Gastroparesis is a condition characterized by delayed gastric emptying without evidence of mechanical obstruction in the stomach. Its symptoms include nausea, vomiting, early satiety, abdominal bloating, and abdominal pain. Most cases of gastroparesis are either idiopathic, due to diabetes mellitus, or post-surgical complications. The diagnosis of gastroparesis requires upper endoscopy, contrast radiography, or validated gastric scintigraphy. Gastroparesis is managed with nutritional support and treatment of any underlying disorders, such as diabetes. Pharmacological treatments have been tried, including prokinetics and novel medications. Interventions focused on the pylorus have shown promising results.

No abstract available.
Female ; Gastritis ; Humans

No abstract available.
Female ; Gastritis ; Humans

Interleukin (IL)-20, a proinflammatory cytokine of the IL-10 family, is involved in acute and chronic renal failure. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of IL-20 during diabetic nephropathy development. We found that IL-20 and its receptor IL-20R1 were upregulated in the kidneys of mice and rats with STZ-induced diabetes. In vitro, IL-20 induced MMP-9, MCP-1, TGF-β1 and VEGF expression in podocytes. IL-20 was upregulated by hydrogen peroxide, high-dose glucose and TGF-β1. In addition, IL-20 induced apoptosis in podocytes by activating caspase-8. In STZ-induced early diabetic nephropathy, IL-20R1-deficient mice had lower blood glucose and serum BUN levels and a smaller glomerular area than did wild-type controls. Anti-IL-20 monoclonal antibody (7E) treatment reduced blood glucose and the glomerular area and improved renal functions in mice in the early stage of STZ-induced diabetic nephropathy. ELISA showed that the serum IL-20 level was higher in patients with diabetes mellitus than in healthy controls. The findings of this study suggest that IL-20 induces cell apoptosis of podocytes and plays a role in the pathogenesis of early diabetic nephropathy.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Blood Glucose ; Caspase 8 ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Nephropathies* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glucose ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; In Vitro Techniques ; Interleukin-10 ; Interleukins ; Kidney ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; Mice ; Podocytes* ; Rats ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is characterized by extensive IgG4-positive plasma cells infiltration resulting in inflammation and fibrosis of the affected organs. Patient with IgG4-RD shows an excellent response to glucocorticoid therapy especially when given at early onset stages. IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) is considered biliary manifestation of IgG4-RD. The natural history and long-term prognosis of IgG4-SC is not well defined and most of the previous case series have reported short duration of follow-up. We present the case of development of decompensated liver cirrhosis from IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis with a 6-year natural clinical course.
Cholangitis ; Cholangitis, Sclerosing* ; Fibrosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins ; Inflammation ; Liver Cirrhosis* ; Liver* ; Natural History ; Plasma Cells ; Prognosis

Symptomatic pancreatic ductal stones can be removed nonsurgically by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), either alone or in combination with extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Here, we report a case of successful endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided rendezvous ERCP for removal of radiolucent pancreatic stones after failed ERCP and ESWL. A 79-year-old male with painful chronic pancreatitis associated with pancreatic stones and a dilated upstream duct underwent transgastric antegrade pancreatography via EUS-guided pancreatic duct access followed by rendezvous ERCP. In this patient, EUS-guided rendezvous ERCP was successful in salvaging pancreatic duct cannulation after unsuccessful ERCP due to a tight stricture at the pancreatic duct orifice and removing radiolucent pancreatic stones after ESWL, which was unsuccessful because of failure to localize the stones due to their radiolucency under x-ray fluoroscopy.
Aged ; Catheterization ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde* ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Endosonography ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Male ; Pancreatic Ducts* ; Pancreatitis, Chronic

The clinical benefit of adjuvant intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy is controversial in immunocompromised patients with severe varicella. A twenty-one-year-old woman who had received a kidney transplant one year earlier presented with fever and generalized rash for 5 days. Initial immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG for varicella zoster virus (VZV) were negative; however, the patient was diagnosed with varicella with fulminant hepatitis because VZV-specific PCR from skin vesicles and blood was positive. The patient received intravenous acyclovir and 5-day IVIG. The decline of plasma viral load was steeper (beta coefficient −0.446) during IVIG therapy than after the therapy (beta coefficient −0.123) (P = 0.04), while VZV glycoprotein IgG titers and VZV-specific T cell responses were not detected during the 5-day IVIG therapy. The patient improved without any complications. This case provides an experimental evidence that adjuvant IVIG can significantly reduce viral load in immunocompromised patients with severe varicella.

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) occurs in two forms. Type 1 AIP is an IgG4-related systemic fibro-inflammatory disease. Type 2 AIP is not associated with altered levels of IgG4, and involves only the pancreas. Here, we report a case of type 2 AIP manifesting as acute pancreatitis in a 20-year-old male with ulcerative colitis. The patient was definitely diagnosed with type 2 AIP based on typical pancreatic imaging, supportive histology, history of ulcerative colitis, and steroid responsiveness.
Colitis, Ulcerative* ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Male ; Pancreas ; Pancreatitis* ; Ulcer* ; Young Adult

Tuberculosis rarely involves the esophagus, and most esophageal tuberculosis occurs secondary to adjacent tuberculous lymphadenitis. An esophago-mediastinal fistula is a very unusual complication of tuberculous lymphadenitis. Herein, we report a case of an esophago-mediastinal fistula due to tuberculous lymphadenitis. A 28-year-old woman who had dysphagia was assessed by chest computed tomography, endoscopy, esophagogram, and a lymph node biopsy. An esophago-mediastinal fistula was found and an antituberculous agent was considered initially. However, because of her severe dysphagia, she managed with endoscopic clipping as an alternative. However, the fistula remained on follow-up esophagography. A gastrostomy was eventually performed, and she was treated with an antituberculous agent. The fistula had closed after 4 weeks of medication. Antituberculous agents are the mainstay treatment for esophago-mediastinal fistula due to tuberculous lymphadenitis; endoscopic clipping may be a complementary treatment.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Deglutition Disorders ; Endoscopy ; Esophageal Fistula ; Esophagus ; Female ; Fistula* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrostomy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Lymphadenitis* ; Thorax ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Lymph Node