Biomaterial Database

Endoscopy in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with diarrhea and negative stool studies. 2000

S C Wei, and C C Hung, and M Y Chen, and C Y Wang, and C Y Chuang, and J M Wong

Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND Diarrhea is a frequent gastrointestinal symptom in patients with acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and is a major source of morbidity and mortality. A stepwise diagnostic approach is often recommended to search for treatable causes. However, whether the stepwise diagnostic approach is adequate for planning treatment and whether specific treatment for infectious etiologies will affect the survival of patients with AIDS remain unknown. METHODS From March 1996 to September 1997, endoscopy was performed in AIDS patients with diarrhea, the etiology of which was not identified by noninvasive methods. Specific treatment was given according to the identified etiologies and symptomatic treatment was given for those without definite diagnosis. The clinical symptoms, signs, and duration of follow-up were recorded and survival patterns were analyzed. RESULTS Etiologic diagnoses were made in 26 of 40 patients (65%) who underwent endoscopic studies. Amebic colitis and cytomegalovirus colitis were the 2 leading causes of prolonged diarrhea in patients with AIDS. Thirty-five patients (87.5%) recovered after treatment. The difference in survival time after diarrhea between patients whose symptoms resolved after treatment and those who continued to have diarrhea was statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic studies were helpful for the diagnosis of prolonged diarrhea in AIDS patients who had negative stool studies and did not respond to 2 weeks of empiric treatment. Specific treatment according to the results of endoscopy may improve survival in these patients.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D003113	Colonoscopy	Endoscopic examination, therapy or surgery of the luminal surface of the colon.	Colonoscopic Surgical Procedures,Surgical Procedures, Colonoscopic,Colonoscopic Surgery,Surgery, Colonoscopic,Colonoscopic Surgeries,Colonoscopic Surgical Procedure,Colonoscopies,Procedure, Colonoscopic Surgical,Procedures, Colonoscopic Surgical,Surgeries, Colonoscopic,Surgical Procedure, Colonoscopic
D003586	Cytomegalovirus Infections	Infection with CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, characterized by enlarged cells bearing intranuclear inclusions. Infection may be in almost any organ, but the salivary glands are the most common site in children, as are the lungs in adults.	CMV Inclusion,CMV Inclusions,Congenital CMV Infection,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalic Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Colitis,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Inclusion Disease,Perinatal CMV Infection,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infection,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Salivary Gland Virus Disease,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infection,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infections,Infections, Cytomegalovirus,CMV Infection, Congenital,CMV Infection, Perinatal,Colitis, Cytomegalovirus,Congenital CMV Infections,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infections,Cytomegalic Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Colitides,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Congenital,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Perinatal,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Severe,Cytomegalovirus Infections, Severe,Disease, Cytomegalic Inclusion,Disease, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Diseases, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalic,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion Diseases,Inclusion Diseases, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion, CMV,Inclusion, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Congenital CMV,Infection, Congenital Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Perinatal CMV,Infection, Perinatal Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Severe Cytomegalovirus,Perinatal CMV Infections,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infections
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D003967	Diarrhea	An increased liquidity or decreased consistency of FECES, such as running stool. Fecal consistency is related to the ratio of water-holding capacity of insoluble solids to total water, rather than the amount of water present. Diarrhea is not hyperdefecation or increased fecal weight.	Diarrheas
D004359	Drug Therapy, Combination	Therapy with two or more separate preparations given for a combined effect.	Combination Chemotherapy,Polychemotherapy,Chemotherapy, Combination,Combination Drug Therapy,Drug Polytherapy,Therapy, Combination Drug,Chemotherapies, Combination,Combination Chemotherapies,Combination Drug Therapies,Drug Polytherapies,Drug Therapies, Combination,Polychemotherapies,Polytherapies, Drug,Polytherapy, Drug,Therapies, Combination Drug
D005188	False Negative Reactions	Negative test results in subjects who possess the attribute for which the test is conducted. The labeling of diseased persons as healthy when screening in the detection of disease. (Last, A Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	False Negative Reaction,Reaction, False Negative,Reactions, False Negative
D005243	Feces	Excrement from the INTESTINES, containing unabsorbed solids, waste products, secretions, and BACTERIA of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
D005260	Female		Females