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Query: UMLS:C0000737 (abdominal pain)
 31,184 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A comprehensive assessment including subjective and objective parameters seems to be essential for evaluation of disease activity in Crohn's disease. The aim of the present study was to develop an activity index (AI) of Crohn's disease, composed of both subjective and objective variables. Data composed of a total 132 clinical examinations in 100 patients with Crohn's disease were used to determine the AI. Three physicians independently evaluated disease severity in each patient. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was carried out with the overall evaluation as a dependent variable, and with 18 parameters as independent variables. Analysis showed that the following seven variables had a significant correlation with physician's overall evaluation: abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, complications, C-reactive protein (CRP), body temperature, diarrhea, and body mass index (BMI). AI was expressed as follows: AI = 3.5 x abdominal pain + 3 x abdominal tenderness + 3 x complications + CRP + 3 x body temperature + 4 x diarrhea - 0.4 x BMI. AI values below 15 corresponded to inactive disease, values between 15 and 25 to mild disease, values between 25 and 35 to moderate disease, and values above 35 to severe disease. This study suggests that the activity index is useful for evaluation of the effect of medical treatment in Crohn's disease.
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PMID:[A new index of disease activity in Crohn's disease]. 781 18

The article presents a survey of preterm rupture of the amniotic membranes at term (more than 1 hour prior to uterine contractions) and preterm (< 37 weeks). The diagnosis of rupture can be suspected from the history alone in 90% of the cases, and confirmed by inspection. In doubtful cases the pH in fluid from the posterior fornix of the vagina is determined and microscopy is performed. Amniotic fluid is alkaline. Microscopy of a dried specimen shows "ferning" when amniotic fluid is present (crystallization test). Staining with Nil blue will reveal orange foetal cells in fresh specimens, usually only late in pregnancy (after the 38 week). The crystallization test is useful, however, in all three trimesters. The cause of membrane rupture and of chorioamnionitis may be infection. Chorioamnionitis is a serious clinical condition, but can be subclinical and may occur with intact membranes. It can lead to preterm delivery. It is important that chorioamnionitis be diagnosed (maternal fever, tachycardia, uterine contractions, abdominal pain, foul smelling vaginal discharge and elevated C-reactive protein). The condition is treated with antibiotics and labour must be induced.
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PMID:[Premature rupture of fetal membranes and chorioamnionitis]. 807 27

We treated a patient with nongranulomatous panuveitis associated with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis who had symptoms of abdominal pain, severe fever, leg edema, and blurred vision. A high C-reactive protein level, a high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, and abnormalities of the immune system were seen. Retrograde pyelography disclosed persistent ureteral obstruction. A computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging showed a dense plaque of fibrous tissue around the kidney and hydronephrosis. Biopsy disclosed fibrosis infiltrated with lymphocytes, plasma cells, histiocytes, and eosinophils. A moderate degree of cellular inflammation in the anterior chamber and cystoid macular edema were present at ocular examination. We believe idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis to be a new cause of uveitis of suspected autoimmune origin.
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PMID:A case of uveitis associated with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. 812 11

Serum C-reactive protein was measured in 56 patients hospitalized with a suspected diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Based on these determinations, four groups of patients were defined: Group A = 26 patients with acute appendicitis who had a C-reactive protein level higher than 2.5 mg/dl. Group B = 4 patients with a C-reactive protein level lower than 2.5 mg/dl who, after surgery based on a presumed diagnosis of acute appendicitis, were found to have a normal appendix. Group C = 22 patients with nonspecific abdominal pain, 18 (72 percent) of whom had an elevated C-reactive protein level, although in only 4 (7.1 percent) were these levels higher than 2.5 percent mg/dl. Group D = 4 patients who had diseases other than acute appendicitis. It is concluded that an increase in C-reactive protein levels to more than 2.5 mg/dl is not a definite indicator of acute appendicitis. However, if the C-reactive protein level in blood drawn 12 hours after the onset of symptoms is less than 2.5 mg/dl, acute appendicitis can be excluded.
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PMID:Diagnostic value of C-reactive protein in acute appendicitis. 828 47

