RESUMEN
Differentiating abdominal tuberculosis (TB) from Crohn's disease (CD) despite the rarity of the condition remains vital to avoid catastrophic consequences of disseminated miliary TB as a result of mistakenly starting an immunosuppressive medication. We highlight a challenging pediatric abdominal TB case of a 5-year-old male that presented with failure to thrive, ascites, and diarrhea. Our case aims to shed light on a forgotten disease in our developed world by highlighting subtle clinical, endoscopic, and histologic features. Findings of caseating necrosis on biopsy, positive smear for acid-fast bacillus (AFB), AFB culture, and necrotic lymph node on imaging are diagnostic of TB but are rarely present. Clinicians should be vigilant in screening pediatric patients with elusive symptoms, history, and exam. TB should be suspected, and one should not shy away from empirical antituberculous treatment as it could be the only way of establishing the diagnosis.
RESUMEN
Gastrointestinal manifestations in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are extremely common and have recently become a research focus. Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is poorly understood in the CF population, despite many speculations including the role of luminal pH, bacterial overgrowth, and abnormal microbiome. Nevertheless, dysmotility is emerging as a possible key player in CF intestinal symptoms. Our review article aims to explore the sequelae of defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) genes on the GI tract as studied in both animals and humans, describe various presentations of intestinal dysmotility in CF, review newer diagnostic motility techniques including intraluminal manometry, and review the current literature regarding the potential role of dysmotility in CF-related intestinal pathologies.