Gender Differences and Other Factors Associated with Weight Gain Following Initiation of Infliximab: A Post Hoc Analysis of Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: In our clinical practice, women often report excess weight gain with infliximab (IFX) use. There are currently no studies investigating weight gain after antitumor necrosis factor therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of clinical factors, with a particular focus on sex and weight gain in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) initiating IFX. METHODS: Data was extracted from ACCENT I, ACCENT II, ACT 1, and SONIC; included patients received IFX for induction or maintenance of remission of CD or UC. Patients treated with azathioprine (IFX 0 mg/kg) were included as controls. Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and weight at each follow-up for the study duration were collected. In addition to descriptive statistics, adjusted mixed effects models were used to test the association between clinical variables and weight gain. RESULTS: There were 1273 patients included for analysis; the majority was white (91%), with CD (81%), and half of patients (50%) were women. Upon univariate analysis, IFX dose, African American race, diagnosis of CD, elevated C-reactive protein, and low hematocrit and albumin were associated with weight gain (P < 0.001). Upon adjusted analysis, sex was significantly associated with weight gain (P = 0.009), with women experiencing a lower percentage increase from baseline weight than men (3.9% increase vs 4.3% increase). CONCLUSIONS: When starting IFX, those with markers of severe disease and with a diagnosis of CD are likely to gain more weight. Adjusting for confounding variables, women actually gain less weight than men after IFX treatment, although this difference is not clinically relevant.

Isolated pancreatic tuberculosis mimicking malignancy in an immunocompetent host.

Despite the high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide, pancreatic TB is rare. When present, pancreatic TB is frequently associated with miliary TB, often in immunocompromised hosts. Pancreatic TB may present as a pancreatic abscess, acute or chronic pancreatitis, and cystic or solid pancreatic masses. We present a case of an immunocompetent patient who presented with two discrete pancreatic masses and was subsequently diagnosed with isolated pancreatic TB. This case suggests that clinicians should have a heightened suspicion of pancreatic TB when faced with discrete pancreatic lesions, especially in patients from areas where the infection is endemic. Such recognition may lead to appropriate diagnostic testing, and possible resolution of pancreatic lesions with antituberculin therapy.

Multiple intestinal intussusceptions as a complication of severe hyperglycemia in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis.

Intussusception in adults is a rare phenomenon, occurring in approximately 1 in 30,000 hospital admissions annually. When it does occur, the majority of cases involve an organic lesion serving as a lead point for intussusception, such as tumors or postoperative adhesions. In a small percentage of cases, a lead point is not found, and intussusception is thought to be idiopathic or secondary to a disease process contributing to dysrhythmic peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract. A few cases of functional intussusception have been reported as being secondary to severe hyperglycemia and metabolic derangements, including metabolic acidosis and hyperkalemia, by causing impaired gastrointestinal motility. We present a case of a 23-year-old Caucasian male who presented with severe hyperglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis. Imaging of the abdomen revealed three intussusceptions involving the small intestine, which were easily reduced manually during exploratory laparotomy.

Hepatic sarcoidosis presenting as portal hypertension and liver cirrhosis: case report and review of the literature.

Systemic sarcoidosis is a disease of unknown etiology, with the liver being the third most commonly affected organ. Most cases of hepatic sarcoidosis are not clinically apparent, but a few can progress to liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension and ultimately liver failure. The diagnosis of hepatic sarcoidosis is difficult, considering that no single laboratory test or radiographic finding can definitively diagnose this systemic disease. Diagnosis of hepatic sarcoidosis relies heavily on histopathologic evaluation of two or more organs, a diagnostic modality that is invasive and may not be applicable to all patients. The treatment of hepatic sarcoidosis is challenging, with no large randomized controlled trials done to date. Physicians must be aware of the complications of hepatic sarcoidosis, and must include the same in the differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. We present a case of hepatic sarcoidosis complicated by portal hypertension and liver cirrhosis.

Acute pancreatitis induced by methimazole therapy.

