Gastrointestinal Involvement In Patients Research Articles

Severity and impact of digestive impairment perceived by patients with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo describe the severity and impact of gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and identify associated factors.Patients and methodsNon-controlled cross-sectional study of patients with SSc (2013 American College...

Significant association of HLA-A26 with uveitis and gastrointestinal involvement in patients with Behçet's disease in a multicenter study.

Specific HLA haplotypes are associated with Behçet's disease (BD). Because the effects of HLA-A26 and its combination with HLA-B51 on organ involvement in BD have not been well demonstrated, we aimed to examine them. This multicenter, cross-sectional, observational study enrolled patients with BD who visited Kyoto University Hospital between 2018 and 2021 or Kurashiki Central Hospital between 2006 and 2016 (n = 200). Disease severity was evaluated using the Krause score. Uveitis and gastrointestinal involvement were observed in 95/196 and 57/167 patients, respectively. The HLA alleles identified were HLA-B51 (n = 52/106), HLA-A26 (n = 25/88), and HLA-B51 and HLA-A26 (n = 6/88). In patients harboring HLA-B51, the presence of HLA-A26 was associated with higher frequencies of uveitis (p = 0.03) and coexistence of uveitis and gastrointestinal involvement (p = 0.002), and higher Krause scores (p = 0.02). Furthermore, the presence of HLA-A26 was associated with a higher frequency of uveitis in patients with gastrointestinal involvement (p = 0.001) and gastrointestinal involvement in patients with uveitis (p = 0.001). Since specific HLA haplotypes and their combinations are associated with organ involvement, both HLA-A and HLA-B haplotypes should be confirmed when screening for affected organs.

Is there a therapeutic role for immunosuppression for gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis?

Is there a therapeutic role for immunosuppression for gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis?

Diffuse Gastrointestinal Motor Compromise in Patients with Scleroderma: Utility of Minimally Invasive Techniques.

Scleroderma is a systemic inflammatory disorder that can compromise the gastrointestinal tract in up to 90% of patients. The purpose of this work is to characterize esophageal, gastric, and intestinal compromise in patients with scleroderma by means of minimally invasive methods and its association with symptoms and severity of their rheumatological condition. Patients with systemic sclerosis were recruited according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. The study of digestive involvement was carried out on four consecutive days: esophageal manometry was performed on the first day, intestinal manometry on the second day, surface electrogastrography on the third, and hydrogen breath test on the fourth. The Mann-Whitney test was used for quantitative variables and the chi-squared test for categorical variables (p < 0.05). A total of 30 patients were included, with an average age of 52.7years and 93% women. Average disease evolution duration was 6.5years, 70% with limited variety. Rodnan averaged 12 points, being higher in the diffuse variety. The main symptom was heartburn, followed by abdominal distension, with no differences between subtypes except for diffuse nausea; 80% had intestinal manometric compromise, 76% esophageal manometric compromise, and 30% electrogastrographic compromise. Bacterial overgrowth was evidenced in two-thirds (66%) of the patients, and 23% of the patients had simultaneous esophageal, gastric, and intestinal involvement, which correlated with greater skin involvement but not with gastrointestinal symptoms. Gastrointestinal involvement in patients with scleroderma is frequent and is observed regardless of the symptoms and clinical characteristics of the latter, except for skin involvement.

The Pathogenesis of Gastrointestinal, Hepatic, and Pancreatic Injury in Acute and Long Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is targeted by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. The present review examines GI involvement in patients with long coronavirus disease and discusses the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that include viral persistence, mucosal and systemic immune dysregulation, microbial dysbiosis, insulin resistance, and metabolic abnormalities. Due to the complex and potentially multifactorial nature of this syndrome, rigorous clinical definitions and pathophysiology-based therapeutic approaches are warranted.

