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AIM: To evaluate the furazolidone-based triple therapy in children with symptomatic H pylori gastritis.METHODS: A prospective and consecutive open trial was carried out. The study included 38 patients with upper digestive symptoms sufficiently severe to warrant endoscopic investigation. H pylori status was defined based both on histology and on positive C-13-urea breath test. Drug regimen was a seven-day course of omeprazole, clarithromycin and furazolidone (100 mg, 200 mg if over 30 kg) twice daily. Eradication of H pylori was assessed two months after treatment by histology and C-13-urea breath test. Further clinical evaluation was performed 7 cl, 2 and 6 mo after the treatment.RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (24 females, 14 males) were included. Their age ranged from 4 to 17.8 (mean 10.9 +/- 3.7) years. On intent-to-treat analysis (n = 38), the eradication rate of H pylori was 73.7% (95% CI, 65.2%-82%) whereas in per-protocol analysis (n = 33) it was 84.8% (95% CI,. 78.5%-91%)., All the patients with duodenal ulcer (n = 7) were successfully treated (100% vs 56.2% with antral nodularity). Side effects were reported in 26 patients (68.4%), mainly vomiting (14/26) and abdominal pain (n = 13). Successfully treated dyspeptic patients showed improvement in 78.9% of H pylori-negative patients after six months and in 50% of H pylori-positive patients after six months of treatment.CONCLUSION: Triple therapy with furazolidone achieves moderate efficacy in H pylori treatment. The eradication rate seems to be higher in patients with duodenal ulcer. (C) 2006 The WJG Press. All rights reserved. Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Pediat,Pediat Gastroenterol Div, Pept Dis Outpatient Clin, Sao Paulo, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Pathol, Sao Paulo, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Pediat,Pediat Gastroenterol Div, Pept Dis Outpatient Clin, Sao Paulo, Brazil Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Pathol, Sao Paulo, Brazil Web of Science

There was no study evaluating clinical characteristics of constipation according pediatric age groups.To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic constipation according to age group.This retrospective study evaluated the demographic data and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with chronic constipation who had been admitted to an outpatient clinic between May 1995 and December 2000. Data was analyzed according to the followings age groups: infants, pre-school, school age and adolescent.Five hundred and sixty one patients were included in the study. The percentage of patients according to age groups were: infants (19.1%), pre-school (42.9%), school age (26.9%), and adolescents (11.0%). There was no statistical gender difference among the four age groups. Less than three bowel movements per week were observed more frequently in pre-school (65.8%) and school age (59.6%) than in infants (52.4%) and adolescents (43.1%). Fecal escape ("soiling") was found in 75.6% of the pre-school patients aged more than 48 months, in 68.2% of the school age and in 76.7% of the adolescents. Soiling was more frequent in boys (80.7%) than in girls (50.0%) only in school age children. Retentive posture (67.6%, 40.7%, 27.2%), fear for defecation (70.2%, 44.2%, 29.7%) and abdominal pain (80.8%, 69.6%, 73.6%) were observed, respectively, more frequently in pre-school than in school age and adolescents.There were differences in clinical characteristics according to age group. However, prolonged duration of constipation and an elevated number of complications were observed in all age groups, especially fecal soiling and abdominal pain.