Cross cultural comparison of constipation profiles at tertiary care centers between India and USA.

BACKGROUND: Despite potential differences in patient perception of chronic constipation (CC) in geographically and culturally distinct regions, head-to-head studies comparing the clinical profile, constipation severity, impact on quality of life (QOL) and economic impact are lacking. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional cohort study of patients presenting with CC to tertiary care centers in the USA and India. Standardized instruments were used to assess constipation subtype, disease severity, disease-specific QOL, somatization, and psychiatric comorbidities. We used multivariable linear regression to determine the predictors of QOL and number of healthcare visits. KEY RESULTS: Sixty-six and 98 patients with CC were enrolled in the USA and India, respectively. Indian patients with CC had significantly more frequent bowel movements/week compared to their USA counterparts (Median 5 vs 3, P < .0001). The proportion of patients with Bristol stool form scale type 1 and 2 was significantly higher in the USA compared to India (65.5% vs 48%, P = .04). Higher depression score (P = .001), more severe constipation symptoms (P = .001) and site of the study being USA (P = .008) independently predicted worse QOL. Indian patients (P < .001) and worse QOL (P = .02) were independent predictors of number of healthcare visits in the last 12 months. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Indian patients with CC have more frequent and softer bowel movements compared to those in the USA suggesting significant differences in perception of CC in different geographic and cultural settings. QOL and economic impact related to constipation varies with geographic/cultural setting irrespective of other clinical and psychosomatic features.

Molecular characterization of clinical isolates of Cyclospora cayetanensis from patients with diarrhea in India.

PURPOSE: Cyclospora cayetanensis is an intestinal coccidian protozoan that has emerged as an important cause of both epidemic and endemic protracted diarrhea worldwide. Though humans appear to be the only natural hosts; the role of animals as natural reservoir is uncertain but of increasing concern. The present study aimed to study the prevalence of coccidian in different groups such as immunocompromised, clinically apparent immunocompetent and healthy individuals. Also, the study isolates were assessed for heterogeneity among the sequences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Stool samples from different groups of patients were collected. The parasite was detected in stool by different diagnostic tools such as light microscopy and nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism using 18S ribosomal RNA as the target gene. RESULTS: The prevalence of C. cayetanensis was 2.4% (19/800) in the present study. The PCR assay amplified Cyclospora cayetanensis DNA in only 89% (17/19) isolates. Further, sequencing revealed no significant difference among the study isolates and the non-primates. Phylogenetic analysis of the study isolates however, formed two clusters. While one cluster showed close evolutionary association with the C. cayetanensis strains, the other cluster showed evolutionary association with the two non-primate species. CONCLUSION: The methods described here for detection of C. cayetanensis oocysts are simple, efficient, specific, and sensitive and therefore can be effectively applied for laboratory diagnosis and environmental assessment of fresh produce and water sources. Clinicians should include Cyclospora infection in the differential diagnosis of prolonged or relapsing diarrheal illness even in clinically apparent immunocompetent individuals.

Refractory giardiasis: a molecular appraisal from a tertiary care centre in India.

PURPOSE: The intestinal flagellate Giardia lamblia includes many genetically distinct assemblages, of which assemblage A and B, predominantly infect humans. Nitroimidazoles derivatives (metronidazole and tinidazole) and nitazoxanide are some of the therapeutic agents for treatment of giardiasis. Nevertheless, some individuals with giardiasis are non-responsive to standard therapy. The present study highlights cases of refractory giardiasis and attempts to elucidate if genetic heterogeneity in the parasite is associated with treatment failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three stool samples were obtained on three consecutive days from 4000 patients with diarrhoea and were microscopically examined for the detection of trophozoites, and/or cysts, using both normal saline and Lugol's iodine. A hemi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) as the target gene was performed to determine the assemblages. Sequencing of the PCR products of the patients showing failure to treatment of giardiasis was also performed. RESULTS: Two per cent (82/4000) of the total patients were microscopically positive for Giardia lamblia in the stool samples. All these patients were treated with metronidazole/tinidazole as per the standard regimens. However, eight patients showed treatment failure to giardiasis as stool examinations were repeatedly positive even after treatment with multiple courses of anti-giardial therapy. Genetic characterisation of all eight Giardia isolates showed that they belonged to Assemblage B and had homogeneous sequences. These patients were either treated with extended regimens or with combination therapy of anti-giardials. CONCLUSION: In our experience, combination of two or more drugs for a longer duration is the treatment modality to treat refractory giardiasis.

