Plasmapheresis or intravenous immunoglobulin for myasthenia gravis crisis in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) crisis is a life-threatening and unpredictable complication of MG Prognosis of MG crisis has dramatically improved due to modern immunomodulation. However the choice of plasmapheresis or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is still a controversial issue. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of MG crisis treatment with plasmapheresis or IVIG in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH) during the past 5 years. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Episodes of MG crisis with respiratory failure were recruited retrospectively from database of KCMH between 2001 and 2006. RESULTS: Thirty-three episodes of MG crisis with respiratory failure from 26 patients (9 males and 17 females) were documented. Plasmapheresis and IVIG were prescribed in 21 and 9 episodes of MG crisis, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference in baseline characteristics between both groups. The mean duration of intubation in plasmapheresis group was 12 +/- 11.1 days and in IVIG group was 10.3 +/- 4.6 days. The mean length of hospital stay (LOS) in plasmapheresis and IVIG were 30.7 +/- 29.6 days and 25.4 +/- 16.2 days, respectively. Hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP) occurred in four episodes (18.2%) in plasmapheresis and 1 episode (11.1%) in IVIG There was no statistical difference in the outcome of both treatment groups. All patients in both groups were well upon discharge. CONCLUSION: MG crisis with respiratory failure was safely managed with either plasmapheresis or IVIG in KCMH. The present study cannot demonstrate any differences in the efficacy of plasmapheresis or IVIG. This may be due to inadequate sample size thus more patients should be recruited for further study.

Anticoagulant-induced intramural intestinal hematoma: report of three cases and literature review.

Spontaneous intestinal hematoma is a rare complication of anticoagulant therapy. The authors reported three cases of intramural and submucosal small bowel hematoma resulting from warfarin administration. The first patient presented with abdominal pain, had intramural hematoma at jejunum, the most common site of intramural small bowel hematoma. Another patient who had submucosal duodenal hematoma presented with massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding, a rare manifestation of small bowel hematoma. The third patient presented with intramural ileal hematoma that caused abdominal pain and palpable mass after a short period of warfarin therapy. Typical findings on abdominal computerized tomography yielded the diagnosis. All patients rapidly improved after conservative treatment. The history of anticoagulant use with prolonged INR value in patients presented with abdominal pain should alert physicians to search for this entity. It is extremely important to recognize this syndrome in order to avoid an unnecessary operation since the outcome is usually excellent after conservative treatment.

Serum leptin concentrations in chronic hepatitis.

The objectives of this research were to investigate the leptin levels among Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and non-alcoholic steatosis hepatitis (NASH) diseases of Thai patients compared with controls. Twenty of each HBV, HCV and NASH patients compared with sixty people as the control group from the Outpatient Department at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Bangkok, Thailand were investigated. Fasting blood samples were collected for investigation of leptin concentration, liver enzyme function tests and hematological variables. The serum leptin concentration of liver patients was significantly higher than that of control subjects. It might be due to the accumulations of fat cells in liver disease patients. However, there is no relationship between leptin level and other parameters such as BMI, ALT, AST, ALP and hematological variables. Liver enzyme functions levels are much higher in patients groups. White blood cells counts, platelets and hematocrit values are slightly lower in liver disease patients. Therefore, it is concluded that physiological regulation of leptin maintains in relation to body fat, even in chronic viral liver diseases. This finding and the apparent stage suggest the possibility that in the course of chronic viral diseases, serum leptin levels may reflect the extent of liver dysfunction.

The prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in Thai patients with non-HBV, non-HCV chronic hepatitis.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in Thai patients with non-HBV, non-HCVchronic hepatitis. The clinical and laboratory findings associated with non alcoholic steatohepatitis were discussed. Forty-six patients with negative markers for viral hepatitis B and viral hepatitis C and no history of alcohol consumption or consumption less than 20 grams of ethanol per day were recruited. The informed consent for liver biopsy and blood collecting to identify the etiology of chronic hepatitis was performed. Most patients (76.1%) exhibited fatty metamorphosis of the liver which included steatosis (21.8%) as well as steatohepatitis (54.3%). Eleven of 46 patients (23.9%) were classified as cryptogenic chronic hepatitis. There were statistically significant differences between the fatty metamorphosis group and the cryptogenic chronic hepatitis group with regard to the fasting blood sugar, serum alkaline phosphatase, serum ferritin and histologically necroinflammatory grading score (p < 0.05). Between the steatosis group and the steatohe-patitis group, body mass index (BMI) was the only factor showing statistically significant difference (p = 0.02). Eight from 25 NASH-patients had diabetes mellitus (32.0%) and the AST to ALT ratio in this group was 0.6. The histopathological assessment for inflammation and fibrosis by using Knodell score, the fibrosis score which equal or higher than 3 was found in 20.0% of NASH-patients. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of NASH-patients in Thai patients, with non HBV, non HCV chronic hepatitis was 76.1%, while the liver biopsy can add the diagnostic yield especially in the group of unexplained chronic hepatitis with obesity, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia.

