Airway obstruction due to giant non-parathyroid hormone-producing parathyroid adenoma.

We present a case of a 39-year-old female patient with acute stridor due to a large tumor located at the level of the upper third of her thoracic esophagus. Parathyroid gland tumors are unusual in the differential diagnosis of mediastinal tumors. This tumor was removed via a thoracocervical approach, which offers multiple advantages when used for tumors in this location. The eventual diagnosis on histology was parathyroid adenoma. The patient had no clinical evidence of metabolic abnormalities and her pre- and postoperative calcium and postoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were within normal limits. This case poses the interesting question of whether identification of elevated PTH levels is an absolute prerequisite for diagnosing parathyroid adenomas. It is an example of a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problem.

Mucin expression profile in Barrett's, dysplasia, adenocarcinoma sequence in the esophagus.

BACKGROUND: The molecular events that accompany the progression to adenocarcinoma (ADC) of the esophagus are poorly understood. Aberrant mucin receptor expression can contribute to increased cell growth and metastatic ability. AIM: The aim of this study was to establish a pattern for mucin (MUC) gene expression in the esophageal mucosa under normal and pathological conditions. SETTING: University Hospital Cancer Center Laboratory. Archived tissue samples studied in a retrospective fashion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue samples were obtained from the archives of patients with histological evidence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) progressing to ADC. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using mouse monoclonal antibodies for MUC1, MUC2, MUC5AC, MUC6. Semiquantitative scoring of histological staining was performed using a linear scoring system: 0-staining absent; 1-staining in 0-25%; 2-staining in 25-50%; and 3-staining in 50-75% of the epithelium. The Binomial test was used to explore trends and differences in frequency of mucin expression along the pathological sequence. RESULTS: Only mild superficial staining of MUC1 was seen in normal squamous epithelium. MUC1 and MUC2 were uniformly expressed in all samples (7/7) of BE and dysplasia (P=0.008). MUC1 expression was upregulated (7/7) in progression to adenocarcinoma (P=0.008). The secretory mucins, MUC5AC and MUC6 showed a decrease in expression with progression from BE to dysplasia to ADC (P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Downregulation of MUC5AC and MUC6 decreases mucosal protection against gastric acid. Increasing MUC1 expression is associated with progression from dysplasia to ADC. Upregulation of MUC2 reflects intestinal metaplasia in BE.

Estudo pHmétrico esofágico de oito horas em pacientes pediátricos com suspeita de refluxo gastroesofágico / Esophageal ph monitoring study of eight hours in pediatric patients with suspected gastroesophageal reflux

OBJETIVO: Estudar a pHmetria em oito horas, analisando variáveis como a idade, sintomatologia e esôfago-estômago-duodenografia, além dos seguintes parâmetros pHmétricos: número de episódios de refluxo, número de episódios maiores de cinco minutos, tempo de refluxo nas oito horas e episódio de maior duração, para o diagnóstico do refluxo gastroesofágico. MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo realizado com a medição contínua do pH esofágico em oito horas em 35 pacientes, de quatro meses a 11 anos de idade. Foi utilizado aparelho de pHmetria DPS-100 Diagnosis pHmeter System com programa de acordo com a metodologia sugerida por Vandenplas e comparados com todas as variáveis e parâmetros do exame. RESULTADOS: Obtivemos diferença estatisticamente significante em todos os parâmetros pHmétricos analisados, com o índice de refluxo sendo o mais efetivo para identificar o refluxo patológico, independente da idade. Todas as variáveis qualitativas, idade, sintomatologia e esôfago-estômago-duodenografia, não mostraram diferenças estatisticamente significantes quando relacionados aos resultados da pHmetria. CONCLUSÃO: Concluímos que a pHmetria esofágica de oito horas tem seus parâmetros pHmétricos válidos para o diagnóstico do refluxo gastroesofágico.

Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Is Increased in Rat Barrett's Esophagus Induced by Duodenal Contents Reflux

Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is induced by cytokines and can generate locally high concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), whose metabolites can mediate genotoxicity and influence multistage carcinogenesis by causing DNA damage. Therefore, we evaluated the immunolocalization and expression of iNOS in surgically induced rat Barrett's esophagus. Esophagoduodenal anastomosis was performed in rats for inducing reflux of duodenal contents. Rats were killed at postoperative 10, 20, 30 and 40 weeks. We examined histologic changes and iNOS expression in esophagus by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-poly-merase chain reaction. Eighty six percent of experimental rats showed Barrett's esophagus above esophagoduodenal junction. iNOS immunoreactivity was clearly observed in the epithelial cells of Barrett's esophagus, predominantly at the apical surface of epithelial cells. Cytoplasmic staining was also seen only in atypical Barrett's esophagus. iNOS mRNA was detected only in the lower esophagus of experimental group. In conclusion, this study suggests that iNOS has some roles on Barrett's esophagus formation.

