Biomedical subjects

R Grassia

Publications and source records attributed to R Grassia.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Bowel sonography in adult celiac disease: diagnostic accuracy and ultrasonographic features.

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic intolerance to gluten, which induces intestinal mucosal lesions in genetically predisposed individuals. Transabdominal bowel sonography (TABS) is a safe and noninvasive procedure that allows to detect intestinal abnormalities in many conditions, but actually is not routinely part of the diagnostic management of CD. AIM: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of TABS in CD patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty CD patients and 50 dyspeptic subjects (control group) underwent TABS. The presence of fluid-distended small bowel loops with thickened valvulae conniventes and increased peristalsis was considered a TABS sign of CD. All clinical, biochemical, and TABS features were assessed at the diagnosis and revaluated after 1 year of gluten-free diet. RESULTS: TABS signs were present in 66% of CD patients. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value were 66%, 96%, 94%, and 74%, respectively. TABS findings were recorded in 82% of patients with endoscopical markers of CD, in 87.5% of symptomatic patients, and in 61% of patients without symptoms. After 1 year of gluten-free diet TABS was still abnormal in 20% patients, with no correlation with laboratory tests e/o symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CD frequently present TABS signs of the disease and operators performing sonography every day have to consider the possibility to suggest CD diagnosis and aTTG determination in these subjects.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Antibiotic treatment of small bowel bacterial overgrowth in patients with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel bacterial overgrowth is common in Crohn's disease but its treatment is not clearly defined. Metronidazole and ciprofloxacin are effective antibiotics in active Crohn's disease. AIM: To investigate the efficacy of metronidazole and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of bacterial overgrowth in patients with Crohn's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed the lactulose breath test in 145 consecutive patients affected by Crohn's disease. Patients positive to the lactulose breath test underwent a glucose breath test to confirm the overgrowth. These patients were randomized in two treatment groups: metronidazole 250 mg t.d.s. (Group A) and ciprofloxacin 500 mg b.d. (Group B), both orally for 10 days. The glucose breath test was repeated at the end of treatment. The clinical outcome after therapy was also recorded. RESULTS: Bacterial overgrowth was present in 29 patients (20%). Breath test normalization occurred in 13 out of 15 patients treated by metronidazole and in all 14 patients treated by ciprofloxacin (P = ns). In both groups antibiotic treatment induced an improvement of intestinal symptoms: bloating (Group A 85% and Group B 83%), stool softness (44% and 50%), and abdominal pain (50% and 43%). CONCLUSIONS: Small bowel bacterial overgrowth is a frequent condition in Crohn's disease which can be effectively treated by metronidazole or ciprofloxacin.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using a CompuCyte Pathfinder to evaluate cytotechnology student diagnostic performance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the Pathfinder Cytology System facilitates comparison of initial student diagnoses to rescreener diagnoses; provides a platform for collection, storage and retrieval of data on student screening performance; and generates a student screening "score." STUDY DESIGN: Using two CompuCyte Pathfinder units networked to a PC server and printer, eight cytotechnology students prescreened 1,224 gynecologic cases and entered their results into the Pathfinder database. Five staff cytotechnologists rescreened the cases and entered their diagnoses. The database containing the initial and rescreen diagnoses were transferred to a modified scoring grid that computed a screening "score" for each of the students. RESULTS: Student diagnoses matched cytotechnologist target diagnoses in 1,107 to 1,224 total cases (90.4%). Of these 1,107 cases, 996 (81.3%) were reported as "within normal limits" (negative) by both student and cytotechnologist, and 111 (9.1%) were target diagnosed as abnormal (atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance [ASCUS] or above) by both student and cytotechnologist. Of 117 remaining cases, 112 (9.2%) were considered minor discrepancies (one-step discrepancy--e.g., benign cell change-reactive vs. ASCUS--favor reactive), and 5 (0.4%) were considered significant discrepancies (two or more diagnostic categories of difference between student and cytotechnologist-within normal limits vs. low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion). The modified scoring grid developed by CompuCyte for this study was able to compute a numerical score for each student. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary assessment indicated that Pathfinder will facilitate evaluation of student performance. The system shows potential for eliminating the "paper trail" and manual dotting required for traditional student evaluation and, with the addition of a scoring program, may be standardized for use in both educational and clinical settings.

Automation↗