The Use of Tissue Concentrations of Biological and Small-Molecule Therapies in Clinical Studies of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

The introduction of biological therapies has revolutionized inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management. A critical consideration in developing these therapies is ensuring adequate drug concentrations at the site of action. While blood-based biomarkers have shown limited utility in optimizing treatment (except for TNF-alpha inhibitors and thiopurines), tissue drug concentrations may offer valuable insights.

Scheimpflug Tomography as a Predictor of Corneal Edema After Phacoemulsification in Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy.

Purpose: To determine if Scheimpflug tomography pachymetry map and posterior elevation map patterns can predict the occurrence of corneal edema following uneventful phacoemulsification surgery in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD).

Design: Observational prospective case-control study.

Participants: Fifty FECD eyes (50 patients) with visually significant cataract: 25 with subclinical corneal edema (SCE) versus 25 without SCE.

Uphill battle: Innovation of thiopurine therapy in global inflammatory bowel disease care.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that encompasses two major conditions: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Historically, IBD has been primarily reported in western countries, but over the past decades, its prevalence is rapidly increasing, especially in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as India and China and also in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of IBD in LMICs has been the subject of growing concern due to the impact of access to public healthcare and the burden it places on healthcare resources.

Long-Term Effects of Pulmonary Endarterectomy on Right Ventricular Stiffness and Fibrosis in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: Surgical removal of thromboembolic material by pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) leads within months to the improvement of right ventricular (RV) function in the majority of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. However, RV mass does not always normalize. It is unknown whether incomplete reversal of RV remodeling results from extracellular matrix expansion (diffuse interstitial fibrosis) or cellular hypertrophy, and whether residual RV remodeling relates to altered diastolic function.

The Effectiveness and Safety of First-Line Thioguanine in Thiopurine-Naïve Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background: Currently thioguanine is solely used as treatment for inflammatory bowel disease after azathioprine and/or mercaptopurine failure. This study aimed to determine the safety, effectiveness, and 12-month drug survival of thioguanine in thiopurine-naïve patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in thiopurine-naïve patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with thioguanine as first thiopurine derivate.

[Break the taboos on alcohol abstinence: is it time for the #StopSoberShaming initiative in the Netherlands?].

The consumption of alcohol is an important part of social life in the Netherlands. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to harmful health effects and significant costs for society. The consumption of alcohol has decreased the last couple of years in the Netherlands due to governmental policies and more awareness on the harmful effects of alcohol.

Role of IL-17A in enhancing liver fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 and IL-13 in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice.

Schistosoma mansoni liver fibrosis is a complicated multicellular process involving numerous cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-1) and interleukin (IL)-13 have been identified as critical pro-fibrotic mediators in many studies. IL-17A was linked to enhanced TGF- and IL-13-induced pathologies.

Safety of Thioguanine in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multi-Center Case Series.

Objectives: Thioguanine (TG) has been shown as a safe alternative in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who did not tolerate conventional thiopurines [azathioprine (AZA)/mercaptopurine]. However, data in pediatric IBD are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to assess the safety of TG as maintenance therapy.

The association between radiological spreading pattern and clinical outcomes in necrotizing external otitis.

Objectives: Necrotizing external otitis (NEO) is a rare infectious disease of the skull base. The purpose of this study was to determine whether clinical outcomes of NEO can be correlated to different infectious spread patterns.

Methods: Retrospective chart review from 2010 to 2019 with NEO patients, who were divided into two cohorts: single spreading patterns (group A) or complex spreading patterns (group B) as diagnosed by CT.

Functionalized Graphene Oxide with Chitosan for Dopamine Biosensing.

Detecting biological structures via a rapid and facile method has become a pronounced point of research. Dopamine (DA) detection is critical for the early diagnosis of a variety of neurological diseases/disorders. A study on the real-time optical detection of DA is described here using graphene oxide (GO) functionalized with chitosan (Cs).

Sigmoid Volvulus in Myotonic Dystrophy Type I (Steinert Disease).

Myotonic dystrophy (MD) is a progressive multisystem genetic disorder that is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and wasting. MD1 (also known as Steinert disease) is associated with various clinical entities such as skeletal muscle weakness, myotonia, cardiac abnormalities, respiratory dysfunction, gastrointestinal involvement, and cognitive impairment. In this case report, we present a 32-year-old woman with MD1 who presented with a sigmoid volvulus, which was treated with endoscopic decompression.

Development of a liquid phase radioimmunoassay for the measurement of serum ferritin levels for the detection of Covid-19 in patients.

The aim of this study was the development and analytically validation of a radioimmunoassay system for the measurement of the serum ferritin concentration as one of the laboratory biomarkers for infection by Covid-19. The main components of the system were prepared in our laboratories. The first component ferritin was extracted and purified from human spleen with high purity.

MicroRNAs as biomarkers in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: A systematic review of recent clinical evidence.

Objectives: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) is a subtype of stroke associated with high mortality and devastating disabilities. Therefore, identifying non-invasive biomarkers for SICH would have a tremendous clinical impact. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding single-stranded RNAs containing 21-23 nucleotides that control the activity of various protein-coding genes through post-transcriptional repression.

Endoscopic procedure as a diagnostic tool for intestinal parasitic pathological changes.

Parasitic infections of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) may cause severe morbidity and even death in untreated patients. In certain cases, endoscopy may be the only possible option for diagnosis and management of GIT parasitic diseases. This study aimed to elucidate the role of endoscopy in the identification of GIT pathological changes during parasitic infections.

Azathioprine with Allopurinol Is a Promising First-Line Therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Background: Beneficial response to first-line immunosuppressive azathioprine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is low due to high rates of adverse events. Co-administrating allopurinol has been shown to improve tolerability. However, data on this co-therapy as first-line treatment are scarce.

Intramuscular corticosteroid injections in seasonal allergic rhinitis: A systematic review.

Objective: Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) is an exaggerated immunological reaction to allergens (pollen) in the air. In a small subgroup of patients, SAR can be difficult to control with first-line therapy. Intramuscular corticosteroid injections (IMCIs) are an additional treatment in this subgroup of SAR patients.

Advances in Thiopurine Drug Delivery: The Current State-of-the-Art.

Thiopurines (mercaptopurine, azathioprine and thioguanine) are well-established maintenance treatments for a wide range of diseases such as leukemia, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in general. Worldwide, millions of patients are treated with thiopurines. The use of thiopurines has been limited because of off-target effects such as myelotoxicity and hepatotoxicity.