A Case of Inferior Vena Cava Thrombosis and Acute Pancreatitis in a Patient with Ulcerative Colitis / 대한소화기학회지

A 21-year-old man admitted complaining of sudden severe epigastric pain for 1 day. He had been diagnosed as ulcerative colitis (UC) and taking mesalazine for two months. UC was in nearly complete remission at admission. He never drank an alcohol, and serum amylase was 377 IU/L. CT scan showed inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis in addition to mild acute pancreatitis. To evaluate the cause of acute pancreatitis and IVC thrombosis, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatogram (MRCP), endoscopic ultrasonogram (EUS), lower extremity Doppler ultrasonogram (US) and blood test of hypercoagulability including factor V, cardiolipin Ab, protein C, protein S1, antithrombin III, and anti phospholipids antibody were performed. There was no abnormality except mild acute pancreatitis and IVC thrombosis in all the tests. He was recommended to stop taking mesalazine and start having anticoagulation therapy. After all symptoms disappeared and amylase returned normal, rechallenge test with mesalazine was done. Flare-up of abdominal pain occurred and the elevation of serum amylase was observed. Ulcerative colitis came to complete remission with short-term steroid monotherapy. Acute pancreatitis and IVC thrombosis were completely resolved after 3-month anticoagulation therapy with no more mesalazine. We postulated that IVC thrombosis occurred due to hypercoagulable status of UC and intra-abdominal inflammation caused by mesalazine-induced pancreatitis.

An Evaluation of Web-based Information about Barrett's Esophagus in Korea / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Internet has become an important source of medical information not only for doctors but also patients. However, information available in the Internet may provide wrong or even harmful knowledge to the public. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of Internet-based medical information about Barrett's esophagus in Korea. METHODS: The first 50 Internet links were retrieved from the Google using the key word 'Barrett's esophagus'. The quality of information from a total of 49 websites was evaluated using a checklist. RESULTS: Among total 49 sites related to 'Barrett's esophagus', only 4 sites (8.2%) were made by hospitals or clinics, and 11 sites (22.4%) were for patients. Of the 49 sites, only one web site (2.0%) had all HON CODE principles (authority, complementarity, confidentiality, attribution, justifiability, transparency of authorship, transparency of sponsorship, honesty in advertising and editorial policy). Sixteen Internet links (32.0%) had fair contents for the definition, and 24 links (48.0%) for the diagnosis, and 15 links (30.0%) for the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Information about Barrett's esophagus was incomplete in the majority of medical web sites. It will bring about confusion in patients who want to get information about Barrett's esophagus from the Internet. There is a need for better evidence-based information about Barrett's esophagus on the web.

A Patient Diagnosed as Autoimmune Pancreatitis 6 Years after Onset of Jaundice / 대한소화기학회지

The clinical manifestations of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) are diffuse pancreatic swelling, diffuse irregular narrowing of the main pancreatic duct, and increased serum IgG or positive serum autoantibody. Clinically, AIP can be improved dramatically with oral steroid therapy. In this report, we describe a 62-year-old woman diagnosed as autoimmune pancreatitis six years after onset of jaundice, who presented with uncontrolled blood glucose levels. The laboratory tests revealed obstructive jaundice, and the computed tomography of the pancreas showed pancreatic swelling. After six years of onset, she was diagnosed with AIP and successfully treated with steroid treatment.

Virologic response to adefovir dipivoxil monotherapy is not durable in HBeAg-positive, lamivudine-resistant chronic hepatitis B patients / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: It has been shown that adefovir dipivoxil is an effective antiviral agent in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), not only in wild-type hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, but also in lamivudine-resistant (LAMV-R) cases. However, little is known about the durability of the virologic response to adefovir in LAMV-R CHB patients. METHODS: Fifteen HBV e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive, LAMV-R CHB patients showed a virologic response to adefovir monotherapy. These patients received additional adefovir for at least a further 12 months. The virologic relapse rate after discontinuation of adefovir was evaluated. In addition, predictive factors associated with virologic relapse were investigated. RESULTS: The median level of serum HBV DNA before adefovir administration was 7,457,840 IU/mL (range 107,920-99,524,960 IU/mL). The median duration of adefovir treatment was 30 months (range 14-46 months). During a median follow-up period of 14 months after discontinuation of adefovir, the 1-, 2-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month cumulative relapse rates were 26.7%, 53.3%, 73.3%, 80%, and 80%, respectively. High pretreatment HBV DNA levels were found to be the only factor that was predictive of off-therapy relapse. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the adefovir-monotherapy-induced virologic response is not durable in most patients with LAMV-R HBeAg-positive CHB, especially in those with a high pretreatment HBV DNA level.

