Vatsala Misra

Colonic tuberculosis : Clinical features, endoscopic appearance and management

Background: Although rare in the West, colonic tuberculosis is not an uncommon disease in developing countries. However, the clinical manifestations and radiological appearance of the disease are non‐specific. In recent years, colonoscopy has been found to be very useful in diagnosing patients with colonic tuberculosis.

Ileal varices and portal hypertensive ileopathy in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension

BACKGROUND The endoscopic appearance of portal hypertensive intestinal vasculopathy is well described in the stomach, the jejunum, and the colon, but there is no description of changes that occur in the ileum. METHODS The terminal ileum was intubated at colonoscopy in 44 patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension and 46 control patients. Changes in the terminal ileum were noted. In addition, anorectal varices and colopathy were carefully noted and recorded. RESULTS Ileal varices and/or portal hypertensive ileopathy were present in 16 of 44 (36%) patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension but not in any control patient ( p < 0.01). Ileal varices were present in 8 patients (18%) with cirrhosis/portal hypertension and none of the control patients ( p < 0.05). Portal hypertensive ileopathy was noted in 11 patients (25%) with cirrhosis and portal hypertension and in none of the control patients ( p < 0.05). Ileal varices had no association with any other parameter studied. However, ileopathy was observed in 9 of the 23 patients with colopathy and in only two of the 21 patients without colopathy ( p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Ileal varices and mucosal changes of portal hypertensive ileopathy occur in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. In the population studied, ileopathy was significantly more common in patients who had portal hypertensive colopathy.

Endoscopic and histologic appearance of the gastric mucosa in patients with portal hypertension

To assess reliability of the endoscopic and histologic appearance of the gastric mucosa for diagnosing portal hypertension, 50 patients with portal hypertension and 1323 controls were studied. Endoscopic evidence of mild gastritis was seen more frequently in patients with portal hypertension than in the control group (42% vs. 13.1%, p less than 0.001). The mosaic sign was also seen more frequently in patients with portal hypertension compared with controls (14% vs. 0.9%, p less than 0.001). However, the mosaic sign was found to be nonspecific, and the sensitivity for diagnosis of portal hypertension was only 14%. Biopsy specimens from the stomach of all patients with portal hypertension and 100 controls with a normal endoscopic appearance revealed mucosal vascular congestion in 72% of patients with portal hypertension compared with 59% of controls (NS). There was no correlation between endoscopic and histologic evidence of congestive gastropathy. Similarly, there was no correlation between the severity of mucosal vascular congestion and the degree of inflammatory changes observed in the biopsy specimens; both in the control (r = 0.1) and in patients with portal hypertension (r = 0.14). It is concluded that endoscopic and histologic features of the gastric mucosa in patients with portal hypertension are of low sensitivity and nonspecific and cannot be used to diagnose portal hypertension.

Diagnosing ascites: Value of ascitic fluid total protein, albumin, cholesterol, their ratios, serum‐ascites albumin and cholesterol gradient

Abstract Ascitic fluid total protein, albumin, cholesterol, their ascites/serum ratios, serum‐ascites albumin and cholesterol gradients were measured for their ability to differentiate cirrhotic, malignant and tuberculous ascites in 76 patients. The mean ± s.d. ascitic fluid total protein, albumin, cholesterol, their respective ascitic fluid/serum ratios in cirrhotic ascites were lower than malignant and tuberculous groups (P < 0.001 for each). The difference between malignant and tuberculous groups was significant for ascitic fluid/serum total protein (P < 0.05) and ascitic fluid/serum albumin (P < 0.01) only. Mean serum‐ascites albumin gradient in cirrhotics was higher than in the malignant and tuberculous groups (P < 0.001 for each). The difference between malignant and tuberculous groups was significant (P < 0.01). Mean ± s.d. serum‐ascites cholesterol gradient in cirrhotics was higher than that in malignant and tuberculous groups (P < 0.001 for each). The difference between malignant and tuberculous groups was also significant (P < 0.01). Both serum/ascitic fluid total protein less than 0.5 and ascitic fluid cholesterol less than 55 mg/dL had 94% diagnostic accuracy for differentiating cirrhotic from malignant and tuberculous ascites. Serum ascitic fluid albumin gradient greater than 1.1 g/dL, ascitic fluid/serum albumin less than 0.65 and ascitic fluid albumin less than 2 g/dL had diagnostic accuracy of 92, 92 and 91%, respectively. Ascitic fluid total protein had diagnostic accuracy of 88%. None of the tests was able to differentiate between malignant and tuberculous ascites. Measurement of ascitic fluid cholesterol concentration is a simple method of differentiating cirrhotic from non‐cirrhotic ascites.

Colonic mucosa in patients with portal hypertension

Background and Aims: To do a histomorphometric study of vascular changes in colonic mucosa of patients with portal hypertension (PHT) and to find their association with clinical and upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopic observations.

