Capsule endoscopy: impact on clinical decision making in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Capsule endoscopy is widely used for diagnosis of small-bowel disease; however, the impact of capsule endoscopy on clinical management remains uncertain. We conducted a prospective study of the impact capsule endoscopy on clinical management decisions in 128 patients with suspected small-bowel pathology. METHODS: Prior to performing each procedure the gastroenterologist predicted the findings of capsule endoscopy and further management based on the clinical history and previous investigations. This prediction was compared with the actual results of capsule endoscopy and the following investigative and therapeutic management. RESULTS: The actual findings of capsule endoscopy and the further management were consistent with clinical prediction in 93/128 patients (73 %) and, irrespective of capsule endoscopy findings, no further procedures were required in 80 % of these patients. In 13 patients (10 %), gastric or colonic pathology was discovered that had not been detected on prior gastroscopy or colonoscopy. Thus, capsule endoscopy findings in the small bowel changed clinical management in 22 patients (17 %). In 4 patients, positive findings on capsule endoscopy that had not been predicted by the examiner prompted referral for abdominal surgery. Conversely, planned surgery was canceled in four other patients. CONCLUSION: In this series of patients referred for capsule endoscopy, small-bowel findings and appropriate clinical management were predicted on clinical grounds alone in approximately three-quarters of patients. Repetition of standard upper and lower endoscopy may be useful in many patients prior to small-bowel imaging. Referral for capsule endoscopy should take into account whether the findings will impact on clinical management; however, capsule endoscopy is mandatory in patients in whom surgery for small-bowel bleeding is intended.

[Infliximab--practical guidelines for the treatment of Crohn's disease]. / Infliximab--recommandations pratiques pour te traitement de la maladie de Crohn.

Infliximab is a monoclonal chimeric antibody, with high affinity and specificity for tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) that plays a central role in the pathogenesis of immune mediated inflammatory disorders including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Globally over 600000 patients have been treated with infliximab to date. This global experience led to a better definition of the overall safety and efficacy profile of this medication. The goal of the present recommendations is to provide practical information to physicians involved in the care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

[Endoscopic palliation of malignant esophagus processes using a self-expanding metallic stent]. / Endoskopische Palliation maligner Osophagusprozesse mit selbstexpandierenden Metallstents.

We investigated the palliative effect of self-expanding metallic stents on malignant obstruction of the esophagus in 10 patients. All patients had high grade dysphagia and one had an esophago-bronchial fistula. Endoscopic insertions of the prosthesis was done under sedation. Dilatation of the stricture prior to insertion was rarely necessary. Coated stents were used as secondary treatment for patients with fistulae. The procedure related morbidity was low and no mortality was observed. The stents remained patent during the residual lifetime of the patients. Dislocation or perforation did not occur. The median survival of 8 deceased patients was 3.5 months (range 1.25-14.5 months). At present 2 patients are still alive 2.7 and 1.5 months after the procedure. Self-expanding stents in the esophagus provide good palliative therapy of dysphagia or fistulae caused by malignant tumors. Insertion is relatively simple and safer than in nonexpandable types. These improvements may justify the considerably higher price of these devices.

[Pseudopancreatitis in entero-invasive salmonellosis]. / "Pseudopankreatitis" bei enteroinvasiver Salmonellose.

The incidence of pancreatitis in bacterial enterocolitis is disputed. Two cases of young patients with S. enteritidis-induced enterocolitis and markedly elevated amylase and lipase blood levels are described. In both patients there were neither clinical nor ultrasonographic signs of pancreatitis. Furthermore, both had increased intestinal permeability for oral 51Cr-EDTA, a condition discussed as "leaky gut" in other publications. In one patient enzyme levels and 51Cr-EDTA resorption became rapidly normal, while in the other the values remained elevated after a 7-month interval with stool culture negative. Enhanced intestinal absorption of 51Cr-EDTA (mw 391) suggests--but does not definitely prove--an inflammatory response of the mucosa leading to increased intestinal permeability, which in turn may allow resorption of amylase (mw 62,000), lipase (43,000) or other macromolecules. Performance of a 51Cr-EDTA resorption test may be helpful in cases of clinical uncertainty.

Comparison of percutaneous and endoscopic retrograde removal of postoperatively retained bile duct stones.

