The Relationship between Endoscopic Degrees and Prognostic Factors in Pseudomebranous Colitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Leukocytosis and hypoalbuminemia are known to be poor prognostic factors. The aim of this study was to determine how the leukocyte counts and albumin level are related to the colonic endoscopic findings. METHODS: Fifty three pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) patients confirmed by a lower endoscopy were analyzed. Endoscopic degree of pseudomembranous plaque was classified into four grades. The endoscopic severity was classified into two groups (group A: G I~II, group B: G III~IV). RESULTS: The mean age was 64.9 years, the mean onset of diarrhea after exposure to antibiotics was 12.9 days, the reasons for admission were medical (58.5%, 31) and surgical (41.5%, 22). Frequently the causative antibiotic was cephalosporin (81.1%, 43/53), and the mean WBC counts and albumin level were 13,045/mm3 and 3.13 g/dL, respectively. The endoscopic degrees of PMC was grade I (9.4%, 5), grade II (32.1%, 17), grade III (41.5%, 22), and grade IV (17%, 9). The patients' WBC counts and albumin level were not associated with the endoscopic severity. The age, gender, causative antibiotics, diabetes showed no correlation. CONCLUSIONS: There were no correlations between the known poor clinical prognostic factors (leukocystosis and hypoalbuminemia) and the endoscopic severity.

The Usefulness of Positional Change in Endoscopic Hemostasis for Bleeding Dieulafoy's Lesion / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dieulafoy's lesion is a rare cause of massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding, most commonly in the proximal stomach. Although the mechanical hemostatic method has been widely used, it is difficult to access for complete application. This study evaluated the utility of a positional change in patients with a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion. METHODS: Between January 2003 and March 2004, 15 patients with a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion were randomly assigned to either a positional change group (right decubitus or supine, n=7) or a left decubitus group (n=8). The demographic characteristics, endoscopic variables, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients' characteristics at entry were similar in both groups. Initial hemostasis was achieved in all patients. Recurrent bleeding developed in only one patients in the left decubitus group. The mean procedure time was significantly shorter in the positional change group than in the left decubitus group (4.5+/-3.4 min vs. 7.4+/-5.2 min, p<0.05). The ineffective hemoclip number (respectively, 0.3+/-0.1 vs. 1.4+/-1.2, p<0.05) was significantly different in the two groups. No major procedure-related complications occurred in the positional change group. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic hemostasis with a positional change is an effective and safe method for treating in a bleeding Dieulafoy's lesion.

Evaluation of Colon Pattern using Virtual CT Colonoscopy in Patients with Difficult Colonscopic Insertion / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The successful colonoscopic insertion has been predicted by several clinical factors including female gender, obesity, poor bowel preparation, and a history of surgery. In addition, anatomical differences, such as Kudo's pattern (B, C of the sigmoid colon), rotation of the hepatic and splenic flexure, and the diameter of the sigmoid colon have also been considered to affect the success of colonoscopic insertion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical factors using virtual CT colonscopy in the case where the colonoscopic insertion is difficult. METHODS: From April 2005 to June 2005, 32 patients who experienced a delayed insertion time > or =10 minutes during colonoscopy (Group I) and other 34 patients whose insertion time was <10 minutes (Group II) were examined by virtual CT colonoscopy. The shape of the sigmoid colon was compared with Kudo's pattern, rotation of hepatic (HFR) and splenic flexure (SFR), and the diameter of the most distended sigmoid colon at the supine position (SCD) in both groups. Excessive SFR or HFR was defined if the splenic flexure or hepatic flexure was rotated by more than 360 degrees from the natural course of the colon. RESULTS: There were significant differences between group I (M : F=16 : 16, mean age: 61.7+/-13.8, SCD: 40.9+/-7.4 mm) and group II (M : F=25 : 9, mean age: 46.9+/-11.4, SCD: 39.7+/-7.2 mm) in terms of gender, age, BMI (24.1+/-3.5 kg/m2 in group I, 23.5+/-2.1 kg/m2 in group II), and the colonoscopic insertion time (18.1 minutes in group I, 6.3 minutes in group II). The Kudo's pattern was as follows: pattern A : B : C=23.3% : 36.7% : 40.0% in group I, and pattern A : B : C=50.0% : 37.5% : 12.5% in group II. Excessive rotation of the splenic flexure was 50% in group I, and 21.9% in group II. However, there were no clinical significant difference in bowel preparation, sedation, previous bowel operation, the type of cathartics and SCD. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical differences can affect a difficult colonoscopic insertion, which includes shape of the sigmoid colon, excessive rotation of the splenic flexure. However a further large randomized trial study will be needed.

