The Evolution of Our Understanding of Immunoproliferative Small Intestinal Disease (IPSID) over Time

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) is an uncommon disease with a higher prevalence in the developing world. IPSID diagnosis relies mainly on a tissue biopsy and a high index of suspicion. Treatment options are variable; however, they mainly include anthracycline-based chemotherapy with or without antibiotics in advanced stages. Because of the paucity of IPSID, our perception of the disease remains narrow, and investigating the optimal lines of therapy and prevention without a complete comprehension of the disease is challenging. In our review, we explore the expansion of knowledge about IPSID, which has been developing over the years, to help increase the detection of IPISD cases and further research the most appropriate lines of therapy and prevention.

Severe enteropathy caused by α-heavy chain disease lacking detectable M-proteins

A 57-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital with diarrhea, weight loss and malabsorption. Due to a high serum IgA level, we suspected α-heavy chain disease (α-HCD). However, no monoclonal IgA was detected on protein electrophoresis or immunofixation. Immunohistochemical staining of intestinal biopsy specimens showed proliferation of CD138(+)IgA(+) cells, compatible with a diagnosis of α-HCD. Most α-HCD patients exhibit M-proteins in the serum on electrophoresis or immunoelectrophoresis; however, some patients lack detectable M-proteins, similar to our patient. Therefore, when α-HCD is suspected based on the clinical features, immunohistochemistry is required to make a diagnosis.

[Alpha heavy chain disease. A Tunisian case]

Alpha heavy chain disease is a rare affection in the West and reported mainly in developing countries with the improvement of hygienic conditions, the disease become rare in Tunisia, the last case was reported in 1991. The aim of the study is to report a new Tunisian case and to describe clinical, endoscopical and histological characteristics of the disease. The patient in a 37 years old male, presented with chronic diarrhoea associated with malabsorption syndrome. The diagnosis of alpha heavy chain disease was confirmed by histological examination of the resected intestine after surgery for intestinal obstruction. The patient received chemotherapy. The follow up is of two months.

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease in Greece: presentation of 13 cases including two from Albania

OBJECTIVES

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) represents a spectrum of clinicopathological entities including alpha-chain disease and other types of lymphoplasmacytic proliferations of the lamina propria of the small intestine, presenting with severe malabsorption. IPSID has been described mainly in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and African countries. It occurs rarely in western countries. We present here our experience from Greece describing some interesting findings in cases diagnosed during the years 1970-2002.

METHODS

Current immunological and immunohistochemical methods for the detection of alpha heavy chains and the presence of clonality have been used to study 13 cases of IPSID diagnosed in Greece, two of whom were Albanian residents.

RESULTS

The patients were categorized in three subgroups of IPSID: alpha-chain disease (n=8), non-alpha chain disease with other monoclonal immunoglobulins (n=3), and polyclonal 'non-malignant' IPSID (n=2). In several patients the disease had unusual features, and this in some cases delayed the diagnosis. In suspected cases it is thus of the utmost importance to proceed to an exploratory laparatomy. Patients with stage C disease had a short survival, whereas two patients with stage A alpha-chain disease responded to treatment with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone, and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicine, vincristine and prednisolone, respectively, have a disease-free long survival of 35 and 12 years, and appear to be cured.

Roles of syndecan-1, bcl6 and p53 in diagnosis and prognostication of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease

AIM: To evaluate roles of syndecan-1, bcl6 and p53 in diagnosis and prognostication of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) and to study profiles of kappa (κ) and lambda (λ) light chains and IgA heavy chain.

