Symptoms of functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome among medical students in Slovakia and their relation to diet and exercise.

Introduction: There is a substantial lack of data regarding the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD) in the region of Central/Eastern Europe. It is a well-described and known fact that environmental, ethnic, dietary, and cultural factors can influence the reporting of symptoms. Therefore, we aim to provide the first data documenting the prevalence of specific disorders of gut-brain interaction in Slovakia.

Predictive value of infliximab trough levels in maintenance therapy for 5-year sustained clinical remission in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Despite long-term use of infliximab (IFX) in IBD treatment, its optimized use is unclear due to its complicated pharmacokinetics/dynamics. Hence, the predictive value of IFX trough levels (TL) is important in treatment management.

Methods: We performed a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study with 74 IBD patients treated with IFX (mean 9.

First report of nosocomial outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infection among COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a non-intensive care unit ward in Slovakia.

Background: Enterococcus species account for most of the human enterococcal HAI and multidrug-resistant infections and have become a major threat to modern public health. We examine the rise in the number of vancomycin resistant E. faecium blood stream and urinary tract infections in a COVID-19 department during an epidemiologic outbreak investigation to detect and eliminate nosocomial clusters of the bacteria.

Isolated carbapenem resistant bacteria, their multidrug resistant profile, percentage of healthcare associated infection and associated mortality, in hospitalized patients in a University Hospital in Bratislava.

Objectives: The absence of clinical studies in Slovakia on carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, and P.

Impact of smoking cigarette on the mRNA expression of cytokines in mucosa of inflammatory bowel disease.

It is well known that smoking is the risk factor in the development and clinical course of Crohn s disease (CD), but on the other hand, smoking is a protective factor against ulcerative colitis (UC). The pathways that are influenced by smoking in CD and UC are poorly understood. The aim of our study was to analyse the influence of smoking on the mRNA expression of cytokines in mucosa in patients with CD and UC.

Pathophysiology and risk factors for cholelithiasis in patients with Crohn's disease.

Cholelithiasis is more common in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) than in the healthy population. The aim here was to examine risk factors for cholelithiasis in a cohort of CD patients and to compare the prevalence of cholelithiasis in a cohort of CD patients with that in a control group. This was a single-center retrospective case-control study.

Dosing interval and diagnosis predict infliximab levels in patients with inflammatory bowel disease on maintenance treatment.

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify factors influencing infliximab (IFX) trough levels (TL) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: This was a multicentre cross-sectional study performed at 5 large IBD centres in Slovakia. The cohort consisted of IBD patients, treated either with original IFX or CT-P13 biosimilar, who were examined for the IFX TL and antidrug antibodies (ADA) in a central laboratory.

Influence of vitamin D on the expression of mRNA of cytokines in the mucosa of inflammatory bowel disease patients.

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of 25(OH)VD serum concentration on the expression of mRNA cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17, IL-23, TNFα, CCR1, CCR2, CCR5, CCR9, CCL5, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, CD207 ,CD206, FoxP3) in mucosa of IBD patients. The cohort consisted of 86 IBD patients (48 CD and 38 UC) followed at the IBD center of University Hospital Bratislava-Ruzinov. We performed colonoscopy in each patient and took biopsies from mucosa of sigma and terminal ileum.

Decrease of trabecular bone score reflects severity of Crohn's disease: results of a case-control study.

Objectives: Osteoporosis and osteopaenia are known chronic complications of inflammatory bowel diseases. The trabecular bone score (TBS) provides an indirect measurement of bone microarchitecture, independent of bone mineral density (BMD).

Patients And Methods: The study was designed as a case-control study with the aim to assess and compare bone quantity and quality in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

[Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome - two sides of the same coin].

Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL) is a rare genetic disease. Its incidence is 1 : 36,000, there is the familial occurrence in 80 % of cases , the remaining cases are de novo mutations. The disease is caused by the highly penetrant mutations in the VHL gene (3p25.

[Hemosuccus pancreaticus - rare complication of chronic pancreatitis].

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is a rare cause of upper digestive tract bleeding, it is hemorrhage to the pancreatic duct. A case report is about 56-years old man who was repeatedly hospitalized and suffered from melena and enterorrhagia during 3 years. Imaging studies did not clearly identified etiology of bleeding or source of hemorrhage was wrong identified.

[DRESS syndrome].

DRESS syndrome (Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) is severe drug-induced allergic-type reaction which occurs few days to weeks after taking a drug in a predisposed patient. Organ damage, eosinophilia and skin rash are typical at presentation. Corticotherapy is often necessary in severe cases.

[Fecal microbiota transplantation].

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a therapeutic method, in which the fecal microflora from healthy donors is transmitted to the patient to restore the healthy microbial composition of the gut. In the recent years, there is a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of FMT in various diseases. The standard FMT protocols do not exist.

Relapse rates of inflammatory bowel disease patients in deep and clinical remission after discontinuing anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy.

Background And Aims: Relapse rates after discontinuing anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) therapy of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in deep remission are poorly understood. This prospective single-center open-label study evaluated the relapse rates of IBD patients after stopping anti-TNFα therapy.

Methods: All IBD patients who were in clinical remission and stopped anti-TNFα therapy in 2011-2013 and were followed up for at least 12 months were enrolled.

[The most recent aspects of diagnosis and therapy of hyponatraemia].

Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte disbalance in clinical practice, which is associated with increased patients morbidity and mortality. At present the pathophysiology of hyponatraemia is explored in more details, antidiuretic hormone and osmoregulation play the major roles. This article informs about relatively new classification of hyponatraemia for clinical practice based on the severity of clinical symptoms and based on the effective serum osmolality.

Hyponatraemia is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.

Background: Hyponatraemia increases morbidity and mortality, but the extent to which this condition influences mortality independently of other contributing factors is unclear.

Materials And Methods: All hyponatremic patients admitted to the internal medicine department during a six month period were included. Medical records were reviewed and patients' demographics, underlying disease, cause of hyponatremia and in-hospital deaths were noted.

[The viewpoint of an internist on the problem of an aortoenteric fistula].

Aortoenteric fistula is an uncommon life-threatening disease; it can be divided into primary and secondary one. Primary aortoenteric fistula is the result of ongoing disease in the aorta and the intestine, secondary one is iatrogenic. Typical symptoms are abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding (two-stage process).