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 531 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Inclusion of vagotomy and pyloroplasty in the surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux associated with hiatal hernia has long been controversial. To evaluate the morbidity of vagotomy in the treatment of reflux esophagitis, a retrospective study of 311 patients treated by the Hill posterior gastropexy technique of hiatal hernia repair was tabulated. Vagotomy with the anti-reflux operation was performed upon 159 patients (51%). Vagotomy was not included for 152 patients (49%). The incidence of postoperative symptoms with or without vagotomy was almost equally divided--41% without vagotomy and 47% with vagotomy. However, the major postoperative symptoms that occurred in both groups were abdominal cramps and bloating which usually disappeared in the early postoperative period and were attributed to the anti-reflux procedure and not to vagotomy. When vagotomy was included with the anti-reflux operation, the incidence and duration of long term, disabling postoperative symptoms were significantly increased. Diarrhea occurred two times more frequently. Nausea and vomiting occurred ten times more frequently and dumping was present only in vagotomized patients. Long term postoperative symptoms, judged on a basis of symptoms lasting longer than three months duration, occurred in 1% of patients without vagotomy and 26% when vagotomy was included. This study revealed that no additional protection against recurrent symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux or radiographic evidence of recurrent hiatal hernia was provided by inclusion of vagotomy. In conclusion, vagotomy is contraindicated in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux except in the presence of peptic ulcer disease.
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PMID:Complications of vagotomy in the treatment of hiatal hernia. 97 50

Giardia lamblia are protozoan parasites which cause human intestinal disease. The life cycle has a multiplying intraduodenal trophozoite and an excreted cyst. Infection occurs after cyst ingestion from faecally contaminated water or by direct faecal-oral transmission in situations of poor sanitary standards, but the zoonotic nature of giardiasis is debated. The pathophysiology may arise from enzyme or active transport deficiencies, synergy with intestinal bacteria or an immunopathological process. Diagnosis is made by microscopic identification of cysts or trophozoites in small bowel samples or faeces. Symptoms are acute with diarrhoea (without blood), abdominal cramps, bloating and flatulence. The treatment of choice is either metronidazole or tinidazole. No vaccine or drug prophylaxis exists, and measures to avoid cyst ingestion should be undertaken.
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PMID:Giardia lamblia as an intestinal pathogen. 159 70

For a minimum of one month (mean, 54 days), 287 infants and children less than 8 years of age were fed an isolated soy-protein formula. Prior to entry into the study, a cow's milk formula was being fed to 71%, a soy formula to 9%, and cow's milk or other formulas to 20%. Intolerance to cow's milk was reported in 35% of the patients, symptoms indicative of cow's milk intolerance in 23%, diarrhea or gastroenteritis in 18%, a family history of allergy in 13%, and insufficient weight gain, intolerance to other formulas, or constipation in 11%. The patients showed normal increases in weight and length during the study. A significant decrease in the following symptoms were reported in the patients from before to after treatment: abdominal cramps, bloating or gas, colic, diarrhea, fussiness, rashes or eczema, spitting up, waking up crying at night, wheezing, and vomiting. It is concluded that, while receiving soy formula, infants and children continued to thrive normally and that the formula was well tolerated. After receiving soy formula, the frequency of undesirable feeding-related symptoms was reduced in the majority of infants and children.
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PMID:Tolerance of a soy formula by infants and children. 161 46

In June 1983, an outbreak of waterborne giardiasis occurred in a group of 93 university students and faculty participating in a geology field course in Colorado. All cases occurred in one subgroup of persons who were heavily exposed to untreated stream water on a field trip, and the risk of illness was strongly related to the amount of untreated stream water consumed. The median incubation period from a brief exposure to the first symptom was 7 days. The authors compared symptoms and stool sample results among 31 Giardia-positive persons in the exposed group and 36 Giardia-negative participants in an unexposed group to assess several case definitions for acute giardiasis. Diarrhea, abdominal cramps, flatulence, foul-smelling stools, nausea, excessive tiredness, bloating, anorexia, and chills were each significantly more common in the first group than in the second. A giardiasis case definition of 5 days or more of diarrhea--the definition used in many epidemiologic studies of giardiasis--had a specificity of 100 percent but a sensitivity of only 32.2 percent compared with a definition based on results of stool examinations. When a case was defined as an illness lasting 7 days or more, with a combination of two or more of six symptoms (diarrhea, flatulence, foul-smelling stools, nausea, abdominal cramps, and excessive tiredness), sensitivity rose to 73 percent, with a specificity of 88 percent. Such a case definition may be an improvement over that of 5 days of diarrhea, especially in outbreaks where there is good laboratory documentation that Giardia is the etiologic agent. The definition should be validated in other outbreaks and in situations where giardiasis must be distinguished from gastrointestinal disease caused by other agents.
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PMID:Acute giardiasis: an improved clinical case definition for epidemiologic studies. 199 3

