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There is paucity of data in the literature on the occurrence of pregnancy and its outcome in patients with noncirrhotic portal hypertension. The present study was undertaken to assess the fertility pattern, fetal loss, and consequences of variceal bleeding during pregnancy in these patients. Fifty-five women of child-bearing age with a diagnosis of noncirrhotic portal hypertension (including 32 with noncirrhotic portal fibrosis and 23 with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction) and 44 age-matched controls were studied. A detailed history of obstetric events and bleeding episodes was recorded in all patients. Any complication of portal hypertension was managed accordingly. Patients were classified into three groups for analysis: group 1-obstetric events after the diagnosis of portal hypertension in patients; group II-obstetric events before the diagnosis of portal hypertension in patients; and group III-obstetric events in controls. A total of 116 pregnancies took place in 44 patients. Of these, 36 occurred after and 80 before the diagnosis of portal hypertension was made. In the 44 controls, 118 pregnancies took place. The mean fertility rates of groups I, II and III were 0.20+/-0.24, 0.18+/-0.21, and 0.22+/-0.12 pregnancies per year, respectively, which were not statistically different (P>0.05). The numbers of fetal losses in groups I, II and III were 3/36 (8.3%), 6/80 (7.5%), and 12/118 (10.17%) pregnancies, respectively. Menstrual irregularities were found in 7/55 (12.72%) patients and 6/44 (13.6%) controls (P>0.05). Five episodes of variceal bleeding occurred in 36 pregnancies after the diagnosis of portal hypertension (13.88%). All five were successfully managed with endoscopic sclerotherapy. In conclusion, noncirrhotic portal hypertensive patients have normal fertility and outcome of pregnancy. Variceal bleeding episodes are not common and endoscopic sclerotherapy is safe and effective in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have been used successfully in a number of immunological diseases because of their immunomodulatory effect. Preliminary studies have shown them to be effective in the treatment of idiopathic ulcerative colitis. We assessed the efficacy of oral chloroquine in the treatment of idiopathic ulcerative colitis of mild to moderate severity in a randomized, controlled, blinded trial. Forty patients were assigned to receive chloroquine phosphate (500 mg/day) or sulfasalazine (3 g/day). The outcome of therapy was monitored at the end of 2 wk and 4 wk by symptom assessment and sigmoidoscopic examination. An objective scoring system was used for the evaluation, and patients were categorized into those showing complete remission, partially responding, and nonresponders. There was a sequential improvement in the individual scores as well as total activity score in both groups at 2 wk and 4 wk. With chloroquine, 12 patients (60%) showed complete remission at 4 wk, whereas six (30%) had a partial response. With sulfasalazine, 11 patients (55%) had complete remission at 4 wk, and eight (40%) showed partial response. There was no significant difference in the response to the two drugs (p > 0.05). Five (25 %) patients in the chloroquine group had side effects, compared with eight (40%) in the sulfasalazine group (p > 0.05). All side effects were minor and transient, not requiring withdrawal of the drug. We conclude that short-duration chloroquine therapy is a safe and effective alternative to sulfasalazine in the treatment of mild to moderately active ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a case of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with multiple polyps of the gastrointestinal tract. The patient presented with fever, abdominal mass, ascites, diarrhea, generalized lymphadenopathy, anemia, and marked peripheral eosinophilia. She had multiple polyps in the colon, as well as in the stomach and duodenum. Histology of a colonic polyp showed involvement by angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy. The patient responded initially to combination chemotherapy, with total disappearance of polyps. However, she succumbed later to infections. Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy, although rare, should be included as a cause of lymphomatous polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 25-yr-old female with noncirrhotic portal fibrosis underwent a lienorenal shunt for variceal bleed. Ten years after shunt surgery, she presented with progressive breathlessness, and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension was detected, to which she subsequently succumbed. Autopsy revealed classical plexogenic pulmonary arteriopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cases of ileocecal tuberculosis are presented. The diagnosis was achieved by endoscopic fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), while endoscopic biopsies and brush cytology were negative. The usefulness of endoscopic FNAC in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal tract tuberculosis is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In developing countries, the Sengstaken-Blakemore tube (SB tube) is one of the common treatment modalities for controlling hemorrhages from bleeding esophageal varices. Its use is accompanied by numerous complications. An unusual complication is impaction of a SB tube and its endoscopic removal is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]