were removed using a polypectomy snare, and extraction failure occurred in 17 patients (27.86%). 28 foreign bodies were passed without incidents; in 14 cases, the swallowed objects were never found. In one case, a battery was stuck in the esophageal folds and led to tracheal-esophageal fistula and bronchopneumonia and later to esophageal stenosis. We report a large proportion of foreign bodies that could not be identified or removed due to lack of early endoscopy and poor technical settings. Batteries and sharp objects lead to severe complications and preschool-age children are at high risk for such events.

Unusual Endoscopic Findings in Children: Esophageal and Gastric Polyps: Three Cases Report.

Abstract Isolated polyps of the upper digestive tract are rarely diagnosed in children, being usually an incidental finding during endoscopic exploration. The diagnostic, therapy, and outcome of these lesions are based on endoscopy and pathology. In a 5-year period, clinical features, topography, size, pathology, therapeutics, and progression of esophagogastric polyps founded in children addressed to our pediatric gastroenterology unit were studied. The authors encountered 3 lesions in teenagers aged 13 to 17 years two males (2M), from a total number of 2140 upper digestive endoscopies (0.14%). All patients presented with pirosis, epigastric pain, and vomits; one of the children had end-stage renal disease and Kabuki syndrome. Endoscopic and pathologic findings were 2 esophageal polyps, an inflammatory one, and another containing goblet cells and a double-headed hyperplastic gastric polyp. Two patients received proton pump inhibitors without any improvement in subsequent endoscopic evaluations. The difficulties related to age group, underlying conditions, debatable response to acid suppression, and limited experience in pediatric therapeutic endoscopy selected significantly the effectiveness of treatment. The rarity of these lesions requires an individualized management, the endoscopic diagnostic, and therapeutic gesture depending on the symptoms, type, location, comorbidities, and team experience.

Some Risk Factors of Chronic Functional Constipation Identified in a Pediatric Population Sample from Romania

We conducted an observational study over a 1-year period, including 234 children aged 4–18 years and their caregivers and a matching control group. 60.73% of the children from the study group were males. Average age for the onset of constipation was 26.39 months. The frequency of defecation was 1/4.59 days (1/1.13 days in the control group). 38.49% of the patients in the sample group had a positive family history of functional constipation. The majority of children with functional constipation come from single-parent families, are raised by relatives, or come from orphanages. Constipated subjects had their last meal of the day at later hours and consumed fast foods more frequently than the children in the control sample. We found a statistically significant difference between groups regarding obesity/overweight and constipation (χ 2 = 104.94, df = 2, p < 0.001) and regarding physical activity and constipation (χ 2 = 18.419; df = 3; p < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between the number of hours spent watching television/using the computer and the occurrence of the disease (F = 92.162, p < 0.001, and 95% Cl). Children from broken families, with positive family history, defective dietary habits, obesity and sedentary behavior, are at higher risk to develop chronic functional constipation.

Chronic Functional Constipation and Encopresis in Children in Relationship with the Psychosocial Environment

Functional constipation is an issue for both the patient and his/her family, affecting the patients psychoemotional balance, social relations, and their harmonious integration in the school environment. We aimed to highlight the connection between chronic constipation and encopresis and the patients psychosocial and family-related situation. Material and Method. 57 patients with ages spanning from 6 to 15 were assessed within the pediatric gastroenterology ward. Sociodemographic, medical, and psychological data was recorded. The collected data was processed using the SPSS 20 software. Results. The study group consisted of 57 children diagnosed with encopresis (43 boys (75.44%) and 14 girls (24.56%)), M = 10.82 years. It was determined that most of the children came from urban families with a poor socioeducational status. We identified a level of studies of 11.23 ± 5.56 years in mothers, while fathers had an average number of 9.35 ± 4.53 years of study. We also found a complex relationship between encopretic episodes and school performances (F = 7.968, p = 0.001, 95% Cl). Children with encopresis were found to have more anxiety/depression symptoms, greater social problems, more disruptive behavior, and poorer school performance. Conclusions. The study highlights the importance of the family environment and socioeconomic factors in manifestations of chronic constipation and encopresis.

