Acute intestinal pseudo-obstruction secondary to Sjogren's syndrome in pregnancy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IPO) is a rare disease, and its clinical manifestations can resemble mechanical intestinal obstruction leading to unnecessary and potentially harmful surgery. Certain autoimmune diseases have been associated with IPO, however, cases secondary to Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) are especially rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We described the first case of SjS-associated acute IPO in pregnancy, which was successfully treated with combined immunosuppressive therapy and resulted in an uneventful caesarean delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Women with SjS is likely to experience more complications during pregnancy, and IPO rather than the classic symptoms could be the first sign of SjS flares. IPO should be suspected in patients with unrelenting symptoms of small bowel obstruction, and a multidisciplinary approach can provide optimal management of such high-risk pregnancies.

Pyridostigmine in chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction - a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) may be a primary or secondary phenomenon and is often multifactorial. Treatment is largely directed at improving colonic motility. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors such as pyridostigmine has been hypothesized to increase acetylcholine in the bowel, improving symptoms and transit times. METHODS: A systematic review of the use of pyridostigmine in CIPO was conducted using scientific and commercial search engines identifying scientific studies enrolling adult human subjects, published from 2000 to 2022 in the English language. RESULTS: Four studies were identified including two randomized controlled trials (RCT) and two observational studies. The studies had heterogenous inclusion criteria, dosing regimens and reported outcomes. Two studies were identified as being at high risk of bias. All studies reported improved patient outcomes with use of pyridostigmine, and low rates (4.3%) of mild cholinergic side effects. No major side effects were reported. CONCLUSION: The use of pyridostigmine in management of CIPO is biologically plausible due to its ability to increase colonic motility, and early studies on its role are uniformly suggestive of benefit with low side-effect profile. Four clinical studies have been conducted to date, with small sample sizes, heterogeneity and high risk of bias. Further high-quality studies are required to enable assessment of pyridostigmine's utility as an effective management strategy in CIPO.

Pharmacological and nutritional therapy of children and adults with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction (CIPO) is a rare, heterogenous, and severe form of gastrointestinal dysmotility. AREAS COVERED: Pertinent literature on pediatric and adult CIPO management has been assessed via PubMed, Scopus, and EMBASE from inception to June 2022. Prokinetics, aimed at restoring intestinal propulsion (e.g. orthopramides and substituted benzamides, acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors, serotonergic agents, and others), have been poorly tested and the available data showed only partial efficacy. Moreover, some prokinetic agents (e.g. orthopramides and substituted benzamides) can cause major side effects. CIPO-related small intestinal bacterial overgrowth requires treatment preferably via poorly absorbable antibiotics to avoid bacterial resistance. Apart from opioids, which worsen gut motility, analgesics should be considered to manage visceral pain, which might dominate the clinical manifestations. Nutritional support, via modified oral feeding, enteral, or parenteral nutrition, is key to halting CIPO-related malnutrition. EXPERT OPINION: There have been significant roadblocks preventing the development of CIPO treatment. Nonetheless, the considerable advancement in neurogastroenterology and pharmacological agents cast hopes to test the actual efficacy of new prokinetics via well-designed clinical trials. Adequate dietary strategies and supplementation remain of crucial importance. Taken together, novel pharmacological and nutritional options are expected to provide adequate treatments forthese patients.

Rapid improvement of systemic sclerosis-associated intestinal pseudo-obstruction with intravenous immunoglobulin administration.

OBJECTIVES: SSc is an autoimmune disease characterized by excessive fibrosis in multiple organs, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI symptoms of SSc such as intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IPO) are often refractory to conventional intervention and can result in longer in-hospital stay or even increased mortality. We aimed to summarize the insights to date regarding the efficacy of IVIG against GI symptoms of SSc to unveil what we should focus on in future studies. METHODS: Herein we report the response of GI symptoms in three cases with SSc-myositis overlap who received IVIG administration. We also conducted a systematic literature review to summarize previous reports regarding the efficacy of IVIG upon the GI manifestations of SSc, according to the PRISMA 2020 guideline. RESULTS: The case series demonstrated remarkable and rapid improvement of GI symptoms, including IPO, after IVIG administration. The literature review revealed that previous reports also support the efficacy and safety of IVIG against GI manifestations of SSc. However, they were all retrospective studies and lacking description of the short-term outcome after IVIG administration with objective and quantitative metrics. CONCLUSION: IVIG seems to be a promising therapeutic option for the management of GI symptoms in SSc, including IPO. Investigators should focus more on short-term outcomes to properly assess the therapeutic benefit of IVIG, ideally using reliable quantitative measures in a multicentre randomized placebo-controlled setting.

