The efficacy and safety of testa triticum tricum purif in treatment of functional constipation in the late middle-aged and elderly patients: a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial / 中华内科杂志

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of testa triticum tricum purif for the treatment of functional constipatiofi(FC) in the late middle-aged and elderly patients.Methods This study was designed as a multicenter randomized controlled trial.Patients who met Rome Ⅲ diagnostic criteria of FC were enrolled,with age between 55-85 years old.Those with organic diseases were excluded.The patients were randomly allocated to receive testa triticum tricum purif (3.5 g bid) or polyethylene glycol 4000 powder (PEG4000,10g bid) for 8 weeks,followed by single dose of maintenance therapy for 4 weeks.Follow-up visits were at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment discontinuation.The independent investigators in each center evaluated the constipation symptoms scores.The primary endpoints included rates of significant improvement,improvement and overall improvement at the end of 2,4 and 8 weeks of therapy,which were calculated by the reduction of symptom scores ≥ 75 ％,50％-74％,≥ 25 ％ respectively.Results A total of 127 FC subjects were enrolled from 3 centers,and 122 cases valid for final analysis.The mean age was (69.4 ± 6.9) years old,including 62 cases in testa triticum tricum purif group and 60 cases in PEG4000 group.The demographic data,constipated symptoms scores and proportion of FC subtypes at baseline were comparable.The rates of significant improvement,improvement and overall improvement in testa triticum tricum purif and PEG4000 groups at the end of 2,4 and 8 weeks were 37.70％ (23/61) vs 59.32％(35/59) (P=0.018),57.38％ (35/61)vs74.14％ (43/58) (P=0.054),and64.41％ (38/59)vs 79.31％ (46/58) (P =0.073) respectively.Testa triticum tricum purif therapy significantly improved the proportion of spontaneous bowel movement (SBM) ≥ 3 times/week from 43.55％ (27/62) to 80.33％ (49/61),83.61％ (51/61) and 93.22％ (55/59) at 2,4,and 8 weeks respectively (all P＜0.01),which were comparable with PEG4000 group (all P ＞ 0.05).The proportion of normalized stool forms in study group was significant higher than that of control group at the end of 8 weeks [86.44％ (51/59) vs 67.24％ (39/58),P =0.014].Only one patient complained mild abdominal distension during testa triticum tricum purif therapy.Conclusions The efficacy of testa triticum tricum purif for the treatment of FC in late middle-aged and older patients is comparable with osmotic laxatives PEG4000,which has significant effect on normalization of fecal forms and reliable safety.

Characteristics and clinical significance of sera anti-enteric neuronal antibodies in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea / 基础医学与临床

Objective To detect the sera anti-enteric neuronal antibodies ( AENA ) in irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea ( IBS-D) patients and analyzed its correlation with IBS-D symptoms to explore the potential roles of AENA in the pathogenesis of IBS.Methods IBS-D patients diagnosed with RomeⅢdiagnostic criteria were en-rolled in this study.The sera of healthy subjects were used as controls.Indirect immunofluorescence ( IIF) was used to detect the sera AENA with the substrate of ileal submucosal plexus of guinea pig .The immune reactivity ( IR) stains were read in blinded method .The bowel symptoms of patients with positive AENA were compared to thatwithnegativeandweeklypositiveantibodies.Results 1)Atotalof127IBS-Dpatientswereenrolledinthis study.The positive rate of sera AENA was 85.8%in IBS-D patients, and 7.0%in healthy controls.Among 109 IBS-D patients with positive IIF reactivity , 23.6%present with strong positive , 43.3% with positive and 18.9%with weakly positive stain .The IR patterns included cytoplasm staining , nucleus staining , cytoplasms and nuclei staining , nuclear membrane staining , cytoplasm and nuclear membrane staining .Six positive sera of healthy control showed cytoplasm staining to substrate neurons .2 ) More patients of IBS-D with positive IR had higher intestinal symptoms scores (>10 scores, 58.8%vs 38.1%), frequent abdominal pain in non-defecation period (91.7%vs 60.0%) , and severe abdominal pain/discomfort before defecation ( 24.7% vs 9.5%) comparing to those with negative and weekly positive IR of AENA;IBS-D patients with positive IR of AENA are more commonly associated with urgency comparing to those with negative IR in IIF (57.1%vs 87.3 ) .Conclusions AENA may play a role in the pathogenesis of IBS , and is a potential biomarker of IBS-D.

