Delayed ectopic pregnancy following vaginal hysterectomy

A patient with ectopic pregnancy occurring a considerable interval after vaginal hysterectomy is reported. She presented with recurrent lower abdominal pain and the correct diagnosis was only established at laparotomy. Although 14 cases of this late complication of hysterectomy have been reported in the literature no fatalities have been recorded.     

Roentgenographic observation of gas-fluid levels in the colon of children with abdominal pain and malabsorption of lactose

Gas-fluid levels in the colon observed in radiographs are abnormal and usually indicate serious gastrointestinal disease. Colonic gas-fluid levels associated with concurrent abdominal pain and malabsorption of lactose, documented by lactose breath hydrogen testing, were observed in five children. Incomplete lactose absorption is a relatively benign condition that can be added to the differential diagnosis of gas-fluid levels in the colon and may account for some cases of spontaneous resolution of clinical and radiologic signs in children presenting with acute recurrent abdominal pain.     

Chest Pain in Adolescents—Functional Consequences

In prospectively evaluating 100 cases of adolescents with chest pain (along with two control groups), 91 were found to have recurrent chest pain; fewer than 5 had a serious organic cause. Significantly higher school absenteeism occurred in patients with either chest or abdominal pain than in patients without pain. Adolescents with chest and abdominal pain were more likely to be high users of medical services than those with no pain. Most adolescents believed that persons their age could have attacks; 44 of those with chest pain thought their symptom was due to a heart attack. The occurrence of chest pain was not influenced by an adolescent''s age, sex, race, smoking status or family structure, nor was it consistently associated with depression. Chest pain is thus a common problem of adolescence that produces considerable functional impairment not attributable to serious underlying disease.     

Diagnostic value of a peroral sucrose permeability test in children with recurrent upper abdominal pain

The access of ingested sucrose into blood and urine indicates the presence of mucosal lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract. The study involved 42 children, aged 5-15, having recurrent upper abdominal pain and 43 peers with minor extra-abdominal complaints. Sucrose in urine was determined by thin layer chromatography. The test was positive in 27 out of 42 children having recurrent abdominal pain (64.3%) and in none of the control children (chi2 = 37.6, p < 0.0001). When correlated with endoscopic findings it was falsely negative in 12 out of 38 patients with endoscopically verified lesions of the stomach or duodenum and falsely positive in 1 out of 4 without lesions. Sensitivity of the test was 68.4%, specificity 97.9%, positive predictive value 96.3%. The test cannot be used as an alternative to endoscopy, but may serve for screening of candidates for it.     

Hereditary pancreatitis: report of an affected Canadian kindred and review of the disease.

Hereditary pancreatitis is an autosomal dominant disease with no other known cause. It usually begins in childhood and is characterized by recurrent attacks of abdominal pain of variable intensity and duration, followed by symptom-free periods. The diagnosis is usually made in early adult life, when pancreatic insufficiency and calcifications appear. Complications are less frequent than in nonhereditary chronic pancreatitis. There are also differences between the two forms of chronic pancreatitis in sex incidence, etiologic factors and life expectancy. In a Canadian kindred three generations are affected with hereditary pancreatitis; there are four definite and four suspected cases. More than 40 affected kindreds, including 195 proven cases and 190 suspected cases, have now been reported in the literature. Thus, hereditary pancreatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic relapsing pancreatitis of unknown cause as well as recurrent abdominal pain in childhood.     

Children with Recurrent Abdominal Pain: How Do They Grow Up?

The results of treatment by reassurance and explanation of 30 children with recurrent abdominal pain have been compared with those in a group of 30 children seen earlier and given no such treatment. Most of the 19 treated children who responded to treatment did so more quickly than the untreated ones, and relapse did not occur in the treated group.     

Psychologically mediated abdominal pain in surgical and medical outpatients clinics.

