INTRODUCTION. Indians are more likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis compared to Caucasians, though the cause remains obscure. North Indians tend to consume more alcohol than other parts of the country. Genetic factors are likely to play a major role in these observations. This study investigated whether 10 different polymorphisms were associated with alcohol dependence and/or cirrhosis in Nort...

OBJECTIVE To present a new theory on the pathogenesis of acute alcoholic pancreatitis based on experimental data, the significance of which has not been recognized, and on evidence from the current literature. HYPOTHESIS That chronic alcoholism damages muscarinic receptors in the pancreas, duodenum, and Oddi sphincter, producing heightened sensitivity to acetylcholine, stimulation of protein-...

A 24-year old female patient with the history of pressure ulcers in distal extremities resulted in severe deformity will be reported. Her disease started when she was 9 years old and a similar history was found in her brother. In physical examination, pain and temperature sensations were impaired in distal extremities. Nerve conduction velocity showed impaired sensory and normal motor responses...

OBJECTIVE Alcoholic neuropathy is characterized by allodynia (a discomfort evoked by normally innocuous stimuli), hyperalgesia (an exaggerated pain in response to painful stimuli) and spontaneous burning pain. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of rolipram, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, against alcohol-induced neuropathy in rats. METHODS Allodynia was induced by admi...

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an inherited metabolic disease that can affect the autonomic, peripheral and central nervous systems. Pancreatic diseases assocated with AIP is rarely reported. We report here a 60-year-old non-alcoholic male who had typical manifestations of AIP, including abdominal pain, constipation, tachycardia, hypertension, mental disturbances, psychiatric manifestati...