Forty-one patients underwent nonsurgical removal of postoperatively retained bile duct stones in two nonrandomized groups. The endoscopic-retrograde technique was used in 21 patients, and succeeded in 19. The percutaneous approach through the T-tube tract was used in 22 patients, including the two in whom endoscopic stone removal had failed, and was successful in 21 patients. Individual preferences and prior history introduced a selection bias against the percutaneous technique. Auxiliary extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) was used in 2 patients whose stones could not be fragmented mechanically by the percutaneous basket technique. ESWL was successful in one patient but failed in the second. Because endoscopy had also failed in this case, the patient subsequently underwent repeat surgery. Procedure-related complications were minor with both techniques and were readily treated by conservative measures. We conclude that both the retrograde and the percutaneous approaches are effective and safe. The endoscopic approach appears convenient because there is no need to await maturation of the percutaneous tract, but sphincterotomy carries a small but distinctive risk. Because the percutaneous approach uses an existing tract, is only minimally invasive and leaves the sphincter of Oddi intact, it is preferable in those patients who have T-tubes of appropriate size and position in place.

Diaphragm disease of the ascending colon. Association with sustained-release diclofenac.

We describe the clinicopathological features of six patients, two with rheumatoid arthritis and four with osteoarthritis, in whom intake of sustained-release diclofenac for one or more years was associated with ulceration and or stricture of the ascending colon. All were referred for further evaluation of anemia and changes in bowel habits. Three had chronic watery diarrhea, one suffered from progressive constipation and subsequently needed a right hemicolectomy because of complete intestinal obstruction. In five patients, colonoscopy revealed single to multiple semilunar ulcers, predominantly localized on the crest of the haustra of the ascending colon. In five of six cases the lumen was narrowed, from slight accentuation of the haustrum to almost pinhole-like concentric stenosis. All except one patient had multiple diaphragm-like strictures. The macroscopic and microscopic appearances closely resembled those of similar lesions previously described in the terminal ileum in patients treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It appears that the slow-release form of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as sustained-release diclofenac, predisposes to manifestations of such lesions in the ascending colon.

[Is the prognosis of patients with variceal hemorrhage determined by the severity of the underlying disease?]. / Ist die Prognose der Patienten mit Varizenblutung durch den Schweregrad der Grundkrankheit determiniert?

This retrospective analysis includes all patients in whom endoscopic sclerotherapy was initiated because of bleeding oesophageal varices during the years 1984 to 1986. Of the total of 107 patients (77 men, 30 women, mean age 56 years) a majority of 71 (66.3%) had alcoholic liver disease as the underlying cause of portal hypertension. Varices were injected with ethoxysclerol 1% in weekly sessions if possible until they were completely eradicated. Initially 27 patients (25.2%) were classified as Child's class A, 52 (48.5%) as Child's class B and 27 as Child's class C. At the time of analysis 46 patients (42.9%) had died. 17 patients died of uncontrolled variceal haemorrhage one of them after a completed course of sclerotherapy, 15 died in hepatic coma. The cumulative survival rate after one year was 63.8% overall, 84.7% for patients in Child's class A, 75.4% for patients in Child's class B and 21.3% for patients in Child's class C. The one year survival rate for the 50 patients who failed to complete a course of sclerotherapy was 26.9%. The one year survival rate for alcoholics as a group (63%) was the same as for non-alcoholics (64.2%). 40 patients had non-fatal episodes of bleeding, 15 of whom bled after completion of a course of endoscopic sclerotherapy (median delay 174 days after completion of sclerotherapy). We conclude from our results that the outcome after sclerotherapy for oesophageal varices is determined mainly by the severity of the underlying liver disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Endoscopic stone extraction from the biliary tract--current status]. / Die endoskopische Steinextraktion aus den Gallenwegen--eine Standortbestimmung.

Endoscopic removal of bile duct stones has become a routine procedure. The present situation is analyzed in the light of patients treated in 1985 and 1986 by the same team. We report on 114 patients (46 men, 68 women, median age 74 years). Clearance of bile ducts was possible at first attempt in 80 patients (70%) and at second attempt in a further 8 patients (7%). Procedure-related mortality was 0.9%: one patient died after developing necrotizing pancreatitis. The complication rate was 10.6%. Among the 39 patients with gallbladders left in situ, 4 (10.8%) had to undergo cholecystectomy after an interval of 1 to 7 months. It is concluded that endoscopic removal of bile duct stones is a method with a high rate of success. However, even in experienced hands complications are by no means negligible.

