Gastroenterology Committee

General Information

The Gastroenterology Committee was established in 2004 and is a standing committee of the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).

The work of the Committee aims at promoting gastrointestinal health and well-being in children by:
a. working with expert working groups and special interest groups covering specific areas in Paediatric Gastroenterology (and where it relates to Hepatology and Nutrition)
b. writing and publishing authoritative commentaries of clinical and scientific relevance on pertinent questions in the area of Paediatric Gastroenterology (and where it relates to Hepatology and Nutrition)
c. providing advice on matters related to Paediatric Gastroenterology (and where it relates to Hepatology and Nutrition) to ESPGHAN and other scientific societies, regulatory bodies, non-governmental organisations, industry and other interested parties
d. contributing to the exchange of scientific information, and to promote high quality research and training in Paediatric Gastroenterology (and where it relates to Hepatology and Nutrition), by organising workshops and scientific meetings, training courses, and other suitable approaches
e. providing guidance on teaching in Paediatric Gastroenterology (and where it relates to Hepatology and Nutrition), on the organisation of practice in care and education, practical approaches to diagnosis and treatment and other questions of relevance.

The strength and authority of the Gastroenterology Committee depends on its unbiased and independent decision making. The comments and actions of the Committee are led only by scientific arguments and by its best understanding of the interests of children.
The Committee is part os ESPGHAN and is answerable to the Council of ESPGHAN with regard to its membership, publications and other activities. The rules and standing orders of ESPGHAN, and its council, supersede anything which the Committee might wish to impose. The Committee aims at close interaction with the other activities, the other Committees (Hepatology and Nutrition), the Council, and the membership of ESPGHAN. The activities of the Committee are reported annually to the ESPGHAN Council and to the ESPGHAN Members.

To download the annual committee report please click here.

GI Working Groups & Special Interest Groups

Neurogastroenterology, Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders

Steering Committee
Michiel van Wijk  - Chair
Yvan Vandenplas
Marc Benninga

Description: The main purpose of the ESPGHAN Motility Working Group is to promote research activities and networking in the field of GI motility amongst ESPGHAN members. The annual meetings and workshops give to the active members the opportunity to share novel data and propose collaborative research protocols.

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Working Group, you can download their annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Working Group, please click here.

Paediatric IBD Porto & Interest Group

Steering Committee
Richard Russell - Chair
Javier Martín de Carpi - Membership & Education
Eytan Wine - Financial Liaison

Description: The ESPGHAN Paediatric IBD Porto Group is a group of paediatric IBD experts from ESPGHAN whose goals are to generate collaborative international research and to provide a leadership role with regards to the current diagnosis and management of IBD in children.
The aims of the group are:
a. Research: To facilitate, and perform collaborative research of all types as agreed within the group, including ongoing registries
b. Guidelines: To develop management guidelines and statements on behalf of ESPGHAN regarding paediatric IBD
c. Advocacy: To provide experts' opinion and advocate on behalf of paediatric IBD patients when needed
d. Education: To improve medical care for children with IBD worldwide, by promoting good clinical practice via various educational tools, lectures and publications

This research collaboration in combination with provision of leadership in international guidelines and other activities requires intense commitment and hard work with restricted timelines. This necessitates opening the group to new collaborators with required expertise, while defining a mechanism to exclude members that are not capable of fulfilling these obligations to ensure keeping the group dynamic and productive.

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Special Interest Group, you can download the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Special Interest Group, please click here.

EGID Working Group

Steering Committee
Alexandra Papadopoulou - Chair
Noam Zevit
Rok Orel
Jorge Amil Dias
 

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Working Group, you can dowload the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Working Group, please click here.

Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Executive Committee:
Michal Kori - Chair
Zrinjka Misak - Executive Committee
Simona Faraci - Executive Committee

Despcription: The Helicobacter pylori Infection WG was founded 1997 by the members of the European Study Group on Helicobacter pylori (ESHP) Francis Mégraud (microbiologist), Colm O’Morain (adult gastroenterologist) and Samy Cadranel (paediatric gastroenterologist) as “paediatric task force on H. pylori infection”. The group meets annually for a 1,5 days meeting before the European Congress on Helicobacter pylori. In 2007 the group members voted to become officially a WG of ESPGHAN.

