Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

08/19/2026

📊 The 3 most downloaded abstracts in Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (JPGN) in 23-25:

✔️ Cyclic vomiting syndrome
✔️ Helicobacter pylori
✔️ Pediatric feeding disorders

Interesting mix, right?

💭 From functional disorders
➡️ to infections
➡️ to complex feeding issues

This reflects the breadth — and complexity — of pediatric GI practice today.

👉 Which of these do you find most challenging in your practice?

08/09/2026

Did you know that JPGN has an entire collection of articles that are eligible for , with more being added each month?

Check them out 👀 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3vkmZfc?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer

08/05/2026

📚 Most cited in Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition (JPGN):

🥗 Enteral nutrition
🦠 Probiotics
🥛 Cow’s milk allergy

All have one thing in common 👇
➡️ They are position papers with practical management guidance

💡 Lesson:
The research that matters most is the one that helps clinicians act.

08/04/2026

🩸🔍 New JPGN Case Image

A 12-year-old girl presented with hematemesis and melena.

Evaluation revealed:
📌 A large pancreatic-region mass
📌 Perisplenic collateral vessels
📌 Isolated gastric varices with active bleeding

Endoscopy controlled the bleeding, but the underlying cause was unexpected—and highlights an important vascular complication that pediatric gastroenterologists should recognize.

✨ Can you identify the diagnosis before reading the case?

See the full case and images: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70383?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer

08/03/2026

🫀🍼 New JPGN study: Can a blood test predict feeding intolerance after congenital heart surgery?

Feeding intolerance and NEC remain major barriers to nutrition in infants with complex congenital heart disease.

This study evaluated biomarkers of intestinal injury and gut barrier integrity following cardiac surgery.

Key findings:

📌 Higher-risk infants:
• Those who developed feeding intolerance had significantly higher claudin-3 levels
• Pre-feeding I-FABP levels were also higher before symptoms developed

📌 Clinical associations:
• Longer cardiopulmonary bypass times
• Higher lactate levels after surgery

📌 Growth impact:
• Infants with feeding intolerance had poorer weight-for-length at discharge

📌 Why it matters:
• Feeding intolerance often leads to interruptions in nutrition
• Earlier identification of at-risk patients may help optimize feeding strategies and potentially reduce complications

✨ Takeaway: Biomarkers of intestinal barrier dysfunction may help identify infants with complex heart disease who are at highest risk for postoperative feeding intolerance before clinical deterioration occurs.

Full article: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70377?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer

08/03/2026

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Full Access
A comparison between sodium bicarbonate and ethanol for central line locks in pediatric patients with intestinal failure
Kate McNevin, Beatrice E. Rosete, Shiho Fukasawa, Xing Wang, Patrick J. Javid, Danielle R. Wendel
First published: 09 March 2026 https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70393Digital?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer Object Identifier (DOI) view metrics
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Kate McNevin and Beatrice E. Rosete are co-first authors.
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Abstract
Objectives
Children with intestinal failure (IF) require central venous catheters for parenteral nutrition and are at risk for central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI). Prophylactic ethanol lock therapy has historically been used for CLABSI prevention. A recent national shortage of ethanol necessitated exploring an alternative lock strategy using sodium bicarbonate. This study sought to assess the impact of ethanol and sodium bicarbonate locks on CLABSI rates in children with IF.

Methods
A retrospective cohort study was conducted in pediatric patients with IF 0–21 years of age followed by the Intestinal Rehabilitation Program at Seattle Children's Hospital who received ethanol or sodium bicarbonate locks from 2018 to 2023. Rates of CLABSI, line repair, line replacement and line occlusion were calculated per 1000 catheter days. Variables were compared between the two lock groups using the Mann–Whitney U or Fisher's exact tests.

Results
Fifty-five patients were identified including 19 children who received ethanol locks and 36 with sodium bicarbonate locks. Rates of CLABSI were similar between the ethanol and sodium bicarbonate lock cohorts (2.03 [3.46], 1.59 [2.83]; p = 0.617(mean [standard deviation]). The sodium bicarbonate group had a lower rate of line replacement (2.21 [1.17–3.84], 0.00 [0.00–1.73]; p = 0.01, median [interquartile range]) and trended toward a lower rate of line repair, (1.94 [0.00–4.15], 1.07 [0.00–1.61]; p = 0.23).

Conclusions
This study demonstrates that sodium bicarbonate locks are a safe and effective alternative to ethanol locks for pediatric patients with IF with equivalent rates of CLABSI and decreased rates of line replacements and repairs.

Highlights
What is Known
Pediatric patients with intestinal failure (IF) require central lines for nutrition support and these lines increase risk of morbidity and mortality due to central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) and loss of central access which may result in the need for intestinal transplantation.

To prevent infections, ethanol locks have been used but are no longer widely available.

