Publications by authors named "Heba Iskandar"

Introduction: We describe a novel colopathy associated with pentosan polysulfate (PPS) use and measure the strength of the drug-disease association.

Methods: Two-part investigation. In the cohort study of individuals with a history of prior long-term PPS use, case histories were obtained and gastrointestinal disease course was followed with review of endoscopy records and histopathology specimens.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines whether using tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) before surgery for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases the risk of infections post-surgery.
  • - Conducted across 17 sites, the research included 947 IBD patients and found no significant difference in infection rates between those who had used TNFis within 12 weeks and those who hadn’t.
  • - The findings suggest that preoperative TNFi treatment doesn't contribute to a higher risk of postoperative infections, based on a large-scale analysis.
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We have demonstrated that neuropeptide Y (NPY) can regulate pro-inflammatory signaling in the gut via cross-talk with the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Here, we investigated if selective blocking of NPY receptors, NPY1R or NPY2R, using small molecule non-peptide antagonists (BIBP-3222 for NPY1R and BIIE-0246 for NPY2R) in the colon could attenuate intestinal inflammation by lowering TNF levels (BIBP - N-[(1R)]-4-[(Aminoiminomethyl)amino-1-[[[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]amino]carbonyl]butyl-α-phenylbenzeneacetamide; BIIE - N-[(1S)-4-[(Aminoiminomethyl)amino]-1-[[[2-(3,5-dioxo-1,2-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazolidin-4-yl)ethyl]amino]carbonyl]butyl]-1-[2-[4-(6,11-dihydro-6-oxo-5H-dibenz[b,e]azepin-11-yl)-1-piperazinyl]-2-oxoethyl]-cyclopentaneacetamide). Colitis was induced using dextran sodium sulfate in drinking water for 7 days, or by adoptive T-cell transfer in RAG-/- mice.

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Whether or not populations diverge with respect to the genetic contribution to risk of specific complex diseases is relevant to understanding the evolution of susceptibility and origins of health disparities. Here, we describe a large-scale whole-genome sequencing study of inflammatory bowel disease encompassing 1,774 affected individuals and 1,644 healthy control Americans with African ancestry (African Americans). Although no new loci for inflammatory bowel disease are discovered at genome-wide significance levels, we identify numerous instances of differential effect sizes in combination with divergent allele frequencies.

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Sleep disturbance and fatigue are commonly reported among patients with Crohn's disease (CD). In this prospective study, we aimed to define sleep quality in CD patients at various disease activity states and compare to healthy controls using objective and subjective measures. A prospective observational cohort study of CD patients seen at a tertiary academic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) clinic was compared to healthy volunteers.

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Autoimmune enteropathy is an uncommon cause of chronic diarrhea rarely seen in adults. The disease is secondary to an autoimmune process in the gut that leads to villous blunting and subsequent watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, and severe weight loss. The disease has only been described in 37 adults prior to our case, and variable treatment success has been documented with steroids, immunomodulators, and TNF-α inhibitors.

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Background And Aims: Coeliac disease (CD) is widely prevalent in North America, but case-finding techniques currently used may not be adequate for patient identification. We aimed to determine the adequacy of CD screening in an academic gastroenterology (GI) practice.

Methods: Consecutive initial visits to a tertiary academic GI practice were surveyed over a 3-month period as a fellow-initiated quality improvement project.

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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease whose pathogenesis is multifactorial and includes influences from genes, the environment, and the gut microbiome. Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment have led to significant improvement in managing the disease. Disease monitoring with the use of therapeutic drug monitoring, stool markers, and assessment of mucosal healing have garnered much attention.

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Background: The US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer published guidelines for colonoscopy screening and surveillance in 2008 and affirmed them in 2012. Characteristics associated with guideline adherence among US gastroenterologists have not been assessed.

Aim: Assess awareness and adherence of US gastroenterologists with national guidelines for colonoscopy screening and surveillance and predictors of adherence to guidelines.

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Background: Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) have efficacy in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Some clinicians use TCAs to treat residual symptoms in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients already on decisive IBD therapy or with quiescent inflammation, although this strategy has not been formally studied.

Goals: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of TCA therapy in IBD patients with residual symptoms, despite controlled inflammation, in a retrospective cohort study.

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Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis represent the two main forms of the idiopathic chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Currently available blood and stool based biomarkers provide reproducible, quantitative tools that can complement clinical assessment to aid clinicians in IBD diagnosis and management. C-reactive protein and fecal based leukocyte markers can help the clinician distinguish IBD from noninflammatory diarrhea and assess disease activity.

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