Octreotide is an analogue of somatostatin. Like endogenous somatostatin, it exerts a potent inhibitory effect on the release of anterior pituitary growth hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone, and peptides of the gastroenteropancreatic endocrine system, while overcoming some of the shortcomings of exogenously administered somatostatin, namely a short duration of action, a need for intravenous administration and postinfusion rebound hypersecretion of hormone. Clinical studies have shown that octreotide is effective in the treatment of acromegaly and thyrotrophinomas. In comparative trials octreotide was significantly superior to bromocriptine in patients with acromegaly. Octreotide also appears to provide a significant advantage over existing therapies in the management of the carcinoid syndrome and offers considerable therapeutic potential in reversing carcinoid crises which may be life-threatening. Trials in patients with tumours producing vasoactive intestinal peptide demonstrated that octreotide may be an effective first-line choice for this condition, which has usually metastasised and become refractory to traditional symptomatic therapy. In limited studies in patients with high-output secretory diarrhoea, including cryptosporidium-related diarrhoea associated with AIDS and in patients with small bowel fistulas, octreotide has been shown to be effective in reducing stool/fistula output. However, well-designed clinical trials are still required to confirm its long term usefulness in these disorders. Similarly, although the use of octreotide in other conditions such as neonatal hypoglycaemia caused by nesidioblastosis, reactive pancreatitis, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, postprandial hypotension and the dumping syndrome has provided encouraging preliminary results, more studies are needed to clarify the place of octreotide in their treatment. Overall, octreotide appears to be well tolerated with the most frequently reported reactions being pain at the site of injection and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal cramps, nausea, bloating, flatulence, diarrhoea and steatorrhoea. These adverse effects usually abate with time. Additionally, octreotide, like endogenous somatostatin, may also result in cholelithiasis, presumably by altering fat absorption and possibly by decreasing motility of the gallbladder. Thus, octreotide represents a new departure from traditional therapies in the treatment of various pathophysiological states associated with excessive peptide production and secretion. It offers a significant advantage over existing therapies in the medical management of patients with acromegaly, thyrotrophinomas, the carcinoid syndrome, tumours producing vasoactive intestinal peptide and severe secretory diarrhoea in whom conventional management options have either become exhausted or have provided suboptimal symptomatic relief.
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PMID:Octreotide. A review of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and therapeutic potential in conditions associated with excessive peptide secretion. 268 36

Withdrawal bleeding and other side effects such as edema, bloating, premenstrual irritability, lower abdominal cramps, dysmenorrhea, and breast tenderness limit compliance with hormonal replacement therapy. Although many of these troublesome side effects can be managed by adjusting the dose or changing the source of the estrogen or progestin components, postmenopausal women view withdrawal bleeding as the most negative factor influencing their decision to use hormonal replacement therapy. Additionally, the potential link between postmenopausal estrogen use and subsequent endometrial hyperplasia and cancer concerns potential users. Cyclic progestins protect the endometrium from hyperplastic changes but may not prevent withdrawal bleeding. Both patient and physician education, including the nature of menopause and the protective role of estrogens in osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, are critical to improving compliance with hormonal replacement therapy.
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PMID:Compliance considerations with estrogen replacement: withdrawal bleeding and other factors. 269 Jun 38

An increased incidence of small bowel lymphoma in patients with long-standing celiac sprue is well documented in the literature. Less common is the association of adenocarcinoma of the small intestine. We report a patient with celiac sprue who initially responded to a gluten-free diet. Eighteen months later, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and bloating was found to have its origin in partial small bowel obstruction. At laparotomy, two distinct adenocarcinomas of the jejunum were resected. Celiac patients who initially respond to gluten withdrawal and subsequently suffer exacerbation while adhering to strict dietary therapy should be carefully evaluated for evidence of a small bowel malignancy.
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PMID:Adenocarcinoma of the jejunum in association with celiac sprue. 275 19

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized multiple crossover study was designed to determine the effectiveness of alprazolam in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Patients maintained daily diaries of 22 premenstrual symptoms for one pretreatment control cycle and four treatment cycles. Alprazolam 0.25 mg or placebo was administered three times daily from cycle day 20 until the second day of menstruation, at which time the dosage was tapered by one tablet per day to minimize withdrawal effects. The results of the clinical trial indicate that alprazolam is significantly more effective than placebo in relieving the severity of premenstrual nervous tension, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression, fatigue, forgetfulness, crying, cravings for sweets, abdominal bloating, abdominal cramps, and headache. The low incidence of side effects makes alprazolam an acceptable treatment for premenstrual syndrome for those women unresponsive to other therapies.
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PMID:Treatment of premenstrual syndrome with alprazolam: results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover clinical trial. 329 78

