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Biomedical subjects

F Larraín

Publications and source records attributed to F Larraín.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Nature and extent of gastric lesions in symptomatic Chilean children with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis.

UNLABELLED: Chile has one of the highest rates of gastric cancer in the world and most children and adolescents in the country are colonized by Helicobacter pylori. This study assessed the nature and extent of the gastric lesions in 73 consecutive patients aged 5-17 y, referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Their H. pylori-associated gastric pathology was characterized and these data were compared with their sociodemographic status. Endoscopic assessment was normal in 43 patients while in 30 there was a variety of mucosal lesions. Sixty patients (83%) had histological chronic gastritis of the antrum and in 45 (63%) the lesions also involved the gastric corpus; 90% of patients with chronic gastritis were colonized by H. pylori. Although most of these patients had epithelial erosions and dedifferentiation of the pit epithelium, atrophy and metaplasia were not found. Patients' socioeconomic status was inversely correlated with their rate of colonization by H. pylori (p < 0.005), the frequency of gastric lesions on endoscopy (p < 0.01) and the frequency of involvement of antral and corpus mucosa by chronic gastritis (p < 0.002). This latter feature was positively correlated with age (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study shows a high frequency of extensive lesions of H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis in young Chilean patients. This histological picture is consistent with the hypothesis of a H. pylori-associated progressive gastric pathology which may represent a major factor in the high local rate of gastric cancer.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Proinflammatory cytokine expression in gastric tissue from children with Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pyloriinfection of the gastric mucosa in humans is usually acquired early in life. The chronic inflammation that ensues involves the increased production of inflammatory cytokines. Published data on production of these mediators by gastric mucosa of H. pylori-infected children are few. METHODS: Seventy-nine children, aged 5 to 18 years, referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to four separate hospitals in Chile, were studied. The concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were measured in homogenates of gastric mucosal biopsy specimens. Cytokine expression was confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These data were correlated with the patients' clinical, histologic and sociodemographic status. RESULTS: Patient rate of colonization by H. pylori was inversely correlated with socioeconomic status (P < 0.005) and positively correlated with age (P < 0.0025). In gastric mucosa, concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha were all significantly higher in H. pylori-positive patients than in H. pylori-negative patients and in patients who had histologic gastritis than in those with normal gastric mucosa. In patients with peptic ulcer disease, only IL-1beta and IL-8 concentrations were significantly elevated when compared with those of patients without ulcers. Interleukin-6 concentrations were comparable among the different groups analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that increased gastric mucosal production of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1beta and IL-8 is probably involved in H. pylori-associated gastric damage in children and may be crucial in determining the different clinical outcomes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Autoimmune hepatitis in a girl with presence of anti-LKM1 antibodies].

Autoimmune hepatitis is an inflammatory liver disease characterized by dense mononuclear cell infiltrate in the portal tract, and serologically by the presence of non-organ and liver-specific autoantibodies and increased levels of gammaglobulins in the absence of a known etiology. Three subgroups of autoimmune hepatitis have been recognized, depending on the nature of the autoantibody present in the serum: Type 1 autoimmune hepatitis, associated with smooth-muscle (SMA) or antinuclear antibody (ANA) seropositivity; type 2, with anti-liver/kidney microsome antibody (anti-LKM1), and type 3, with the absence of ANA, SMA and anti-LKM1 and presence of other autoantibodies such as anti-soluble liver antigen (SLA). Subtypes of chronic autoimmune hepatitis have clinically different features and prognoses. An 8 year old female patient presented mild jaundice of insidious onset. The liver was tender and enlarged. Serologic markers for A, B, C, E, Epstein Barr and cytomegalovirus were negative. The liver biopsy showed a histological picture consistent with chronic active hepatitis. High titers of anti-liver/kidney-microsome antibody were found by indirect immunofluorescence test, and this finding was confirmed by Western blot against specific liver microsome antigens. Therapy with prednisolone induced a clinical and biochemical remission after four weeks. The suspension of therapy under strict medical control produced a rapid relapse of clinical and biochemical features. The reinitiation of prednisolone was successful, and an alternate-day program was started and maintained until 8 months follow-up.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1995

[Factitious gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 3 school-age girls].

Three female patients aged 9, 13 and 14 years, respectively, seen by the authors over a 1-year period presented with the complaint of recurrent hematemesis (2 patients) or melena (1 patient). The (presumed) bleeding episodes had only been seen by the respective patient and one parent (the mother in two cases and the father in one). In two cases, the other parent was antagonistic with the reported situation. A clear symbiosis had been forged between the index case and the allied parent. Two patients had previously been seen in several hospitals and had undergone various diagnostic tests, including esophagogastroduodenoscopies, all of which had proved normal. Two girls had attempted suicide. Two of the mothers had a depressive disorder. Re-evaluation of the patients by the authors again ruled out any cause for the presumed bleeding or any sequelae originating from it. The patients and their parents were referred to a psychiatric service but this was only complied by one family; the other two repeatedly avoided attending the psychiatric clinic. Awareness of this pattern of presentation and of the psychiatric profiles of the patients and their families is critical for practitioners in order to recognize factitious illness whenever a patient with a history of gastrointestinal bleeding presents with incongruous or illogical medical history and clinical findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Extrahepatic portal hypertension. Azygos-portal disconnection].

The partial or complete obstruction of portal vein and or one of its branches is the most frequent cause of portal hypertension in children. A patient with extrahepatic portal hypertension and progressive course is presented, with great development of esophagogastric varices and multiple episodes of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. At the age of 9 years he was submitted to an azygos-portal disconnection by abdominal route, with manual transection of the esophagus, covered and protected by a gastric fundoplication. Postoperative endoscopic control demonstrated significant reduction in the size of esophageal varices and disappearance of gastric varices. Eleven months after surgery the patient was asymptomatic and a new endoscopic control showed no recurrence of varices.

Azygos Vein↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evolutionary study of 81 children with celiac disease].

A review of 81 children with celiac disease over a period of 5 years is presented. These cases were seen at the Gastroenterological Unit of the Hospital de Nińos Roberto del Río, during years 1970 through 1972. 62% of the patients (50) were placed under control of their disease, the rest were studied and diagnosed only for other centers. The short term evolution was good in 48 children (96%), while the medium and long term evolution, 2 to 5 years, was good only in 56% of the patients. This evolution was in direct relationship to the fulfillment of the dietary indications. The therapeutic test was positive among the studied group. A delay was observed in 80% of the cases that lasted from 1 to 6 months. The clinical and laboratory features of the group are analyzed, and the working method is described.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Wilson's disease].

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Ceruloplasmin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Digestive hormones].

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Cholecystokinin↗