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Abscess Formation Causing Lung Cavities

Autopsy View of Lung Abcess.
Autopsy View Of Lung Cavity.

What Is Abscess Formation Causing Lung Cavities?

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]bscess formation and subsequent lung cavities that develop from necrosis (death) of affected lung tissue constitute severe life-threatening respiratory disease  of the lung.

Q: What is the difference between lung abscess and lung cavity?

A: Lung abscess is characterized by localized pus formation in the lung that develops from uncontrolled infection from encapsulated bacteria such as streptococcus pneumoniae and klebsiella. The capsules that surround bacteria protect them from phagocytosis by macrophages and neutrophils, white blood cells that are specialized for this normal defensive action. Phagocytosis is a seek and destroy mission.

Lung cavities are holes that form from dead tissue during the destructive abscess development, which involves significant inflammation and edema of the area. Lung cavities often cause death of the patient. The outlook is very poor.

What Is Abscess Formation Causing Lung Cavities In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Bleeding: Fecal Occult Blood In Children 

Home Kit to Obtain Sample for Testing Stool.
Home Kit to Obtain Sample for Testing Stool.

What Is Fecal Occult Blood In Children?

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he presence of fecal occult blood in children is caused by minimal bleeding of less than a tablespoon a day in the gastrointestinal tract which leads to iron deficiency.

Bleeding is abnormal and needs to be corrected by locating the source.

Q: What does occult blood mean?

A: Occult means the small amount of blood in the stool cannot be seen by the eye when inspecting it. Therefore, suspect bleeding is found through a simple test performed on stool because stool would carry the blood away from the site of bleeding.

A fecal occult blood test is inexpensive and can be done at home or in the doctor’s office.  Most types involve smearing a stool sample onto a test card that either contains a chemical that turn blue if blood is present or else requires applying the chemical to the sample.

What Is Fecal Occult Blood In Children in Celiac Disease?

Irritability

irritabilityWhat Is Irritability?

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]rritability is a mental state characterized by negativity and excessive response to annoyance.

Irritability can be a feature of many diseases, malnutrition, and side effects of certain prescribed medications and over the counter drugs.

What Is Irritability In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Bleeding, Occult Gastrointestinal

Erosions Of The Esophagus Can Be A Cause Of Gastrointestinal Bleeding.
Erosions Resulting From Esophagitis Can Be A Cause Of Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

What Is Occult Gastrointestinal Bleeding?

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ccult gastrointestinal bleeding is characterized by unseen or minute quantities of blood in stool. The origin of bleeding is from mucosa that lines the inside of the digestive tract at a site that must be found by medical testing and procedures to look at the lining.

Q: What tests and procedures are performed to locate the bleeding?

A: The simplest test to discover blood that cannot be seen is the stool test. This consists of a card with 3 spaces for 3 separate  stool collection over 3 separate days. A tiny smear of stool is placed on a test card space on each of three days. Then the card is examined for a reaction that indicates the existence of blood in the stool.

If the stool test is positive, the origin of bleeding must be located. This search requires certain procedures that look at the mucosal lining directly by a gastroenterologist, usually under light sedation.

  • Gastroscopy procedure can visualize the upper gastrointestinal tract, which includes the esophagus and stomach.
  • Endoscopy procedure can also visualize the upper small intestine. However, endoscopy procedure is limited in that it cannot visualize the middle small intestine (jejunum).
  • Colonoscopy can visualize the end of the small intestine and colon all the way to the rectum.
  • Capsule endoscopy procedure.  If  gastroendoscopy and colonoscopy fail to discover the source of bleeding, the physician may administer a capsule endoscopy which visualizes the entire gastrointestinal tract. In this procedure, the patient swallows a capsule size camera (encased) which takes constant pictures over the course of a day until expelled through the rectum.  Of course, the patient must be able to swallow the large size capsule.

What Is Occult Gastrointestinal Bleeding In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Cutis Laxa, Acquired

This 21 year-old woman (left) appears as old as her 70 year-old granny (right). Courtesy Prof Dr Chua Chung Nen
This 21 year-old woman (right) appears as old as her 70 year-old grandmother (left). Courtesy Prof Dr Chua Chung Nen

What Is Acquired Cutis Laxa?

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]cquired cutis laxa is an uncommon skin disorder characterized by abnormal reduction and degeneration of elastic fibers of the skin that can appear simply as thick, saggy skin with loose folds to severe involvement showing a premature aged appearance.

Q: What are elastic fibers of the skin?

A: Elastic fibers of the skin are connective tissue found in the dermis, which is the layer of skin under the epidermis, or surface layer. They hold the shape of skin and are important for wound healing in the development of scars.

What Is Cutis Laxa In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Edema

Pitting edema. Right photo shows that indent remains from pressing. Courtesy wikimedia.
Pitting edema. Right photo shows that indent remains from pressing. Courtesy wikimedia.

What Is Edema?

