What are the clinical implications of nodular gastritis? Clues from histopathology.

There is no widely accepted histopathological definition for nodular gastritis. In this study we aim to uncover the pathologic entity responsible for the nodular appearance and to find clues about the clinical implications of nodular gastritis. Antral biopsy specimens of 160 patients with nodular gastritis and 133 patients without nodular gastritis were examined by an experienced pathologist for dysplasia, foveolar hyperplasia, inflammatory activity, intraepithelial lymphocytosis, intestinal metaplasia, and lymphoid follicle/aggregate formation, and comparative analysis was performed between the two groups of patients. The presence of intraepithelial lymphocytosis was more frequent in patients with nodular gastritis (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the two groups regarding the other pathological features such as presence of dysplasia, inflammatory activity, intestinal metaplasia, lymphoid hyperplasia, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Increase of intraepithelial lymphocytes may contribute to formation of macroscopical nodules in this peculiar type of gastritis. Nodular gastritis would not indicate a new therapeutic approach in addition to the current measures for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Fasciola hepatica infection: clinical and computerized tomographic findings of ten patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Fasciola hepatica is the cause of liver infection, fascioliasis. Although rare, it is still a problem even in developed countries. In this study, the clinical and computerized tomographic findings of 10 patients diagnosed with fascioliasis are summarized. METHODS: The medical records of the patients with fascioliasis were retrospectively examined. Clinical, laboratory findings and computerized tomographic results were recorded. RESULTS: Abdominal pain, fever, eosinophilia and abnormal liver function tests were the most commonly encountered symptoms and signs. One patient was human immunodeficiency virus -positive with active tuberculosis. Serologic test for fasciola hepatica was positive in all patients. Nodular masses without prominent enhancement, and branching low-attenuated tubular lesions were the most commonly seen tomographic findings and were supportive for the diagnosis. All except the HIV-positive patient received bithionol therapy; six patients responded well, two lost contact with the clinic and one patient who was unresponsive to bithionol therapy received triclabendazole. During follow-up of the six patients who responded, all the clinical and radiological findings regressed. CONCLUSION: In any patient with peripheral eosinophilia, abdominal pain and elevated liver enzymes, especially when CT reveals tubular and nodular hypodense lesions particularly in subcapsular area, F. hepatica infection should be considered. Either triclabendazole or bithionol can be used effectively for the treatment.

How much helpful is the capsule endoscopy for the diagnosis of small bowel lesions?

AIM: To assess the practically usefulness and diagnostic yield of this new method in a group of patients with suspected small bowel lesions. METHODS: Capsule endoscopic (CE) examination by using M2A capsule endoscope TM (Given Imaging, Yoqneam, Israel) was performed in thirty nine patients (26 males, 13 females) with suspected small intestinal lesions. The composing of the patients was as follows: obscure gastrointestinal bleeding in twenty three patients, known Crohn's disease in 6 patients, in whom CE was used to evaluate the severity and extension of the diseases, chronic diarrhea in 8 patients, abdominal pain in one patient and malignancy in one patient with unknown origin. RESULTS: In two patients CE failed. Different abnormalities were revealed in 26 patients overall. Detection rate of abnormalities was highest among patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and the source of bleeding was demonstrated in 17 of 23 patients with obscure bleeding (73.9%). Entero-Behcet was diagnosed in two patients by CE as a source of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. In 6 patients with known Crohn's disease, CE revealed better evaluation of the disease extension. In 3 of 8 (37.5%) patients with chronic diarrhea; CE revealed some mucosal abnormalities as the cause of chronic diarrhea. In a patient with unexplained abdominal pain and in a cancer patient with unknown origin, CE examination was normal. CONCLUSION: In our relatively small series, we found that capsule endoscopy is a useful diagnostic tool particularly in diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, chronic diarrhea and in estimating the extension of Crohn's disease.

Idiopathic fibrosclerosis of bilateral orbits, bilateral ureters, thyroid: a case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic multifocal fibrosclerosis is a rare disorder which is usually misdiagnosed in the clinics. We try to make a review of the literature about this large spectrum syndrome and treatment modalities other than surgery. Our patient interestingly have both fibrosclerosis of bilateral ureters, orbits and thyroid. Steroids, radiotherapy, tamoxifen, vitaminD3, colchisine was found to be in effective in treatment of progressive fibrosis.

Erythropoiesis: Case Report: Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anemia Type II in a Woman Presenting with Jaundice, Anemia, and Splenomegaly.

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemias (CDAs) are extremely rare types of hemolytic anemias that share similar morphological findings and are characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis. CDAs are divided into three major groups and few variants. The most frequently encountered type is CDA type II (HEMPAS: Hereditary erythroblastic multinuclearity associated with a positive acidified serum test). We herein report a case of CDA type II, who presents with a mild anemia, jaundice, splenomegaly, cholelithiasis and hemolysis. CDA type II, about 120 cases have been reported so far, has recently been discovered to be due to the defective glycolization of membrane proteins on the erythrocyte progenitors. The responsible gene has been found to be located on the Chromosome 20q only a few years ago.