Effect of psychological factors on quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea / 中华消化杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of anxiety and depression on the quality of life (QOL) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS‐D) and the difference in gender .Methods IBS‐D patients met the Rome Ⅲ diagnostic and subtyping criteria were consecutively enrolled .The intestinal symptoms , psychological status , and QOL of patients were evaluated using IBS‐specific symptom questionnaires , the Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) ,the Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) ,and the Chinese Version of IBS‐QOL instrument .The data were analyzed by chi‐square test variance analysis ,t test or Spearman rank correlation analysis .Results A total of 155 IBS‐D patients were enrolled .Among them ,115 were complicated with anxiety and/or depression .The number of male and female with comorbid psychological disorders was 69 cases(71 .13% ) and 46 cases(79 .31% ) ,respectively ,and the difference was not statistically significant (χ2 = 1 .267 ,P= 0 .26) . Compared with 40 patients without anxiety or depression ,there was no statistically significant difference (F=1 .143 ,P> 0 .05) in the scores of intestinal symptoms in 59 patients with comorbid anxiety alone and 56 patients with anxiety and/or depression (20 .85 ± 5 .84 vs .21 .71 ± 7 .47 vs .22 .87 ± 6 .09) .The total IBS‐QOL score of the 155 patients was 71 .61 ± 19 .22 .There was negative correlation between IBS‐QOL score and HAMA , HAMD scores(r= -0 .262 and -0 .268 ,both P= 0 .001) .The total IBS‐QOL score of patients with comorbid anxiety and depression or depression were lower than that of patients without anxiety or depression (66 .05 ± 22 .88 vs 77 .22 ± 15 .35 , F = 4 .412 , P = 0 .005) .Except health worrying and sexual ,the scores in six dimensions(including dysphoria ,interference with activity ,body image ,food avoidance and social reaction) were all significantly decreased (F= 3 .309 ,3 .279 ,4 .177 ,3 .765 ,6 .041 and 3 .830 , P= 0 .013 ,0 .012 ,0 .013 , 0 .007 ,0 .001 and 0 .010) .In male patients ,the total score of IBS‐QOL and the scores of dysphoria ,body image and social reaction of patients with anxiety and depression or depression were lower than those of patients without anxiety and depression (t = 2 .143 ,2 .110 ,2 .279 ,3 .061 ; P = 0 .036 ,0 .039 ,0 .027 ,0 .003) .In female patients ,the score of food avoidance domain significantly decreased (t= 2 .812 ,P= 0 .008) .The scores of IBS‐QOL and six dimensions (including dysphoria ,interference with activity ,body image ,food avoidance and social reaction) of patients with history of severe mental disorders and being abused were even lower than those patients without such histories (t= 3 .241 ,3 .433 ,2 .499 ,2 .296 ,2 .514 ,3 .413 and 2 .601 ;P= 0 .001 ,0 .001 ,0 .014 , 0 .023 ,0 .013 ,0 .001 and 0 .010) .Conclusions The QOL of patients with IBS‐D was significantly affected by psychological factors with gender differences .The approaches to improve the psychological status of IBS patients were helpful to enhance the efficacy of comprehensive therapy .

Normative values and its clinical significance of the anorectal manometry in Chinese from multi-center study / 中华消化杂志