Ninety-six patients complaining of recurrent or persistent abdominal pain were referred consecutively to a surgical clinic and a medical clinic, respectively. They were examined psychiatrically after their initial physical investigation. The psychiatric examination included rating scales for depression and anxiety, a personality inventory, life-events schedule, scale of verbal expressivity, and family and personal patterns of pain and invalidism. Only 15 patients (15-6%) had organic disorders that could be responsible for their symptoms. In the remainder, psychiatric factors were considered primarily responsible for their abdominal pain: 31 were depressed; 21 had chronic tension; in 17 hysterical mechanisms were prominent; and 12 were found to be unrecognised alcoholics. Follow-up at three and six months and recognition by 80% of the psychogenic group that a psychological explanation was plausible, confirmed the diagnoses, and over half responded favourably to psychiatric management. Features distinguishing the organic and psychogenic groups were delineated. Psychiatric assessment has a place among the investigations of non-acute abdominal pain; certainly it should not be condisered simply as "a last resort."     

Intestinal Volvulus in Idiopathic Steatorrhea

Volvulus of the intestine has recently been observed in three patients with idiopathic steatorrhea in relapse. Two patients gave a history of intermittent abdominal pain, distension and obstipation. Radiographic studies during these attacks revealed obstruction at the level of the sigmoid colon. Reduction under proctoscopic control was achieved in one instance, spontaneous resolution occurring in the other. The third patient presented as a surgical emergency and underwent operative reduction of a small intestinal volvulus. Persistence of diarrhea and weight loss postoperatively led to further investigation and a diagnosis of idiopathic steatorrhea. In all cases, treatment resulted in clinical remission with a coincident disappearance of obstructive intestinal symptoms. The pathogenesis of volvulus in sprue is poorly understood. Atonicity and dilatation of the bowel and stretching of the mesentery likely represent important factors. The symptoms of recurrent abdominal pain and distension in idiopathic steatorrhea necessitate an increased awareness of intestinal volvulus as a complication of this disease.     

肠道菌群与腹泻型肠易激综合征 相关性的研究进展

肠易激综合征(IBS)是一种常见的功能性胃肠道疾病,其特征是反复发作的腹痛,伴随排便频率与大便性状的改变。腹泻为主的肠易激综合征(IBS-D)是其主要亚型,主要表现是腹痛和腹泻。目前IBS-D的发病机制尚不完全明确,但大量的研究提示可能与胃肠道动力紊乱、黏膜通透性和肠上皮屏障功能改变、内脏高敏感性增加、"脑-肠-菌"轴失调、肠道感染与炎症反应激活、精神心理因素异常等有关。随着研究的不断深入,发现肠道菌群与IBS-D的关系密切,调节肠道菌群的益生菌干预成为缓解IBS-D相关症状的手段之一。本研究就近十余年来肠道菌群情况与IBS-D关系的研究现状作一综述。     

On the clinical importance of Dientamoeba fragilis infections in childhood

Clinical and laboratory findings among 123 paediatric patients infected by intestinal protozoa were analysed. Dientamoeba fragilis (D. f) was found in 102 cases. The other patients proved to be carriers of Giardia lamblia or of mixed infections with several protozoa. Acute and recurrent diarrhoea have been found to be the most common symptoms, whereas abdominal pain was most common in children with chronic infections. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was seen in a third of the children with dientamoebiasis. Metronidazole, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, and erythromycin were effective drugs in the treatment of D. f. infections. The therapy coincidentally led to the elimination of protozoal infections as well as the abdominal complaints. These results underline the pathogenic role of D. f. in children with gastrointestinal symptoms.     

Primary Macroglobulinemia: Death due to Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion with Gas in the Portal Venous System

Clinical features presented by a patient with primary macroglobulinemia over a four-year period included cachexia, weight loss, bleeding tendency, anemia, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly and recurrent pulmonary bacterial infections. Immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated the presence of a β₂ macroglobulin which, on ultracentrifugation, was found to have a sedimentation constant of 14.9 S₂₀, w; this macroglobulin constituted over 40% of the total serum protein. Postmortem findings included the typical “naked” lymphocyte infiltration of the reticuloendothelial system, with septic embolization from a terminal Gram-negative bacteremia, associated with a mesenteric vascular occlusion. A feature of particular interest was the antemortem appearance of gas in the portal venous system, shown on two abdominal scout radiographs taken one and two hours before death. The diagnostic significance of this rare radiologic sign is discussed.     

