Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are classified into two entities, namely Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), which differ in disease trajectories, genetics, epidemiological, clinical, endoscopic, and histopathological aspects. As no single golden standard modality for diagnosing IBD exists, the differential diagnosis among UC, CD, and non-IBD involves a multidisciplinary approach, considering professional groups that include gastroenterologists, endoscopists, radiologists, and pathologists. In this context, histological examination of endoscopic or surgical specimens plays a fundamental role.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAchalasia is a rare and complex esophageal disease of unknown etiology characterized by difficulty in swallowing due to the lack of opening of the lower esophageal sphincter and the absence of esophageal peristalsis. Recent advancements in technology for analyzing DNA, RNA and biomolecules in high-throughput techniques are offering new opportunities to better understand the etiology and the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying achalasia. Through this narrative review of the scientific literature, we aim to provide a comprehensive assessment of the state-of-the-art knowledge on omics of achalasia, with particular attention to those considered relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVarious extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as drug exposures, antibiotic treatments, smoking, lifestyle, genetics, immune responses, and the gut microbiome characterize ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, collectively called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). All these factors contribute to the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease etiology and pathogenesis leading to major challenges for the scientific community in improving management, medical treatments, genetic risk, and exposome impact. Understanding the interaction(s) among these factors and their effects on the immune system in IBD patients has prompted advances in multi-omics research, the development of new tools as part of system biology, and more recently, artificial intelligence (AI) approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExercise tolerance test gives important diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic information in hypertensive patients. One hundred essential hypertensive patients were treated with enalapril: 10 mg/day, ketanserin: 40 mg/day and associated enalapril: 5mg/day + ketanserin: 20 mg/day for three different periods of three months for each one, with a wash-out period of 15 days after each therapeutic cycle. We used ACE and ketanserin because they have a hypotensive effect without developing tolerance, metabolic effects, rebound events in case of sudden interruption.
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