METHODS: The study consisted of 11 cases of IPSID and similar number of controls which included 11 of normal intestinal mucosa and 11 of high grade B cell lymphoma of ileum. The parameters analyzed included clinical profiles, biochemical and other laboratory investigations, radiologic and histological findings including immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS: All IPSID cases had demonstrable serum IgA heavy chain and heavy mucosal plasma cell infiltration. According to Galian’s histological staging, there were 4 patients with stage A and 7 with stage B. κ and λ light chains were over-expressed in 7 patients; 1 stage A patient had H pylori-positive active gastritis and eradication of H pylori led to disease remission. Stage A biopsies had higher expression for syndecan-1, while stage B had higher expression for bcl6 and p53. Syndecan-1, κ and λ light chains and IgA heavy chain showed inverse relationship with bcl6 and p53. All patients were treated with doxycycline. CHOP regime was added in 5 patients who developed frank lymphoma. Three died of the disease due to extensive organ infiltration.

CONCLUSION: Certain immunomarkers like syndecan-1, κ and λ light chains and IgA heavy chain could be of much help in identifying early stage IPSID. Stage B IPSID showed higher expression for bcl6 and p53 than stage A IPSID. bcl6 and p53 expressions correlated with a more advanced disease stage and aggressive tumour behavior.

Malassimilationsyndrom

In a young female patient originally coming from Albany, immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) could be diagnosed as a cause for severe maladsorption. Considering clinical and histological criteria an early disease stage of IPSID could be diagnosed. Under the continuous treatment of doxycycline for more than 3 1/2 years, all disease manifestations like watery diarrhea, vomiting, pain in the upper abdomen and loss of weight disappeared. After discontinuation of the antibiotic therapy the patient reached a sustained response.

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease associated with Campylobacter jejuni

BACKGROUND

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (also known as alpha chain disease) is a form of lymphoma that arises in small intestinal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and is associated with the expression of a monotypic truncated immunoglobulin alpha heavy chain without an associated light chain. Early-stage disease responds to antibiotics, suggesting a bacterial origin. We attempted to identify a causative agent.

METHODS

We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical studies on intestinal-biopsy specimens from a series of patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease.

RESULTS

Analysis of frozen intestinal tissue obtained from an index patient with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease who had a dramatic response to antibiotics revealed the presence of Campylobacter jejuni. A follow-up retrospective analysis of archival intestinal-biopsy specimens disclosed campylobacter species in four of six additional patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that campylobacter and immunoproliferative small intestinal disease are associated and that C. jejuni should be added to the growing list of human pathogens responsible for immunoproliferative states.

[Mediterranean lymphoma mimicking Crohn's disease]

We report an uncommon localization of mediterranean lymphoma of the terminal ileum in a 28 year-old male patient. Ultrasound and Computed Tomography showed moderate regular and symmetrical intestinal wall thickening simulating Crohn's disease. We highlight the role of computed tomography in the diagnosis, staging and detection of complications.

Is immunoproliferative small intestinal disease uncommon in India?

Till date only three series of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) describing 22 patients have been reported from India. Seven patients with IPSID in two tertiary referral centers in India are included in the study. Diagnosis was based on typical clinical features [diarrhoea (7/7), weight loss (7/7), clubbing (6/7), fever (3/7), abdominal pain and lump (3/7)], biochemical evidence of malabsorption and duodenal biopsy findings. All patients were young males (mean age 29.8 +/- 11.8 years, range 17-53). Atypical features included gastric involvement (1/7), colonic involvement (1/7) and appearance of pigmented nails following anti-cancer chemotherapy (1/7) which disappeared six months after omitting doxorubin from chemotherapy regimen. Parasitic infestation was common. Ascaris lumbricoides (1/7), Giardia lamblia and hookworm (1/7), Strongyloides stercoralis and Trichuris trichura (1/7). In the latter patient S. stercoralis became disseminated after anti-malignant chemotherapy. One patient had gastric H. pylori infection. Four of the seven patients who were misdiagnosed as tropical sprue were treated with tetracycline. This raises doubt on efficacy of tetracycline alone in treatment of IPSID. One other patient was misdiagnosed and treated as intestinal tuberculosis. Early diagnosis and administration of chemotherapy may improve survival in this disease.

