AIM:To present our experience with tuberculous peritonitis treated in our hospital from [2002][2003][2004][2005][2006][2007]. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 9 children with tuberculous peritonitis. RESULTS: Nine patients (5 boys, 4 girls) of mean age 14.2 years were diagnosed with peritoneal tuberculosis. All patients presented with abdominal distention. Abdominal pain was seen in 55.5% and fever in 44.4% of the patients. Four cases had coexisting pleural effusion and two had pulmonary tuberculosis with parenchymal consolidation. Ultrasonography found ascites with septation in 7 patients. Two patients had only ascites without septation. Ascitic fluid analysis of 8 patients yielded serum-ascite albumin gradients of less than 1.1 gr/dL. Laparoscopy and laparotomy showed that whitish tuberculi were the most common appearance. Adhesions were also seen in three cases. The diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis was confirmed histo-pathologically in 7 patients and microbiologically in two. Two patients had been diagnosed by ascitic fluid diagnostic features and a positive response to antituberculous treatment. All patients completed the antituberculous therapy without any complications. CONCLUSION: Tu b e rc u l o u s p e r i t o n i t i s h a s t o be clinically suspected in all patients with slowly progressive abdominal distension, particularly when it is accompanied by fever and pain. Laparoscopy and peritoneal biopsy are still the most reliable, quick and safe methods for the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis.

It was concluded that children with RAP and H. pylori infection appear to benefit from eradication therapy in Turkey.

Many children with celiac disease show an atypical form. The understanding of presentations of celiac disease may prevent delayed diagnosis. Celiac disease should be specially investigated in patients with recurrent iron deficiency anemia, short stature and autoimmune disorders.

The aim of this study was to determine the relative frequency of type Ia in glycogen storage disease (GSD) with prominent liver involvement and to determine its clinical and laboratory findings and prognosis in Turkish children. From 1980 to 1998, 45 out of 100 GSD patients (27 male) with liver involvement had been diagnosed for type Ia. The files were retrospectively evaluated and clinical and laboratory features were documented. In addition to routine laboratory evaluations, urine albumin, calcium excretions, and plasma biotinidase activity were measured. Breast-feeding was continued in all infants. After 6 months of age, uncooked cornstarch was administered to the patients. The relative frequency of type Ia in GSD with liver involvement was 45%. The diagnosis was made in 71% of patients before 2 years of age (median 1 year). Main complaint was abdominal protruding (57.8%), and main physical finding was hepatomegaly (100%). Forty percent of the patients had growth retardation at diagnosis. Among laboratory parameters, hypertriglyceridemia (97.8%) and hypertransaminasemia (95.6%) were the most frequent findings following plasma biotinidase activity, which was elevated in all patients. Microalbuminuria was determined in 52.8% of the patients and hypercalciuria in 23.8%. Histopathological findings of the liver included fibrosis (75.6%), steatosis (37.8%), mosaicism (24.4%) and nuclear hyperglycogenation (15.6%). During follow-up period, the ratio of patients with growth retardation did not change. Transaminases were decreased in 48.7% of the patients. Although triglyceride and cholesterol levels decreased in the majority of the patients, they did not normalise. The prevalence of type Ia in GSD with prominent liver involvement was found higher than the other reports. Microalbuminuria was also higher than the previous reports.

IBD is an increasing clinical entity in Turkey. Features of IBD are similar to those in other populations, but prospective multicenter studies are needed to analyze the true incidence of IBD in Turkish children.