The Effect of Parental Education on Traditional Rroma Families in Romania

After the fall of communism in Romania, the situation of the Rroma community became dramatic. Massive unemployment, the loss of traditional crafts of this ethnic group, the preservation of early marriage customs resulted in large families facing extreme poverty, dysfunctional relationships and domestic violence. The purpose of the research was to determine the degree to which a parental education module, adapted to Rroma families, may result in increased family cohesion and adaptability, increased emotional warmth exhibited in the parent-child relationship, reduced rejection and over protectiveness of children by their parents. The lot of 20 subjects consists of children from Rroma families from a village in the Northern part of Romania.

Hydrocephalus secondary to chemotherapy in a case of prenatally diagnosed giant immature grade 3 sacrococcygeal teratoma: A case report and literature review

Introduction: Sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) is a rare tumor in the general population, arising from multipotent stem cells. Whereas most of the cases diagnosed postnatally have good prognosis, the rate of mortality and morbidities associated with prenatally diagnosed SCT remain high, with a reported mortality rate of 30% to 50%. The outcome of fetal SCT can be unpredictable, with some cases with slow growth during fetal life, whereas others grow rapidly, causing multiple complications; also, some of these tumor will develop triggering fetal (preterm delivery, high-output cardiac failure, hydrops fetalis, intrauterine death) or maternal complications (distocia, placentomegaly, maternal mirror syndrome—preeclampsia). Even if prenatal criteria seem to define tumors at risk, it can not totally predict postnatal outcome as treatment-related complications can occur. We present a case of giant prenatally detected SCT. The case was diagnosed at 24th week of gestation, and was closely monitored by serial ultrasound. The morphology of the lesion was defined by fetal MRI performed at 25th week of gestation. A baby girl with a huge sacrococcygeal tumor was born and surgery was performed 48 hours later. Pathological examination revealed a grade 3 immature teratoma. Because of the tumor size and pathological aspect, adjuvant chemotherapy was considered. The outcome was complicated by wound infection, sepsis, and subsequent hydrocephalus, induced by chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression. Conclusion: Our case emphasizes not only the importance of prenatal monitoring of these cases but also the importance of individualized postnatal management, as unusual and unpredictable complications can occur and affect outcome.

Marshall syndrome in a young child, a reality: Case report.

Background:Recurrent fever syndrome, known as the Marshall syndrome (MS), is a clinical entity that includes several clinical features, such as: fever (39–40°C) that occurs repeatedly at variable intervals (3–8 weeks) and in episodes of 3 to 6 days, cervical adenopathy, pharyngitis, and aphthous stomatitis. The diagnosis of MS is one of exclusions; laboratory data is nonspecific and no abnormalities correlated with MS have been detected thus far. Methods:The authors report the case of a 2-year-old girl admitted to a tertiary pediatric center for repeated episodes of fever with aphthous stomatitis and laterocervical adenopathy. Results:The childs case history raised the suspicion of MS, which was subsequently confirmed by exclusion of all the other differential diagnoses (recurrent tonsillitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Behçets disease, cyclic neutropenia, hyperglobulinemia D syndrome). After the 3 febrile episodes, bilateral tonsillectomy was performed based on the parents’ consent, with favorable immediate and remote postoperative clinical outcomes. The diagnosis of MS is one based on exclusion, as laboratory data is nonspecific. We took into consideration other causes of recurrent fever (recurrent tonsillitis, infectious diseases, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Behçets disease, cyclic neutropenia, Familial Mediterranean fever syndrome, hyperglobulinemia D syndrome). In our case, MS criteria were met through clinical examination and the childs outcome. Subsequently, laboratory data helped us establish the MS diagnosis. Conclusions:Pediatricians should consider the MS diagnosis in the context of recurrent fever episodes associated with at least one of the following symptoms: pharyngitis, cervical adenopathy or aphthous stomatitis. Despite the indication for tonsillectomy in young children being controversial, in this case the surgery led to the total remission of the disease.