To evaluate the diagnostic value of plain abdominal radiography in stroke patients with bowel dysfunction.
A total of 59 stroke patients were recruited and assigned into constipation or non-constipation group. Patients were interviewed to obtain clinical information, constipation score, and Bristol stool form scale. The total and segmental colon transit time (CTT) was measured using radio-opaque markers (Kolomark). The degree of stool retention was evaluated by plain abdominal radiography and scored by two different methods (Starreveld score and Leech score). The relationship between the clinical aspects, CTT, and stool retention score using plain abdominal radiography was determined.
Average constipation score was 4.59±2.16. Average Bristol stool form scale was 3.86±1.13. The total and segmental CTTs showed significant differences between the constipation and non-constipation groups. There was statistically significant (p<0.05) correlation between the total CTT and constipation score or between Starreveld score and Leech score. Each segmental CTT showed significant correlation (p<0.05) between segmental stool retention scores.
The stool retention score showed significant correlation with constipation score as well as total and segmental CTT. Thus, plain abdominal radiography is a simple and convenient method for the evaluation of bowel dysfunction in stroke patients.
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Acute renal infarction is a rare disease and it is often difficult to make a clinical diagnosis due to the non-specific clinical presentations and lack of the physicians' awarenesses. We experienced a case of a 72-year-old man who was diagnosed as multiorgan with renal infarction during the bridge therapy of cerebral infarction with atrial fibrillation. Computed tomogram (CT) with intravenous contrast of the abdomen and pelvis revealed left renal infarction with renal artery occlusion, multifocal splenic infarction, and ischemic colitis on rectum and sigmoid colon. The patient was treated with low molecular weight heparin for 10 days, his symptoms were improved and laboratory findings were normalized. Follow-up CT was performed on the 43th day, there were persisted left renal infarction with atrophic change shown and the splenic perfusion was improved.
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