Characterisation of the fibroinflammatory process involved in progression from acute to chronic pancreatitis: study protocol for a multicentre, prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is thought to present the end stage of a continuous disease process evolving from acute pancreatitis (AP), over recurrent AP, to early and end-stage CP. Due to the irreversible nature of CP, early detection and prevention is key. Prospective assessment based on advanced imaging modalities as well as biochemical markers of inflammation, fibrosis and oxidative stress may provide a better understanding of the underlying pathological processes and help identify novel biomarkers of disease with the ultimate goal of early diagnosis, intervention and prevention of disease progression.

Histological and Molecular Adipose Tissue Changes Are Related to Metabolic Syndrome Rather Than Lipodystrophy in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), lipodystrophy shares many similarities with metabolic syndrome, but only metabolic syndrome has objective classification criteria. We examined adipose tissue changes related to lipodystrophy and metabolic syndrome to clarify whether it may be acceptable to focus diagnosis on metabolic syndrome rather than lipodystrophy.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 60 HIV-infected men on cART and 15 healthy men.

Immunosenescence of the CD8(+) T cell compartment is associated with HIV-infection, but only weakly reflects age-related processes of adipose tissue, metabolism, and muscle in antiretroviral therapy-treated HIV-infected patients and controls.

Background: Despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV-infected patients exhibit systemic inflammation, early onset of age-related diseases, and features of immunosenescence. The role of inflammation in the development of age-related diseases is widely recognized. However, the role of immunosenescence is not well established.

Leptin, IL-6, and suPAR reflect distinct inflammatory changes associated with adiposity, lipodystrophy and low muscle mass in HIV-infected patients and controls.

Background: HIV-infected patients could exhibit accelerated ageing, since age-associated complications like sarcopenia; increased inflammation; lipodystrophy with loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue and/or gain of visceral adipose tissue (VAT); and cardiovascular disease occur at an earlier age. Inflammation is involved in age-associated complications. However, it is not understood whether it is the same inflammatory changes that are involved in the various ageing-associated complications.

Prednisolone treatment affects the performance of the QuantiFERON gold in-tube test and the tuberculin skin test in patients with autoimmune disorders screened for latent tuberculosis infection.

Background: During screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), before anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α treatment, most patients are already receiving immunosuppressive therapy. The objective was to evaluate the performance of the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) and the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST).

Methods: A prospective multicenter study included 248 patients with ulcerative colitis (39), Crohn's disease (54), rheumatoid arthritis (111), and spondylo-arthropathy (44).

Good performance of a titanium femoral component in cementless hip arthroplasty in younger patients: 97 arthroplasties followed for 5-11 years.

We performed 97 uncemented primary total hip arthroplasties in 80 patients having an average age of 50 years. The femoral implant was a titanium stem with a proximal circumferential plasma spray-coating. Three different acetabular components were used: a threaded and partly porous-coated design in 70% of the cases.