Prevalence of Bowel Symptoms in Patients Infected with Human T-Lymphotropic type 1 Virus

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Tatiane Souza Soares Oliveira, Rosana Cristina Pereira de Andrade, Dislene Nascimento dos Santos, Keith Froes Orrico, José Abraão Neto, Cassius José Vitor de Oliveira, Paulo Novis Rocha, Edgar Marcelino de Carvalho
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2019
• Subjects: Human T-lymphotropic virus 1; Constipation; Neurogenic Bowel; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0486-2018; https://doaj.org/article/aada8c66361c47a1b743c26b657f2765

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Bowel dysfunction is frequent in patients with spinal cord diseases, but little is known about the prevalence of bowel symptoms in human T-lymphotropic virus-(HTLV-1) infected individuals. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of bowel symptoms in HTLV-1 infected individuals and their correlation with the degree of neurologic disease. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study comparing the frequency of bowel symptoms in HTLV-1-infected individuals* and seronegative donors (controls). Patients answered a questionnaire, the Rome III Criteria was applied, and stool consistency was evaluated by the Bristol Stool Form Scale. The individuals were classified as HTLV-1 carriers, probable HTLV-1 myelopathy and definitive HTLV-1 associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis (definitive HAM / TSP)**. RESULTS: We studied 72 HTLV-1 infected individuals and 72 controls with equal age and gender distribution. Constipation was the most frequent complaint, occurring in 38 % of HTLV-1 individuals and in 15 % of the controls. In comparison to the seronegative controls, the probability of constipation occurrence was approximately 18 times higher in definitive HAM / TSP patients. Straining, lumpy or hard stools, sensation of anorectal obstruction/blockage, fewer than 3 defecations per week, flatulence, soiling, evacuation pain, and bleeding were also more frequent in the HTLV-1 patients than in the controls. Moreover, bowel symptoms were more frequent in patients with definitive or probable HAM / TSP than in carriers. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel symptoms were more frequent in HTLV-1-infected patients than in seronegative controls and the frequency of bowel symptoms correlated with the severity of neurologic disease.