179 research outputs found
CORRELATES TO ABDOMINAL PAIN IN CONSTIPATION PREVALENT IBS PATIENTS
Background and aim: Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have
been associated to altered motility and sensation. In constipated prevalent-IBS
patients, a clear association between bowel habit and abdominal pain remains
to be established, and it is not known whether factors related to patients daily
life may play a role in symptoms generation.
Our aim was to evaluate the association between abdominal pain, bowel
habit, demographic factors, alimentary/voluptuary habits and colonic transit
in constipated-IBS patients.
Material and methods: 68 patients complaining of chronic constipation were
selected on the basis of the Rome 3 criteria for IBS. Colonic transit time
(CTT) was studied and alimentary attitudes and smoking habit were recorded.
Presence of mild or severe abdominal pain was scored, as well as the prevalent
pain characteristics, defined as diffuse or localized, chronic or acute, with
cramps or gradually distending. Data were analysed by univariate and stepwise
multiple logistic regression analysis was also used to verify the risk association
between pain and all other variables.
Results: 40 patients were classified as constipated and 28 had alternating
evacuation. Constipated patients had a lower scholar degree, consumed more
laxatives, had a longer transit time in the right colon and scored more
chronic pain than alternating ones, but it was not confirmed by multivariate
analysis. When severity of abdominal pain was used as discriminating factor,
a significant number of subjects reporting severe pain were males (16/30 vs
4/38, p<0.01) and smokers (20/30 vs 4/38, p<0.001). Multivariate analysis
confirmed that only smoking was an independent factor associated with severe
abdominal pain (OR 14.3, CI 2–99, p= 0.007).
Conclusions: Abdominal pain is similarly reported by constipated or alternating
IBS patients and it is not associated with colonic transit time
or demographics. Smoking is the only factor constantly and independently
associated to severe abdominal pain. As smoking does not seem likely to
affect colonic transit time we suggest that smoking may act on the visceral
perception in IBS-constipated patients
ACHALASIA TREATMENT IMPROVES SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY OF LIFE: VALIDATION OF AN ACHALASIA SPECIFIC QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE
Background and aim:
Therapies for achalasia aim to patients’ symptom
relief, but they affect patient’s quality of life (QoL), too. An ad hoc question-
naire evaluating both achalasia-related symptoms and disease related QoL is
lacking.
Aim: To validate a disease specific QoL questionnaire in perspectively
evaluated Italian achalasia patients.
Material and methods:
22 consecutive achalasia patients (4 men, age range
19–86 years) were included in the study. At baseline a structured question-
naire was used to evaluate both esophageal symptoms and disease specific
QoL. Questionnaire graded achalasia-related symptoms severity (dysphagia for solids and liquids, food regurgitation, chest pain, nocturnal cough) from 0
to 3, based on their impact on daily activities. Also a disease specific QoL was
evaluated by a self administred questionnaire, the AE-18, that investigated
four domains (physical, psychological and social functioning, and sleep dis-
turbance). Scores for each item range from 1
(“always”) to 5 (“never”); higher
scores corresponding to better quality of life. All patients were questioned
before, 1 and 6 months after a specific t
reatment regimen, that according
to patients clinical status consisted in pneumatic dilation, botulinum toxin
injection or surgical myotomy.
Results:
Patients within each specific treatment groups were the following
(3/22 surgical myotomy, 14/22 pneumatic dilation and 5/22 Botox injections,
respectively. In the table are reported the baseline demographics and achalasia-
related symptoms’ severity and QoL (data are expressed as mean
±
SD) within
each treatments group.
Table 1
Surgery group Dilation group Botox group p
Age at diagnosis
42.3
±
6.5 42.3
±
13 81.8
±
4.8
<
0.001
Age at onset of symptoms
39.3
±
7.5 40.3
±
12.4 80.8
±
5.6
<
0.001
Dysphagia for solids
2.7
±
0.6 2.2
±
0.7 2.2
±
0.5 0.5
Dysphagia for liquids
2.0
±
1.0 2.1
±
0.7 2.2
±
0.5 0.9
Regurgitation of undigested food 1.0
±
1.7 0.7
±
0.8 0.6
±
1.3 0.8
Chest pain
0.7
±
1.1 1.1
±
1.1 1.0
±
1.4 0.8
Nocturnal cough
1.3
±
1.5 1.3
±
1.2 1.0
±
1.4 0.9
AE-18 total score
54
±
14 53
±
12 53
±
11 0.9
At both 1 and 6 months of the follow-up, the severity mean scores of dysphagia
achalasia-related symptoms severity were significantly reduced compared to
baseline (p
<
0.05). Similarly, the AE-18 total score was significantly improved
(p
<
0.001).
Conclusions:
We showed that therapy-induced improvement of achalasia-
related symptoms correlate with a significant improvement of patients quality
of life as assessed by a specific questionnaire
INTRA-DUODENAL RELEASE OF A BITTER COMPOUND DECREASES CALORIC INTAKE IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS
Background and aim: α-gustducin and bitter taste receptors (T2R) are
expressed both in the oral cavity and in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Experimental
data showed that bitter tastants induce the release of gut hormones
from enteroendocrine cells in the gut, suggesting a possible role of bitter taste
receptors in the control of food intake and GI functions. We aimed to test the
effects of a bitter taste receptor agonist on food intake and GI feelings.
