Systemic causes of abdominal pain

A rare case of synovial sarcoma presenting as abdominal pain

Abdominal pain can arise from numerous sources, including those extra-abdominal. It is important to obtain additional imaging in the setting of clinical suspicion for malignancy.

Pulmonary embolism with abdominal pain as the chief complaint: A case report and literature review

RATIONALE

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is one of the serious cardiopulmonary diseases that can endanger life. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are key factors to reduce its high mortality rate. Abdominal pain is not currently included in the symptoms of PE in textbooks and guidelines.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 49-year-old man was hospitalized for an exacerbation of right upper quadrant abdominal pain and sudden left upper quadrant pain that lasted for 2 hours.

DIAGNOSES

The patient was initially misdiagnosed as cholecystitis and pneumonia, and later was diagnosed as PE by computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA).

INTERVENTIONS

The patient received low molecular weight heparin for anticoagulant therapy.

OUTCOMES

His abdominal pain disappeared after one week. The patient was later discharged.

LESSONS

Sometimes abdominal pain may be the only manifestation of PE. However, most clinicians do not think of the possibility of PE in patients with abdominal pain. This might have contributed greatly to the rate of misdiagnosis of PE in the past. We hope to improve the alertness of the diagnosis of PE in clinical practice. In patients with abdominal pain, the possibility of PE should be considered to avoid mis- or under-diagnosis.

Gallbladder perforation in a patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and asymptomatic gallstones: A case report

RATIONALE

Gallbladder perforation is a relatively uncommon complication of alcoholic liver cirrhosis and may happen with or without gallstones.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Here we report a 52-year-old male patient who was diagnosed as gallbladder perforation with chronic liver cirrhosis and asymptomatic gallstones. The patient was admitted with acute and severe abdominal pain during weight-bearing physical labor. He had a history of alcoholic liver cirrhosis but no chronic abdominal pain or gallstones. The patient presented with localized peritoneal irritation, and abdominal puncture showed non-clotting blood. A preliminary clinical diagnosis was made as hepatocellular carcinoma rupture based on imaging findings. However, this diagnosis changed to gangrenous cholecystitis with gallbladder perforation by the laparotomy examination.

DIAGNOSES

He was diagnosed with gangrenous cholecystitis with gallbladder perforation.

INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOMES

The patient performed well postoperatively.

LESSONS

This case suggests that gallbladder perforation should be considered as a potential cause of acute abdominal pain even without evidence of gallstones. Early examination with a laparotomy examination can help achieve a timely diagnosis.

The Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015

BACKGROUND

Since acute abdomen requires accurate diagnosis and treatment within a particular time limit to prevent mortality, the Japanese Society for Abdominal Emergency Medicine in collaboration with four other medical societies launched the Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen that were the first English guidelines in the world for the management of acute abdomen. Here we provide the highlights of these guidelines [all clinical questions (CQs) and recommendations are shown in supplementary information].

METHODS

A systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the evidence for epidemiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and primary treatment for acute abdomen was performed to develop the Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015. Because many types of pathophysiological events underlie acute abdomen, these guidelines cover the primary care of adult patients with nontraumatic acute abdomen.

RESULTS

A total of 108 questions based on 9 subject areas were used to compile 113 recommendations. The subject areas included definition, epidemiology, history taking, physical examination, laboratory test, imaging studies, differential diagnosis, initial treatment, and education. Japanese medical circumstances were considered for grading the recommendations to assure useful information. The two-step methods for the initial management of acute abdomen were proposed. Early use of transfusion and analgesia, particularly intravenous acetaminophen, were recommended.

CONCLUSIONS

The Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015 have been prepared as the first evidence-based guidelines for the management of acute abdomen. We hope that these guidelines contribute to clinical practice and improve the primary care and prognosis of patients with acute abdomen.

A randomized trial of Plasma-Lyte A and 0.9 % sodium chloride in acute pediatric gastroenteritis

Background

Compare the efficacy and safety of Plasma-Lyte A (PLA) versus 0.9 % sodium chloride (NaCl) intravenous (IV) fluid replacement in children with moderate to severe dehydration secondary to acute gastroenteritis (AGE).

Methods

Prospective, randomized, double-blind study conducted at eight pediatric emergency departments (EDs) in the US and Canada (NCT#01234883). The primary outcome measure was serum bicarbonate level at 4 h. Secondary outcomes included safety and tolerability. The hypothesis was that PLA would be superior to 0.9 % NaCl in improvement of 4-h bicarbonate. Patients (n = 100) aged ≥6 months to <11 years with AGE-induced moderate-to-severe dehydration were enrolled. Patients with a baseline bicarbonate level ≤22 mEq/L formed the modified intent to treat (mITT) group.

