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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1991-8-15
pubmed:abstractText
We report the results of short-term antibiotic treatment in 19 patients with Whipple's disease (WD). The diagnosis was based on clinical features and on a characteristic small bowel biopsy. Patients received treatment for a mean of 7.9 weeks (range 4-20). Fourteen were treated with de-methyl-chlortetracycline (600 mg/day), and 1 also received chloramphenicol (1 g/day); 1 was treated with ampicillin (2 g/day), and 4 were treated with amoxicillin (1.5 g/day). In all patients, the clinical response was rapid and excellent, body weight increased significantly, diarrhea subsided, and fecal fat values returned to normal. Intestinal biopsies obtained after treatment was completed showed significant improvement based on a decrease in the number of macrophages staining positive with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), normalization of villous structure, and decreased dilatation of lymphatic channels; free bacilli were absent, as shown both by light and electron microscopy. Seventeen patients have been followed for a mean of 99.4 months (range 6-300). Two died 30 and 72 months after diagnosis of Whipple's disease, 1 of laryngeal carcinoma and the other of colonic carcinoma. Fifteen patients are in excellent health. Three patients treated with tetracycline have had clinical and/or histologic relapses. In our experience, short-course antibiotic treatment with tetracycline or ampicillin and derivatives can be effective in WD, with few relapses and excellent outcome. No neurologic symptoms, either initially or during follow-up were observed.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
0192-0790
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
13
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
303-7
pubmed:dateRevised
2004-11-17
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1991
pubmed:articleTitle
Short-term antibiotic treatment in Whipple's disease.
pubmed:affiliation
Small Bowel Section, Hospital Nacional de Gastroenterologia, Dr. Carlos Bonorino Udaondo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article