S835 Description of Clinical Presentations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Individuals Who Identify as LGBTQIA+

Introduction: While the demographics and clinical manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have been widely described in the general population, little is known about the clinical presentation of patients belonging to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of IBD in individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ at their first presentation to an IBD clinic at a tertiary referral center. Methods: This is a retrospective chart review study where patients that identify as LGBTQIA+ and that have IBD were identified using an electronic data retrieval system at a tertiary referral center. We collected information regarding their sexual orientation, gender identity (SOGI), gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, location of disease, extent of GI tract involvement and their IBD medications at the time of their first visit to the IBD clinic. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the data. Results: The demographics, SOGI, IBD diagnosis and medications of the 93 patients included in our study are described in Table. The median time (interquartile range) from symptom onset to diagnosis and to presentation to IBD clinic were 1.4 (0; 12.7) and 72.1 (10.3; 160.5) months respectively. The extent and location of bowel involvement at the initial visit are displayed in Figure. On presentation, 46% of patients reported abdominal pain, 45% diarrhea, 25% hematochezia, 16% weight loss and 15% fatigue. Ten percent of patients had a history of clostridium difficile colitis. There were 24 patients that had more than one IBD-related emergency department visit and 17 patients that had more than one hospitalization at a tertiary referral center within one year of presentation to IBD clinic. A history of mood or anxiety disorders was assessed in 41 patients (44%), 16 of which had a history of anxiety and 19 of depression. Indications of suicidality were only assessed in 10 patients (11%). Conclusion: While this study is the first to help clarify the GI manifestations and disease characteristics of IBD in patients who identify as LGBTQIA+, further studies are needed to deepen our understanding of the epidemiology and clinical presentations of IBD in this population in comparison to a non-LGBTQIA+ cohort. This will facilitate the identification of potential healthcare disparities and barriers to timely access of patients who identify as LGBTQIA+ with IBD to clinical care.Figure 1.: Gastrointestinal involvement in patients who identify as LGBTQIA+ and who have ulcerative colitis (A, n=25) and Crohn’s disease (B, n=45; C, n=32). Table 1. - Demographics, sexual orientation, gender identity, IBD diagnosis and IBD medications of 93 individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ All patients (n=93) Age, in years, mean (SD) 30 (15) Sex assigned at birth, Female, N(%) 59 (63) Sexual orientation, N(%) Bisexual 48 (52) Gay/lesbian/homosexual 39 (42) Other 5 (5) Prefer not to disclose 1(1) Gender Identity, N(%) Female 52 (56) Male 30 (32) Genderqueer 2 (2) Transgender female 2 (2) Other 7 (8) Race, N(%) White 85 (92) Black 3 (3) American indian/Alaska native 1 (1) Asian 1 (1) Native Hawaiian/Pacific Native Islander 1 (1) Other 2 (2) IBD diagnosis, N(%) Ulcerative colitis 48 (52) Crohn's Disease 45 (48) IBD medications at initial visit, (n=37) Mesalamine 20 (54) Corticosteroids 15 (41) Thiopurines 10 (27) Infliximab 8 (21) Adalimumab 7 (19) Vedolizumab 2 (5) Ustekinumab 2 (5) Certolizomab 2 (5) Methotrexate 1 (3) IBD: Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Data shown: Number (percentage), unless stated otherwise.

Prevalence and Determinants of Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Patients with Selected Rheumatologic Diseases.

Many rheumatic diseases may cause gastrointestinal manifestations. The goal of this study was to analyze the prevalence and predictors of gastrointestinal involvement in patients with rheumatic disorders. A retrospective chart review was performed for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and sys- temic sclerosis who have consulted due to gastrointestinal symptoms. The relationship between clinical symptoms, gastroscopic/colo- noscopic findings, and histopathological results with current drugs and disease duration was evaluated. A total of 364 patients with rheumatic disorders and 740 people as control group were included in the study. Abdominal bloating followed by abdominal pain, regurgitation, and heartburn were reported as the main complaints by more than half of the patients. Most of the patients had gastric mucosal changes expressed as Lanza score, and the presence of major polypharmacy was the most important factor affecting Lanza score (odds ratio: 10, 95% CI: 1.882-54.111, P < .007) followed by disease duration (odds ratio: 1.559, 95% CI: 1.369-1.775, P < .001) and age (odds ratio: 1.069, 95% CI: 1.030-1.109, P < .001). In general, approximately 30% of the patients were posi- tive for Helicobacter pylori infection and 35% showed intestinal metaplasia in histopathological examination. Most of the colonoscopic findings were associated with colonic polyps (n = 81). In multivariate analysis, disease duration was the only factor that affected the pres- ence of colonic lesions (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve (AUROC): 0.871, 95% CI: 0.824-0.918, P < .001). Patients with rheumatologic diseases frequently have gastrointestinal manifestations. The most encountered gastrointes- tinal symptom was abdominal bloating, followed by abdominal pain. Being aware of gastrointestinal manifestations and their determi- nants may help physicians manage and follow patients with rheumatologic disorders.