Available data on the efficacy of activated charcoal in reducing lower intestinal gas and accompanying symptoms are conflicting. We conducted a double-blind clinical trial on two population groups in the United States (n = 30) and India (n = 69) known to differ in their dietary habits and ecology of gut flora. Using lactulose as the substrate, breath hydrogen levels were measured to quantify the amount of gas produced in the colon. In comparison to a placebo, activated charcoal significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced breath hydrogen levels in both the population groups. Symptoms of bloating and abdominal cramps attributable to gaseousness were also significantly reduced in both groups by activated charcoal.
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PMID:Efficacy of activated charcoal in reducing intestinal gas: a double-blind clinical trial. 352 Dec 59

I believe there are four essential elements in the management of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): to establish a good physician-patient relationship; to educate patients about their condition; to emphasize the excellent prognosis and benign nature of the illness; and to employ therapeutic interventions centering on dietary modifications, pharmacotherapy, and behavioral strategies tailored to the individual. Initially, I establish the diagnosis, exclude organic causes, educate patients about the disease, establish realistic expectations and consistent limits, and involve patients in disease management. I find it critical to determine why the patient is seeking assistance (eg, cancer phobia, disability, interpersonal distress, or exacerbation of symptoms). Most patients can be treated by their primary care physician. However, specialty consultations may be needed to reinforce management strategies, perform additional diagnostic tests, or institute specialized treatment. Psychological co-morbidities do not cause symptoms but do affect how patients respond to them and influence health care-seeking behavior. I find that these issues are best explored over a series of visits when the physician-patient relationship has been established. It can be helpful to have patients fill out a self-administered test to identify psychological co-morbidities. I often use these tests as a basis for extended inquiries into this area, resulting in the initiation of appropriate therapies. I encourage patients to keep a 2-week diary of food intake and gastrointestinal symptoms. In this way, patients become actively involved in management of their disease, and I may be able to obtain information from the diary that will be valuable in making treatment decisions. I do not believe that diagnostic studies for food intolerances are cost-effective or particularly helpful; however, exclusion diets may be beneficial. I introduce fiber supplements gradually and monitor them for tolerance and palatability. Synthetic fiber is often better-tolerated than natural fiber, but must be individualized. In my experience, excessive fiber supplementation often is counterproductive, as abdominal cramps and bloating may worsen. Antidiarrheal agents are very effective when used correctly, preferably in divided doses. I use them in patients in anticipation of diarrhea and especially in those who fear symptoms when engaged in activities outside the home. I encourage patients to make decisions as to when and how much to use. However, almost always, a morning dose before breakfast is used (loperamide, 2 to 6 mg) and, perhaps again later in the day when symptoms of diarrhea are prominent. I prefer antispasmodics to be used intermittently in response to periods of increased abdominal pain, cramps, and urgency. For patients with daily symptoms, especially after meals, agents such as dicyclomine before meals are useful. For patients with infrequent but severe episodes of unpredictable pain, sublingual hyoscyamine often produces rapid relief and instills confidence. In general, I recommend that oral antispasmodics be used for a limited period of time rather than indefinitely, and generally for periods of time when symptoms are prominent. For chronic visceral pain syndromes, I recommend small doses of tricyclic antidepressants. These agents are especially effective in diarrhea-predominant patients with disturbed sleep patterns but may be unacceptable to patients with constipation. I educate patients that side effects occur early and benefits may not be apparent for 3 to 4 weeks. I consider using SSRIs in low doses in patients with constipation-predominant IBS; cisapride, 10 to 20 mg three times per day, also may be beneficial. When taken with drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450, cisapride has been associated with serious cardiac arrhythmias caused by QT prolongation, including ventricular arrhythmias and torsades de pointes. These drugs include the azole fungicides; erythromycin, clarithromycin, and troleandomycin; some antidepressants; HIV protease inhibitors; and others. In patients with IBS with mild to moderate co-morbid depression, I have found that the use of SSRIs such as paroxetine, fluoxetine, or sertraline may be beneficial. It is important to tell patients that anxiety and disturbed sleep may occur during the first 10 days and benefits may not occur for 3 to 4 weeks. I prescribe a small amount of a short-acting benzodiazepine such as alprazolam, 0.5 mg two times per day, to control these symptoms. For generalized anxiety without depression, buspirone or clonazepam may be useful. I have found that patients who also have associated panic disorder may benefit from a benzodiazepine, tricyclic antidepressant, or an SSRI. However, these patients are best managed in conjunction with a psychiatrist or psychologist. I consider the use of alternative therapies in patients who fail to respond to conventional measures and who are receptive to alternative strategies. These include general relaxation techniques such as biofeedback and hypnosis therapies.
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PMID:Irritable Bowel Syndrome. 1109 67


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