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N Hovdenak

Publications and source records attributed to N Hovdenak.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Celiac disease in the elderly].

Coeliac disease appears at all ages and increasing prevalence in advanced age has been reported. We registered and followed up all coeliac patients during an 11 year period. The article describes the occurrence in elderly persons. Data were collected on symptomatology, laboratory test results, complications, dietary treatment, and progress. A total of 69 coeliacs were registered, giving a crude prevalence of 148/100,000. 13 patients (19%) were 65 years old or older at the time of diagnosis. Mean estimated diagnostic delay in this group was 21.5 years (range 5-40). The symptomatology was uncharacteristic in most patients and not dominated by malabsorption symptoms. Laboratory investigations were generally unhelpful for diagnosis. There was a high frequency of associated disorders, notably malignant diseases. Histology is a sine qua non in the diagnosis of coeliac disease, especially in elderly patients. Wide indications for biopsy are strongly recommended in this age group.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Low-dose antacids or cimetidine for duodenal ulcer?

In a double-blind, randomized, multicenter trial 150 consecutive outpatients with endoscopically verified duodenal ulcer were treated with either a low-dose antacid regimen (1 tablet q.i.d.; acid-neutralizing capacity, 120 mmol/day), or cimetidine (800 mg nocte). After 4 wk of treatment control gastroscopy showed ulcer healing in 54 of 76 patients (71.1%) in the antacid group, as compared with 58 of 74 patients (78.4%) in the cimetidine-treated group. The difference in healing rate of 7.3% (95% confidence interval, -6.5% to +21.1%) was not statistically significant. The symptomatic effect, measured as number of days and nights with ulcer pain, was also quite similar in the two treatment groups. However, the number of days with pain was significantly lower in the first week of treatment in the antacid group (p less than 0.01). Thus, the efficacy of a low-dose antacid tablet regimen approximated that of cimetidine (800 mg nocte) in the treatment of duodenal ulcer patients.

Antacids↗
PubMed1987

Loperamide treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome.

The effect of loperamide was investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 60 patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Active treatment was given in low dosage (4 mg nocte). The effect of treatment was assessed in clinical subgroups. In a group of patients with painless diarrhoea (n = 16) there was a highly significant improvement in stool frequency and consistency. In a group with alternating bowel habits and abdominal pain (n = 21) there was also a statistically significant improvement in stool frequency and consistency as well as significantly fewer painful days during loperamide treatment. Patients with alternating bowel habits and no pain (n = 12) experienced no symptomatic improvement, and patients with constipation (n = 9) generally felt worse on loperamide. No side effects were encountered. It is concluded that loperamide can be considered an alternative symptomatic treatment in some IBS patients whose main symptoms are painless diarrhoea or alternating bowel habits associated with abdominal pain.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1986

Local disodium cromoglycate is ineffective in ulcerative proctosigmoiditis.

Conflicting results have emerged from studies using oral and rectal disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) in inflammatory bowel disease. In the present double-blind study, 43 patients with active ulcerative proctosigmoiditis received either placebo (n = 22) or 600 mg DSCG (n = 21) rectally as enemas for eight weeks. Assessment was made from clinical investigations, endoscopy, laboratory tests, biopsies, and diary cards. No statistically significant differences in bowel frequency, rectal bleeding, general well-being, abdominal pain, and severity and extent of the disease were found between the groups during the study. There was no significant change in the histologic parameters. No side-effect was encountered. It is concluded that DSCG did not improve symptoms or inflammatory changes in ulcerative proctosigmoiditis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration cytology in pancreatic cancer.

Fifty-five patients underwent ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration from the pancreas. Adequate material was obtained from 33 of the 41 patients with pancreatic malignancy. A cytological diagnosis of cancer was made in 31 (94%) of these; the overall clinical success rate was 75.6%. There were no false-positive results or complications. The sensitivity of the procedure may be increased by repeating the punctures.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Long-term treatment of duodenal ulcer with trimipramine. A double-blind study.

Sixty-two patients with healed duodenal or prepyloric ulcers completed a double-blind long-term trial with either 25 mg/day of trimipramine (32 patients) or placebo (30 patients). Endoscopy was performed when marked dyspeptic complaints occurred or after a 1-year follow-up study. Eleven patients in the trimipramine-treated group and 18 patients in the placebo group had relapses, with endoscopically confirmed ulcers or erosions with duodenitis and severe symptoms, revealing a statistically significant difference between the groups in favour of trimipramine. Twenty-one patients (66%) receiving trimipramine and 12 patients (40%) receiving placebo were in remission at the end of the study. The probability of having a relapse increased with the time from start of placebo but decreased in the group that received trimipramine. No serious side effects occurred. In conclusion, 25 mg of trimipramine daily reduced significantly the recurrence rate of duodenal ulcer disease, when compared with placebo.

Dibenzazepines↗