Irritable bowel syndrome is a common clinical condition that often presents a therapeutic challenge. There is no standard therapy and a multilevel approach is recommended. A high-fiber diet is often one of these components. Many investigators have studied the effectiveness of either fiber supplementation or bulking agents in patients with ...

BACKGROUND: Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (BiPAP) has been introduced for use in neuromuscular respiratory disease such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and myasthenia gravis. There is no experience in Guillain-Barré syndrome. METHODS: We describe for the first time the use of BiPAP to assist in the work of breathing in two consecutive ...

There is no report on Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis (BBE) patients in China. We here report the first case of BBE in China. Clinical features, results of electromyography, electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination were studied to clarify the characteristics of this syndrome. A 44-year-old man ...

Bickerstaff's brain-stem encephalitis is usually a monophasic post-viral inflammatory illness characterized by progressive ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and disturbance of consciousness (or hyper-reflexia). Since the clinical spectrum of Bickerstaff encephalitis may overlap with the Miller-Fisher and Guillain-Barré syndromes, the presence of anti- GQ1b antibodies and abnormal brain MRI can help to support ...

Women with irritable bowel syndrome often report premenstrual distress syndrome and dysmenorrhea. A descriptive, four-group comparison design was used to compare the symptoms and psychological distress levels of women with irritable bowel syndrome (age 18-45 years) with and without dysmenorrhea and premenstrual distress syndrome. Data from three studies on women ...

We report quadriparesis as a result of severe hypokalemia and acidosis in a 15-years-old young man who had undergone ureterosigmoidostomy for bladder extrophy 3 months earlier. The patient was initially mistakenly diagnosed to be a case of Guillain-Barre syndrome. On investigations acidosis and profound hypokalemia were present. Dramatic improvement occurred ...

The Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) could be a manifestation of neurotoxicity caused by multiple factors due to allogeneic bone marrow transplantations (alloBMT). In this paper we present a case of a 40-year old woman with chronic myeloid leukemia after alloBMT from her HLA identical brother. She developed the second grade of ...

The North Carolina protocol is a seven-session hypnosis-treatment approach for irritable bowel syndrome that is unique in that the entire course of treatment is designed for verbatim delivery. The protocol has been tested in two published research studies and found to benefit more than 80% of patients. This article describes ...

Tegaserod, a novel serotonin receptor agonist, has gained acceptance and widespread use for the treatment of women with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. Development of this therapy evolved from the emerging role of serotonin in gastrointestinal motor, secretory and sensory functions. The efficacy and safety of tegaserod has been well ...

Opsoclonus-myoclonus ataxia syndrome is a paraneoplastic syndrome of cerebellar damage associated with neuroblastoma. The authors assessed psychiatric symptoms of opsoclonus-myoclonus ataxia syndrome in 17 children, who were 16 months to 12(1/2) years of age. Psychiatric symptoms examined included disruptive behavior, affective dysregulation, irritability, impulsivity, cognitive impairment, and poor attention.

BACKGROUND: As there is no biological marker for irritable bowel syndrome, a diagnosis is made using symptom-based criteria. AIM: To evaluate the stability of self-reported symptoms consistent with Rome II-based irritable bowel syndrome classification. METHODS: Irritable bowel syndrome subjects identified in a 2001 population-based study by modified Rome II criteria ...

The case of a 65-year-old woman presenting with Guillain-Barré syndrome is herein reported. Tomographic investigation revealed abdominal and retroperitoneal fibromatosis. During her hospitalization, renal involvement ensued, and subsequent renal biopsy demonstrated findings of crescentic pauci-immune glomerulonephritis negative for ANCA antibodies and with characteristics indicative of necrotic angiitis. The simultaneous existence ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Irritable bowel syndrome patients form a heterogeneous group with a variable contribution of central and peripheral components. The peripheral component is prominent in irritable bowel syndrome developing after infection (post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome) and this has proved a profitable area of research. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies have ...

A 46-year-old man with borderline lepromatous leprosy with type-2 reaction being treated with multi-bacilliary-multiple drug therapy and steroids presented with an acute onset of flaccid quadriparesis. A nerve conduction study and CSF analysis were similar to that seen in Guillain Barre syndrome. Muscle weakness improved considerably with an increased dose ...

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used in the treatment of primary and secondary antibody deficiencies for over two decades. Since the early 1980s, the therapeutic efficacy of IVIg has been established in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Guillain-Barré syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis and Kawasaki syndrome, and the prevention ...

Hypnosis is a technique by which an individual can gain a degree of control over physiological as well as psychological function. This paper reviews the history of the phenomenon as well as the accumulating evidence that it is effective in relieving the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and improving the ...

