Luiz Ernesto de Almeida Troncon

Evolução da ocorrência (1980-1999) da doença de Crohn e da retocolite ulcerativa idiopática e análise das suas características clínicas em um hospital universitário do sudeste do Brasil

Background - Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are regarded as uncommon in developing countries, but studies on their occurrence in Brazil are scarce. Aims - To determine the occurrence of Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis in a Brazilian university hospital throughout a 20-year period, and analyze the demographical, clinical and evolutive features of these cases. Methods - The frequencies of new cases of Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis admitted from January 1980 up to December 1999 were calculated and a descriptive analysis of the features of all cases seen from January 1990 up to December 1999 was performed. Results - A total of 257 new cases (126 with Crohns disease and 131 with ulcerative colitis) was recorded. The frequencies of admissions for both Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis have increased progressively from 40 up to 61 cases/10.000 new admissions and Crohns disease gradually became more common than ulcerative colitis. For both diseases, there was predominance of women, age at admission in the range of 30-40 years, Caucasian origin, married state and non-smokers. Digestive symptoms presented were similar to those already described for both diseases and there were no differences between Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis regarding the frequencies of general complaints and extra-intestinal manifestations (29.5% vs 23.3%), including thromboembolism (5.9% vs 5.4%). Obstruction and/or perforation were seen in up to 59.2% of Crohns disease cases, whereas 53.7% of all ulcerative colitis cases presented as severe forms. In Crohns disease cases with obstruction, smoking was significantly more common than in non-complicated cases. In ulcerative colitis cases of increased severity, general complaints, extra-intestinal manifestations and pancolitis were significantly more frequent than in less severe forms. Conclusions - For the last 20 years, there have been an increased frequency of admission of inflammatory bowel diseases, and Crohns disease have become more prevalent than ulcerative colitis. Demographical, clinical and evolutive features of these diseases seems to be similar to those already described, but there seems to be a predominance of more severe forms of both diseases.

Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics of Celiac Disease Among Blood Donors in Ribeirão Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil

Celiac disease (CD) is an underdiagnosed disease occurring in different clinical forms. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of CD among blood donors from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, and to study some demographic characteristics of celiac patients. Blood samples from 3000 blood donors were tested for the presence of tissue transglutaminase antibody and positive samples were tested for endomysial antibody. Donors positive to both tests were referred for clinical evaluation and for a jejunal biopsy. Twenty-four samples were moderately/strongly positive for transglutaminase, with 9 of them being endomysial negative and 15 positive. Of the 13 biopsies obtained from 12 females and 1 male, 1 was classified as Marsh grade IV, 4 as grade III, 2 as grade II, 4 as grade I, and 2 as grade 0. Estimated prevalence was therefore 1:273 (0.33%; 95% CI, 0.127 to 0.539). The 1:273 estimated prevalence of CD detected indicates that the disease is not rare in Brazil. The frequency was higher among females and among individuals of European descent, with a significantly higher frequency for a family history of digestive tract cancer or epilepsy.

Treatment of diabetic gastroparesis with oral clonidine

Background/Aims: Clonidine, a specific alpha‐2‐adrenergic receptor agonist, has been suggested to improve symptoms of gastroparesis in diabetics with diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of clonidine on gastric emptying and symptoms suggestive of gastroparesis in patients with long‐standing diabetes mellitus and evidence of autonomic neuropathy.

Diminished retention of food in the proximal stomach correlates with increased acidic reflux in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and dyspeptic symptoms.

This work aimed at evaluating the intragastric distribution of food in patients with GERD and dyspepsia and its relationship to acidic reflux episodes. Gastric emptying and food retention in the proximal stomach were evaluated by scintigraphy in 12 healthy subjects and 19 patients with GERD and dyspepsia after a liquid test meal. Patients also underwent 24-hr esophageal pH monitoring, which included a 2-hr postprandial period following a similar test meal. Total gastric emptying was similar in patients and controls, whereas proximal gastric retention (AUCprox/AUCtot) was significantly decreased in patients (mean ± SD: 0.48 ± 0.07 vs. 0.56 ± 0.06; P = 0.02). Within the GERD–dyspepsia group, a significant negative correlation was found between proximal gastric retention and the number of acidic reflux episodes. We concluded that abnormally decreased retention of gastric contents in the proximal stomach after a liquid meal may contribute to the pathogenesis of acidic reflux episodes in patients with GERD and dyspepsia.

Decreased gastric tone and delayed gastric emptying precede neutrophil infiltration and mucosal lesion formation in indomethacin-induced gastric damage in rats.

