Erdheim chester-A rare disease with unique endoscopic features

Erdheim-Chester disease(ECD) is a rare inflammatory syndrome in which systemic infiltration of non-Langerhans cell histiocytes occurs in different sites. Both the etiology and pathophysiology of ECD are unknown, but CD68 positive CD 1a/S100 negative cells are characteristic. The presentation of ECD differs according to the involved organs. This case report describes a patient with ECD and the gastrointestinal manifestations and unique endoscopic appearance as seen in gastroscopy and colonoscopy with histological proof of histiocyte infiltration of the lamina propria. The clinical and endoscopic findings of this unique case, to our knowledge, were never described before, so were the features of the gastrointestinal involvement in this disease.

Combination of corticosteroids and 5-aminosalicylates or corticosteroids alone for patients with moderate-severe active ulcerative colitis:A global survey of physicians'practice

AIM To examine treatment decisions of gastroenterologists regarding the choice of prescribing 5-aminosalycilates(5ASA) with corticosteroids(CS) versus corticosteroids alone for patients with active ulcerative colitis(UC). METHODS A cross-sectional questionnaire exploring physicians' attitude toward 5ASA + CS combination therapy vs CS alone was developed and validated. The questionnaire was distributed to gastroenterology experts in twelve countries in five continents. Respondents' agreement with stated treatment choices were assessed by standardized Likert scale. Background professional characteristics of respondents were analyzed for correlation with responses. RESULTS Six hundred and sixty-four questionnaires were distributed and 349 received(52.6% response rate). Of 340 eligible respondents, 221(65%) would continue 5ASA in a patient hospitalized for intravenous CS treatment due to a moderate-severe UC flare, while 108(32%) would stop the 5ASA(P < 0.001), and 11(3%) are undecided. Similarly, 62% would continue 5ASA in an out-patient starting oral CS. However, only 140/340(41%) would proactively start 5ASA in a hospitalized patient not receiving 5ASA before admission. Most(94%) physicians consider the safety profile of 5ASA as very good. Only 52% consider them inexpensive, 35% perceive them to be expensive and 12% are undecided. On multi-variable analysis, less years of practice and perception of a plausible additive mechanistic effect of 5ASA + CS were positively associated with the decision to continue 5ASA with CS. CONCLUSION Despite the absence of data supporting its benefit, most gastroenterologists endorse combination of 5ASA + CS for patients with active moderate-to-severe UC. Randomized controlled trials are needed to assess if 5ASA confer any benefit for these patients.

Myocardial disease,anemia and heart failure

Abstract Many patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) fail to respond to maximal CHF therapy and progress to end stage CHF with many hospitalizations, very poor quality of life, end stage renal failure, or die of cardiovascular complications within a short time. One factor that has generally been ignored in many of these patients is the fact that they are often anemic.The anemia is due mainly to renal failure but also to the inhibitory effects of cytokines on the bone marrow. Anemia itself may further worsen the cardiac function and make the patients resistant to standard CHF therapies. Indeed anemia has been associated with increased severity of CHF, increased hospitalization, worse cardiac function and functional class, higher doses of diuretics,worsening of renal function and reduced quality of life. In both controlled and uncontrolled studies the correction of the anemia with erythropoietin (EPO) and oral or Ⅳ iron is associated with improvement in all these parameters. EPO itself may also play a direct role in improving the heart unrelated to the improvement of the anemia. Anemia may also play a role in the worsening of coronary heart disease even without CHF.

Simple pain measures reveal psycho-social pathology in patients with Crohn's disease

AIM To determine whether pain has psycho-social associations in adult Crohn's disease(CD) patients.METHODS Patients completed demographics, disease status, Patient Harvey-Bradshaw Index (P-HBI), Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), and five sociopsychological questionnaires: Brief Symptom Inventory, Brief COPE Inventory, Family Assessment Device, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire. Pain sub-scales in P-HBI, SF-36 and SIBDQ measures were recoded into 4 identical scores for univariate and multinomial logistic regression analysis of associations with psycho-social variables.RESULTS The cohort comprised 594 patients, mean age 38.6±14.8 years, women 52.5%, P-HBI 5.76±5.15. P-HBI, SF-36 and SIBDQ broadly agreed in their assessment of pain intensity. More severe pain was significantly associated with female gender, low socioeconomic status, unemployment, Israeli birth and smoking. Higher pain scores correlated positively with psychological stress, dysfunctional coping strategies, poor family relationships, absenteeism, presenteeism, productivity loss and activity impairment and all WPAI sub-scores. Patients exhibiting greater satisfaction with life had less pain. The regression showed increasing odds ratios for psychological stress (lowest 2.26, highest 12.17) and female gender (highest 3.19) with increasing pain. Internet-recruited patients were sicker and differed from hardcopy questionnaire patients in their associations with pain.CONCLUSION Pain measures in P-HBI, SF-36 and SIBDQ correlate with psycho-social pathology in CD. Physicians should be aware also of these relationships in approaching CD patients with pain.