Duodenitis (patient information)

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Duodenitis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for duodenitis?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief: Jinhui Wu, M.D.

Overview

Duodenitis is an inflammation of the inner lining of duodenum, which is connected directly to the stomach. It is usually associated with another gastrointestinal disorder. Some drugs, such as aspirin and NSAIDs, stress, irritative diet and alcohol abuse, and H. pylori or giardia infection appears to play a role in causing duodenitis. Signs and symptoms vary widely. Some may experience stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, even bleeding from the intestine. Endoscopy and biopsy are very valuable for the diagnosis of duodenitis. Treatments include medications to protect the lining of the duodenum and surgery to decrease acid secretion. The prognosis of duodenitis is good. The rehabilitation time of the lining of the duodenum depends on the treatment effectiveness for the underlying cause of the duodenitis.

What are the symptoms of duodenitis?

Signs and symptoms vary widely. Some patients do not have any symptoms. Some may experience the following symptoms:

• Stomach pain or chest pain or back pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of weight
• Bleeding from the intestine
• Intestinal obstruction: rarely

Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

What causes duodenitis?

There are many things that can cause duodenitis.

• High acid secretion, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
• Some drugs, such as aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs)
• Stress
• Irritative diet
• Alcohol abuse
• H. pylori or giardia infection

Diagnosis

• Endoscopy and biopsy: It is the main test used to diagnose duodenitis when people have certain risk factors or when signs and symptoms suggest this disease may be present. After you are sedated (made sleepy), an endoscope which is a thin, flexible, lighted tube was passed down your throat. Then the doctor can view the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum. The abnormal areas may show as redness, nodules, or eroded areas in the wall of the small intestine. Tissue samples can be obtained through the endoscope and be checked under a microscope to detect the character.
• Blood test, including complete blood count，is needed.
• Stool test: Sometimes occult blood in the stool may be checked.

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call your health care provider if symptoms of duodenitis develop. If you experience either of the following symptoms, seeking urgent medical care as soon as possible:

• Severe stomach pain
• Bleeding from the intestine

Treatment options

Treatment for duodenitis usually involves therapy for the accompanying gastrointestinal disorder. Usual treatments include medication and surgery.

• Eliminate risk factors: Stop alcohol and caffeine intake. Medications that may irritate the gastrointestinal tract, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be curtailed or discontinued.
• Antacid drugs, such as H2 receptor blockers (ranitidine or cimetidine) or proton pump inhibitors (PPI), may be beneficial to protect the lining of the duodenum.
• Treatment H. pylori or giardia infections: These infections can be treated by using appropriate antibiotic therapy.
• Surgery: Surgical intervention may include cutting the vagus nerve fibers that control digestive acid secretion (vagotomy), surgical removal of a portion of the stomach (gastrectomy), or opening the valve between the stomach and duodenum (pyloroplasty).

Where to find medical care for duodenitis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating duodenitis

Prevention

• Avoid prolonged use of aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. If these drugs must continue, using histamine-receptor antagonists or proton pump inhibitors (PPI) may be helpful.
• Avoidance irritative diet and alcohol.
• Learn to lighten stress and relax.

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

General speaking, the prognosis of duodenitis is good. The rehabilitation time of the lining of the duodenum depends on the treatment effectiveness for the underlying cause of the duodenitis.

Sources

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