Gastric antral dysmotility has been implicated in the pathogenesis of indomethacin-induced gastric damage, but the relationship between gastric motor abnormalities and mucosal lesions has not been extensively studied. We investigated whether changes in gastric tone and gastric retention correlate with mucosal lesions and neutrophil migration in indomethacin-induced gastric damage in rats. Indomethacin, either 5 or 20 mg/kg (INDO-5 and INDO-20), was instilled into the stomach, and then gastric damage, neutrophil migration, gastric tone and gastric retention were assessed 1 or 3 h later. Gastric damage was calculated as the sum of the lengths of all mucosal lesions, and neutrophil migration was measured by assaying myeloperoxidase activity. Gastric tone was determined by a plethysmometric method, and gastric retention of either saline or Sustacal was evaluated by a scintigraphic method. Gastric damage was detectable 3 h after either INDO-5 or INDO-20, but not after 1 h. Neutrophil migration was significantly higher 3 h after INDO-20 as compared with INDO-5 or control group, but not after 1 h. Values of gastric tone 1 and 3 h after either INDO-5 (1 h = 1.73+/-0.07 ml; 3 h = 1.87+/-0.03 ml) or INDO-20 (1 h = 1.70+/-0.02 ml; 3 h = 1.79+/-0.03 ml) were significantly lower than in controls (1 h = 1.48+/-0.05 ml; 3 h = 1.60+/-0.06 ml). Gastric retention of saline was higher 1 h after INDO-5 (58.9+/-3.3%) or INDO-20 (56.1+/-3.1%) compared to control (45.5+/-1.7%), but not after 3 h. There were no differences concerning gastric retention of Sustacal between the various groups. Indomethacin induced decreased gastric tone and delayed gastric emptying, which precede mucosal lesion and neutrophil infiltration. These results indicate that there is no relationship between these gastric motor abnormalities and mucosal lesion in indomethacin-induced gastropathy.

Abnormal Intragastric Distribution of a Liquid Nutrient Meal in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Disordered gastric motility and emptying arewell known complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), butthe pattern of intragastric distribution of food has notbeen extensively studied in diabetics. We examined the partition of a liquid nutrient meal betweenthe proximal and distal stomach and the relationshipsbetween intragastric distribution of food and gastricemptying (GE) and the symptoms in DM patients with and without autonomic neuropathy (AN).Fourteen healthy volunteers and 20 DM patients (13 withAN; 9 with dyspepsia symptoms) ingested a liquidnutrient meal (250 ml; 437 kcal) labeled with[99mTc]phytate. Anterior and posterior serial images of thestomach were taken for 90 min with a gamma camera.Regions of interest for the proximal and the distalhalves of the stomach and for the total gastric areawere defined. Counts from each region along timeallowed estimation of GE and the proportion of activityretained in the proximal stomach after meal ingestion(initial) and throughout GE (mean). GE half-times in controls (median; range: 66 min; 29-90 min)were not significantly different from diabetics (76 min;5->150 min, P > 0.10), but abnormal GE was foundin 11 DM patients (seven delayed and four rapid). In DM patients, initial retention inthe proximal stomach (42%; 16-79% ) was significantlylower (P < 0.02) than in controls (55%; 44-71%). Meanretention in the proximal stomach throughout emptying also was significantly lower (P <0.05) in DM patients (43%; 18-58%) than in controls(51%; 32-69%). There were no differences betweensubgroups of patients with normal, delayed, or rapid gastric emptying regarding mean meal retentionin the proximal stomach. Patients with evidence of AN orwith dyspepsia symptoms had significantly decreasedretention of food in the proximal stomach throughout gastric emptying. We concluded that patientswith diabetes mellitus have abnormally decreasedretention of gastric contents in the proximal stomachafter a liquid meal, which seems to be related to the occurrence of autonomic neuropathy anddyspepsia symptoms, but not to disordered gastricemptying.