Pigmented nails and Strongyloides stercoralis infestation causing clinical worsening in a patient treated for immunoproliferative small intestinal disease: two unusual observations

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) is commonly reported from developing countries with poor socioeconomic conditions, hygiene, and high frequency of gastrointestinal infections and infestations. The disease requires anti-malignant chemotherapy in lymphomatous stage. Reported here is a 20-year old man with IPSID lymphoma who responded to anti-malignant chemotherapy initially, but later deteriorated due to Strongyloides stercoralis infestation, which was treated successfully with mebendazole. Importance of an early recognition and adequate treatment for gastrointestinal infections and infestations before anti-malignant chemotherapy for this disease is highlighted considering the occurrence of this disease in the developing world. The patient developed alternate brown black and white lines in the finger nails after combination chemotherapy, which has not been reported earlier in this disease; the nail changes disappeared 6 months after the withdrawal of doxorubicin suggesting this drug as the cause for such nail changes during anti-malignant combination chemotherapy.

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease in South India: a clinical and immunomorphological study

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID), a proliferative disorder affecting the intestinal immune system, has only been reported sporadically in India. Fifteen patients with malabsorption syndrome who were diagnosed to have IPSID were included in this study. Mucosal biopsies from all patients, full thickness surgical biopsies from 10 and autopsy material from four patients were examined by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry. The patients were predominantly young (aged 16-36 years) and male (13 of 15). Diarrhoea, weight loss, vomiting and abdominal pain were the major symptoms. The upper small bowel was involved in all cases. Involvement of large bowel was detected antemortem in three patients, but was found in all autopsied patients. Involvement of the stomach was noted in one patient at autopsy. Mesenteric lymph nodes were involved in all patients who underwent laparotomy. The plasmacytic infiltrate was uniformly positive for alpha-heavy chain, and either negative for light chain production or showed monotypic light chain production. Some of the blasts were also positive for alpha-heavy chain. Three patients died before therapy could be commenced. One patient with stage A disease is alive and clinically free of disease at 7 years. Of the remainder, there have been four long-term survivors with chemotherapy. Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease occurs in southern India and has characteristics similar to that in other parts of the world. Early diagnosis may improve outcome in this disease.

Five-year results of the treatment of 23 patients with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease: a Turkish experience

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is no agreement regarding optimal treatment strategies for immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID). In this article, the authors report the treatment outcomes of a group of 23 Turkish patients with IPSID.

METHODS

Between December 1988 and July 1993, 23 consecutive patients with IPSID, including 5 with secretory type, were included in the study. Seven patients with Stage A disease (according to the criteria of Galien et al.) received tetracycline (1 g/day, orally) for a median duration of 7 months (range, 6-11 months) initially, whereas the remaining patients (9 Stage B patients and 7 Stage C patients) received combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisolone [COPP regimen]) followed by tetracycline at a dose of 1 g/day for 6 more months in patients with complete response (CR) after the COPP regimen.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 68 months (range, 38-89 months). As first-line therapy in Stage A patients, tetracycline yielded a 71% CR and 43% disease free survival (DFS) rate. Eleven of 16 patients (69%) with Stage B or C disease who received the COPP regimen achieved CR and only 2 patients had a recurrence (DFS rate of 56%). The 5-year overall survival (OAS) rate for the entire group was 70%, and the 5-year DFS rate for patients with CR was 75%. However, the median OAS for 3 patients with immunoblastic lymphoma was only 7 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The COPP regimen, with its acceptable toxicity, appears to be a good alternative as a first-line treatment for patients with Stage B or C IPSID with low grade lymphoma whereas tetracycline appears to be the initial treatment of choice for patients with Stage A disease.

