Association of adverse childhood experiences with irritable bowel syndrome in Mexican adults: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to the development of gastrointestinal disorders during adulthood, but there is limited research on the prevalence of ACEs in Latin American populations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and impact of ACEs on Mexican adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 290 Mexican adults (aged 18-65), including 90 individuals with IBS and 200 healthy controls. All participants completed four self-reported questionnaires: The Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACEs), Visceral Sensitivity Index, Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptom Severity Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Statistical analyses included mean differences using either the Student's t-test or the Wilcoxon test, correlations assessed with Spearman's correlation coefficient, and logistic regression models. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value less than 0.05. KEY RESULTS: Among IBS subjects, the prevalence of ACEs was 80%, significantly higher than the 59% prevalence observed in controls (p < 0.0001). Individuals with ACEs exhibited elevated levels of anxiety and depression. Seventy-five percent of IBS subjects with severe symptoms reported four or more ACEs. The presence of four or more ACEs was found to be associated with an increased risk of IBS. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: ACEs are notably prevalent among Mexican individuals with IBS and are positively correlated with the severity of gastrointestinal pain. These findings underscore the critical significance of evaluating and addressing ACEs in the comprehensive management of IBS within Latin American populations.

Incidence of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Symptoms After 7 Days of Proton Pump Inhibitor Use: A Study on Healthy Volunteers.

INTRODUCTION: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed drugs. Chronic PPI use has recently been associated with the risk for developing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). It is not known whether the short-term prescription of a PPI can trigger SIBO. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the incidence of SIBO and gastrointestinal symptoms after 7 days of PPI use. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, pilot, open-label study was conducted on asymptomatic healthy volunteers. The incidence of SIBO was evaluated at the baseline and after administration of 40 mg of pantoprazole once a day for 7 days, through a glucose breath test. In addition, the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, the number of bowel movements, and the consistency of stools, according to the Bristol scale, were assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-eight healthy subjects (71.1% women, mean age 25.18 ± 6.5 years) were analyzed. The incidence of SIBO after 7 days of PPI administration was 7.8% (95% CI 1.6-21.3%). The patients that developed SIBO had a greater prevalence of bloating (p = 0.0002) and flatulence (p = 0.004) after 7 days of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that a short-term 7-day PPI course produced SIBO in 7.8% of healthy subjects. Although, inappropriate use of PPIs should be discouraged, but since more than 90% of subjects who received PPIs for one week did not develop SIBO, the advantages of PPI administration seem to outweigh the disadvantages.

Higher cardiovascular risk scores and liver fibrosis risk estimated by biomarkers in patients with metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND: The definition of metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) allows identification of metabolically complicated patients. Fibrosis risk scores are related to cardiovascular risk (CVR) scores and could be useful for the identification of patients at risk of systemic complications. AIM: To evaluate the relationship between MAFLD and CVR using the Framingham risk score in a group of Mexican patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study carried out in a cohort of 585 volunteers in the state of Veracruz with MAFLD criteria. The risk of liver fibrosis was calculated with aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease score and fibrosis-4, as well as with transient hepatic elastography with Fibroscan®. The CVR was determined by the Framingham system. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-five participants (21.4%) with MAFLD criteria were evaluated, average age 54.4 years, 63.2% were women, body mass index 32.3 kg/m2. The Framingham CVR was high in 43 patients (33.9%). Transient elastography was performed in 55.2% of volunteers; 39.1% with high CVR and predominance in advanced fibrosis (F3-F4). The logistic regression analysis showed that liver fibrosis, diabetes and hypertension independently increased CVR. CONCLUSION: One of every three patients with MAFLD had a high CVR, and in those with high fibrosis risk, the CVR risk was even greater.

[Adrenal myelolipoma, review of the literature in Mexico apropos of two cases]. / Mielolipoma Suprarrenal, revisión de literatura en México a propósito de dos casos.

Background: Adrenal myelolipomas (ML) are rare benign neoplasms compound of adipose and myeloid tissue. Clinically they are usually asymptomatic, being diagnosed generally by incident. In Mexico, there are only 32 published cases of ML, these occur between 37 and 65 years, with the male-female ratio being 1:1.1, clinically they present with abdominal or lumbar pain, open surgery being the main surgical approach (89%). Clinical case: We made a literature review of ML in Mexico and present two clinical cases: a 67-year-old man in followup for diverticular disease and a 40-year-old woman with pain in the left upper quadrant. In both cases, tumor resection was performed measuring 9.5 cm and 13.3 cm long respectively. Conclusions: We present two new cases in our country that correspond to incidentalomas. In both cases, surgery was performed to confirm the diagnosis, as well as to prevent possible complications.

