[Clostridium difficile and ulcerative colitis].

Different diagnostic considerations take place when a diarrhea of recent development and prolonged or atypical course is evaluated. Infectious colitis, including Clostridium difficile colitis, and inflammatory bowel disease are the main diagnosis that we put into consideration. We present a 42-year-old woman that begins with diarrhea of probable infectious cause.

[Oesophageal candidiasis: clinical and mycological analysis].

Oesophageal candidiasis is an epithelial infection which requires an immune deficiency. C. albicans is commonly the cause, although other species may also be responsible.

[Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in patients with neurological diseases. Results of a prospective multicenter and international study].

Aim: To determine prospectively the long-term evolution of patients with neurological diseases after insertion of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

Methods: 109 PEG were performed in 99 consecutive patients (49 females, 50 males), mean age 75 years (range: 20-97 years) as an alternative to a nasogastric tube. Patients were enterally fed because of chronic neurological swallowing difficulties: cerebrovascular disease 38, dementia 27, disordered swallowing mechanisms in elderly patients 10, motor neurona disease and multiple sclerosis 10, neuro-surgical disease 6, Parkinson's disease 3, brain tumor 3, neo-natal encephalopathy 1, HIV encephalopathy 1.

[Endoscopic approach in HIV infected-patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms].

Unlabelled: Upper gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, upper abdominal pain, heartburn, early satiety, bloating and anorexia, are frequently reported by HIV positive patients; however, their prevalence and diagnostic approach are unknown.

Aims: To evaluate the frequency of endoscopic and histologic diagnosis in HIV positive patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms referred to upper endoscopy, and to compare them with those found in a non-HIV infected group with similar symptoms.

Patients And Methods: Out of 132 HIV positive patients referred to upper endoscopy, 102 (75%) with upper gastrointestinal symptoms, and 177 non-HIV controls were prospectively included.

Esophageal motility disorders in HIV patients.

Opportunistic esophageal infections (Candida, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus) and idiophatic esophageal ulcerations are commonly found in HIV patients. However, motility disorders of the esophagus have seldom been investigated in this population. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the presence of motility disorders in HIV patients with esophageal symptoms (with or without associated lesions detected by endoscopy) and in HIV patients without esophageal symptoms and normal esophagoscopy.