Noninvasive biomarkers as surrogate predictors of clinical and endoscopic remission after infliximab induction in patients with refractory ulcerative colitis.

Background/aims: Treatment of refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) is a clinical challenge, and after biological therapy, monitoring clinical and endoscopic responses is fundamental. We aimed to investigate and compare the predictive power of different noninvasive parameters for clinical remission and mucosal healing after infliximab induction therapy in refractory UC patients.

Patients And Methods: Serum and fecal biomarkers, including hemoglobin, white blood cells, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein (CRP), and fecal calprotectin (FC), and colonoscopy were assessed in 44 patients with refractory UC before and after (week 12) infliximab induction.

Evaluation of flow cytometric immunophenotyping and DNA analysis for detection of malignant cells in serosal cavity fluids.

The serosal cavities are frequent sites of tumor metastasis. The distinction between carcinoma cells, inflammatory cells, and reactive or malignant mesothelial cells can be difficult in cytology. Multicolor flow cytometry (FCM) provides the opportunity to evaluate multiple antigens simultaneously, making it possible to characterize various cell populations.

Hepatitis C virus-associated thrombocytopenia is not related to serum thrombopoietin levels.

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the most important health problems in Egypt. Thrombocytopenia is a common finding in subjects with chronic hepatitis. The precise etiology of this thrombocytopenia is still obscure.