Result of wireless capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected small bowel disease: the first series from Thailand.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a promising diagnostic tool for patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Only a few papers have reported data from Asian countries. This retrospective study aimed to demonstrate result of capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected small bowel disease as the first series from Thailand. METHOD: Twenty-one patients who underwent wireless capsule endoscopy between July 2003 and June 2004 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were retrospectively reviewed in the present study. The indications for capsule endoscopy were overt obscure gastro-intestinal bleeding (n= 12), occult obscure gastro-intestinal bleeding (n=5), chronic recurrent abdominal pain (n=3) and chronic diarrhea (n=1). Diagnoses according to findings of capsule endoscopy were classifield into definite, suspicious and negative finding. RESULTS: The mean age of the 21 patients (10 men and 11 women) was 46 (standard deviation, 18.57) years. Of those 17 obscure gastrointestinal bleeding patients, there were positive findings in 11 from 17 patients (65%). Four patients (24%), 3 with tumor and another with AVM, were classified as definite results. Seven patients (41%), 6 with angioectasia and another with a small ulcer, were classified as suspicious because there was no demonstrated active bleeding lesion and no other clinical supportive evidence. Of these 3 patients with recurrent abdominal pain, one patient (33%) with terminal ileum lymphoid hyperplasia was classified as definite result because of clinical improvement after treatment of the lesion. Another case of chronic diarrhea yielded a negative result. CONCLUSION: Wireless capsule endoscopy is a safe and useful mode of investigation for the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding in Thailand. There is not so much difference in capsule endoscopy results between Western and Asian series.

Association of intestinal helminths with decreased liver size and sCD23 concentration during falciparum malaria.

To determine if intestinal helminths and the CD23/nitric oxide pathway had an influence on liver size, we conducted a cross-sectional study on 438 patients with confirmed P. falciparum malaria admitted at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Bangkok. For all patients the liver size was measured as number of centimeters below the rib cage, a stool examination was conducted, and CD23 and reactive nitrogen intermediates were measured. The median liver size was smaller in helminth-infected patients than in helminth-free patients (chi2 for trend = 9.1, p = 0.003). Liver size significantly increased with the concentration of sCD23 (p < 0.0001). The median sCD23 concentration (OD) was significantly lower in helminth-infected patients than in helminth-free patients, respectively 0.33 (quartiles 0.24-0.57) and 0.45 (quartiles 0.27-0.59), (p = 0.01). There was a negative correlation between sCD23 concentrations and RNI (Spearman's rho = -0.40, p < 0.0001). All the above results remained significant after controlling for potential confounders. These results are compatible with a CD23/NO-mediated decrease in liver size in helminth-infected patients.

Clinical experience with intravenous quinine, intramuscular artemether and intravenous artesunate for the treatment of severe malaria in Thailand.

We prospectively studied 803 Thai patients admitted to the Bangkok Hospital for Tropical Diseases to assess the safety, tolerability and effectiveness of treatments for strictly defined P. falciparum malaria. Patients were assigned to one of five treatment groups: (i) a 5-day course of intravenous artesunate in a total dose of 600 mg, Group Aiv; (ii) intravenous artesunate as in Group Aiv followed by mefloquine, 25 mg/kg, Group Aiv+M; (iii) a 3-day course of intramuscular artemether in a total dose of 480 mg, Group Aim; (iv) intramuscular artemether as in Group Aim followed by mefloquine, 25 mg/kg, Group Aim+M, and (v) intravenous quinine, 200 mg/kg given in divided doses over seven days followed by oral tetracylcine, 10 mg/kg, for 7 days. When patients could take oral medications, the parenteral antimalarials were administered as oral agents. There were no major adverse effects observed with any of the five treatment regimens. With all regimens, 95 to 100% of the patients survived. Mean parasite clearance times were more rapid with the artemisinin regimens (53 to 62 hours) than with quinine (92 hours). The mean fever clearance times with intravenous artesunate (80 to 82 hours) were about a day shorter than those with intramuscular artemether (108 hours) or intravenous quinine (107 hours). Mefloquine reduced the recrudescence rate from 24 to 5% with intravenous artesunate but from 45 to 20% with intramuscular artemether; recrudescence was 4% with quinine and tetracycline. A dose and duration of therapy greater than those in this study are needed for optimal therapy with intramuscular artemether. Effective therapy for severe falciparum malaria can be provided by either intravenous artesunate followed by mefloquine or by intravenous quinine followed by tetracycline.

