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[Acalculous cholangitis and cholecystitis in two AIDS patients]
J Cosserat1, A M Carlier, F Bloch
1Service de Néphrologie, Hôpital Broussais, Paris.
Presse Medicale (Paris, France : 1983)
|January 5, 1991
Summary
Acalculous cholangitis and cholecystitis can manifest in patients with AIDS, presenting with abdominal pain and cholestasis. Diagnostic imaging reveals gallbladder wall thickening and bile duct dilation.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Hepatology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can lead to various opportunistic infections and complications affecting the biliary system.
- Acalculous cholangitis and cholecystitis are inflammatory conditions of the bile ducts and gallbladder, respectively, occurring without gallstones.
Observation:
- Patients with AIDS may present with symptoms including right upper quadrant pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, and diarrhea.
- Biochemical tests often indicate cholestasis, a condition where bile flow is obstructed, frequently without visible jaundice.
Findings:
- Morphological investigations demonstrate gallbladder wall thickening.
- Bile duct abnormalities include dilatation of the extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts.
- Stenosis of the major duodenal papilla may also be observed in some cases.
Implications:
- These findings highlight the importance of considering biliary tract complications in the differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal symptoms in AIDS patients.
- Early recognition and diagnosis are crucial for appropriate management and improving patient outcomes.
- Further research may elucidate specific pathogens or mechanisms contributing to these biliary complications in immunocompromised individuals.