Abdominal tuberculosis: Diagnosis and demographics, a 10-year retrospective review from a single centre.

AIM: To review all cases of abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) for demographic details, diagnostic work up and evidence of vitamin D deficiency. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of all patients diagnosed with ATB from June 2003 to August 2013 at St George's Hospital, London. Demographic data was available from the local tuberculosis database. Further clinical information was collected from electronic patient records, including radiology, endoscopy, microbiology, histology, biochemistry and serology. Patients were classified as either confirmed ATB [if mycobacteria tuberculosis (MTB) was cultured from abdominal site] or presumed ATB (if suggestive findings or high clinical suspicion). Subtypes of ATB were classified as tuberculosis (TB) peritonitis, luminal TB, solid organ TB or from a combination of sites. RESULTS: There were a total of 65 cases identified in this time period, with a mean of 6.5 cases per year (range 4-9). Mean age 42 years, 49.2% females. Fifty-two point three percent were South Asian, 38.5% African. Forty-nine point two percent had gastrointestinal endoscopy, 30.8% paracentesis and 24.6% surgery in order to obtain samples. Forty-seven point seven percent were defined as confirmed ATB with positive culture of MTB from abdominal sites, the rest were treated as presumed ATB. Twenty-four point six percent had co-existing sputum culture positive for MTB, and 30.8% had an abnormal chest X-ray. Subtypes of ATB: 35.4% had TB peritonitis; 27.7% luminal TB; 3.1% solid organ TB; and 33.8% TB at a combination of abdominal sites. Thirteen point nine percent were human immunodeficiency virus positive, all with CD4 count less than 300 cells/μL. Seventy point five percent had severe vitamin D deficiency, and 25% were vitamin D deficient. CONCLUSION: ATB mainly affects young South Asian and African patients, with difficulties in confirming diagnosis despite a range of non-invasive and invasive diagnostic tests

Gastrointestinal symptoms in acromegaly: A case control study

BACKGROUND Acromegaly is a chronic disease caused by a pituitary somatotroph adenoma resulting in excess secretion of growth hormone, which leads to excess secretion of Insulin like growth factor 1 from the liver, causing abnormal soft tissue growth. There is increasing awareness that diseases affecting connective tissue are associated with an increase in functional gastrointestinal symptoms. Data was collected from patients with a confirmed diagnosis of acromegaly to evaluate the intensity, variety and impact of abdominal symptoms in comparison with a control group who were healthy participants recruited from the local fracture clinic. AIM To evaluate the frequency type and burden of abdominal symptoms in acromegaly in comparison with a control group. METHODS Medical documentation of patients with a diagnosis of acromegaly treated in one tertiary medical centre between 2010 and 2017 has been analysed. Data was collected from patients with confirmed acromegaly, using the Short Form Health Survey (SF36) and Rome IV Diagnostic questionnaire for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Adults (R4DQ) and compared to a sex- and age-matched control group, to assess the burden of abdominal symptoms. Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS v 25 were used for data analysis. RESULTS Fifty patients with acromegaly (24 male and 26 females; age range 23-64 years, mean 43) and 200 controls (96 male and 104 females; age range 18-84, mean 42.4) were recruited. 92% (46 out of 50) of patients with acromegaly reported abdominal symptoms and 78% (39 out of 50) had at least one functional gastrointestinal disorder according to the Rome IV diagnostic criteria, compared to 16% of controls (OR > 1, P 1, P 1, P < 0.001) as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION Upper and lower functional gastrointestinal tract disorders (defined by Rome IV diagnostic criteria) are significantly more prevalent in patients with acromegaly compared with healthy age and sex matched controls in our study. Functional constipation is the most commonly reported problem. Poorer quality of life may in part be attributable to the increased prevalence of abdominal symptoms

Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Marfan Syndrome and Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Objective: Marfan syndrome (MS) is a multisystem disorder caused by a mutation in FBN1 gene. It shares some phenotypic features with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) such as joint hypermobility. EDS is a group of inherited heterogenous multisystem disorders characterized by skin hyperextensibility, atrophic scarring, joint hypermobility, and generalized tissue fragility. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is thought to be the most common type. Recent studies have suggested an association between connective tissue hypermobility and functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGDs). The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with Marfan syndrome and hypermobile EDS. Method: Patients with a diagnosis of either MS or hEDS attending cardiology or rheumatology outpatients at our hospital were asked to complete SF36 RAND and Rome IV Diagnostic questionnaires. Questionnaires were also completed by patients who are members of Marfan Association UK. The same questionnaires were also completed by age- and gender-matched controls attending fracture clinic without existing diagnoses of MS or hEDS. Results: Data were collected from 45 MS patients (12 males and 33 females, age range 19-41 years, mean 28 years) and 45 hEDS patients (6 males and 39 females, age range 18-32 years, mean 24 years). None had a previous organic gastrointestinal diagnosis. The control group was matched for age and sex (18 males and 72 females, age range 18-45, mean 29 years). Both MS and hEDS groups showed a higher prevalence of abdominal symptoms compared to the control group; however, the hEDS group not only showed a higher prevalence but more frequent and severe symptoms meeting Rome IV criteria for diagnosis of FGIDs. Nearly half of the hEDS patients met the criteria for more than one FGID. The hEDS group also scored lower on quality of life (QOL) scores in comparison to either of the other groups with a mean score of 48.6 as compared to 54.2 in the Marfan group and 78.6 in the control group. Conclusion: FGIDs are reported in both Marfan syndrome and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome but appear to be more common and severe in hEDS. These patients score lower on quality of life scores as well despite hypermobility being a common feature of both conditions. Further work is needed to understand the impact of connective tissue disorders on gastrointestinal symptoms

Emerging role of colorectal mucus in gastroenterology diagnostics.

Colonoscopy is currently the gold standard for diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). This has the obvious drawback of being invasive as well as carrying a small risk. The most widely used non-invasive approaches include the use of faecal calprotectin in the case of IBD and fecal immunochemical test in the case of CRC. However, the necessity of stool collection limits their acceptability for some patients. Over the recent years, there has been emerging data looking at the role of non-invasively obtained colorectal mucus as a screening and diagnostic tool in IBD and CRC. It has been shown that the mucus rich material obtained by self-sampling of anal surface following defecation, can be used to measure various biomarkers that can aid in diagnosis of these conditions

Using clinical cases to guide healthcare.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) has been the gold standard in healthcare for nearly three centuries and aims to assist physicians in providing the safest and most effective healthcare for their patients. The well-established hierarchy of evidence lists systematic reviews and meta-analyses at the top however these methodologies are not always appropriate or possible and in these instances case-control studies, case series and case reports are utilised to support EBP. Case-control studies allow simultaneous study of multiple risk factors and can be performed rapidly and relatively cheaply. A recent example was during the Coronavirus pandemic where case-control studies were used to assess the efficacy of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Case series and case reports also play a role in EBP and are particularly useful to study rare diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease in transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. They are also vital in generating and disseminating early signals and encouraging further research. Whilst these methodologies have weaknesses, particularly with regards to bias and loss of patient confidentiality for rare pathologies, they have an important part to play in EBP and when appropriately utilised can significantly impact upon clinical practice

Minimally invasive treatment of patients with bronchobiliary fistula: a case series

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Bronchobiliary fistula is an uncommon complication secondary to hepatobiliary surgery. Bilioptysis is a pathognomic finding for bronchobiliary fistulas. Diagnosis may be easily established in the light of clinical history, which can be aided by imaging studies to pinpoint the exact location. Some diagnostic procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatectomy are also useful for treatment.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present three Turkish patients with bronchobiliary fistula secondary to previous hepatic surgery due to hydatid cyst in two, a 19-year-old and a 47-year-old man, and iatrogenic trauma of the common bile duct by endoscopy in a 35-year-old man. All of the patients were successfully treated by minimally invasive methods including percutaneous drainage and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We suggest that bronchobiliary fistula could be managed through conservative treatment methods which do not require in-hospital follow-up, particularly in uncomplicated cases. Otherwise, surgical management can be unavoidable.</p

Faecal calprotectin: factors affecting levels and its potential role as a surrogate marker for risk of development of Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Faecal calprotectin (FC) is one of the most widely used non-invasive tests for the diagnosis and assessment of Crohn's disease (CD) activity. Despite this, factors other than disease activity which affect levels have not been extensively reviewed. This is of importance when using FC in the diagnostic setting but also may be of utility in studying the aetiology of disease. OBJECTIVES: Our review outlines environmental risk factors that affect FC levels influencing diagnostic accuracy and how these may be associated with risk of developing CD. FC as a surrogate marker could be used to validate risk factors established in case control studies where prospective studies are not feasible. Proof of this concept is provided by our identification of obesity as being associated with elevated FC, our subsequent confirmation of obesity as risk factor for CD and the subsequent verification in prospective studies, as well as associations of lack of physical activity and dietary fibre intake with elevated FC levels and their subsequent confirmation as risk factors in prospective studies. CONCLUSION: We believe that FC is likely to prove a useful surrogate marker for risk of developing CD. This review has given a theoretical basis for considering the epidemiological determinants of CD which to date has been missing