• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.703-714
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• 2021

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A dietary restriction on the intake of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs) has been reported to be effective in the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) tract complications. Enteral nutrition (EN) is widely used for patients who cannot obtain their nutritional requirements orally, but many studies have reported EN complications, especially diarrhea, in up to 50% of patients. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We performed a single-center, non-randomized, controlled trial to determine the effects of a low-FODMAP enteral formula on GI complications in patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Patients in the ICU who needed EN (n = 66) were alternately assigned to the low-FODMAP group (n = 33) or the high-FODMAP group (n = 33). RESULTS: Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were measured, and stool assessment was performed using King's Stool Chart. We excluded patients who received laxatives, GI motility agents, proton pump inhibitors, antifungal agents, and antibiotics other than β-lactams. There were no differences in GI symptoms during 7 days of intervention, including bowel sound, abdominal distension, and vomiting between the 2 groups. However, diarrhea was more frequent in the high-FODMAP group (7/33 patients) than the low-FODMAP group (1/33 patients) (P = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a low-FODMAP enteral formula may be a practical therapeutic approach for patients who exhibit enteral formula complications. Our study warrants further randomized clinical trials and multicenter trials.

• The Journal of the Society of Stroke on Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2011

Objectives : This study was aimed to clarify the relationship between the dampness-phlegm diagnosis and internal carotid artery stenosis by measuring carotid artery sonography in cerebral infarction patients. Methods : One hundred eighty subjects were recruited from the patients admitted to the Department of Internal Medicine at Kyunghee university oriental medical center from September 2008 to July 2010. We assessed one hundred eighty patients' carotid artery sonography data and diagnosed dampness-phlegm by oriental medical diagnosis. then, analyzed their characteristics, risk factor, lifestyle, metabolic syndrome, body mass index, Waist/Hip ratio(W/H ratio) and dampness-phlegm diagnosis. Results : On the demographic variables of the patients, age, smoking, W/H ratio and dampness-phlegm group were significantly higher in severe internal carotid artery(ICA) stenosis group than in the control group. According to the significant difference in dampness-phlegm group, we analyzed dampness-phlegm related index for pattern identifications by ICA stenosis. As a result, sputum, bowel sound, chest discomfort, slippery pulse were significantly higher in the severe ICA stenosis group than in the control group. In multivariate analysis, dampness-phlegm group showed close relationship with severe ICA stenosis group. Conclusion : According to the analysis, significance between dampness-phlegm diagnosed patients group and severe ICA stenosis were clarified. These results can be utilized in the future as a basis material.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.774-779
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• 2000

Pseudomembranous colitis, although uncommon, is an important complication of antibiotics that is related to a variety of deleterious effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Rifampicin is one of the 1st line agents in the treatment of tuberculosis and a large number of patients are exposed to its potential adverse effects. We report upon a patient that had diarrhea due to pseudomembranous colitis after receiving antitubeculous medication, and which was probably caused by rifampicin. A 77-year-old man was admitted with diarrhea of three weeks duration. One month previously, he suffered from left pleuritic chest pain and left pleural effusion was noticed at chest X-ray. One week prior to the onset of diarrhea, he was started on empirically isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazynamide as antituberculous medication. On admission, he complained of diarrhea, left pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea and sputum. On physical examination, breathing sound was decreased in the left lower lung field and bowel sound increased. Pleural biopsy revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation, which was compatible with tuberculosis, Sigmoidoscopy showed whitish to yellowish pseudomembrane with intervening normal mucosa, and his stool was positive for C.difficle toxin. He was diagnosed as pseudomembranous colitis and treated with oral metronidazole and vancomycin. The diarrhea did not recur after reinstitution of the anti-tuberculous medication without rifampicin inpatients with severe diarrhea receiving anti-tuberculous medication, rifampicin induced pseudomembranous colitis should be excluded.