BACKGROUND: Haemophilus influenzae is considered a causative agent of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Fisher syndrome, but the frequency of this infection in GBS is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether isolation of H influenzae indicates it is a causative agent in GBS and Fisher syndrome. RESULTS: Four (15%) of 27 patients ...

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome is a common gastrointestinal disorder, and its prevalence and demographics have been evaluated by different methodologies with varying results. AIM: To evaluate irritable bowel syndrome demographic and prevalence characteristics utilizing a web-enabled panel. METHODS: From an existing 150 000-member panel, 31 829 individuals were randomly selected ...

We report the case of a 58-year-old man with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who developed acute quadriparesis during the post-operative period following bilateral lung transplantation after receiving cyclosporine for immunosuppression. Electromyography with nerve conduction study and cerebrospinal fluid analysis supported a diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which improved upon the ...

Guillain-Barré syndrome consists of at least four subtypes of acute peripheral neuropathy. Major advances have been made in understanding the mechanisms of some of the subtypes. The histological appearance of the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) subtype resembles experimental autoimmune neuritis, which is predominantly caused by T cells directed against ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Few therapies are of proven efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome. Thus, there is great interest in the development of a natural therapy that can be both safe and effective. An understanding that probiotics are heterogeneous, with multiple targets and mechanisms of action, is fundamental to the development ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Irritable bowel syndrome is a common and likely a multifactorial gastrointestinal disorder in which a disturbed brain-gut axis has been thought to have a mandatory role. Recent clinical and experimental studies imply that dietary factors may be more important in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome than ...

Inflammatory neuropathies are a diverse group of illnesses sharing the pathologic characteristic of inflammation surrounding nerve fibers. They may be autoimmune, granulomatous, infectious, paraneoplastic, or paraproteinemic in origin. All can result in significant morbidity and rarely, death. It is critical to correctly diagnose these illnesses, as many respond well to ...

Miller Fisher syndrome is a localized variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome, characterized by ophthalmoplegia, areflexia and ataxia. Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis is a related syndrome in which upper motor neurone features accompany the classic triad. Anti-GQ1b antibodies are uniquely found in both conditions and are believed to be pathogenic. Infectious illnesses usually ...

BACKGROUND: It has been speculated that asthma and irritable bowel syndrome may share common pathophysiological processes. AIM: To estimate the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in young and elderly patients with stable asthma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-five young (age < 60 years) and 66 elderly (age > or = 60 ...

Irritable bowel syndrome is a biopsychosocial disorder that results from dysregulation of central and enteric nervous system function. It manifests as dysmotility and/or visceral hypersensitivity, and is modified by psychosocial processes. The interaction of the biopsychosocial factors determines the experience of the illness. An understanding of the biopsychosocial model of ...

BACKGROUND: Tegaserod is a promotility agent with proven efficacy and safety in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. AIM: To assess tegaserod's effect on work productivity and daily activity. METHODS: Women, 18-65 years old and meeting Rome II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, were randomized to a ...

This review focuses on the actual status and recent advances in the treatment of immune-mediated neuropathies, including: Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) with its subtypes acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, acute motor axonal neuropathy, acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy, Miller Fisher syndrome, and acute pandysautonomia; chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) with its ...

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is a common, often debilitating and intractable, chronic, generalized pain condition. The development of effective therapies to treat FM has been hindered by a lack of understanding of fundamental mechanisms in the etiology of FM. In view of prominent characteristics that FM shares with other generalized pain ...

A large body of clinical and experimental data indicate that complement activation is an important mechanism for neuronal and glial injury in Guillain-Barré syndromes. Inhibition of complement activation therefore might be expected to limit the progression of the disease. Using in vitro and in vivo models of the Guillain-Barré syndrome ...

BACKGROUND: Visceral hypersensitivity is considered an important pathophysiological mechanism in irritable bowel syndrome, yet its relationship to symptoms is unclear. AIM: To detect possible associations between symptoms and the presence of hypersensitivity to rectal distension in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. METHODS: Ninety-two irritable bowel syndrome patients and 17 healthy ...

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the gender effect on irritable bowel syndrome in Asia. AIM: To assess the gender difference in Chinese subjects with irritable bowel syndrome meeting Rome II criteria. METHODS: Irritable bowel syndrome was identified from an apparently healthy adult population receiving a routine health maintenance program (n ...

BACKGROUND: The impact of irritable bowel syndrome, a gastrointestinal motility disorder, is underestimated and poorly quantified, as clinicians may see only a minority of sufferers. AIM: To determine the prevalence, symptom patterns and impact of irritable bowel syndrome in the US. METHODS: This two-phase community survey used quota sampling and ...

