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Biomedical subjects

I N Marks

Publications and source records attributed to I N Marks.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

The spectrum and natural history of common bile duct stenosis in chronic alcohol-induced pancreatitis.

Sixty patients with chronic alcohol-induced pancreatitis with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography evidence of common bile duct stenosis were studied to determine the clinical spectrum and natural history of this complication, as well as the indications for biliary bypass. In 17% of patients, common bile duct stenosis (CBDS) was an incidental finding at ERCP, while in the remaining cases pain and jaundice were the predominant symptoms in 35% and 48%, respectively. Biliary drainage was performed in 38% of patients for persistent or recurrent jaundice, cholangitis, and while undergoing pancreatic duct or cyst drainage procedures for pain. The benign nature of CBDS in chronic alcohol-induced pancreatitis (CAIP) in patients without persistent jaundice is emphasized. In particular, no histologically proved cases of secondary biliary cirrhosis were noted. The majority of patients with CBDS due to CAIP may be safely managed without biliary bypass but require close follow-up.

Adult↗

The role of colonoscopy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

The value of colonoscopy in the diagnosis of ileocolonic tuberculosis at Groote Schuur Hospital was assessed and the published world experience reviewed. During a 4-year period, abdominal tuberculosis was diagnosed in 94 patients, of whom 18 manifested involvement of the ileocecal area and/or colon. Colonoscopy, performed in 10 of these, provided diagnostic information in 7. Since the endoscopic appearance of diseased mucosa is nonspecific, adequate bacteriological and histological assessment of biopsied tissue is essential to differentiate tuberculosis from other disorders that may simulate it. We stress the importance of microscopy and culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Adult↗

Nocturnal dosage regimen of sucralfate in maintenance treatment of gastric ulcer.

Sixty-six patients with recently healed gastric ulcers were entered into a double-blind, placebo-controlled, six-month maintenance trial to determine whether sucralfate 2 g at night reduces the liability to recurrent ulceration. Thirty-three patients were randomly assigned to treatment with sucralfate and 33 were assigned to placebo. Endoscopy was performed at the time of entry into the study and at 24 weeks, or earlier if clinical relapse occurred during this period. Of the patients available for analysis, endoscopic recurrences were found in eight of the 29 patients (28 percent) randomly assigned to sucralfate and in 15 of the 27 patients (56 percent) assigned to placebo. Eight of the recurrences noted at 24 weeks were asymptomatic and, of these, five were in the placebo-treated group. The cumulative relapse rate at 24 weeks was significantly lower in the sucralfate-treated group (p less than 0.05), and the Cox-Mantel text showed a significant difference between the cumulative relapse curves of the two treatment groups over the 24-week period (p less than 0.05). The results indicate that a single maintenance dose of sucralfate 2 g at night reduces the relapse rate in patients with recently healed gastric ulceration.

Antacids↗

Comparison of famotidine 40 mg with ranitidine 300 mg at night in short-term duodenal ulcer healing. A South African multicentre study.

One hundred and thirty-two patients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal ulcers were entered into a 4-6-week double-blind trial of famotidine (Fm) and ranitidine (Rn). Seventy patients were randomised to Fm 40 mg at night and Rn placebo and 62 to Rn 300 mg at night and Fm placebo. Gelusil tablets were allowed for ulcer pain, and diary cards were issued. Clinical evaluations were carried out on entry and at 2 and 4 weeks, and endoscopy was repeated at 4 weeks. Patients with an unhealed ulcer at 4 weeks were continued on the same treatment for another 2 weeks and further endoscopy was carried out at 6 weeks. The groups were comparable with respect to age, sex, duration of the most recent attack, initial ulcer size and smoking, but the duration of disease tended to be longer in the Rn-treated group (P less than 0.05). Of the patients available for analysis, 75% of the Fm-treated and 78% of the Rn-treated patients were healed at 4 weeks and 91% of patients in both treatment groups were healed at 6 weeks. Gelusil consumption and symptomatic responses were comparable in the two groups, and no side-effects were noted apart from mild dizziness in 1 patient after a single Fm tablet. The mean initial size of ulcers healed at 4 weeks was significantly less than that of ulcers which were unhealed at 4 weeks (P less than 0.01), and the healing rate among smokers was significantly lower than that among non-smokers--48 of 72 patients (67%) and 41 of 45 (91%) respectively (P less than 0.01). The study shows that Fm 40 mg at night is as effective as Rn 300 mg in duodenal ulcer healing.

Adult↗

Favourable response to conservative surgery for extra-pancreatic gastrinoma with lymph node metastases.

