Randomised clinical trial: intravenous vs oral iron for the treatment of anaemia after acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Acute gastrointestinal bleeding is prevalent condition and iron deficiency anaemia is a common comorbidity, yet anaemia treatment guidelines for affected patients are lacking. AIM: To compare efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and oral ferrous sulphate (FeSulf) in patients with anaemia secondary to non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding METHODS: A prospective 42-day study randomised 61 patients with haemoglobin <10 g/dL upon discharge (Day 0) to receive FCM (n = 29; Day 0: 1000 mg, Day 7: 500 or 1000 mg; per label) or FeSulf (n = 32; 325 mg/12 hours for 6 weeks). Outcome measures were assessed on Days 0 (baseline), 7, 21 and 42. The primary outcome was complete response (haemoglobin ≥12 g/dL [women], ≥13 g/dL [men]) after 6 weeks. RESULTS: A higher proportion of complete response was observed in the FCM vs the FeSulf group at Days 21 (85.7% vs 45.2%; P = 0.001) and 42 (100% vs 61.3%; P < 0.001). Additionally, the percentage of patients with partial response (haemoglobin increment ≥2 g/dL from baseline) was significantly higher in the FCM vs the FeSulf group (Day 21:100% vs 67.7%; P = 0.001, Day 42:100% vs 74.2%; P = 0.003). At Day 42, normalisation of transferrin saturation to 25% or greater was observed in 76.9% of FCM vs 24.1% of FeSulf-treated patients (P < 0.001). No patient in the FCM group reported any adverse event vs 10 patients in the FeSulf group. CONCLUSION: FCM provided greater and faster Hb increase and iron repletion, and was better tolerated than FeSulf in patients with iron deficiency anaemia secondary to non-variceal acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

[Gastrointestinal bleeding and acute hepatic failure by leptospirosis: an entity that should not be forgotten]. / Hemorragia digestiva e insuficiencia hepática aguda por leptospirosis: una entidad que no debemos olvidar.

Leptospirosis disease is caused by the spirochete Leptospira. It is a worldwide distribution zoonosis, with predominance in the tropics. In Spain, it is not frequent but some cases have been noticed especially in humid areas surrounded by rivers, lakes or ponds, such as Catalonia, Andalucia or the Valencian Community. It is transmitted by a variety of animals such as cows or rats, that are infected either by direct contact with these animals or their urine, or indirectly by consuming or being in contact with water contaminated by their urine. The clinical manifestations are very variable, being asymptomatic or not very symptomatic in most of the patients. Unusually, leptospirosis presents with a first phase with fever, myalgias, liver injury or different organs hemorrhage, followed by a second phase with the presence of jaundice due to hepatic failure. Weil's disease is a kind of severe leptospirosis characterized by hepatic failure with jaundice and acute renal failure, associated with high mortality rates.The diagnosis is based on serological techniques and DNA detection by PCR. The treatment consists of life support measures and antibiotic therapy. A patient with Weil's disease and leptospirosis digestive bleeding is presented, with a fulminant clinical course. In order to achieve an early diagnosis, the need to keep this entity in mind must be emphasized, especially in favorable epidemiological environments as the one of this patient.

Hemorragia digestiva e insuficiencia hepática aguda por leptospirosis: una entidad que no debemos olvidar / Gastrointestinal bleeding and acute hepatic failure by leptospirosis: an entity that should not be forgotten

La leptospirosis es una enfermedad causada por la espiroqueta Leptospira. Se trata de una zoonosis de distribución mundial, con predominio en los trópicos. En España no es frecuente pero sí se observan casos en zonas más húmedas o con presencia de ríos, lagos o estanques, como son Cataluña, Andalucía o la Comunidad Valenciana, donde se relaciona con los arrozales. Los transmisores son múltiples animales como vacas o ratas, contagiándose el ser humano mediante contacto directo con estos animales o su orina, o bien de forma indirecta al consumir o estar en contacto con agua contaminada por la orina de éstos. Las manifestaciones clínicas son muy variables, siendo asintomática o poco sintomática en la mayoría de los pacientes. Aunque no ocurre siempre, la leptospirosis cursa con una primera fase con fiebre, mialgias, afectación renal o hemorragia de distintos órganos, seguida de una segunda fase con presencia de ictericia por afectación hepática. La enfermedad de Weil es una forma de leptospirosis grave caracterizada por afectación hepática con ictericia e insuficiencia renal aguda, asociada a una considerable mortalidad. El diagnóstico se basa en técnicas serológicas y detección de DNA mediante PCR. El tratamiento consta de medidas de soporte y antibioticoterapia. Presentamos un paciente con enfermedad de Weil y hemorragia digestiva por leptospirosis, con una evolución clínica fulminante, y hacemos hincapié en la necesidad de tener presente esta entidad, especialmente en ambientes epidemiológicos favorables como el de este paciente, con el fin de lograr un diagnóstico precoz.