We describe clinical and pathological features of a case of paralytic rabies with acute axonal neuropathy that closely resembled axonal Guillain-Barre syndrome. This case emphasizes that there is overlap of both clinical and pathological features in paralytic rabies and axonal Guillain-Barre syndrome. These findings raise the possibility that infectious and ...

Olanzapine is the most commonly prescribed atypical antipsychotic drug. Recently there has been increased concern over possible adverse metabolic effects of this drug. The authors describe the first case of Guillain-Barré-like syndrome associated with an olanzapine hypersensitivity reaction. The presence of progressive numbness, motor weakness, or pain in the limbs ...

The identification, diagnosis, and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have a tremendous impact on the large number of patients with this syndrome and on physicians representing a wide variety of general and specialty practices. There are well-established diagnostic criteria and algorithms for the initial evaluation of patients presenting with ...

Leprosy commonly affects the peripheral and cranial nerves. This involvement often manifests with peripheral neuropathy, occurring as a result of direct invasion of the nerves by lepra bacilli. Immune-mediated neuropathy occurring in leprosy, as part of lepra reaction, has been described earlier. We report here two cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome ...

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare occurrence in medicine and is probably rarer still as a postoperative complication. We report an uneventful operative course, during epidural-general anesthesia, in a patient undergoing pancreatectomy who presented with acute paralysis mimicking an acute cervical spinal cord syndrome or brachial plexus neuropathy. The signs and ...

Harlequin syndrome is characterized by unilateral hyperhidrosis and flushing, which are predominantly induced by heat or exercise. Usually, the sympathetic deficits confine to the face. Rarely, the autonomic deficits involve the arm or the parasympathetic neurons in the ciliary ganglia. We report a 43-yr-old woman who presented with facial flushing ...

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome has been said to be less common in developing countries compared with western populations. In some case series of irritable bowel syndrome from the Indian subcontinent and Africa, the female predominance typical of western patients did not occur. AIM AND METHODS: A systematic review was performed ...

Probiotic agents are increasingly used for the treatment and prevention of a variety of infectious and inflammatory conditions. They are generally safe, but complications of probiotic use can occur. In this report, we describe bacteremia after ingestion of a Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG probiotic tablet in a child with short gut ...

Demetrius Chilaiditi first described an incidental radiological finding of hepatodiaphragmatic interposition of bowel in 1910. The condition could be mistaken for pneumoperitoneum. This radiographic entity, known as Chilaiditi's sign, is found in asymptomatic patients and must be distinguished from Chilaiditi's syndrome, which produces symptomatology associated with the bowel interposition. A ...

The authors reviewed the clinical and electrophysiological features in 20 consecutive adult patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) admitted to a regional hospital in Hong Kong from 1993 to 1998. The majority of cases in this locality consists of the demyelinating form of GBS; epidemic, acute motor axonal neuropathy is not ...

This case report describes a patient with severe aplastic anaemia, who developed Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) 10 weeks after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from HLA-matched sibling-younger sister. GBS was preceded by pneumonia, herpes labialis and oral candidiasis a week earlier. Treatment with ventilatory management, intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIg) ...

We discuss two of the most common of the acquired inflammatory neuropathies: Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, as well as their variants. We review their clinical presentation, electrophysiologic findings, and management, highlighting knowledge gained from the recent literature. Unfortunately, although treatments exist for both Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic ...

The UK Department of Health states that there is suggestive, although not conclusive, evidence for the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and that CBT should be considered as a treatment option for the syndrome. This paper provides a general introduction to CBT, the principles ...

D-lactic acidosis is a rare complication in children with short bowel syndrome. It results from fermentation of dietary carbohydrate by luminal bacteria in the small bowel caused by bacterial overgrowth. We present the case of a 14-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with short bowel syndrome from surgical treatment of ...

BACKGROUND: The general therapeutic approach is the cornerstone in the management of irritable bowel syndrome, but the effect is poorly documented. AIM: To evaluate the effect of the general therapeutic approach for irritable bowel syndrome. METHODS: Subjects with irritable bowel syndrome identified in a public screening were included. Scores for ...

Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by chronic gastrointestinal symptoms without a demonstrable physical cause. In a subgroup of patients, irritable bowel syndrome may be part of a cluster of psychosomatic symptoms related to childhood sexual abuse. To investigate this possibility, the Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule (DDIS), the Dissociative Experiences Scale ...

BACKGROUND: In gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, oesophageal acid exposure correlates with symptoms but explains only a small fraction of their variance. AIMS: To elucidate the effects of irritable bowel syndrome and smoking on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms and to clarify whether they modulate the relationship between oesophageal acid exposure and symptoms. ...