Efficacy of colchicine in the treatment of mesenteric panniculitis in a young patient

Mesenteric panniculitis [MP] is a rare inflammatory and fibrotic disease of the mesentery of unknown etiology. It has various clinical and radiological manifestations, posing a diagnostic challenge for clinicians. Its diagnosis is indicated via radiologic imaging and is usually confirmed via peritoneal biopsies. We describe a case of a patient with histopathologically proven MP, in which steroid dependence was successfully managed with colchicines

Diagnostic yield and clinical impact of capsule endoscopy in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding during routine clinical practice: a single-center experience

This study assessed the diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy [CE] and its impact on patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding [OGIB]. Between May 2007 and May 2009, 63 patients with OGIB [overt bleeding: 25, and occult blood loss with chronic ferropenic anemia: 38] and normal upper and lower endoscopy were studied by CE. Demographic characteristics, prior diagnostic tests, CE findings, therapeutic interventions, medical treatment and clinical outcomes following CE were evaluated. The overall diagnostic yield was 44.44% of patients and included findings of angiectasia in 11 [17.46%] patients, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs enteropathy in 6 [9.52%] patients, celiac disease in 3 [4.76%] patients, tumors in 2 [3.17%] patients, and a variety of other diagnoses ranging from varices to ulcers [due to congenital afibrinogenemia and amyloidosis]. The diagnostic yield was notably higher in overt bleeders [15/25, 60%] compared to occult bleeders [13/38, 34.21%; p = 0.044], and in patients with overt bleeding who had CE within the first 10 days [14/16, 87.5%] after the bleeding episode in comparison to overt bleeders who underwent CE >10 days after the bleeding episode [2/16, 11.1%; p < 0.0001]. During follow-up [11.8 +/- 7 months], CE findings led to specific therapy that resolved the underlying disease or improved the clinical condition in 45 of 63 patients, thus having a positive clinical impact of 71.43%. CE has a high diagnostic yield and a positive influence on clinical management in a significant proportion of patients with OGIB. These data further support the role of CE in routine clinical practice