Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE: Iron deficiency anemia is often attributed to menstrual blood loss in premenopausal women. The aims of this study were to determine the diagnostic yield of endoscopy and to evaluate the clinical outcome in these women. METHODS: Charts, endoscopy records, and pathology reports were reviewed in consecutive premenopausal women with documented iron deficiency anemia who were referred for diagnostic endoscopy. Follow-up was obtained by telephone contact and review of medical records. RESULTS: Endoscopy revealed a clinically important lesion in 23 (12%) of 186 patients. An upper gastrointestinal source was identified in 12 patients, most commonly due to gastric cancer (3%) or peptic ulcer disease (3%). A colonic lesion was detected in 11 patients, with colon cancer in six (3%). No patient had a lesion identified in both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. Small bowel biopsies and radiography were normal in all patients in whom they were obtained. Independent predictors for having a gastrointestinal lesion identified by endoscopy include a positive fecal occult blood test, a hemoglobin of <10 g/dL, and abdominal symptoms. Long-term follow-up data suggested a favorable prognosis, and iron deficiency anemia resolved with appropriate therapy in nearly all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopy yields important findings in premenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia, which should not be attributed solely to menstrual blood loss

OBJECTIVES: In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with chronic unexplained diarrhea, upper endoscopy with small bowel biopsy and aspirate is often performed to identify treatable pathogens. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of duodenal with jejunal biopsy and aspirate. METHODS: All HIV-infected patients with chronic unexplained diarrhea who were evaluated by upper endoscopy at Bellevue Hospital Center between January 1992 and January 1997 were identified. Data were collected by reviewing patient charts, endoscopy reports, and pathology records. RESULTS: During the 5-yr study period, 442 patients underwent upper endoscopy with sampling of the duodenum (N=173) or jejunum (N=269). A pathogen was identified in 123 patients (27.8%). Microsporidia was the most common organism detected (12.2%). The diagnostic yield of jejunal biopsy and aspirate was significantly higher than that obtained from the duodenum (32.3% vs 20.8%, p=0.009). Small bowel aspirates detected a pathogen in only 1.8% of patients evaluated, and there was no difference in the yield of duodenal and jejunal aspirates (1.3% vs 2.1%, p=0.7). Patients with a CD4 count of < 100 cells/mm3 were significantly more likely to have a pathogen identified than those with higher CD4 counts (38.8% vs 7.1%,p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Upper endoscopy with small bowel biopsy and aspirate identifies a pathogen in 27.8% of individuals with HIV-related chronic unexplained diarrhea. In this patient population, jejunal biopsies acquired by enteroscopy are superior to those obtained from the duodenum. Small bowel aspirates are of little value in the workup of chronic HIV-related diarrhea

OBJECTIVES: In patients with chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related diarrhea undergoing lower endoscopy, the decision to perform flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is controversial. The purpose of this study is twofold: 1) to evaluate the diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in a large group of patients with chronic HIV-related diarrhea and negative stool studies, and 2) to determine whether colonoscopy is superior to flexible sigmoidoscopy in this setting. METHODS: All HIV-infected patients with chronic diarrhea who were referred for diagnostic colonoscopy at Bellevue Hospital Center between January 1992 and December 1996 were identified. Patient charts, pathology reports, and endoscopy records were reviewed. RESULTS: During the 5-yr study period, 317 consecutive patients with chronic unexplained diarrhea undergoing colonoscopy were identified. A potential cause of diarrhea was found in 116 patients (36.6%). Cytomegalovirus was the most common pathogen detected (24%). The yield of colonoscopy was significantly higher in patients with a CD4 count of <100 cells/mm3 than in those with higher CD4 counts (44.8% vs 6.4%, p < 0.0001). Thirty percent of pathogens and 75% of lymphomas were identified only on biopsies taken from the proximal colon, well beyond the reach of the flexible sigmoidoscope. Importantly, 94% of the pathogens that were found only in the proximal colon were organisms for which effective therapy is currently available. CONCLUSIONS: Colonoscopy is superior to flexible sigmoidoscopy in HIV-infected patients with chronic unexplained diarrhea. If flexible sigmoidoscopy had been performed instead of colonoscopy, 30% of pathogens would have been missed and 75% of lymphomas would have escaped detection

Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk for a variety of liver diseases. We undertook a retrospective study of 501 HIV-seropositive patients to assess the yield of percutaneous liver biopsy. The most common indications for liver biopsy were liver test abnormalities (89.5%), fever for 2 weeks (71.9%), and hepatomegaly (52.0%). The most common biopsy-derived diagnosis was Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), seen in 87 (17.4%) biopsies. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found in 13 biopsies (2.6%). In 28 biopsies (5.6%) mycobacteria was seen, but speciation of the organism was not possible. Chronic active viral hepatitis was seen in 60 biopsies (12.0%). Opportunistic hepatic infection from other organisms was found in 14 biopsies (2.8%). The most common neoplasm was lymphoma, which was seen in 12 biopsies (2.4%). MAC infection of the liver was associated with elevated alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.01). Among patients with fever for 2 weeks after an extensive negative workup including bone marrow biopsy, 58.2% had a diagnosis by liver biopsy. Overall, 64.3% of liver biopsies yielded a histopathological diagnosis, 45.7% of which were potentially treatable. We could not evaluate whether liver biopsy had a positive effect on patient outcome and survival, nor did we attempt to prove that liver biopsy resulted in a change in treatment or a change in preprocedure clinical diagnosis. Thus, questions about the efficacy of liver biopsy cannot be answered. Liver biopsy may be a helpful diagnostic tool in HIV-positive patients with fever, liver test abnormalities or hepatomegaly

It is unknown whether beta adrenergic stress has adverse hepatic hemodynamic effects. Therefore, the authors studied the hemodynamic effects of beta adrenergic stimulation and subsequent blockade in 10 patients with cirrhosis (6 Childs A, 3 Childs B, and 1 Childs C) with known or suspected portal hypertension. Free and wedged hepatic vein pressures, hepatic venous pressure gradient, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and azygos vein blood flow were measured at rest and after isoproterenol infusion (mean dose = 7.3 micrograms/min: target heart rate = 150% to 200% of resting heart rate). Esmolol, an ultra-short-acting beta blocker, was then infused (dose titrated to return heart rate to baseline), and all measurements were repeated. Based on the results, the authors conclude that beta adrenergic stress provoked by isoproterenol infusion significantly increases azygos vein blood flow and hepatic venous pressure gradient. Beta blockade with esmolol reduces azygos vein blood flow and hepatic venous pressure gradient significantly below baseline