Epidemiology of chronic and acute pancreatitis in India (EPICAP-India): protocol for a multicentre study.

Introduction: Acute and chronic pancreatitis (CP) are inflammatory conditions of the pancreas that cause local and systemic complications. The epidemiology of these conditions are not well-known in India.

Methods And Analysis: We describe the protocol and procedures of a multicentre study for delineating the epidemiology of pancreatitis in India.

Draft genome sequences of multi-drug-resistant strains isolated from ulcerative colitis patients.

The whole-genome sequences of four multi-drug-resistant strains, namely, DAK02, DAK03, DAK05, and DAK10, are reported here. The strains were isolated from fecal samples of ulcerative colitis patients from Northern India. The size of the draft genome sequence ranged from 4,809 to 5,000 kb.

Depletion of core microbiome forms the shared background against diverging dysbiosis patterns in Crohn's disease and intestinal tuberculosis: insights from an integrated multi-cohort analysis.

Background/aims: Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) are gastrointestinal (GI) inflammatory disorders with overlapping clinical presentations but diverging etiologies. The study aims to decipher CD and ITB-associated gut dysbiosis signatures and identify disease-associated co-occurring modules to evaluate whether this dysbiosis signature is a disease-specific trait or is a shared feature across diseases of diverging etiologies.

Methods: Disease-associated gut microbial modules were identified using statistical machine learning and co-abundance network analysis in controls, CD and ITB patients recruited as part of this study.

Target potential of miRNAs in ulcerative colitis: what do we know?

Introduction: The global rise in ulcerative colitis (UC) incidence highlights the urgent need for enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Recent advances in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic loci associated with UC, providing insights into the disease's molecular mechanisms, including immune modulation, mucosal defense, and epithelial barrier function. Despite these findings, many GWAS signals are located in non-coding regions and are linked to low risk, suggesting that protein-coding genes alone do not fully explain UC's pathophysiology.

New diagnostic strategies to distinguish Crohn's disease and gastrointestinal tuberculosis.

Purpose Of Review: Despite advances in our radiological, histological and microbiological armamentarium, distinguishing between Crohn's disease (CD) and intestinal tuberculosis (ITB), especially in a TB endemic country, continues to be a challenging exercise in a significant number of patients. This review aims to summarize current available evidence on novel diagnostic techniques which have a potential to fill the gap in our knowledge of differentiating between ITB and CD.

Recent Findings: Both ITB and CD are associated with altered host immune responses, and detection of these altered innate and adaptive immune cells has potential to distinguish ITB from CD.

Gut colonization with antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli pathobionts leads to disease severity in ulcerative colitis.

Background: Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative commensal of human gut. Surprisingly, the role of E. coli in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC) has not been explored until now.

Endoscopic Glue Injection vs Glue Plus BRTO or TIPSS for Preventing Gastric Variceal Bleeding: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background And Aims: The study sought to compare the efficacy of endoscopic injection sclerotherapy with cyanoacrylate glue (EIS-CYA) vs EIS-CYA plus a radiologic intervention (RI) (either transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt or balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration) for secondary prophylaxis in patients with liver cirrhosis who presented with acute variceal bleeding from cardiofundal varices. Primary outcome measure was gastric varix (GV) rebleed rates at 1 year.

Methods: Consecutive cirrhosis patients with acute variceal bleeding from cardiofundal varices were randomized into 2 arms (45 in each) after primary hemostasis by EIS-CYA.

A phase I/II clinical trial of ex-vivo expanded human bone marrow derived allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells in adult patients with perianal fistulizing Crohn's Disease.

Background: Perianal fistulas (PF) affect one-third patients with Crohn's disease (CD) with limited therapeutic options. There is dearth of literature on safety and efficacy of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) in this population.

Methods: An open-label, phase I/II, single-arm study was conducted involving local administration of human allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in perianal fistula of patients with Crohn's disease refractory to standard therapies.

Gut bacteriome in inflammatory bowel disease: An update on recent advances.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory gut disorders, majorly classified as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The complex, multifactorial etiopathogenesis of IBD involves genetic predisposition, environmental cues, aberrant mucosal immune response and a disturbed gut microbiota. Epidemiological trends, studies in gnotobiotic mice models and genome-wide association studies, identifying genes involved in microbial handling, together mount evidence in support of the gut microbiota playing a pivotal role in IBD pathogenesis.

Role of high-dose methylprednisolone in Zargar Grade IIB corrosive esophageal burns: A randomized control study.

Objective: The objective of the study is to test the efficacy of high-dose methylprednisolone in the prevention of esophageal stricture after corrosive ingestion.

Methods: This study was a single-center, randomized controlled single-blinded study. Simple randomization was done with 15 adult patients (>18 years) in each arm, who presented with a history of corrosive ingestion within the past 24 h and had esophageal injury of Zargar Grade IIB on endoscopy.

Coconut Water Induces Clinical Remission in Mild to Moderate Ulcerative Colitis: Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial.

Background & Aims: Coconut water (CW) is anti-inflammatory, can manipulate the gut microbiome, and is a rich source of potassium. Gut microbiome modulation improves outcomes in ulcerative colitis (UC), and potassium possesses in vitro anti-inflammatory property. We evaluated the effect of CW as an adjunct therapy for patients with mild-moderate UC.

Comparison of 1-day versus 3-day intravenous terlipressin in cirrhosis patients with variceal bleeding: A pilot randomised controlled trial.

Background: In cirrhosis patients with acute variceal bleeding (AVB), the optimal duration of vasoconstrictor therapy after endoscopic haemostasis is unclear.

Aims: We aimed to compare efficacy of 1-day versus 3-day terlipressin therapy in cirrhosis patients with AVB post-endoscopic intervention. The primary objective was to compare rebleeding at 5 days between the two arms.

"Prevalence, Predictors, and Impact of Hepatic Steatosis in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study".

Background And Aims: There are no prospective studies evaluating effect of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). This prospective observational study assessed the prevalence of NAFLD, its predictors, and its effect on long-term outcomes in UC.

Methods: Consecutive UC patients underwent transient elastography, body composition analysis, bone densitometry, anthropometry, and baseline demographic and subjective global assessment.

The practice of fecal microbiota transplantation in inflammatory bowel disease.

Current evidence posits a central role for gut microbiota and the metabolome in the pathogenesis and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been established as a means to manipulate this microbiome safely and sustainably. Several aspects of the technical improvement including pretreatment with antibiotics, use of frozen stool samples as well as short donor-to-recipient time are proposed to improve its response rates.

Exclusive Enteral Nutrition Mediates Beneficial Gut Microbiome Enrichment in Acute Severe Colitis.

Background: Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) supplementation of the standard of care (SOC) augments steroid responsiveness in patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC). EEN is known to alter gut microbial composition. The present study investigates EEN-driven gut microbial alterations in patients with ASUC and examines their correlations with clinical parameters.