Fulminant amoebic colitis: a clinicopathological study of 30 cases.

AIMS: To review the clinical and pathological factors associated with fulminant amoebic colitis (FAC) requiring colonic resection and its outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively identified adult patients admitted to our centre between June 2007 and December 2011 with FAC who underwent colonic resection and were diagnosed with amoebic colitis based on the presence of trophozoites on histological examination. The clinical details were extracted from the medical notes and correlated with the pathological findings. RESULTS: Thirty patients (18 men and 12 women) met the inclusion criteria. Their mean age was 50.1 years (range 21-89). The most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain, vomiting and fever. More than half the patients (16/30) had underlying conditions associated with immunosuppression including diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis. Pathological investigation of colonic resections showed predominantly right-sided involvement with geographic colonic ulcers covered with a creamy-white pseudomembrane, perforations, gangrenous changes, amoeboma and lesions mimicking inflammatory bowel disease. All showed basophilic dirty necrosis with abundant nuclear debris and amoebic trophozoites on histological examination. 21/30 patients (70%) had involvement beyond the caecum. 17/30 patients (57%) died. Those with involvement beyond the caecum were more likely to die (15/21, 71.4%) than those with less extensive disease. CONCLUSIONS: FAC presents as acute abdomen and can mimic appendicitis, ischaemic bowel disease, tuberculosis and malignancy. Comorbidities causing immunosuppression frequently associated. Mortality remains high despite surgery, so FAC should be suspected in every case of acute abdomen with colonic perforation if associated with typical gross and microscopic findings and a history of stay in an endemic area.

Hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma.

A 26 year old lady came with intermittent fever since eight months. She also complained of abdominal pain and decreased appetite for six months. She had swelling of feet and distension of abdomen due to ascites since one month. There was history of jaundice one month back. On radiological examination, hepatomegaly with dilated portal vein, massive splenomegaly and ascites without any lymphadenopathy was noted. Chest X-ray was normal. Blood examination and bone marrow studies were inconclusive. We received her liver biopsy, which showed normal architecture and sinusoidal infiltration by a monomorphic population of small to intermediate sized lymphoid cells. Portal tracts were free of such infiltrate. These lymphoid cells were LCA, CD3, CD43 positive and negative for CD20, CD34, CD4, CD8 and c-kit. Based on all these features, a diagnosis of Hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma was made. She was treated symptomatically, however she died within two months of diagnosis.

Cyanotic nephropathy--a morphometric analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Nephropathy is a known complication in cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD). This study was undertaken for an objective analysis of histopathological changes of cyanotic nephropathy at autopsy. DESIGN: Retrospective case records studied. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital affiliated to medical college in Mumbai, India. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The renal histopathological findings of 50 consecutive autopsies in patients with CCHD were compared with 25 age-matched controls. The Bowman's capsular, glomerular tuft, and hilar arteriolar diameters were measured morphometrically. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired t-test. A P value equal to or less than .05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Among the 50 autopsied cases of CCHD, there were 35 males and 15 females, with a mean age of 4.64 years. The renal changes observed were glomerulomegaly, glomerulosclerosis, periglomerular fibrosis, hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis, and interstitial fibrosis. The objectively measured parameters were higher in cases as compared with controls in all age groups, and further these were also found to be higher in patients having decreased pulmonary arterial blood flow than those having normal to increased pulmonary arterial blood flow. The difference in Bowman's capsular and glomerular tuft diameters was statistically significant in the neonates and children in the age groups, 1-5 years and above 10 years. The difference in hilar arteriolar diameter was statistically significant for all age groups except neonates. CONCLUSION: Patients with CCHD show significant changes in the kidneys as assessed morphometrically, leading to renal dysfunction, and the age of the patients plays a role in their development.