title: Is there a place for medical treatment in children with gallstones?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medical treatment of gallstones with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) or chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) has not been evaluated in children.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of UDCA in the treatment of gallstones in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  UDCA was used to treat 15 patients, (7 boys and 8 girls; mean age, 7.8 years; range, 3 months to 15 years) for 1 year. All had radiolucent stones with a maximum diameter of 10 mm and a normally contractile gallbladder.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stones disappeared completely in two children but returned later. All symptomatic patients became symptom free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UDCA is ineffective in the treatment of gallstones in children except in terms of relieving symptoms while on treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Gamba
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zancan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Midrio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muraca
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Vilei
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Talenti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guglielmi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid