A case of pseudomembranous colitis presenting with massive ascites.

Clostridium difficile-associated disease seems to be increasing worldwide. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic to life-threatening disease, has been described. A case of pseudomembranous colitis with massive ascites as the main presenting manifestation is described in order to illustrate the changing clinical pattern of antibiotic-associated colitis.

Metabolic syndrome and incident cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a Mediterranean hypertensive population.

Background: Although the metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with adverse cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in the general population, it is not clear whether its existence is independently associated with CVD in hypertensives. We investigated the presence of MetS in subjects with hypertension and its impact on the incidence of CVD.

Methods: We prospectively investigated 1007 hypertensive individuals.

Intermediate postchallenge hyperglycemia in overweight and obese subjects: a new marker of impaired glucose regulation?

The objective of this study was to compare subjects with intermediate postchallenge hyperglycemia (INPH) to those with normal glycemic status, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, the authors evaluated the impact of INPH on target organ damage. In total, 487 overweight and obese adults (BMI > or =27 kg/m(2)), 252 men and 235 women, mean age 52.