Efficacy of endosonographic method in determining the stage and deepth of gastrointestinal cancers

Background and Objective: The staging of gastrointestinal cancer has an important role in the treatment of tumor. This study was done to determine the efficacy of endosonography method for determining the stage and deepth of esophagus and stomach cancers. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, endosonographic staging was performed in 23 patients (15 male and 8 female) with esophagus and stomach cancers, confirmed with pathologic findings in Taleghani hospital, Tehran, Iran during 2002-04. The results of surgical staging compared to preoperative endosonographic method. Results: Mean age of 23 patients was 57.2 years (43-72 years). 30% and 70% of the patients had esophageal and gastric cancers, respectively. The accuracy of endosonographic staging of esophagus and stomach cancers was 82%. The accuracy of diagnosis, positive and negative predictive value of cancers in assessment of the depth of the tumor by endosonography procedure were 79.4%, 69.6% and 84.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Endosonography is a precise method for evaluating depth and staging of tumor and lymph node involvement

Gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal presentation in patients with celiac disease

Background: Celiac disease (CD) may have a variety of different presentations. This study has aimed to explore the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI symptoms in patients with CD according to data collected in Italy and Romania (Europe) and Iran (Middle East). Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in Iran, Romania and Italy with data collection during the period from May 2009 – May 2011. For each center we included only patients with CD that was con¿rmed by endoscopy, small bowel biopsies and positive serology. GI symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting, weight loss and Àatulence, as well as additional signs and symptoms of iron de¿ciency anemia (IDA), osteoporosis, hypertransaminasemia, and other related abnormalities were collected. Results: Overall, 323 women and 127 men, whose mean age at diagnosis was 34.2 ± 16.47 years were included in this study. Of these, 157 subjects (34.9%) reported at least one GI symptom. The majority of cases had the following primary presenting GI symptoms: diarrhea (13.6%), dyspepsia and constipation (4.0%). Other disease symptoms were reported by 168 (37.3%) patients. The most presenting non-GI symptoms in the majority of cases were anemia (20.7%) and osteopenia (6%). There were statistically signi¿cant differences between the majority of symptoms when we compared the reported clinical symptoms from different countries. Conclusion: This study indicated that upper abdominal disorders such as abdominal pain and dyspepsia were the most common primary complaints among European patients, whereas Iranian patients had complaints of diarrhea and bloating as the classic presentations of CD. For non-GI symptoms, anemia was the most frequent complaint for both Iranian and Italian patients; however it was significantly higher in Iranians

Gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal presentation in patients with celiac disease.

Background: Celiac disease (CD) may have a variety of different presentations. This study has aimed to explore the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI symptoms in patients with CD according to data collected in Italy and Romania (Europe) and Iran (Middle East). Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in Iran, Romania and Italy with data collection during the period from May 2009 \u2013 May 2011. For each center we included only patients with CD that was con\ubfrmed by endoscopy, small bowel biopsies and positive serology. GI symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, nausea and vomiting, weight loss and \uc0atulence, as well as additional signs and symptoms of iron de\ubfciency anemia (IDA), osteoporosis, hypertransaminasemia, and other related abnormalities were collected. Results: Overall, 323 women and 127 men, whose mean age at diagnosis was 34.2 \ub1 16.47 years were included in this study. Of these, 157 subjects (34.9%) reported at least one GI symptom. The majority of cases had the following primary presenting GI symptoms: diarrhea (13.6%), dyspepsia and constipation (4.0%). Other disease symptoms were reported by 168 (37.3%) patients. The most presenting non-GI symptoms in the majority of cases were anemia (20.7%) and osteopenia (6%). There were statistically signi\ubfcant differences between the majority of symptoms when we compared the reported clinical symptoms from different countries. Conclusion: This study indicated that upper abdominal disorders such as abdominal pain and dyspepsia were the most common primary complaints among European patients, whereas Iranian patients had complaints of diarrhea and bloating as the classic presentations of CD. For non-GI symptoms, anemia was the most frequent complaint for both Iranian and Italian patients; however it was significantly higher in Iranians