morphometric analysis of the rectal mucosa in untreated coeliac sprue

Rectal mucosal biopsies from 27 subjects with untreated coeliac sprue and 34 subjects with irritable bowel syndrome were studied. The comparison included intraepithelial lymphocytes [IEL], immunoglobin. [Ig] containing cells, mucosal mast cells and eosinophils. subjects with coeliac sprue showed significantly increased number of intraepithelial lymphocytes, while other cell counts were only slightly increased, It is concluded that proctitis in untreated coeliacs is minimal, the increased intraepithelial lymphocyte counts may provide a diagnostic implication if the rectal biopsies looked otherwise normal

Post prandial changes in pulmonary gas exchange and ventilation in COPD patients after high carbohydrate and high fat diet

This study has been carried out on 14 stable cases of COPD and 8 normal controls in order to assess the pattern of pulmonary gas exchange on ventilation in response to a high-carbohydrate diet and then after a high fat diet. The response was different between normal subjects and patients on one hand, and between the 2 diets on the other hand. In controls, after a high carbohydrate diet, VO[2], VCO[2], RQ and end-tidal CO[2] rised with a significant difference from values obtained following the high fat diet, VE did not arise significantly. On the other hand, all parameters raised significantly in patients after the high carbohydrate load, except for end-tidal CO[2]. VE markedly increased in patients which adds a further burden on their already deranged pulmonary performance. In contrast, normal subjects reacted by an increase in end-tidal CO[2] leading to a maintained P[a]CO[2] level. The study concluded that high fat diet may be of benefit to cases of COPD, and high carbohydrate loads are better avoided. This conclusion seems to be important to dieticians and people taking care of nutrition of COPD patients

Urodynamic study of vesico-urethral dysfunction following abdomino-perineal resection of the rectum for cancer

Vesicourethral dysfunction following APR in 14 cases out of 36 cases [39%] was studied urodynamically by combined pressure-flow and electromyography. Detrusor areflexia was found in all of the 14 cases, while the external sphincter was normal in 9 cases, areflexic in 3 cases and atonic in 2 cases. The functional status of the striated external sphincter is the decisive factor for the proper management. While, prostatic obstruction is the second factor. Cases of detrusor areflexia associated with a normal external sphincter have been successfully managed by urecholine therapy, but those who had prostatic obstruction in addition needed TUR prior to cholinergic stimulation. Cases with combined detrusor and external sphincter areflexia responded well to intermittent catheterization. Prostatectomy resulted in an incontinence of urine in one of the cases with atonic external sphincter