Fecal microbiota dynamics during disease activity and remission in newly diagnosed and established ulcerative colitis.

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have an altered gut microbiota composition, but the microbial relationship to disease activity needs to be further elucidated. Therefore, temporal dynamics of the fecal microbial community during remission and flare was determined. Fecal samples were collected at 2-6 time-points from UC patients during established disease (cohort EST) and at diagnosis (cohort NEW).

Fecal microbiota composition is linked to the postoperative disease course in patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: The role of the fecal microbiota composition for the postoperative disease course of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who have undergone ileocecal resection remains to be established. In this study, we investigated if the fecal microbiota composition, determined by a high throughput test quantifying a pre-selected set of bacteria, is associated with the postoperative disease course of CD patients.

Methods: Fecal samples were obtained from healthy subjects as well as from CD patients, 3-10 weeks and 1 year after ileocaecal resection.

Psychological distress, iron deficiency, active disease and female gender are independent risk factors for fatigue in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Patients with ulcerative colitis often report fatigue.

Objectives: To investigate prevalence of and risk factors for fatigue in patients with ulcerative colitis with active disease and during deep remission.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, disease activity was evaluated with endoscopy and calprotectin, and patients were classified as having active disease ( = 133) or being in deep remission ( = 155).

Anti-TNF Therapy Response in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis Is Associated with Colonic Antimicrobial Peptide Expression and Microbiota Composition.

Background And Aims: Anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF] therapy is used in patients with ulcerative colitis [UC], but not all patients respond to treatment. Antimicrobial peptides [AMPs] and the gut microbiota are essential for gut homeostasis and may be important for treatment outcome. The aim of this study was to determine AMP and microbiota profiles in patients with UC before anti-TNF therapy start and correlate these data to treatment outcome.

Diagnostic Performance of Five Assays for Anti-Hepatitis E Virus IgG and IgM in a Large Cohort Study.

Determination of anti-hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) antibodies is still enigmatic. There is no gold standard, and results obtained with different assays often diverge. Herein, five assays were compared for detection of anti-HEV IgM and IgG.

The severity of inflammation at onset of ulcerative colitis is not associated with IBS-like symptoms during clinical remission.

Background And Aims: Symptoms compatible with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are common in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission. It has been suggested that these symptoms might arise due to post-inflammatory changes comparable with post-infectious IBS. The aim was to study factors at new onset of UC that predict development of IBS-like symptoms during clinical remission.

Global mucosal and serum cytokine profile in patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing anti-TNF therapy.

Background And Objective: The knowledge of the effects of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) treatment on the global cytokine profile in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is limited. A better understanding of these mechanisms could improve the ability to select patients that should undergo the therapy. Therefore, the aim was to determine the global mucosal and serum cytokine profile before and during induction therapy with anti-TNF in UC patients.

Cultured blood T-cell responses predict anti-TNF therapy response in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) therapy is used for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). As approximately 30% of patients with UC do not benefit from the treatment, it is of clinical interest to identify biomarkers of response before therapy is initiated.

Aim: To identify prognostic biomarkers of anti-TNF therapy response in anti-TNF therapy-naïve patients with UC.

Pharmacological intervention based on fecal calprotectin levels in patients with ulcerative colitis at high risk of a relapse: A prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Background: Targeted therapy, using biomarkers to assess disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC), has been proposed.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether pharmacological intervention guided by fecal calprotectin (FC) prolongs remission in patients with UC.

Methods: A total of 91 adults with UC in remission were randomized to an intervention group or a control group.

Response to infliximab therapy in ulcerative colitis is associated with decreased monocyte activation, reduced CCL2 expression and downregulation of Tenascin C.

Background And Aims: The cellular mechanisms leading to infliximab therapy response in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are incompletely known. We therefore investigated early effects of infliximab therapy on monocytes and associated chemokines linked to clinical therapy response in UC patients.

Methods: Blood and biopsies were obtained from anti-TNF therapy-naïve UC patients (n = 43) before (baseline) and during induction therapy with infliximab.

The intra-individual variability of faecal calprotectin: a prospective study in patients with active ulcerative colitis.