"Mediterranean lymphoma" treated with antibiotics

We report a case of Mediterranean lymphoma treated with antibiotics. A 74-year-old woman visited the hospital due to abdominal pain. Endoscopic examination showed erosions and ulcerations on duodenal mucosa. Biopsy specimens histologically revealed massive infiltration of small-sized lymphocytes and plasma cells in subepithelial mucosa. Immunoperoxidase staining showed that the infiltrating cells were positively stained with anti-alpha heavy chain. Serum IgA concentration was elevated and immunoelectrophoresis of the serum demonstrated monoclonal protein composed of alpha heavy chain. During the antibiotic treatment her symptoms disappeared and serum IgA concentration was normalized. Endoscopic examination also showed healing of the duodenal ulceration. The similarities between Mediterranean lymphoma and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type lymphoma, both of which may be related to bacterial infection and can be treated with antibiotics, are discussed in this report.

Chemotherapy of Mediterranean abdominal lymphoma. Retrospective comparison of chemotherapy protocols in Iranian patients

Retrospectively, 41 Iranian patients with Mediterranean abdominal lymphoma (MAL) were studied; 21 patients had received anthracycline-based protocols, and 20 patients had been treated with regimens lacking anthracyclines. The study groups were comparable with respect to several factors, including age, performance status, histology of lymphoma, stage of disease, and the average relative dose intensity of their protocols. Our first group had a complete remission (CR) rate of 62%, mean disease-free interval (DFI) of 16.3 months and a 71% overall survival at 30 months. The second group showed a CR rate of 40%, mean DFI of 11.2 months, and a 35% overall survival at 30 months. The differences were significant in survival (P = .012) and DFI (p < .001). The incidence of serious toxicities and complications was similar.

Clinicopathological features and management of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease and primary small intestinal lymphoma in Pakistan

This study was performed to confirm the existence of immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) in Pakistan. Clinicopathological features of 12 patients with histologically confirmed disease were analysed. Patients were mostly young males with median age of 24.6 years. Two thirds belonged to poor socioeconomic class. Main presenting features were chronic diarrhoea and weight loss. Eleven patients had radiologic evidence of malabsorption syndrome. Endoscopic findings of mucosal thickening, edema, and flattened villi were present in the majority. Patients had both secretory and non-secretory types of disease. Six patients presented with stage A disease. Four responded to antibiotics or steroids, although mucosal abnormalities persisted in three. Two stage A patients evolved into stage C disease, one was lost to follow-up, the other is alive with disease. Three patients presented with stage B disease. Two responded completely to chemotherapy, the third refused treatment and expired after 16 months. Three patients had stage C disease at diagnosis. They received aggressive combination chemotherapy and remain in complete remission with a median follow-up of 2.2 years. This is the first series of patients with IPSID reported from Pakistan. Clinicopathological features and therapeutic results are consistent with the experience elsewhere. Increased awareness may result in early diagnosis and better management.

[Primary immunoproliferative small intestinal disease]

We report two cases of Primary small Intestinal Lymphoma (IPSID), in adults. The clinical presentation was, watery diarrhea and weight loss. The histology of this cases was non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and the treatment was chemotherapy.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in Turkey: eighteen years' experience at the Hacettepe University

In this retrospective study, 470 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who had been followed in the Hacettepe University Medical Oncology Department between 1973 and 1990, were evaluated to establish their epidemiologic, clinical and therapeutic characteristics. Out of 470 patients, 302 (62.2%) were male and 168 (37.8%) were female. The ages ranged from 16 to 85, with a median of 44 years. Constitutional symptoms were present in 46.4% of the patients. According to the Working Formulation, low, intermediate, and high-grade lymphomas comprised 33.4%, 54.9%, and 12.7%, respectively. The most common extranodal presentation was gastrointestinal. The chemotherapy regimens most commonly used were CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone), BCNOP (bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, vincristine, prednisone), CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and CHOP-Bleo (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, bleomycin). The response rates and the survival figures attained with these regimens were not statistically significantly different (P > 0.05). In the Cox multivariate model, pathologic grade, leukopenia, responsiveness to chemotherapy, bone marrow involvement and age were the important factors influencing the disease-free survival, while responsiveness to chemotherapy, age, presence of constitutional symptoms, pathologic grade, extranodal presentation and stage were the important factors influencing the overall survival. The distribution of NHL according to grade and stage was similar to that in western societies, while constitutional symptoms and lymphomas of the small intestine including immunoproliferative small intestinal disease were more common in Turkey.

[Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID): an unusual form of gastrointestinal lymphoma]

Worsening of long-lasting diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and weight loss were main symptoms in a 27-year-old Moroccan woman who had lived in Germany for 18 years. Pseudomonas, salmonella and lamblia cysts were found in stools. Histological examination of the gastrointestinal tract showed immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID), characterized by atrophy of the villi and lymphoplasmocytic infiltrates. alpha 1-heavy chains were found immunohistologically in the biopsy specimen, but not in serum, urine or jejunal juice. HLA-typing gave evidence of A9. Antibiotic treatment was successful for almost one year. Clinical, histological and immunological diagnosis of IPSID in an African woman living for nearly 20 years in Europe shows that, besides environmental factors, genetic disposition is an essential factor in the development of IPSID.

Primary small-intestinal lymphomas in Taiwan: immunoproliferative small-intestinal disease and nonimmunoproliferative small-intestinal disease

PURPOSE

The clinicopathologic findings in 45 adult Chinese patients with primary small-intestinal lymphoma (PSIL) are described and compared with those in Western countries and in underdeveloped nations. The efficacy of combination chemotherapy is also assessed.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

Six patients had immunoproliferative small-intestinal disease (IPSID) indicated by the presence of alpha-heavy chain protein (alpha-CP) in body fluids or tumor tissues. Thirty-nine patients had non-IPSID, including one with postrenal transplant lymphoma. Thirty-three non-IPSID patients received a minimum of four cycles of combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP).

RESULTS

All IPSID patients presented with the clinical and laboratory features of severe intestinal malabsorption, and all had diffuse lymphoplasmacytic infiltration in the mucosa of the small bowel. Lymphomas were localized mainly in the jejunum and mesenteric nodes. The histologic subtypes were diffuse large cell in two, immunoblastic in three, and diffuse mixed in one. All patients responded poorly to chemotherapy, with a median survival duration of 10.5 months. The common presenting symptoms of the 39 non-IPSID patients included abdominal pain (90%), weight loss (31%), abdominal mass (26%), obstruction (26%), and perforation (23%). Diffuse large-cell and immunoblastic lymphomas constituted 82% of cases. Four patients had stage IE, 19 stage II 1E, and 16 stage 112E disease according to the Musshoff's criteria; 22 had bulky tumors and 19 had multiple tumors. The tumors were completely resected in 14 patients. Of 33 patients treated with combination chemotherapy, 73% achieved a complete remission. With a median follow-up duration of 90 months, there have been four relapses, with only one at the primary tumor site. The overall 5-year survival and disease-free survival rates for non-IPSID patients who were treated with chemotherapy were 59% and 54%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Intensive chemotherapy produces long-term disease-free survival in locally advanced non-IPSID PSIL.

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) in Thailand

Immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) is prevalent in the Mediterranean region and in many Third World countries but is rare in Southeast Asia. Between 1980-1990, 4 cases of IPSID were admitted to Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok. Three were males and the mean age was 32 +/- 20.2 years. All patients presented with chronic diarrhea of 7 months to 6 years duration, and weight loss of 15 to 31 kg. All were malnourished, three cachectic, and one patient showed growth retardation. Intestinal parasites were found in all cases: two had multiple infections and three had uncommon protozoal infections (coccidium, cryptosporidium). Barium radiographs revealed intestinal mucosal fold thickening with malabsorption pattern in all cases. Alpha chain IgA was detected in one patient. The remainder underwent exploratory laparotomy and the histological finding was of plasma lymphocytic infiltration of the small intestinal mucosa. All patients responded to oral tetracycline with complete remission occurring in one case. During the follow-up period, 3 cases had progressive retractable clinical courses but all died 2 to 5 years after the diagnosis. The causes of death in these patients were secondary bacterial infection (1 case), intestinal tuberculosis (1 case), fungal infection (1 case) and immunoblastic sarcoma in another case. The results of this study confirm the occurrence of IPSID in Thailand. IPSID responds to oral antibiotic therapy and complete remission may be achieved during the early reversible benign phase, thus an awareness of its occurrence is of clinical importance.