Forty-seven consecutive patients with clinically suspected acute appendicitis were studied at this hospital from June, 1994 to March, 1995. All the patients had received a complete study protocol including: detailed history and physical examination; complete blood cell count with differential count; erythrocyte sedimentation rate; C-reactive protein and sonographic examination. The male to female ratio is 29: 18. The age range is from 4 to 14 years. Thirty patients received laparotomy and 27 were diagnosed as appendicitis by histologic findings including 6 cases of perforated appendicitis. The remaining 3 patients had no evidence of appendicitis histologically. The other 17 patients were observed clinically. In these, the abdominal pain resolved spontaneously, or it was proved due to other diseases. The sensitivity and specificity of these laboratory examinations are: leukocytosis (> 10,000/mm3): 85. 2%, 65%; leukocytosis with a shift-to-the-left (neutrophil > 75%): 81.5%, 70%; elevated ESR (> 20 mm/hr): 40.7%, 85%; elevated CRP (> 0.9 mg/dl): 70.4%, 65%; (> 5 mg/dl); 51.9%, 95%; sonography: 85.2%, 100%. There were 4 false-negative and no false-positive ultrasonographic results in our study. Five of the 6 case of perforated appendicitis had elevated CRP levels of more than 8 mg/dl. In conclusion, detailed history taking and physical examination are still the most reliable tools for diagnosis. For the doubtful cases, sonography can provide excellent specificity and good sensitivity for differential diagnosis. The classical tools of leukocytosis and shift-to-the-left can only provide a screening property but not for diagnosis. CRP was not a good predictor in our study, but it can be a useful parameter when perforated appendicitis is suspected.
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PMID:Laboratory aid and ultrasonography in the diagnosis of appendicitis in children. 859 27

The quantification of the degree of activity of inflammatory bowel disease is assuming growing importance nowadays. The activity index of the disease can be attained by clinical and laboratorial indicators. For ulcerative colitis the mostly used clinical parameters are daily bowel movements and presence of bloody diarrhea whereas albumin, hemoglobin, ESR and positive acute phase protein measurements are the laboratory parameters. For Crohn's disease activity besides the daily bowel movements the presence of abdominal pain and discomfort sensation are also frequently used whereas the C-reactive protein is the most used laboratory test which is able to detect the disease reactivation even before the appearance of any clinical sign. The combinations of clinical signs with the laboratory tests earned the sympathy of the specialists and the set of ensembled indicators has been recognized by the author's name. In this sense, the classification of the ulcerative colitis activity originally proposed by Truelove and Witts deserves presently a wide acceptance whereas such agreement is still lacking for Crohn's disease activity. In the mean time, the Bristol index is clinically the most feasible, once the Crohn's disease activity index and the Van Hees index are considered too complex. However the latter indexes are still useful mainly for comparisons among multicentric data. It seems that the currently existing clinical signs used for Crohn's disease activity would be quantitatively improved by adding some easily made laboratory tests such as C-reactive protein.
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PMID:[Inflammatory bowel disease activity index: clinical and laboratory indicators]. 872 87

The intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a membrane glycoprotein, is important in the adhesion of cytokine-stimulated leukocytes to the endothelium of microvessels and their transendothelial migration. Circulating isoforms of ICAM-1 (cICAM-1) are known to be elevated in human serum as an indirect consequence of inflammatory responses. The aim of this study was to investigate whether cICAM-1 levels are elevated in patients with acute pancreatitis within 48 h of the onset of abdominal pain and whether cICAM-1 levels correlate with the severity of the tissue damage. Twenty-five consecutive patients admitted to a medical ICU had elevated cCAM-1 concentrations of 548 +/- 68 ng/ml, significantly different when compared to a control group of 18 healthy subjects (343 +/- 29; p = 0.018). According to the findings of contrast-enhanced CT or laparotomy patients were further divided in a group with acute edematous pancreatitis and a group with acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Pancreatic necrosis was associated with cICAM-1 levels of 729 +/- 106 ng/ml, significantly different from patients with mild disease (367 +/- 48) and controls (p < 0.001). Plasma cICAM-1 levels were not significantly different between healthy subjects and patients with mild pancreatitis. A significant correlation was found between cICAM-1 and C-reactive protein, an acute phase reactant and marker of necrotizing pancreatitis (r = 0.62; p < 0.01). The sensitivity and specificity for the detection of edematous or necrotizing pancreatitis of cICAM-1 plasma concentrations (cutoff point at 500 ng/ml) were 75% and 85%, respectively. These results suggest an enhanced release of ICAM-1 into plasma in the early stage of acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesion may be associated with the inflammatory process of necrotizing tissue damage in acute pancreatitis. It could thus serve as a marker or predictor of a severe clinical course of pancreatitis.
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PMID:Increased plasma concentrations of circulating intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (cICAM-1) in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. 887 97

