Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018 Sep 24;142(3):993-997.e3. Epub 2018 May 24.

Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Md. Electronic address:

J Clin Immunol 2017 Oct 13;37(7):695-700. Epub 2017 Aug 13.

Liver Diseases Branch, NIDDK, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Bldg 10, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.

Objective: STAT 3 deficiency (autosomal dominant hyper immunoglobulin E syndrome (AD-HIES)) is a primary immunodeficiency disorder with multi-organ involvement caused by dominant negative signal transducer and activator of transcription gene 3 (STAT3) mutations. We sought to describe the gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations of this disease.

Methods: Seventy subjects aged five to 60 years with a molecular diagnosis of AD-HIES were evaluated at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2017 May;23(17):3011-3016

Laurino Grossi, Antonio Francesco Ciccaglione, Leonardo Marzio, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, School of Gastroenterology, Digestive Sciences c/o Ospedale Spirito Santo, 65124 Pescara, Italy.

Esophagitis is mainly a consequence of gastroesophageal reflux disease, one of the most common diseases affecting the upper digestive tract. However the esophageal mucosa can also be targeted by some infectious, systemic or chemical conditions. Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease, characterized by eosinophilic infiltration in the mucosa. Read More

Dysphagia 2017 02 18;32(1):55-72. Epub 2017 Jan 18.

Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

This article reviews the history of the barium swallow from its early role in radiology to its current status as an important diagnostic test in modern radiology practice. Though a variety of diagnostic procedures can be performed to evaluate patients with dysphagia or other pharyngeal or esophageal symptoms, the barium study has evolved into a readily available, non-invasive, and cost-effective technique that can facilitate the selection of additional diagnostic tests and guide decisions about medical, endoscopic, or surgical management. This article focuses on the evolution of fluoroscopic equipment, radiography, and contrast media for evaluating the pharynx and esophagus, the importance of understanding pharyngoesophageal relationships, and major advances that have occurred in the radiologic diagnosis of select esophageal diseases, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, infectious esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, esophageal carcinoma, and esophageal motility disorders. Read More

Clin Exp Immunol 2017 03 6;187(3):455-465. Epub 2016 Dec 6.

Department of Infectious Diseases, Head and Neck Surgery, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an antigen-driven T cell-mediated chronic inflammatory disease where food and environmental antigens are thought to have a role. Human eosinophils express the immunoregulatory protein galectin-10 and have T cell suppressive capacity similar to regulatory T cells (T ). We hypothesized that one function of eosinophils in EoE might be to regulate the T cell-driven inflammation in the oesophagus. Read More

Gut 2016 09 30;65(9):1438. Epub 2015 Dec 30.

Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Semin Nucl Med 2013 Sep;43(5):340-8

Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Fever is a frequent complication of neutropenia induced by the treatment of various neoplasms. This is referred to as febrile neutropenia, which is considered to be a sign of a potentially life-threatening infectious complication until proven otherwise. However, most infectious foci do not have localizing signs and symptoms owing to the lack of inflammatory infiltrates during neutropenia. Read More

J Gastrointestin Liver Dis 2010 Sep;19(3):321-4

Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, Klinikum Stuttgart, Katharinenhospital, Stuttgart, Germany.

A 25-year old Indian exchange-student presented to our department with a three week history of dysphagia. Diagnostic evaluation by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, endosonography and chest-CT revealed a tumor-suspect ulcerative lesion at the middle esophagus, and a mediastinal lymph node enlargement. Initial histopathological evaluation of multiple esophageal tissue biopsies showed an unspecific esophagitis without signs for malignancy. Read More

Pediatr Emerg Care 2008 Dec;24(12):849-51

Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010, USA.

We present a case of a 7-week-old female with a 3-week history of progressively worsening stridor who was admitted to rule out a congenital anomaly in the airway or vasculature. After 3 different imaging modalities, we discovered an esophageal foreign body causing esophagitis and proximal airway compression.Young infants with symptoms of stridor, wheezing, or retractions will often have a common diagnosis such as a viral infectious etiology, or in rarer cases an anatomic anomaly. Read More

AIDS Patient Care STDS 2008 Jan;22(1):1-6

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Renal aspergillosis is an extremely uncommon complication in HIV-infected patients. In general, prognosis is poor and the need for nephrectomy is emphasized. We report the case of a 37-year-old patient with AIDS since April 2003 (CD4 count 10 cells/mm(3), a high viral load, Candida esophagitis, bilateral pneumonia, HIV encephalopathy). Read More

Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2008 Jan;6(1):11-25

Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.

Although a variety of diagnostic procedures are often performed on patients with pharyngeal or esophageal symptoms, barium esophagography is a noninvasive, inexpensive, and readily available test that can simultaneously evaluate swallowing function, esophageal motility, gastroesophageal reflux, and a host of structural abnormalities in the pharynx and esophagus. This article reviews the role of barium esophagography for assessing swallowing function, morphologic abnormalities of the pharynx (diverticula, webs, and carcinoma), esophageal motility disorders (achalasia and diffuse esophageal spasm), and morphologic abnormalities of the esophagus (reflux esophagitis, Barrett's esophagus, infectious esophagitis, drug-induced esophagitis, eosinophilic esophagitis, Schatzki's ring, and esophageal carcinoma). Read More

Rev Med Liege 2006 Dec;61(12):793-4

Etudiante en Médecine, ULg.