Objective To acquire normative values of anorectal manometry and sensation in population of our country with different gender and age.Methods Healthy individuals from four medical centers were collected and divided into three group according to their age,group Ⅰ 18 - 39 years old, group Ⅱ 40-59 years old and group Ⅲ ≥60 years old.The parameters of anal of subjects at resting status was examined by pneumohydraulic capillary perfusion system and high resolution PC Polygraf HR desktop gastrointestinal dynamic monitoring system.Subjects were asked to simulate defecation and then the defecation related indexes were recorded.In the end rectoanal inhibitory reflexes (RAIR)and rectal sensation were assessed by aired balloon.One-way analysis of variance and independent sample test were performed to compare indexes among three groups with different age and between different genders. Results A total of 166 healthy subjects were enrolled,79 in group Ⅰ with 40 male,68 in group Ⅱ with 29 male and 19 in group Ⅲ with 11 male.There was no significant difference in anal sphincter length (ASL),valid anal sphincter length (VASL),resting anal sphincter pressure (RASP),squeeze anal sphincter pressure (SASP)and duration of valid squeeze anal sphincter pressure (VSASP)among three groups with different age (all P > 0.05 ).Compared between male and female,only SASP of male ((180.13±8.10)mmHg,1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)was significantly higher than that of female ((143.93± 6.59)mmHg,t = -3.489,P 0.05 ). There was no significant difference in rectal pressure (RP),rectoanal pressure gradient (RAPG),anal sphincter relaxation rate (ASRR),and rectoanal coordination (RAC)among three groups (all P >0.05). During simulated defecation,RP and RAPG of men ((61 .23±3.46)mmHg and (40.04±4.08)mmHg) were significantly higher than those of women ((44.47 ± 2.32)mmHg and (24.00 ± 2.59 )mmHg, t=-4.075 ,-3.367,both P 0.05).All participants had RAIR,and there was no significant difference neither among three groups nor between men and women (both P >0.05).There was no significant difference in first rectal sensation (FRS)and constant rectal sensation (CRS)among three groups with different age (all P >0.05).However,the maximum rectal tolerable sensation (MRTS)of group Ⅱ and group Ⅲ was significantly higher than that of group Ⅰ ((194.41 ±6.32)mL and (200.00±12.75)mL vs (167.80 ± 5 .00)mL,F = 6.698,P = 0.002).There was no significant difference in rectal sensation between different gender (all P >0.05 ).Conclusions In our country,SASP,RP and RAPG during simulated defecation of male are higher than those of female.The value of MRTS increases along with the age.

Response of Esophagus to High and Low Temperatures in Patients With Achalasia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Achalasia patients would feel exacerbated dysphagia, chest pain and regurgitation when they drink cold beverages or eat cold food. But these symptoms would relieve when they drink hot water. Reasons are unknown. METHODS: Twelve achalasia patients (mean age, 34 +/- 10 years; F:M, 3:9) who never had any invasive therapies were chosen from Peking Union Medical College Hospital. They were asked to fill in the questionnaire on eating habits including food temperature and related symptoms and to receive high-resolution manometry examination. The exam was done in 2 separated days, at swallowing room temperature (25degrees C) then hot (50degrees C) water, and at room temperature (25degrees C) then cold (2degrees C) water, respectively. Parameters associated with esophageal motility were analyzed. RESULTS: Most patients (9/12) reported discomfort when they ate cold food. All patients reported no additional discomfort when they ate hot food. Drinking hot water was effective in 5/8 patients who ever tried to relieve chest pain attacks. On manometry, cold water increased lower esophageal sphincter (LES) resting pressure (P = 0.003), and prolonged the duration of esophageal body contraction (P = 0.002). Hot water decreased LES resting pressure and residue pressure during swallow (P = 0.008 and P = 0.002), increased LES relaxation rate (P = 0.029) and shortened the duration of esophageal body contraction (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Cold water could increase LES resting pressure, prolong the contraction duration of esophageal body, and exacerbate achalasia symptoms. Hot water could reduce LES resting pressure, assist LES relaxation, shorten the contraction duration of esophageal body and relieve symptoms. Thus achalasia patients are recommended to eat hot and warm food and avoid cold food.

Multi-centered stratified study of chronic constipation with anorectal pain in China / 中华消化杂志

Objective To investigate the prevalence of anorectal pain in chronic constipation (CO patients. Methods With multi-centered stratified questionnaires investigation,the face to face questionnaires investigation was carried out on the symptoms of constipation and intensity,frequency and duration of anorectal pain in CC patients. CC and anorectal pain was diagnosed according to Rome Ⅲ criteria. Results Total 921 CC patients were investigated,and 909 questionnaires were valid. Of those,there were 258 male cases and 651 female cases,the mean age was(48. 9±18. 7)years. About 15. 1%(137/909)CC patients reported anorectal pain in last six months;of those 26 cases(2. 9%)with chronic proctalgia(CP),111 cases(12. 2%)with proctalgia fugax(PF). The percentage of pain occurred frequently or regularly in CP and PF patients was 88. 5%(23/26)and 73. 9%(82/111)respectively. The pain of PF patients was milder than that of CP patients. The detection rate of CP was higher in tertiary hospitals than in primary cares(3. 6% vs 0. 6%,P= 0. 04). There was no significant difference of PF detection rate between different hospitals(P= 0. 09). The occurrence of pain was associated with anorectal symptoms,sleeping and psychosocial condition. Conclusions CC patients are frequently with anorectal pain and more common in female,which should cause extensive concern by physicians.If necessary,the prevalence of anorectal pain in general population as well as the mechanism of the symptom need further investigation.