A Comparison of Prognostic Scores (Mayo, UK-PBC, and GLOBE) in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Introduction: Comparative data on scores that predict outcome in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) are scarce. We aimed to assess and compare the prognostic value of the Mayo Risk Score (MRS, 1989 and 1994), UK-PBC score, and GLOBE score in a large international cohort of patients with PBC.

Methods: Ursodeoxycholic acid-treated patients from 7 centers participating in the GLOBAL PBC Study Group were included.

[Yoghurt-induced Lactobacillus bacteremia in a patient with Crohn's disease on therapy with ustekinumab and concomitant HIV-Infection].

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are often used as adjunctive therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Although there is a lack of evidence for their benefit, the use of probiotics is encouraged by the perceived lack of adverse events. However, in rare instances, probiotics can cause systemic infections through bacteremia.

A study on the correlation of gastrointestinal bleeding and meteorological factors - is there a weather condition for GI bleeding?

Aim:  We tried to identify a possible correlation between meteorological factors and the frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB).

Methods:  We analyzed all endoscopic examinations performed because of suspected GIB from 2013 to 2016 at Jena University Hospital, Germany. Confirmed bleeding events were correlated with local meteorological data and meteorological season using multivariate analysis.

Sleeping with the enemy: Clostridium difficile infection in the intensive care unit.

Over the last years, there was an increase in the number and severity of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) in all medical settings, including the intensive care unit (ICU). The current prevalence of CDI among ICU patients is estimated at 0.4-4% and has severe impact on morbidity and mortality.

Frequency of a tau genotype in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We investigated the susceptibility of the dinucleotide polymorphism A0 in the tau gene to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In 416 unrelated patients with ALS and 242 control subjects the A0/A0 genotype was not associated with the pooled sample of ALS cases. Subgroup analysis revealed that in sporadic ALS the A0 polymorphism was significantly overrepresented.