Introducción: los mielolipomas suprarrenales (ML) son neoplasias benignas poco frecuentes constituidas por tejido adiposo y mieloide. Clínicamente asintomáticas, suelen ser diagnosticados incidentalmente. En México existen solo 32 casos publicados de ML, presentándose en pacientes de entre 37 a 65 años, siendo la relación hombre-mujer 1:1.1, el síntoma más comúnmente reportado es dolor abdominal inespecífico, y la cirugía abierta es el principal abordaje quirúrgico empleado en nuestro país (89%). Caso clínico: presentamos una recopilación de la literatura actual sobre ML en México, además de dos casos clínicos de pacientes con ML: un hombre de 67 años con enfermedad diverticular y una mujer de 40 años con dolor en hipocondrio; en ambos se realizó resección tumoral, midiendo 9.5 cm y 13.3 cm, respectivamente. Conclusiones: presentamos dos casos nuevos en nuestro país que corresponden a incidentalomas. En ambos casos la cirugía se realizó para confirmar el diagnóstico, así como para prevenir posibles complicaciones.

Mielolipoma suprarrenal, revisión de literatura en México a propósito de dos casos / Adrenal myelolipoma, review of the literature in Mexico apropos of two cases

Introducción: los mielolipomas suprarrenales (ML) son neoplasias benignas poco frecuentes constituidas por tejido adiposo y mieloide. Clínicamente asintomáticas, suelen ser diagnosticados incidentalmente. En México existen solo 32 casos publicados de ML, presentándose en pacientes de entre 37 a 65 años, siendo la relación hombre-mujer 1:1.1, el síntoma más comúnmente reportado es dolor abdominal inespecífico, y la cirugía abierta es el principal abordaje quirúrgico empleado en nuestro país (89%). Caso clínico: presentamos una recopilación de la literatura actual sobre ML en México, además de dos casos clínicos de pacientes con ML: un hombre de 67 años con enfermedad diverticular y una mujer de 40 años con dolor en hipocondrio; en ambos se realizó resección tumoral, midiendo 9.5 cm y 13.3 cm, respectivamente. Conclusiones: presentamos dos casos nuevos en nuestro país que corresponden a incidentalomas. En ambos casos la cirugía se realizó para confirmar el diagnóstico, así como para prevenir posibles complicaciones.

Background: Adrenal myelolipomas (ML) are rare benign neoplasms compound of adipose and myeloid tissue. Clinically they are usually asymptomatic, being diagnosed generally by incident. In Mexico, there are only 32 published cases of ML, these occur between 37 and 65 years, with the male-female ratio being 1:1.1, clinically they present with abdominal or lumbar pain, open surgery being the main surgical approach (89%). Clinical case: We made a literature review of ML in Mexico and present two clinical cases: a 67-year-old man in followup for diverticular disease and a 40-year-old woman with pain in the left upper quadrant. In both cases, tumor resection was performed measuring 9.5 cm and 13.3 cm long respectively. Conclusions: We present two new cases in our country that correspond to incidentalomas. In both cases, surgery was performed to confirm the diagnosis, as well as to prevent possible complications

Incidence of 'new-onset' constipation and associated factors during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: A minimum of physical activity and low liquid intake are factors that have been associated with constipation. The health emergency brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in adopting behaviour, such as sheltering-in-place (less mobility) and dietary changes, creating a scenario we believe to be an adequate model for examining the appearance of symptoms of constipation and its associated factors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted on an open population, applying an electronic survey (4 weeks after lockdown due to COVID-19 in Mexico) to evaluate demographic characteristics, physical activity, water and fibre intake, appearance of constipation symptoms (including stool consistency), and quality of life. RESULTS: Out of 678 subjects evaluated, 170 (25%, 95% CI: 21.7 to 28.4) developed symptoms of 'new-onset' constipation, with a significant decrease in the number of daily bowel movements (p<0.05) and stool consistency (p<0.05) during lockdown. Furthermore, in the 'new-onset' constipation population there was a higher proportion of subjects (79 (47%) of 170) who stopped exercising during the pandemic compared with the subjects who did not develop constipation symptoms (187 (37%) of 508, p=0.03, OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.1). The multivariate analysis (logistic regression) showed that female sex (p=0.001), water intake (p=0.039), and physical activity (p=0.012) were associated with 'new-onset' constipation. CONCLUSIONS: In our study on an open population in Mexico, we found that one-fourth of the population developed 'new-onset' constipation symptoms during the lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A reduction of physical activity and less water consumption were associated factors.

Late-onset 'sloughing esophagitis' (esophagitis dissecans superficialis) associated with bullous pemphigoid.

Pemphigus is a rare autoimmune disease that causes blistering of the skin and oral mucosa. In bullous pemphigoid (BP), skin involvement is predominant, whereas oesophageal involvement is rare, compared with other blistering diseases. We present, herein, the case of a 67-year-old man with a history of successfully treated BP that 2 years later developed progressive dysphagia, unintentional weight loss and iron deficiency anaemia. An endoscopy with biopsies was performed, and its findings were consistent with 'sloughing esophagitis' (esophagitis dissecans superficialis) associated with BP. Oesophageal involvement was present during the first weeks, making our case unusual due to the isolated oesophageal symptoms that developed 24 months later.