Improved health-related quality of life in patients with recurrent infection after treatment with faecal microbiota transplantation.

Background: is a major burden for both healthcare systems and the patients. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is becoming more common as a treatment since it reduces the risk of recurrent infection (rCDI).

Objectives: To evaluate how treatment with FMT is affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with rCDI.

[Health-related quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel disease requires more than anti-inflammatory treatment].

The care of IBD patients aims to achieve the best possible health. The treatment goals in IBD should therefore, in addition to stable control of intestinal inflammation, also consider health-related quality of life (HRQL) and extraintestinal complications. Fatigue is an underrecognized array of symptoms that need more attention and, if possible, treatment.

Diagnostic value of fecal calprotectin in primary care patients with gastrointestinal symptoms: A retrospective Swedish cohort study.

Aims: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of fecal calprotectin (FC) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and organic gastrointestinal disease (OGID) in primary care. To examine the association with demographic factors, symptoms and concomitant medical therapy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of data on all semiquantitative FC tests from individuals ≥18 years conducted in primary care in Östergötland County in 2010.

Validation of the German version of the Short Health Scale - a brief, valid and reliable instrument to assess health-related quality of life in German-speaking patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: Health-related quality of life (hrQoL) may be the most important patient-reported outcome for patients with chronic disorders. The Short Health Scale (SHS) is a brief four-item instrument to assess hrQoL in patients with bowel disorders. This study examined the validity, reliability and sensitivity of the German translation of the SHS in a cohort of outpatients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

Fecal Biomarkers of Neutrophil and Eosinophil Origin Reflect the Response to Biological Therapy and Corticosteroids in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Introduction: Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a noninvasive tool for examining response to biologics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but its performance in relation to other novel fecal markers of various cellular origins is unknown.

Methods: We performed a prospective multicenter cohort study and included patients with active IBD who provided a fecal sample at initiation of biological therapy. Levels of FC, myeloperoxidase (MPO), human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL), and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) were analyzed and related to clinical remission status at 3 months.

Mucosa associated invariant T and natural killer cells in active and budesonide treated collagenous colitis patients.

Introduction: Collagenous colitis (CC) is an inflammatory bowel disease, which usually responds to budesonide treatment. Our aim was to study the immunological background of the disease.

Methods: Analyses of peripheral and mucosal MAIT (mucosa associated invariant T cells) and NK (natural killer) cells were performed with flow cytometry.

Oral omeprazole and diclofenac intake is associated with increased faecal calprotectin levels: a randomised open-label clinical trial.

Background And Aim: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and proton pump inhibitors are known to affect the diagnostics of gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent omeprazole, diclofenac or co-administration of these affects faecal calprotectin levels and the normalisation interval after cessation.

Methods: Participants received 20 mg omeprazole daily for 2 weeks in the first sequence, 50 mg oral diclofenac three times daily for 2 weeks in the second and co-administration of these for 2 weeks in the third, with washout periods in between.

[Iron deficiency in patients with acute and chronic heart failure - a simple algoritm].

Iron deficiency, defined as ferritin <100 µg/L or ferritin 100-299 µg/L if the transferrin saturation is <20 %, with or without anaemia is a common comorbidity in patients with acute and chronic heart failure. International and Swedish guidelines recommend treatment of iron deficiency with intravenous iron in patients with symptomatic heart failure and ejection fraction <50 %. Controlled studies document positive effects from treatment with iron carboxymaltose on symptoms, quality of life, functional parameters and risk of hospitalisation.

Therapeutic drug monitoring in inflammatory bowel disease: implementation, utilization, and barriers in clinical practice in Scandinavia.

Background And Aims: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may optimize biologic and thiopurine therapies in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study aimed to investigate implementation and utilization of TDM in Scandinavia.

Methods: A web-based questionnaire on the use of TDM was distributed to Scandinavian gastroenterologists via the national societies.

Downregulated Mucosal Autophagy, Alpha Kinase-1 and IL-17 Signaling Pathways in Active and Quiescent Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Improved mucosal immune profiling in active and quiescent colonic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is needed to develop therapeutic options for treating and preventing flares. This study therefore aimed to provide a comprehensive mucosal characterization with emphasis on immunological host response of patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC active), UC during remission (UC remission) and active colonic Crohn's disease (CD active).

Methods: Colonic biopsies from 47 study subjects were collected for gene expression and pathway analyses using the NanoString host-response panel, including 776 genes and 56 immune-related pathways.