Gastrointestinal Manifestations in Hospitalized Children With Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Multisystem Inflammatory Condition: An Analysis of the VIRUS COVID-19 Registry.

Background:Describe the incidence and associated outcomes of gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in hospitalized children (MIS-C).Methods:Retrospective review of the Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study registry, a prospective observational, multicenter international cohort study of hospitalized children with acute COVID-19 or MIS-C from March 2020 to November 2020. The primary outcome measure was critical COVID-19 illness. Multivariable models were performed to assess for associations of GI involvement with the primary composite outcome in the entire cohort and a subpopulation of patients with MIS-C. Secondary outcomes included prolonged hospital length of stay defined as being >75th percentile and mortality.Results:Of the 789 patients, GI involvement was present in 500 (63.3%). Critical illness occurred in 392 (49.6%), and 18 (2.3%) died. Those with GI involvement were older (median age of 8 yr), and 18.2% had an underlying GI comorbidity. GI symptoms and liver derangements were more common among patients with MIS-C. In the adjusted multivariable models, acute COVID-19 was no associated with the primary or secondary outcomes. Similarly, despite the preponderance of GI involvement in patients with MIS-C, it was also not associated with the primary or secondary outcomes.Conclusions:GI involvement is common in hospitalized children with acute COVID-19 and MIS-C. GI involvement is not associated with critical illness, hospital length of stay or mortality in acute COVID-19 or MIS-C.

Liver and Gastrointestinal Involvement in Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Study

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) classically presents as a respiratory illness with fever, dry cough, and dyspnea on exertion. Along with respiratory signs and symptoms, gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations and liver injury have been recognized during the progression of the disease. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of GI symptoms and hepatic injury during COVID-19 infections and their consequences on the outcome of the disease.MethodologyWe conducted a retrospective survey of 715 participants age 16 or older diagnosed with COVID-19 and reported GI and hepatic manifestations in the Dammam Medical Complex in Dammam, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, from March 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020. We recorded clinical manifestations, laboratory test results, patient demographics, comorbidities, and treatments.ResultsThe mean age of the study population was 46 years (88% were male, 12% were female), and 80% were non-Saudi. While most patients recovered and were discharged (n=603, 84.62%), 100 (13.99%) died due to COVID-19. Type 2 diabetes was present in 182 patients (79%) discharged and 45 patients (21%) who died. Hypertension was present in 26 (67%) discharged and 158 patients (81%) who died. Cardiovascular disease was present in 26 patients (67%) discharged and 13 (33%) who died. Chronic kidney disease was found in 11 patients (61%) discharged and six (33%) who died. Diarrhea was present in 11% of patients, nausea in 8%, and vomiting in 9% of patients. Twenty percent of patients had at least one GI symptom. Only 10% of those who died had GI symptoms, while 88% of those discharged had GI symptoms. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were generally higher in the patients who died than in those who were discharged.ConclusionsWe noted an increase in at least one liver enzyme with no clinically significant acute liver injury or cases of acute liver failure as sequelae of COVID-19. However, the presence of injury at the time of admission resulted in a significantly higher mortality rate. Only a small number of patients infected with COVID-19 exhibited GI manifestations. The etiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-related GI involvement is due to multiple factors. It is not yet fully understood if GI manifestations are clinical signs of high viral loads or another physiological process. The clinical manifestation and laboratory test results indicate that COVID-19 impacts the hepatic system and GI tract, indicating that COVID-19 infection may risk liver and GI tract injury.

