Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026
07:59
Therapy Interventions for Upper Limb Amputees Undergoing Selective Nerve Transfers
Published on: October 29, 2021
4.1K
Selective lactase deficiency is common in pediatric patients undergoing upper endoscopy
Annie Goodwin1, Lina Karam1, G S Gopalakrishna1
1Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.
Journal of Molecular Biochemistry
|April 30, 2019
Summary
Lactase deficiency is common in children undergoing endoscopy, affecting 39% of patients. This study found no increased rate in those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Digestive Health
- Clinical Nutrition
Background:
- Lactase deficiency causes significant symptoms in children.
- Limited research exists on enzyme testing for disaccharidase deficiencies (DDs) in pediatric endoscopy.
- Prevalence of DDs in pediatric patients with and without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of lactase and other DDs in pediatric patients undergoing upper endoscopy.
- To compare the prevalence of DDs in children with and without IBD.
- To identify factors associated with lactase deficiency in this population.
Main Methods:
- Chart review of 739 pediatric patients (ages 1-18) undergoing esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD).
- Analysis of 560 patients who underwent mucosal enzyme testing during EGD.
- Comparison of DD prevalence between IBD and non-IBD groups, and analysis of age and race correlations.
Main Results:
- Overall lactase deficiency (LD) rate was 39%, increasing with age.
- No significant difference in LD between IBD (45%) and non-IBD (42%) patients.
- Four patients (0.17%) had selective maltase deficiency; none had sucrase or palatinase deficiency. Significant racial differences in LD were observed.
Conclusions:
- Lactase deficiency is common in children undergoing EGD.
- The rate of LD is not elevated in pediatric IBD patients.
- Disaccharidase testing should be considered during EGD in children.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
214
In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
214
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
276
Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight,...
276
01:24Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism
200
In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses...
200
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
261
Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...
261
03:24Common Ion Effect
46.2K
Compared with pure water, the solubility of an ionic compound is less in aqueous solutions containing a common ion (one also produced by dissolution of the ionic compound). This is an example of a phenomenon known as the common ion effect, which is a consequence of the law of mass action that may be explained using Le Châtelier’s principle. Consider the dissolution of silver iodide:
46.2K
00:57Antibiotic Selection
59.6K
Overview
59.6K