Utility of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness as an Auxiliary Vascular Parameter of Structural Alteration in Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by chronic relapsing-remitting inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The chronic inflammatory process may predispose to atherosclerosis. The aim of the study was to assess the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and its relation to subclinical atherosclerosis and to follow up cardiovascular complications in patients with UC.

Handgrip dynamometry: a surrogate marker of malnutrition to predict the prognosis in alcoholic liver disease.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the utility of handgrip dynamometry (HGD) in predicting short term mortality and complications in alcoholic liver disease.

Methods: Patients with alcoholic liver disease were included and nutritional assessment was done using the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), HGD and other conventional parameters. Mortality rates and complications were compared to nutritional status.