New Data on Bisacodyl for Pediatric Constipation

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A recent retrospective study (S Bonilla et al. JPGN 2020; 71: 288-291. Long-term Use of Bisacodyl in Pediatric Functional Constipation Refractory to Conventional Therapy) provides some reassuring information about the use of bisacodyl for pediatric constipation, n=164.  Bisacodyl’s mechanism of action is due to its ability to cause mucosal secretion and a prokinetic effect on colonic mucosa.

Key findings:

  • Bisacodyl median dose was 5 mg/day, median duration of treatment was 14 months
  • Median number of BM/wk doubled after initiation of bisacodyl from 2 to 4 bm/w (P < 0.001)
  • Approximately 57% of patients had successful response. At long-term follow-up 55% of patients were successfully weaned off bisacodyl (median time of 18 months)
  • Side effects: 8 patients reported abdominal pain, 4 had diarrhea, and 1 had nausea
  • Limitations: open-label study, retrospective study, lack of a placebo-control

My take (from authors): “We observed no long-term complications with its long-term use in children.” Prospective studies are needed.

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Published IBD-COVID-19 Data from SECURE-IBD & Others

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When I received an email in EARLY MARCH of this year regarding SECURE-IBD, I thought the researchers were insightful and proactive.  Recently, the authors published their early findings: EJ Brenner, RC Ungaro et al. Gastroenterol 2020; 159: 481-491. Full Text PDF: Corticosteroids, But Not TNF Antagonists, Are Associated With Adverse COVID-19 Outcomes in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Results From an International Registry

“Surveillance Epidemiology of Coronavirus Under Research Exclusion for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SECURE-IBD) is a large, international registry created to monitor outcomes of patients with IBD with confirmed COVID-19.”

Key findings:

  • 525 cases from 33 countries were reported (median age 43 years, 53% men)
  • Risk factors for severe COVID-19 among patients with IBD included increasing age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.02), ≥2 comorbidities (aOR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1–7.8), systemic corticosteroids (aOR, 6.9; 95% CI, 2.3–20.5), and sulfasalazine or 5-aminosalicylate use (aOR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.3–7.7).
  • Tumor necrosis factor antagonist treatment was not associated with severe COVID-19 (aOR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.4–2.2)

Other COVID-19 articles from same journal:

My take: There is a tremendous amount of information regarding SARS-CoV-2 & COVID-19 with regard to the GI tract and liver disease.  For the most part, the data indicate that individuals need to continue to treat their underlying disease and that most therapies do not increase the risk of worsening infection; the biggest risk factors remain increasing age and common comorbidities (eg. obesity, hypertension, and diabetes).  The published studies also provide insight and recommendations for preventing SARS-CoV-2 for health care providers.

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Hepatitis C in 2020: NASPGHAN Position Paper

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DH Leung et al. JPGN 2020; 71: 407-17.  Full Text: Hepatitis C in 2020: A North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Position Paper

This is a very useful summary and some important recommendations –here are a few:

  • Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) which …[are] highly effective antiviral agents are now approved for use in children as young as 3 years of age and have demonstrated sustained virologic responses exceeding 90% in most genotypes
  • We recommend treatment be considered and offered to all children with chronic HCV as early as 3 years of age with currently approved and anticipated DAA combination therapies.
  • Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends anti-HCV antibody screening of children with maternal HCV risk factors at 18 months of age, when detection of passively acquired transplacental immunoglobulin G should have waned … Waiting until 18 months of age or older is, however, frequently unpalatable for parents and physicians concerned about reliable follow-up. Therefore, after the infant is 2 months of age, the AASLD-IDSA HCV Guidance Panel suggests consideration of examining serum HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
  • Interestingly, in the image below, the authors note that most children are asymptomatic; however, the figure suggests the possibility of thyroid disease.  In the text of the article: ” Extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C, including membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, thyroid dysfunction with or without thyroid autoimmune disease, and the development of nonorgan specific antibodies, are exceedingly rare“

Recommended Resources for Pediatric Gastrointestinal and Liver Providers

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Disclaimer: This blog, gutsandgrowth, assumes no responsibility for any use or operation of any method, product, instruction, concept or idea contained in the material herein or for any injury or damage to persons or property (whether products liability, negligence or otherwise) resulting from such use or operation. These blog posts are for educational purposes only. Specific dosing of medications (along with potential adverse effects) should be confirmed by prescribing physician.  Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, the gutsandgrowth blog cautions that independent verification should be made of diagnosis and drug dosages. The reader is solely responsible for the conduct of any suggested test or procedure.  This content is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a condition

Colchicine and Leukopenia

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A recent study (E Sag et al. J Pediatr 2020; 224: 166-70) provided some useful information about the development of leukopenia in children receiving colchicine.

This study included 213 patients receiving colchicine at doses between 0.5 mg adn 2 mg/day.  Routine labs were obtained 2 weeks after starting treatment, at 3 months, and then every 6 months.  If leukopenia was identified, f/u labs were obtained 1 week later. Colchicine doses were decreased in patients with persistent leukopenia.

