ABSTRACT
Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated small-intestinal disorder. The tissue transglutaminase (TTG) antibodies test is the initial step in the diagnosis of CD. Intussusception is a process where one segment of the bowel invaginates into the lumen of an adjacent segment. Despite that, the association between adult intussusception and CD has been descried previously, and it is still not widely recognized. We report a case of adult intussusception as the first manifestation of CD. A 28-year-old nonalcoholic and nonsmoker, previously healthy man, presented to the emergency department with a 1-week history of progressive diffuse abdominal pain associated with abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and 7 kg weight loss. The physical exam was remarkable for thin body habitus with no lymphadenopathy. Laboratory testing was significant for hypochromic microcytic anemia, AST 214 IU/L, ALT 217 IU/L, alkaline phosphatase 183 IU/L, and INR 2.9. An abdominal radiograph showed distended gas-filled small- and large-bowel loops. An abdominal computed tomography scan with contrast was done and demonstrated a telescoping of the small bowel in at least 3 areas with a target sign appearance with no signs of obstruction that suggested small-bowel intussusception. Following this imaging result, the patient was admitted under general surgery and kept nothing by mouth. The surgical team approached the gastroenterology team for push enteroscopy with biopsy which the patient refused. Further investigation included TTG antibodies; IgA and IgG were significantly elevated, 4,965.5 CU and 431.9 CU, respectively (reference: <19.9 CU). The diagnosis of CD leading to adult intussusception was made. The patient was advised to start a gluten-free diet. During the hospital stay, the patient had complete resolution of his symptoms and was discharged home. In summary, this case highlights the potential link between adult intussusception and CD. Adult intussusception is a rare condition that its underlying etiology should be meticulously investigated to expedite treatment and prevent unnecessary surgical intervention.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) affecting 6.8 million persons globally. Treatment of IBD focuses largely on immune suppression or modulation using corticosteroids, aminosalicylates, thiopurines, or biologic agents. These agents are effective but most of them pose a risk of infections, cancers, and osteoporosis. Many of these complications can be prevented by implementing vaccination, cancer screening, and bone health programs. Despite the progress in IBD care, recent data suggest that many IBD patients do not get preventative services. Previous studies have examined rates of vaccinations and other health maintenance metrics in North America and Europe where IBD patients are mainly of European and African descent. In comparison, Middle Eastern and Asian descent persons comprise the majority of the IBD population in Abu Dhabi, the capital city of United Arab Emirates (UAE), a major country in the Gulf region of the Middle East. Little is known to date about the state of IBD preventative care in this region. We sought to assess the proportion of patients with IBD that underwent recommended vaccinations, cancer screening (surveillance colonoscopy, PAP smear, annual skin examination), and bone health evaluation at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC), the largest tertiary care hospital in Abu Dhabi. METHODS: This study was a retrospective case series of adult IBD patients (>18 years) seen in the outpatient setting at SSMC from 2019 to 2020. Patients were identified based on ICD-10 codes for IBD [K50.90, K50.00, K51.90, and K50.80] as well as administrative/pharmacy records of the IBD agents (e.g. infliximab). Proportions were assessed using simple summary statistics and one sample proportion 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 55 IBD patients were identified in our study with the majority being males (76.3%). The mean age was 31.6 years. Sixty-nine percent had Crohn's. Most of the patients were on infliximab (58.1%), followed by vedolizumab, ustekinumab, and adalimumab. The proportion of patients who received vaccinations was as follows; HAV (67%, 95% CI 28-100%), HBV (50%, 95% CI 28-72%), pneumococcal 23 (20%, 95% CI 9.4-31%), pneumococcal 13 (18.2%, 95% CI 8-28%) and influenza vaccine (16.4%, 95% CI 7-26%). Moreover, the study showed that the proportion of IBD patients who underwent recommended colonoscopy surveillance was 91% (95% CI 79-100%) and the proportion of women IBD patients who had recommended PAP smear was 30%, (95% CI 2-58%). Regarding bone health, the proportion who underwent DXA bone scans was 36%, (95% CI 24-49%) However, the compliance rate of the Tdap, HPV and Zoster vaccinations, and annual skin examination were poor warranting further quality improvement studies. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that the state of health maintenance among IBD patients seen at our facility before 2021 was largely dismal. Efforts are being taken to improve the proportion of patients who receive recommended vaccinations including annual influenza, pneumococcal 13 and 23, HPV, Zoster, and COVID-19 vaccines. Furthermore, there is a focus on bone health and skin cancer examinations with plans to calculate, report, and publish health maintenance data annually.
