Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 7, 2008; 14(45): 6975-6980
Published online Dec 7, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.6975
Clinical outcome of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome mimicking acute biliary disease
Seong Yong Woo, Jin Il Kim, Dae Young Cheung, Se Hyun Cho, Soo-Heon Park, Joon-Yeol Han, Jae Kwang Kim
Seong Yong Woo, Jin Il Kim, Dae Young Cheung, Se Hyun Cho, Soo-Heon Park, Joon-Yeol Han, Jae Kwang Kim, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 150-713, South Korea
Author contributions: Woo SY contributed to conception, design, data collection and manuscript development; Kim JI contributed to conception, design, data analysis, manuscript development and final approval of the article; Cheung DY contributed to critical revision and coordination of the study; Cho SH contributed to critical revision and coordination of the study; Park SH contributed to critical revision; Han JY contributed to Participation in the study; Kim JK participation in the study.
Supported by The Catholic University of Korea
Correspondence to: Jin Il Kim, MD, PhD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, the Catholic University of Korea, #62, St. Mary’s Hospital, Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul 150-713, South Korea. jikim@catholic.ac.kr
Telephone: +82-2-37791328 Fax: +82-2-37791331
Received: September 17, 2008
Revised: October 30, 2008
Accepted: November 6, 2008
Published online: December 7, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome.

METHODS: The clinical courses of patients that visited St. Mary’s Hospital with abdominal pain from January 2005 to December 2006 and were diagnosed with Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome were examined.

RESULTS: Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome was identified in 22 female patients of childbearing age; their mean age was 31.0 ± 8.1 years. Fourteen of these cases presented with pain in the upper right abdomen alone or together with pain in the lower abdomen, and six patients presented with pain only in the lower abdomen. The first impression at the time of visit was acute cholecystitis or cholangitis in 10 patients and acute appendicitis or pelvic inflammatory disease in eight patients. Twenty-one patients were diagnosed by abdominal computer tomography (CT), and the results of abdominal sonography were normal for 10 of these patients. Chlamydia trichomatis was isolated from 18 patients. Two patients underwent laparoscopic adhesiotomy and 20 patients were completely cured by antibiotic treatment.

CONCLUSION: For women of childbearing age with acute pain in the upper right abdomen alone or together with pain in the lower abdomen, Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome should be considered during differential diagnosis. Moreover, in cases suspected to be Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome, abdominal CT, rather than abdominal sonography, assists in the diagnosis.

Keywords: Chlamydia trichomatis; Abdominal pain; Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome