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Biomedical subjects

G Vantrappen

Publications and source records attributed to G Vantrappen.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Bile acid studies in uncomplicated Crohn's disease.

The pool size and composition of bile acids were studied in 13 unoperated patients with uncomplicated Crohn's disease; 10 patients with ulcerative colitis, and 10 normal subjects. Many patients with Crohn's disease had in their bile a significantly increased amount of ursodeoxycholic acid. The bile acid pool size was significantly decreased and the ratio of glycine to taurine conjugates was significantly increased in the Crohn's disease patients. The reduction in bile acid pool size was related to the activity of the disease. The disorders of bile acid metabolism suggest that the intestinal involvement in Crohn's disease is much more extensive than can be demonstrated by careful radiological examinations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

The interdigestive motor complex of normal subjects and patients with bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine.

Intraluminal pressures were measured in the gastric antrum and at different levels of the upper small intestine in 18 normal subjects to investigate whether or not the interdigestive motor complex, identified in several animal species, occurs in man and, if so, to determine its characteristics. In all normal subjects, the activity front of the interdigestive motor complex was readily identified as an uninterrupted burst of rhythmic contraction waves that progressed down the intestine and that was followed by a period of quiescence. Quantitative analysis of various parameters of the complex and simultaneous radiological and manometrical observations revealed that it resembled closely the canine interdigestive motor complex. To test the hypothesis that disorders of this motor complex may lead to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, similar studies were performed in 18 patients with a positive (14)CO(2) bile acid breath test and in an additional control group of 9 patients with a normal (14)CO(2) breath test. All but five patients had normal interdigestive motor complexes. The five patients in whom the motor complex was absent or greatly disordered had bacterial overgrowth as evidenced by (14)CO(2) bile acid breath tests before and after antibiotics. These studies establish the presence and define the characteristics of the normal interdigestive motor complex in man. They also suggest that bacterial overgrowth may be due to a specific motility disorder i.e., complete or almost complete absence of the interdigestive motor complex.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Yersinia enteritis and enterocolitis: gastroenterological aspects.

The clinical, radiological, and endoscopic aspects of Yersinia enterocolitica infections in man were studied in a group of 37 adult patients observed in a 4-year period in a single gastrointestinal unit. The diagnosis was based on isolation of the bacterium in all but 1 patient. Abdominal pain and diarrhea were the most prominent symptoms, occurring in 80% of the patients. A syndrome simulating appendicitis was observed in 40%. The duration of symptoms before diagnosis varied from 1 or 2 weeks in 32 patients to several months in 5. On radiological examination the terminal ileum was involved over a distance of 10 to 20 cm in 21 of 24 patients. A coarse, irregular, or nodular mucosal pattern and pictures suggestive of ulcerations were the most prominent and early radiological signs. Endoscopic observations in 13 patients with marked diarrhea showed signs of colitis in 6 and aphthoid ulcers in 2 patients. On pathological examination, ulcerations and a nonspecific acute inflammatory cell infiltrate were observed. Although treatment with tetracycline or chloramphenicol resulted in 4 to 6 weeks in the disappearance of most symptoms and signs, pictures of "follicular ileitis" persisted for several months.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

The inhibition of lysozyme by bile acids.

The effect of bile acids on the bacteriolytic activity of lysozyme towards Micrococcus lysodeikticus was studied in vitro. All bile acids tested inhibited lysozyme activity. Conjugated bile acids were better inhibitors than their unconjugated homologs and sulfation resulted in still stronger inhibition. A study of UV-difference spectra of bile acid-lysozyme mixtures suggests that bile acids distort the tertiary structure of the enzyme. The inhibition-concentration curves of micelle-forming bile acids were bell-shaped, and peak inhibition was apparently related to the critical micellar concentration. The inhibition-concentration curves of sulfated bile acids, which do not form micelles, are characterized by a plateau of maximal inhibition. A mechanism of lysozyme activation by bile acid micelles is proposed. Our results illustrate the complex interactions between antibacterial compounds in the gut. As bile acids are known to inhibit lipase activity as well, these studies suggest that bile acids may have an important influence on intestinal enzyme activity in general.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMed1976

Serum lysozyme levels in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Serum lysozyme levels were determined in healthy volunteers, patients with Crohn's disease, and patients with ulcerative colitis. The mean concentration in Crohn's disease was significantly greater than in the other groups. In patients with Crohn's disease, as well as in patients with ulcerative colitis, the lysozyme levels correlated with the severity of the disease process and with the extent of the lesions: the more severe the disease and the more extensive the involvement, the higher the lysozyme levels. However, the lysozyme values of the different groups overlapped considerably. Our results indicate that lysozyme determinations have only limited discriminative value for the diagnosis of Crohn's disease and for determining the severity and the extent of the disease process in the individual patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Endogenous motilin and the LES pressure.

The changes in LES pressure were measured after alkalinization and subsequent acidification of the antrum or duodenum. For the alkalinization of the antrum, a strong (sodium-hydroxide) and a weaker alkaline stimulus were used in different subjects. At the end of the experiments, glycine 5% was infused into antrum and glycine 5% or phenylalanine 0.1 N into the duodenum. Plasma samples were drawn for determination of the motilin levels. Although in some experimental situations, motilin levels and LES pressure were significantly correlated, any correlation was lacking in other test situations. It may be concluded that the role of endogenous motilin for the regulation of the LES pressure is either non-existent or frequently overwhelmed by other influences.

Duodenum↗
PubMed1976

Peristalsis in smooth muscle esophagus after transection and bolus deviation.

The importance of the continuity of the muscle coat and of the presence of an intraluminal bolus for the peristaltic performance of the Rhesus monkey esophagus was studied. Transection and reanastomosis with muscle-to-muscle contact in the striated muscle part of the esophagus did not interfere with the progression of primary peristaltic contractions. However, when the transection with reanastomosis was performed in the smooth muscle part of the gullet the peristaltic progression of the deglutitive contraction waves in the segment below the transection was affected. After deviation of the swallowed bolus either in the cervical striated esophagus or in the smooth muscle part of the thoracic esophagus, primary peristaltic contractions were seen to progress over the entire length of the gullet; however, in the thoracic esophagus the presence of a bolus facilitated the peristaltic progression of primary waves. These studies also indicate that the extramural vagal innervation is involved in secondary peristaltic contractions of the smooth muscle esophagus.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

The Paneth cell: a source of intestinal lysozyme.

An antiserum prepared against lysozyme isolated from mucosal scrapings of mouse small intestine was used to stain sections of mouse small intestine with the indirect fluorescent antibody technique. Mucosal fluorescence was confined to the base of the crypts of Lieberkuhn, where Paneth cells are located. After the intravenous administration of 4 mg of pilocarpine fluorescence was no longer found in the Paneth cell but in the crypt lumen. Perfusion studies confirmed these findings. The basal lysozyme output of 0-1 to 0-4 mug/ml was raised to peak rates of 1-8 to 6-5 mug/ml after the intravenous administration of 1 mg of pilocarpine. Our results demonstrate that the lysozyme of the succus entericus is, at least in part, derived from the Paneth cell, and is probably present in the Paneth cell granules. Its secretion is stimulated by pilocarpine. Our model could be very useful for studying the function of the Paneth cell, which probably forms part of an intestinal defence system.

Animals↗