A Case of Late Onset-Acute Tubulointerstitial Nephritis with Infliximab and Mesalazine Treatment in a Patient with Crohn's Disease / 대한소화기학회지

Infliximab is a chimeric anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody. Infusion related reactions and infection are well known side effects of infliximab; however, renal complications have not been well recognized. We report on a patient with late onset-acute tubulointerstitial nephritis (ATIN) after treatment with infliximab and mesalazine for Crohn's disease. A 25-year-old woman was admitted with a purpuric rash on both lower extremities and arthralgia. She had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease 5.6 years previously and had been treated with mesalazine and infliximab. Serum creatinine level, last measured one year ago, was elevated from 0.6 mg/dL to 1.9 mg/dL. Results of urinalysis, ultrasound, and serologic examinations were normal. With a tentative diagnosis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura, oral prednisolone was given, and serum creatinine decreased to 1.46 mg/dL, but was elevated to 2.6 mg/dL again at two months after discontinuation of prednisolone. Renal biopsy indicated that ATIN was probably induced by drug, considering significant infiltration of eosinophils. Concomitant use of infliximab with mesalazine was supposed to trigger ATIN. Oral prednisolone was administered, and serum creatinine level showed partial recovery. Thus, ATIN should be suspected as a cause of renal impairment in Crohn's disease even after a long period of maintenance treatment with infliximab and mesalazine.

Bezoar by mesalazine tablets: cause of intestinal obstruction in Crohn's disease

The stricturing and fistulizing forms of Crohn's disease (CD) exhibit many different results to clinical treatment and good response to surgical therapy. The prevalence of strictures in CD ranges from 12 to 54% and they are more frequently in patients with longer disease duration, and the terminal ileum is the most commonly affected location. The pharmacobezoars can be formed in any part of the gastrointestinal tract and are often associated with factors predisposing anatomic, functional or other concomitant conditions. The pharmacological properties of drugs may contribute to the pathophysiology of bezoars. The objective of this case report is to alert for the importance of the quality of prescribed medications that are used by patients with CD, through the finding of more than 350 tablets of mesalazine during the surgical treatment of a patient with the fibrostenotic pattern. (AU)

As formas estenosante e fistulizante da doença de Crohn (DC) apresentam resultado variável ao tratamento medicamentoso e boa resposta à terapia cirúrgica. A prevalência da DC estenosante varia de 12 a 54%, mais frequente nos pacientes com maior tempo de doença, sendo o íleo terminal o local mais acometido. Os farmacobenzoares podem se formar em qualquer porção do trato gastrointestinal e frequentemente estão associados a fatores anatômicos predisponentes, funcionais ou outras afecções concomitantes. As propriedades farmacológicas dos medicamentos podem contribuir na fisiopatologia da formação dos benzoares. O objetivo deste trabalho é alertar para a importância da qualidade dos fármacos prescritos e utilizados pelos pacientes com DC, por meio do achado de mais de 350 comprimidos de mesalazina durante o tratamento cirúrgico de um paciente com o padrão fibroestenosante. (AU)

Doença de Crohn e farmacobezoar intestinal: relato de caso / Crohn's disease and bowel pharmacobezoar: case report

Bezoares são concreções de materiais diversos, parcialmente ou não digeridos, que podem ser encontrados em qualquer porção do tubo digestivo. Raramente são compostos por fármacos, nestes casos denominados farmacobezoares. Este artigo visa relatar o caso de um paciente com Doença de Crohn complicada por fístula entero-cutânea e áreas de estenoses no íleo terminal apresentando bezoar de mesalazina. Foi enfatizado o caráter multifatorial da gênese dos farmacobezoares, assim como a variada gama de apresentações clínicas e exames diagnósticos úteis no esclarecimento dos casos. Devemos ainda salientar a necessidade de individualização do tratamento para melhor eficácia do mesmo.

Bezoars are masses composed of foreign material, partially digested or not, found in any portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Rarely bezoars are composed by medication tablets, becoming known as Pharmacobezoars. This article reports a patient with the Crohn's disease complicated by enteric fistulae and stenotic areas in the ileum presenting Mesalazine pharmacobezoars. The author emphasizes the multi-factorial origin of pharmacobezoars, the wide range of clinical presentations and the diagnostic tools useful in these cases. The individualized treatment necessary to obtain the satisfactory clinical results is also highlighted.

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.

Mesalazine-induced Eosinophilic Pneumonia in a Patient with Crohn's Disease / 대한소화기학회지

Mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid) and sulfasalazine are widely used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The pulmonary toxicity related to sulfasalazine was well-recognized complication and it was caused by sulfapyridine moiety in sulfasalazine. However, the lung injury related to mesalazine has rarely been reported. A thirty five-year-old man with Crohn's disease who was treated with mesalazine complained fever and dry cough. The finding of bilateral wandering pulmonary infiltration, peripheral eosinophilia and increased eosinophils in bronchoalvolar lavage were consistent with eosinophilic pneumonia. His symptoms and laboratory findings were markedly improved after the discontinuation of mesalazine. The mesalazine-induced eosinophilic pneumonia was diagnosed according to his clinical course. This report shows that the eosinophilic pneumonia should be considered in patients who develope pulmonary involvement with inflammatory bowel disease receiving mesalazine therapy.

