TY - JOUR
T1 - An Unusual Case of Myxedema Megacolon With Features of Ischemic and Pseudomembranous Colitis
AU - PATEL, ROBIN
AU - HUGHES, ROLLIN W.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - Myxedema megacolon is rare; usually, it manifests with abdominal distention, flatulence, and constipation. Herein we describe a 72-year-old man who had intermittent diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain for more than a year. Cultures of stool specimens for Clostridium difficile enterotoxin were variably positive and negative. Colonoscopic biopsy specimens were thought to be consistent with chronic ischemia. Thyroid function tests showed severe hypothyroidism; the patient's symptoms resolved with thyroid hormone replacement. We hypothesize that gross dilatation of the colon, attributed to myxedema, was followed by intestinal ischemia and complicated by recurrent episodes of pseudomembranous colitis. A review of the relevant literature is provided. This unusual manifestation of myxedema should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a patient has diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain.
AB - Myxedema megacolon is rare; usually, it manifests with abdominal distention, flatulence, and constipation. Herein we describe a 72-year-old man who had intermittent diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain for more than a year. Cultures of stool specimens for Clostridium difficile enterotoxin were variably positive and negative. Colonoscopic biopsy specimens were thought to be consistent with chronic ischemia. Thyroid function tests showed severe hypothyroidism; the patient's symptoms resolved with thyroid hormone replacement. We hypothesize that gross dilatation of the colon, attributed to myxedema, was followed by intestinal ischemia and complicated by recurrent episodes of pseudomembranous colitis. A review of the relevant literature is provided. This unusual manifestation of myxedema should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a patient has diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026545174&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026545174&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0025-6196(12)61554-7
DO - 10.1016/S0025-6196(12)61554-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 1548953
AN - SCOPUS:0026545174
SN - 0025-6196
VL - 67
SP - 369
EP - 372
JO - Mayo Clinic proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic proceedings
IS - 4
ER -