Magnesium orotate has been cited in the medical literature for the past three years as a possible adjuvant in some pediatric and adult gastroenterological disorders associated with dysbiosis. Studies also focus on the possibility of adding magnesium orotate in psychiatric disorders’ treatment, such as major depression and anxiety. The most relevant element in these studies is the efficiency of magnesium orotate therapy in cases with both gastroenterological and psychiatric symptoms. This article proposes a literature review, focused on the studies published in the last three years, targeting magnesium orotate treatment and probiotic supplementation in patients with both digestive and psychiatric symptoms. Moreover, this review will compare the efficiency of magnesium orotate and probiotics within both the pediatric and adult communities, focusing on the possibility of gut–brain axis modulation and its involvement in the clinical evolution of these patients.

The ingestion of foreign bodies is a worldwide pediatric pathology. We assessed the clinical, endoscopic, and therapeutic aspects of this condition in a pediatric gastroenterology unit. We reviewed 61 patients (median age of 3.25 ± 4.7 years). The most frequently ingested objects were coins (26.23%), unidentified metal objects (13.11%), bones (8.19%), batteries, and buttons (6.55%). The clinical features we encountered included abdominal pain (55.73%), vomiting (34.42%), and asymptomatic children (29.5%). Routine X-ray examination enabled finding the foreign body in 42 of the cases. An esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed within 24–72 hours. 25 cases resulted in a negative endoscopy (40.98%), 19 objects (31.14%) were removed using a polypectomy snare, and extraction failure occurred in 17 patients (27.86%). 28 foreign bodies were passed without incidents; in 14 cases, the swallowed objects were never found. In one case, a battery was stuck in the esophageal folds and led to tracheal-esophageal fistula and bronchopneumonia and later to esophageal stenosis. We report a large proportion of foreign bodies that could not be identified or removed due to lack of early endoscopy and poor technical settings. Batteries and sharp objects lead to severe complications and preschool-age children are at high risk for such events.

The gut microbiota is emerging as an important contributor to the homeostasis of the human body through its involvement in nutrition and metabolism, protection against pathogens, and the development and modulation of the immune system. It has therefore become an important research topic in recent decades. Although the association between intestinal dysbiosis and numerous digestive pathologies has been thoroughly researched, its involvement in pancreatic diseases constitutes a novelty in the specialized literature. In recent years, growing evidence has pointed to the critical involvement of the pancreas in regulating the intestinal microbiota, as well as the impact of the intestinal microbiota on pancreatic physiology, which implies the existence of a bidirectional connection known as the “gut–pancreas axis”. It is theorized that any change at either of these levels triggers a response in the other component, hence leading to the evolution of pancreatitis. However, there are not enough data to determine whether gut dysbiosis is an underlying cause or a result of pancreatitis; therefore, more research is needed in this area. The purpose of this narrative review is to highlight the role of gut dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic pancreatitis, its evolution, and the prospect of employing the microbiota as a therapeutic intervention for pancreatitis.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between H. pylori positivity with specific symptoms, risk factors and endoscopic patterns among the pediatric population in northeastern Romania. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was performed in 18 months on 185 children aged 6–18 years with an indication for upper digestive endoscopy. Demographic, anamnestic, symptomatic, endoscopic and histologic data were recorded. Results: Of 116 H. pylori-positive children, the most affected group was 15–17 years. Most (65.5%) of them were girls, with a significant association (p < 0.001). The majority (66.4%) lived in a rural area and 47.4% of children had an unsafe source of water and lived in overcrowded houses with no basic sanitary comfort. The most frequent symptom was epigastric pain (56.9%), and the main endoscopic appearance was nodularity and hyperemia. Patients diagnosed with H. pylori started triple-therapy treatment for 14 days. Only 13.8% stopped the treatment, mainly because of a misunderstanding of the treatment protocol (9.5%). Conclusions: Romanian teen girls living in rural areas are at high risk for H. pylori infection. Epigastric pain and endoscopic nodularity of the gastric mucosa were associated with the infection. As the resistance of the bacteria is unknown in our country, future research is needed in order to improve the eradication rate.

Introduction: In Romania, studies on the pediatric population regarding H. pylori infection or bacterial resistance to antibiotics are limited. Eradication treatment of this infection still raises important problems in medical practice. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of three eradication therapies used against H. pylori infection in the pediatric population. Methods: The prospective study enrolled children aged 6–17 years who were first diagnosed with H. pylori infection. Patients received a randomized treatment either the therapy with clarithromycin (CLR), the therapy with metronidazole (MTZ) or sequential therapy. The effectiveness of the eradication treatment was evaluated after 4–8 weeks from the end of the therapy by testing fecal antigen. Results: 149 patients were enrolled over 18 months. The eradication rates were 49.5% for the treatment scheme with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) + amoxicillin (AMO) + MTZ, 26.7% for PPI + AMO + CLR and 23.8% for sequential therapy. MTZ therapy was superior to CLR therapy, but sequential therapy was not. Side effects were recorded for PPI + AMO + CLR with 39.6%, followed by sequential therapy 37.7%, and only 22.6% for PPI + AMO + MTZ. Conclusions: Therapy with MTZ can achieve a higher eradication rate as a first-line treatment in the case of H. pylori infection. Taking into account that Romania is in an area with increased resistance to CLR, MTZ therapy could be a promising alternative.

Self-medication represents a significant healthcare and health policy issue worldwide, both in developed and underdeveloped countries. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic is considered a relevant context that could subtly trigger self-medication behavior because of limited access to health care services and the threat of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While the previous research conducted with quantitative methodologies reported a dramatically increased rate of self-medication around the world, qualitative inquiries on the subjective experience with self-medicine remain scarce in medical and related fields of study. For this purpose, a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews was undertaken to better understand how Romanian mothers (n = 18) applied self-treatment with their children by avoiding medical advice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect the prevalence of self-medicine among the pediatric population as parents achieved a degree of awareness of self-treatment of their children due to the general context of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.