Acute appendicitis in pediatric patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): A case series from a developing country's tertiary hospital

Introductionand importance: A common gastrointestinal presentation of both COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is acute abdominal pain, which sometimes mimics appendicitis. Literature describing children with COVID-19 infection and concurrent acute appendicitis is growing, and understanding these patients’ clinical picture is necessary for their proper treatment. Case presentationWe present a case series of six healthy children before they developed classic symptoms of appendicitis. At the same time, they were also found to have confirmed COVID-19. All patients had fever and right lower abdominal pain. Four of six children having Alvarado score above seven had surgical treatment, while the others only received systemic antibiotic and antiviral medication. Surgical results of two patients revealed perforated appendicitis. No mortality occurred among them. Clinical discussionThere is increasing recognition of gastrointestinal involvement in patients with COVID-19 and MIS-C. There are several postulates to explain appendicitis in COVID-19. First, inflammatory response is exaggerated in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Second, obstruction of the appendiceal lumen is caused by mesenteric adenopathy, which in turn, is caused by COVID-19 infection, not fecalith. Third, hyperinflammatory response in MIS-C triggers inflammation in appendix. ConclusionClinicians must recognize that abdominal pain with fever could be the presenting symptoms of COVID-19 with MIS-C. MIS-C, which has severe presentations with gastrointestinal manifestations and high mortality rate, should be considered as a differential diagnosis for a patient with appendicitis-like symptoms and a positive SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio and Gastrointestinal Involvement Among Henoch Schonlein Purpura Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio has been examined among several studies regarding Henoch Schonlein purpura patients with gastrointestinal involvement. The current meta-analysis aims to evaluate neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio differences between Henoch Schonlein purpura patients with and without gastrointestinal manifestations.An extensive search of the available literature was done using MEDLINE (1966-2020), Clinicaltrials.gov (2008-2020), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (1999-2020) and Google Scholar (2004-2020) databases and statistical analysis was mainly conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.The current meta-analysis is based on data from six studies. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio was higher in Henoch Schonlein patients with gastrointestinal involvement than those without with a mean difference of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.55, 1.22 [P < 10-5, I2 = 8%]). Low heterogeneity (I2) was observed between the included studies. Subgroup analysis, leave one out meta-analysis and meta-regression analysis were performed which led to the lowering of I2 to 0.The findings of our meta-analysis suggest that the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio could serve as a marker of gastrointestinal involvement in patients with Henoch Schonlein purpura; however, most of the included studies are case-control, therefore future cohort studies should clarify the value of this marker.

Cutaneous venous malformations as a clue for possible gastrointestinal tract involvement: Diagnosis and treatment of six cases.

Venous malformation (VM) is the most common type among vascular malformations classified by the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies. Most VMs are sporadic (94%), caused in 40% of cases by somatic mutation of TEK gene. VMs can be cutaneous, visceral, or combined. Visceral involvement is rare, and gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common localization. Visceral VMs, usually asymptomatic, may manifest with bleeding, anemia, and consumptive coagulopathy, which sometimes require an emergency treatment. Our aim is to study the possible GI involvement in patients with only one cutaneous VM. We analyzed a series of six patients who presented with a single cutaneous VM and have subsequently manifested intestinal involvement at our reference center for vascular anomalies since 2010. In our patients, cutaneous VMs were located on lower or upper limbs, and GI involvement manifested from 3 to 10 years after skin diagnosis. Our experience urges to early diagnose a GI involvement also in patients with only one skin VM and to prevent severe complications. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory for the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

Clinical Assessment of Gastrointestinal Involvement in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has the potential to affect any component of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI involvement in SSc is a leading cause of morbidity and overall decreased quality of life in this patient population, identifying a need for a concise approach to work-up. This literature review aims to present a systematic, anatomical approach and differential diagnosis of GI involvement in SSc for the general internist and rheumatologist. Each component of the luminal GI tract has its own specified section, beginning with a review of a clinical approach to diagnosis that includes a differential for clinicians to consider, followed by a discussion of the literature surrounding objective evaluation of these conditions (i.e. serologic studies, imaging, endoscopy). Additionally there is a focused discussion on an approach to GI bleeding in the patient with SSc.

