1/7. Approaching the patient with chronic malabsorption syndrome.The causes of chronic malabsorption may be categorized as decreased intestinal absorption, most commonly caused by celiac sprue; or maldigestion caused by pancreatic insufficiency. The initial step in the evaluation of these patients should include stool studies to confirm fat malabsorption. If fat malabsorption is confirmed, endoscopy with small-bowel biopsies and aspirates for bacterial culture usually follows. A normal endoscopic examination should lead to assessment of pancreatic function. In the setting of normal pancreatic function and the absence of bile acid deficiency, a barium radiograph of the small bowel should be made, looking for anatomical abnormalities. Celiac sprue is an intolerance to gluten caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and immunologic factors. It classically causes malabsorption. However, it is likely that many patients who exhibit only minor manifestations of the disease go unrecognized and untreated. A presumed diagnosis of celiac sprue is confirmed after a clinical and endoscopic response to a gluten-free diet. Serological markers are available with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity, but duodenal biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis. A minority of patients are unresponsive to a gluten-free diet, and intestinal lymphoma should be suspected in these cases.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/7. Tropical malabsorption.Tropical malabsorption remains an important clinical problem for both the indigenous population of tropical countries and for short-term visitors and longer-term residents from the industrialized world. In young children, persistent diarrhea and malabsorption can result in severe retardation of growth and development. The most common cause is an intestinal infection notably the small intestinal protozoa including giardia intestinalis, cryptosporidium parvum, isospora belli, cyclospora cayetanensis, and the microsporidia. Tropical sprue still remains an important diagnostic option but is less common than it was 20 to 30 years ago. It is important to attempt to make a specific microbiological diagnosis as this will influence the choice of antibiotic. However, if laboratory facilities are not available, it is possible to offer empirical therapy although this may involve a trial of more than one antibiotic.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/7. Synthesis of collagen I in collagenous sprue.BACKGROUND & AIMS: collagenous sprue (CS) is a rare severe malabsorption syndrome of unknown etiology, characterized by villus atrophy and a broad subepithelial collagen band. We studied the expression patterns of genes involved in fibrogenesis and fibrolysis and analyzed the composition of the subepithelial collagen band in CS compared with untreated celiac diseases (CDs). methods: Duodenal biopsies from 2 patients with CS were hybridized with (35)S-labeled rna probes for procollagen alpha1(I), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-1 and -3, and tissue inhibitor of MMP-1 (TIMP-1). Numbers of positive subepithelial and lamina propria cells and grain density per cell were determined microscopically. immunohistochemistry for collagens I, III, IV, XIV, and tenascin was performed by the immunoalkaline phosphatase method. Findings were compared with earlier data from patients with untreated CD. RESULTS: Numbers of cells expressing procollagen I, MMP-1, and MMP-3 mRNA were similar, but subepithelial procollagen I transcripts per cell were significantly increased (42 and 38 vs 18 [13-23]; P < .05) in CS compared with CD, whereas cellular transcript densities for MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNA were similar. In addition, the number of TIMP-1 mRNA-positive cells was higher in CS compared with CD (32 and 25 vs 16.5 [4-25]; P < .05). The subepithelial collagenous bands stained for collagen I, collagen III, and tenascin. CONCLUSIONS: The prominent subepithelial matrix deposition in CS is due to increased expression of the main fibrogenic genes (procollagen I and TIMP-1) by myofibroblastic cells, whereas expression of fibrolytic MMPs remains unaltered.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.6666666666667keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/7. Carcinoid infiltration and fibroplastic changes of the mesentery as a cause of malabsorption.The presentation of carcinoid involvement of the mesentery is described, with clinical manifestation of severe malabsorption: angiographically it resembled retractile mesenteritis. The special biologic activity of the carcinoid cells inducing fibroblastic activity with secondary alterations of vascular, lymphatic and neural structures of the mesentery is discussed in relation to the altered physiology and morphology of the intestine, causing the clinical picture of sprue.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/7. Chronic enterocyte infection with coronavirus. One possible cause of the syndrome of tropical sprue?A man with a gastrojejunostomy and intestinal malabsorption was found to be excreting large numbers of coronavirus-like particles in his stools over a period of at least eight months. coronavirus-like particles were found in vesicles in degenerating jejunal enterocytes in all of five jejunal biopsies. In a review of electron micrographs, similar structures were found in biopsies from three of 12 patients with classical chronic tropical sprue and in one patient with a sprue-like syndrome associated with agammaglobulinaemia. The hypothesis is advanced that infection with this virus may produce enterocyte damage and may be one cause of the syndrome of tropical sprue.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.3333333333333keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/7. prurigo nodularis associated with malabsorption.The case of a 72-year-old female with a syndrome of malabsorption associated with prurigo nodularis is reported. The patient had been suffering from these disorders for 16 years. The pathological alteration of her malabsorption syndrome was an idiopathic sprue. 5 months after treatment with gluten-free diet supplemented with vitamins and iron, the disappearance of the clinical and analytical alterations was complete.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/7. Malabsorption with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism responding to treatment for coincident celiac sprue.Our study suggests that coexisting celiac sprue is one of the mechanisms responsible for the malabsorption associated with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism. Celiac sprue is relatively common, and this association could occur by coincidence. Alternately there may be shared determinants of susceptibility or perhaps a direct immunological relationship. In such patients, both gluten-free diet and correction of the hypoparathyroid state may be necessary to correct malabsorption. In our literature survey, this is the first case in which celiac sprue associated with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism was documented. The importance of intestinal biopsy in evaluating malabsorption in patients with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism is emphasized.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.3333333333333keywords = sprue (Clic here for more details about this article) |