Background And Aims: Leukocyte-derived proteins in faeces, especially calprotectin, are increasingly used to assess disease activity in ulcerative colitis. The objectives of the present study were to assess the importance of factors related to the stool sampling procedure.

Methods: For 2 days, patients with active ulcerative colitis collected two stool samples at each bowel movement.

Fecal calprotectin one year after ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease--a comparison with findings at ileocolonoscopy.

Background And Aims: Ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease is commonly performed. The severity of endoscopic lesions in the anastomotic area one year postoperatively is considered to reflect the subsequent clinical course. Fecal calprotectin (FC) has been shown to correlate with the findings at ileocolonoscopy in Crohn's disease.

Fecal chromogranins and secretogranins are increased in patients with ulcerative colitis but are not associated with disease activity.

Background: Little is known of the importance of chromogranins (Cg) and secretogranins (Sg) in ulcerative colitis (UC). We therefore investigated fecal levels of CgA, CgB, SgII and SgIII, and their association with inflammatory activity, disease duration and medical therapy in UC.

Methods: Analyses of CgA, CgB, SgII, SgIII and calprotectin in stool samples from 41 UC patients and 29 healthy controls were performed.

Fecal calprotectin levels predict the clinical course in patients with new onset of ulcerative colitis.

Background: The clinical course of ulcerative colitis (UC) is unpredictable. During recent years, the ability of fecal biomarkers to predict relapse in inflammatory bowel disease has been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess fecal calprotectin (FC) as a predictor of disease recurrence in patients with new onset of UC.

Active site-inactivated factor VIIa inhibits nuclear factor kappa B activation in intestinal ischemia and reperfusion.

Background: Intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury is a pivotal mechanism in critical illness and in the development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, in which the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation plays a central role. Intestinal I/R injury initiates the extrinsic tissue factor or factor VIIa-dependent pathway of coagulation, also of importance in multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Our aim was to analyze NF-κB activation in I/R injury in the rat intestine and in two main "shock" organs, that is, the liver and lungs.

Dorsal agenesis of the pancreas - a rare cause of abdominal pain and insulin-dependent diabetes.

Dorsal agenesis of the pancreas is a rare congenital disorder. We report a case of a 65-year-old man with mild abdominal pain and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen showed a short pancreas with no pancreatic tissue ventral to the splenic vein.

Diagnostic yield of colonoscopy based on symptoms.

Objective: There are only a few data on the diagnostic yield of colonoscopy in different symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of colonoscopy in patients with various gastrointestinal symptoms and to estimate the relation between the findings and the presenting symptoms.

Material And Methods: 1121 consecutive colonoscopies were registered during 1 year.

Diagnostic performance of computed tomography colonography in symptomatic patients and in patients with increased risk for colorectal disease.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic performance (colorectal lesions) of computed tomography (CT) colonography in 111 patients, a majority of whom were at high risk for colorectal neoplasia.

Material And Methods: After bowel preparation, CT colonography was performed, immediately followed by conventional colonoscopy. The diagnostic performance of CT colonography was analyzed relative to lesion size, histological diagnosis, and diagnostic certainty.

Post-herniographic abdominal pain syndrome.

Purpose: To disclose the frequency of abdominal pain that led to post-procedure hospitalization and the outcome of this major complication.

Material And Methods: 576 patients who had undergone herniography during a 13-year period were retrospectively analysed.

Results: Nine out of 576 patients (1.

Extracolonic and incidental findings on CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy).

Objective: The objective of our study was to prospectively determine the frequency and clinical importance of extracolonic findings on CT colonography in symptomatic patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. One hundred eleven symptomatic patients referred for colonoscopy underwent CT colonography before colonoscopy.

Multimodal management - of value in fulminant acute pancreatitis?

Background: The multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality associated with acute pancreatitis. Presently, therapy is merely organ supportive as no effective therapy against underlying causative pathophysiological mechanisms exists.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of treatment with a platelet-activating factor inhibitor (PAFI), a monoclonal antibody against platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1-MAb) and an oxygen free radical scavenger (N-acetylcystein; NAC), alone or in combination, on systemic organ dysfunction in experimental acute pancreatitis.