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Chronic diarrhea - The poetic masquerade
S Bhattacharjee1, I Siyad2, BV Maramattom3
1 Department of Internal Medicine, Aster Medcity, Kochi, Kerala, India
2 Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Aster Medcity, Kochi, Kerala, India
3 Department of Neurology, Aster Medcity, Kochi, Kerala, India
Correspondence Address:
S Bhattacharjee
Department of Internal Medicine, Aster Medcity, Kochi, Kerala
India
Chronic diarrhea, by definition, is the passage of loose/liquid stools, with increased frequency (more than three times/day), or an output of over 200 g/day, lasting for a duration of four or more weeks. The clinical approach to identify the cause of chronic diarrhea generally depends on the local socioeconomic status. In high-income countries, systemic causes such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndromes (lactose intolerance/coeliac disease) are primarily considered. In mid- to low-income countries, infective causes like chronic bacterial, mycobacterial, fungal infections, HIV, bowel cancer are considered before systemic causes/malabsorption syndromes. Amyloidosis, more accurately, reactive amyloidosis is one of the rarer causes of chronic/persistent diarrhea. Inflammatory colitis secondary to POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes) as a cause for chronic diarrhea has been reported only in a handful of cases and is often missed. We present such a case of chronic diarrhea in a middle-aged man, who was eventually diagnosed to have POEMS syndrome.
How to cite this article:
Bhattacharjee S, Siyad I, Maramattom B V. Chronic diarrhea - The poetic masquerade.J Postgrad Med 2022;68:239-242
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How to cite this URL:
Bhattacharjee S, Siyad I, Maramattom B V. Chronic diarrhea - The poetic masquerade. J Postgrad Med [serial online] 2022 [cited 2023 Sep 24 ];68:239-242
Available from: https://www.jpgmonline.com/article.asp?issn=0022-3859;year=2022;volume=68;issue=4;spage=239;epage=242;aulast=Bhattacharjee;type=0 |
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