A population-based survey on gastrointestinal tract symptoms and Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents

Background. Helicobacter pylori infection is a frequent infection mainly acquired in childhood. Even if the infection is almost invariably associated with mild to severe gastro‐duodenal lesions, no specific clinical picture has been identified. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of dyspeptic symptoms and their relationship with the presence of H. pylori infection in the first two decades of life. Materials and Methods. A school‐population sample size of 808 subjects from 6‐ to 19‐year‐olds was investigated for the presence of gastrointestinal tract symptoms and evaluated by a ¹³C‐urea breath test for H. pylori infection. The relationship between clinical findings and H. pylori infection was evaluated by χ² statistic or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Results. Symptoms of dyspepsia were identified in 45% of subjects, while the picture of ulcer‐like and dysmotility‐like forms were present in 3–4%. H. pylori infection was demonstrated in 95 (11.8%) subjects, 49.5% of them without symptoms. Severe epigastric pain and ulcer‐like dyspepsia were significantly associated with H. pylori infection, while recurrent abdominal pain or dysmotility‐like dyspepsia were not. Conclusions. Dyspeptic symptoms are frequent in children, and its association with H. pylori infection is more evident than with recurrent abdominal pain. The age at which the infection is acquired seems to be under 6 years of age.     

Use of transcutaneous nerve stimulation in the attacks of acute intermittent porphyria

A 38-year-old female with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) was having regular recurrent premenstrual severe attacks of abdominal and chest pain due to the disease. Low-frequency transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) premenstrually prevented or markedly reduced the severity of clinical attacks, associated with a reduced urinary porphyrin excretion. The possible mechanisms of the TNS-induced effects are discussed. This experience suggests that TNS may be an effective and simple prophylactic method in the management of the attacks in AIP. The method can be administered easily by the patient himself as home-treatment and is free of side-effects.     

Eosinophilia in a patient with cyclical vomiting: a case report

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic gastritis is related to eosinophilic gastroenteritis, varying only in regards to the extent of disease and small bowel involvement. Common symptoms reported are similar to our patient's including: abdominal pain, epigastric pain, anorexia, bloating, weight loss, diarrhea, ankle edema, dysphagia, melaena and postprandial nausea and vomiting. Microscopic features of eosinophilic infiltration usually occur in the lamina propria or submucosa with perivascular aggregates. The disease is likely mediated by eosinophils activated by various cytokines and chemokines. Therapy centers around the use of immunosuppressive agents and dietary therapy if food allergy is a factor. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient is a 31 year old Caucasian female with a past medical history significant for ulcerative colitis. She presented with recurrent bouts of vomiting, abdominal pain and chest discomfort of 11 months duration. The bouts of vomiting had been reoccurring every 7-10 days, with each episode lasting for 1-3 days. This was associated with extreme weakness and cachexia. Gastric biopsies revealed intense eosinophilic infiltration. The patient responded to glucocorticoids and azathioprine. The differential diagnosis and molecular pathogenesis of eosinophilic gastritis as well as the molecular effects of glucocorticoids in eosinophilic disorders are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The patient responded to a combination of glucocorticosteroids and azathioprine with decreased eosinophilia and symptoms. It is likely that eosinophil-active cytokines such as interleukin-3 (IL-3), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-5 play pivotal roles in this disease. Chemokines such as eotaxin may be involved in eosinophil recruitment. These mediators are downregulated or inhibited by the use of immunosuppressive medications.     

伴血嗜酸性粒细胞增高的腹痛临床分析

目的探讨伴血嗜酸性粒细胞(Eosinophil,EOS)增高的腹痛病因、诊断、治疗方法。方法对我院31例伴血EOS增高的腹痛患者的临床表现、实验室检查、特殊检查结果进行分析,总结伴血EOS增高的腹痛病因及治疗方法。结果伴血EOS升高的腹痛的病因以寄生虫、变态反应性疾病为主,此外亦有可能为嗜酸性胃肠炎(Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis,EG)、恶性肿瘤、药物所致,少见病因为炎症性肠病、慢性胰腺炎、特发性嗜酸性细胞增多症(Idiopathic Hypereosinophilic Syndrome,HES)等。大部分EOS升高的腹痛以治疗原发病为主,EG及HES以激素治疗为主。结论伴血EOS升高的腹痛病因多样,大部分病因治疗原发病后EOS可自行下降,EG及HES以激素治疗效果好,作用迅速。     

Preliminary results on the splanchnico-laryngeal reflex in the cat]

Electrical stimulation of low threshold splanchnic afferent nerves in lightly anesthetized cat results in phrenic and recurrent laryngeal nerve responses. Both phrenic and recurrent laryngeal inspiratory nerve activities are inhibited, whereas expiratory recurrent nerve activity is triggered and even increased. The significance of this reflex is discussed in relation to laryngeal adductor muscle contractions and the abdominal pressure increase.     