The malignant lymphomas in Africa

Africa, the "dark continent" and the source of such wonderful tales as King Solomon's Mines and Jock of the Bushveld, has an equally enthralling story to tell about malignant disease in general and the lymphomas in particular as they occur among its varied people. It is uncertain how far back in history contact existed with the rest of the world, primarily in the form of slave trading and colonization by, among others, the Portuguese and the British. Until recent times, however, Africa's secrets have remained largely undisturbed. Fragments of medical information are recorded in the diaries of those early, intrepid explorers, such as Albert Cook, Henry Stanley, David Livingstone, and Albert Schweitzer. However, it is only in recent years that the great natural experiments that have for so long been underestimated, and very much less understood, belatedly started to attract attention. Examples are the systematic studies by Denis Burkitt, who through perseverance unraveled the lymphoma that now bears his name, and the thought-provoking description of the immunoproliferative small intestinal disease carried out by the Cape Town group, with both illustrating the axiom that "the study of man is man." Despite such occasional outstanding achievements, there is still considerable paucity of data pertaining to the various lymphoreticular malignancies, so that only limited conclusions are possible. Certainly, lymphoma in Africa differs from that elsewhere in the world. In part, this may reflect a background of immunologic disturbance attributable to parasitic infestation, viral infection, rampant malnutrition, and the impact of a wide variety of vectors, such as mosquitoes, in disease transmission. Striking differences exist in the distribution of these tumors as the incidence and pattern are followed from the equator to the milder climates in the south. This confirmed phenomenon gives rise to the tantalizing suggestion that, to some significant extent, the changes reflect the influence of geography. Thus, there may be associated alterations in the fauna and flora that determine the presence of intermediary hosts that have an impact on the eventual expression of the malignant clone. Many questions remain unanswered. For example, how can the lower incidence of Hodgkin's disease and the predominance of high-grade malignancies in the tropics and subtropics be explained? To what extent does the lymphocytic and plasmacytic hyperplasia, ascribed to intense antigenic stimulus in Burkitt's lymphoma and myeloma--perhaps even other lymphomas, such as IPSID--predispose the host to a mutational event that leads to the emergence of each distinctive neoplasm?(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Plasma postheparin diamine oxidase in patients with small intestinal lymphoma

Diamine oxidase (DAO) is an enzyme located almost exclusively in villus tip enterocytes. Its plasma activity is enhanced by intravenous heparin which releases the enzymes from small bowel enterocytes into the blood. Plasma postheparin DAO (PHD) values have been shown to be significantly lower in patients with malabsorption and villous atrophy, thus suggesting that PHD reflects the mature enterocytic mass. In this study we have assayed PHD in five patients with small bowel lymphoma (two with immunoproliferative small intestinal disease [IPSID] and three with non-IPSID lymphoma) associated with malabsorption syndrome and small bowel mucosa atrophy. The PHD test was performed at diagnosis, after partial or complete remission induced by chemotherapy, and during the follow-up. The PHD values, very low at diagnosis (0.66 +/- 0.12 U/ml), increased during chemotherapy and reached the normal range (greater than 3.7 U/ml) when complete remission occurred. The PHD values rapidly and consistently decreased whenever the disease relapsed. Our data indicate that in patients with small bowel lymphoma PHD test is a sensitive marker of small bowel mucosa damage and suggest that it could be useful in monitoring the recovery of mucosal lesions induced by chemotherapy.

