Real-life treatment persistence and treatment outcomes of Finnish patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving vedolizumab as first-line biological treatment.

Purpose: To analyze treatment persistence and treatment outcomes of vedolizumab as first-line biological treatment in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients in a Finnish real-world setting.

Methods: Observational, retrospective, multi-center chart review study that included adult CD and UC patients initiating vedolizumab as first-line biological treatment between 2014 and 2020.

Results: The cohort consisted of 54 CD and 69 UC patients.

Pregnancy period and early-life risk factors for inflammatory bowel disease: a Northern Finland birth cohort 1966 study.

Background: The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to analyze the pregnancy period, perinatal period, and infancy period risk factors for IBD in a well-characterized birth cohort from Northern Finland.

Methods: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) population comprises mothers living in the two northernmost provinces of Finland, Oulu, and Lapland, with dates of delivery between Jan 1st and Dec 31st, 1966 (12 055 mothers, 12 058 live-born children, 96.

Plasma Concentration of the Lipid Peroxidation (LP) Biomarker 4-Ηydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in Benign and Cancer Patients.

Background/aim: The present study investigated the plasma concentration of the lipid peroxidation (LP) biomarker 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in benign and cancer patients having the rectus sheath block (RSB) analgesia after midline laparotomy. Plasma concentrations of catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were used as a reference.

Patients And Methods: This study assessed three LP biomarkers; CAT, MDA and 4-HNE and compared the plasma levels to the patient satisfaction 24 h postoperatively (SFS; 0=fully unsatisfied; 10=fully satisfied); the overall pain at rest (NRS) and when pressing the wound at 20 Newton force (NRS) were surveyed and filed on a 11-point numeric rating scale at 24 h following surgery (NRS; 0=no pain; 10=worst pain).

Serological Biomarker Panel in Diagnosis of Atrophic Gastritis and Infection in Gastroscopy Referral Patients: Clinical Validation of the New-Generation GastroPanel Test.

Background/aim: Prompted by the increasing demand of non-invasive diagnostic tools for screening of gastric cancer (GC) risk conditions, i.e., atrophic gastritis (AG) and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, the GastroPanel test (GP: biomarker panel of PGI, PGII, G-17, Hp IgG ELISA) that was developed in the early 2000's, was recently updated to a new-generation (unified GP) test version.

A nationwide real-world study on dynamic ustekinumab dosing and concomitant medication use among Crohn's disease patients in Finland.

Background: Real-world evidence to support optimal ustekinumab dosing for refractory Crohn's disease (CD) patients remains limited. Data from a retrospective nationwide chart review study was utilized to explore ustekinumab dosing dynamics and optimization, identify possible clinical predictors of dose intensification, and to evaluate ustekinumab trough concentrations (TCs) and concomitant medication use in Finland.

Methods: Information gathered from17 Finnish hospitals included clinical chart data from 155 adult CD patients who received intravenous ustekinumab induction during 2017-2018.

Objectively assessed disease activity and drug persistence during ustekinumab treatment in a nationwide real-world Crohn's disease cohort.

Objective: Long-term evidence on ustekinumab treatment response and persistence in patients with Crohn's disease in a real-world setting is scarce. We performed a retrospective nationwide chart review study of long-term clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients treated with ustekinumab.

Methods: The study was conducted in 17 Finnish hospitals and included adult Crohn's disease patients who received an initial intravenous dose of ustekinumab during 2017-2018.

A jaundiced patient at the emergency department.

Jaundice is a common cause for seeking medical attention at an emergency department. The doctor on call should be able to recognize patients whose jaundice requires emergency investigations and treatment in specialized care. Most patients can be treated electively on an urgent referral.

Does fecal calprotectin predict short-term relapse after stopping TNFα-blocking agents in inflammatory bowel disease patients in deep remission?

Background And Aims: This prospective multicenter study examined whether elevated fecal calprotec tin (FC) concentrations after stopping TNFα-blocking therapy can predict clinical or endoscopic relapse. In addition, we evaluated the impact of histological remission on the relapse risk.

Methods: We enrolled inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients who were in clinical, endoscopic, and FC-based (< 100 μg/g) remission after a minimum 11 months of TNFα-blocking therapy.

Outcome after discontinuation of TNFα-blocking therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in deep remission.

Background: Few data are available on the disease course in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in deep remission after discontinuing tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-blocking therapy. In this prospective multicenter study, we evaluated the relapse rate, predictive factors, and the response to retreatment after discontinuation of TNFα-blocking therapy in patients with IBD in deep remission.

Methods: We recruited 52 patients (17 Crohn's disease, 30 ulcerative colitis, and 5 IBD unclassified) in clinical, endoscopic, and fecal calprotectin-based (<100 μg/g) remission after at least 1 year of TNFα-blocking therapy.

[A domestic human case of hepatitis E in Finland].

We describe the first verified domestic HEV case in a previously healthy 53-year-old man who presented a three-day history of upper stomach pain, nausea, fever, arthralgia and fatigue. At the first phase laboratory tests revealed high levels of AST and ALT and at the second phase high levels of bilirubin. Serum was positive for anti-HEV IgM and for HEV RNA confirming the diagnosis of acute hepatitis E.

Achievement of deep remission during scheduled maintenance therapy with TNFα-blocking agents in IBD.