Influência dos decúbitos dorsal e ventral na monitorização do pH esofágico em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso / The influence of the supine and prone position in the esophageal pH monitoring in very low birth weight infants

RACIONAL: Poucas informações são disponíveis sobre os efeitos da posição do corpo nos episódios de refluxo gastroesofágico em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso ao nascer. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a influência da posição ventral horizontal, comparada à dorsal horizontal, na freqüência e duração dos episódios de refluxo ácido, em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso ao nascer e estudar a interferência da posição do corpo sobre a freqüência de exames com índice de refluxo > 5 por cento e > 10 por cento. CASUíSTICA E MÉTODO: Sessenta e uma monitorizações do pH foram analisadas, retrospectivamente. Selecionaram-se os exames realizados apenas em decúbito ventral e dorsal, com diferença de tempo, em cada posição, não superior a 3 horas. O índice de refluxo foi avaliado para a duração total do exame e para cada um dos dois períodos. O total de refluxos, o número de episódios > 5 minutos, o episódio mais longo e o tempo total com pH < 4 foram estabelecidos para cada um dos períodos nas duas posições. Estes parâmetros foram comparados segundo a posição do corpo, entre as três categorias do índice de refluxo total < 5 por cento, > 5 por cento e > 10 por cento. As freqüências dos registros de exame com índice de refluxo 5 por cento e > 10 por cento, obtidos para cada período, nas duas posições, foram comparadas. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença entre o número de horas em cada posição, sendo 11,2 ± 1,0 horas e 11,2 ± 1,1 horas em ventral e dorsal, respectivamente. Nas três categorias de índice de refluxo total, todos os parâmetros do exame em ventral foram significativamente inferiores aos valores em dorsal. No decúbito dorsal 32,7 por cento (20/61) e 27,8 por cento (17/61) dos registros, normais no decúbito ventral, transformaram-se em alterados, considerando-se respectivamente o índice de refluxo > 5 por cento e > 10 por cento, obtido para cada posição. CONCLUSÕES: No decúbito ventral há redução significativa do número e da duração dos episódios de refluxo ácido em recém-nascidos de muito baixo peso. A posição dorsal promove aumento significativo do número de registros de monitorizações do pH esofágico com índice de refluxo > 5 por cento e >10 por cento, facilitando o diagnóstico da doença do refluxo gastroesofágico.

Morphometry and acetylcholinesterase activity of the myenteric plexus of the wild mouse Calomys callosus

The myenteric plexus of the digestive tract of the wild mouse Calomys callosus was examined using a histochemical method that selectively stains nerve cells, and the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) histochemical technique in whole-mount preparations. Neuronal density was 1,500 + 116 neurons/cm2 (mean + SEM) in the esophagus, 8,900 + 1,518 in the stomach, 9,000 + 711 in the jejunum and 13,100 + 2,089 in the colon. The difference in neuronal density between the esophagus and other regions was statistically significant. The neuron profile area ranged from 45 to 1,100 mum2. The difference in nerve cell size between the jejunum and other regions was statistically significant. AChE-positive nerve fibers were distributed within the myenteric plexus which is formed by a primary meshwork of large nerve bundles and a secondary meshwork of finer nerve bundles. Most of the nerve cells displayed AChE activity in the cytoplasm of different reaction intensities. These results are important in order to understand the changes occurring in the myenteric plexus in experimental Chagas' disease.

The functional relationships between hiatal hernia and reflux esophagitis

The purpose of this research was to investigate functional studies by which the hiatal hernia (HH) may be relevant to a reflux esophagitis (RE). Group I consisted of healthy controls who were endoscopically normal (n = 21). Group II consisted of patients with hiatal hernia but no reflux esophagitis (n = 8). Group III had patients with hiatal hernia with reflux esophagitis (n = 9). Group IV had patients with reflux esophagitis but no hiatal hernia (n = 16). Esophageal manometry, ambulatory 24 hour intraesophageal pH monitoring, acid clearance test, and gastric emptying scan were performed in each of the patients. The contraction amplitude at 3 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter did not differ significantly among the four groups, but the mean lower esophageal sphincter pressure was significantly decreased in group II. The DeMeester score in ambulatory 24 hour intraesophageal pH monitoring was significantly higher in group III compared with the controls. No significant difference among the groups was found with respect to acid clearance. Total and proximal gastric emptying times (T1/2) were significantly delayed in group III. We found that hiatal hernia combined with delayed gastric emptying may bear a relationship to the multifactorial origins of reflux esophagitis, and we suggest a rationale for using prokinetic agents as the therapeutic regimen in patients with HH complicated by RE.

Mucin histochemistry of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Histochemically differentiated mucins have been studied in the mucosal lining of the esophagus and the stomach. Acid mucin was differentiated from neutral mucin by the alcian blue/PAS technique and sulphomucin by the high iron diamine/alcian blue technique. Neutral mucin secreted normally by the stomach mucosa was replaced by acid mucin in 17 of the 19 mucin secreting adenocarcinomas involving the lower third of the esophagus, and in 24 of the 28 mucin secreting gastric adenocarcinomas studied. The intestinal metaplasia (IM) seen in the gastric mucosa associated with adenocarcinoma, chronic gastric ulcer and chronic gastritis was classified according to the type of mucin secreted by the goblet cells. IM secreting sulphomucins was seen to be associated with gastric adenocarcinoma.