Rapid distal small bowel transit associated with sympathetic denervation in type I diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: The pattern of progression of a meal from the stomach to the caecum in diabetes mellitus is controversial and the differential roles of transit through the jejunum and the ileum have not been investigated in diabetes. AIMS: To determine gastric emptying and transit rates through proximal and distal regions of the small bowel in type I diabetic patients. SUBJECTS: The study included six diabetic patients with evidence of autonomic neuropathy (DM-AN group), 11 diabetics without autonomic dysfunction (DM group), and 15 control volunteers. METHODS: Gastric emptying and small bowel transit of a liquid meal were evaluated scintigraphically in these subjects. Transit through regions of interest corresponding to the proximal and distal small intestine up to the caecum was determined and correlated with gastric emptying rates, cardiovascular measurements of autonomic function, and the occurrence of diarrhoea. RESULTS: Gastric emptying and transit through the proximal small bowel were similar in the three groups. The meal arrived to the caecum significantly earlier in DM-AN patients (median; range: 55 min; 22-->180 min) than in the DM group (100 min; 44-->180 min, p < 0.05) or in controls (120 min; 80-->180 min, p < 0.02). Accumulation of chyme in the distal small bowel was decreased in DM-AN patients, who showed values for peak activity (30%; 10-55%) significantly lower than in the DM group (49%; 25-77%, p = 0.02) and controls (50%; 30-81%, p = 0.02). In DM patients (n = 17), the time of meal arrival to the caecum was significantly correlated with both orthostatic hypotension (coefficient of contingency, C = 0.53, p < 0.01) and diarrhoea (C = 0.47, p < 0.05), but not with gastric emptying rates. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with type I diabetes mellitus and sympathetic denervation have abnormally rapid transit of a liquid meal through the distal small bowel, which may play a part in diarrhoea production.

Relationships between intragastric food maldistribution, disturbances of antral contractility, and symptoms in functional dyspepsia.

We investigated the relationships between intragastric food maldistribution and antral dysmotility in functional dyspepsia, and whether these abnormalities relate to meal-induced symptoms. Intragastric distribution of food throughout gastric emptying was determined in patients (n = 24) and controls (n = 38) after a liquid nutrient meal labeled with 99mtechnetium phytate. Antral contractility was also periodically assessed by dynamic scintigraphy and postprandial symptoms were monitored with visual analog scales. Residence of food in the proximal stomach was decreased in 8 (33%) and antral contractility was increased in 9 (37.5%) and decreased in 2 (8%) patients. Proximal and distal stomach motor abnormalities were neither significantly correlated nor associated. Increased antral contractility was significantly correlated (Rs = 0.54; P < .01) with postprandial nausea. We conclude that diminished residence of food in the proximal stomach and disturbed antral contractility occur independently in different subsets of functional dyspepsia patients. Increased antral contractility seems to play a role in postprandial nausea in functional dyspepsia.

Adesão ao tratamento medicamentoso em pacientes com doenças gastrintestinais crônicas acompanhados no ambulatório de um hospital universitario

Compliance to drug treatment is an important determinant of patients clinical evolution and health system expenditure. However, studies on compliance in chronic digestive diseases are scarce. In order to investigate compliance to prescribed medication and factors affecting it, a cross-sectional, indirect study was carried out among 110 outpatients of a University Hospital Gastroenterology clinic. These patients were characterized as presenting either higher or lower degree of compliance by two different instruments. The same classification was made after applying the Morisky test, which is based on patient answers to four standardized direct questions. The interview identified 15 (13.7%) patients as not following correctly the prescribed treatment. However, up to 64 patients (58.2%) were classified as less compliant by the Morisky test, which also indicated a non-intentional behavior in 50 (78.1%) out of these patients. There were no relationships between compliance and either disease nature or free access to medication. Also, univariate and multivariate statistical analysis showed that none of the demographic, social, clinical, or drug-related factors presented any statistically significant relationship that could indicate an influence on compliance to treatment. Low compliance to drug treatment is relatively common amongst patients with chronic digestive disease.

Cytomegalovirus in colorectal cancer and idiopathic ulcerative colitis

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a genus in the family Herpesviridae that has been associated with gastrointestinal syndromes. In this work we looked for a possible association of CMV infection with colorectal cancer and ulcerative colitis (UC). Blood and enteric tissue samples of 14 patients with colorectal cancer and of 21 with UC were subjected to a nested-PCR that amplifies part of the gB gene of CMV and also to immunohistochemistry using a specific monoclonal antibody to IE 76 kDa protein of CMV. CMV was detected by nested-PCR in the blood and/or the enteric tissue of nine (64.3%) colorectal cancer and 16 (76.2%) ulcerative colitis patients. In the immunohistochemistry it was observed that 12 (12/21, 57.1%) positive enteric tissue samples of patients with UC and none from patients with colorectal cancer (0/14) were positive to CMV. The positivity of CMV infections in the UC patient group (12/21, 57.1%) showed by both techniques, was significantly higher (p = 0.015) than that observed for colorectal cancer patients (2/14, 14.3%). These results suggest an association of ulcerative colitis with CMV infection of the enteric tissue.