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Special Interest Group, you can download the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR for this Special Interest Group, please click here.

Cystic Fibrosis and Pancreatic Disease

Steering Committee:
Frank Boudewes - Chair
Isabelle Scheers - Secretary
Number of Members: 50

Description: The goals of the group are to generate collaborative international research, management guidelines and consensus statements in cystic fibrosis and exocrine pancreatic disease in children. 

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Working Group, you can download the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Working Group, please click here.

 

Esophageal Atresia

Steering Committee
Frederic Gottrand - Chair
Luigi Dall'Oglio - Co-Chair
Usha Khrishan - Secretary

Description: Esophageal atresia (EA) is the most frequent digestive malformation occurring in ~1:3,000 births worldwide. Since the first successful primary repair in 1941, postoperative outcomes have changed.
With the exception of patients suffering from severe associated malformations, improvements in operative and perioperative care issues evolved from mortality to morbidity and quality of life issues. Esophageal atresia is no more a neonatal surgical problem but a long life problem. Indeed, respiratory problems, nutritional and gastroenterological issues are the most prevalent not only in the first years of life but also in adolescence and adulthood.
There is a lack of recommendation and research in this moving area and multicentric collaborations are needed to answer many nowadays unanswered questions.

Projects & Activites: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Special Interest Group, you can download the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Special Interest Group, please click here.

WG Meeting Updates: to view the latest updates from the WG, please click here.

Paediatric Polyposis

Steering Committee
Shlomi Cohen - Chair
Warren Hyer: Co-Chair

Description: The ESPGHAN polyposis working group have completed the task commissioned by ESPGHAN in 2016 to develop guidelines / position statement on paediatric polyposis syndrome.

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Working Group, you can download the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Working Group, please click here.

Special Interest Group: Endoscopy

Steering Committee:

Chair: Mike Thomson
Secretary: Matjaž Homan
Budget: Claudio Romano
ELZ Coordinator: Raoul Furlano   
Guideline Coordinator: Patrick Bontems
Courses coordinator: Jorge Amil Dias           
National Society Liaison Officer: Bruno Hauser
ESGE Liaison Officer: Salvatore Oliva
Training and Education Representatives: Priya Narula, Iva Hojsak
Research: Matjaž Homan
Trainee Committee Representatives: Andreia Nita, Ilektra Athiana
Surgeon Committee Representative: Luigi Dall’Oglio

 

Description:

Projects & Activities: to view all recent activities of this Special Interest, you can download the annual report here.

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Special Interest Group, please click here.

Special Interest Group: Coeliac Disease

Steering Committee:

Carmen Ribes - Chair
Renata Auricchio - Secretary
Ketil Stordal - Treasurer
Margreet Wessel - Research manager
Francesco Valitutti  - Communication and Dissemination Manager

Description:

Projects & Activities: to view all recent and upcoming activities of this Special Interest Group, you can download the annual report here.

Important Papers:

Systematic Review: early feeding practices and the risk of coeliac disease. A 2022 update revision; Hania Szajewska, Raanan Shamir, Agata Strozyk et al. Prevent CD project group. Aloment Pharmacol Ther 2023 

Prediction Models for Coeliac Disease Development in Children From High Risk Families: Data From the Prevent CD CohortCaroline R Meijer, Renata Auricchio, Hein Putter, et al. Gastroenterology. 2022

Follow up practices for children and adolescnets with celias disease: results of an international surveyMargreet Wessels, Jernej Dolinsek, Gemma Castillejo
Eur J Pediatr. 2022

The Knowledge About Celiac Diseaase Among Healthcare Professionals and Patients in Central EuropePetra Riznik, Luigina De leo, Jasmina Dolinsek et al. 
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2021

Terms of Reference: to view the ToR of this Special Interest Group, please click here.