Clinical Observation of Treatment Efficacy in Critical Paralytic Ileus Disease with Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the treatment efficacy of the combination of Da-Cheng-Qi Decoction (DCQD) injected into the jejunum and as an enema in patients with critical diseases with paralytic ileus. METHODS: In our double-blind randomized controlled study, 114 critically ill patients with paralytic ileus were divided into 2 groups. The control group received conventional medical treatment, and the DCQD group was treated with integrated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine. The intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), recovery of gastrointestinal (GI) function, clinical efficacy and intensive care unit (ICU) stay in the 2 groups were recorded and compared. RESULTS: The IAP in the DCQD group was lower than in the control group (P < .05). The recovery of GI function and clinical efficacy rate in the DCQD group were significantly better than in the control group (P < .05, respectively). CONCLUSION: DCQD may be an effective method for treating patients with critical diseases with paralytic ileus and is worthy of clinical application.

Human Herpesvirus 6 Reactivation Associated With Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction in a Renal Transplant Recipient.

Human herpesvirus 6 infection is common after organ transplant. Generally, infection is asymptomatic or is associated with a mild illness. However, human herpesvirus 6 infection in these patients may as well be life threatening as a result of severe end-stage organ disease. Here, we have reported a case of a severe human herpesvirus 6 infection with cerebral, hepatic, and gastrointestinal involvement, which presented as intestinal pseudo-obstruction. The patient was a renal transplant recipient who was successfully treated with ganciclovir. We also reviewed the literature on human herpesvirus 6 diagnosis and the associated colitis and encephalitis with its infection in solid-organ transplant recipients.

Efficacy of prucalopride in critically ill patients with paralytic ileus: A pilot randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Paralytic ileus is a common intestinal dysfunction in critically ill patients, which results in complications and poor hospital outcomes. There are still no established effective medications, except correcting the primary causes and prokinetics trial, which have limited efficacy and potential adverse events. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of prucalopride on paralytic ileus in critically ill patients. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of five consecutive days treatment periods was conducted. Critically ill patients with paralytic ileus were included. The primary endpoint was the improvement of bowel dilatation on plain abdominal radiography. The secondary endpoint was the change of abdominal circumference. RESULTS: Twenty patients were consecutively enrolled in the study. There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics of patients. The common causes of hospitalization were infection and respiratory problems. The maximum large bowel diameters dramatically decreased in prucalopride group and reached maximum point on the third day after intervention when compared with placebo (-2.1 [± 1.8] vs 0.3 [± 1.5] cm, P = 0.01). The maximum small bowel diameters were noticeably less decreased and were not significantly different when compared with placebo. The abdominal circumferences notably decreased and significantly diverged from placebo on the third day. CONCLUSIONS: Prucalopride was an effective enterokinetic agent to improve non-severe inflammatory/ischemic bowel conditions related paralytic ileus in critically ill patients. Its effect was predominant on large intestine but could not be well demonstrated on small bowel in this study. Future study or concomitant other prokinetics for upper gut motility should be further evaluated.

