[ young man with eosinophilic ascites: a case report]

We report the case of a 40-year-old male patient admitted to the surgery ward in our hospital for recent abdominal pain, abdominal distention and fever. He had a history of similar abdominal pain and distention; for which he had undergone a laparotomy. Laboratory data revealed leukocytosis with eosinophilia [42%]. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed diffuse severe erythematous pangastritis. Biopsies were taken from the esophagus which showed 10-15 eosinophils in each high power field. The ascitic fluid was straw-colored and sterile with 90% eosinophils. Therefore, the patient was treated with prednisolone [30 mg/day] and was diagnosed with an eosinophilic gastroenteritis syndrome with subserosal presentation. The patient recovered and eosinophilia improved within a few days

[Hepatobiliary dysfunction in patients with inflammatory bowel disease]

A high percent of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD] experience non intestinal symptoms. Many studies demonstrated that hepatobiliary disorders are the most common. Corresponding disorders consist of primary sclerosing cholangitis, non alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH], biliary stones, pericholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, liver amyloidosis, liver abscess, liver granuloma, hepatocellular carcinoma and primary biliary cirrhosis. However most studies concentrate on identifying primary sclerosing cholangitis, the most dreadful complication of IBD, other disorders like NASH and biliary stones are common and because of the similarity of symptoms to the primary disease may be ignored. In this article we review these disorders

multicenter study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of heberon [interferon alfa-2b] in combination with ribavirin for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Iran

interferon and ribavirin is the most effective treatment for chronic hepatitis C today. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of thrice-weekly Heberon [interferon alfa-2b] in combination with ribavirin as first-line treatment of chronic hepatitis C.A total of 97 treatment-naive patients received Heberon three million units thrice-weekly subcutaneously in combination with ribavirin for 12 months. Serum HCV RNA levels were measured before and during therapy and 6 months after the end of therapy. End-of-treatment and sustained virological responses was defined as an undetectable HCV-RNA level at the end of treatment, and 6 months after treatment was completed [end of follow-up], respectively.In an intent-to-treat analysis, HCV-RNA was undetectable at the end of treatment in 49.5% of patients. At the end of follow-up, sustained virological response was 36.1%. Combination treatment was generally well tolerated. Six patients stopped therapy because of side effects: severe cytopenia [n=4], depression [n=1], and hyperthyroidism [n=1]. Common side effects of therapy include: Flu-like syndrome [85.6%], generalized alopecia [41.2%], injection site inflammation [37.1%], mood changes [36%], anorexia [34%] and weight loss [32%].Heberon as an IFN product in combination with ribavirin for treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C is relatively safe, feasible, and potentially efficacious. It has comparable results in achieving end-of-treatment and sustained viro-logical responses in chronic hepatitis C