A Case of Acute Pancreatitis Induced by Multiple Drugs in a Patient with Ulcerative Colitis / 대한소화기학회지

Acute pancreatitis is a serious disease with fatality rate up to 15%. We recently experienced a case of acute pancreatitis induced by multiple drugs in a patient with ulcerative colitis. A 20-year-old female visited with abdominal pain and hematochezia and diagnosed of ulcerative colitis. Sulfasalazine and prednisolone were used. However, acute pancreatitis occurred after 4 weeks of treatment with additional azathioprine treatment. Drug-induced pancreatitis was suspected, and she was recovered with conventional therapy for acute pancreatitis. Therefore, it was proposed that acute pancreatitis was induced by azathioprine. However, after the administration of sulfasalazine, pancreatitis relapsed. Furthermore, even the re-administration of 5-ASA and azathioprine induced relapse of acute pancreatitis. We concluded that acute pancreatitis was induced by multiple drugs in this patient with ulcerative colitis.

[Herpes simplex virus encephalitis during immunosuppressive treatment of ulcerative colitis]

Today, with the advent of new medications, treatment of Ulcerative colitis [UC] has been markedly improved. Immunosuppressive drugs used in therapy predispose patients to opportunistic infections. A 22-year-old woman was admitted to emergency department due to acute exacerbation of UC and decreased level of consciousness. She was under treatment with 5-aminosalicylate, prednisolone and azathioprine. In neurological evaluation, patient had cerebral herniation. Non-contrast CT scan revealed multiple hemorrhagic areas in both frontal lobes. Right frontal craniotomy was performed emergently. Histopathologic evaluation of brain tissue was reported as "Herpes simplex encephalitis". Polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay was also positive for HSV DNA. Immunosuppressive drugs such as azathioprine have a pivotal role in the treatment of resistant and/or severe cases of UC. Prevalence of infectious complications was reported to be 7.4%, 1.8% of which were severe [including herpes zoster encephalitis] .Our review of literature indicates that no case of herpes simplex encephalitis following immunosuppressive therapy for UC has been reported

Fatal evolution of systemic lupus erythematosus associated with Crohn's disease

Abstract: The authors describe the case of a young Brazilian woman who was treated of ileocolonic Crohn's disease sparing rectum, as confirmed by colonoscopy and histopathological examination. After a 4-years course of sulfasalazine treatment, she presented with skin facial lesions in vespertilio, fever, arthralgias and high titers of anti-ANA and LE cells. A sulfasalazine-induced lupus syndrome was diagnosed, because ofter sulfasalazine withdrawal and a short course of prednisone, the clinical symptoms disappeared and the laboratory tests returned to normal. Mesalazine 3 g/day was started and patient remained well for the next 3 years, when she was again admitted with fever, weakness, arthralgias, diplopy, strabismus and hypoaesthesia in both hands and feet, microhematuria, haematic casts, hypocomplementemia and high titers of autoimmune antibodies. A diagnosis of associated systemic lupus erythematosus was made. Although a pulsotherapy with methylprednisolone was started, no improvement was noticed. A cyclophosphamide trial was tried and again no positive results occurred. The patient envolved to severe clinical manifestation of general vasculitis affecting the central and peripheral nervous system and lungs, havaing a fatal evolution after 2 weeks. Although uncommon, the association of both disease may occur, and the authors call attention to this possibiliti, making a brief review of literature.

Retocolite ulcerativa: diagnostico e tratamento clínico: parte II / Ulcerative cololitis: diagnosis and clinical treatment: part 2

A retocolite ulcerativa é, ainda, uma doença de etiologia desconhecida. Os conhecimentos acumulados com as observaçöes feitas na prática clínica ou com os resultados de investigaçöes bem controladas deixam-nos mais preocupaçäo do que certeza porque o curso evolutivo dessa moléstia continua sendo, às vezes, imprevisível e o tratamento frustrante, tanto para o médico como para o paciente. Por causa disso, essa "velha doença", motiva de aprofundadas e novas investigaçöes, vai deixando de ser capítulo de livros para se tornar livros de muitos capítulos - fruto do substancial progresso científico que acumulou saber sobre aspectos de ultra-estrutura da mucosa intestinal e sua reaçäo ao processo inflamatório; sobre a complexidade dos hormônios intestinais ou sobre o sistema imune da mucosa intestinal com características especiais de um órgäo linfóide. Enfim, tudo o que se sabe a respeito de reaçäo inflamatória envolvendo o intestino, de fatores, de agentes, de complexos, de citocinas pró-inflamatórias, de citocinas imuno-moduladoras, näo é suficiente para nos afastar de um padräo terapêutico vigente há 50 anos