PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Mario Guslandi

Publications and source records attributed to Mario Guslandi.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Segmental colitis: so what?

The existence of chronic mucosal inflammation, confined to sigmoid colons that bear diverticula, is termed 'segmental colitis'. This condition often mimicks inflammatory bowel disease at histological examination. The observed rectal sparing suggests a possible form of Crohn's disease, but no other similarities between segmental colitis and Crohn's colitis are detectable. Medical treatment for segmental colitis, empirically carried out with drugs such as sulfasalazine and mesalazine, is mostly successful and, when surgery is required, post-operative recurrences are infrequent. Although the existence of segmental colitis as a true clinical entity remains questionable, it appears unlikely that this condition represents an atypical form of inflammatory bowel disease.

Colitis↗
PubMed2003

A pilot trial of Saccharomyces boulardii in ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVES: Probiotics can be useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. In a previous report, the non-pathogenic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii was found to be beneficial in the maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of S. boulardii in ulcerative colitis patients. METHODS: A group of 25 patients with a mild to moderate clinical flare-up of ulcerative colitis received additional treatment with S. boulardii 250 mg three times a day for 4 weeks during maintenance treatment with mesalazine. These patients were unsuitable for steroid therapy. Before and after treatment, Rachmilewitz's clinical activity index was calculated. The probiotic treatment was considered a therapeutic success only when the final score was lower than 6. RESULTS: Of the 24 patients who completed the study, 17 attained clinical remission; this was confirmed endoscopically. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results suggest that S. boulardii can be effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Controlled studies with this probiotic agent are warranted.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Electroacupuncture analgesia for colonoscopy. a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: A study was undertaken to compare the effectiveness of acupuncture in reducing patient's discomfort and anxiety during colonoscopy with a standard sedation protocol. METHODS: Thirty patients scheduled to undergo colonoscopy were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture, sham, or no acupuncture. A verbal rating scale was used to measure patient's pain when the endoscope reached four scheduled positions. Midazolam was administered at baseline and again anytime patients complained of "severe" pain. The amount of midazolam administered was recorded. A verbal rating scale was used to assess patient's satisfaction with the level of sedation achieved. RESULTS: Pain level was lower, although not significantly, in the acupuncture group. Midazolam boluses were required in three patients with acupuncture (30%), eight in the sham group (80%), and nine in the control group (90%) (p = 0.01). Six patients in the acupuncture group (60%) reported optimum acceptance of colonoscopy compared with only one in the sham group (10%) and none in the control group (0%) (p = 0.016). Satisfaction scores, assessed 24-72 h after colonoscopy, were extremely high (median score 90 of 100) in the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture may decrease the demand for sedative drugs during colonoscopy by reducing discomfort and anxiety of the patient and the well-known adverse effects of pharmacologic sedation.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗
PubMed2002

Distal ulcerative colitis refractory to rectal mesalamine: role of transdermal nicotine versus oral mesalamine.

BACKGROUND: Distal ulcerative colitis usually responds to treatment with rectal mesalamine, but the management of refractory cases is poorly defined. AIM: To evaluate the possible therapeutic benefit of transdermal nicotine versus oral mesalamine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with left-sided ulcerative colitis unresponsive to treatment with a mesalamine 4 g enema at bedtime were randomly allocated to additional therapy with either transdermal nicotine 15 mg daily or oral mesalamine 800 mg tid for four weeks. Clinical remission was evaluated by Rachmilewitz's activity index and confirmed by sigmoidoscopy. RESULTS: Remission was observed in 12 of 15 patients receiving additional treatment with nicotine and in five of 15 patients receiving additional treatment with oral mesalamine (P=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of transdermal nicotine to treatment with mesalamine enemas is significantly superior to combined therapy with oral and rectal mesalamine in patients with distal ulcerative colitis refractory to rectal mesalamine alone.

Administration, Cutaneous↗