Pancreatic disease is the most frequent cause of isolated splenic vein thrombosis. Splenic vein thrombosis causes a localized form of portal hypertension known as sinistral or left-sided portal hypertension. Splenic vein thrombosis may be complicated by the formation of gastric varices, with the potential of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Whereas splenectomy is considered to be the treatment of choice for symptomatic splenic vein thrombosis, the role of splenectomy in the patient with asymptomatic splenic vein thrombosis remains controversial. We report a rare case of acute pancreatitis complicated by isolated asymptomatic splenic vein thrombosis. Recognition of this disease entity is important because the risk of secondary variceal bleeding, while uncommon, can be life-threatening.
Esophageal and Gastric Varices ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension, Portal ; Pancreatic Diseases ; Pancreatitis ; Splenectomy ; Splenic Vein ; Thrombosis

PURPOSE: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been recognized as an important childhood liver disease, especially where the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing. The purpose of this study is to clarify the usefulness of elevated serum aminotransferase activities and their ratio for predicting the presence of fatty liver and its severity in obese children. METHODS: Forty-four children (M/F 29/15, age 4 to 16 years) with obesity (weight excess>20%) were analyzed retrospectively with medical records based on degree of obesity, bioelectrical impedence, serum aminotransferase activities, lipid profiles and ultrasonography. RESULTS: 1) Ultrasonography was carried out in 34 cases. Elevated serum ALT was found in 89.7% (26/29) of the patients diagnosed as fatty liver by ultrasonography and decreased AST/ALT ratio (<1) was found in 96.6% (28/29). There was a strong correlation between elevated serum ALT (>45 IU/L) or decreased AST/ALT ratio (<1) and the fatty liver in obese children (p<0.05). 2) There was no significant correlation between the serum ALT or AST/ALT ratio and the degree of fatty liver (p>0.05). 3) There was a significant correlation between total cholesterol, triglyceride and fatty liver (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Serum ALT activity and AST/ALT ratio were useful to predict the presence of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonography in obese children, whereas they were not useful to predict the degree of fatty liver. Therefore, to prevent fatty liver progressing to advanced liver disease, it is necessary to manage and monitor the obese children continuously, especially those who have predicting factors of fatty liver.
Child* ; Cholesterol ; Fatty Liver* ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; Medical Records ; Obesity ; Pediatric Obesity ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Triglycerides ; Ultrasonography

This study sought to analyze the need for nutritional education to enhance the selection of desirable foods by adolescents. A total of 480 high school students in Incheon were surveyed and their responses were analyzed for the recognition of nutrition labeling and their consumption of processed foods and snacks. Almost all the students (93.1%) recognized nutrition labeling, but 54.6% rarely checked the nutrition labeling. The nutrients recognized as important in the nutrition label of processed foods were total fat/saturated fat/trans fat (3.75 out of 5), calories (3.68), and sodium (3.67) in that order. The recognition of the importance of calories was significantly higher in female students compared to male students (3.78 vs. 3.58, P＜0.05). The information identified as important were the date of manufacture and expiration (4.21 out of 5), price (4.14), and the nutrition label (3.15). The preference for processed foods was highest in the order of beverages (4.03 out of 5), noodles (4.02), and frozen desserts (3.97), and the preference of females for processed foods was significantly higher than males (P＜0.001). The time when snacks were most frequently consumed were before going to the academy (21.0%), after school (19.4%), and after attending private institutes (15.0%). The main reasons for using processed foods as snacks were taste (44.4%), ‘no time to eat a meal’ (26.4%), and low price (17.7%). In conclusion, while students mostly recognized nutrition labeling, the actual usage rate was low, and snacks were selected and consumed instead of meals for reasons such as attending academic institutes after school. Thus, to encourage the choice of proper processed foods and snacks for adolescents, practical nutrition education using nutrition labeling is needed.