Evaluation of Colon Pattern using Virtual CT Colonoscopy in Patients with Difficult Colonscopic Insertion / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The successful colonoscopic insertion has been predicted by several clinical factors including female gender, obesity, poor bowel preparation, and a history of surgery. In addition, anatomical differences, such as Kudo's pattern (B, C of the sigmoid colon), rotation of the hepatic and splenic flexure, and the diameter of the sigmoid colon have also been considered to affect the success of colonoscopic insertion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomical factors using virtual CT colonscopy in the case where the colonoscopic insertion is difficult. METHODS: From April 2005 to June 2005, 32 patients who experienced a delayed insertion time > or =10 minutes during colonoscopy (Group I) and other 34 patients whose insertion time was <10 minutes (Group II) were examined by virtual CT colonoscopy. The shape of the sigmoid colon was compared with Kudo's pattern, rotation of hepatic (HFR) and splenic flexure (SFR), and the diameter of the most distended sigmoid colon at the supine position (SCD) in both groups. Excessive SFR or HFR was defined if the splenic flexure or hepatic flexure was rotated by more than 360 degrees from the natural course of the colon. RESULTS: There were significant differences between group I (M : F=16 : 16, mean age: 61.7+/-13.8, SCD: 40.9+/-7.4 mm) and group II (M : F=25 : 9, mean age: 46.9+/-11.4, SCD: 39.7+/-7.2 mm) in terms of gender, age, BMI (24.1+/-3.5 kg/m2 in group I, 23.5+/-2.1 kg/m2 in group II), and the colonoscopic insertion time (18.1 minutes in group I, 6.3 minutes in group II). The Kudo's pattern was as follows: pattern A : B : C=23.3% : 36.7% : 40.0% in group I, and pattern A : B : C=50.0% : 37.5% : 12.5% in group II. Excessive rotation of the splenic flexure was 50% in group I, and 21.9% in group II. However, there were no clinical significant difference in bowel preparation, sedation, previous bowel operation, the type of cathartics and SCD. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomical differences can affect a difficult colonoscopic insertion, which includes shape of the sigmoid colon, excessive rotation of the splenic flexure. However a further large randomized trial study will be needed.

Circardian Variation of Blood Pressure in NIDDM Patients with Microalbuminuria / 대한내과학회지

OBJECTIVES: In diabetics the disturbance of circardian variation of blood pressure and heart rate has been supposed to be related to diabetic autonomic neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy. We performed this study to evaluate the circardian variation of blood pressure and heart rate and the difference of affecting factors between normoalbuminuric patients and microalbuminuric patients. METHODS: We studied 50normotensive NIDDM patients without overt nephropathy, divided two grooups, which are normoalbuminuric patients(D1 group) and microalhuminuric patients(D2 group), according to the urinary albumine excretion rate(AER) on 24-h urine collection. We simultaneosly measured 24-hour blood pressure and heart rate by using of ambulatory 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). RESULTS: 1) In group Kb, 24-h systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher than in C(normal control group) and D1 2) 24-h heart rate values did not significantly differ between the groups, but night heart was significantly elevated in group D2 than C and D1. 3) The night/day ratio of SBP(systolic blood pressure) and HR(heart rate) was significantly higher in D2 than C and D1, but the night/day ratio of DBP(diastolic blood pressure) was significantly higher in D2 compaired with C only. 4) The night/day ratio of SBP correlated significantly with duration of diabetes, log of AER, HDL, HbAlc and 24-h DBP. The determinants selected in a multiple stepwise regression were duration of diabetes and HbAlc. 5) The night/day ratio of DBP was related to duration of diabetes, log of AER, 24-h DBP and night HR. The determinants selected in a multiple stepwise regression were duration of diabetes and 24-h DBP. 6) The night/day ratio of HB was related to neuropathy, 1/creatinine, HDL, night SBP, duration of diabetes and log of AER. The determinants selected in a multiple stepwise regression were neruopathy and night SBP. CONCLUSION: In this study, the normal circardian variation of blood pressure was disturbed in a group of micoralbuminuric patients. But it seems that AER was not a principle independent factor and circardian variation of blood pressure and heart rate were affected by different several factors identified in this study. The nocturnal heart rate was significantly elevated in microalbuminuric group, suggesting the possibility of the presence of parasympathetic neuropathy which is supposed to be related with sudden cardiac death. So it is thought that blunted circardian variation of blood pressure and heart rate can be a prognostic indicator and further prospective study is necessary.