Specific probiotics and prebiotics to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder with an important impact on patients' quality of life. Although several data indicate that psychological symptoms are frequently reported by patients with IBS, few therapies have been evaluated regarding these issues.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a probiotic-based dietary supplement (Colicron) in a group of patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).

Gallstone ileus in patient with Crohn's disease: report of a clinical observation.

Gallstone ileus is an uncommon form of bowel obstruction, related in the majority of cases to a cholecystoenteric fistula. In patients with Crohn's disease the stone can obstruct the diseased bowel. We report a case of gallstone ileus in a patient with Crohn's disease.

Ranitidine bismuth citrate-based triple therapy for seven days, with or without further anti-secretory therapy, is highly effective in patients with duodenal ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of two protocols for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection and the healing of active duodenal ulcer: (i) ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) plus two antibiotics for 7 days, and (ii) the same triple therapy followed by 3 weeks of anti-secretory drug treatment.

Methods: The study comprised 102 patients with active duodenal ulcer and H. pylori infection; the patients were randomized to open treatment with either RBC 400 mg b.

Serum gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase isoforms in alcoholic liver disease.

gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma GT) appears in serum in multiple forms; their significance and clinical utility in hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases are still a matter of controversy. Electrophoretic separation of the multiple forms of gamma GT on agarose gel was performed in 20 alcoholic patients (six with cirrhosis and 14 with fatty liver) and the results compared with those obtained in 50 healthy volunteers, 43 patients affected with chronic hepatitis C, 36 patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis and in 52 epileptic patients on long-term anti-epileptic medication. Multiple forms of gamma GT were separated into several bands (up to 11), labelled 0a, 0b, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b.