Chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: an analysis of patient and virus characteristics.

Objectives: The MOSAIC study gathered data on chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its treatment in various countries worldwide. Here we summarise patient and HCV characteristics in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Methods: MOSAIC was an observational study that included patients with chronic HCV infection untreated at the time of enrolment.

Clinical and Ultrasound Characteristics of the Microcystic Elongated and Fragmented (MELF) Pattern in Endometrial Cancer According to the International Endometrial Tumor Analysis (IETA) criteria.

Objectives: To describe sonographic features of the microcystic elongated and fragmented (MELF) pattern of myometrial invasion (MI) using the International Endometrial Tumor Analysis (IETA) criteria; to assess the effect of the MELF pattern on preoperative ultrasound evaluation of MI; and to determine the relationship of the MELF pattern to more advanced stage (≥ IB) and lymph node metastases in women with endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Methods/materials: We included 850 women with endometrioid endometrial cancer from the prospective IETA 4 study. Ultrasound experts performed all ultrasound examinations, according to the IETA protocol.

[Late complications of liver cirrhosis - management of gastrointestinal bleeding in the presence of portal hypertension].

Cirrhosis is the end stage of progressive development of different liver diseases and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Cirrhosis is associated with a number of potential complications, in particular with development of portal hypertension. Portal hypertension with the production of ascites, hepatic and gastric varices bleeding in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, presents the breakpoint in the natural course of cirrhosis, and it is associated with a considerably worse prognosis of patients, with a dramatically increased risk of mortality.

[Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: analysis of practice at the endoscopic center of tertiary medical care].

Introduction: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a minimally invasive routine procedure used to provide long-term enteral nutrition in selected patients with impaired oral intake. The knowledge of clinical, technical and safety features of PEG is an important issue in clinical practice.The aim of this study was to evaluate the popu-lation of patients selected for PEG insertion, describe certain aspects of the insertion procedure, assess the service life of PEG, as well as account for the number of complications and patient mortality in the six-month period following the procedure.

Hidradenoma Papilliferum: A Clinicopathologic Study of 264 Tumors From 261 Patients, With Emphasis on Mammary-Type Alterations.

Hidradenoma papilliferum (HP), also known as papillary hidradenoma, is the most common benign lesion of the female anogenital area derived from anogenital mammary-like glands (AGMLG). HP can be viewed conceptually as the cutaneous counterpart of mammary intraductal papilloma. The authors have studied 264 cases of HP, detailing various changes in the tumor and adjacent AGMLG, with emphasis on mammary-type alterations.

[Cirrhosis of the liver and HCV].

Cirrhosis of the liver is the final morphological stage of most liver diseases with subsequent risk of decompensation and complications (portal hypertension, HCC). At present it is apparent, however, that a dynamic two-way process is involved with a possibility of further progression, but also regression of fibrosis/cirrhosis provided that causal treatment of the basic hepatologic disease is possible. Determining the stage and level of fibrosis progression is absolutely key to further care of the patient, establishment of the prognosis and possibly the treatment indication.

Relevance of low viral load in haemodialysed patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Aim: To identify predictors of sustained virological response in hemodialysed patients treated by PEGinterferon α for chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1.

Methods: The sustained virological response (SVR) rate, IL28B genotype, IFNL4 genotype, initial viral load (IVL) and other pretreatment variables in 39 end-stage renal disease patients (ESRD) on maintenance haemodialysis (HD) infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), genotype 1b, were compared with a control group of 109 patients with normal kidney function treated within the same period. All the patients were treatment naïve and had well compensated liver disease.

Clostridium difficile infection in hospitalized patients at a Czech tertiary center: analysis of epidemiology, clinical features, and risk factors of fulminant course.

Objective: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been increasing in incidence, with significant morbidity and mortality, and is subject to geographical and institutional variability. We aimed to characterize epidemiology and clinical manifestations of CDI in a Czech tertiary care center and to identify risk factors of fulminant course.

Methods: All adult patients hospitalized with primary CDI in a 3-year period were retrospectively identified.

Role of duodenal iron transporters and hepcidin in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) often display disturbed iron indices. Hepcidin, a key regulator of iron metabolism, has been shown to be down-regulated by alcohol in cell lines and animal models. This down-regulation led to increased duodenal iron transport and absorption in animals.

Diagnosing celiac disease in patients with a history of lymphoma: factors that matter.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify pitfalls in establishing the diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) in patients with a history of lymphoma.

Methods: A total of 103 patients with a history of lymphoma had anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (atTGA) and their class A, G, and M immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG) levels determined. Patients with atTGA positivity underwent enterobiopsy and CD-associated HLA locus testing.

Duodenal expression of iron transport molecules in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis or iron deficiency.

Disturbances of iron metabolism are observed in chronic liver diseases. In the present study, we examined gene expression of duodenal iron transport molecules and hepcidin in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis (HHC) (treated and untreated), involving various genotypes (genotypes which represent risk for HHC were examined), and in patients with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Gene expressions of DMT1, ferroportin, Dcytb, hephaestin, HFE and TFR1 were measured in duodenal biopsies using real-time PCR and Western blot.

Hyperplasia of ectopic sebaceous glands in the uterine cervix: case report.

Occurrence of ectopic sebaceous glands in the uterine cervix is a rare, unusual, and an incidental finding. Microscopically, sebaceous elements are typically situated high in the submucosa without an accompanying hair follicle (so-called free sebaceous glands). They are suggested to give rise to rare cases of sebaceous carcinoma in this location but are otherwise of little clinical significance.

The efficacy of terlipressin in comparison with albumin in the prevention of circulatory changes after the paracentesis of tense ascites--a randomized multicentric study.

Background/aims: Postparacentesis circulatory dysfunction is the most severe complication of ascites paracentesis. The aim of our study was to compare the standard treatment with the administration of a vasoconstrictor terlipressin.

Methodology: Forty-nine patients treated by paracentesis due to tense ascites were randomized for the treatment with albumin (8g/L of removed ascites) or terlipressin (1 mg every four hours for 48 hours).

Mature cystic teratoma of the ovary with male accessory sexual glands including seminal vesicles, prostatic tissue, and bulbo-urethral glands: a case report.

We present an extremely rare case of a benign cystic ovarian teratoma with structures of male accessory sexual glands. The patient was a 30-year-old woman. A unilocular cystic tumor, measuring 5 cm in the largest diameter, was found in her right ovary and was removed.

Fibrinolysis defect in long-term hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its relation to metabolic disorders.

Background/aims: Patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) secondary to diabetes mellitus show a high incidence of atherosclerosis with its thrombotic complications. Both CRF and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) results in fibrinolysis defects causally related to atherogenesis and thrombogenesis. It is not well known whether or not and, if so, how fibrinolysis is altered in patients with both CRF and DM2.