Biomedical subjects

Sinead Harty

Publications and source records attributed to Sinead Harty.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

A prospective study of the oral manifestations of Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Recent studies suggest that the mouth may be involved frequently in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to document prospectively the proportion of children with oral lesions at diagnosis of CD, to describe the type of lesions found, and to examine the ability of gastroenterologists to identify correctly oral Crohn's manifestations. METHODS: In a prospective 3-year study, systematic dental examinations were performed on all children with suspected inflammatory bowel disease. Each child underwent upper endoscopy, colonoscopy, and barium follow-through radiography. RESULTS: Forty-eight of 49 children with CD were examined by the dentist. Oral CD was found in 20 patients (41.7%). Oral findings included mucogingivitis (12 patients), mucosal tags (4 patients), deep ulceration (4 patients), cobblestoning (3 patients), lip swelling (3 patients), and pyostomatitis vegetans (1 patient). Noncaseating granulomas were found in all 8 oral biopsy specimens from oral CD lesions (100%). Two patients with granulomas in oral biopsy specimens had no granulomas found in any other biopsy specimens. The presence of oral manifestations was associated with perianal disease. In only 9 patients (45%) with oral CD was the mouth found to be abnormal by the consultant gastroenterologists. Only nonspecific oral changes were seen in children with ulcerative colitis and indeterminate colitis. CONCLUSIONS: More than one third of all children presenting with CD had involvement of the mouth. The ability of physicians to recognize oral lesions was poor. Expert dental evaluation may be useful during the investigation of patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Enteric campylobacter: purging its secrets?

Campylobacterial infections are the most common cause of bacterial enterocolitis in humans. Among children, especially in developing countries, Campylobacter infections can cause severe life-threatening diarrheal disease. Although usually associated with a benign outcome in the developed world, the burden of illness posed by Campylobacter infections is enormous, and serious neurologic sequelae also can occur. For a variety of reasons our understanding of the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of Campylobacter infection has lagged far behind that of other enteric pathogens. However, recent completion of the genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni promises to open up the Campylobacter research field with the prospect of developing novel therapeutic and preventive strategies.

Campylobacter Infections↗

PubMed2003

Importance of parental conceptual model of illness in severe recurrent abdominal pain.

OBJECTIVES: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) affects up to 15% of children. A biopsychosocial approach to the treatment of children with RAP has been proposed as an alternative to the traditional medical model. The aim of this study was to examine whether the parental conceptual model of illness is a factor in the long-term outcome of children with severe RAP. METHODS: The study was undertaken in 2 parts: 1) a review of the medical and psychiatric records (including Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) of all children with RAP of sufficient severity to necessitate hospitalization during a 5-year period and 2) a structured telephone interview to collect information on ongoing abdominal pain, other somatic symptoms, school attendance, and the parents' opinion as to the cause of the child's pain. RESULTS: Twenty-eight of 30 children who were identified were available for follow-up. Twenty-three (82%) were tertiary referrals from other pediatric services, and 20 had pain for >6 months. On admission 7 (25%) of 28 had a depressive disorder, and 8 (29%) had an anxiety/depressive disorder. Twenty-one of 28 parents completed the CBCL, and on analysis of the CBCL, 11 (52%) children had scores in the clinical range (>65). At follow-up (mean: 3.56 years; standard deviation: 1.59), 14 (50%) of 28 continued to complain of pain. These children also complained of multiple other somatic complaints and had repeated school absences. Only 1 (7%) of 14 parents of children with ongoing pain believed that there was a psychological cause for their child's pain, whereas 11 (78%) of 14 parents of the children who had recovered believed that the cause was attributable to psychological factors (odds ratio: 47.67; 95% confidence interval: 3.56-1511.6). CONCLUSIONS: The acceptance by parents of a biopsychosocial model of illness is important for the resolution of recurrent abdominal pain in children.

Abdominal Pain↗