• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제11권sup2호
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• pp.19-28
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• 2008

Chronic abdominal pain, defined as long-lasting intermittent or constant abdominal pain, is a common pediatric problem encountered by primary care physicians and medical subspecialists. Chronic abdominal pain in children is usually functional, i.e., without objective evidence of an underlying organic disorder. Functional abdominal pain is categorized as functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain, abdominal migraine, and aerophagia according to the Rome II criteria for pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders. There is insufficient evidence to state that the nature of abdominal pain or the presence of associated symptoms can discriminate between functional and organic disorders. The presence of alarming symptoms or signs, such as weight loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, persistent fever, and chronic severe diarrhea, is associated with a higher prevalence of organic disease. Most children with chronic abdominal pain are unlikely to require diagnostic testing; such children often need pharmacologic and behavioral therapy.

• Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.536-543
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• 2018

Culture forms an integral aspect of environmental factors which influences disease presentation and clinical outcomes in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). In this review, the role of culture in FGIDs in the East is briefly explored with regards to symptom presentation and diagnostic issues, lifestyle and cultural habits, epidemiology, and healthcare seeking behavior. In both functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome, symptom presentation and disease sub-typing in Asians are known to differ from their Western counterparts, possibly relating to cultural dietary practices and from cultural perception of symptoms. Dietary patterns, together with defecating practices are explored as factors contributing to a lower prevalence of constipation in the East. An urban-rural difference in the prevalence of FGIDs in Asia is attributed to a change in dietary patterns in rapidly developing urban communities, together with an increased level of psychological morbidity. Lastly, cultural attitudes towards traditional/local remedies, variation in healthcare systems, anxiety regarding organic disease, and religious practices have been shown to influence healthcare seeking behavior among FGID patients in the East.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.24.1-24.14
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• 2020

Eosinophils are terminally differentiated cytotoxic effector cells that have a role in parasitic infections and allergy by releasing their granule-derived cytotoxic proteins. However, an increasing number of recent observations indicate that eosinophils are not only associated with the pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases, but also contribute to the maintenance of homeostatic responses in previously underappreciated diverse tissues, such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and adipose tissue. In this review, we describe biological characteristics of eosinophils, as their developmental properties, permissive proliferation and survival, degranulation activity, and migration properties enable them to distribute to both homeostatic and inflamed tissues. We describe pathologic aspects of eosinophils with a role in asthma and in various GI diseases, including eosinophilic GI disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and radiation-induced enteropathy. Finally, we discuss the beneficial role of eosinophils, which contribute to the resolution of pathogenic conditions and to the modulation of homeostatic biologic responses.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.523-528
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• 2005

The commercial interests in functional foods containing probiotics are gaining significance in view of increasing studies on their role in digestive tract. Probiotic dairy foods containing health-promoting bacteria are important segment of functional food market. Various health benefits have been attributed to specific strains of lactic acid bacteria or food containing these probiotic cultures. Probiotic-containing foods are considered to improve general gut health and natural defenses of body, and lower blood cholesterol level. Specific probiotic microbes can alleviate or prevent diverse intestinal diarrhea-inducing disorders, cause prophylaxis of intestinal and urogenital infections, inhibit mutagenicity of intestinal contents, and reduce incidence of intestinal tumors. Recent increasing evidences on health effects of probiotics have triggered consumer interest in this category of functional foods. Rational approach needs to be applied in selection of strains for probiotic preparation to achieve required functionality. Present article focuses on some prominent probiotic candidates and criteria for their inclusion in functional food sector. Various health claims of probiotics on gastrointestinal disorders, anticarcinogenic effects, and anti-cholestrimic effects, and possible mechanistic explanations for their functionality are highlighted.

• 대한한방소아과학회지
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.67-88
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• 2021

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on traditional Chinese medicine to summarize its efficacy and safety for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in children. Methods We searched literatures published up to March 19, 2021 using two Chinese electronic databases. Data regarding patients, interventions, results, and adverse events were extracted from RCTs of herbal medicine for children with FGIDs. Results A total of 34 RCTs were included: 16 trials on functional dyspepsia, 7 trials on functional constipation, 6 trials on functional abdominal pain, 4 trials on irritable bowel syndrome, and 1 trial on functional diarrhea. 26 of 29 trials that reported total effective rate, the treatment group showed a significant improvement compared to the control group. Most of other evaluation indicators, such as symptom score, symptom disappearance time, and recurrence rate also demonstrated statistically significant improvement. Of the 16 studies which reported safety, 5 studies reported no adverse reactions in either group, and 4 studies reported no statistically significant differences in the incidence of adverse events between two groups. Also, reported adverse events were mostly mild. Conclusions Herbal medicine may help improve symptoms of FGIDs in children. However, due to limited types of studies on sub-diseases of FGIDs and small sample sizes in each study, additional large scale clinical studies on various other FGIDs are necessary.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.325-336
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• 2021

