miR-155 and miR-21 as Diagnostic and Therapeutic Biomarkers for Ulcerative Colitis: There Is Still a Long Way to Go.

(1) Elucidating the role of miRNAs (miRs) in ulcerative colitis may provide new insights into disease pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring We aimed to investigate whether plasma levels of miR-21-5p and miR-155-5p may be used to differentiate between patients with organic disease such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), and patients with functional disease such as irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). (2) Serological samples were collected to quantify miR-155 and -21 expression, which was carried out through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), from 84 patients: 34 with acute UC (group 1), 17 with CDI (group 2), and 33 with IBS-D (control group). (3) In this study, we found that the expression levels of miR-155-5p were almost the same for the two conditions and the control group (UC: 4.

COVID-19 and Coinfection Analysis in the Intensive Care Unit.

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019, the global mortality attributable to COVID-19 has reached 6,972,152 deaths according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The association between coinfection with (CDI) and SARS-CoV-2 has limited data in the literature. This retrospective study, conducted at Mureș County Clinical Hospital in Romania, involved 3002 ICU patients.

Non-Invasive Diagnostic of NAFLD in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Risk Stratification: Strengths and Limitations.

The progressive potential of liver damage in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) towards advanced fibrosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocarcinoma has led to increased concern for quantifying liver injury and individual risk assessment. The combination of blood-based markers and imaging techniques is recommended for the initial evaluation in NAFLD and for regular monitoring to evaluate disease progression. Continued development of ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging methods for accurate quantification of liver steatosis and fibrosis, as well as promising tools for the detection of high-risk NASH, have been noted.

Long-Term Radiological Pulmonary Changes in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Respiratory Failure due to SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

From the first reports of SARS-CoV-2, at the end of 2019 to the present, the global mortality associated with COVID-19 has reached 6,952,522 deaths as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Early intubation and mechanical ventilation can increase the survival rate of critically ill patients. This prospective study was carried out on 885 patients in the ICU of Mureș County Clinical Hospital, Romania.

The Impact of Clostridioides Difficile Infection in Hospitalized Patients: What Changed during the Pandemic?

(1) Background: () and SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus represent significant health threats. Our study focused on the impact of concurrent infections on patient outcomes against the backdrop of changes imposed by the pandemic. (2) Materials and methods.

The Current Knowledge on Infection in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

() represents a major health burden with substantial economic and clinical impact. Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) were identified as a risk category for infection (CDI). In addition to traditional risk factors for acquisition, IBD-specific risk factors such as immunosuppression, severity and extension of the inflammatory disease were identified.

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms and precursor lesions: Case reports and literature review.

Rationale: Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NENs) represent a distinctive group of gastric tumors, stratified into different prognostic categories according to different histological characteristics, put forth in the 2018 World Health Organization classification system. The clinical presentations, as well as pathological features, represent important data in establishing the type of the tumor, in estimating the tumor behavior, and in selecting the best therapeutic strategy. In our case series we presented different clinical scenarios that may be encountered in practice regarding gastric NENs.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 and liver injury: a retrospective analysis and a multicenter experience.

Patients with COVID-19 frequently present abnormal elevated liver function tests of unknown clinical significance. We aimed to investigate the characteristics and factors influencing outcome in patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and liver injury on admission. This is a retrospective observational study of patients hospitalized in two COVID units in Romania.

Interferon-Free Regimen: Equally Effective in Treatment Naive and Experienced HCV Patients.

Introduction And Aim: Interferon-free regimen has been reported to be highly efficient in treatment of HCV infection, including patients with compensated cirrhosis. We compared the efficacy of Ombitasvir, Paritaprevir, Ritonavir, Dasabuvir and Ribavirin (OBT/PTV/r, with DSV and RBV) therapy in patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis with and without prior treatment experience with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (IFN/RBV).

Material And Methods: A prospective two-center study was conducted in Mures County Hospital and Brasov County Hospital, Romania in period November 2015-July 2016.

Vanek's tumor: a rare cause of gastric outlet obstruction. Case report and literature review.