Among the causative factors for acute pancreatitis, adverse drug reactions are considered to be rare. The diagnosis of drug-induced pancreatitis (DIP) is challenging to establish, and is often underestimated because of the difficulties in determining the causative agent and the need for a retrospective re-evaluation of the suspected agent. We present the case of an 80-year-old woman who presented with complaints of abdominal pain. Her medications included methimazole (MMI) which she had been on for the past 3 months. Computed tomography of her abdomen showed peripancreatic fat stranding with trace amount of surrounding fluid, along with amylase and lipase levels suggestive of acute pancreatitis. In the absence of classical risk factors for acute pancreatitis, a diagnosis of DIP secondary to MMI use was made. Withdrawal of the drug from her medication regimen was accompanied by relief of symptoms and resolution of clinical evidence of pancreatitis. The aim of this paper is to report only the fourth case of MMI-induced pancreatitis in the published literature, and to illustrate the significance of an appropriate and timely diagnosis of DIP.

Pathologic Rupture of the Spleen in Mantle-Cell-Type Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) accounts for less than 10 percent of all non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Pathologic or spontaneous rupture of the spleen has been reported in patients with lymphoma; however only 5 cases have been reported in patients with MCL. Although splenomegaly occurs frequently in patients with MCL, spontaneous splenic rupture is rare. We present a case of a 51-year-old female with MCL, who presented to the medical emergency room with splenic rupture. This case illustrates that clinicians should be aware of the incidence and presentation of patients with MCL and spontaneous splenic rupture, as early detection and heightened suspicion may prevent potentially fatal outcomes.

Lower extremity cutaneous lesions as the initial presentation of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon.

Cutaneous metastases from colorectal cancers are rare and are usually present on the abdominal wall or previous surgical incision sites. Remote cutaneous lesions have been reported, however, often occur in the setting of widespread metastatic disease including other visceral secondaries. We present a case of lower extremity cutaneous metastases as the first sign of metastatic disease in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the colon. This case illustrates that new skin lesions may be the initial presentation of metastatic disease in a patient with a history of cancer.

Gastrobronchial fistula following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Acquired fistulas between the tracheobronchial tree and the gastrointestinal tract are rare but serious complications of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomies with significant morbidity and mortality. With the rising popularity and widespread acceptance of bariatric surgery techniques, the occurrence of gastrobronchial fistulas is being increasingly recognised. We present the case of a 26-year-old woman who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity and presented later with a history of chronic productive cough. Upper gastrointestinal series showed the presence of a communicating fistula between the stomach and the lung, with extravasation of contrast into the lung. The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of considering the diagnosis of a gastrobronchial fistula in cases of persistent respiratory infections in the postoperative period following bariatric surgery and to review its incidence, clinical manifestations and treatment.

Blastocystis hominis and Endolimax nana Co-Infection Resulting in Chronic Diarrhea in an Immunocompetent Male.

Blastocystis hominis and Endolimax nana exist as two separate parasitic organisms; however co-infection with the two individual parasites has been well documented. Although often symptomatic in immunocompromised individuals, the pathogenicity of the organisms in immunocompetent subjects causing gastrointestinal symptoms has been debated, with studies revealing mixed results. Clinically, both B. hominis and E. nana infection may result in acute or chronic diarrhea, generalized abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, flatulence and anorexia. We report the case of a 24-year-old immunocompetent male presenting with chronic diarrhea and abdominal pain secondary to B. hominis and E. nana treated with metronidazole, resulting in symptom resolution and eradication of the organisms. Our case illustrates that clinicians should be cognizant of both B. hominis and E. nana infection as a cause of chronic diarrhea in an immunocompetent host. Such awareness will aid in a timely diagnosis and possible parasitic eradication with resolution of gastrointestinal symptoms.

Direct liver invasion from a gastric adenocarcinoma as an initial presentation of extranodal tumor spread.

