Background Transient elastography (FibroScan ® ) is a non-invasive and rapid method for assessing liver fibrosis. While the feasibility and usefulness of FibroScan ® have been proven in adults, few studies have focused on pediatric populations. We aimed to determine the feasibility and usefulness of FibroScan ® in Korean children. Methods FibroScan ® examinations were performed in 106 children (age, 5–15 years) who visited the Konyang University Hospital between June and September 2018. Liver steatosis was measured in terms of the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), while hepatic fibrosis was evaluated in terms of the liver stiffness measurement (LSM). Children were stratified into obese and non-obese controls, according to body mass index (≥ or < 95th percentile, respectively). Results The obese group was characterized by significantly higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST, 57.00 ± 48.47 vs. 26.40 ± 11.80 IU/L; P < 0.001) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT, 91.27 ± 97.67 vs. 16.28 ± 9.78 IU/L; P < 0.001), frequency of hypertension and abdominal obesity (abdominal circumference > 95% percentile) ( P < 0.001), CAP (244.4–340.98 dB/m), and LSM (3.85–7.77 kPa) ( P < 0.001). On FibroScan ® , 30 of 59 obese children had fibrosis (LSM > 5.5 kPa), whereas the remaining 29 did not (LSM < 5.5 kPa). Obese children with fibrosis had higher levels of AST (73.57 ± 56.00 vs. 39.86 ± 31.93 IU/L; P = 0.009), ALT (132.47 ± 113.88 vs. 48.66 ± 51.29 IU/L; P = 0.001), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (106.67 ± 69.31 vs. 28.80 ± 24.26 IU/L; P = 0.042) compared to obese children without fibrosis. LSM had high and significant correlation ( P < 0.05) with AST, ALT, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, and AST-to-platelet ratio index. Conclusion FibroScan ® is clinically feasible and facilitates non-invasive, rapid, reproducible, and reliable detection of hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis in the Korean pediatric population.

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Background: Preterm birth is associated with increased infant mortality. However, it is not clear whether prematurity is associated with mortality after 1 year of age. There is a lack of research on mortality rate and causes of death after infancy in preterm babies in Korea. We aimed to analyze the mortality rates and causes of deaths up to 5 years of age in Korea. Methods: Using the Microdata Integrated Service of Statistics Korea database, this retrospective cohort study screened infants born between 2010 and 2012. After applying the exclusion criteria, 1,422,913 live births were classified into the following groups by gestational age: those born at < 32 weeks' gestation (n = 10,411), those born between 32 and 36 weeks' gestation (n = 75,657), and those born at ≥ 37 weeks' gestation (n = 1,336,845). The association of gestational age with mortality in infancy (< 1 year of age) and childhood (1-5 years of age) was analyzed, with and without covariates. The major causes of death in infancy and childhood were analyzed by gestational age. Results: Overall, 4,930 (0.3%) children died between birth and 5 years of age, with 19.1% of these deaths occurring after infancy. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for infant death were 78.79 (95% confidence interval [CI], 71.33-87.04) and 4.62 (95% CI, 4.07-5.24) for the < 32 and 32-36 weeks groups, respectively, compared to the full-term group; the adjusted HRs for deaths occurring at ages 1-5 years were 9.25 (95% CI, 6.85-12.50) and 2.42 (95% CI, 1.95-3.01), respectively. In infancy, conditions originating in the perinatal period were the most common cause of deaths in the < 32 and 32-36 weeks groups (88.7% and 41.9%, respectively). Contrarily, in the ≥ 37 weeks group, conditions originating in the perinatal period explained 22.7% of infant deaths, with congenital malformations primarily accounting for 29.6% of these deaths. The most common cause of death in children (after infancy) in the < 32 weeks group was perinatal causes (25.0%); in the 32-36 weeks group, congenital malformation and nervous system disease were the common causes (21.7% and 19.1%, respectively). In the ≥ 37 weeks group, injury, poisoning, and other consequences of external causes explained 26.6% of childhood deaths, followed by neoplasms and nervous system disease (15.7% and 14.7%, respectively). Conclusion: Low gestational age is associated with not only infant mortality but also child mortality. The major causes of death differed by gestational age in infancy and childhood. For the care of preterm infants, especially those born at < 32 weeks' gestation, particular attention and continuous monitoring are needed in consideration of the major causes of deaths until 5 years of age.

Purpose This study aimed to examine the advantages and usefulness of transient elastography (Fibroscan ® ) in diagnosing non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in children and adolescents compared to those of abdominal computed tomography and liver ultrasonography. Methods Forty-six children and adolescent participants aged between 6 and 16 years who underwent transient elastography (Fibroscan ® ) as well as liver ultrasonography or abdominal computed tomography were included. Thirty-nine participants underwent liver ultrasonography and 11 underwent computed tomography. The physical measurements, blood test results, presence of metabolic syndrome, and the degree of liver steatosis and liver fibrosis were analyzed, and their correlations with transient elastography (Fibroscan ® ), abdominal computed tomography, and liver ultrasonography, as well as the correlations between examinations, were analyzed. Results Thirty-six participants (78.3%) were boys, and the mean age was 12.29±2.57 years, with a mean body mass index of 27.88±4.28. In the 46 participants, the mean values for aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and total bilirubin were 89.87±118.69 IU/L, 138.54±141.79 IU/L, and 0.77±0.61 mg/dL, respectively. Although transient elastography (Fibroscan ® ) and abdominal computed tomography grading had a statistically significant positive correlation with aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase values, the correlations between the results of grading performed by transient elastography (Fibroscan ® ), abdominal computed tomography, and liver ultrasonography were not statistically. Conclusion We confirmed that each examination was correlated with the results of some blood tests, suggesting the usefulness and possibility of diagnosis and treatment of steatohepatitis mediated by transient elastography (Fibroscan ® ) in the department of pediatrics.