Gastrointestinal involvement in patients with vasculitis: IgA vasculitis and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Background and study aims Among vasculitides, IgA vasculitis (IgAV) and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) frequently damage the gastrointestinal tract. However, only a few studies have investigated the entire gastrointestinal tract in patients with IgAV or EGPA by endoscopy. The aim of this study was to clarify endoscopic characteristics of patients with IgAV and those with EGPA. Patients and methods Clinicopathological and endoscopic findings were retrospectively compared between 33 patients with IgAV and 19 patients with EGPA. Results Gastrointestinal involvement was observed in 33 patients with IgAV (100 %) and in 8 patients with EPGA (42 %; P = 0.0001). Duodenal involvement was more frequent in patients with IgAV (75.8 %) than in those with EGPA (21.1 %, P = 0.0002). Jejunoileal involvement was frequent in both groups (IgAV 94.4 %; EGPA 77.8 %). Gastric mucosal erythema was more frequent in patients with IgAV (18.2 %) than in those with EGPA (0 %, P = 0.0481). Duodenal mucosal erythema (IgAV 54.6 %; EGPA 21.1 %, P = 0.0227), ulcer (IgAV 33.3 %; EGPA 0 %, P = 0.0041), and hematoma-like protrusion (IgAV 21.1 %; EGPA 0 %, P = 0.039) were more frequently observed in patients with IgAV than in those with EGPA. Conclusions Frequent duodenal involvement, gastric mucosal erythema, and duodenal lesions including erythema, ulcer, and hematoma-like protrusion are characteristic of patients with IgAV. Because jejunoileal involvement was frequent in both groups of patients, small-bowel endoscopies should be performed for diagnosis of small-bowel lesions in patients with IgAV and EGPA.

Association between the -174 C/G polymorphism in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene and gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis

Genetic predisposition to systemic sclerosis (SSc) has still not been fully revealed. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a mediator of T cell proliferation and fibrotic events in SSc. Polymorphisms in the IL-6 are found to be important in susceptibility to development of SSc. We aimed to assess the frequency of -174 C/G of IL-6 gene polymorphism in SSc patients and healthy controls, as well as correlation with disease manifestations. In the case-control study, 102 patients with SSc and 93 controls were included. PCR-RFLP method was performed for genotyping promotor variants -174 C/G of IL-6 gene. The expression level of IL-6 was determined by qRT-PCR on subset of 50 patients and 13 healthy controls with different IL-6 genotypes. We used UCLA GIT 2.0 questionnaire to assess gastrointestinal involvement in SSc patients. The expression level of IL-6 gene was significantly higher in patients with SSc in comparison with healthy controls (p < 0.05). Carriers of C-allele of IL-6 gene compared to those with G allele, showed higher expression of IL-6 gene (95.8 vs. 41.2, p < 0.05), higher GIT total score (0.85 vs. 0.5, p < 0.05) and higher distension scale score (1.4 ± 0.9 vs. 0.78 ± 0.8, p = 0.05). No significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency were observed between patients and controls. The expression of IL6 gene varies significantly during the course of SSc. The IL-6 gene variant -174 C/G (presence of C-allele) is associated with higher IL-6 gene expression and greater GIT impairment in patients with SSc.

Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Mantle Cell Lymphoma With Gastrointestinal Involvement

Introduction: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma characterized by rapid disease progression. Studies on gastrointestinal (GI) involvement of MCL are lacking. In this study, we investigated the clinical features and prognosis of MCL with GI involvement. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 64 patients who diagnosed MCL from January 2009 to April 2017 consecutively. At the time of MCL diagnosis, patients who were identified to have GI involvement by endoscopy or radiologic examination were assigned to the GI-MCL group. And those who were confirmed to have no GI involvement were assigned to the non GI-MCL group. The clinical characteristics and the outcomes of both groups were compared. Results: The GI-MCL group included 29 patients (45.3%). There were no significant differences in age and gender between the GI and non GI-MCL group. The stage of GI-MCL group was higher compared to the non GI-MCL group and all of 29 patients were stage IV. The mean of International Prognostic Index (IPI) score was also significantly higher in GI-MCL (2.97 vs. 1.97, p=0.047). Bone marrow involvement in the GI-MCL group was much greater than non GI-MCL group (69.0% vs. 40.0%, p=0.021). R-CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone combined with rituximab) was the most abundant in 1st line chemotherapy (44/64, 69.8%). After 1st line chemotherapy, 56 of 64 patients showed complete remission (87.5%). Although there was no difference in complete remission rate between the two groups, recurrence rate was much higher in GI-MCL group (72.% vs. 41.2%, p=0.024). A total of 15 patients received bone marrow transplantation (15/64, 23.4%). The median follow up period was 37 months and 11 out of 64 patients died during this period (17.2%). There was no significant difference in mortality between the two groups. Conclusion: The patients with MCL invading GI tract tended to have advanced stage, higher IPI score, more bone marrow involvement and more recurrence than MCL not involving the GI tract. Endoscopic examination to rule out GI involvement in patients with MCL is warranted.