Results

At baseline, the treatment groups were comparable except that the PLA group was older. At hour 4, the PLA group had greater increases in serum bicarbonate from baseline than did the 0.9 % NaCl group (mean ± SD at 4 h: 18 ± 3.74 vs 18.0 ± 3.67; change from baseline of 1.6 and 0.0, respectively; P = .004). Both treatment groups received similar fluid volumes. The PLA group had less abdominal pain and better dehydration scores at hour 2 (both P = .03) but not at hour 4 (P = 0.15 and 0.08, respectively). No patient experienced clinically relevant worsening of laboratory findings or physical examination, and hospital admission rates were similar. One patient in each treatment group developed hyponatremia. Four patients developed hyperkalemia (PLA:1, 0.9 % NaCl:3).

Conclusion

In comparison with 0.9 % NaCl, PLA for rehydration in children with AGE was well tolerated and led to more rapid improvement in serum bicarbonate and dehydration score.

Trial registration

NCT#01234883 (Registration Date: November 3, 2010).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-016-0652-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015

Since acute abdomen requires accurate diagnosis and treatment within a particular time limit to prevent mortality, the Japanese Society for Abdominal Emergency Medicine, in collaboration with four other medical societies, launched the Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen that were the first English guidelines in the world for the management of acute abdomen. Here we provide the highlights of these guidelines (all clinical questions and recommendations were shown in supplementary information). A systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the evidence for epidemiology, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and primary treatment for acute abdomen was performed to develop the Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015. Because many types of pathophysiological events underlie acute abdomen, these guidelines cover the primary care of adult patients with nontraumatic acute abdomen. A total of 108 questions based on nine subject areas were used to compile 113 recommendations. The subject areas included definition, epidemiology, history taking, physical examination, laboratory test, imaging studies, differential diagnosis, initial treatment, and education. Japanese medical circumstances were considered for grading the recommendations to assure useful information. The two-step methods for the initial management of acute abdomen were proposed. Early use of transfusion and analgesia, particularly intravenous acetaminophen, were recommended. The Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015 have been prepared as the first evidence-based guidelines for the management of acute abdomen. We hope that these guidelines contribute to clinical practice and improve the primary care and prognosis of patients with acute abdomen.

The role of mean platelet volume in patients with non-specific abdominal pain in an emergency department

Introduction

Platelets play an important role in inflammation. Mean platelet volume (MPV) may be a useful parameter for inflammatory conditions, in differentiating between non-specific abdominal pain (NSAP) and conditions requiring surgery, or early diagnosis of abdominal pain as a serious problem for emergency services.

Aim

To investigate the role of MPV on NSAP admittance to the emergency department.

Material and methods

The study consisted of 330 patients (186 female and 144 male, with mean age 49 ±20 years) with NSAP and 249 patients with abdominal pain (144 female and 105 male, with mean age 49 ±19 years) applied to our emergency service and enrolled to our study. Medical history, physical examination, complete blood count (CBC), and biochemical parameters were evaluated. Haematological parameters were measured by Beckman Coulter LH 780 instrument. Data were compared using Student's t test, and p < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant.

Results

The MPV were significantly lower in patients with NSAP than in others (p = 0.025). There was no significant difference between both sexes with regard to MPV (p > 0.05). Moreover, the other haematological parameters (haemoglobin, platelet, or WBC counts) were not statistically different between both groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

The MPV may be a useful, simple, and inexpensive parameter to diagnose or differentiate between NSAP and other conditions.

Porphyria: Pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment

Porphyrias are inherited metabolic disorders that involve alterations in enzymes utilized in the heme biosynthetic pathway. Most of these conditions are inherited; however, some are believed to be acquired through environmental exposures. Patients with porhyrias often present with a wide range of clinical symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose. Treatments vary depending on clinical presentation. A thorough and detailed history is essential and key to discovering a porphyria diagnosis.

Management of pain and fatigue in the joint hypermobility syndrome (a.k.a. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type): principles and proposal for a multidisciplinary approach

Joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS), or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) hypermobility type (EDS-HT), is a underdiagnosed heritable connective tissue disorder characterized by generalized joint hypermobility and a wide range of visceral, pelvic, neurologic, and cognitive dysfunctions. Deterioration of quality of life is mainly associated with pain and fatigue. Except for the recognized effectiveness of physiotherapy for some musculoskeletal features, there are no standardized guidelines for the assessment and treatment of pain and fatigue. In this work, a practical classification of pain presentations and factors contributing in generating painful sensations in JHS/EDS-HT is proposed. Pain can be topographically classified in articular limb (acute/subacute and chronic), muscular limb (myofascial and fibromyalgia), neuropathic limb, back/neck, abdominal and pelvic pain, and headache. For selected forms of pain, specific predisposing characteristics are outlined. Fatigue appears as the result of multiple factors, including muscle weakness, respiratory insufficiency, unrefreshing sleep, dysautonomia, intestinal malabsorption, reactive depression/anxiety, and excessive use of analgesics. A set of lifestyle recommendations to instruct patients as well as specific investigations aimed at characterizing pain and fatigue are identified. Available treatment options are discussed in the set of a structured multidisciplinary approach based on reliable outcome tools.