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Query: UMLS:C0024523 (malabsorption)
 7,319 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In this review I have described the pathophysiology of allergic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Situations where the intestine cannot be a complete barrier to foreign allergens and antigens were discussed and etiological factors of gastrointestinal allergy were detailed. Clinical features of gastrointestinal allergy include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and colic, intestinal hemorrhage and malabsorption as well as symptoms and signs outside the gastrointestinal tract such as chronic rhinitis and asthma in the respiratory system, urticaria, angioedema and eczema as dermatological signs, headache, insomnia, hyperkinesis as central nervous system manifestations, failure to thrive and anaphylaxis as constitutional reactions. Milk allergy was discussed as an example of food allergy. Immunology of the gastrointestinal tract was presented, with examples of four types of hypersensitivity reactions, and gastrointestinal disturbances of immunodeficiency disorders and syndromes were named. Lastly, the autoimmune mechanism and the gut were described, with particular discussion of ulcerative colitis as an example of an autoimmune disease.
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PMID:The intestine in allergic diseases. 78 84

Whipple's disease is a curious disorder with the involvement of many organ systems, primarily gut, synovium and the central nervous system, characterized by the presence of numerous proliferating bacteria in tissue macrophages and other cell types. While clinically this disease entity has previously been defined by the classical triad of diarrhoea, malabsorption and weight loss, some patients do not show these features. In this report, a clinically unusual case of Whipple's disease is described presenting with high persistent fever, severe arthralgias and headaches, but without malabsorption, diarrhoea or weight loss. Nevertheless, the histological and electron microscopical pictures demonstrated the typical findings of intracellular micro-organisms along with the presence of bacteria in Schwann nerve cells, which has only once been described previously. Immunological findings before treatment demonstrated a decrease of T cells with the helper/inducer phenotype, and a concomitant rise in cells with the suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype, an elevation of "activated" Ia positive T cells and a significant reduction of T cell mitogenic responsiveness. Of special interest, after a successful treatment these immunological abnormalities shifted to normal with the exception of a still elevated number of Ia+ T cells. The discussion of this unusual case of Whipple's disease includes - besides possible cellular immunological abnormalities - genetic factors, especially since this patient was HLA-B-27-positive as was his son who is suffering from ankylosing spondylitis.
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PMID:[Immunologic and electron microscopic findings in an unusual case of Whipple's disease]. 258 Jan 16

Diarrhea affects approximately 330,000 travelers from industrialized nations each year. Diarrhea is a reflection of inadequate hygiene or waste disposal in the countries visited, usually developing countries. The greatest incidence occurs in 20-29 years olds who take the most dietary risks. Some foods that pose the greatest risk in descending order include raw oysters, steak tartare, ice cubes, washed vegetables, cold milk, puddings, and sandwiches with mixed fillings. 40% of all travelers have a self limiting and rarely grave diarrheal illness caused by local enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). Following an incubation period of 5-9 days, symptoms appear (cramps, fever, and 10 or more diarrheal episodes/day). 5% are infected with Giardia lamblia and 4% with Entamoeba histolytica. Giardiasis occurs worldwide and is characterized by grumbling diarrhea, cramps, and flatulence. E. histolytica causes a severe illness characterized by colitis with bloody stools, anorexia, malaise, sweats, weight loss, and epigastric pain. Only 10-100 Shigella bacteria are required by cause shigellosis. Symptoms include blood and mucus in the diarrhea and malaise. A traveler who ingests food with 100,000 Salmonella bacteria in it most likely will fall ill 48 hours after eating the contaminated food. Typhoid and paratyphoid fevers have an incubation period of about 12 days and may be fatal. Initial symptoms consists of headache, malaise, fever, and pain and 2 weeks later bloody diarrhea appears. Additional common diarrheal illnesses include cholera, post infectious tropical malabsorption, and those caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Campylobacter species. Another disease common in areas of poor hygiene is poliomyelitis with fever, sore throat, and headache present in mild forms. If the virus invades the central nervous system, however, paralysis occurs.
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PMID:Exotic diarrhoeal problems and poliomyelitis. 259 59