Clinical Usefulness of Rockall Scoring System in Patients with Bleeding Peptic Ulcer-Comparison with Forrest Classification / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Rockall risk assessment score was developed to predict the risk of rebleeding and death in patients with upper GI hemorrhage. The validity of this score, however, was not established in Korea. We tried to assess the reliability of the Rockall score to predict outcomes in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer. METHODS: Medical records of 175 patients with benign peptic ulcer bleeding treated in Samsung Medical Center from January 2000 to May 2003 were retrospectively analyzed. They were classified into three groups: no rebleeding rebleeding, and death and mean Rockall score was compared. Forrest classification was also compared with the Rockall score regarding the clinical usefulness of predicting poor outcomes in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer. RESUTLS: One hundred forty five patients did not show rebleeding, with mean Rockall score of 3.5 (SD=1.5). On the other hand, rebleeding occurred in 25 patients and the mean score was 6.4 (SD=1.44). There were 13 deaths with mean score of 7.0 (SD=1.08). The differences between the three groups were significant (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, Rockall score was a independent risk factor of rebleeding and mortality (odds ratio, OR=2.73 and OR=8.74). CONCLUSIONS: The Rockall scoring system is useful to predict poor outcome such as rebleeding and death in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer.

Cytomegalovirus-associated gastritis in immunocompetent adult / 대한내과학회지

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are usually reported in immunocompromised patients. However, it occurs rarely in immunocompetent individuals. A case of CMV associated with stomach ulcers and mucosal nodules is reported in a immunocompetent host. A previously healthy 27-year-old man visited our hospital with a thirty-day history of epigastric pain and a nine-day history of vomiting. The demonstration of intranuclear inclusion bodies in a few gastric glandular epithelial cells contributed to the diagnosis of CMV gastritis. Treatment with a proton pump inhibitor and ganciclovir was successful to mitigate the epigastric pain and vomiting.

Dose Ascites Mean More Severe Crohn's Disease? / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ascites that can be induced by various causes is not a rare finding in Crohn's disease. The clinical implication of ascites in Crohn's disease remains unknown in the cases without any specific cause of ascites except Crohn's disease itself. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical implication and characteristics of ascites in Crohn's disease. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of the patients with Crohn's disease who underwent abdominal CT scan. Patients were categorized into two groups: patients with ascites (22 cases) and without ascites (23 cases). We compared clinical features, disease activities and clinical courses of the two groups. RESULTS: Serum albumin level was significantly lower and the C-reactive protein level was significantly higher in the ascites group than in the control group. Harvey and Bradshaw index was significantly higher in the ascites group (8.32 +/- 2.51) than in the control group (6.09 +/- 2.07) (p=0.002). The average dose of prednisolone was higher in the ascites group. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the number of cases requiring surgery due to complication between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the presence of ascites in Crohn's disease is associated with increased disease activity and inflammations requiring more aggressive treatment.

Intravascular Lymphomatosis Presenting as Fever of Unknown Origin with Peripheral Polyneuropathy

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is caused by infections (30-40%), neoplasms (20-30%), collagen vascular diseases (10-20%), and numerous miscellaneous diseases (15-20%). The literatures also reveal that 5-15% of FUO cases defy diagnosis, despite extensive studies. Diagnostic advances continuously modify the spectrum of FUO-causing diseases. Modern imaging techniques (e.g., ultrasound, CT scan, MRI) enable early detection of abscesses and solid tumors that used to be difficult to diagnose. But the correct diagnosis can be delayed because the tumor, such as rare hematologic malignancy, is difficult to be detected by various imaging studies. Intravascular lymphomatosis (IVL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and generally fatal disease characterized by extensive proliferation of neoplastic mononuclear cells within the lumina of blood vessels. The prognosis is usually extremely poor, with rapid death despite chemotherapy. The diagnosis is most frequently made after biopsy of skin or brain but is often established post mortem. Most patients with IVL present with FUO and nonspecific cutaneous and neurologic manifestations. Peripheral nerve system or pulmonary involvements are not common as initial menifestations. We report a case of intravascular lymphomatosis, presenting as FUO with peripheral polyneuropathy. We made early diagnosis of IVL by video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy. She is improving with good performance after the 4th cycle of chemotherapy till now.

Intravascular Lymphomatosis Presenting as Fever of Unknown Origin with Peripheral Polyneuropathy

Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is caused by infections (30-40%), neoplasms (20-30%), collagen vascular diseases (10-20%), and numerous miscellaneous diseases (15-20%). The literatures also reveal that 5-15% of FUO cases defy diagnosis, despite extensive studies. Diagnostic advances continuously modify the spectrum of FUO-causing diseases. Modern imaging techniques (e.g., ultrasound, CT scan, MRI) enable early detection of abscesses and solid tumors that used to be difficult to diagnose. But the correct diagnosis can be delayed because the tumor, such as rare hematologic malignancy, is difficult to be detected by various imaging studies. Intravascular lymphomatosis (IVL) is a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and generally fatal disease characterized by extensive proliferation of neoplastic mononuclear cells within the lumina of blood vessels. The prognosis is usually extremely poor, with rapid death despite chemotherapy. The diagnosis is most frequently made after biopsy of skin or brain but is often established post mortem. Most patients with IVL present with FUO and nonspecific cutaneous and neurologic manifestations. Peripheral nerve system or pulmonary involvements are not common as initial menifestations. We report a case of intravascular lymphomatosis, presenting as FUO with peripheral polyneuropathy. We made early diagnosis of IVL by video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy. She is improving with good performance after the 4th cycle of chemotherapy till now.