What is New
Sodium bicarbonate locks have shown promise, but data is limited. We found that sodium bicarbonate locks were associated with equivalent CLABSI rates and decreased rates of catheter occlusions and line repairs or replacements in this population.

Sodium bicarbonate locks are a safe and effective alternative to ethanol locks in children with IF.

DOI Not Found 10.1002/jpn3.70393Digital This DOI cannot be found in the DOI System. Possible reasons are: The DOI is incorrect in your source. Search for the item by name, title, or other metadata using a search engine. The DOI was copied incorrectly. Check to see that the string includes all the ch...

08/02/2026

🦠➡️💉 New JPGN study: How are children with ultrashort bowel syndrome doing in the modern era?

Ultrashort bowel syndrome (USBS) represents the most severe form of intestinal failure and has historically been associated with significant morbidity and concerns about long-term survival.

This study compared children with USBS to other children with short bowel syndrome receiving specialized intestinal rehabilitation care.

Key findings:

📌 Nutrition dependence:
• 93% of children with USBS remained dependent on parenteral nutrition

📌 Encouraging outcomes:
• No mortality was recorded
• One child achieved enteral autonomy

📌 Major complications:
• Rates of cholestasis and bloodstream infections were similar to those seen in other short bowel patients

📌 Ongoing challenges:
• Oral aversion was much more common in USBS (71% vs 21%)
• Vitamin B12 and iron deficiencies remained frequent

📌 Why it matters:
• Earlier literature often emphasized poor outcomes in USBS
• Contemporary multidisciplinary intestinal rehabilitation may be changing the prognosis

✨ Takeaway: Despite profound bowel loss and ongoing PN dependence, children with ultrashort bowel syndrome can achieve favorable long-term outcomes when managed in specialized intestinal rehabilitation programs.

Full article: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70390?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer

08/02/2026

👶📊 New JPGN study: Does early growth influence body composition in moderate and late preterm infants?

This study evaluated body composition at 2 years corrected age in children born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation.

Key findings:

📌 Body composition:
• Higher body fat percentage compared with published data for term-born children
• Lower fat-free mass appeared to drive these differences more than excess fat accumulation

📌 Early growth matters:
• Faster weight gain during the first 3 months after term-equivalent age was associated with higher body fat percentage at 2 years

📌 Additional associations:
• Higher birth weight
• Greater birth length
• Larger head circumference

📌 Why it matters:
• Traditional growth measurements don't tell the whole story
• Body composition may provide additional insight into future metabolic health

✨ Takeaway: Moderate and late preterm infants showed altered body composition at 2 years, emphasizing the importance of understanding how early growth patterns influence long-term health.

Full article: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70378?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer

Objectives Moderate and late preterm infants (MLPTI, gestational age 32 0/7–36 6/7 weeks) have altered body composition compared to term-born infants, but data beyond infancy are lacking. This study...

08/01/2026

🩺💬 New JPGN study: How do gender-diverse adolescents experience care in liver clinics?

This mixed-methods study explored the experiences of transgender, gender-diverse, and non-binary (TGQNB) young people receiving care in a specialized liver service.

Key findings:

📌 Patients highlighted the importance of:
• Respectful communication
• Use of chosen names and pronouns
• Affirming clinician relationships

📌 Positive experiences were linked to:
• Trust
• Safe identity disclosure
• Better engagement with care

📌 Ongoing challenges included:
• Misgendering
• Documentation errors
• Concerns about disclosure in healthcare settings

📌 Why it matters:
• The liver plays an important role in hormone metabolism
• Personalized, multidisciplinary care may be particularly important for these patients

✨ Takeaway: Small changes in clinical practice—such as respectful communication, accurate documentation, and inclusive care environments—can have a meaningful impact on patient trust and engagement.

Full article: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70389?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer

08/01/2026

⚠️🩺 New JPGN case series: Can diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) lead to acute liver failure in children?

Investigators report four children presenting with DKA who initially had normal liver function tests but later developed acute liver failure.

Key findings:

📌 Presentation:
• None had a previous diagnosis of diabetes
• Most presented with reduced consciousness
• Admission liver tests were normal

📌 Clinical course:
• By day 4, all developed cardiovascular instability and acute liver failure
• All required intensive care support
• Three experienced cardiac arrest

📌 Outcomes:
• Two children died
• Two survivors recovered normal liver function

📌 Possible mechanisms:
• Ischemic hepatitis
• Drug-related liver injury
• Underlying diabetes-related mitochondrial vulnerability

📌 Why it matters:
• Hepatic injury is not typically considered a major complication of DKA
• Early recognition may improve outcomes

✨ Takeaway: Children with severe DKA may develop acute liver failure despite normal liver tests at presentation. Ongoing monitoring of liver function and clinical status is essential.

Full article: https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70394?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Journal+of+Pediatric+Gastroenterology+and+Nutrition&utm_campaign=publer