Profile of chronic small-bowel diarrhea in adults in Western India: a hospital-based study.

BACKGROUND: Small-bowel diarrhea is reported to account for 10% of all cases of chronic diarrhea. Data on the etiology and clinical presentation of chronic small-bowel diarrhea in adult Indians is scarce. METHODS: 50 patients (mean age 32.8 years; 26 men) with chronic small bowel diarrhea were evaluated clinically, and investigated to determine etiology. The diagnosis of small-bowel diarrhea was based on history, stool volume and associated symptoms. RESULTS: Abdominal pain (n=22, 44%) and weight loss (n=37, 74%) were the most common symptoms, apart from diarrhea. Anemia (70%) and hypoalbuminemia (48%) were other important biochemical abnormalities. Intestinal tuberculosis (26%) and celiac disease (26%) were the most common causes of chronic small-bowel diarrhea. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis of intestine and celiac disease are common causes of small-bowel diarrhea in our population. Tropical sprue seems to be a rare cause.

Intestinal amyloidosis presenting as malabsorption syndrome.

Intestinal amyloidosis presenting with small bowel diarrhoea with malabsorption is an infrequent clinical entity. The present case report includes such a case and discusses the diagnostic approach in such a case.

Hepatic granuloma in chronic hepatitis C.

We report the findings in a 54-year-old male with chronic hepatitis C with granulomas liver biopsy. Unfortunately, this patient died before treatment could be started.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction: a causal association?

So far, no association has been described between multifactiorial disorders such as insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO), which is the most common cause of extra-hepatic portal hypertension in children. We describe 3 cases of EHPVO who developed type 1 diabetes mellitus.