The Division of Gastroenterology at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics is committed to providing patients the best medical care possible. This commitment goes hand in hand with our dedication discovering and pioneering the latest treatment methods through innovative clinical research. Current research areas include:

• Abdominal pain
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Live care
• Polyposis
• Eosinophilic esophagitis
• GI issues in children with autism
• Nutritional support and motility
• Reflux disease
• Celiac disease
• Small bowel rehabilitation

2011 Gastroenterology Research Highlights

Peer-Reviewed Articles

Chen Y, Liu YJ, Pei YF, Yang TL, Deng FY, Liu XG, Li DY, Deng HW. Copy number variations at the Prader-Willi syndrome region on chromosome 15 and associations with obesity in whites. Obesity 19: 1229-1234 (2011)

Friesen CA, Neilan N, Daniel JF, Radford K, Schurman JV, Li D, Andre L, St. Peter SD, Holcomb III GW. Mast cell activation and clinical outcome in pediatric cholelithiasis and biliary dyskinesia. BMC Research Notes 4: 1-8 (2011)

Kaul A, Garza JM, Connor FL, Cocjin JT, Flores AF, Hyman PE, DiLorenzo C. Colonic hyperactivity results in frequent fecal soiling in a subset of children after surgery for Hirschsprung disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 52: 433-436 (2011)

Limbers CA, Neighbors K, Martz K, Bucuvalas JC, Webb T, Varni JW, Alonso EM, Studies of Pediatric Liver Transplantation Functional Outcomes Group (James Daniel contributor). Health-related quality of life in pediatric liver transplant recipients compared with other chronic disease groups. Pediatr Transplant 15: 245-253 (2011)

Lyman B, Gebhards S, Hensley C, Roberts C, San Pablo W. Safety of decanted enteral formula hung for 12 hours in a pediatric setting. Nutrition in Clinical Practice 26: 451-456 (2011)

Mortellaro VE, Green J, Islam S, Bass JA, Fike FB, St. Peter SD. Occurrence of Crohn's disease in children after total colectomy for ulcerative colitis. J Surg Research 170: 38-40 (2011)

Schurman JV, Friesen CA. Chronic abdominal pain in children: An update. Missouri Medicine 103: 69-75 (2011)

Shaklee J, Zerr DM, Elward A, Newland J, Leckerman K, Asti L, Guth R, Bass J, Selvarangan R, Coffin S, Zaoutis T. Improving surveillance for pediatric clostridium difficile infection: Derivation and validation of an accurate case-finding tool. Pediatr Infect Dis J 30: e38-40 (2011)

Subbarao G, Rosenma MB, Ohnuki L, Georgelas A, Davis M, Fitzgerale JF, Molleston JP, Croffie JM, Pffefferkorn MD, Corkins MR, Lim JR, Steiner SJ, Schaefer E, Gleich GJ, Gupta SK. Exploring potential non-invasive biomarkers in eosinophilic esophagitis: A longitudinal study in children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 53: 651-658 (2011)

Varier R, Butler J, Rivard D, Page SL. Picture of the month. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 165: 1-2 (2011)

Scientific Presentations - Oral or Poster Format

Bass J, Drews A, Friesen C, Geraghty C, San Pablo W, Singh V "Investigation of Potential Early Histologic Markers of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease" Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Academic Workshop, Las Vegas, NV, March 2011 [Oral]

Greenley RN, Schurman JV "Empirically Evaluating the Temporal Relationship Between Adherence and Symptoms in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease" Society of Pediatric Psychology National Conference on Child Health Psychology, San Antonio, TX, April 2011 [Poster]

Rasa J, Lyman B  "In Vitro Evaluation of Enteral Set use with 12 Hour Hang Time Fortified and Reconstituted Formula and Breast Milk- Intermittent Bolus Feeds" Clinical Nutrition Week, Vancouver, Canada, February 2011 [Oral]

Rasa J, Lyman B "ICN Quality Improvement Monitor in Vivo Evaluation of Enteral Set use with Fortified and Reconstituted Formula" Clinical Nutrition Week, Vancouver, Canada, February 2011 [Oral]

Septer S, Singh V, Apte U "Expression of Yes Associated Protein in Children with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis" Collaborative Groups of the Americas Annual Meeting, Montreal, Candada, October 2011 [Poster]

Varier R, Bass J, Bracken J, Drews A, San Pablo W, Friesen C "The Efficacy of Infliximab Therapy on Growth Parameters in Pediatric Crohn's Disease" NASPGHAN Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL, October 2011 [Poster]