Effect of Caffeine Intake on Postoperative Ileus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative ileus prolongs both hospital stay and patients' morbidity, having at the same time a great impact on health care costs. Coffee, a worldwide popular, cheap beverage might have an important effect on the motility of the postoperative bowel. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched. RESULTS: Four studies met the inclusion criteria of our meta-analysis. A total of 341 patients were included. The postoperative administration of coffee significantly reduces the time to first bowel movement, the time to first flatus and the time to tolerance of solid diet. Safe conclusions could not be drawn regarding the additional use of laxatives, the necessity for reinsertion of nasogastric tube or the need for reoperation as all the aforementioned outcomes did not present any statistically significance. None of the complications were attributed to the administration of coffee. CONCLUSION: The administration of coffee as a postoperative ileus prevention measure can change the way postoperative enhanced recovery is applied. Even though the mechanism of action of coffee is not fully known, currently available literature demonstrates a significant improvement in gastrointestinal motility without having any impact on postoperative morbidity. Studies with higher methodological quality can offer a more careful evaluation of the clinical use of this popular beverage.

The Use of Coffee to Decrease the Incidence of Postoperative Ileus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of providing coffee to elective abdominal surgery patients, immediately postoperatively, to lessen postoperative ileus. DESIGN: A systematic review with meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials published since 2012. METHODS: Methodological quality was evaluated using the Cochrane guidelines. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations assessment tool evaluated the quality of the evidence. Subgroup analyses were completed if the I2 statistic demonstrated heterogeneity (greater than 50%). FINDINGS: Coffee was statistically significant in shortening the time between surgery and the first passage of stool (mean difference, -9.38; 95% confidence interval, -17.60 to -1.16; P = .03). Although not statistically significant (P = .20), the overall effect favored shorter hospital stays for those patients receiving coffee. CONCLUSIONS: The current systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that coffee given as early as 2 hours postoperatively decreases time to first bowel movement. In addition, patients tolerated solid food faster and were discharged sooner when given coffee immediately postoperatively.

Neurological autoimmune disorders with prominent gastrointestinal manifestations: A review of presentation, evaluation, and treatment.

BACKGROUND: The identification of autoantibodies directed against neuronal antigens has led to the recognition of a wide spectrum of neurological autoimmune disorders (NAD). With timely recognition and treatment, many patients with NAD see rapid improvement. Symptoms associated with NAD can be diverse and are determined by the regions of the nervous system affected. In addition to neurological symptoms, a number of these disorders present with prominent gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations such as nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, and gastroparesis prompting an initial evaluation by gastroenterologists. PURPOSE: This review provides a general overview of autoantibodies within the nervous system, focusing on three scenarios in which nervous system autoimmunity may initially present with gut symptoms. A general approach to evaluation and treatment, including antibody testing, will be reviewed.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction as the initial manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Small bowel obstruction is common in emergency departments. However, the exact cause of intestinal pseudo-obstruction (IPO) is often misdiagnosed. IPO is considered a severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, IPO is rare as the initial manifestation of SLE. This paper reports a female patient who presented with IPO as the initial manifestation and was ultimately diagnosed with SLE. The 31-year-old female was definitively diagnosed with SLE after IPO symptoms for 1 month. She then presented multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) leading to a poor prognosis. Patients with unexplained SBO symptoms should be aware of systemic diseases. Early diagnosis and prompt medical treatment are crucial to avoid unnecessary surgery and obtain satisfactory outcomes.

Case Report: Subcutaneous Ivermectin Pharmacokinetics in Disseminated Strongyloides Infection: Plasma and Postmortem Analysis.

Parenteral ivermectin treatment of disseminated strongyloidiasis and hyperinfection is increasing, although not licensed in humans and with limited pharmacokinetic data available. Plasma and postmortem tissue analysis in an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus-positive man with disseminated strongyloidiasis suggests loading subcutaneous ivermectin doses are required, from which the central nervous system is protected.

