Medication use among inflammatory bowel disease patients: excessive consumption of antidepressants and analgesics.

Objective: Little is known about differences in the use of medications between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and the general population. The aims of this study were to observe those differences and to discuss reasons for them. The relation between medication use and HRQoL of IBD patients was examined.

Increased risk for coronary heart disease, asthma, and connective tissue diseases in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background And Aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) show increased risk for other immune-mediated diseases such as arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and some pulmonary diseases. Less is known about the prevalence of other chronic diseases in IBD, and the impact of comorbidity on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: The study population comprised 2831 IBD patients recruited from the National Health Insurance register and from a patient-association register.

Health-related quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease measured with the generic 15D instrument.

Objectives: In many surveys, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been shown to have a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), especially when the disease is active. The purpose of this study was to compare a disease-specific HRQoL tool (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire, IBDQ) and a generic HRQoL tool (15D) in a large cohort of IBD patients, to assess the ability of the 15D to detect differences in HRQoL between disease states and to compare the HRQoL of IBD patients with that of the general population.

Methods: The study population comprised 2,931 IBD patients over 18 picked from a national Social Insurance Institute register and from a patient organization register.

Impact of demographic factors, medication and symptoms on disease-specific quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: To investigate the relation of demographic factors, medication and symptoms to health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and to identify patients in need of special support.

Methods: A questionnaire packet comprising the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) and the European Federation of Crohn's and Colitis Associations' (EFCCA) Survey Questionnaire was sent to 3,852 adult members of the Crohn and Colitis Association of Finland. IBDQ was used for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the EFCCA questionnaire gave information about demographics, symptoms and medication.

Finnish patients with inflammatory bowel disease have fewer symptoms and are more satisfied with their treatment than patients in the previous European survey.

Objective: Symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have a negative impact on quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the quality of life in a large group of Finnish IBD patients and to compare it with that observed in a recent survey covering several other European countries.

Material And Methods: The European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) questionnaire, comprising questions about IBD symptoms, diagnosis, therapy, extraintestinal manifestations and their impact on patients' quality of life, was sent to 3852 members of the Finnish Crohn and Colitis Association.

Effect of steatosis and inflammation on liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aims: The role of liver biopsy has been questioned in the management of patients with hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. The aims of this study were to determine the impact of clinical parameters and degree of inflammation and steatosis on liver fibrosis.

Patients/methods: Clinical data and liver histology findings in 510 HCV patients were analysed.

Size of the peptic ulcer in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients: association with the clinical and histological characteristics.

Objective: Based on a large trial of Helicobacter pylori-positive peptic ulcer patients, we studied whether the size of the ulcer, along with other clinical and histological characteristics, has any effect on healing. We also studied the clinical and endoscopic characteristics associated with size of the peptic ulcer.

Material And Methods: A total of 333 consecutive patients with H.

Clinical significance of widespread gastric metaplasia in the duodenal bulb.

Background: All the risk factors of peptic ulcer disease are not thoroughly understood.

Goals: To assess duodenal gastric metaplasia (DGM) in relation to Helicobacter pylori status and endoscopy findings with special reference to the effects of highly selective vagotomy.

Study: The study population consisted of 1056 adult patients and an additional 154 patients who had had a highly selective vagotomy.

Helicobacter pylori eradication in the healing of atrophic gastritis: a one-year prospective study.

Objective: Whether gastric atrophy or intestinal metaplasia heals after successful treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is still a matter of controversy. The aim of this article was to clarify whether, after one year, H.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease).

Thromboangiitis obliterans or Buerger's disease is a segmental occlusive inflammatory condition of arteries and veins, characterized by thrombosis and recanalization of the affected vessels. It is a non-atherosclerotic inflammatory disease affecting small and medium sized arteries and veins of upper and lower extremities. The clinical criteria include: age under 45 years; current or recent history of tobacco use; presence of distal-extremity ischemia indicated by claudication, pain at rest, ischemic ulcers or gangrenes and documented by non-invasive vascular testing; exclusion of autoimmune diseases, hypercoagulable states and diabetes mellitus; exclusion of a proximal source of emboli by echocardiography or arteriography; consistent arteriographic findings in the clinically involved and non-involved limbs.

Musculoskeletal disorders in diabetes mellitus: an update.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with several musculoskeletal disorders. The incidence of DM and the life expectancy of the diabetic patient have both increased, resulting in the increased prevalence and clinical importance of musculoskeletal alterations in diabetic subjects. The exact pathophysiology of most of these musculoskeletal disorders remains obscure.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori improves the healing rate and reduces the relapse rate of nonbleeding ulcers in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer.

Objective: A causal relationship between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and peptic ulcer complications remains obscure. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of H.