Introduction: Anastomotic leakage is a major concern following total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer, affecting oncological outcomes, morbidity an treatment costs. Body composition has been suggested to influence anastomotic leakage rates. However, literature on how body composition impact anastomotic leakage rates is conflicting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Minimally invasive total mesorectal excision is increasingly being used as an alternative to open surgery in the treatment of patients with rectal cancer. This systematic review aimed to compare the total, operative and hospitalization costs of open, laparoscopic, robot-assisted and transanal total mesorectal excision.
Methods: This systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (PRISMA) (S1 File) A literature review was conducted (end-of-search date: January 1, 2023) and quality assessment performed using the Consensus Health Economic Criteria.
Introduction: Nowadays, most rectal tumours are treated open or minimally invasive, using laparoscopic, robot-assisted or transanal total mesorectal excision. However, insight into the total costs of these techniques is limited. Since all three techniques are currently being performed, including cost considerations in the choice of treatment technique may significantly impact future healthcare costs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients' beliefs about medicine may either reflect the necessity for treatment or concerns regarding the treatment. We explored the extent to which these beliefs have an effect on thiopurine metabolite levels and premature discontinuation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Patients And Methods: Patients enrolled in the 'Thiopurine response Optimization by Pharmacogenetic testing in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinics' (TOPIC) trial were asked to complete the Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire (BMQ) 4 weeks after thiopurine initiation.
Background: There are substantial global differences in the preference for mercaptopurine (MP) or its prodrug azathioprine (AZA) as first-choice thiopurine to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. Studies comparing both agents are scarce. Our aim was to compare AZA and MP in thiopurine-naive patients with inflammatory bowel disease for the frequency of side effects and efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are effective drugs for the treatment of gastric acid-related disorders. Serious adverse events are rare for PPIs, but recent data suggest that PPIs cause hypomagnesemia. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of PPI-induced hypomagnesemia and to define the risk factors for its development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease in which cytokines play a pivotal role in the induction and maintenance of inflammation. Innate cytokine production is genetically determined and varies largely between individuals; this might impact the severity of inflammation. We aimed to assess whether ex-vivo endotoxin-stimulated levels of cytokines could be associated with disease phenotype.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The use of thiopurines is frequently accompanied by hepatotoxicity. Studies on hepatocyte cultures showed a time- and dose-dependent increase of thiopurine toxicity. 5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and allopurinol can influence thiopurine metabolism; however, it is unknown whether this affects in vitro cytotoxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are important in the detoxification of many compounds, including reactive oxygen species. Polymorphisms in GSTs resulting in a decreased enzyme activity might enhance the risk for inflammatory bowel disease by eliciting a state of oxidative stress. Previous case-control studies showed divergent results and were frequently limited in sample size; therefore we conducted a meta-analysis including results from our case-control study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCochrane Database Syst Rev
June 2014
Background: Hepatitis C virus infection affects around 3% of the world population or approximately 160 million people. A variable proportion (5% to 40%) of the infected people develop clinical symptoms. Hence, hepatitis C virus is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality with hepatic fibrosis, end-stage liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma as the dominant clinical sequelae.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Around 3% of the world's population (approximately 160 million people) are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus. The proportion of infected people who develop clinical symptoms varies between 5% and 40%. Combination therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin eradicates the virus from the blood six months after treatment (sustained virological response) in approximately 40% to 80% of infected patients, depending on the viral genotype.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients with long-standing colitis carry an increased risk of colorectal cancer and are therefore enrolled in colonoscopic surveillance programs. It is presently not known if endoscopic surveillance of patients with colitis with a closed rectal stump after a subtotal colectomy is justified. Neither is it clear which of these patients might be at increased risk for rectal stump cancer.
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