Effectiveness of therapeutic barium enema for diverticular hemorrhage

AIM:To evaluate the effectiveness of barium impaction therapy for patients with colonic diverticular bleeding.METHODS:We reviewed the clinical charts of patients in whom therapeutic barium enema was performed for the control of diverticular bleeding between August2010 and March 2012 at Yokohama Rosai Hospital.Twenty patients were included in the review,consisting of 14 men and 6 women.The median age of the patients was 73.5 years.The duration of the followup period ranged from 1 to 19 mo(median:9.8 mo).Among the 20 patients were 11 patients who required the procedure for re-bleeding during hospitalization,6patients who required it for re-bleeding that developed after the patient left the hospital,and 3 patients who required the procedure for the prevention of rebleeding.Barium(concentration:150 w%/v%)was administered per the rectum,and the leading edge of the contrast medium was followed up to the cecum by fluoroscopy.After confirmation that the ascending colon and cecum were filled with barium,the enema tube was withdrawn,and the patient’s position was changed every 20 min for 3 h.RESULTS:Twelve patients remained free of rebleeding during the follow-up period(range:1-19mo)after the therapeutic barium enema,including 9men and 3 women with a median age of 72.0 years.Re-bleeding occurred in 8 patients including 5 men and 3 women with a median age of 68.5 years:4developed early re-bleeding,defined as re-bleeding that occurs within one week after the procedure,and the remaining 4 developed late re-bleeding.The DFI(disease-free interval)decreased 0.4 for 12 mo.Only one patient developed a complication from therapeutic barium enema(colonic perforation).CONCLUSION:Therapeutic barium enema is effective for the control of diverticular hemorrhage in cases where the active bleeding site cannot be identified by colonoscopy.

Induction of ischemic tolerance in rat liver via reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase in Kupffer cells

AIM: To elucidate the mechanisms of hepatocyte preconditioning by H2O2 to better understand the pathophysiology of ischemic preconditioning. METHODS: The in vitro effect of H2O2 pretreatment was investigated in rat isolated hepatocytes subjected to anoxia/reoxygenation. Cell viability was assessed with propidium iodide fluorometry. In other experiments, rat livers were excised and subjected to warm ischemia/ reperfusion in an isolated perfused liver system to determine leakage of liver enzymes. Preconditioning was performed by H2O2 perfusion, or by stopping the perfusion for 10 min followed by 10 min of reperfusion. To inhibit Kupffer cell function or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, gadolinium chloride was injected prior to liver excision, or diphenyleneiodonium, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, was added to the perfusate, respectively. Histological detection of oxygen radical formation in Kupffer cells was performed by perfusion with nitro blue tetrazolium. RESULTS: Anoxia/reoxygenation decreased hepatocyte viability compared to the controls. Pretreatment with H2O2 did not improve such hepatocyte injury. In liver perfusion experiments, however, H2O2 preconditioning reduced warm ischemia/reperfusion injury, which wasreversed by inhibition of Kupffer cell function or NADPH oxidase. Histological examination revealed that H2O2 preconditioning induced oxygen radical formation in Kupffer cells. NADPH oxidase inhibition also reversed hepatoprotection by ischemic preconditioning. CONCLUSION: H2O2 preconditioning protects hepato- cytes against warm ischemia/reperfusion injury via NADPH oxidase in Kupffer cells, and not directly. NADPH oxidase also mediates hepatoprotection by ischemic preconditioning.

Coronary stenting with cardiogenic shock due to acute ascending aortic dissection

A 65-year-old man developed chest pain under cardiogenic shock. Coronary angiography revealed severe stenosis from the ostium of the left main coronary artery(LMCA) to the left anterior descending artery(LAD). Intravascular ultrasound(IVUS) identified a large hematoma that originated from the aorta and extended into the LAD, thereby compressing the true lumen. Type A aortic dissection(TAAD) that involved the LMCA was diagnosed by IVUS. Coronary stenting was performed via the LMCA to the proximal LAD, which resulted in coronary blood flow restoration and no further propagation of dissection. Elective surgical aortic repair was performed 2 wk after the stenting. LMCA stenting under IVUS guidance is effective for prompt diagnosis and precise stent deployment in patients with cardiogenic shock due to TAAD with LMCA dissection.

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults Complicated by Persistent Isolated Glucosuria in the Absence of Hyperglycemia

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is an autoimmune diabetes of adult-onset with the presence of diabetes associated autoantibodies. Familial renal glucosuria (FRG) is an inherited renal tubular disorder that causes persistent isolated glucosuria in the absence of hyperglycemia. We report a novel case of LADA and certain FRG. A 44-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for uncontrolled diabetes. Before admission, he had never suffered from diabetic coma and showed an improvement in HbA1c only with diet therapy. His HbA1c was 11.9% (107 mmol/mol), and anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibody was 13.0 U/mL. A glucagon stimulation test showed the decrease of insulin secretion: plasma C-peptide (CPR) 0 min, 0.69 ng/mL;CPR 6 min, 0.90 ng/mL. Analysis of genomic DNA revealed a novel heterozygous mutation in the SGLT2 coding gene, SLC5A2 (c.875G >A, p.Cys292Tyr), which was assessed as probably damaging with a score of 0.998 (sensitivity: 0.27;specificity: 0.99) by an in silico analysis. Therefore, he was diagnosed with LADA and certain FRG. He has not shown any symptoms and his HbA1c improved to 6.4% (46 mmol/mol) three months after the introduction of insulin therapy. Our case clearly implies the clinical effectiveness of SGLT2 inhibition in patients with LADA.