Treatment of alpha chain disease. Results of a prospective study in 21 Tunisian patients by the Tunisian-French intestinal Lymphoma Study Group

Between 1981 and 1985, the authors studied 21 Tunisian patients with alpha chain disease. Twenty of 21 underwent laparotomy. According to Galian et al. six patients were classified Stage A, two Stage B, and 13 Stage C. The therapeutic regimen included the following: (1) Antibiotics: In the case of intestinal bacterial overgrowth (IBO), antibiotics selected by their antibiograms were delivered; in absence of IBO, metronidazole plus ampicillin were first given. The antibiotic treatment was changed in case of therapeutic failure. (2) Chemotherapy: From 1981 to 1983 a cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin), teniposide (VM-26), prednisone (CHVP) protocol (Adriamycin 35 mg/m2, teniposide 50 mg/m2 day 2, cyclophosphamide 300 mg/m2 days 2 through 4, prednisone 40 mg/m2 days 1 through 10) was used. After 1983 bleomycin 15 mg, Adriamycin 30 mg, vinblastine 10 mg were given on day 15. Serum immunoelectrophoresis and immunohistochemical study of duodenojejunal specimens were made on a 3-month and 6-month basis, respectively. Survival curve analysis was made according to Kaplan and Meier. Results were as follows: (1) Stage A: Six patients were first treated by antibiotics alone; two complete responses (CR) persisting 42 and 55 months later were observed, respectively. The four antibiotic failures were submitted to further chemotherapy with four subsequent failures and two deaths. (2) Stage B-C: Chemotherapy led to nine CR with one precocious relapse, a salvage chemotherapy allowing to one more CR. (3) All stages mixed, percentage of survival reached 90 +/- 12% at 2 years and 67 +/- 25% at 3 years, all patients alive beyond 3.5 years being disease-free.

Diffuse small intestinal lymphoid infiltration in nonimmunodeficient adults from Western Europe

In two white adults born, raised, and living in central France and presenting with long-lasting malabsorption, massive and diffuse lymphoid infiltrate of the lamina propria associated with crypt scarcity was found along the whole small bowel. It was mostly composed of mature lymphocytes, focally mixed with plasma cells and reactive germinal centers. There was no evidence of celiac disease, systemic or intestinal immune deficiency or alpha-chain disease, overt lymphoid malignancy, or stagnant-loop syndrome. By immunofluorescence the infiltrate was constituted in 1 case of polyclonal B cells and, in the other, of a large majority of T11, T8, T10, and class II-positive T cells associated with a population of monotypic B cells. A gluten-free diet and parenteral nutrition proved ineffective. A dramatic and protracted clinical response was observed in both patients after the onset of oral tetracycline therapy, and still persists after 8 and 5.5 yr, respectively, together with morphologically unchanged small bowel infiltrate. These cases may be the equivalents, in people from Western developed countries, of the predominantly lymphocytic variety of the immunoproliferative small intestinal disease described in people from developing countries.

Clinical and pathological evolution of alpha chain disease to immunoblastic lymphoma and response to COMP chemotherapy

A small adolescent with alpha heavy chain disease presenting as malabsorption and evolving to immunoblastic lymphoma is reported. The pathological evolution is documented by serial endoscopy and small intestinal biopsy. Clinical and pathological remission was obtained by the use of COMP combination chemotherapy.

Malabsorption associated with nonmalignant immunoproliferative small intestinal disease

Two cases of nonmalignant immunoproliferative small intestinal disease (IPSID) presenting with severe malabsorption are described. The first patient had a lymphocytic infiltrate of the lamina propria and lymphoid hyperplasia of the mesenteric lymph nodes and responded to oral tetracycline. The second patient had a polyclonal plasmacytic infiltration of the lamina propria and of the mesenteric nodes and responded only to cytotoxic treatment with cyclophosphamide. These cases represent examples of non-alpha-chain disease benign IPSID.