Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Ustekinumab in Crohn's Disease: Results from a Large Real-Life Cohort Study.

Ustekinumab (UST) is an interleukin-12/interleukin-23 receptor antagonist approved for the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD). Only limited real-life data on the long-term outcomes of CD patients treated with UST are available. This study assessed UST's long-term effectiveness and safety in a large population-based cohort of moderate to severe CD patients.

Ustekinumab safety and effectiveness in patients with ulcerative colitis: results from a large real-life study.

Background: Ustekinumab (UST) is an interleukin-12/interleukin-23 receptor antagonist recently approved for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) but with limited real-world data. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of UST in patients with UC in a real-world setting.

Research Design And Methods: This is a multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study.

Efficacy of a new nutraceutical formulation: L-tryptophan, probiotics, charcoal, chamomile, mint, and licorice (COLONIR®) in the improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms in subjects with irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. IBS is characterized by recurrent chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of organic damage. Although there are reviews and guidelines for treating IBS, the complexity and diversity of IBS presentation make treatment difficult.

EUS-guided tissue acquisition in chronic pancreatitis: Differential diagnosis between pancreatic cancer and pseudotumoral masses using EUS-FNA or core biopsy.

Background And Objective: EUS-FNA sensitivity for malignancy in parenchymal masses of patients with concurrent chronic pancreatitis (CP) has been reported to be unsatisfactory. The aim of the present study was to directly compare the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA and EUS-fine-needle biopsy (FNB) in differentiating between inflammatory masses and malignancies in the setting of CP.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of prospective, multicentric databases of all patients with pancreatic masses and clinico-radiological-endosonographic features of CP who underwent EUS-FNA or FNB.

FRAX Score Can Be Used to Avoid Superfluous DXA Scans in Detecting Osteoporosis in Celiac Disease: Accuracy of the FRAX Score in Celiac Patients.

The Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) tool has been developed to estimate patients' 10-yr probability of fracture, thus establishing which patients should undergo dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scan. This study aimed to evaluate if the FRAX tool can replace or optimize the use of DXA scan in celiac disease (CD). We prospectively enrolled all CD patients aged over 40 yr diagnosed at our third-level unit.

Beneficial effects of gluten free diet in potential coeliac disease in adult population.

Background: To date, potential coeliac disease (PCD) occurring in adults remains an almost unexplored condition.

Aims: To explore the prognostic role of Marsh grade in adult PCD patients, and to evaluate the effects of gluten-containing diet (GCD) in asymptomatic PCD patients.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all consecutive adult PCD patients followed-up for at least 6 years.

Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Rescue treatment with a modified cyanoacrylate.

Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a modified cyanoacrylate [N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate associated with methacryloxysulfolane (NBCA + MS)] to treat non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NV-UGIB).

Methods: In our retrospective study we took into account 579 out of 1177 patients receiving endoscopic treatment for NV-UGIB admitted to our institution from 2008 to 2015; the remaining 598 patients were treated with other treatments. Initial hemostasis was not achieved in 45 of 579 patients; early rebleeding occurred in 12 of 579 patients.

Coeliac disease in the elderly in a tertiary centre.

Introduction And Aims: Coeliac disease (CD) was believed to be a childhood disease while it can affect any age.

Aim: to evaluate the prevalence of CD in elderly population, recording the main clinical features of this group respect to young patients.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed the prevalence of CD in an elderly population from 1970 to 2015.

Gluten-free diet does not influence the occurrence and the Th1/Th17-Th2 nature of immune-mediated diseases in patients with coeliac disease.

Introduction: Coeliac disease (CD) is the most common Th1-mediated enteropathy, frequently associated with other immune-mediated disorders (IMD).

Aims: To evaluate: (1) the prevalence of IMD at the time of and after CD diagnosis; (2) a possible change in immune response to gluten free diet (GFD); (3) the potential role of GFD in reducing and/or preventing IMD in CD.

Methods: Prospective study including all consecutive adult CD patients who underwent investigations for Th1-Th17/Th2-IMD at the time of CD diagnosis and after a 5-year follow-up period.

Fluoroquinolone-based protocols for eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a widespread pathogen infecting about 40% of people living in urban areas and over 90% of people living in the developing regions of the world. H.

Predictive value of "Marsh 1" type histology in subjects with suspected cealic disease.

Introduction: The diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) is based on histology in combination with anti-tissue transglutaminase (a-tTG) and anti-endomysial antibodies (EMAs). The increase of intraepithelial lymphocytes defines the Marsh 1 histology that appears not to be specific for CD.

Aim: To explore the positive predictive value (PPV) and clinical relevance of Marsh 1 histology in suspected CD.

Fecal calprotectin in coeliac disease.

We would like to share with the readers the results of our experience in 50 celiac disease (CD) patients, enrolled between September 2012 and April 2013, who were referred to our third-level CD Unit. The fecal calprotectin (FC) concentration of 50 adults with newly diagnosed CD was compared to that of a control group of 50 healthy subjects. FC level was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay with diagnostic cut-off of 75 μg/g.

Prevalence of functional dyspepsia and its subgroups in patients with eating disorders.

Aim: To study the prevalence of functional dyspepsia (FD) (Rome III criteria) across eating disorders (ED), obese patients, constitutional thinner and healthy volunteers.

Methods: Twenty patients affected by anorexia nervosa, 6 affected by bulimia nervosa, 10 affected by ED not otherwise specified according to diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, nine constitutional thinner subjects and, thirty-two obese patients were recruited from an outpatients clinic devoted to eating behavior disorders. Twenty-two healthy volunteers matched for age and gender were enrolled as healthy controls.

In vitro gliadin challenge: diagnostic accuracy and utility for the difficult diagnosis of celiac disease.

Objectives: Diagnosis of celiac disease is difficult when treatment with gluten-free diet (GFD) is started before diagnosis and/or when the results of tests are inconsistent. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro gliadin challenge.

Methods: The study cohort included patients without celiac disease (negative controls, n=57), patients with celiac disease (positive controls, n=166 untreated and n=55 on GFD), and patients with difficult diagnosis (n=59).

From menarche to menopause: the fertile life span of celiac women.

Objective: We evaluated menopause-associated disorders and fertile life span in women with celiac disease (CD) under untreated conditions and after long-term treatment with a gluten-free diet.

Methods: The participants were 33 women with CD after menopause (untreated CD group), 25 celiac women consuming a gluten-free diet at least 10 years before menopause (treated CD group), and 45 healthy volunteers (control group). The Menopause Rating Scale questionnaire was used to gather information on menopause-associated disorders.

Celiac disease: Alternatives to a gluten free diet.

Celiac disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the small intestine caused by the ingestion of gluten or related rye and barley proteins. At present, the only available treatment is a strict gluten-exclusion diet. However, recent understanding of the molecular basis for this disorder has improved and enabled the identification of targets for new therapies.