Detection of pseudodiarrhoea by simple clinical assessment of intestinal transit rate.

Abstract

biopsy in our patients did not show evidence of Crohn's disease, but there was unequivocal evidence of Crohn's disease elsewhere. Furthermore, the failure of symptoms in patients who do not smoke to respond to treatment suggests peptic ulceration associated with Crohn's disease. Treatment with omeprazole led to prompt relief of symptoms and complete healing of ulceration, which was confirmed by endoscopy. Omeprazole is effective in resistant peptic ulceration,' but there is only one report of its use in Crohn's disease.4 A proton pump inhibitor, it is capable of maintaining high intragastric pH for long periods. Its effectiveness in our two patients suggests that duodenal ulceration in Crohn's disease is dependent on acid. If prolonged active ulceration can cause pyloric stenosis then intermittent omeprazole treatment might prevent this complication in patients with Crohn's disease. Our observations support the view that inhibition of acid production is more likely to heal duodenal ulceration associated with Crohn's disease than steroid treatment, which may lead to complications such as perforation or haemorrhage.

Removing lactose from milk does not delay bowel function or harden stool consistency in lactose-tolerant women

“…Our subjects also estimated their stool consistency by the seven-point Bristol Stool Form Scale, and the stool score correlated well with the values obtained by penetrometry and dry matter analysis. Earlier, O'Donnell et al (1990) found that the Bristol Stool Form Scale correlated clearly with whole-gut transit. Our study confirmed that the Bristol Stool Form Scale is also a useful method of evaluating stool hardness and faecal dry matter.…”

“…The subjects reported the time of each defecation and subjective observations on stool colour (darker than usual, normal, lighter than usual). The stool consistency was estimated by the seven-point Bristol Stool Form Scale (O'Donnell et al, 1990), by which stools are scored according to cohesion and surface cracking: 1 ¼ separate hard lumps like nuts, 2 ¼ sausage-shaped but lumpy, 3 ¼ like a sausage but with cracks on its surface, 4 ¼ like a sausage, smooth and soft, 5 ¼ soft blobs with clearcut edges, 6 ¼ fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool, 7 ¼ watery, no solid pieces. Once a day, they also reported on the presence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms: abdominal pain, flatulence, abdominal bloating and rumbling.…”

Use of antibiotic and prevalence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in-patients with spinal cord injuries: a UK national spinal injury centre experience

“…The data was collected We define AAD as 2 or more watery stools type 5, 6 or 7 (Bristol stool scale) over 24 hours. 5 CDAD was diagnosed by a positive C. difficile toxin A and B in stool samples.…”

“…3 Diarrhoea is thought to be clinically significant if there are more than 3 loose stools per day 4,5 although a recent survey in SCI centres found the definition of diarrhoea and diagnostic criteria of C. diff infection (CDI) vary among spinal cord injury (SCI) centres. 6 In addition, diarrhoea after SCI is often complicated by spurious diarrhoea due to underlying constipation.…”

Evaluation of bowel habits in benign anorectal diseases

“…Stool consistency is better guide of colonic transit time. 10,11 This prospective study was aimed to assess the bowel habit in benign anorectal disorder at tertiary care center of North India. Aims and objectives of the study was to look for the bowel habit in common benign anorectal disorder.…”