Misdiagnosis due to gastrointestinal symptoms in an adolescent with probable autonomic status epilepticus and Panayiotopoulos syndrome

Panayiotopoulos syndrome is a common benign epilepsy affecting otherwise healthy children that present with autonomic seizures, in which nausea, retching, and vomiting are particularly common and prominent. Because of the unusual ictal symptoms and lengthy manifestations, misdiagnosis is a common major problem. We describe a young girl with intractable and lengthy vomiting attacks, several admissions to hospitals, and extensive gastroenterological workup for several years from early childhood. On all previous occasions the diagnosis varied from psychosomatic disease, to functional dyspepsia. to cyclic vomiting syndrome. The possibility of autonomic epileptic seizures and Panayiotopoulos syndrome, though likely, was not considered. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Gastrointestinal Involvement in Behcet Disease

Behcet disease (BD) is a variable vessel vasculitis that can involve several organs and systems. Gastrointestinal (GI) involvement has an acute exacerbating course with ulcers, most commonly in the ileocolonic area. These ulcers can be large and deep, causing perforation and massive bleeding. This article highlights the current knowledge on the epidemiology, clinical findings, diagnosis, and management of GI involvement of BD, with emphasis on recent findings

Serum YKL-40 as a marker of disease activity and stricture formation in patients with Crohn's disease

Background and Aim: YKL-40 is secreted by macrophages and neutrophils and is a growth factor for vascular endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Elevated serum levels of YKL-40 have been reported in patients with various inflammatory conditions and ongoing fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum concentrations of YKL-40 and disease activity, acute phase reactants, and the presence of strictures in patients with Crohn's disease (CD)

Hyperhomocysteinemia in inflammatory bowel disease patients without past intestinal resections - Correlations with cobalamin, pyridoxine, folate concentrations, acute phase reactants, disease activity, and prior thromboembolic complications

Objective: Homocysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid formed during the demethylation of methionine and high levels of this amino acid is a known risk factor for both arterial and also venous thromboembolic complications. Deficiencies of cobalamin, folate, and pyridoxine may predispose subjects to hyperhomocysteinemia, a common phenomenon in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence, risk factors of hyperhomocysteinemia and its correlation with prior thromboembolic events in an IBD cohort without past intestinal resections