Lanreotide Autogel in the Treatment of Idiopathic Refractory Diarrhea: Results of an Exploratory, Controlled, Before and After, Open-label, Multicenter, Prospective Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Chronic idiopathic diarrhea is the passage of loose stools >3 times daily, or a stool weight >200 g/d, persisting for >4 weeks without clear clinical cause. Patients refractory to standard anti-diarrhetics have limited treatment options. Somatostatin analogues have the ability to reduce gastrointestinal secretions and motility.

[Klebsiella pneumoniae septicaemia and meningitis in a diabetic patient with an hepatic abscess].

Klebsiella pneumoniae infections show particular features depending on the geographical localization as well as comorbidity factors. We are presenting the case of a european patient with diabetes mellitus who presented a septicaemia, a meningitis as well as an hepatic abscess due to a K. pneumoniae and whose evolution was excellent under antibiotics.

[How to detect the complications of the cirrhosis?].

The occurrence of complications marks a turn in the natural history of cirrhosis. The early management, the etiologic treatment of the subjacent disease, the methodological detection of hepatocarcinoma, the prophylaxis of digestive bleeding linked to portal hypertension, the control of ascite and prevention of hepato-renal syndrome allow to improve the prognosis of these patients. Moreover, bacterial infection represents one of the principal factor facilitating the occurrence of another complication.

Effects of clonidine on diuretic response in ascitic patients with cirrhosis and activation of sympathetic nervous system.

The effects of the addition of clonidine to diuretics on the mobilization of ascites in the short term (diuretic response and requirement of diuretics) and the long term (readmissions for tense ascites and requirement of diuretics) were examined in patients with cirrhosis and with increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity. We also studied neurohormonal, hemodynamic effects and side effects of clonidine and diuretics. Patients were randomized to receive placebo (group 1, n = 32) or clonidine (0.

Comparative pilot study of repeated large volume paracentesis vs the combination on clonidine-spironolactone in the treatment of cirrhosis-associated refractory ascites.

Objectives: To study the usefulness of the combination of clonidine--spironolactone in refractory ascites.

Methods: Twenty cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites were randomly assigned to receive repeated large volume paracentesis plus intravenous albumin (group 1), or a combination of clonidine (0.075 mg twice daily) and spironolactone (200 to 400 mg daily) (group 2).

Analyte comigrating with trisialotransferrin during capillary zone electrophoresis of sera from patients with cancer.

Background: Serum concentrations of monoglycosylated isoforms of transferrin are increased by chronic ethanol intake. We investigated transferrin glycosylation in patients with cancer, in which aberrant glycosylation is also induced.

Methods: We used a P/ACE 5000 series capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) apparatus and a CZE carbohydrate-deficient transferrin reagent set to study 200 cancer patients who consumed alcohol moderately and 33 who were alcohol abusers; we then compared these patients with 56 healthy teetotalers, 89 moderate, and 112 excessive alcohol drinkers without known malignancies.

Interest of the association clonidine-spironolactone in cirrhotic patients with ascites and activation of sympathetic nervous system.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of spironolactone, clonidine and the association of clonidine-spironolactone on renin-aldosterone and sympathetic systems, renal function, systemic hemodynamics and mobilization of ascites in 32 alcoholic cirrhotic patients with marked increase in sympathetic system.

Methods: Measurements were taken before and after an 8-day treatment with spironolactone (200 mg/day), after an 8-day treatment with clonidine (0.150 mg/day) and 10 days after adjunction of spironolactone (200 mg/day) to clonidine.

[Long term surveillance of polyps and colorectal cancers].

It is necessary to assume the colorectal cancer follow-up after curative operation to detect cancer recurrence and new polyps or cancers. A good follow-up by endoscopy is also necessary for patients with colorectal polyps and for patients with familial adenomatous polyposis.

[Biological factors influencing response to diuretics in patients with cirrhosis and ascites].

Purposes: To examine the biological factors influencing response to diuretics in patients with cirrhosis and ascites.

Methods: Sixty-nine patients were evaluated. Patients were classified into 3 groups: group 1: "good responders" (responding to spironolactone 200 mg/day), group 2: "bad responders" (responding to spironolactone doses above 200 mg/day or requiring addition of furosemide), and group 3: "non-responders" (not responding to spironolactone 400 mg/day and furosemide 160 mg/day).

[Lactose and gluten intolerance: which to suscept?].

Lactose intolerance affects millions of people world-wide and should be suspected specially when evaluating gastrointestinal symptoms in ethnic populations in which it is prevalent. Fortunately, once a diagnosis is made, management is fairly straightforward. The authors discuss symptoms and methods of detection and offer their recommendations for helping patients with this common disorder.