Hepatic encephalopathy: nomenclature, pathogenesis and treatment.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome in patients with liver failure and/or a portal-systemic bypass. Since 2002 a new nomenclature of HE exists, that classifies HE in encephalopathy type A (associated with acute liver failure), type B (associated with portal-systemic bypass), and type C (associated with liver cirrhosis). HE type A is characterized by a rapid development to coma, cerebral edema, and a poor short-term prognosis. Therefore, these patients should be referred to a liver transplantation center. Standard treatment of HE consists of non absorbable disaccharides, non absorbable antibiotics, and a diet with an appropriate amount of proteins. In addition, the possibility of performing a liver transplantation should be evaluated. In patients with intractable HE other alternative treatments adjunct to standard treatment, like zinc, sodium benzoate, ornithine aspartate, branched chain amino acids, flumazenil, and bromocriptine should be considered.

[Descriptive study of ambulatory patients with alcohol-related liver disease in our setting]. / Estudio descriptivo de los pacientes ambulatorios con enfermedad hepática por alcohol en nuestro medio.

AIMS: We tried to show the demographic characteristic and alcohol intake habits among our outpatients. We study the influence of age, sex, habitat and socioeconomical status on alcoholic habit. DESIGN: Retrospective and institution based study. Patients. 164 patients who were followed up for alcohol liver disease in our outpatient section. RESULTS: Average age to start drinking alcohol was 18.6 (7.36) years, years of alcoholism were 35.4 (13.5) years, average daily alcohol intake was 161.2 (116.7) grams of pure alcohol. Only 16 men (8%) drank less than 60 grams a day. 5 (35.7%) women drank less than 40 grams a day. Life-cumulative alcohol intake was correlated with Maddrey's score at the end of the study (r = +0.407). Average daily alcohol intake was correlated with ultrasonographic features of the liver (r = +0.283), we appreciated that Prothrombin Time was also correlated with ultrasonographic features of the liver (r = +0.301). The percentage of patients who suffer, at least one decompensation of their disease was 39%. CONCLUSIONS: Average age to start drinking is about legal age. Life-cumulative alcohol intake was related to Prothrombin Time and ultrasonographic features of the liver.

Morphometric estimation of acid output in duodenal ulcer associated with Helicobacter pylori infection.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the changes in acid output before and after eradication therapy in patients with duodenal ulcer associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. METHOD: the subjects of this prospective study were 16 patients with acute duodenal ulcer at endoscopy and H. pylori infection determined by rapid urease test and histology. They were randomly assigned to receive treatment with pantoprazole 40 mg b.i.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. and amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d. during 7 or 14 days. Endoscopic examination and biopsy were repeated 4 weeks after treatment ended. The changes in acid output before and after treatment were calculated by the morphometric quantification of parietal cell canaliculi from the gastric corpus. To this end 20 parietal cells from the medial glandular zone were selected and canalicular index was calculated, before and after eradication therapy, with a morphometric method based on automatic analysis of histological images. RESULTS: canalicular index was 26.4 +/- 1.4 (mean +/- standard error of the mean) before treatment, and 20.5 +/- 1 (p < 0.01) after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: morphometric analysis showed a decrease in acid output in patients with duodenal ulcer associated with H. pylori infection 4 weeks after eradication therapy with clarithromycin, amoxicillin and pantoprazole.

[Endometriosis: an infrequent cause of colonic obstruction]. / Endometriosis: una causa infrecuente de obstrucción colónica.

Endometriosis localized in the intestinal wall is not an infrequent finding. Diagnosis is difficult given the diverse symptomatology presented with unspecific abdominal pain being the most common. Implantation of endometrial tissue in the intestinal wall may involve the mucosa and present as rectorhagia, with colonscopic exploration providing diagnosis by biopsy of the affected area. In other cases this may only involve the intestinal wall producing very varied symptomatology. Presentation as a picture of colon obstruction is little reported. The main problem is its difficult differential diagnosis with neoplasm which, in most cases, leads to surgery. A case of colon obstruction provoked by implantation of endometrial tissue in the wall of the sigma which was surgically resolved is herein presented.

[Abdominal pain and ascites as manifestations of hereditary angioneurotic edema]. / Dolor abdominal y ascitis como manifestaciones del edema angioneurótico hereditario.

Hereditary angioneurotic edema (HAE) is an infrequent autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a decrease in the levels or a dysfunction of the complement C1 inhibitor factor (C1 inh). The clinical presentation varies widely and involves any area of the organism. Gastrointestinal involvement is usually as abdominal pain and may be accompanied by ascites. De novo diagnosis of HAE with abdominal pain and ascites as a form of presentation is difficult with differential diagnosis with abdominal pain of unknown origin. The appearance of ascites is rare with few cases reported in the literature. Both abdominal pain and ascites disappear a few days after initiation of medical treatment. Occasionally exploratory laparotomy has been required. A new case of abdominal pain and ascites as manifestations of HAE is herein reported.