D-Lactate-associated encephalopathy is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by dizziness, ataxia, confusion, headaches, memory loss, lethargy, and aggressiveness which may progress to frank but reversible coma. It occurs in patients with profound dysfunction of the short-bowel syndrome and is believed to result from massive carbohydrate malabsorption with resultant over-production of D-lactate and other organic anions by the colonic flora. Extremely elevated serum levels of D-lactate (but not L-lactate) confirm the diagnosis, but currently D-lactate is not clearly established as the putative neurotoxin. We describe a patient who repeatedly developed D-lactate encephalopathy after surgical removal of nearly the entire jejunum and ileum. Markedly elevated D-lactate serum levels were documented during an encephalopathic episode. Potential pathophysiologic mechanisms and the treatment rationale are discussed.
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PMID:D-lactate-associated encephalopathy after massive small-bowel resection. 276 Apr 34

This article presents electronmicroscopy evidence of retrovirus-like particles with bar shaped cores in salivary and prostate glands as well as testicles of 2 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. The 1st case, a 38-year old black male homosexual, presented in 1982 with diarrhea, malabsorption, and weight loss. In the following 1 1/2 years, he experienced recurrent Candida esophagitis, cutaneous and pulmonary Kaposi's sarcoma, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and cytomegalovirus. Autopsy in 1984 revealed residual Kaposi's sarcoma, disseminated cytomegalovirus, and M avium-intracellulare. The 2nd case, a 31-year old white male homosexual, presented in 1984 with Pneumocystis carinii penumonia and subsequently developed persistent fever, hepatomegaly, headaches, blurred vision, progressive liver function deterioration, and disseminated histoplasmosis infection. Autopsy in 1984 revealed an overwhelming disseminated histoplasmosis infection. Tissues taken at postmortem were examined by electron microscopy. Particles that conformed with the morphologic characteristics of AIDS retrovirus (a size of about 140 nm, a round shape with a double membrane, and an elongated core) were detected in the prostate gland of patient 2 and in the salivary glands and testes of both patients. This finding suggests that saliva and semen may be body fluids by which transmission of the AIDS virus occurs.
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PMID:Retrovirus-like particles in salivary glands, prostate and testes of AIDS patients. 298 94

Strongyloidiasis is a human intestinal parasitosis caused by the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis. In most cases the infection is subclinical, but rarely, disseminated strongyloidiasis may occur in debilitated or immunocompromised patients, and in those who receive immunosuppressive agents. In this report, we describe an unusual case of severe disseminated strongyloidiasis, with intestinal, pulmonary and neurological manifestations, in a previously healthy male. The onset of the disease was acute with headache and neck stiffness, due to subarachnoid-ventricular haemorrhage. During a protracted clinical course the patient developed diarrhoea, abdominal pain, recurrent paralytic ileus, pneumonitis and respiratory distress, malabsorption and weight loss, diagnosis was delayed due to the complicated course and rarity of the disease. The diagnosis finally established during evaluation for malabsorption by demonstrating larvae of S. stercoralis in the jejunal mucosal biopsy and faeces. Response to mebendazole treatment was prompt with complete recovery and resolution of all systemic manifestations. Early diagnosis and treatment of strongyloidiasis in the intestinal phase is critical in the prevention of dissemination, which may prove lethal due to life-threatening complications.
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PMID:Disseminated strongyloidiasis with uncommon manifestations in Greece. 378 11

After the development of monophasic combined oral contraceptives (COCs), containing a fixed dose of estrogen and progestogen, biphasic and triphasic COCs were introduced in the 1980s; in these the dose of ethinyl estradiol and progestogen changes during the pill cycle. In the so-called every day pills, the 21 pills of active steroid combination are followed by 7 inactive pills containing starch, iron, or bran. Method failures of OCs are among the lowest ranging from 0.2-1/100 woman-years. User failures can be as high as 6.2/100 women-years. The individual difference in peak plasma levels of estrogens in women taking identical OCs can be 10-fold. Conditions that affect the bioavailability of contraceptive steroids are: 1) drug interaction (vitamin C, drugs that induce liver enzymes, and antibiotics); 2) vomiting; 3) vegetarianism; 4) missing pills; and 5) malabsorption. Metabolic effects of COCs pertain to carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, hemostasis, and vitamins. Prescribing of COCs involves counseling clients about contraindications to COCs, starting routines, and the pill-free interval, as well as follow-up and monitoring, the problem of missing pills, and selection criteria for OC use. Medical conditions in which COC use requires special consideration are sickle cell disease, trophoblastic disease, HIV disease, gallstones, epilepsy, valvular heart disease, oligomenorrhea/amenorrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, and surgery. Side effects of COCs may include depression, nausea, vomiting, headaches, urinary tract infection, and lower genital tract infections. 6 months after stopping the OC 1% of users become amenorrheic. Many of the common causes of amenorrhea, such as weight loss amenorrhea and polycystic ovarian disease, may be treated with the COC until the couple desires to have a baby. The new progestogens desogestrel, norgestimate, and gestodene are highly selective compared to first and second generation progestogens.
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PMID:Combined oral contraceptives: acceptability and effective use. 832 4