The Risk of Serious Infections Before and After Anti-TNF Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Serious infections have been observed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on anti-TNF use-but to what extent these infections are due to anti-TNF or the disease activity per se is hard to disentangle. We aimed to describe how the rates of serious infections change over time both before and after starting anti-TNF in IBD.

Methods: Inflammatory bowel disease patients naïve to anti-TNF treatment were identified at 5 centers participating in the Swedish IBD Quality Register, and their medical records examined in detail.

Detailed Transcriptional Landscape of Peripheral Blood Points to Increased Neutrophil Activation in Treatment-Naïve Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is a chronic relapsing disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, which generally manifests as Crohn's disease [CD] or ulcerative colitis [UC]. These subtypes are heterogeneous in terms of disease location and histological features, while sharing common clinical presentation, genetic associations and, thus, common immune regulatory pathways.

Methods: Using miRNA and mRNA coupled transcriptome profiling and systems biology approaches, we report a comprehensive analysis of blood transcriptomes from treatment-naïve [n = 110] and treatment-exposed [n = 177] IBD patients as well as symptomatic [n = 65] and healthy controls [n = 95].

The Process of Developing a Disease Activity Index in Microscopic Colitis.

Background And Aims: Patient-reported outcome measures [PROMs] aim to measure patients' perception of how their disorder influences everyday functioning. The objective of this study was to develop a PROM to assess disease activity in microscopic colitis [MC] fulfilling the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration [FDA].

Methods: The European Microscopic Colitis Activity Index [E-MCAI] was developed in four steps.

Measuring the impact of gastrointestinal inconvenience and symptoms on perceived health in the general population - validation of the Short Health Scale for gastrointestinal symptoms (SHS-GI).

Objectives: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are intimately related to our wellbeing. The Short Health Scale for GI symptoms (SHS-GI) is a simple questionnaire to measure the impact of GI inconvenience and symptoms on quality of life. The aim was to validate the SHS-GI in a general population sample and to compare it with SHS-data across different patient groups.

Clinical effectiveness of golimumab in ulcerative colitis: a prospective multicentre study based on the Swedish IBD Quality Register, SWIBREG.

Objectives: Clinical trials demonstrated that golimumab is effective in anti-TNF naïve patients with ulcerative colitis. We aimed to assess the clinical effectiveness of golimumab in a real-world setting.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective cohort study, conducted at 16 Swedish hospitals.

Real-world effectiveness of vedolizumab in inflammatory bowel disease: week 52 results from the Swedish prospective multicentre SVEAH study.

Background: Prospectively and systematically collected real-world data on vedolizumab are scarce. We aimed to assess the long-term clinical effectiveness of vedolizumab in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: This study was a prospective, observational, multicentre study.

Well-being and dietary adherence in patients with coeliac disease depending on follow-up.

Objective: It is not clear how follow-up of coeliac disease should be optimally organised. In Malmö, Sweden, patients are followed up by general practitioners (GP), but in Linköping by gastroenterologists (GE). The aim of this study was to investigate if there were any differences in well-being and dietary adherence depending on type of follow-up.

European guidelines on microscopic colitis: United European Gastroenterology and European Microscopic Colitis Group statements and recommendations.

Introduction: Microscopic colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterised by normal or almost normal endoscopic appearance of the colon, chronic watery, nonbloody diarrhoea and distinct histological abnormalities, which identify three histological subtypes, the collagenous colitis, the lymphocytic colitis and the incomplete microscopic colitis. With ongoing uncertainties and new developments in the clinical management of microscopic colitis, there is a need for evidence-based guidelines to improve the medical care of patients suffering from this disorder.

Methods: Guidelines were developed by members from the European Microscopic Colitis Group and United European Gastroenterology in accordance with the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II instrument.

Course of Disease in Patients with Microscopic Colitis: A European Prospective Incident Cohort Study.

Background And Aims: The disease course of microscopic colitis [MC] is considered chronic but benign. However, this assumption is based on mainly retrospective studies, reporting on incomplete follow-up of selective cohorts. Systematic, prospective and unbiased data to inform patients and healthcare professionals on the expected course of the disease and real-life response to therapy are warranted.

Collagenous Colitis Mucosa Is Characterized by an Expansion of Nonsuppressive FoxP3+ T Helper Cells.

Background And Aim: Increased frequencies of T regulatory (Treg) cells, key players in immune regulation, have been reported in inflammatory bowel diseases, including collagenous colitis (CC). However, traditional Treg identification techniques might have misinterpreted the frequencies of Treg cells in CC. Thus, we investigated the presence of genuine Treg cells in CC.