Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

by William F. Balistreri

Fourth in a series of textbooks on paediatric disease, based on the ASPEN Seminars on Paediatric Disease this book deals with the diagnosis and treatment of children with gastrointestinal disorders with discussion of new drugs and newly discovered pathogens. It gives in-depth presentations of current medical challenges including clinical research, diagnoses and treatment and will be useful to paediatricians, surgeons, pathologists and gastroenterologists. It begins with a discussion of basic research addressing physiologic effects of malnutrition on the gastrointestinal tract and the role of speci fic nutrients in the regulation of gastrointestinal growth as the basis for development of clinical management of the short bowel syndrome. Specific causes of mucosal injury or dysfunction are addressed with in-depth discussion of celiac disease, gastrointestinal manifestations of good protein sensitivity, pseudo-obstruction syndromes and oesophagial dimotility disorders. This is followed by a discussion of the histology of reflux oesophagitis and issues of management including newly developed drugs for pharmacologic management of gastrointestinal disorders. The newly described pathogen "Campylobactor pylori" is placed in the perspective of the paediatric population. The next section deals with diarrhoea and malabsorption with specific discussions of the protracted diarrhoea syndrome, newly discovered intestinal pathogens and mechanisms and histology of mucosal injury followed by a discussion of oral rehydration therapy for acute gastroenteritis. The next section focuses on inflammatory bowel disease with a discussion of recent advances in drug therapy, inflammatory bowel disease as well as a state of the art discussion of the potential role of cyclosporine in gastrointestinal disorders. Primary sclerosing cholangitis which can be associated with multiple inflammatory disorders in the paediatric age population is discussed specifically in the context of inflammatory bowel disease. Growth failure and inflammatory bowel disease is also discussed as well as radiologic evaluation of pediatric gastrointestinal disorders. The final section deals with nutrition and pancreatic function with in-depth discussion of the assessment of pancreatic function and issues related to cystic fibrosis, including the physiology of pancreatic insufficiency and specific nutritional issues. The final chapter discusses eating disorders in adolescents. It is the hope of editors and of all the authors that this text will be of help to clinicians and investigators who are interested in the investigation and management of children with various gastrointestinal diseases.

332 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1990