Five patients with the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome who had extra-pancreatic (duodenal or paraduodenal) gastrinoma with lymph node metastases responded favourably to simple excision or mere shelling out of macroscopic tumour. Acid studies, serum gastrin and the secretin test became normal in all cases in the immediate postoperative period and remained so in three of the five patients when tested at 57, 33 and 8 months. The tests became abnormal in two patients when tested 8 and 53 months after surgery, but both patients are currently well-controlled on ranitidine 150 mg b.d. 22 and 65 months respectively after surgery. These results suggest that in patients with extra-pancreatic gastrinoma who have lymph node metastases simple excision of all macroscopic tumours may offer the prospect of long-term control. The place of total gastrectomy in such patients is questioned.

Adolescent↗

Periampullary cyst: a surgically remediable cause of pancreatitis.

We report two patients with periampullary cysts associated with recurrent attacks of acute pancreatitis. In both patients the diagnosis was made preoperatively by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and ERCP, which was also useful in determining the relationship of the cysts to the biliary and pancreatic ductal systems. Simple marsupialisation of the cysts resulted in long term relief of symptoms. Congenital cystic anomalies in the second part of the duodenum should be diligently sought in patients with pancreatitis of unexplained cause, as surgical therapy is safe and effective.

Acute Disease↗

Sucralfate: worldwide experience in recurrence therapy.

International studies have shown sucralfate to be a safe and effective short- and long-term treatment for patients with peptic ulcer. Available data suggest that the more convenient dosage schedule of 2 g b.i.d. may be preferable to the conventional 1 g q.i.d. regimen for short-term duodenal ulcer healing, and that a maintenance dose of 2 g at night may be appropriate in the long-term management of patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer disease. Smoking has no adverse effect on healing in sucralfate-treated duodenal ulcer patients, and sucralfate granules do not appear to be more effective than tablets in ulcer healing.

Duodenal Ulcer↗

The efficacy, safety and dosage of sucralfate in ulcer therapy.

This paper reviews the results of placebo and cimetidine/ranitidine controlled studies in the short-term healing and maintenance therapy of duodenal (DU) and gastric (GU) ulcer, the status of newer dosage regimens, and safety aspects of the drug. The efficacy of sucralfate 1g qid in DU and GU healing has been amply confirmed in placebo and cimetidine or ranitidine-controlled studies. Healing rates have been reported in 60 to 83% DU patients after 4 weeks treatment with sucralfate but as with other drugs the rates tend to be lower in GU patients. The DU relapse rate after sucralfate healing is perhaps lower than after cimetidine healing, and sucralfate healing rates in DU are not compromised by concomitant cimetidine therapy, or by smoking. The value of maintenance therapy with sucralfate 1 g bd in reducing the relapse rate in patients with recently healed DU is well documented. The relapse rate is reduced from the order of 60 to 20% after 6 months, and from 81% to about 30% after one year. Available data also suggests that sucralfate is at least as effective as cimetidine in maintenance therapy. Sucralfate is effective in the prevention of GU relapse in the dose of 1g in the morning and 2g nocte. Sucralfate is particularly well tolerated. Constipation occurs in 2% of patients and nausea is occasionally encountered. The more convenient dose of sucralfate 2g bd is as effective as the conventional one of 1g qid in DU healing and recent evidence suggests that a single nocturnal dose of 2g nocte offers effective maintenance therapy in DU and GU disease.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Immunoproliferative small-intestinal disease: clinical features and outcome in 30 cases.

Experience with 30 patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease followed prospectively between 1971 and 1986 is described. All presented with malabsorption or growth retardation and had similar clinical, biochemical, and radiological features, irrespective of the presence of lymphoma or immunological abnormality. Alpha-chain disease protein was detected in 4 of the 11 patients who had a non-lymphomatous, predominantly plasmacytic infiltration of the small bowel; and in 5 of the 19 cases with diffuse intestinal lymphoma. The importance of exploratory laparotomy to include full-thickness intestinal biopsy in patients who have a benign infiltrate on peroral biopsy is demonstrated by the finding of lymphoma in operative specimens in 9 of 15 patients with mature, lymphoplasmacytic cells, and 5 of 8 patients with atypical, lymphoplasmacytic cells. The majority of patients with fully established benign disease, even those elaborating alpha-chain disease protein, appeared to have a good prognosis. No patient with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease developed immunologically demonstrated alpha-chain disease or frank lymphoma, when this was not found initially at explorative laparotomy.

Adolescent↗