Diagnosis of an unusual abdominal presentation of granuloma inguinale by fine needle aspiration cytology

A 63-year-old Hispanic man from Peru who recently had immigrated to the United States presented with progressive weakness, weight loss, recurrent abdominal pain and passing bright red blood per rectum. Rectal carcinoma was suspected. Biopsies of two lesions in the sigmoid colon showed granuloma inguinale (donovanosis). A computed tomographic scan of the abdomen revealed a large presacral mass. A radiographically guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the presacral mass showed findings characteristic of granuloma inguinale. FNA thus proved to be a useful adjuvant in the diagnosis of an unusual case of granuloma inguinale (donovanosis) presenting with a presacral mass that had the radiologic characteristics of a malignant tumor.     

益生菌和思密达辅助治疗溃疡性结肠炎的研究进展

溃疡性结肠炎（ulcerative colitis,UC）是一种反复发作腹痛、腹泻、黏液便和血便的直肠和结肠慢性非特异性炎症性疾病,其发病原因和致病机制仍不明确。UC尚无确切根治方案,目前临床上以维持缓解、预防复发为治疗手段。近年来研究表明,UC与肠道菌群失调、肠道屏障功能缺陷具有密切联系,于是,关于益生菌制剂及思密达对UC治疗作用的研究备受重视。本文对近年来益生菌制剂及思密达辅助治疗UC的研究进展进行综述。     

Altered trunk muscle coordination during rapid trunk flexion in people in remission of recurrent low back pain

People with a history of low back pain (LBP) are at high risk to encounter additional LBP episodes. During LBP remission, altered trunk muscle control has been suggested to negatively impact spinal health. As sudden LBP onset is commonly reported during trunk flexion, the aim of the current study is to investigate whether dynamic trunk muscle recruitment is altered in LBP remission. Eleven people in remission of recurrent LBP and 14 pain free controls performed cued trunk flexion during a loaded and unloaded condition. Electromyographic activity was recorded from paraspinal (lumbar and thoracic erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, deep and superficial multifidus) and abdominal muscles (obliquus internus, externus and rectus abdominis) with surface and fine-wire electrodes. LBP participants exhibited higher levels of co-contraction of flexor/extensor muscles, lower agonistic abdominal and higher antagonistic paraspinal muscle activity than controls, both when data were analyzed in grouped and individual muscle behavior. A sub-analysis in people with unilateral LBP (n = 6) pointed to opposing changes in deep and superficial multifidus in relation to the pain side. These results suggest that dynamic trunk muscle control is modified during LBP remission, and might possibly increase spinal load and result in earlier muscle fatigue due to intensified muscle usage. These negative consequences for spinal health could possibly contribute to recurrence of LBP.     

Irritable bowel syndrome: a review on the role of intestinal protozoa and the importance of their detection and diagnosis

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder in which abdominal pain is associated with a defect or a change in bowel habits. Gut inflammation is one of the proposed mechanisms of pathogenesis. Recent studies have described a possible role for protozoan parasites, such as Blastocystis hominis and Dientamoeba fragilis, in the etiology of IBS. Dientamoeba fragilis is known to cause IBS-like symptoms and has a propensity to cause chronic infections but its diagnosis relies on microscopy of stained smears, which many laboratories do not perform, thereby leading to the misdiagnosis of dientamoebiasis as IBS. The role of B. hominis as an etiological agent of IBS is inconclusive, due to contradictory reports and the controversial nature of B. hominis as a human pathogen. Although Entamoeba histolytica infections occur predominately in developing regions of the world, clinical diagnosis of amebiasis is often difficult because symptoms of patients with IBS may closely mimic those patients with non-dysenteric amoebic colitis. Clinical manifestations of Giardia intestinalis infection also vary from asymptomatic carriage to acute and chronic diarrhoea with abdominal pain. These IBS-like symptoms can be continuous, intermittent, sporadic or recurrent, sometimes lasting years without correct diagnosis. It is essential that all patients with IBS undergo routine parasitological investigations in order to rule out the presence of protozoan parasites as the causative agents of the clinical signs.