N-acetylcysteine in severe falciparum malaria in Thailand.

One hundred and eight patients with severe falciparum malaria underwent a placebo controlled trial with the antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), as an adjunctive therapy along with standard intravenous artesunate therapy. Three NAC dosage regimens were used: an intravenous loading dose of 140 mg/kg followed by 70 mg/kg every four hours intravenously for up to 18 doses (Group 1); a single intravenous loading dose followed by oral NAC in the same amount as for Group 1 (Group 2); a regimen identical to Group 1 except that oral NAC was administered after the first 24 hours (Group 3). Fifty-four patients received placebo plus artesunate. Two critically ill patients died in Group 1. No patient sustained an adverse reaction to the NAC other than vomiting, and the deaths were attributed to severe disease with multiple organ involvement. The excellent results with NAC, the lack of adverse effects, and the rationale for NAC benefit supports the need for a large, double blind trial of NAC as an adjunctive therapy for severe malaria.

Septic shock secondary to scrub typhus: characteristics and complications.

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile illness caused by infection with Orientia tsutsugamushi transmitted by the bite of larval trombiculid mites (chiggers). A prospective study was conducted in septic shock patients in Maharat Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, from 12 November 2001 to 5 January 2002. Of the 51 septic shock patients studied during the 7 week period, 18 (35.3%) were found to have evidence of scrub typhus infection; 3 patients (16.7%) died. In this study, septic shock caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi is the most prominent (35.3%) in endemic area of scrub typhus. Scrub typhus with septic shock patients results in organ failure: respiratory failure, DIC were predominant, followed by renal and hepatic involvement. Two deaths were due to respiratory failure and one death was as a result of combined respiratory and renal failure. Fever was the most common symptom, followed by headache, myalgia and dyspnea; lymphadenophathy and eschar are common signs. Laboratory findings revealed that almost all of the patients had a mild leukocytosis, reduced hematocrit and thrombocytopenia; SGOT, ALP, direct bilirubin (DB), total billirubin (TB), BUN, Cr were elevated; hypoalbuminemia was noted. Urinalysis showed that 88.9% of the patients had albuminuria. 77.8% of patients had abnormal chest X-rays.

Effectiveness of ranitidine bismuth citrate based triple therapy for treating Helicobacter pylori.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy, safety and tolerance of a one week regimen of RBC, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin for H. pylori eradication in Thai patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Patients who were undergoing endoscopy for dyspeptic symptoms. On the day of endoscopy, three biopsies were taken for H. pylori diagnosis. The patients who had the presence of H. pylori infection by positive from rapid urease test or histologic examination were invited to take part in an open, prospective study. Patients received a combination of RBC 400 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, and amoxicillin 1 g twice daily for 7 days. Repeated endoscopy was performed to evaluate H. pylori eradication at least 1 month after the end of treatment. Clinical symptoms, side effects and compliance were assessed by interview during the study and at follow-up. RESULTS: Thirty nine patients with H. pylori infection were included. Male and female rates was 27:12 with a mean age of 42.8 +/- 11.4 years (range 21-68). There was a 89.74 per cent eradication rate by intent-to-treat and 94.59 per cent by per-protocol analysis. There were no serious adverse events during the study. Two patients (5.13%) stopped the medication because of side effects. Two patients had failure to eradication after complete treatment. Subjective improvement of the clinical symptoms was found in 92.3 per cent. CONCLUSION: One week's regimen of RBC, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin triple therapy resulted in a relatively high efficacy, safety and tolerance for H. pylori eradication in Thai patients.

Evaluation of inhouse rapid urease test for detection of Helicobacter pylori from gastric biopsy specimens.

Inhouse rapid urease test for detecting Helicobacter pylori was evaluated. Biopsy specimens were taken for inhouse urease test, commercial rapid urease CLO test, culture, gram stain and histology from the antrium or duodenum of patients who had peptic ulcer. The culture and/or histologic examination and CLO test were used as the gold standard. One hundred and twelve specimens were evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of the inhouse urease test was 100 per cent and 90 per cent respectively. The inhouse urease test was suitable for detecting Helicobacter pylori from gastric antral biopsy specimens. The medium can be kept in a refrigerator for up to 6 months.