Material and methods: We enrolled 19 healthy subjects (9 males, age 27±7,
BMI 24±6) in a double-blind placebo controlled study. Each subject randomly
received an acid-resistant capsule containing placebo or 18 mg of quinine
HCl. 60 minutes after capsule administration, the subjects underwent to an ad
libitum test, until the maximum satiation. Meal test was composed by white
bread, cheese and meat cream (89 kcal/portion: 50% carbohydrate, 31% fat,
19% protein). Caloric intake, meal duration and satiation levels, scored on a
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were calculated at the end of the meal test. A
questionnaire assessing GI sensations (bloating, fullness, nausea, epigastric
discomfort and hunger) was administered before and at the end of the test.
Data (mean ± SD) were compared by using paired t test.
Results: No oral bitter sensation or side effects was observed both with
quinine HCland placebo. No significant differences in terms of GI sensations
and hunger feelings were observed between the two sessions of the study. The
amount of calories ingested was significantly lower when subjects received
quinine HCl than placebo (564±262 vs 667±278 kcal; p=0.02). Conversely,
quinine HCl did not affect the meal duration (14.4±4.2 vs 16.6±4.6 min;
p=NS) and the satiationintensity (82 vs 82 mm; p=NS).
Conclusions: The intra-duodenal release of a bitter compound significantly decreases
caloric intake in an ad libitum test meal without affecting GI sensations
and hunger feeling. As the bitter compound does not influence meal duration,
we hypothesize that quinine HCl decreases the caloric intake by affecting the
rate of meal portions consumption. Evaluation of gut hormones kinetics and
studies with other bitter taste receptor agonist are needed to establish the role
of gastrointestinal bitter taste receptor in the control of food intak
CHRONIC CONSTIPATION IS A RISK FACTOR FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME
Background and aim: A recent epidemiologic survey in the U.S. provides
indirect evidence that constipation is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease
in postmenopausal females. To characterize the related factors involved in
and to further analyse if this assumption also applies to an Italian population,
we studied the impact of chronic constipation on ischemic cardiopathy and
predisposing risk factors in a large population of female patients in a primary
care setting.
Material and methods: We retrospectively evaluated 754 female patients
(mean age 46±20 years) on data file of a primary care setting. All subjects
requiring medical referral for constipation were screened and presence
of chronic constipation was confirmed by standardized questionnaires. The
presence of clinical and/or instrumental diagnosis of ischemic cardiopathy,
metabolic syndrome, diabetes and blood hypertension was scored in patients
with and without chronic constipation. In all patients the consumption of
drugs potentially delaying colonic transit (calcium channel blockers and
beta blockers) was recorded. Patients on opioid or analgesic treatment were
excluded.
Results: The overall prevalence of chronic constipation was 9.4% (71/754)
with the age being similar in patients with and without constipation (46±19
vs. 51±22, p=NS). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly
higher in subjects with chronic constipation (5/66 vs 16/667, OR=3.1, 95%
CI 1.1–8.9, p=0.03). Conversely, prevalence of diabetes, blood hypertension,
ischemic cardiopathy was similar in patients with and without constipation
(59/624 vs 10/61; 204/478 vs 28/43; 46/637 vs 6/65, respectively p= all NS).
No significant difference was also observed as far as calcium channel blockers
(64/619 vs 9/62) and beta blockers (81/602 vs 9/62) consumption in patients
with or without constipation respectively.
Conclusions: We showed that chronic constipation is a risk factor for
metabolic syndrome in female patients. Although we did not find any significant
association between chronic constipation and ischemic cardiopathy, our
findings support the hypothesis that constipation may act as cardiovascular
risk factor. Whether this association is dependent on dietary or hormonal
factors deserves further investigation
X-ray emission from the Sombrero galaxy: discrete sources
We present a study of discrete X-ray sources in and around the
bulge-dominated, massive Sa galaxy, Sombrero (M104), based on new and archival
Chandra observations with a total exposure of ~200 ks. With a detection limit
of L_X = 1E37 erg/s and a field of view covering a galactocentric radius of ~30
kpc (11.5 arcminute), 383 sources are detected. Cross-correlation with Spitler
et al.'s catalogue of Sombrero globular clusters (GCs) identified from HST/ACS
observations reveals 41 X-rays sources in GCs, presumably low-mass X-ray
binaries (LMXBs). We quantify the differential luminosity functions (LFs) for
both the detected GC and field LMXBs, whose power-low indices (~1.1 for the
GC-LF and ~1.6 for field-LF) are consistent with previous studies for
elliptical galaxies. With precise sky positions of the GCs without a detected
X-ray source, we further quantify, through a fluctuation analysis, the GC LF at
fainter luminosities down to 1E35 erg/s. The derived index rules out a
faint-end slope flatter than 1.1 at a 2 sigma significance, contrary to recent
findings in several elliptical galaxies and the bulge of M31. On the other
hand, the 2-6 keV unresolved emission places a tight constraint on the field
LF, implying a flattened index of ~1.0 below 1E37 erg/s. We also detect 101
sources in the halo of Sombrero. The presence of these sources cannot be
interpreted as galactic LMXBs whose spatial distribution empirically follows
the starlight. Their number is also higher than the expected number of cosmic
AGNs (52+/-11 [1 sigma]) whose surface density is constrained by deep X-ray
surveys. We suggest that either the cosmic X-ray background is unusually high
in the direction of Sombrero, or a distinct population of X-ray sources is
present in the halo of Sombrero.Comment: 11 figures, 5 tables, ApJ in pres
Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays
The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device
in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken
during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the
number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for
all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The
efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments
reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per
layer is approximately 5 ns
Aligning the CMS Muon Chambers with the Muon Alignment System during an Extended Cosmic Ray Run
Peer reviewe
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