BACKGROUND/AIMS: Consistently defining disease activity remains a critical challenge in the follow-up of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We investigated the potential applicability of abdominal ultrasonography with color Doppler (USCD) analysis for the detection of morphological alterations and inflammatory activity in CD. METHODS: Forty-three patients with CD ileitis/ileocolitis were evaluated using USCD analysis with measurements obtained on the terminal ileum and right colon. Sonographic parameters included wall thickening, stricture, hyperemia, presence of intra-abdominal mass, and fistulas. Patients were evaluated for the clinical activity (Harvey-Bradshaw Index [HBI]), fecal calprotectin (FC) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The USCD performance was assessed using magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) as a criterion standard. RESULTS: Most measurements obtained with USCD matched the data generated with MRE; however, the agreement improved in clinically active patients where sensitivity, positive predictive value, and accuracy were >80%, considering wall thickening and hyperemia. Complications such as intestinal wall thickening, stricture formation, and hyperemia, were detected in the USCD analysis with moderate agreement with MRE. The best agreement with the USCD analysis was obtained in regard to FC, where the sensitivity, positive predictive value, and accuracy were >70%. The overall performance of USCD was superior to that of HBI, FC and CRP levels, particularly when considering thickening, stricture, and hyperemia parameters. CONCLUSIONS: USCD represents a practical noninvasive and low-cost tool for evaluating patients with ileal or ileocolonic disease, particularly in clinically active CD. Therefore, USCD might become a useful asset in the follow-up of patients with CD.
C-Reactive Protein ; Colon ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Crohn Disease ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperemia ; Ileitis ; Ileum ; Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Ultrasonography ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color

PURPOSE: Porcine proliferative enteropathy (PPE) is known as one of the most important risk factors causing economic losses in swine industry worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial oral attenuated Lawsonia intracellularis vaccine (Enterisol Ileitis) against PPE under a commercial pig farm condition in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty two-day-old 672 piglets were randomly allocated into vaccinated and control groups. All piglets in the vaccinated group were inoculated with a commercial attenuated L. intracellularis vaccine as following the manufacturer's instruction. Body weights of all pigs in both groups were measured on the vaccination day and 6, 14, and 20 weeks post vaccination and an average daily weight gain (ADWG) was calculated. Health status was observed biweekly during the whole trial. RESULTS: The vaccinated group showed significantly higher body weight (p<0.05) and ADWG (p<0.05) than those of the control group. The vaccinated group had significantly reduced impairments in activity, growth, defecation frequency, and stool hardness (p<0.05). Additional health benefits and improved weight gain by the vaccination produced a 4.2:1 return of investment, and the higher gross margin was $4.80 per pig. CONCLUSION: Our finding suggests that the L. intracellularis vaccine program has effects on the substantial health and economic benefits in the Korean swine industry.
Body Weight ; Defecation ; Hardness ; Ileitis ; Insurance Benefits ; Intestinal Diseases ; Investments ; Korea ; Lawsonia Bacteria ; Risk Factors ; Swine ; Vaccination ; Vaccines ; Weight Gain