J Clin Oncol 2005 Nov 3;23(31):7857-63. Epub 2005 Oct 3.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, Little Rock, 72205, USA.

Purpose: Correctly identifying infection in cancer patients can be challenging. Limited data suggest that positron emission tomography (PET) using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) may be useful for diagnosing infection. To determine the role of FDG-PET in the diagnosis of infection in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Read More

Drugs Aging 1998 Apr;12(4):261-76

Gastroenterology Section, Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, California, USA.

Diseases of the oesophageal mucosa are particularly prevalent in the elderly population and may present with various symptoms, such as heartburn, dysphagia or chest pain. Recent technological advances, such as endoscopy, ambulatory pH monitoring and radiological imaging, have allowed for a more accurate diagnosis and assessment of disease severity. Depending on the leading presenting symptom, empirical medical therapy or stepwise diagnostic tests may be used. Read More

Am Fam Physician 1996 Feb;53(2):535-46

Department of Radiology, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, USA.

Evaluation of dysphagia is a challenge commonly encountered by family physicians. Dysphagia may be classified as either the oropharngeal type or the esophageal type and may have a variety of etiologies. Possible causes of oropharyngeal dysphagia include Zenker's diverticulum, pharyngeal carcinoma, pharyngeal webs and strictures, lateral pharyngeal pouches and neuromuscular diseases. Read More

Invest Radiol 1995 Aug;30(8):480-3

Department of Radiology, Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Washington 98431-5000, USA.

Rationale And Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate any association between the classic radiographic findings of nonerosive gastritis on the upper gastrointestinal (GI) series (antral nodularity, fold thickening, and narrowing) and histologically proven gastritis secondary to Helicobacter pylori.

Methods: The authors reviewed the histopathologic results of 31 patients who had upper GI barium examinations with the findings listed above who presented with dyspepsia. These patients were compared with 30 dyspeptic patients who had radiographically normal antrums. Read More

Radiol Clin North Am 1994 Nov;32(6):1135-45

University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco.

Infectious esophagitis is most often seen in patients with impaired host resistance. It has become a particular problem in the growing AIDS population. The three most commonly encountered opportunistic infections of the esophagus are Candida albicans, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus. Read More

Semin Roentgenol 1994 Oct;29(4):341-50

Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.

Abdom Imaging 1993 ;18(3):223-4

Department of Radiology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, L.A. County-USC Medical Center 90033.

In a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and primary esophageal lymphoma, esophagography and computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a large ulcerated mass involving the distal esophagus. Although rare, the diagnosis of esophageal lymphoma should be considered in patients at risk for AIDS when the radiologic findings are not typical for infectious esophagitis or Kaposi's sarcoma. Read More

Curr Probl Diagn Radiol 1992 May-Jun;21(3):79-109

Department of Radiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.

The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has involved the pediatric age group and is especially prevalent in babies born of mothers who are intravenous drug abusers or prostitutes. Approximately 30% of children born to mothers who are seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) will develop HIV infection. There are several important differences in children and adults with AIDS. Read More

Gastrointest Radiol 1988 Oct;13(4):358-60

Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center--Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10467.

Two patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and infectious esophagitis developed squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. The clinical, radiographic, and endoscopic presentations in both cases were atypical. One patient developed a focal flat lesion that imitated segmental esophagitis, and the other patient developed a superficially spreading carcinoma that mimicked diffuse esophagitis. Read More

Gastroenterology 1984 Nov;87(5):1174-9

Infections of the esophagus are common in individuals with altered immune status. A review of the literature reveals that, in such patients, fungal organisms, particularly Candida and Aspergillus, can invade deeply into esophageal muscle. We report the development of a tracheoesophageal fistula following polymicrobial infectious esophagitis. Read More

Gastroenterology 1981 May;80(5 pt 1):914-21

Disabling esophageal symptoms ((dysphagia, painful swallowing, and severe restrosternal pain) developed in 8 of 63 patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. At endoscopy 7 patients had characteristic desquamation of the upper esophagus; 2 of these also had distal esophagitis; and 3 had distinctive upper esophageal webs. No infectious pathogens were detected in esophageal biopsies or brushings. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 1979 Apr;132(4):567-70

With the increasing use of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of certain types of malignancy, a clinically distinct type of esophagitis has been recognized as an undesirable side effect. It occurs with low doses (less than 2,000 rad) of mediastinal radiation in patients who simultaneously or sequentially receive either adriamycin or actinomycin D. Characteristic of this entity is "recall": recurrent episodes of esophagitis with each course of chemotherapy. Read More

South Med J 1978 Jan;71 Suppl 1:56-61

The introduction of modern endoscopes, light sources, and cameras has greatly improved the endoscopist's ability to diagnose and document the presence of reflux esophagitis. A reliable objective diagnosis of reflux esophagitis can be made in the presence of active erosion, friability, and ulceration. Reflux can be suspected in the presence of a patulous cardia. Read More

Radiology 1977 Apr;123(1):9-14

Aperistalsis of the esophagus was demonstrated in six patients with esophagitis. This was observed in reflux, caustic, and infectious esophagitis, and has occurred both as a transient phenomenon with no further sequelae, and as the initial manifestation of involvement in patients who subsequently suffered stricture. Based on biopsy and autopsy specimens in two cases, a possible mechanism of aperistalsis related to the damage to neurons in Auerbach's plexus is postulated. Read More