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]dema is an abnormal swollen condition of the skin characterized by excess extracellular fluid volume, meaning there is an increase of the fluid that normally surrounds cells. Edema may be hardly noticeable or it can become extensive.

Edema can have various appearances and can develop from various causes.

Q: What are the appearances and causes of edema?

A: Here are the appearances of edema:

  • Pitting edema. It is called pitting edema if when the skin is pressed with a finger, the indent remains. This edema results from fluid leaking out of the bloodstream into the surrounding tissues. Pitting edema can be a feature of many disorders including heart disease, kidney disease, vascular disease, cancer, and malnutrition.
  • Myxedema is a firm swelling or thickening of subcutaneous skin that does not pit, as seen in thyroid disease.

Here are causes of edema:

  • Local edema as a response to trauma or infection.
  • Lower extremity edema from poor circulation and malnutrition.
  • Edema in the lungs from right sided heart disease.
  • Abdominal edema from liver disease, intestinal disease.
  • Body wide edema from heart disease, kidney disease, thyroid disease.

What Is Edema In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Follicular Hyperkeratosis (goose flesh or corkscrew hair)

Hyperkeratosis Back of Arm. GFW Photo.
Hyperkeratosis Back of Arm. GFW Photo

What Is Follicular Hyperkeratosis?

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ollicular hyperkeratosis is an abnormal skin condition characterized by disordered overgrowth of the horny layer of the epidermis with horny plugs filling the openings of hair follicles. The plugs look like bumps in hair follicles.

Follicular hyperkeratosis with corkscrew hairs (coiled hairs in the follicles) appears in scurvy, which is advanced vitamin C deficiency.1

Typical  hyperkeratotic papules first appear on the extensor surfaces of the extremities (e.g. the back of upper arms), shoulders, and buttocks.

Phrynoderma is a distinctive form of follicular hyperkeratosis with papule formation in dilated hair follicles believed to be a manifestation of severe malnutrition.

Q: Why does hyperkeratosis develop?

A: Follicular hyperkeratosis develops from lack of necessary nutrients to support healthy skin. Although originally thought to represent only vitamin A deficiency or vitamin C in the case of scurvy, several studies have demonstrated deficiencies of B vitamins and vitamin E. General malnutrition seems to be the strongest association. The clinical picture typically improves with enhanced nutritional status.2

What Is Follicular Hyperkeratosis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Krause’s Food, Nutrition, & Diet Therapy. 10th Edition. Kathleen Mahan, Sylvia Escott-Stump. 2000. W.B. Saunders Company. [↩]
  2. Maronn M, Allen DM, Esterly NB. Phrynoderma: a manifestation of vitamin A deficiency?… The rest of the story. Pediatr Dermatol. 2005 Jan-Feb;22(1):60-3. [↩]

Hangnail

Hangnail on lowest finger. Courtesy Wikipedia.org
Hangnail on lowest finger. Courtesy Wikipedia.org

What Is Hangnail?

[dropcap]H[/dropcap]angnail is a broken strip of epidermis (piece of skin) at root or lateral (side) edge of fingernail or toenail that causes sharp pain.

A hangnail develops because the skin around the nail is unhealthy due to inadequate nutrition. Injury from trauma including biting the skin and pushing back the cuticles or exposure to excessive detergents and water that remove protective oils promote the development of hangnail.

All ages and both sexes can be affected.

Q: Can a hangnail become infected?

A: Infection, called paronychia, may develop from invasion of sore skin by any of these pathogens: bacteria, fungus, or yeast (Candida). Infected skin is red, swollen, and painful. Topical ointment is required to treat the infection.1

What Is Hangnail In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001444.htm [↩]

Bleeding / Swollen Gums

Vitamin C Deficiency: Clean Teeth with Swollen Gums.
Vitamin C Deficiency: Swollen Gums.

What Are Bleeding / Swollen Gums?

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]leeding and/or swollen gums is  an inflammatory disorder characterized by changes in gum integrity that may result in tooth loss.

Sponginess of the gum (swelling) indicates inflammation, called gingivitis. 

Q: What causes gingivitis?

A: Gingivitis that is caused by inadequate dental hygiene shows as pockets of swollen gum between or along the base of teeth where sticky plaque was allowed to build up. Plaque holds bacteria that inflames the gums where it occurs.

Gingivitis that is caused by vitamin C deficiency, pregnancy, certain drugs such as the anti-epileptic drug phenytoin, and leukemia affects the whole gum irrespective of mouth care.

What Are Bleeding / Swollen Gums In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Oral Mucosal Lesions, Chronic (Mouth Soreness)

Canker Sore Inside Mouth. Notice The White Spot on This Person's Nail Showing Zinc Deficiency.
Inflammation/Sore Inside Mouth. Notice White Spot on Fingernail Nail Showing Zinc Deficiency.

What Are Chronic Oral Mucosal Lesions?

Chronic lesions of the oral mucosa are disorders of the mouth that are characterized by soreness and sores of the soft mucosal lining of the mouth.

What Are Chronic Oral Mucosal Lesions In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?