Alpha-galactosidase versus active charcoal for improving sonographic visualization of abdominal organs in patients with excessive intestinal gas.

UNLABELLED: Intestinal gas is a frequent cause of poor visualization during gastrointestinal ultrasound (US). The enzyme alpha-galactosidase may reduce intestinal gas production, thereby improving abdominal US visualization. We compared the efficacies of alpha-galactosidase and active charcoal in improving US visualization in patients with previous unsatisfactory abdominal US scans caused by excessive intestinal gas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 patients with poor visualization of at least one target organ: pancreas, hepatic lobes (score 0-2) or common bile duct (CBD) (score 0-1) were enrolled in a prospective randomized, crossover, observer-blinded study. The patients received alpha-galactosidase (Sinaire Forte, Promefarm, Milan, Italy) 600 GalU t.i.d. for 2 days before abdominal US plus 900 GalU the morning of exam or active charcoal 448 mg t.i.d., for 2 days before the exam plus 672 mg the morning of the exam. Visualization was graded as follows: 0 = none (complete gas interference); 1 = severe interference, 2 = moderate interference, 3 = mild interference; 4 = complete (no gas interference). RESULTS: 42 patients completed the study. Both alpha-galactosidase and active charcoal improved the visualization of target organs. Visualization of the right hepatic lobe, CBD and pancreatic tail was significantly improved (vs. baseline) only by alpha-galactosidase (p < 0.01). Scores ≥3 for all parts of the pancreas and both hepatic lobes were achieved in only 12.5% of the patients after both treatments. Both products were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Alpha-galactosidase and active charcoal can improve US visualization of abdominal organs in patients whose scans are frequently unsatisfactory due to excessive intestinal gas. Visualization of the pancreatic tail and right hepatic lobe was significantly improved only by alpha-galactosidase. However, both treatments allowed adequate visualization of all target organs during the same examination only in a few patients.

The role of innate immunity in spontaneous regression of cancer.

Nature has provided us with infections - acute and chronic - and these infections have both harmful and beneficial effects on the human system. Worldwide, a number of chronic infections are associated with a risk of cancer, but it is also known that cancer regresses when associated with acute infections such as bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal, etc. Acute infections are known to cure chronic diseases since the time of Hippocrates. The benefits of these fever producing acute infections has been applied in cancer vaccinology such as the Coley's toxins. Immune cells like the natural killer cells, macrophages and dendritic cells have taken greater precedence in cancer immunity than ever before. This review provides an insight into the benefits of fever and its role in prevention of cancer, the significance of common infections in cancer regression, the dual nature of our immune system and the role of the often overlooked primary innate immunity in tumor immunology and spontaneous regression of cancer.

Standard care impact on angioedema because of hereditary C1 inhibitor deficiency: a 21-month prospective study in a cohort of 103 patients.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) due to the deficiency of C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) causes chronically recurrent cutaneous, abdominal and laryngeal angioedema that are disabling and potentially life-threatening. OBJECTIVE: We designed a prospective study to quantify the residual disease in patients with HAE treated according to the existing consensus documents. METHODS: Data were collected from diaries recording occurrence, duration, location and treatment of acute angioedema attacks. A total of 386 semesters properly completed were analyzed. Forty-seven of 103 patients were on prophylactic treatment, 41 with attenuated androgens and six with tranexamic acid. A total of 1532 angioedema attacks (one every 45.3 days) were registered. RESULTS: Peripheral attacks were the most frequent (698), followed by abdominal (503) and combined locations (232), laryngeal edema was less common (99). Patients on prophylaxis with attenuated androgens had 7.7 attacks/year lasting 1.47 days, those on tranexamic acid had 8.1 attacks/year lasting 1.59 days, and those without prophylaxis had 8.9 attacks/year lasting 1.68. Plasma-derived C1-INH was used by 44 patients to treat a total of 376 acute attacks that resolved faster (1.1 day) than those not treated (1.85 day) or treated with tranexamic acid (1.79 day). No adverse events related to C1-INH infusion were reported. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that tranexamic acid is not effective in the treatment of acute attacks and indicate that under the current therapeutic approach, the HAE related disability is effectively but partially reduced. Incomplete success does not appear to depend on limited efficacy of the drugs but on their limited use that can be overcome by implementing specific treatment strategies.