In Crohn's disease, some concomitant neurological illnesses such as cerebral ischemia following arterial or venous thrombosis, subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord following malabsorption of vitamin B12 or folic acid, opticus neuropathy, and polyneuropathy have been described. Cerebral vasculitis secondary to Crohn's disease seems to be a very rare phenomenon. We report on three such cases in three female patients (aged 26, 29, and 61 years). All patients became symptomatic with a hemiparesis; one complained additionally of a speech disorder, headache, and intermittent loss of orientation. In CT and MRI scans, multiple lesions were detected; cerebral angiography showed multiple stenoses of middle- and large-sized vessels that were compatible with cerebral vasculitis. Serologic tests concerning vasculitis were inconspicuous at that time. Under anticoagulation (in two cases) and immunosuppressive therapy, neurologic symptoms disappeared. In the following 6 to 12 months, no new neurological symptoms appeared. In two cases, Doppler sonographic controls showed stationary and, in one case, progressive intracranial stenoses. Since autoimmunologically caused inflammatory bowel diseases might be associated with vasculitis of other organs, the appearance of cerebral vasculitis secondary to Crohn's disease is a possible organ manifestation by inflamed vessels.
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PMID:[Cerebral vasculitis as a concomitant neurological illness in Crohn's disease]. 1079 98

Refractory coeliac disease (RCD) is a rare diagnosis made after the exclusion of any disorder mimicking CD and after initial or subsequent failure of a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) to restore normal intestinal architecture. In the past, treatments such as steroids, cyclosporin and azathioprine have been tried, but literature on this subject consists mainly of case reports. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) may be beneficial in RCD because of its inhibitory effect on T-lymphocyte- and monocyte-driven immune responses. We performed a pilot, non-randomized, open label study to evaluate recombinant human IL-10 in RCD. IL-10 (8 mcg/kg) was administered subcutaneously, three times a week for 3 months in 10 RCD patients. Small bowel biopsies were taken at T = 0, T = 3 months and T = 9 months. The mucosal histopathology at 3 months was the primary end point for evaluation of efficacy. Evaluations of clinical features, malabsorption parameters and safety were made prior to, during and after treatment. Before treatment, all RCD patients had partial to total villous atrophy (Marsh III ABC). Two patients dropped out of the study: one because of headaches, the other because of thrombocytopenia. In the remaining eight patients, after 3 months of IL-10 treatment histology was unchanged in five patients, improved in two patients and deteriorated in one patient. Disappearance of villous atrophy was seen in only one patient. Three patients reported a clinical response, i.e. relief of fatigue, abdominal complaints and diarrhoea. After stopping IL-10 treatment the symptoms recurred. The laboratory parameters remained the same during treatment and in follow-up. In conclusion, in our study group of 10 RCD patients, IL-10 in the given dosage was not overall effective in our study group of RCD patients. Two dropped out because of side effects and in only one patient did we see a normalization of villous architecture.
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PMID:A pilot study of recombinant human interleukin-10 in adults with refractory coeliac disease. 1171 74

Failures of mefloquine prophylaxis in travellers returning from Africa have been reported repeatedly. Non-compliance to chemoprophylaxis is considered to be a major factor for failure. Only few reports on mefloquine prophylaxis failure in sub-Saharan Africa were able to report blood levels of the drug that were sufficient for prophylactic effectiveness. We report the case of a 44-year-old German female who travelled to Tanzania for 3 weeks. The patient reported that she never missed a dose of mefloquine during her weekly prophylaxis schedule. Four weeks after returning from Tanzania, the patient presented with fever, headache and myalgia. Only a few trophozoites of Plasmodium falciparum were found in a thick film. Blood levels of mefloquine at that stage were at 1400 ng/ml, thus largely excluding non-compliance and malabsorption. To our knowledge, this is the first case of confirmed prophylaxis failure due to mefloquine resistance in East Africa.
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PMID:Prophylaxis failure due to probable mefloquine resistant P falciparum from Tanzania. 1271 Nov 4


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