Peripheral arthritis in the course of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are well-defined extra-intestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). There is little data regarding the frequencies of IBD and extra-intestinal manifestations from Central and East Europe and Middle Eastern countries.

Aims: To determine the prevalence of peripheral arthritis in IBD and to document the relationship to other extra-intestinal manifestations.

Budd-Chiari syndrome and portal vein thrombosis due to essential thrombocytosis.

Budd-Chiari syndrome secondary to essential thrombocytosis has been described in a few reports in the English literature. Associated portal vein thrombosis occurs very rarely. Herein, we report a case presented with ascites and finally diagnosed with hepatic and portal vein thrombosis, and essential thrombocytosis.

Mucinous carcinoma of the rectum in a boy presenting with bloody diarrhea.

Colorectal carcinoma, primarily a disease of adulthood, accounts for 0.2% of malignancies in adolescents and has very rarely been reported in childhood. Herein, we report a 15-year-old boy who presented with rectal bleeding, lower abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Risk factors for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-related cholangitis: a prospective study.

Background/aims: Cholangitis is one of the most morbid complications of endoscopic biliary drainage and among the commonest causes of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-related death. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the risk factors for the development of cholangitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in a tertiary referral center.

Methods: The study involved 503 consecutive patients with naive papilla who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis in Turkish patients: characteristic features and prognosis.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by destruction and fibrosis of the bile ducts. This study aimed to demonstrate the hepatic and extrahepatic characteristic findings and prognostic outcomes of Turkish patients with PSC.

Methods: The medical records of 35 consecutive patients with PSC from January 1988 to June 2007 were recorded prospectively.

Adult segmental Hirschsprung disease.

Hirschsprung disease (HD) is characterized by aganglionosis, which mainly occurs in the rectum and distal sigmoid colon. Typical HD is seldom diagnosed in adulthood, and segmental involvement is very rare. A 37-year-old man suffered from refractory constipation for 20 years.

Serum angiotensin converting enzyme levels in pancreatic diseases.

Background/aims: Recently, the existence of a local renin angiotensin system (RAS) in the pancreas has been demonstrated in laboratory animals as well as in human. It has been suggested that RAS and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity increase in diseases involving pancreas tissue. In the present study, we analyzed the relationship between serum ACE levels and pancreas disorders including acute and chronic pancreatitis, and pancreas adenocancer.

Mucocutaneous manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and features of the major cutaneous manifestations (erythema nodosum [EN] and pyoderma gangrenosum [PG]) and to determine the associations between cutaneous manifestations and other extraintestinal manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: The mucocutaneous manifestations of patients with IBD were studied between December 2002 and June 2007. All patients underwent a detailed whole body examination by a gastroenterologist and dermatologist.

Intermittent versus continuous pantoprazole infusion in peptic ulcer bleeding: a prospective randomized study.

Background And Aim: Rebleeding has remained the most important determinant of poor prognosis in peptic ulcer bleeding. Gastric acid plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rebleeding. We aimed to compare the efficiency of intermittent and continuous pantoprazole infusion treatment on peptic ulcer rebleeding after endoscopic therapy.

Migration of biliary plastic stents: experience of a tertiary center.

Background And Study Aims: Stent migration occurs in about 5-10% of patients undergoing biliary stenting. The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors for stent migration in patients with benign and malignant strictures.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed records of 524 biliary plastic stent placement procedures.

Thrombosis of the portal venous system: a prospective study.

Background: Thrombosis in the portal system causes a wide spectrum of clinical pictures. There are few published studies describing the clinical features and consequences of portal venous system thrombosis. We aimed to document presentations and outcomes in patients with thrombosis in the portal and/or splenic veins.

Eosinophilic colitis as an unusual cause of severe bloody diarrhea.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases may affect the colon; however, isolated colonic involvement is very rare. Diagnosis of eosinophilic colitis requires clinical suspicion and it should be differentiated from other disorders causing eosinophil accumulation in the colon tissue. Herein we present a 46-year-old female admitted to the hospital with the complaints of bloody diarrhea (25-30 times a day), fever, abdominal pain and weight loss.

Detection of an aortoenteric fistula in a patient with intermittent bleeding.

Background: A 57-year-old male with an aortobifemoral bypass graft presented to a gastroenterology clinic with a 3-month history of intermittent hematemesis, melena and fever. The patient had received antibiotic therapy 2 months before for the same symptoms; however, following brief regression ( approximately 3 weeks) the symptoms had returned.

Investigations: Physical examination; analysis of full blood count; measurement of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein levels, liver enzymes, electrolytes, renal function, serum cholesterol and serum triglyceride; HIV serology; blood, sputum, urine and stool culture analysis; performance of esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, abdominal ultrasonography and multidetector CT scanning.

Conscious sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: midazolam or midazolam plus meperidine?

Background And Objective: No consensus exists for the safest and most effective agent and for optimal drug doses for sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We aimed to compare the efficacy of midazolam with that of midazolam+meperidine, which provided comfort for the patient during ERCP.

Materials And Methods: The patients were randomized to sedation with midazolam only (2.

Ulcer in the basis of Zenker's diverticulum mimicking esophageal malignancy.

Complications of Zenker's diverticulum are rare and include ulcer, bleeding and malignancy. Ulcer in the basis of diverticulum is a very rare complication and to date only four cases have been reported in the literature. Herein, we report a new case of ulcer in Zenker's diverticulum mimicking esophageal malignancy presumed to be due to aspirin and/or alcohol consumption.

Effects of esophageal varice eradication on portal hypertensive gastropathy and fundal varices: a retrospective and comparative study.

Esophageal varice eradication results in gastric hemodynamic changes. The aim of this study was to detect the influence of variceal eradication on portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) and fundal varices and to compare the results of two therapeutic methods (endoscopic variceal ligation and endoscopic sclerotherapy). A total of 114 consecutive patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension who underwent elective endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) (85 patients) or endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) (29 patients) for obliteration of esophageal varices were selected for this study.