Correlation of plasma anti-tuberculosis drug levels with subsequent development of hepatotoxicity.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the free and total plasma drug concentrations of rifampicin (RMP), isoniazid and pyrazinamide in subjects with or without anti-tuberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH). METHODS: A total of 110 tuberculosis (TB) patients were administered daily anti-tuberculosis treatment and were prospectively followed for the development of DIH. Plasma drug levels were measured at 0, 1, 2 and 4 h on days 1, 7 and 14 of treatment. Plasma drug levels in 15 patients who developed DIH (cases) were compared with 95 patients who did not (controls). RESULTS: Female sex, body mass index < 17 kg/m(2) and baseline serum albumin < 4 g/dl predicted risk of DIH on univariate analyses. Free and total plasma RMP levels (Cmax and AUC0-4) on days 1, 7 and 14 were significantly higher in cases compared to controls and predicted development of DIH. Day 7 total RMP Cmax and AUC0-4 were higher in cases (mean 26.73, standard deviation [SD] 5.72 and 47.58, SD 33.10) than in controls (7.87, SD 10.95 and 14.01, SD 10.69, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma RMP levels were higher in cases than in controls and independently predicted subsequent development of DIH. The Cmax of Day 7 total RMP level (cut-off 12.50 mg/l) predicted subsequent development of DIH in 93.3% of the patients.

Molecular characterisation of Giardia intestinalis assemblages from human isolates at a tertiary care centre of India.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to determine the genetic heterogeneity of Giardia intestinalis isolates detected in stool samples of the study population using polymerase chain reaction assay and restriction fragment length polymorphism. We also tried to correlate the association/differences between the clinical symptomatology and infection by different assemblages (genotypes) of G. intestinalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2008 to June 2010. A total of 40 adults (n = 40) and 42 children (n = 42) below the age of 12 years with the clinical suspicion of giardiasis and with the onset of one or more of the following five symptoms, i.e., loose stool, nausea, weight loss, fatigue and foul smelling faeces and confirmed laboratory diagnosis of giardiasis at least once during the current episode of diarrhoea were included in this study. RESULTS: Of the 82 patients (males 66) enrolled in the study, 70 (85%) presented with diarrhoea (56 males) and 12 (15%) without diarrhoea (10 males). Out of 70 diarrheic patients, 61 (87%) had chronic diarrhoea, 8 (11.5%) had acute diarrhoea and 1 (1.5%) had persistent diarrhoea. Of the total patients, 63 (77%) were clinically assessed and were apparently immunocompetent, whereas, 19 (23%) immunocompromised patients had different underlying conditions besides giardiasis. Genotyping identified all 82 (100%) isolates as assemblage B. CONCLUSION: We found that assemblage B of G. intestinalis presents with all kinds of clinical features ranging from asymptomatic carriage to acute, persistent or chronic diarrhoea.

Structural and functional abnormalities in lungs in patients with achalasia.

