Weather variables as important clinical predictors of bacterial diarrhoea among international travellers.

Background: Clinicians and travellers often have limited tools to differentiate bacterial from non-bacterial causes of travellers' diarrhoea (TD). Development of a clinical prediction rule assessing the aetiology of TD may help identify episodes of bacterial diarrhoea and limit inappropriate antibiotic use. We aimed to identify predictors of bacterial diarrhoea among clinical, demographic and weather variables, as well as to develop and cross-validate a parsimonious predictive model.

Five-year clinical outcomes of Crohn's disease: a report of 287 multiethnic cases from an International Hospital in Thailand.

Crohn's disease (CD) has been relatively rare in Asian region whereas its clinical outcomes have been dominated by evidence from Caucasians in developed countries. This study reported clinical characteristics and outcomes of the multiethnic patients who visited our institution. Medical records of all patients who visited our institution during 2005-2010 were reviewed.

Epidemiology and etiology of Traveler's diarrhea in Bangkok, Thailand, a case-control study.

Background: Traveler's diarrhea (TD) is a common health problem among visitors from developed to developing countries. Although global and regional estimates of pathogen distribution are available, the etiology of diarrhea among non-military travelers to Thailand is largely unknown.

Methods: A prospective TD case-control study was conducted among adult travelers from developed countries at a prominent hospital in Bangkok, Thailand during 2001-2003.

Travelers' Diarrhea in Thailand: A Quantitative Analysis Using TaqMan® Array Card.

Background: Travelers' diarrhea (TD) is a common illness experienced by travelers from developed countries who visit developing countries. Recent questionnaire-based surveillance studies showed that approximately 6%-16% of travelers experienced TD while visiting Thailand; however, a majority of TD information was limited mainly to US military populations.

Methods: A TD surveillance study was conducted at Bumrungrad International Hospital in 2012-2014 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Incidence of and in traveler's diarrhea cases and asymptomatic controls in Nepal and Thailand.

Background: and have emerged in recent years as being associated with acute and prolonged gastroenteritis and implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases. However, there are limited data on the prevalence of these microorganisms in Southeast Asia. In this study, 214 pathogen-negative stool samples after laboratory examination for common enteric pathogens to include and by culture from two case-control traveler's diarrhea (TD) studies conducted in Thailand (cases = 26; controls = 30) and Nepal (cases = 83; controls = 75) respectively were assayed by PCR for the detection of 16S and two specific heat shock protein genes specific for () and () respectively.

Ethnic variations in ulcerative colitis: Experience of an international hospital in Thailand.

Aim: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, medication use, and treatment response in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) across ethnic groups.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed medical records of all 268465 patients who visited the Bumrungrad International Digestive Disease Center during 2005-2010. The demographics, clinical characteristics, medication use, results of investigations, and medical and surgical management for patients with UC were evaluated.

Incidence and factors associated with overweight and obesity, and hypertensive disorder, among staff in a private healthcare setting: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To determine the incidence and factors associated with overweight and obesity, and hypertensive disorder, among staff in a private healthcare setting.

Material And Method: The present retrospective cohort study examined the computerized data of Bumrungrad International (BI) Hospital staff that had undergone pre-employment and annual/bi-annual check-ups, between January 2000 and June 2006.

Results: Data for the 3,678 staff surveyed comprised 7,338 visits, with a median follow-up time of 1.

PFGE, Lior serotype, and antimicrobial resistance patterns among Campylobacter jejuni isolated from travelers and US military personnel with acute diarrhea in Thailand, 1998-2003.

Background: Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. In Thailand, several strains of C. jejuni have been isolated and identified as major diarrheal pathogens among adult travelers.

Diarrhea among children admitted to a private tertiary-care hospital, Bangkok, Thailand: a case series.

We report here a case series of pediatric diarrhea cases admitted to a private tertiary-care hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Retrospective data were collected from computerized medical records of 2,001 children with diarrhea (80.9% Thai), ages birth to 14 years, admitted to our facility during 2000-2005.

Intussusception in a private tertiary-care hospital, Bangkok, Thailand: a case series.

This was a retrospective case series study of patients with intussusception at a private tertiary-care hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The computerized hospital records of all 94 children aged 0-14 years diagnosed with intussusception from 2000 to 2005 were reviewed. About half (51.

The dominance of pandemic serovars of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in expatriates and sporadic cases of diarrhoea in Thailand, and a new emergent serovar (O3 : K46) with pandemic traits.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. A total of 95 V. parahaemolyticus isolates belonging to 23 different serovars were identified in a case-control study of expatriates and Thai adults from 2001 to 2002 in Thailand.

Effects of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha on electromyogram of cat colon in vitro.

