Beneficial Effect of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation on Mild, Moderate and Severe Dextran Sodium Sulphate-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in a Pseudo Germ-Free Animal Model.

Transplantation of faecal microbiota (FMT) is generally considered a safe therapeutic procedure with few adverse effects. The main factors that limit the spread of the use of FMT therapy for idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are the necessity of minimising the risk of infection and transfer of another disease. Obtaining the animal model of UC (ulcerative colitis) by exposure to DSS (dextran sodium sulphate) depends on many factors that significantly affect the result.

Importance of CHB's grey zone: analysis of patients with HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Introduction: HBeAg-negative chronic HBV infection is defined by viremia < 2,000 IU/ml (or < 20,000 IU/ml), normal ALT activity and minimal liver fibrosis. Some patients do not meet all the criteria and belong to the so-called grey zone. The aim of the work was to analyse a group of patients with asymptomatic chronic HBV infection, divide them according to the levels of HBV DNA during follow-up and to compare the clinical and laboratory parameters of the patients within the groups.

Distribution and relevance of hepatitis B genotypes in the general population of Slovakia.

Aims: The aim of the presented study was to determine the distribution of HBV genotypes and their influence on selected parameters in patients in eastern Slovakia.

Methods: The study includes 202 patients with confirmed chronic HBV infection or hepatitis. For each patient, basic demographic data, and serum samples were collected.

Alcoholic Liver Disease-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Characteristics and Comparison to General Slovak Hepatocellular Cancer Population.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has multiple molecular classes that are associated with distinct etiologies and, besides particular molecular characteristics, that also differ in clinical aspects. We aim to characterize the clinical aspects of alcoholic liver disease-related HCC by a retrospective observational study that included all consequent patients diagnosed with MRI or histologically verified HCC in participating centers from 2010 to 2016. A total of 429 patients were included in the analysis, of which 412 patients (96%) had cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis.

Treatment response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Several ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment response definitions have been introduced in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). However, the lack of a gold standard results in heterogeneity in second-line treatment research and clinical practice.

Aims: This study aimed to explore which UDCA treatment response endpoint serves as the most accurate predictive model of long-term outcome.

Questionnaire for risk factors of alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Objectives: Non-communicable diseases are estimated to account for 90 % of total deaths and 19 % of premature deaths in Slovakia. Major preventable risk factors of premature mortality are overweight, obesity and alcohol consumption.

Background: Screening of risk factors related to alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (AFLD and NAFLD, respectively) in Slovak outpatients with liver disease.

Comparison of Two Diagnostic Methods for the Detection of Hepatitis B Virus Genotypes in the Slovak Republic.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV), belonging to the family, is responsible for a global health concern still in the 21st century. The virus is divided into 10 genotypes, which differ in geographical distribution and in their effect on disease progression and transmission, susceptibility to mutations, and response to treatment. There are many methods for diagnostics of HBV and differentiating its genotypes.

IgG4-Related Sclerosing Cholangitis: Rarely Diagnosed, but not a Rare Disease.

IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis, a biliary manifestation of an IgG4-related disease, belongs to the spectrum of sclerosing cholangiopathies which result in biliary stenosis. It presents with signs of cholestasis and during differential diagnosis it should be distinguished from cholangiocarcinoma or from other forms of sclerosing cholangitis (primary and secondary sclerosing cholangitis). Despite increasing information and recently established diagnostic criteria, IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis remains underdiagnosed in routine clinical practice.

Artificial Intelligence and Its Application to Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy Diagnosis.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a brain dysfunction caused by liver insufficiency and/or portosystemic shunting. HE manifests as a spectrum of neurological or psychiatric abnormalities. Diagnosis of overt HE (OHE) is based on the typical clinical manifestation, but covert HE (CHE) has only very subtle clinical signs and minimal HE (MHE) is detected only by specialized time-consuming psychometric tests, for which there is still no universally accepted gold standard.

Seroprevalence of and Infection and Impact of Related Risk Factors in People from Eastern Slovakia.

The genus is a rapidly expanding group of ubiquitous bacteria that occur mainly in different animal species, but some can also be transmitted to humans. Three species, , , and , are responsible for the majority of human cases. The severity of the clinical symptoms often depends on the immune status of the patient, but others factors such as the species of the pathogen, virulence factors, and bacterial load also can play an important role.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical Patterns, Outcomes, and Prognostic Factors for Overall Survival-A Retrospective Analysis of a Slovak Cohort.

Objective: To compare NAFLD-related HCC and other etiology-related HCC and to describe predictive factors for survival in patients with NAFLD-related HCC independent of the BCLC staging system.