Is it really more difficult to treat prepyloric ulcers?

Prepyloric and duodenal ulcers have some common characteristics: gastric acid secretion is increased and there is an association with blood group O. Many, therefore, have considered prepyloric ulcers to be a variety of duodenal ulcer disease. From an anatomical point of view, however, prepyloric ulcers are clearly gastric ulcers. After proximal selective vagotomy, the recurrence rate is very high, amounting to more than 30% in 5 years; this is significantly higher than the rate for duodenal ulcers. Better results are obtained in prepyloric ulcers, if vagotomy is combined with a drainage procedure. In recent years, some evidence, primarily from Scandinavia, has accumulated indicating that prepyloric ulcers are more resistant to treatment with histamine H2-receptor antagonists than duodenal ulcers or ulcers located in other parts of the stomach. In addition, the recurrence rate is particularly high in prepyloric ulcers. One must, however, consider that not only have all of these studies included relatively small numbers of patients, but also the prepyloric ulcer healing rates in other studies were similar to those observed for both duodenal ulcers and ulcers located elsewhere in the stomach. Prospective studies with large numbers of patients are, therefore, necessary before a clear-cut conclusion can be reached. There are several reasons why prepyloric ulcers could be more resistant to treatment. Impaired gastric emptying, duodeno-gastric reflux or chronic gastritis, especially in conjunction with Campylobacter pylori infection, must be considered. At present, one can only speculate on the validity of any of these hypotheses.

Effect of acid inhibition on the growth of parietal cells.

Studies in the rat have shown that prolonged inhibition of acid secretion by high doses of a histamine H2 antagonist is followed by a 20-30% increase in the number of parietal cells, and that this is paralleled by an augmentation of the maximum acid output. A similar effect has been shown after prolonged acid neutralization with high doses of an antacid. These trophic effects are not unexpected. An increase in gastric pH is followed by gastrin release, and the parietal cell mass may be augmented by repeated exogenous administration of gastrin or by endogenous hypergastrinaemia following surgery. To further evaluate whether a direct correlation exists between the magnitude of drug-induced hypergastrinaemia and parietal cell hyperplasia, rats were treated for 24 days with two acid inhibitors which differ markedly in the degree of acid inhibition and acute or chronic gastrin release. Six animals each were treated with either omeprazole (40 mumol/kg once daily), or atropine (3 mg/kg twice daily), or omeprazole combined with atropine or with placebo. On day 24, plasma gastrin was elevated more than 10-fold in both groups of rats treated with omeprazole but not in animals given atropine alone. As compared to placebo treatment, total parietal cell volume was significantly higher in animals treated with atropine (102 +/- 9 mm3 versus 140 +/- 18 mm3), but was unchanged in the other two groups. These studies demonstrate that marked prolonged drug-induced hypergastrinaemia does not necessarily exert trophic effects on parietal cells. Furthermore, the finding that omeprazole abolishes the effect of atropine suggests that omeprazole interferes with trophic actions on parietal cells.

[Lithium acetate, a useful and well tolerated thyrostatic for selected cases of hyperthyroidism]. / Lithiumacetat, ein nützliches und gut verträgliches Thyreostatikum für ausgewählte Fälle von Hyperthyreose.

Lithium acetate treatment of 6 patients with hyperthyroid Graves' disease and 6 patients with toxic nodular goiter is reported. Lithium acetate was administered either as monotherapy (group A) or combined with 45 mg carbimazole or methimazole (group B). A control group of 8 patients received methimazole or carbimazole only (group C). Lithium either alone or combined with thionamide drugs consistently lowered serum thyroxine and triiodothyronine with marked clinical improvement. After 7 days of treatment thyroxine was reduced by 28% (group A), 43% (group B) and 36% (group C). The respective decrease in triiodothyronine was 42%, 50% and 46%. The differences between three groups were not statistically significant. We conclude that lithium is a useful antithyroid agent for selected patients, since it is safe and effective even in severe cases, does not interfere with radioiodine uptake for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes and provides an alternative for patients allergic to thionamides.