Pediatric Liver Kidney Alimentary Nutrition and Transplantation Research Group
Research team members
Runar Almaas (group leader), Beint Sigmund Bentsen, Anna Bjerre, Marianne Bratlie, Svanhildur Haflidadottir, Gaute Reier Jenssen, Janne Kvammen, Anine Lie, Gøri Perminow, Jarle Rugtveit, Truls Sanengen, Ingrid H Sparr, Rut Anne Thomassen, Hjørdis Thorsteinsdottir, Karianne Vegheim, Niklas Westerberg, and Anniken B Østensen.
Research goals and strategy
PELIKANTRA was created in 2011 with members from several sections at the Department of Pediatrics at Oslo University Hospital. We are working with gastroenterology, nutrition, nephrology, hepatology, and organ transplantation. Our research is conducted both at Department of Pediatrics at Ullevål and Rikshospitalet and at Department of Pediatric Research. We are cooperating with several research groups. PELIKANTRA does both clinical science and basic science and takes a special interest in putting clinical relevant projects into the laboratory. Several of the projects relate to the life after organ transplantation. Other areas of interest are inflammatory bowel disease, enteral and parenteral nutrition, and cholestasis.
Current research projects
- IBSEN-II (Inflammatory Bowel South Eastern Norway-II): Children and adolescents presenting with inflammatory bowel disease was included in 2005-2007. We are studying clinical presentation, biochemical markers, and biopsies at diagnosis and after 2 years of treatment.
- EARLY-IBD: Prospective international multicenter study of presentation of inflammatory bowel disease.
- Transplantation and allergy: There are several reports of increased incidence of allergy in liver transplanted children. We are investigating how liver transplanted children are affected by different allergies and whether allergies are associated with certain risk factors.
- Hypoxic hepatocyte damage: In the transplanted liver thrombosis of the hepatic artery may cause hypoxic-ischemic damage of the liver. We are investigating mechanisms of hypoxic-ischemic hepatocyte damage and how pharmacological treatment can affect the extent of hypoxic-ischemic hepatocyte damage. A model with combined oxygen and glucose deprivation in hepatocytes is used. Another field of interest is development and mechanisms of cholestasis and hepatobiliary transport systems are investigated in hepatocytes.
- Fecal calprotectin: Fecal calprotectin is a marker of inflammatory activity in inflammatory bowel disease. Several parallel methods of analysis of calprotectin exist and we compare and relate different methods to endoscopic findings in children with and without inflammatory bowel disease.
Main national and international collaborators
National
- Avdeling for patologi, OUS
- Avdeling for helsefag, UiO
- Akuttavdelingen, OUS
- Bioteknologisenteret, UiO
- Immunologisk institutt, OUS
- Folkehelseinstituttet
- Radiologisk avdeling, OUS
- Gastromedisinsk avdeling, Medisinsk klinikk, OUS
- Klinikk for indremedisin og laboratoriefag, Ahus
- Professor emeritus Magne K Fagerhol
International
- IBSEN II study group/Early IBD group leader professor Morten Vatn (internatonal multi-center study)
- Dr Margarete Fisher-Bosch Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, Robert-Bosch Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany
- Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sverige
Financial support
- Eckbos legater
- Renée og Bredo Grimsgaards Stiftelse
- Barnefondet, Oslo universitetssykehus UiO
- Helse Sør-Øst
Selected publications for 2013
Brun AC, Størdal K, Johannesdottir GB, Fossum V, Bentsen BS, Medhus AW. Nissen fundoplication in children with cerebral palsy: Influence on rate of gastric emptying and postprandial symptoms in relation to protein source in caloric liquid meals. Clin Nutr. 2013;32:619-623.
Wühl E, van Stralen KJ, Verrina E, Bjerre A, Wanner C, Heaf JG, Zurriaga O, Hoitsma A, Niaudet P, Palsson R, Ravani P, Jager KJ, Schaefer F. Timing and outcome of renal replacement therapy in patients with congenital malformations of the kidney and urinary tract. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2013;8(1):67-74.
Haugaa H, Almaas R, Thorgersen EB, Foss A, Line PD, Sanengen T, Bergmann GB, Ohlin P, Waelgaard, Grindheim G, Pischke SE, Mollnes TE, Tønnessen TI. Clinical experience with microdialysis catheters in pediatric liver transplants. Liver Transplantation 2013 Mar;19(3):305-1.
Dissertations
- Trine Tangeraas, supervised by Anna Bjerre and Erik Thaulow, defended her thesis "Survival, cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life after renal transplantation in childhood: Data from the HENT study" at 18 November 2011.
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