PURPOSE: We evaluated the risk factors for late complications and functional outcome after total proctocolectomy (TPC) with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Pre- and postoperative clinical status and follow-up data were obtained for 55 patients who underwent TPC with IPAA between 1999 and 2010. The median follow-up duration was 4.17 years. Late complications were defined as those that appeared at least one month after surgery. For a functional assessment, telephone interviews were conducted using the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. Twenty-eight patients completed the interview. RESULTS: Late complications were found in 20 cases (36.3%), comprising pouchitis (n = 8), bowel obstruction (n = 5), ileitis (n = 3), pouch associated fistula (n = 2), and intra-abdominal infection (n = 2). The preoperative serum albumin level for patients with late complications was lower than for patients without (2.4 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.7, P = 0.04). Functional outcomes were not significantly associated with clinical characteristics, follow-up duration, operation indication, or late complications. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that a low preoperative albumin level could be a risk factor for late complications of TPC with IPAA. Preoperative nutritional support, especially albumin, could reduce late complications. Functional outcomes are not related to late complications.
Colitis, Ulcerative ; Fistula ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileitis ; Interviews as Topic ; Intraabdominal Infections ; Nutritional Support ; Pouchitis ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Ulcer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although terminal ileal erosive or ulcerative lesions are frequently observed on colonoscopic examination, their clinical significance are unclear. We evaluated clinical course and significance of isolated terminal ileal erosive or ulcerative lesions. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical features, number, size and histologic findings of 186 patients with isolated terminal ileal erosive or ulcerative lesions on colonoscopic examination from December 2003 to February 2012. RESULTS: The indications for colonoscopy included screening for colorectal cancer or surveillance in 122 patients (65.6%), evaluations for symptoms in 64 patients (34.4%). Of the 186 patients, 170 underwent biopsy at the terminal ileal lesions. Histologic findings were mostly non-specific chronic inflammation except two cases of Crohn's disease, one case of cytomegalovirus ileitis, and one case of intestinal tuberculosis. Forty six patients underwent follow-up colonoscopy and the mean duration was 17.8+/-14.2 months (range, 1-64 months). Of those who showed non-specific ileitis (44 patients), 35 (79.5%) showed resolution of lesions without specific treatment. In the remaining 9 (20.5%) patients, lesions were continued and two patients were diagnosed as Crohn's disease and Behcet's ileitis, respectively. There were no significant differences in the duration of follow-up, presence of symptoms, number and size of terminal ileal lesions between the patients who resolved and not resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Most isolated terminal ileal erosive or ulcerative lesions reveal non-specific histological findings and have a propensity to resolve without treatment. However, in small portions of patients, isolated terminal ileal lesions need careful attention because it is possible to be early inflammatory bowel diseases.
Biopsy ; Colonoscopy ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Crohn Disease ; Cytomegalovirus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ileitis ; Ileum ; Inflammation ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Mass Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Tuberculosis ; Ulcer

Typhoid fever frequently manifests as gastrointestinal complications, such as ileitis or colitis, but appendicitis is quite rare. A 37-year-old man was admitted due to abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea. Two weeks before admission, he underwent an appendectomy. The blood culture upon admission revealed Salmonella Typhi. A polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was performed on the tissue of the vermiform appendix and the STY0312 gene of S. Typhi was detected. This is the first case of acute appendicitis complicated with typhoid fever proven by PCR in Korea.
Abdominal Pain ; Appendectomy ; Appendicitis ; Appendix ; Colitis ; Diarrhea ; Fever ; Ileitis ; Korea ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Salmonella ; Salmonella typhi ; Typhoid Fever

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Clinical manifestations of intestinal yersiniosis include enterocolitis, mesenteric adenitis, and terminal ileitis presenting with fever, right lower quadrant pain, and leukocytosis. According to a previous Korean study in 1997, Yersinia was revealed in two among 15 adult patients with mesenteric adenitis (13%). However, recent reports on the prevalence of Yersinia infection in adult patients are few. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Yersinia infection in adult patients with acute right lower quadrant pain. METHODS: Adult patients (>18 years) who visited Eulji medical center, due to acute right lower quadrant pain were enrolled prospectively from December 2007 to July 2009. Abdominal CT, stool culture, serologic test for Yersinia, and Widal test were performed. RESULTS: Among 115 patients, 5 patients were excluded due to positive Widal test or salmonella culture. In 110 patients, abdominal CT showed right colitis in 20 (18.2%), terminal ileitis in 16 (14.5%), mesenteric adenitis in 13 (11.8%), acute appendicitis in 10 (9.1%), acute diverticulitis in 7 (6.4%), non specific mucosal edema in 36 (32.7%) and no specific lesion in 8 (7.3%). Two (1.8%) of the 110 patients had antibodies to Yersinia. One patient showed acute enteritis and the other patient was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent appendectomy. No Yersinia species were grown on stool or tissue culture. CONCLUSIONS: Nowadays, among adult Korean patients presenting with acute right lower quadrant pain, there have been few incidences of Yersinia infection.
Abdominal Pain/*microbiology ; Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies/blood/immunology ; Appendicitis/epidemiology ; Colitis/epidemiology ; Diverticulitis/epidemiology ; Edema/epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Ileitis/epidemiology ; Lymphadenitis/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Prospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Yersinia/*isolation & purification ; Yersinia Infections/*diagnosis/*epidemiology