Vanek's tumor or inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) is a rare submucosal, mesenchymal tumor of the digestive tract, of unknown etiology. We present an unusual case of a 62-year-old female patient, investigated for intermittent nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and anemia. Narrow-band imaging (NBI) endoscopy showed a polypoid tumor with normal coverage mucosa prolapsing through the pylorus.

Optical biopsy strategy for the assessment of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and dysplasia.

Background And Aims: The pathogenesis of gastric cancer involves premalignant changes of the gastric mucosa. An accurate estimation of the topography and severity of these lesions represents an important step in detecting premalignant lesions, thereby classifying patients into low or high risk of developing gastric cancer. We prospectively analyzed the diagnostic performance of narrow-band imaging with magnification endoscopy (NBI-ME) for assessing premalignant gastric lesions during real-time examination.

A rare case of signet-ring cell carcinoma associated with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the non-ampullary duodenum.

Primary duodenal cancer is a rare entity accounting for only 0.3% of all gastrointestinal cancers. Histopathologically, most duodenal cancers are mucin-producing adenocarcinomas, 34% being poorly differentiated.

A preliminary feasibility study: Narrow-band imaging targeted versus standard white light endoscopy non-targeted biopsies in a surveillance Barrett's population.

Background: Narrow band imaging (NBI) is used in the detection of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and dysplasia in patients with Barrett's oesophagus (BE).

Aims: The study compared the usefulness of NBI with white-light standard endoscopy (WLSE) for the detection of dysplasia and IM in BE and determined the prediction of the histological diagnosis according to the mucosal and vascular patterns obtained by NBI.

Patients And Methods: A total of 84 patients were prospectively enrolled in the study.

A study on the type of lesions achieved by three electrosurgical methods and their way of healing.

The technical progress in the medical sector in the past decades has continuously driven the development of electrosurgical techniques. The controversies surrounding the superiority of a certain technique relative to another - electrocautery, laser and radiofrequency - have determined us to carry out a histopathological design with the aim of comparing the healing sort of the shallow wounds generated by the three types of electrosurgical devices. The experimental study has investigated the healing process inflicted by the electrosurgical devices mentioned beforehand on 12 Wistar albino rats.

Gangliocytic paraganglioma: a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Duodenal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare tumors, consisting of five different types of tumors. In many cases, they may be asymptomatic, leading to delay in diagnosis. Clinical symptoms are related to local tumor growth and mucosal ulceration.

Narrow-band imaging with magnifying endoscopy for the evaluation of gastrointestinal lesions.

Narrow band imaging (NBI) endoscopy is an optical image enhancing technology that allows a detailed inspection of vascular and mucosal patterns, providing the ability to predict histology during real-time endoscopy. By combining NBI with magnification endoscopy (NBI-ME), the accurate assessment of lesions in the gastrointestinal tract can be achieved, as well as the early detection of neoplasia by emphasizing neovascularization. Promising results of the method in the diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of gastrointestinal tract have been reported in clinical studies.

Barrett's esophagus and intestinal metaplasia of gastric cardia: prevalence, clinical, endoscopic and histological features.

Background & Aims: Over the past few decades, the incidence of adenocarcinomas of the gastroesophageal junction has rapidly increased. Barrett's esophagus is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the role of intestinal metaplasia of the gastric cardia as a precursor in cardia-related cancer is controversial. The aims of the present study were to examine the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia in the gastroesophageal junction and to evaluate the clinical, endoscopical and histological features of patients with intestinal metaplasia in the gastric cardia and patients with Barrett's esophagus.

Gastric carcinoids and therapeutic options. Case report and review of the literature.

Neuroendocrine tumors (carcinoids) are tumors originating from neuroendocrine cells. The distinction between different types of gastric carcinoids is important for their management. We present the case of a 38-year old woman with type 1 gastric neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) associated with autoimmune atrophic gastritis.

Magnifying endoscopy and chromoendoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Magnifying endoscopy has been developed to visualize the microstructure of gastrointestinal surface mucosa and mucosal vascularity. Magnifying endoscopy is starting to play an important role in the diagnosis of upper gastrointestinal diseases: Barrett's esophagus, atrophic gastritis, Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis, gastric neoplasm. Chromoendoscopy in conjunction with magnifying endoscopy improves diagnostic accuracy and allows the early detection of premalignant and malignant lesions.