Hope for the treatment of intestinal scleroderma
Article Abstract:
Half of the patients with scleroderma, a disease of connective tissue in which the organs may ultimately become involved, develop motility disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract that can involve any segment of the tract. The signs of esophageal changes are better known than those abnormalities affecting the small intestine and colon. Patients with the latter disorder have abdominal pain, bloating, distention, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Diarrhea, pseudoobstruction (a functional obstruction without an obstructing body present) and steatorrhea (fatty stools) may also occur. When the colon is affected, patients develop constipation and fecal impaction. Collagen deposits can be seen in the wall of the intestine, eventually causing atrophy of the smooth muscle normally responsible for contraction. Treatment for patients with intestinal scleroderma has not been effective, but an article in the November 21, 1991 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine reports some success with octreotide (a somatostatin analogue). This drug stimulated motor activity in the bowel that resembled normal activity, and reduced nausea, vomiting, bloating and abdominal pain. In addition, octreotide limited bacterial overgrowth in the intestine. These encouraging results were obtained in a short, small study (five patients); a longer term, prospective study is now indicated. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1991
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Treatment of the antiphospholipid syndrome
Article Abstract:
It is unclear whether many people with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome should be treated. This syndrome can cause abnormal blood clot formation and miscarriage in pregnant women. But many people with this condition have no symptoms and even 5% of healthy people develop antiphospholipid antibodies at one time or another.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 2003
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