Key findings:

  • 23 (10.8%) developed reversible leukopenia.  No cases of leukopenia were severe and there was not an increased rate of infections.

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Shared Genetic Risk of Celiac Disease, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Collagenous Colitis

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E Stahl et al. Gastroenterol 2020; DOI:https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.04.063 Link: Collagenous Colitis Is Associated With HLA Signature and Shares Genetic Risks With Other Immune-Mediated Diseases

“In this largest genetic study of CC to date with histologically confirmed diagnosis, we strongly implicated the HLA locus and proposed potential non-HLA mechanisms in disease pathogenesis. We also detected a shared genetic risk between CC, celiac disease, CD, and UC.”

 

Collagenous Gastritis

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“Collagenous gastritis (CG) is a rare gastrointestinal disorder with fewer than 300 cases reported in the English-language literature.”  If you have to manage one of these rare cases, here is a useful reference:

Key points:
  • The prevalence of CG was 2.1/100,000 in children aged younger than 18 years
  • The endoscopic and histologic findings remained pathologic in all the examined patients during a median follow-up of 4.4 years
  • The serum levels of calprotectin and amyloid A were increased in 10/15 (67%) and 5/15 (33%) of the patients, respectively

Diagnostic Strategy For Children with Diarrhea and Abdominal Pain

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A recent study (E Van de Vijver et al. Pediatrics 2020; 146: e20192235) shows a logical approach for testing children with diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Abstract and video abstract link: Test Strategies to Predict Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among Children With Nonbloody Diarrhea

Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study: n=193, 6 to 18 years who underwent a standardized diagnostic workup.
  • Patients with rectal bleeding or perianal disease were excluded because the presence of these findings prompted endoscopy regardless of their biomarkers.
  • In addition to symptoms, objective measures included C-reactive protein (>10 mg/L), hemoglobin (<−2 SD for age and sex), and fecal calprotectin (≥250 μg/g).

Key findings:

  • Twenty-two of 193 (11%) children had IBD
  • “Triaging with a strategy that involves symptoms, blood markers, and calprotectin will result in 14 of 100 patients being exposed to endoscopy. Three of them will not have IBD, and no IBD-affected child will be missed.“

My take: The approach advocated by the authors of reserving a diagnostic endoscopy for children at high risk for IBD based on stool tests/blood tests in addition to symptoms has merit.  I would add a couple caveats:

  1. In this population, I would recommend checking for celiac disease (eg. tissue tranglutaminase IgA antibody, serum IgA level)
  2. I think in individuals with ‘borderline’ elevations of calprotectin (50-250 μg/g), followup testing is needed and if remains persistently elevated, then ileocolonoscopy is likely warranted.  (Calprotectin values in younger children tend to be higher -so this approach is best suited in children >5 years of age)

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Summarizing the Plus and Minuses of Telemedicine

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From The Doctor’s Company (an insurance company): Your Patient Is Logging on Now: The Risks and Benefits of Telehealth in the Future of Healthcare Thanks to John Pohl for sharing this link.

An excerpt:

Foreseeable Major Benefits

  • Increases access to care for most patients, including many patients in rural locations, patients who struggle to cover the peripheral costs of an in-person visit (transportation, childcare, time away from work, etc.), and patients with chronic conditions.
  • Enhances the ability to manage chronic conditions by making more frequent contact easier. This management is already supported by at-home devices that record blood pressure, blood sugar, and other essential data points.
  • Reduces infection risks, not just for COVID-19, but for post-op patients, patients who are immunosuppressed, etc.

Other benefits: Promotes patient satisfaction, and scheduling -fewer no shows

Foreseeable Major Risks

  • The remote exam’s inherent limitations mean physicians must know when to ask patients to come in to avoid missed diagnoses…[may be able to do] risk-stratifying patients with abdominal symptoms by, among other things, watching the patient jump up and down
  • Increases cyber liability, especially when providers are seeing patients from a variety of devices in a variety of locations.
  • Privacy issues come in high-tech forms: Is the video visit interface HIPAA compliant? And in low tech forms: Conversations may be interrupted by household members at either end.
  • Decreases access to care for some patients: … many communities do not have sufficient internet bandwidth; some patients are prevented by a language barrier or lack of technological savvy from accessing a telemedicine portal.
  • Reimbursement is uncertain: Pre-pandemic, “Low reimbursement for telehealth was viewed as a critical disincentive,” say the authors of an opinion piece in JAMA, because “Without payment, it would be difficult for clinicians to afford to provide the service, despite data from previous studies suggesting clinicians were broadly supportive about its use.”

Other drawbacks: Physician-patient relationship –glitches or delays in sound or video can impede the normal flow of conversation—a diagnostic risk, as well as a relational one.

This May Be a Good Time to Be Wearing Glasses

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W Zeng et al. JAMA Ophthalmol. Published online September 16, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.3906. full text  Association of Daily Wear of Eyeglasses With Susceptibility to Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection

Findings  In this cohort of 276 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Suizhou, China, the proportion of daily wearers of eyeglasses was lower than that of the local population (5.8% vs 31.5%).

Meaning  These findings suggest that daily wearers of eyeglasses may be less likely to be infected with COVID-19.