Berberine and Curcumin Target Survivin and STAT3 in Gastric Cancer Cells and Synergize Actions of Standard Chemotherapeutic 5-Fluorouracil

Aberrantly expressed survivin and STAT3 signaling have emerged as major determinants of chemoresistance in gastric cancer. We evaluated effects of potent herbal derivatives curcumin, berberine, and quercetin on STAT3 signaling, survivin expression, and response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment in gastric cancer cells (AGS). Cytotoxic and inhibitory effects of berberine, curcumin, and quercetin alone or in combination with 5-FU were examined by MTT assay, and their effect on survivin, STAT3, and the phosphorylated active STAT3 (pSTAT3) expression was examined by western blotting. Effect of these herbal derivatives on STAT3 DNA binding activity was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Curcumin, berberine, and quercetin effectively downregulated pSTAT3 levels, survivin expression, and gastric cancer cells viability in a dose-dependent manner (with corresponding IC50 values of 40.3μM, 29.2μM and 37.5μM, respectively). Berberine was more effective in inhibiting survivin expression as compared to other herbal agents. 5-FU in combination with berberine or curcumin showed a synergistic inhibition of survivin and STAT3 level resulting in enhanced cell death in gastric cancer cells. Overall, our data suggest use of berberine and curcumin as adjunct therapeutics to overcome chemoresistance during treatment of gastric malignancies.

A topographic study of Helicobacter pylori density, distribution and associated gastritis

Background and Aims : The topographic distribution and density of Helicobacter pylori and associated gastritis in the stomach were studied in order to determine which biopsy sites are likely to provide the maximum yield so as to reduce the fallacious results due to sampling error.

Oesophageal subepithelial fibrosis: an extension of oral submucosal fibrosis.

Fifty-five patients with oral submucosal fibrosis and an equal number of patients with no evidence of the disease were studied. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and any abnormality was noted. Multiple oesophageal biopsies were obtained from the upper end of the oesophagus and from any endoscopically observed abnormality. The histological changes in the two groups were assessed blindly by an experienced histopathologist. Histological abnormalities were noted in the oesophageal mucosa in 2% of controls and 66% of patients with oral submucosal fibrosis (p < 0.0001). In the control group, acanthosis was seen in one patient, while in the patient group atrophy of the squamous epithelium was evident in 52%, hyperkeratosis in 52%, parakeratosis in 30%, dyskeratosis in 14%, acanthosis in 14%, and papillomatosis and mild dysplasia in 2% patients. Subepithelial collagenization was seen in 32 (64%) patients. The oesophageal abnormalities were seen more frequently in patients who had consumed Pan masala, Gutka, betel nut, tobacco or a combination of some or all of these, with or without betel leaf, for > or = 5 years compared to those consuming them for a shorter period of time (91% vs 46%, p < 0.001). It is concluded that oral submucosal fibrosis is not a disease confined to the oral cavity; the oesophagus may also be involved in about two-thirds of patients.

Thickened gastric mucosal capillary wall: A histological marker for portal hypertension

Summary To evaluate whether the diameter or thickness of the wall of mucosal capillaries in the stomach could be a useful histological marker of portal hypertension, gastric mucosal biopsies were taken from the fundus and antrum of 73 patients with cirrhosis of the liver and 64 healthy volunteers. The mean ± SD diameter of mucosal capillaries in the fundus of patients was not significantly different from that in the control group (59.4 ± 16.8 μm vs 53.5 ± 16.5 μm, respectively; P - NS). However, the mean ± SD diameter of the antral mucosal capillaries was significantly greater in patients compared to controls (61.3 ± 18.1 μm vs 47.6 ± 12.7 μm, respectively; P < 0.001). The mean ± SD thickness of the fundal and antral capillary wall in the patients group (6.8 ± 2.4 μm and 7.2 ± 2.4 μm, respectively) was significantly greater than that in the control group (3.5 ± 1.5 μm and 3.3 ± 1.5 μm, respectively) (P < 0.001 for each). The overall diagnostic accuracy of antral mucosal capillary diameter to diagnose portal hypertension was 50%, while that of thickened fundal and antral mucosal capillary wall was 84% and 85%, respectively. It is concluded that the gastric mucosal capillary walls are thicker in patients with portal hypertension and that this is a more reliable histological marker of portal hypertension than dilated gastric mucosal capillaries.Abbreviations: PHG, portal hypertensive gastropathy.

Changing pattern of oral cavity lesions and personal habits over a decade: Hospital based record analysis from Allahabad

Aim: To do a prospective clinicohistological study of premalignant and malignant lesions of the oral cavity, and compare it with a 10-year retrospective data, especially in terms of incidence, age distribution, personal habits, and site and type of lesion. Material and Methods: Sections from 776 lesions of the oral cavity, which included 647 lesions of a 10-year (1993 – 2003) retrospective study and 129 lesions of a one-year (2003 – 2004) prospective study, were observed clinically, and a histological correlation was carried out. Results: Premalignant lesions included 78 cases of leukoplakia, 68 cases of oral submucous fibrosis, and 76 cases of squamous papilloma. Their incidence has increased in the last decade from 0.15 to 0.53. These lesions commonly presented in the fourth decade of life, as white patches in leukoplakia and oral submucous fibrosis, and as a growth in squamous cell papilloma. Squamous cell carcinoma was the commonest lesion (57%). Its incidence has increased significantly in the last decade. The mean age of presentation was the sixth decade. A personal history of tobacco chewing was given by most of the patients in the retrospective group, while the use of pan masala was found to be maximum in the prospective group. The overall agreement between the clinical and histological diagnosis was 95.36% (740 / 776) and the kappa coefficient of agreement was 0.9256. Conclusion: Histology along with a detailed clinical workup was found to be a useful, reliable, and accurate diagnostic technique for lesions of the oral cavity. An increase in premalignant lesions in the prospective study, associated with increased pan masala intake is alarming and needs to be taken care of.