Leptospirosis disease is caused by the spirochete Leptospira. It is a worldwide distribution zoonosis, with predominance in the tropics. In Spain, it is not frequent but some cases have been noticed especially in humid areas surrounded by rivers, lakes or ponds, such as Catalonia, Andalucia or the Valencian Community. It is transmitted by a variety of animals such as cows or rats, that are infected either by direct contact with these animals or their urine, or indirectly by consuming or being in contact with water contaminated by their urine. The clinical manifestations are very variable, being asymptomatic or not very symptomatic in most of the patients. Unusually, leptospirosis presents with a first phase with fever, myalgias, liver injury or different organs hemorrhage, followed by a second phase with the presence of jaundice due to hepatic failure. Weil's disease is a kind of severe leptospirosis characterized by hepatic failure with jaundice and acute renal failure, associated with high mortality rates. The diagnosis is based on serological techniques and DNA detection by PCR. The treatment consists of life support measures and antibiotic therapy. A patient with Weil's disease and leptospirosis digestive bleeding is presented, with a fulminant clinical course. In order to achieve an early diagnosis, the need to keep this entity in mind must be emphasized, especially in favorable epidemiological environments as the one of this patient.

[Duodenal adenocarcinoma: a rare diagnosis]. / Adenocarcinoma duodenal: un diagnóstico poco frecuente.

Duodenal adenocarcinoma is a rare disease whose symptoms are usually vomit, weight loss and lack of appetite; appearing more frequently in men in their sixties. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the technique chosen for its diagnosis, also relying on other techniques such as endoscopic ultrasonography or computed tomography for the extension study. In this regard we report the case of a patient diagnosed of bulbar duodenal adenocarcinoma in our hospital.

Adenocarcinoma duodenal: un diagnóstico poco frecuente / Duodenal adenocarcinoma: a rare diagnosis

El adenocarcinoma duodenal es una entidad poco prevalente que suele cursar con clínica de vómitos, pérdida de peso e hiporexia; presentándose más frecuentemente en varones en la sexta década de la vida. La endoscopia digestiva alta supone la técnica de elección para el diagnóstico, siendo útiles para el estudio de extensión tanto la ecoendoscopia como la tomografía computarizada (TC). En relación a esta rara patología presentamos el caso de un paciente diagnosticado de neoplasia de bulbo duodenal en nuestro centro...

Duodenal adenocarcinoma is a rare disease whose symptoms are usually vomit, weight loss and lack of appetite; appearing more frequently in men in their sixties. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the technique chosen for its diagnosis, also relying on other techniques such as endoscopic ultrasonography or computed tomography for the extension study. In this regard we report the case of a patient diagnosed of bulbar duodenal adenocarcinoma in our hospital...

Management of primary achalasia: The role of endoscopy.

Achalasia is an oesophageal motor disorder which leads to the functional obstruction of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) and is currently incurable. The main objective of all existing therapies is to achieve a reduction in the obstruction of the distal oesophagus in order to improve oesophageal transit, relieve the symptomatology, and prevent long-term complications. The most common treatments used are pneumatic dilation (PD) and laparoscopic Heller myotomy, which involves partial fundoplication with comparable short-term success rates. The most economic non-surgical therapy is PD, with botulinum toxin injections reserved for patients with a higher surgical risk for whom the former treatment option is unsuitable. A new technology is peroral endoscopic myotomy, postulated as a possible non-invasive alternative to surgical myotomy. Other endoluminal treatments subject to research more recently include injecting ethanolamine into the LES and using a temporary self-expanding metallic stent. At present, there is not enough evidence permitting a routine recommendation of any of these three novel methods. Patients must undergo follow-up after treatment to guarantee that their symptoms are under control and to prevent complications. Most experts are in favour of some form of endoscopic follow-up, however no established guidelines exist in this respect. The prognosis for patients with achalasia is good, although a recurrence after treatment using any method requires new treatment.