Successful treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis as a complication of granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a case report

BackgroundAlthough gastrointestinal involvement in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis is uncommon, it is associated with mild to severe life-threatening complications. We present a case of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis that was treated successfully with hyperbaric oxygen.Case presentationA 70-year-old Japanese man with a 3-year history of granulomatosis with polyangiitis consulted our hospital with a complaint of severe back pain. Computed tomography showed a large amount of gas located in his bowel wall and mesentery. He underwent urgent exploratory laparotomy, which led to a diagnosis of pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis without intestinal perforation or necrosis. He consequently underwent 13 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and was discharged from our hospital without complications.ConclusionsSeveral previous reports have supported the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen for treating pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis. The present case, however, is the first in which pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis was successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen. We therefore suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could be a candidate treatment for pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Successful treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins in a patient with intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is very diverse, and the frequency of occurrence and location along the digestive tract varies widely. Inflammatory processes secondary to immune complex deposits or vascular events may cause this involvement. One of the most characteristic gastrointestinal manifestations in these patients is the intestinal pseudo-obstruction, which is defined as the ineffective intestinal propulsion that occurs in the absence of mechanical or obstructive factors. This is, however, a rare and poorly understood complication of SLE. The case is presented of a male SLE patient presenting with intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and was successfully treated with steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin. A complete review of the literature and a proposal for the pathophysiology of intestinal pseudo-obstruction are presented.

Validation of Serbian version of UCLA Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract Instrument in 104 patients with systemic sclerosis.

Gastrointestinal (GI) involvement is the leading cause of morbidity with great impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The UCLA-GIT 2.0 is a disease-specific HRQOL instrument for the assessment of GI symptoms severity in patients with SSc. We evaluated reliability and validity of the Serbian version of UCLA-GIT 2.0 by assessing association of GI involvement and other disease manifestations in patients with SSc. UCLA-GIT 2.0 was adapted into Serbian and administered to 104 patients with SSc who had previously completed the SF-36 questionnaire. We evaluated the internal consistency reliability and associations between the UCLA-GIT 2.0 and SF-36 scales. Data from patients' medical history were reviewed for other disease manifestations. UCLA-GIT 2.0 had acceptable reliability (defined as Cronbach's alpha >0 .69) and the majority of hypothesized correlations with SF-36 scale scores were of moderate magnitude (coefficient ≥ 0.30). Active disease and pulmonary fibrosis were associated with higher GIT Total scale score (p < 0.05). Distension mostly correlated with HRQOL impairment (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). The Serbian version of the UCLA-GIT 2.0 questionnaire has acceptable reliability and validity for the assessment of GI involvement in patients with SSc. GI impairment is very frequent in patients with active SSc, as well in those with pulmonary fibrosis.

Current management of the gastrointestinal complications of systemic sclerosis.

Systemic sclerosis is a multisystem autoimmune disorder that involves the gastrointestinal tract in more than 90% of patients. This involvement can extend from the mouth to the anus, with the oesophagus and anorectum most frequently affected. Gut complications result in a plethora of presentations that impair oral intake and faecal continence and, consequently, have an adverse effect on patient quality of life, resulting in referral to gastroenterologists. The cornerstones of gastrointestinal symptom management are to optimize symptom relief and monitor for complications, in particular anaemia and malabsorption. Early intervention in patients who develop these complications is critical to minimize disease progression and improve prognosis. In the future, enhanced therapeutic strategies should be developed, based on an ever-improving understanding of the intestinal pathophysiology of systemic sclerosis. This Review describes the most commonly occurring clinical scenarios of gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis as they present to the gastroenterologist, with recommendations for the suggested assessment protocol and therapy in each situation.