Chronic non-granulomatous jejunoileitis is a rare disease characterized by malabsorption, abdominal pain, and diarrhea that causes shallow ulcers in the small bowel. The etiology of chronic non-granulomatous jejunolieitis remains unknown. A 69-year-old man complained of abdominal pain and lower extremity edema. A 99m-Tc albumin scan showed increased radioactivity at the left upper quadrant, suggesting protein-losing enteropathy. A small bowel follow-through did not disclose any lesions. Wireless capsule endoscopy revealed several small bowel ulcers and strictures. A jejunoileal segmentectomy with end-to-end anastomosis was performed, and the histologic examination revealed non-granulomatous ulcers with focal villous atrophy. Ruling out all other possible diagnoses, we diagnosed our patient with chronic non-granulomatous ulcerative jejunoileitis. Postoperatively, the patient's abdominal pain and lower extremity edema improved, and the serum albumin normalized. This is the first case of chronic non-granulomatous ulcerative jejunoileitis localized by wireless capsule endoscopy and treated successfully with segment resection.
Abdominal Pain/etiology ; Aged ; Atrophy/diagnosis/etiology ; Capsule Endoscopy ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Humans ; Ileitis/*diagnosis/pathology ; Intestine, Small/pathology ; Jejunal Diseases/*diagnosis/pathology ; Malabsorption Syndromes/diagnosis/pathology ; Male ; Mastectomy, Segmental ; Protein-Losing Enteropathies/diagnosis ; Technetium Tc 99m Aggregated Albumin/diagnostic use ; Ulcer/pathology

The major causes of terminal ileitis are inflammatory bowel disease and NSAIDs but parasites such as Anisakis rarely induce ileitis. Ascaris lumbricoides, the most common intestinal helminth in Korea, may enter the pancreaticobiliary ducts and cause pancreatitis or cholangitis. However, no case of A. lumbricoides-associated terminal ileitis has been previously reported in Korea. We report a case of a 58-year-old woman who presented with epigastric discomfort and bloating, and was diagnosed with terminal ileitis due to A. lumbricoides detected during colonoscopy.
Anisakis ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Ascaris ; Ascaris lumbricoides ; Cholangitis ; Colonoscopy ; Crohn Disease ; Female ; Helminths ; Humans ; Ileitis ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Korea ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatitis ; Parasites

One of the most frequent viral infections after kidney transplantation (KT) is cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. CMV infection causes disease in lung, liver, retina, brain and GI tract and reduce graft survival rate after KT. CMV disease in GI tract is most common in the colon and ileum. CMV enteritis can present with vague abdominal pain, hemorrhage and overt bowel perforation. CMV enteritis in the upper GI tract and colon can be detected early by endoscopy, but it is difficult to diagnose CMV enteritis in the small bowel. We report a rare case with CMV ileitis after KT, who gave up a transplanted kidney at post-operative 3 months in spite of the treatment of CMV infection.
Abdominal Pain ; Brain ; Colon ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Endoscopy ; Enteritis ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Graft Survival ; Hemorrhage ; Ileitis* ; Ileum ; Kidney Transplantation* ; Kidney* ; Liver ; Lung ; Retina ; Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

Behcet's disease is a disorder of a multisystemic involvement with unknown etiology. Involvement of the cardiovascular system and intestinal tract are rare, but serious complications. We present a case with Behcet's disease demonstrating aneurysm of the abdominal aorta as well as hemorrhagic ileal ulcerative lesions and requiring surgical treatment.
Aneurysm* ; Aorta, Abdominal* ; Aortic Aneurysm ; Behcet Syndrome ; Cardiovascular System ; Ileitis ; Ileum* ; Ulcer*