Gastric cancer often carries a poor prognosis, with an estimated 740,000 deaths from the malignancy occurring yearly worldwide (Dicken et al., 2005). The mortality of disease is largely dependent on the extent of tumor spread, as gastric cancer has a predilection to metastasize to other visceral secondaries via hematogenous and lymphatic dissemination. Direct invasion of a gastric adenocarcinoma to adjacent organs secondary to gastric wall perforation does occur; however, it is often present in the setting of advanced disease. Rarely does direct tumor invasion to adjacent organs from a gastric adenocarcinoma present as the initial manifestation of extranodal tumor spread. We present a case of a 40-year-old male with direct tumor extension to the liver as an initial presentation of extranodal tumor spread from a gastric adenocarcinoma. Clinicians should be aware of such an occurrence, as treatment modalities in direct liver extension from a gastric adenocarcinoma vary and may be directed towards palliation rather than curative intent.

A solid organising cryptogenic liver abscess and its association with a colonic tubullovillous adenoma.

Cryptogenic liver abscess (CLA) is a well-known disease entity that has puzzled clinicians for centuries. With the advancement of diagnostic modalities, comes the decreasing incidence of liver abscess labelled as 'cryptogenic' in nature. Colonic diseases have been identified as a possible underlying condition found in patients with liver abscesses. Although rare, tubullovillous adenomas have been implicated as one of the colonic causes of a CLA. We present a case of a CLA in a 53-year-old man with a potentially associated tubullovillous adenoma found via colonoscopy.

Inappropriate Use of Gastric Acid Suppression Therapy in Hospitalized Patients with Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea: A Ten-Year Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose. The incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) has steadily increased over the past decade. A multitude of factors for this rise in incidence of CDAD have been postulated, including the increased use of gastric acid suppression therapy (GAST). Despite the presence of practice guidelines for use of GAST, studies have demonstrated widespread inappropriate use of GAST in hospitalized patients. We performed a retrospective analysis of inpatients with CDAD, with special emphasis placed on determining the appropriateness of GAST. Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted at a multidisciplinary teaching hospital on inpatients with CDAD over a 10-year period. We assessed the use of GAST in the cases of CDAD. Data collection focused on the appropriate administration of GAST as defined by standard practice guidelines. Results. An inappropriate indication for GAST was not apparent in a majority (69.4%) of patients with CDAD. The inappropriate use of GAST was more prevalent in medical (86.1%) than on surgical services (13.9%) (P < 0.001). There were more cases (67.6%) of inappropriate use of GAST in noncritical care than in critical care areas (37.4%) (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Our study found that an inappropriate use of inpatient GAST in patients with CDAD was nearly 70 percent. Reduction of inappropriate use of GAST may be an additional approach to reduce the risk of CDAD and significantly decrease patient morbidity and healthcare costs.

Toxic megacolon from fulminant Clostridium difficile infection induced by topical silver sulphadiazine.

Pseudomembranous colitis and toxic megacolon (TM) are well-known complications of Clostridium difficile infections. Systemic antibiotic is considered as the major risk factor for the development of C difficile colitis. However, topical antibiotics are rarely associated with the infection. As previously thought, the use of topical antibiotic is capable of systemic absorption in damaged and denuded skin; sufficient enough to suppress the normal bowel flora. Here, we present an unusual case of TM from C difficile infection induced by topical silver sulphadiazine in a 60-year-old man with immune-bullous pemphigus vulgaris. The diagnosis is further complicated by the absence of diarrhoea as the initial presentation. Despite adequate medical and surgical intervention, the patient had an unfavourable outcome.

Cytomegalovirus infection presenting as a colonic mass in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the gastrointestinal tract occurs in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. Often presenting as ulcerative lesions, CMV infection rarely presents as a mass lesion in the gastrointestinal tract. We present a case of a discrete colonic mass caused by CMV infection in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This case illustrates that an infectious process such as CMV should be considered along with malignancy as the etiology of a mass lesion present in the gastrointestinal tract of patients with AIDS.

Colonic metastases from pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung presenting as an ileocecal intussusception.

Pleomorphic carcinoma is a rare aggressive type of lung cancer that uncommonly metastasizes to the bowel, leading to bleeding, perforation, obstruction, and rarely intussusception. Serving as a lead point, metastatic lesions in the bowel may precipitate intussusception and require immediate surgical intervention. We present a rare case of colonic metastases from a primary lung malignancy, causing ileocecal intussusception in a 57-year old male.