Gastroduodenal disorders in children

Abstract

The North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition published guidelines for the evaluation of children suspected of being infected with Helicobacter pylori. The stool antigen test for H. pylori, which was recently commercialized in the United States, was evaluated in two high-risk pediatric populations. The results are encouraging but should be interpreted with caution. A number of studies suggest that delayed gastric emptying may accompany a variety of disorders, or may be a cause of vomiting. The outcome of children with dyspeptic symptoms is described, and the results will be helpful in reassuring anxious parents. Studies examining the development of H, K-adenosine triphosphatase in infants and the role of enteric glial cells in infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis are discussed. A study of neonates with allergic gastroenteropathy suggests that this disorder may be more common in this age group than generally thought.