Transvaginal sonography was used in the evaluation of clinically suspected pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). A total of 86 patients with PID were examined by transvaginal sonography within 1-3 days, 14 days and 90 days after hospitalization. The diagnosis of PID was confirmed in 37% of patients by laparoscopy, laparotomy or positive cervical culture of Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhoea. In the remainder, the diagnosis was based on tenderness of the uterus, fever and lower abdominal pain that responded rapidly to antibiotics. At the time of admission, 31% of patients had a thick-walled (> or = 5 mm) echogenic tube raising the suspicion of pyosalpinx or pyo-ovary. During the following 3 months, 52% of patients developed tubes that were thin-walled (< 5 mm) and poorly echogenic, and hydrosalpinx was suspected. At the first transvaginal sonographic examination, 64% showed no adnexal mass, but 16% of these developed suspected hydrosalpinx during the following 3 months. Of the total of 86 patients, 6% exhibited a hydrosalpinx for the first time after 3 months. C-reactive protein concentrations and sedimentation rate values correlated positively with the ultrasonically determined volumes of pyosalpinx/pyoovaries, cul-de-sac fluid and ovaries. Transvaginal sonography appears to be very useful in the diagnosis of suspected PID and is recommended at least 3 months after symptoms have subsided for those patients with an adnexal mass at the time of the acute episode and for infertile patients.
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PMID:Transvaginal sonography in suspected pelvic inflammatory disease. 890 20

This report describes a 9-year-old boy with intermediate variant type of giant lymph node hyperplasia or Castleman's disease (CD) originating from the mesentery. He had symptoms and signs related to the disease for seven years before the final diagnosis. The patient's general condition remained good, except for periods of fever and abdominal pain. Pallor and slow growth were the only abnormal findings on physical examination during the follow-up. Laboratory measurements showed worsening microcytic anemia, low serum iron level, and low iron stores in bone marrow samples. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) increased to 110 mm/h, and the serum levels of C-reactive protein varied between 80 and 120 mg/l. The level of serum albumin was low, 25-28 g/l, and serum immunoglobulin G was somewhat elevated, varying between 17-13 g/l. The radiologic examination of intenstine gave pathological results suggesting a small bowel disease, but no tumor was detected. The abnormal laboratory values and symptoms of the patient resolved completely after surgical removal of the mass.
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PMID:Castleman's disease of the mesentery in a child: a case of seven years' duration without typical X-ray findings. 912 2

Hepatic actinomycosis is rare. We report an 86-year-old Japanese man with a 3-day history of high fever and anorexia who had an actinomycotic liver abscess complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). A definitive diagnosis was made when an Actinomyces species was cultured from aspirated pus. The clinical course was satisfactory. Treatment included prompt percutaneous drainage coupled with long-term intravenous administration of high-dose minocycline and piperacillin, combined with therapy for DIC. We reviewed 11 cases in Japan of Actinomyces involving the liver, including the case reported here. In most patients, there were no predisposing factors. Common symptoms and laboratory findings included fever, abdominal pain, leukocytosis, and elevated C-reactive protein. In 6 of the 11 patients a partial hepatectomy was performed because hepatic tumor was suspected. Five patients presented with a liver abscess. Hepatic actinomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnoses of pyogenic liver abscess and space-occupying lesions of the liver.
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PMID:Hepatic actinomycosis: case report and review of the literature in Japan. 934 96


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