Gastric pneumatosis: Laboratory and imaging findings associated with mortality in adults.

AIM: To describe laboratory and imaging findings associated with mortality in patients with gastric pneumatosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institution review board approval was obtained for this retrospective study. Using radiology report databases, all patients with "gastric pneumatosis" or "emphysematous gastritis" in their CT reports were identified from two institutions during 12 or 9 year periods. Clinical parameters and laboratory values [lactic acid, white blood cell (WBC) count, and serum creatinine] were obtained from medical records and images were reviewed in consensus by two readers. Bivariate associations between continuous variables were tested by Mann-Whitney tests. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate bivariate associations between categorical variables. RESULTS: Of the 24 patients identified, there were five (21%) deaths. Median serum lactic acid and creatinine levels were significantly higher in patients who died compared to surviving patients [median (interquartile range, IQR): 1.95 (1.45-4.15) versus 1.5 (1.3-2.6), p = 0.001; 1.2 (1-2.8) versus 1 (0.8-1.4), p = 0.005, respectively). There was no significant difference in WBC levels between the groups. Coexistent small bowel pneumatosis and colonic pneumatosis were significantly more common in patients who died compared to surviving patients (80% versus 0%, p < 0.001; 40% versus 0%, p = 0.04, respectively). There was no significant difference for portal or mesenteric venous gas, free intraperitoneal gas, or dilated bowel. CONCLUSIONS: When the imaging finding of gastric pneumatosis was associated with elevated serum lactic acid, elevated serum creatinine, or concomitant small bowel or colonic pneumatosis, an association with mortality was observed. These findings suggest that more aggressive treatment may be warranted in patients with these laboratory or imaging abnormalities.

Interleukin 8 correlates with intestinal involvement in surgically treated infants with necrotizing enterocolitis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to test the predictive value of interleukin (IL) 8 in the assessment of intestinal involvement in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). METHODS: Forty infants with surgically treated NEC were classified into 3 groups based on intestinal involvement during laparotomy: focal (n = 11), multifocal (n = 16), and panintestinal (n = 13). Preoperatively obtained serum levels of IL-8, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, and platelet count were correlated with intestinal involvement using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Interleukin 8 correlated significantly with intestinal involvement in infants with surgically treated NEC (odds ratio, 1.74; confidence interval, 1.27-2.39; P < .001). An exploratory IL-8 cutoff value of 449 pg/mL provided a specificity of 81.8% and sensitivity of 82.8% to discriminate focal from multifocal and panintestinal disease. An IL-8 cutoff value of 1388 pg/mL provided a specificity of 77.8% and a sensitivity of 76.9% to discriminate panintestinal disease from focal and multifocal disease. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a significant correlation of IL-8 with intestinal involvement in advanced NEC in a large patient population. Our results indicate that IL-8 may be a promising biomarker for assessing intestinal involvement in infants with advanced NEC.

[Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, as a rare complications of coeliac disease]. / Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis, mint a coeliakia egy lehetséges ritka szövodménye.

Intestinal pneumatosis cystoides is rarely diagnosed clinical entity characterized by multiple gas containing cysts inside the wall of the gastrointestinal tract. Primary (15%) and secondary (85%) forms are known. In the more frequent secondary forms small intestine and the right side of the colon are mainly affected, and the underlying pathology can be gastrointestinal, pulmonary or immunological. The 64 year old male patient reported by the authors showed clinical signs of severe malabsorption (his body weight: 47,5 kg, height: 178 cm, BMI: 15). The intestinal pneumatosis was diagnosed by exploration performed because of suspected perforation (pneumoperitoneum). Due to severe malabsorption the patient was admitted to Gastroenterological Department. Duodenoscopy and small bowel biopsy was performed. Small intestinal histology and presence of anti-gliadin and anti-endomysium antibody confirmed the suspected diagnosis of coeliakia. Parenteral nutrition, special gliadin free diet, hyperbaric oxygen inhalation, steroid, and metronidazole treatment resulted in a gradual improvement in the nutritional and general condition of the patient. After one year the patient is without complaints, he gained 24,5 kg body weight BMI: 22,5). The author's case points to a rare serious complication of non-treated coeliakia. Recognition of intestinal pneumatosis in time could have prevented surgical intervention in the high risk patient.

Serum lactic acid determines the outcomes of CT diagnosis of pneumatosis of the gastrointestinal tract.

Computed tomography (CT) diagnosis of pneumatosis involving the gastrointestinal tract can represent a broad range of clinical entities from a benign process to ischemic bowel. The purpose of this study is to define the significance and outcome of pneumatosis intestinalis (PI). All CT scans from 5/93 to 12/01 with the finding of PI were reviewed. Eighty-six CT scans had the finding of PI, with the colon being the most frequent location (51%), followed by small bowel (36%) and gastric (9%). Forty per cent of patients underwent surgery, with an overall mortality rate of 42 per cent and a surgical mortality rate of 47 per cent. Univariate analysis demonstrated significant correlation between serum lactic acid (LA) > 2.0 mmol/L [odds ratio (OR) = 23.4; 95% confidence interval (C.I.), 7.21-75.92] and serum creatinine > 1.5 mg/dL (OR = 3.05; 95% C.I., 1.25-7.42) with mortality. Age was suggestive but not a significant risk factor for mortality (P = 0.09). Multivariate analysis found serum LA > 2.0 (OR = 30.37; 95% C.I., 7.31-126.2) to be the only significant predictor of mortality. CT diagnosis of PI is associated with significant in-hospital mortality, especially in the elderly. Serum LA level > 2.0 mmol/L at time of diagnosis is associated with a greater than 80 per cent mortality. Surgical consultation is necessary to determine which patients need urgent surgical intervention.

Bacteria in blood smears: overwhelming sepsis or trivial contamination.

It is unusual to find microorganisms in peripheral blood smears, and their presence is frequently associated with overwhelming sepsis and consequently a poor prognosis. In this report, we demonstrate 4 cases with bacteria in blood smears. Two of them had a fatal outcome, but the other 2 were caused by a contamination either via the central venous catheter or in vitro, both without dramatic outcome. The finding of bacteria in blood smears has to be interpreted carefully, and thorough examination of peripheral blood smears may be of great importance in the early diagnosis of bacteremia; however, in vitro contamination must be excluded.

A major advance in the management of pneumatosis coli.

A new treatment for gas cysts of the large bowel is described which involves the continuous inhalation of a high concentration of oxygen over a five-day period. Two patients with incapacitating symptoms due to diffuse pneumatosis coli were treated by this method. Oxygen therapy resulted in remission of symptoms and disappearance of cysts in both cases. The physiological basis of this simple, effective therapy is discussed, together with the precautions necessary in its use.