Dilatation and oesophageal body aperistalsis in achalasia can lead to stasis which in turn can induce repeated microaspiration. It is therefore conceivable that patients with achalasia may also have abnormalities in lungs secondary to repeated episodes of microaspiration. There is a lack of systematic study on involvement of lungs in patients with achalasia. Thirty patients with achalasia underwent pulmonary function tests (spirometry, and carbon mono-oxide diffusion capacity) and high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) of the chest. The mean age of patients and mean duration of disease were 33.5 +/- 10.9 years and 28.1 +/- 27.3 months respectively. Regurgitation was present in 22 (73.3%) of them. Respiratory symptoms in them were dry cough in 17 (56.6%), and chest pain in 18 (60%). The oesophagus was dilated in 26 (86.6%) and 13 (43.3%) had residue in oesophagus. Sixteen (53.3%) patients had either anatomical changes as seen on HRCT or functional changes as observed on pulmonary function tests. Of those with functional abnormalities, five (16.6%) and one (3.3%) had restrictive and obstructive airways disease respectively. While evidence of tracheo-bronchial compression by dilated oesophagus was present in eight (26.6%), 10 (33.3%) patients had parenchymal lung disease [nodular opacities in five (16.6%), ground glass appearance six (20%), patchy pulmonary fibrosis five (16.6%), air trapping two (6.6%), consolidation and bronchiectasis one (3.3%) each]. There was a significant association between presence of regurgitation and dilatation of oesophagus (P = 0.032). More than half (53.3%) of patients with achalasia have structural and/or functional abnormalities in lungs.

Presence and characterization of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis from clinical and suspected cases of Crohn's disease and in the healthy human population in India.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate and characterize Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in patients with Crohn's disease, attendants of animals with suspected infection, and healthy humans, using multiple diagnostic tests. METHODS: A total of 119 samples (35 stool, 76 serum, three blood clots, and five biopsies) were collected from five patients with Crohn's disease, eight attendants of animals with Johne's disease, and 93 apparently normal control subjects (Agra region) from North India. Samples were screened for the presence of MAP by smear examination, culture of stool, blood clot and biopsies, and ELISA. Colonies obtained by culture were further characterized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with IS900 MAP-specific primers. RESULTS: Using all diagnostic modalities, MAP and/or MAP antibodies were identified in 100% (5/5) of subjects with Crohn's disease; 75.0% (6/8) of attendants of MAP infected animals were positive and 38.0% (27/71) of apparently normal controls were also positive. Most sensitive test was ELISA (100%, 5/5), followed by culture (80.0%, 4/5), and acid-fast staining. Ziehl-Neelsen staining was positive in 37.5% (3/8) of subjects with active animal husbandry practices. In 71 serum samples from control subjects, seroprevalence of MAP was 38.0% using indigenous protoplasmic antigens (PPA) and 36.6% using commercial PPA. Of the serum samples from the Crohn's disease patients, 100% (5/5) were positive by ELISA using indigenous PPA and 40.0% (2/5) were positive by ELISA using commercial PPA. IS900 PCR was used to characterize tiny colonies of MAP that grew extremely slowly on Herrold's egg yolk medium, and of 15 (42.8%) cultures, 14 (93.3%) were typed as MAP. CONCLUSIONS: Paper documented the presence of MAP in all patients with Crohn's disease, in some animal attendants who had the history of working with goat herds infected with Johne's disease and in few normal healthy individuals. Presence of Ziehl Neelsen positive MAP. In the stool of attendants working with MAP-infected animals was unique to humans. ELISA based on antigens derived from indigenous MAP 'bison type' genotype of goat origin was most sensitive modality for screening Crohn's disease patients.

CT enteroclysis in the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: initial results.

AIM: To evaluate the usefulness of computed tomography (CT) enteroclysis in patients with obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, CT enteroclysis was performed in 21 patients (median age 50 years; range 13-71 years) with obscure GI bleeding in which the source of the bleeding could not be detected despite the patient having undergone both upper GI endoscopic and colonoscopic examinations. The entire abdomen and pelvis was examined in the arterial and venous phases using multisection CT after distending the small intestine with 2l of 0.5% methylcellulose as a neutral enteral contrast medium and the administration of 150ml intravenous contrast medium. RESULTS: Adequate distension of the small intestine was achieved in 20 of the 21 (95.2%) patients. Potential causes of GI bleeding were identified in 10 of the 21 (47.6%) patients using CT enteroclysis. The cause of the bleeding could be detected nine of 14 (64.3%) patients with overt, obscure GI bleeding. However, for patients with occult, obscure GI bleeding, the cause of the bleeding was identified in only one of the seven (14.3%) patients. The lesions identified by CT enteroclysis included small bowel tumours (n=2), small bowel intussusceptions (n=2), intestinal tuberculosis (n=2), and vascular lesions (n=3). All vascular lesions were seen equally well in both the arterial and venous phases. CONCLUSIONS: The success rate in detection of the cause of bleeding using CT enteroclysis was 47.6% in patients with obscure GI bleeding. The diagnostic yield was higher in patients with overt, obscure GI bleeding than in those with occult obscure GI bleeding.