Prostaglandins cause diarrhea, and their production by the gut increases in diarrheal states. We studied the effects of PGF2 alpha and PGE2 on the electromyogram recorded from the cat colon in vitro to determine if these prostaglandins might produce electromyographic changes similar to those seen in diarrheal states. PGF2 alpha decreased slow wave frequency and uncoupled slow wave propagation in the proximal colon.

Neuromuscular disease of the gastrointestinal tract.

Gastrointestinal motility is the function of gastrointestinal smooth muscle. It is controlled by both the intrinsic and extrinsic nerves of the gastrointestinal tract and, to a lesser degree, the gastrointestinal hormones. Therefore, any abnormality of the above factors, theoretically, can cause gastrointestinal dysmotility.

Right atrial myxoma with a nonembolic intestinal manifestation.

A 5-year-old male with right atrial myxoma without interatrial communication who presented with abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and guaiac positive stool is reported. He was later found to have ischemia of a jejunal segment necessitating segmental resection. Although his symptoms persisted postoperatively, surgical removal of a right atrial myxoma was followed by complete resolution of his intestinal symptoms.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction syndrome.

Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a syndrome of many causes. Attempts must be made to determine the cause and the extent of the involvement of the gastrointestinal tract in each patient, because they will dictate the method of treatment for that patient. Family history must be taken from all primary chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction patients.

Changes in colorectal function in patients with chronic colonic pseudoobstruction.

Motility studies of the lower bowel, radiology to exclude other gastrointestinal involvement, and rectal biopsies were carried out in 11 patients, age 21-60 years, with isolated chronic colonic pseudoobstruction. Repeated plain abdominal x-rays during symptomatic periods revealed massive gaseous colonic distension in all. Seven patients had the primary form while four patients had an underlying disease which could have been responsible for the chronic colonic pseudoobstruction.

Intestinal motility disorders of infants and children: classification, clinical manifestations and roentgenology.

Diseases affecting intestinal motility in the pediatric age group are reviewed as to pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and imaging investigation. Acute disease includes classical paralytic ileus (which has unique causes and manifestations in the infant) and acute regional bowel paralysis. Perinatal motility disorders consist of a group of related clinical syndromes which have in common functional intestinal obstruction.

The colon in the pseudoobstructive syndrome.

Colonic pseudoobstruction can occur as part of a generalized chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction syndrome or as an isolated entity. Isolated colonic pseudoobstruction can occur in two unrelated forms: the acute and chronic forms. Acute colonic pseudoobstruction is frequently a hospital-acquired disease that arises as a complication of other illnesses.

Chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction in young children.

We studied 8 young children (4 boys and 4 girls) with chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction. Intestinal pseudoobstruction, recurrent urinary tract infections, and dysuria occurred between the ages of a few weeks to 5 yr old. All had marked dilatation of the entire gastrointestinal tract distal to the esophagus, and megacystis.

A familial visceral myopathy with dilatation of the entire gastrointestinal tract.

We are reporting a new kindred in which familial visceral myopathy was identified in four siblings. There was no other symptomatic case identified in this 75-member, four-generation family, suggesting an autosomal recessive inheritance. All patients had recurrent symptoms of intestinal obstruction, and 3 died from malnutrition.

Familial visceral myopathy: the role of surgery.

Familial visceral myopathy is a form of chronic intestinal pseudoobstruction in which fibrosis of the smooth muscle of the alimentary tract causes protean symptoms of disordered visceral motility. Based on our 8 year observation of six members of one family with familial visceral myopathy and review of the few well-documented case reports of this disease, we have confirmed a role for surgeons in tissue diagnosis, case identification, and palliation of incapacitating symptoms of familial visceral myopathy after obtaining dynamic radiographic assessment of the entire alimentary canal. Because the duodenum and colon are the usual sources of major dysmotility symptoms, patients incapacitated by duodenal or colonic pseudoobstruction may benefit from bypass or resective operations.

Effect of substance P on opossum duodenal smooth muscle.

Opossum duodenum was cut into strips measuring 2.0 X 15.0 mm.

Effects of age and sex on anorectal manometry.

We studied rectal and anal function in 18 healthy elderly and 18 healthy young adults using intraluminal pressure transducers and a rectal balloon. Both age groups consisted of nine females and nine males. Age did not affect anal length, highest anal resting tone, anal pullthrough pressures obtained during rest and voluntary squeeze, threshold of the rectosphincteric reflex (RSR), amplitude of RSR with 60 ml rectal distension, threshold of sensation, critical volume, and rectal wall elasticity.

Urological manifestations of patients with visceral myopathy.

Of 10 patients with familial or nonfamilial visceral myopathy studied for urological manifestations only 3 had symptoms of urinary retention. Excretory urography revealed megacystis in all 3 symptomatic patients, while the 7 asymptomatic patients had normal-sized bladders. Cystometrograms performed in 4 asymptomatic patients also were normal.