[Croatian consensus on the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases with biologic therapy].

Introduction of biologic therapy in clinical practice represented significant progress in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) because of its proven efficacy and due to the fact that biologics are the first drugs used in the treatment of IBD that can change the natural course of this diseases. At the same time, biologics are very expensive drugs with complex mechanism of action and important side effects and their use requires evidence-based clinical guidelines. These were the reasons that Referral Center of the Croatian Ministry of Health for IBD and the IBD Section of the Croatian Society of Gastroenterology organised Croatian consensus conference that defined guidelines for the treatment of IBD with anti-TNF drugs.

[Secondary (AA) amyloidosis in Crohn's disease].

Amyloidosis is a clinical entity that results from deposition of an extracellular protein material that causes disruption in normal architecture and impairs function of multiple organs and tissues. Secondary amyloidosis (AA) is a rare but serious complication that occurs in the context of cancer, chronic inflammation and chronic infectious diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, mainly long-standing Crohn's disease. Renal failure is the most common clinical presentation of AA, ranging from nephrotic syndrome and impaired renal function to renal failure, with a potential for high morbidity.

[Secondary (AA) renal/bone amyloidosis complicating rheumatoid arthritis].

Amyloidosis is a clinical entity that results from deposition of an extracellular protein material that causes disruption in normal architecture and impairs function of multiple organs and tissues. Secondary amyloidosis (AA) is a rare but serious complication that appears in the context of cancer, chronic inflammation, and chronic infectious disease, including rheumatoid arthritis. Renal failure is the most common clinical presentation of AA, ranging from nephrotic syndrome and impaired renal function to renal failure, with a potential for high morbidity.

[Acute plastic bronchitis--case report].

Plastic bronchitis is a rare disorder characterized by formation and sometimes dramatic expectoration of bronchial casts. It may occur at any age, but most published cases refer to pediatric population. We report a case of an 81-year-old man hospitalized at intensive care unit, who presented with the appearance of plastic bronchitis type I.

Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy success regarding different treatment period based on clarithromycin or metronidazole triple-therapy regimens.

Background: The study compares the eradication success of standard first-line triple therapies of different durations (7, 10, and 14 days).

Materials And Methods: A total of 592 naive Helicobacter pylori-positive patients were randomized to receive pantoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin or metronidazole for 14 days (PACl14 or PAM14), 10 days (PACl10 or PAM10), or 7 days (PACl7 or PAM7). H.

[Helicobacter pylori--overview of therapy].

The clinical significance of Helicobacter pylori infection in the etiopathogenesis of many gastroduodenal disorders, especially peptic ulcer disease and current awareness of the benefits of its eradication has entirely changed the current treatment of these diseases. Eradication was already defined as the disappearance of Helicobacter pylori from the gastric mucosa (finding negativization) confirmed at least 4 weeks (or later) after completed antibiotic eradication therapy. The regimen has to be simple, cheap and tolerable so that the patient could carry it out completely and as easy as possible (good compliance is required).

[Helicobacter pylori and malignant diseases of the stomach].

The association between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric malignancies, cancer and MALT lymphoma, has been suggested through several lines of evidence during the last decade. Although unresolved issues still cast doubts on the real weight of these association, in the sequence of events that leads to gastric cancer or lymphoma, Helicobacter pylori appears to play a prominent role in the very initial steps as causative agent of chronic gastritis. The subsequent events in the sequence--atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and cancer are multifactorial involving environmental agents, host response and characteristics of the bacterial strain itself.

[Gastroesophageal reflux disease and Helicobacter pylori infection].

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the common diseases of the upper gastrointestinal system. It is present in the whole world population, especially frequent in the developed countries. It evolves from pathological reflux which exposes the esophagus to the gastric contents which must overcome esophageal defense system.

[Gastric ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection].

Helicobacter pylori infection and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are considered to be the two major risk factors implicated in the development of gastric ulcer. Helicobacter pylori infection related chronic gastritis is known to be the underlying condition which may lead to gastric ulcer. Development of gastric ulcer as the consequence of underlying chronic gastritis is caused by many factors.

[The rapid urease test].

Today there are many methods in diagnostics of Helicobacter pylori infection. They are divided in two major groups based on using of endoscopy (invasive and non-invasive methods). Helicobacter pylori bacteria are specific because of having very big amounts of urease enzyme that divides urea on NH3 and CO2 which enables environment suitable for survival.

[The urea breath test].

Helicobacter pylori is infective cause of peptic ulcer and a risk factor for gastric carcinoma. The discovery of the bacterial ed to importance of finding a new reliable and inexpensive diagnostic method for detection of infection before and after eradication therapy. Urea breath test is isotope based test.

[Hormonal regulation of gastric secretion and Helicobacter pylori].

Helicobacter pylori has been recognized as one of the most important factors that lead to chronic changes in the gastric mucosa. These changes have either direct or indirect impact on various intestinal hormones (gastrin, somatostatin, bombensin, cholecystokinin..