Methods: We performed a multicenter longitudinal retrospective observational study of patients diagnosed with HCC during the period from 2010 through 2016.

Results: 12.

The Epidemiology of Primary Biliary Cholangitis in European Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune cholestatic liver disease with wide ranges of reported incidence and prevalence.

Aim: To map the incidence and prevalence of PBC in European countries from 2000 through 2020.

Methods: Following PRISMA recommendations, we searched the Medline and Scopus databases for studies with information on either the incidence or prevalence of PBC.

Prognostic Factors in Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Retrospective Study of Joint Slovak and Croatian Cohort of 249 Patients.

Objective: To identify pretreatment laboratory parameters associated with treatment response and to describe the relationship between treatment response and liver decompensation in patients with primary biliary cholangitis treated with ursodeoxycholic acid.

Methods: We defined treatment response as both ALP ≤ 1.67 × ULN and total bilirubin ≤ 2 × ULN.

The Colon Endoscopic Bubble Scale (CEBuS): a two-phase evaluation study.

Background: To date, no scale has been validated to assess bubbles associated with bowel preparation. This study aimed to develop and assess the reliability of a novel scale - the Colon Endoscopic Bubble Scale (CEBuS).

Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study with two online evaluation phases of 45 randomly distributed still colonoscopy images (15 per scale grade).

Roma Ethnicity and Sex-Specific Associations of Serum Uric Acid with Cardiometabolic and Hepatorenal Health Factors in Eastern Slovakian Population: The HepaMeta Study.

Health characteristics associated with uric acid (UA) in the Roma minority remain less well known. The study sought to determine the ethnicity- and sex-specific associations of serum UA with health factors in Eastern Slovakian Roma and non-Roma populations. Data from the comparative cross-sectional HepaMeta study conducted in Slovakia in 2011 were used.

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: an analysis of patient and virus characteristics.

Objectives: The MOSAIC study gathered data on chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its treatment in various countries worldwide. Here we summarise patient and HCV characteristics in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Methods: MOSAIC was an observational study that included patients with chronic HCV infection untreated at the time of enrolment.

Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy vs Biopsies in the Assessment of Persistent or Recurrent Intestinal Metaplasia/Neoplasia after Endoscopic Treatment of Barrett's Esophagus related Neoplasia.

Background And Aims: Patients after endoscopic treatment of Barrett's esophagus (BE) related neoplasia (BORN) should enter endoscopic surveillance with biopsies to detect persistent or recurrent neoplasia or intestinal metaplasia (IM). Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) serves as a virtual biopsy and could replace standard biopsies. However, the role of pCLE in patients after endoscopic treatment of BORN has not been systematically assessed.

The PREDICT study uncovers three clinical courses of acutely decompensated cirrhosis that have distinct pathophysiology.

Background & Aims: Acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis is defined as the acute development of ascites, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, hepatic encephalopathy, infection or any combination thereof, requiring hospitalization. The presence of organ failure(s) in patients with AD defines acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The PREDICT study is a European, prospective, observational study, designed to characterize the clinical course of AD and to identify predictors of ACLF.

Epidemiology and clinical course of primary biliary cholangitis in Eastern Slovakia.

Objective: To determine both the incidence and the prevalence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in Eastern Slovakia and to describe its clinical course and the response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).

Methods: We recorded data of patients with PBC, who were followed up in gastroenterology and hepatology centers in Eastern Slovakia during the period from June 30, 1999, through June 30, 2019.

Results: The annual incidence of PBC varied from 0.

The cross-sectional study of Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in selected groups of population in Slovakia.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite with domestic or free-living members of family Felidae known as the only definitive hosts of the parasite. The study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in selected population groups in Slovakia and to analyse the infection risk factors. Totally 1536 serum samples of voluntary respondents were examined by EIA Toxoplasma IgG (Test-Line Ltd.

What is the Role of the Horizontal Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Young Adult and Middle-Aged Roma Population Living in the Settlements in East Slovakia?

: The aim of our work is to objectify the manner of transmission of HBV infection in young adult and middle-aged Roma people who live in the settlements. : We used data from the cross-sectional study HepaMeta. We analyzed Roma people living in the settlements in East Slovakia, who have had HBsAg and anti HBc IgG antibodies examined.

The Roma Population Living in Segregated Settlements in Eastern Slovakia Has a Higher Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome, Kidney Disease, Viral Hepatitis B and E, and Some Parasitic Diseases Compared to the Majority Population.

: The Roma population is one of the largest marginalized population groups in Europe. The aim of our work was to summarize the morbidity of lifestyle-related diseases and infectious diseases in the Roma population living in segregated settlements. : We used data from the cross-sectional study HepaMeta, in which we examined 452 Roma subjects with an average age of 34.