Histologic scoring indices for evaluation of disease activity in ulcerative colitis.

Background: Disease activity can be determined using clinical, endoscopic or histologic criteria in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Persistent disease activity is associated with poor outcomes. Histologic disease activity has been shown to be associated with relapse, colectomy and colorectal cancer.

Reproducibility of histological assessments of disease activity in UC.

Objective: Histopathology is potentially an important outcome measure in UC. Multiple histological disease activity (HA) indices, including the Geboes score (GS) and modified Riley score (MRS), have been developed; however, the operating properties of these instruments are not clearly defined. We assessed the reproducibility of existing measures of HA.

Assessment of histologic disease activity in Crohn's disease: a systematic review.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is an idiopathic, chronic, transmural inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Because mucosal involvement is near-universal, endoscopic healing has emerged as an important aspect in improving outcome. However, resolution of histologic disease activity has potential to convey additional benefit beyond that attained with endoscopic healing alone.

A systematic review of the measurement of endoscopic healing in ulcerative colitis clinical trials: recommendations and implications for future research.

Background: Assessment of endoscopic disease activity, as measured by various endoscopic evaluative instruments, is an essential part of quantifying disease activity in clinical trials in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Evaluative instruments have specific definitions and operating properties that influence the interpretation of clinical trial results. Our objective was to systematically review all endoscopic evaluative instruments that measure endoscopic disease activity in UC and to describe their definitions and operating characteristics (reliability, responsiveness, and predictive validity).

Histologic evaluation of ulcerative colitis: a systematic review of disease activity indices.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic inflammatory disorder. Currently, the main goals of treatment are to induce and maintain clinical and/or endoscopic remission. However, evidence indicates that persistent disease activity on colonic biopsies in the setting of clinical or endoscopic remission is an independent predictor of poor outcomes.

Effective treatment of chronic hand dermatitis with 36 continuous months of alitretinoin administration: report of three cases.

Background: Moderate to severe chronic hand dermatitis (CHD) is not well controlled by current medical strategies; however, recent studies have shown significant improvement in patients treated with up to 6 months of oral alitretinoin (9-cis-retinoic acid). The results of longer-term continuous treatment are lacking.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of alitretinoin for the treatment of CHD.

Innate immune-mediated neuronal injury consequent to loss of astrocytes.

Neuronal injury and loss are recognized features of neuroinflammatory disorders, including acute and chronic encephalitides and multiple sclerosis; destruction of astrocytes has been demonstrated in cases of Rasmussen encephalitis. Here, we show that innate immune cells (i.e.