Background And Aims: Deep remission, meaning clinical remission with mucosal healing (MH), with anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agents is a new target for therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Our aim was to study how often patients on TNF-α blocking therapy actually achieve deep remission.

Methods: The total of 252 IBD patients retrospectively included (183 Crohn's disease (CD), 62 ulcerative colitis (CU) or 7 inflammatory bowel disease unclassified-type colitis (IBDU)) received TNFα-antagonists (177 infliximab, 75 adalimumab) for at least 11 months and underwent ileocolonoscopy.

Cytokine gene polymorphism in microscopic colitis association with the IL-6-174 GG genotype.

Objectives: Microscopic colitis (MC) is a chronic inflammatory disease with unknown pathogenesis. Very little is known about polymorphisms in the cytokine genes in MC. We have investigated the occurrence of well-characterized polymorphisms of interleukins (IL-6, IL-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-10) and CD14 in MC.

Gastroduodenal mucosa in microscopic colitis.

Background: We have assessed gastroduodenal, endoscopical and histopathological findings in a series of patients with microscopic colitis (MC).

Methods: We studied 75 patients with MC, 27 with collagenous colitis (CC) and 48 with lymphocytic colitis (LC), and 60 controls. Data of endoscopical findings were collected and biopsies were assessed.

Human leucocyte antigen and TNFalpha polymorphism association in microscopic colitis.

Objectives: Coeliac disease (CD) is common in patients with microscopic colitis (MC). The human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-DR3-DQ2 haplotype is strongly associated with CD, and there is evidence for an association with MC. We analysed the genetic background of MC by assessing the haplotypes of HLA-DR3-DQ2 and HLA-DR4-DQ8.

Respiratory disease and cardiovascular morbidity.

Background: Work related dust exposure is a risk factor for acute and chronic respiratory irritation and inflammation. Exposure to dust and cigarette smoke predisposes to exogenous viral and bacterial infections of the respiratory tract. Respiratory infection can also act as a risk factor in the development of atherosclerotic and coronary artery disease.

Toxic acute hepatitis and hepatic fibrosis after consumption of chaparral tablets.

In this report we describe a young, previously healthy woman who developed severe acute hepatitis after consumption of chaparral tablets, a commonly used herbal product. In this case, the elimination-rechallenge event and the exclusion of other possible aetiologic factors strongly supported true causality between the herbal product and the liver damage. Primary liver biopsy showed severe toxic hepatitis consistent with previous reports of chaparral-induced liver damage.

Clinical characteristics of collagenous and lymphocytic colitis.

Background: Microscopic colitides (MC), collagenous colitis (CC) and lymphocytic colitis (LC) share clinical features, but their mutual relationship is unclear, and clinical comparative studies are rare. We aimed to examine the clinical features in CC and LC by focusing on concomitant diseases.

Methods: Patients with MC (30 with CC, 54 with LC) were identified in the pathology databases and by reviewing biopsies.

Genome-wide scan of bipolar disorder in 65 pedigrees: supportive evidence for linkage at 8q24, 18q22, 4q32, 2p12, and 13q12.

The purpose of this study was to assess 65 pedigrees ascertained through a Bipolar I (BPI) proband for evidence of linkage, using nonparametric methods in a genome-wide scan and for possible parent of origin effect using several analytical methods. We identified 15 loci with nominally significant evidence for increased allele sharing among affected relative pairs. Eight of these regions, at 8q24, 18q22, 4q32, 13q12, 4q35, 10q26, 2p12, and 12q24, directly overlap with previously reported evidence of linkage to bipolar disorder.

Exposure-response analysis and risk assessment for silica and silicosis mortality in a pooled analysis of six cohorts.

Aims: To study the relation between exposure to crystalline silica and silicosis mortality. Although mortality is an important endpoint for regulators, there have been no exposure-response studies for silicosis mortality, because of the relative rareness of silicosis as an underlying cause of death, and the limited availability of quantitative exposure estimates.

Methods: Data from six occupational cohorts were pooled with good retrospective exposure data in which 170 deaths from silicosis were reported.

Development of quantitative exposure data for a pooled exposure-response analysis of 10 silica cohorts.

Background: Comprehensive quantitative silica exposure estimates over time, measured in the same units across a number of cohorts, would make possible a pooled exposure-response analysis for lung cancer. Such an analysis would help clarify the continuing controversy regarding whether silica causes lung cancer.

Methods: Existing quantitative exposure data for 10 silica-exposed cohorts were retrieved from the original investigators.

Brain tumors and salivary gland cancers among cellular telephone users.

Background: Possible risk of cancer associated with use of cellular telephones has lately been a subject of public debate.

Methods: We conducted a register-based, case-control study on cellular phone use and cancer. The study subjects were all cases of brain tumor (N = 398) and salivary gland cancer (N = 34) diagnosed in Finland in 1996, with five controls per case.

Pooled exposure-response analyses and risk assessment for lung cancer in 10 cohorts of silica-exposed workers: an IARC multicentre study.

Objectives: Silica is one of the most common occupational exposures worldwide. In 1997 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified inhaled crystalline silica as a human carcinogen (group 1), but acknowledged limitations in the epidemiologic data, including inconsistencies across studies and the lack of extensive exposure-response data. We have conducted a pooled exposure-response analysis of 10 silica-exposed cohorts to investigate lung cancer.