Clinical features of the chronic gastroduodenitis in children

Abstract

Introducton: Chronic gastroduodenitis represents chronic inflammation of the gastric and duodenal mucosa and submucosa, with a tendency to progression. It remains one of the most important pathologies among the world pediatric population and forms 58 – 65% in the structure ofgastroenterological diseases. Only in 15% of children can be found an isolated impairment of stomach or the duodenum, for the rest 85 - 90% there is a combined damage of these organs, which shows the common mechanisms of development of gastritis and duodenitis. The main objective of the research is studying the clinical features of chronic gastroduodenitis in exacerbation in children. „Materials and methods: The research was built on analisys of 140 medical records of children with chronic gastroduodenitis in exacerbation, hospitalized in the Gastroenterology Department of the Mother and Child Institute during the 2013 – 2015 years. The diagnosis was based on the case history with the determination of etiological factors, clinical and endoscopic examination. The study results were statistically analyzed and interpreted. Results: Distribution of patients from the entire group studied by gender and age, demonstrates that chronic gastrodudenitis interests all age groups with a marked increase of incidence in adolescence - 46%, with the bigger proportion of females - 48 cases (74% of patients). Girls tend more than boys to develop this condition at preschool age, the ratio is 2:1 and adolescent age – 2.5:1, and evens out at the age of 6 – 11 years – 1:1. The clinical picture was determined by the pain syndrome – 96%, dyspeptic syndrome – 100%, the astheno-vegetative syndrome – 80%. A nagging pain of moderate intensity localized both in the epigastric and periumbilical regions have a much higher frequency than the pain syndrome in separate areas.During the endoscopic examination the Helicobacter Pylori infection was detected in 112 cases (82%), affecting mainly the children of adolescent age – 54 cases (40%). Also in this age, the gastroduodenitis is Associated with the high levels of stomach pH in 77%. Hypoacidity prevails in children up to 5 years – 57% and in children aged 6-11 – 53.7%, which can be explained by the presence of the gastroduodenal reflux disease. Conclusion: Chronic gastroduodenitis is more frequent in adolescence, affecting more girls than boys. The clinical picture of chronic gastroduodenitis is dominated by pain, dyspeptic and asthenovegitative syndroms. The main cause ramains to be the Helicobacter Pylori infection.