The occurrence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) is a formidable challenge for infants, parents, and healthcare professionals. Although data from the Middle East are scarce, experts consider FGIDs a prevalent condition in everyday clinical practice. The new Rome IV criteria revisited the definitions from a clinical perspective to provide a practical and consistent diagnostic protocol for FGIDs. However, the treatment practices for functional disorders vary considerably among Middle Eastern countries, often resulting in mismanagement with unnecessary investigations and treatments. In addition, the role of various treatment modalities, including probiotics such as Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, in FGIDs requires further discussion and evaluation. During a consensus meeting, a locally relevant approach for treating common FGIDs such as infant regurgitation, infant colic, and functional constipation was discussed and approved by regional experts. The participants suggested a simplified treatment plan and protocol for general pediatricians and other primary care physicians managing FGIDs. This easy-to-follow standardized protocol will help streamline the initial management of this complex disorder in the Middle East region and even globally.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.353-364
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• 2021

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a series of hollow organs that is responsible for the digestion and absorption of ingested foods and the excretion of waste. Any changes in the GI tract can lead to GI disorders. GI disorders are highly prevalent in the population and account for substantial morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. GI disorders can be functional, or organic with structural changes. Functional GI disorders include functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Organic GI disorders include inflammation of the GI tract due to chronic infection, drugs, trauma, and other causes. Recent studies have highlighted a new explanatory mechanism for GI disorders. It has been suggested that autophagy, an intracellular homeostatic mechanism, also plays an important role in the pathogenesis of GI disorders. Autophagy has three primary forms: macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy. It may affect intestinal homeostasis, host defense against intestinal pathogens, regulation of the gut microbiota, and innate and adaptive immunity. Drugs targeting autophagy could, therefore, have therapeutic potential for treating GI disorders. In this review, we provide an overview of current understanding regarding the evidence for autophagy in GI diseases and updates on potential treatments, including drugs and complementary and alternative medicines.

• 한국임상약학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.94-99
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• 2005

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of treatment of mesoglycan. This study was conducted between September 2003 and May 2004. A total of 292 patients with vascular disorders including cerebral infarction were enrolled. The patients were administered with 50-100mg of mesoglycan by an oral route everyday for eight weeks. Subjective physicians' assessments of efficacy had ratings of 'improvement', 'invariability', 'exacerbation' and 'not being able to assess'. An improvement was observed in 241 patients out of 274; 18 patients were rules out. The efficacy rate was influenced statistically significantly by the duration of therapy (p=0.0392) and daily mean drug dose (p<0.0001). The adverse events were reported in 8 patients (9 cases) out of 292 patients: skin/appendages disorders (0.7%), liver/biliary system disorders (0.7%), cardiovascular system disorders (0.7%), neurologic disorders (0.3%). respiratory disorders (0.3%) and gastrointestinal system disorders (0.3%). There showed no serious adverse events. These results indicate that mesoglycan was well tolerated and effective for the prevention of vascular disorders.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.411-415
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• 2000

For comparison with conventional barium-gastrointestinal study, modified method using barium and methylcellulose was performed in 16 normal dogs (4-8 kg) divided into two groups. The group 1 received 8ml/kg of 40% w/v barium suspension only, and group 2 had taken 15 ml/kg of 0.6% w/v methylcellulose after administration 4 ml/kg of 40% w/v barium suspension by feeding tube. The barium suspension was prepared mixing full strength-barium suspension with water and methylcellulose solution was produced by blending methylcellulose sterilized water Sequential radiographs, lateral and ventrodorsal projections were obtained at 5 minute, 20 minute,40 minute. 60 minute and every 30 minutes thereafter, until the contrast is seen in the large intestine Inage qual- ity was rated by three veterinary radiologists as " poor" " fair ". "good", or "excellent" We analyzed the relationship between image quality,, transit time. Between two techniques, the modified method with 4ml of 40% w/v barium suspension and 15 ml of 0.6% w/v methylcellulose showed much better image quality ["excellent" result in 7 of the 8 subjects (88%)] and shorter transit time (107 minutes) toe the cecum. In addition, the best image quality was obtained at 20 and 40 minutes after admin-istration of contrast agent. It call be concluded the modified gastrointestinal study using methylcel-lulose after administration of barium suspension was a simple technique and easily improved the image quality and diagnostic accuracy of gstrointestinal disorders in small animal.racy of gstrointestinal disorders in small animal.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.376-386
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• 2022

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are classified as a combination of persistent gastrointestinal symptoms. The Rome IV criteria can elucidate several factors in the pathogenesis of FGIDs. The frequency of FGIDs can differ between clinical and nonclinical settings and between geographic regions. To determine the global prevalence of FGIDs in neonates and toddlers according to the Rome IV criteria. We included cohort and descriptive observational studies reporting the prevalence of FGIDs according to the Rome IV criteria in children aged 0-48 months. We searched the Medline, Embase, Lilacs, and CENTRAL databases from May 2016 to the present day. Furthermore, unpublished literature was searched to supplement this information. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement was used to evaluate the risk of bias. A meta-analysis of the proportions was performed using MetaProp in R. The results are reported in forest plots. We identified and analyzed 15 studies comprising 48,325 participants. Six studies were conducted in Europe, three in Latin America, two in North America, and four in Asia. Most participants were 12-48 months old (61.0%) and were recruited from the community. The global prevalence of FGIDs was 22.0% (95% confidence interval, 15-31%). The most common disorder was functional constipation (9.0%), followed by infant regurgitation syndrome (8.0%). Its prevalence was higher in the Americas (28.0%). FGIDs, as defined by the Rome IV criteria, are present in 22% of children, and the most common primary disorder is functional constipation. A higher prevalence of FGIDs has been reported in America.