Familial pachydermoperiostosis in association with protein-losing enteropathy.

In this report we describe a rare association of pachydermoperiostosis with protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) in a family of three brothers. The first brother had the complete form of pachydermoperiostosis along with PLE. The second brother had the 'forme fruste' of pachydermoperiostosis, with minimal skin changes, bony abnormalities and PLE, which was due to intestinal lymphangiectasia. The third brother had an incomplete form of pachydermoperiostosis without evidence of PLE. To our knowledge, the association of pachydermoperiostosis with PLE due to intestinal lymphangiectasia has not been reported previously.

Colonoscopic barotrauma treated by conservative management: role of high-flow oxygen inhalation.

Most patients with colonoscopy-induced colonic perforation require urgent surgical intervention. Certain patients may, however, recover with conservative management. If the colonic perforation has been induced by barotrauma, there may be an extravasation of air which may lead to collection and tracking of air along the tissue planes, involving the retroperitoneum, peritoneal cavity, mediastinum, pleura, pericardium, or even the scrotum. The conservative treatment of colonic perforation includes bowel rest and antibiotics. Absorption of air collected in different body cavities may take some time, and inhalation of high-concentration oxygen may enhance the rate of gaseous absorption. We describe here a patient with colonic perforation induced by barotrauma, who recovered fully on conservative management with inhalation of high-concentration oxygen. We recommend that this approach should be used more frequently in such a situation.

Ascites and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in fulminant hepatic failure.

OBJECTIVE: Although presence of ascites has been reported in patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) has not been studied in a large group of such patients. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic significance of ascites and SBP in FHF patients. METHODS: Two hundred ninety-eight consecutive patients (mean age 32.9+/-14.8 yr) with FHF were studied. There were 133 (44.6%) men and 165 (55.4%) women. Acute viral hepatitis accounted for 91.6% of the patients and were analyzed in the present study. RESULTS: Ascites was clinically detected in 79 (28.9%) patients. The patients with ascites were older (p = 0.005), had longer jaundice-encephalopathy interval (p<0.0000001), lesser grade of encephalopathy on admission (p = 0.0000043), and a lower incidence of raised intracranial pressure on admission (p = 0.0007). Patients with ascites had significantly lower serum albumin (p = 0.021), ALT (p = 0.0005), AST (p = 0.00017), and PT (p = 0.002) on admission than in patients without ascites. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that jaundice-encephalopathy interval (> or =14 days) and serum albumin (< or =2.5 g/dl) were the only independent predictors of ascites. SBP was detected in 14 (17.7%) patients (neutrocytic culture positive, 4; neutrocytic culture negative, 9; and monomicrobial bacterascites, 1). Escherichia coli was identified in three patients. Survival was no different between patients with and those without ascites and also between patients with and those without SBP. CONCLUSIONS: Ascites is a frequent accompaniment of FHF and is complicated by SBP. Jaundice-encephalopathy interval of 14 days or more and serum albumin (< or =2.5 g/dl) on admission predicts the development of ascites in these patients.

Watermelon stomach: a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Watermelon stomach is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. We report a middle-aged woman who had been having recurrent bleeding from watermelon stomach. She was treated surgically by gastrectomy and Billroth II anastomosis.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in a patient with gastric carcinoma.

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is classically described in patients with cirrhosis and nephrotic syndrome. However, SBP rarely occurs in patients with malignant ascites. We report a patient with gastric cancer with ascites, who developed SBP. Clinicians need to be aware of this complication in patients with malignant ascites.