Isolated naratriptan-associated ischemic colitis.

We report a 41-year-old woman who developed histology- and colonoscopy-proven ischemic colitis with the use of naratriptan not exceeding the maximum 2 doses a day and 3 days per week and without a known medical or cardiovascular history. By exclusion of other causes of colonic ischemia, naratriptan was considered the sole causal agent. Discontinuation of naratriptan resulted in a complete clinical recovery. To date, our patient is the youngest known patient to develop ischemic colitis on isolated naratriptan in the setting of no known medical risk factors or predisposing medical condition. Even though triptans are commonly used for the abortive treatment of migraine headaches, such a reported side effect is rare; however, careful assessment and individual patient-based treatment is advised.

Sessile serrated adenomas in the proximal colon are likely to be flat, large and occur in smokers.

AIM: To examine the epidemiology and the morphology of the proximal sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study to identify patients with SSAs using a university-based hospital pathology database query from January 2007 to April 2011. Data collected included: age, gender, ethnicity, body mass index, diabetes, smoking, family history of colorectal cancer, aspirin, and statin use. We collected data on morphology of SSAs including site (proximal or distal), size, and endoscopic appearance (flat or protuberant). We also compared proximal SSAs to proximal tubular adenomas detected during same time period. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty patients with SSAs were identified: 61% were distal and 39% were proximal SSAs. Proximal SSAs were more likely to be flat than distal (100% vs 78% respectively; P = 0.0001). Proximal SSAs were more likely to occur in smokers (OR = 2.63; 95%CI: 1.17-5.90; P = 0.02) and in patients with family history of colorectal cancer (OR = 4.72; 95%CI: 1.43-15.55; P = 0.01) compared to distal. Proximal SSAs were statistically more likely to be ≥ 6 mm in size (OR = 2.94; P = 0.008), and also more likely to be large (≥ 1 cm) (OR = 4.55; P = 0.0005) compared to the distal lesions. Smokers were more likely to have proximal (P = 0.02), flat (P = 0.01) and large (P = 0.007) SSAs compared to non-smokers. Compared to proximal tubular adenomas, proximal SSAs were more likely to be large and occur in smokers. CONCLUSION: Proximal SSAs which accounted for two-fifths of all SSAs were more likely to present as flat lesions, larger SSAs, and were more likely to occur in smokers and in patients with family history of colorectal cancer. Our data has implications for colorectal cancer screening.

Duodenal bleeding from metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding due to malignancy is relatively uncommon and the duodenum is the least frequently involved site. Duodenal metastasis is rare in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and early detection, especially in case of a solitary mass, helps in planning further therapy. We report a case of intractable upper gastrointestinal bleeding from metastatic RCC to the duodenum. The patient presented with melena and anemia, 13 years after nephrectomy for RCC. On esophagogastroduodenoscopy, a submucosal mass was noted in the duodenum, biopsies of which revealed metastatic RCC. In conclusion, metastasis from RCC should be considered in nephrectomized patients presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms and a complete evaluation, especially endoscopic examination followed by biopsy, is suggested.

Risk factors for sessile serrated adenomas.

BACKGROUND: Although sessile serrated adenomas (SSAs) may represent a separate and important pathway for colorectal cancer (CRC), little is known about the risk factors for these lesions. Molecular abnormalities such as BRAF have been observed in SSA and smokers. Our hypothesis is that smoking may be associated with these lesions. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with an SSA from January 2007 to September 2010 were identified retrospectively based on a pathology database query. There were 2 sets of controls. One group had no adenomas, whereas another group had tubular adenomas. These groups were randomly identified from 2007 to 2010. Data collected included age, sex, ethnicity, height, weight, family history of CRC, diabetes mellitus, use of aspirin, statins, and calcium, and serum trigylcerides and cholesterol. We defined smokers as those patients who smoked at least 20 pack-years. RESULTS: We identified 90 patients with an SSA of any size, 90 patients with tubular adenomas, and 200 controls with no adenomas. Of the 90 SSAs, 42 were 6 mm or larger and 19 of them were ≥1 cm. Most of the SSAs was flat (76/90; 84.4%). After multivariate analyses, smokers with at least 20 pack-year exposure were found to have an increased risk [adjusted odds ratio (OR)=7.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.92-13.63] of having any SSAs, SSAs ≥6 mm (adjusted OR=7.77; 95% CI, 3.48-17.35), and large SSAs (adjusted OR=10.20; 95% CI, 3.31-31.41) compared with nonsmokers. We also observed this relationship when comparing patients with SSAs to those with tubular adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that smoking at least 20 pack-years is strongly associated with any and large SSAs. In addition, diabetes mellitus and obesity seem to be associated with SSAs as well. Our data has implications for CRC screening.

Research advances in the development of peptide antibiotics.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing concern in both nosocomial and community acquired infections. Resistance began to emerge as early as the 1950s. Much research has been dedicated to the improvement of existing classes of antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are part of the innate immune system, and an important component of immune defense. They are produced by plants, animals, insects, and single celled organisms, and possess anti-microbial properties. As such, they are an ideal target for future antibiotic production. Bacteriocins are a subgroup of AMPs, produced by various bacteria. It has been shown that the production of chimeric peptides consisting of bacteriocins and pheromones can be targeted toward the killing of specific bacterial species. In contrast to the clonal, acquired adaptive immunity, endogenous peptide antibiotics provide a fast and energy-effective mechanism as front line defense. This review will provide an overview of AMPs and their potential for target-specific anti-infective therapy.