ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Gastritis consists of inflammation of the gastric mucosa and is one of the main causes of dyspeptic symptoms in children. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of inflammation by evaluating fecal calprotectin (FC) in children diagnosed with chronic gastritis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive study in Pediatric Gastroenterology Department of Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital in Turkey. METHODS: Between January 2016 and July 2018, FC levels were compared retrospectively in children with chronic gastritis (histopathology-based diagnosis), patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and healthy children. RESULTS: A total of 67 chronic gastritis patients (61.2% girls) with a mean age of 13.09 ± 3.5 years were evaluated. The mean FC levels were 153.4 μg/g in the chronic gastritis group, 589.7 μg/g in the IBD group and 43.8 μg/g in the healthy group. These levels were higher in chronic gastritis patients than in healthy individuals (P = 0.001) and higher in IBD patients than in the other two groups (P < 0.001). The FC level in the patients with chronic active gastritis (156.3 μg/g) was higher than in those with chronic inactive gastritis (150.95 μg/g) (P = 0.011). Among the patients with chronic active gastritis, the FC level was significantly higher in Helicobacter pylori-positive individuals than in negative individuals (P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: We confirmed the association between increased FC and chronic gastritis. Elevated FC levels may be seen in patients with chronic active gastritis. In order to be able to use FC as a screening tool for chronic gastritis, further studies in a larger study group are needed.

Introduction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation between age at diagnosis and compliance to gluten free diet (GFD) on growth in children with celiac disease and the factors that influenced compliance to GFD. Population and Methods. Celiac disease (CD) patients with villous atrophy followed in our hospital between January 2015 and January 2017, were included. They were classified according to diagnosis age and GFD compliance. Patients' anthropometric characteristics at diagnosis and foflow-up were compared. Results. There were 73 patients with 10.4 ± 4.5 years of average age, 35 (47.9%) patients had a short stature at diagnosis, the ages of patients who had short stature (7.8 ± 4.2 years) were higher than those who did not (5.1 ± 4.3 years) (p= 0.005). At diagnosis, 33 (45.2%) patients were aged <6 years, 40 (54.8%) were aged >6 years. The height and weight z-scores of patients who were diagnosed at >6 years of age were significantly lower than those who were diagnosed <6 years of age both at diagnosis (p= 0.01 and 0.04) and at last control (p= 0.001 and 0.001), respectively. Forty-five (61.6%) patients were fully compliant with GFD. In comparison of anthropometric data in terms of GFD compliance, the increase in BMI and weight z-score in the fully compliant group was found to be significantly higher when compared with the other group. Conclusions. Delay in CD diagnosis negatively affected both the height and weight and other growth parameters. GFD compliance positively affected the patients' all growth parameters, especially weight and BMI z-score.

Introducción. El objetivo fue evaluar la relación entre edad al diagnóstico y cumplimiento de dieta sin gluten (DSG) y su efecto sobre el crecimiento de niños celiácos y factores que influenciaron el cumplimiento de la DSG. Población y métodos. Se incluyeron pacientes celíacos con seguimiento en nuestro hospital entre enero 2015 a enero 2017. Se los clasificaron según edad al diagnóstico y cumplimiento de la DSG. Se compararon características antropométricas al diagnóstico y durante el seguimiento. Resultados. Participaron 73 pacientes con edad promedio de 10,4 ± 4,5 años; 35 (47,9%), los pacientes de talla baja al diagnóstico; eran mayores (7,8 ± 4,2 años ) que los demás (5,1 ± 4,3 años de edad) (p= 0,005). Al diagnóstico, 33 (45,2%) pacientes tenían <6 años y 40 (54,8%) tenían >6 años. Los puntajes Z de estatura y peso a la edad >6 años eran significativamente menores que los diagnosticados a <6 años, en el diagnóstico (p= 0,01 y 0,04, respectivamente) como en el último control (p= 0,001 y 0,001, respectivamente). Tuvieron cumplimiento riguroso con DSG en 45 (61,6%) pacientes. Al comparar datos antropométricos , el aumento del índice de masa corporal (IMC) y del puntaje Z de peso en el grupo que cumplió la dieta fue significativamente mayor que en el otro grupo. Conclusiones. Demorareldiagnóstico de celiaquía afectó la estatura y peso. El cumplimiento de la DSG mejoró los parámetros de crecimiento , principalmente, el puntaje Z de peso y el IMC.