Clinical characteristics of lupus enteritis in Japanese patients: the large intestine-dominant type has features of intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

This study was performed to investigate the clinical characteristics of lupus enteritis in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A total of 481 patients with SLE admitted to our hospital between 2001 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis of lupus enteritis was based on the following three criteria: (1) abdominal symptoms, (2) diffuse long-segment bowel thickening and (3) a requirement for glucocorticoid therapy. Lupus enteritis was identified in 17 patients (3.5%) and there were two distinct types: small intestine-dominant and large intestine-dominant. Significant differences between the two types were noted with respect to the age, frequency of biopsy-proven lupus nephritis, frequency of rectal involvement, maximum bowel wall thickness, and requirement for steroid pulse therapy. Among patients with large intestine-dominant lupus enteritis, 60% had extra-intestinal symptoms (hydroureter, bladder wall thickening, and bile duct dilatation) that are known complications of intestinal pseudo-obstruction. Two patients with large intestine-dominant lupus enteritis developed intestinal pseudo-obstruction either before or after diagnosis of lupus enteritis. Five patients (29%) developed recurrence during a median observation period of 7.2 years (1.4-14.4 years). In conclusion, large intestine-dominant lupus enteritis resembles intestinal pseudo-obstruction and these two diseases may have a common pathogenesis.

The Use of Pyridostigmine in a Child With Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction.

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a rare disorder that affects the motility of the gastrointestinal tract. It results in acute or subacute intestinal obstruction symptoms in the absence of mechanical lesion. It can lead to intestinal failure in children with significant strain on nutrition, growth, and development. There is no universally agreed protocol for management of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction in children, and there is wide variation in clinical practice.

Application of Pyridostigmine in Pediatric Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal (GI) motility disorders are common in children. Treatment is challenging with limited medical and surgical options. Pyridostigmine, an acetyl cholinesterase inhibitor, increases acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction promoting intestinal contractions. Little is known about the role and dosing of pyridostigmine in pediatric GI motility disorders. METHODS: We present a case series of children with GI dysmotility managed with oral pyridostigmine. Patients' diagnoses include chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, gastroparesis with delayed small bowel transit, chronic constipation with failure to thrive, and prolonged ileus after pelvic surgery with chronic opioid use. RESULTS: Pyridostigmine was effective and safe in all cases. Pyridostigmine decreased abdominal distention, increased bowel movement frequency, and improved enteral feeding tolerance. Effective dosing ranged between 0.25-2.0 mg/kg/day. One patient experienced cramping abdominal pain while on pyridostigmine, but pain resolved after medication was discontinued. CONCLUSION: We found oral pyridostigmine to be helpful in children with different GI motility problems. Pyridostigmine should be considered in such patients when other treatment interventions have not been beneficial.

Effect of Daikenchuto (TJ-100) on gastrointestinal symptoms following laparoscopic colectomy in patients with colon cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative paralytic ileus can be a difficult complication for both surgeons and patients. Causes and treatments have been discussed for more than two centuries, but have not yet been fully resolved. Daikenchuto (TJ-100, DKT) is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine. Recently, some beneficial mechanisms of DKT to relieve paralytic ileus have been reported. DKT can suppress inflammation, increase intestinal blood flow, and accelerate bowel movements. Therefore, we have designed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of DKT on postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms following laparoscopic colectomy in patients with left-sided colon cancer at a single institution. METHODS/DESIGN: As primary endpoints, the following outcomes will be evaluated: (i) grade of abdominal pain determined using the numeric rating scale (NRS), (ii) grade of abdominal distention determined using the NRS, and (iii) quality of life determined using the Gastrointestinal Quality Life Index (GIQLI). As secondary endpoints, the following will be evaluated: (i) postoperative nutritional status (Onodera's Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) and the Controlling Nutritional Status score (CONUT score)), (ii) duration to initial flatus, (iii) duration to initial defecation, (iv) bowel gas volume, (v) character of stool (Bristol Stool Form Scale), (vi) defecation frequency per day, (vii) postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo classification), (viii) length of postoperative hospital stay, and (ix) metabolites in the stool and blood. This trial is an open-label study, and needs to include 40 patients (20 patients per group) and is expected to span 2 years. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of DKT on postoperative subjective outcomes (i.e., postoperative quality of life) following laparoscopic colectomy as primary endpoints. Exploratory metabolomics analysis of metabolites in stool and blood will be conducted in this trial, which previously has only been performed in a few human studies. The study aims to guide a future full-scale pragmatic randomized trial to assess the overall effectiveness of DKT to improve the postoperative quality of life following laparoscopic colectomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR (Japan), UMIN000023318 . Registered on 25 July 2016.