Etiology and treatment of childhood peptic ulcer disease in Taiwan: a single center 9-year experience.
OBJECTIVE
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in children is relatively rare as compared with adults. This study aimed to assess the etiology, clinical and histological characteristics, and treatment of PUD in children.


METHODS
All children aged < 18 years with an endoscopic diagnosis of PUD were enrolled in a tertiary referral center. The demographic data, clinical, endoscopic, and histological findings were compared between patients with different causes of PUD.


RESULTS
From 1234 endoscopic examinations, 67 (5.4%) children (median age, 11.4 years) with gastric ulcer (GU; n=27) or duodenal ulcer (DU; n=40) were included. Thirty-two (47.7%) of them had Helicobacter pylori infection and 11 (16.5%) had previous use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Non-H. pylori, non-NSAID PUD was found in 24 (35.8%) patients. Children with H. pylori-related PUD had a significantly higher mean age, antral chronic inflammatory score, rate of familial PUD, and presence of DU and nodular gastritis than those with NSAID-related and non-H. pylori, non-NSAID PUD (p < 0.01). In contrast, children with NSAID-related PUD had a higher rate of upper gastrointestinal bleeding, associated with acute febrile disease, than those with H. pylori-related and non-H. pylori, non-NSAID PUD (p < 0.05). All but two patients with non-H. pylori, non-NSAID PUD were disease free after H. pylori eradication and proton pump inhibitor treatment for 1-2 months.


CONCLUSIONS
In children, H. pylori-related PUD is associated with familial peptic ulcer and the presence of DU. However, short-term NSAID use is correlated highly with GU. The outcome of childhood PUD is good.
Huang
Shu-Ching
SC
Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University and Hospital, and Department of Pediatrics, Kuo General Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Sheu
Bor-Shyang
BS
Lee
Shui-Cheng
SC
Yang
Hsiao-Bai
HB
Yang
Yao-Jong
YJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents