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Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis (GIB) is an unusual fungal infection that is rarely reported in the medical literature. From April 1994 through May 1999, 7 cases of GIB occurred in Arizona, 4 from December 1998 through May 1999. We reviewed the clinical characteristics of the patients and conducted a case-control study to generate hypotheses about potential risk factors. All patients had histopathologic signs characteristic of basidiobolomycosis. Five patients were male (median age, 52 years; range, 37--59 years) and had a history of diabetes mellitus (in 3 patients), peptic ulcer disease (in 2), or pica (in 1). All patients underwent partial or complete surgical resection of the infected portions of their gastrointestinal tracts, and all received itraconazole postoperatively for a median of 10 months (range, 3--19 months). Potential risk factors included prior ranitidine use and longer residence in Arizona. GIB is a newly emerging infection that causes substantial morbidity and diagnostic confusion. Further studies are needed to better define its risk factors and treatment.

Objectives Crohn's disease of the esophagus is rare. We sought to determine the clinical features and outcome of patients with esophageal Crohn's disease seen at our institution. Methods Patients with esophageal Crohn's disease evaluated at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1976 and 1998 were identified. Results Twenty patients (0.2%) with esophageal involvement were identified. Median age at diagnosis was 31 years (range, 7–77 years). Eleven patients (55%) were female. Extraesophageal Crohn's disease preceded or was found at the same time as the diagnosis of esophageal Crohn's in all cases. Sixteen patients (80%) had symptoms referable to the esophagus. Endoscopic findings included ulcers in 17 (85%), erythema or erosions in 8 (40%), and strictures in 4 patients (20%). One patient had a fistula. The most common histological findings were active chronic inflammation (75%) and ulcer (30%). No granulomata were identified. Approximately one-half of our patients improved with first-line therapy. Eleven patients (55%) received immune modifier therapy. Six showed significant improvement on azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, or cyclosporine. Esophageal dilatation was required in six patients, and three patients required surgery. Conclusion Esophageal Crohn's disease may be underdiagnosed. Patients with Crohn's disease complaining of esophageal symptoms should undergo upper endoscopy with biopsies, and the diagnosis of esophageal Crohn's disease should be entertained if aphthous or deep ulcers or strictures are present. Immune modifier therapy should be considered for steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant cases.

BACKGROUND Poor preoperative nutritional status has been reported to be associated with adverse outcomes after liver transplantation. Published data are, however, conflicting, with methods of preoperative nutritional assessment and postoperative outcomes varying between studies. METHODS We prospectively studied the predictive value of preoperative nutritional status for adverse outcomes after liver transplantation. Assessment of preoperative nutritional status included: body cell mass determination, subjective global assessment, anthropometry, handgrip dynamometry, biochemical and amino acid profile, Child's score, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Death, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay > or =4 days, hospital length of stay > or =15 days, blood usage > or =36 U of blood products, infection, rejection, and global resource utilization (an index of cost) greater than the median were considered poor outcomes. RESULTS Fifty-three patients were studied. Longer ICU stay was associated with lower handgrip strength (P

Background: The optimum choice of dilator (rigid vs. balloon) for benign esophageal strictures has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to compare the immediate relief of dysphagia and the incidence of repeat dilatation within the first year with the use of either a rigid (Savary) dilator or balloon dilator for benign lower esophageal strictures. Methods: Patients with dysphagia found to have benign esophageal strictures during endoscopy were randomized to undergo dilation with a rigid (Savary) or a balloon dilator (Microvasive or Bard). The 1-year incidence of repeat dilatation was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: A total of 251 subjects were stratified at entry according to the type of stricture (peptic vs. Schatzki ring) and severity of stricture (mild vs. moderate/severe) and then randomized to either a Savary (n = 88), Microvasive (n = 81), or Bard (n = 82) dilator. There were no significant differences between the rigid dilator or the two balloons with regard to immediate relief of dysphagia or the need for repeat dilatation at one year. Patients with moderate/severe strictures required repeat dilatation at one year twice as often as those with mild strictures. There were no significant complications reported in these patients. Conclusions: Both rigid and balloon dilators are equally effective and safe in the treatment of benign lower esophageal strictures caused by acid reflux and Schatzki rings. (Gastrointest Endosc 1999;50:13-7.)

Neoral is a new formulation of cyclosporine based on microemulsion technology, designed to provide increased and more reliable absorption of the medication. The aim of this study was to assess whether conversion from Sandimmune to Neoral provides safe and effective oral immunosuppression in stable liver transplant recipients. We studied 59 stable liver transplant recipients (being treated with prednisone, azathioprine, and Sandimmune). All patients were enrolled in an open-label study in which they were converted from Sandimmune to Neoral therapy at a dose ratio of 1:1. Thirty-nine patients underwent duct-to-duct bile duct anastomoses, and 20 underwent Roux-en-Y bile duct anastomoses. After conversion, the Neoral dosage was adjusted on the basis of trough levels measured at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12. To assess safety and tolerability, we prospectively obtained serial information, including laboratory data and information on side effects. Standard statistical methodology was used. A total of 59 patients (23 men, 36 women; mean age, 55 years; mean follow-up after liver transplantation, 5.7 years) completed 3 months of follow-up after conversion from Sandimmune to Neoral. There were 32 dosage changes; 22 (69%) required reduction of the Neoral dose. Mean cyclosporine trough levels remained above 100 ng/mL during the follow-up period. There were no significant differences between cyclosporine levels in patients with duct-to-duct or Roux-en-Y bile duct anastomoses. There were no episodes of rejection during the 3-month follow-up period. The side effect profile was similar in both groups, except for a significant reduction in the number of patients with headaches after Neoral conversion. Liver transplant recipients can safely be converted from Sandimmune to Neoral. Neoral was well tolerated in this population.

The differential diagnosis of cholestatic liver diseases is extensive. The first part of this article covers primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), as these two diseases have many clinical, biochemical, and pathologic features that are typical of cholestatic liver diseases. Subsequently, the remainder of the differential diagnoses(Table 1) and approach to diagnosis of cholestatic liver disease are discussed.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a dreaded complication of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC); however, marked variability in the incidence of CCA in PSC is reported. Furthermore, limited information exists on risk factors for the development of CCA in PSC. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of CCA in patients with PSC and to evaluate baseline risk factors for the later development of CCA. From a previous study of the natural history of PSC, we identified 161 patients with PSC who did not have CCA at study entry. Patients were followed until a diagnosis of CCA was established, liver transplantation was performed, or death occurred. Patients were followed for a median of 11.5 yr (interquartile range 4.0-16.1 yr). Fifty-nine patients (36.6%) died, 50 patients (31.1%) underwent liver transplantation, and 11 patients (6.8%) developed CCA. The rate of CCA developing was approximately 0.6% per year. Compared to the incidence rates of CCA in the general population, the relative risk of CCA in PSC was significantly increased (RR = 1,560; 95%CI = 780, 2,793; p < 0.0001). On univariate analysis, a history of variceal bleeding (p < 0.001), proctocolectomy (p = 0.01), and lack of symptoms (p = 0.02) were significant risk factors for CCA with the Mayo Risk Score being marginally significant (p = 0.051). Multivariate analysis determined only variceal bleeding to be a significant risk factor for CCA (RR 24.2; 95%CI: 3.3-67.1). No association was found between the duration of PSC and the incidence of CCA. In conclusion, approximately 7% of PSC patients later developed CCA over a mean follow-up of 11.5 yr, which is dramatically higher than the rates in the general population. Variceal bleeding is a major risk factor for the later development of CCA.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a safe and effective treatment for patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), but the cost of this drug has raised concerns regarding cost-effectiveness. The aim of our study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of UDCA in PBC. We compared the costs and outcomes of managing PBC patients with and without UDCA. From two previously published trials, the effectiveness of UDCA was determined by comparing the annual reduction in the development of ascites, varices, variceal bleeding, encephalopathy, liver transplantation, and death between the treatment groups. Average annual costs for each of these events were estimated based on literature and institutional data. Approximately twice as many major events occurred in the placebo group compared with the UDCA group. The relative risk (RR) of liver transplantation (1.95; 95% CI: 1.14-3.68) and development of esophageal varices (3. 11; 95% CI: 1.57-10.65) were significantly higher in the placebo group compared with the UDCA group. There were no significant increases in the RR of ascites, variceal bleeding, encephalopathy, or death between the two groups. Based on the estimated annual cost of managing these events and the annual costs of UDCA ($2,500), there was an annual cost savings per patient of $1,372. Compared with the placebo group, patients receiving UDCA had a lower incidence of major complications and lower medical care costs.

The risk of a major complication from blind percutaneous liver biopsy is reported to be in the range of 0.24% to 3.8%. In a recent randomized trial, patients whose liver biopsies were performed with ultrasonography had a significant reduction in complications requiring hospitalization compared with patients without ultrasound-guided biopsies (0.5% vs. 2.2%, P

Basidiobolus ranarum is a fungus belonging to the Entomophthoraceae family and is mainly associated with subcutaneous soft tissue infection. The disease is usually characterized by an insidious onset of massive induration of the subcutaneous tissue involving the limbs, trunk, or buttocks. Most cases of basidiobolomycosis have been reported from Africa, South America, and tropical Asia. Visceral involvement is extremely rare. Only 4 cases with involvement of the gastrointestinal tract, including 1 fatal case originating in the United States, have been well documented in the English-language literature. This case report describes the first successfully treated patient residing in the United States who had B. ranarum infection involving the gastrointestinal tract.