Comparison of fecal pyruvate kinase isoform M2 and calprotectin in assessment of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease severity and activity.

Aims: Accurate assessment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity is the cornerstone of effective therapy. Fecal M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (M2-PK) and fecal calprotectin (FC) are noninvasive markers of mucosal inflammation in IBD. The aim of this study was to compare performance of M2-PK and FC in assessment of pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) severity and activity.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.

Background & Aims: To date, no studies concerning the presence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis were published. Based upon characteristic of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis one can expect the coexistence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids and not plant sterols naturally-occurring in food influence lipid profile in obese women.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the consumption level of plant sterols naturally occurring in diet on the lipid profile in obese women with dyslipidemia.

Material And Methods: The study population was primarily comprised of 120 obese women aged over 55 from Poland, with twenty seven subjects dropping out of the study due to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Anthropometric appraisal included body height and weight, as well as waist and hip circumferences.

Quantitative assessment of oral mucosa and labial minor salivary glands in patients with Sjögren's syndrome using swept source OCT.

Three-dimensional imaging of the mucosa of the lower lip and labial minor salivary glands is demonstrated in vivo using swept source optical coherence tomography (OCT) system at 1310 nm with modified interface. Volumetric data sets of the inner surface of the lower lip covering ~230 mm(2) field are obtained from patients with Sjögren's syndrome and a control group. OCT enables high-resolution visualization of mucosal architecture using cross-sectional images as well as en-face projection images.

Microencapsulated sodium butyrate administered to patients with diverticulosis decreases incidence of diverticulitis--a prospective randomized study.

Background: Microencapsulated sodium butyrate (MSB) has been previously associated with anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties regarding large bowel mucosa. We aimed to examine a role of MSB in patients with diverticulosis, hypothesizing its potential for reduction of diverticulitis episodes and diverticulitis prevention.

Methods: Seventy-three patients with diverticulosis (diagnosed in colonoscopy or/and barium enema or/and CT colography) were recruited for the study and randomized.

Phenylketonuria is not a risk factor for gut mucosa inflammation: a preliminary observation.

Background: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of amino acid metabolism in which high phenylalanine (Phe) concentrations in the central nervous system adversely affect its development and functioning. In PKU high oxidative stress and inefficiency of free radical scavenging may lead to systemic chronic inflammation. We hypothesised that in PKU gut mucosa is chronically inflamed and that this leads to release of calprotectin from neutrophils and monocytes.

Valproate disturbs the balance between branched and aromatic amino acids in rats.

We investigated the effect of valproate (ip, 500 mg/kg), which is regarded as a potent plasma protein tryptophan (TRP) displacer, on the central nervous system (hippocampal) and peripheral (plasma) levels of the aromatic amino acids (AAAs; e.g. TRP, tyrosine and phenylalanine) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; e.

Comparative‑high resolution melting: a novel method of simultaneous screening for small mutations and copy number variations.

Efficient and cost-effective screening for DNA sequence changes, both small mutations and copy number variations (CNVs), is a crucial aspect for routine genetic diagnostics as well as for basic research. In this study we present a development and evaluation of comparative-high resolution melting (C-HRM), a new approach for the simultaneous screening of small DNA changes and gene CNVs. In contrast to other methods, relative quantification in C-HRM is based on the results obtained during the melting process and calculations of the melting peak height ratio in the multiplex reaction.

Sodium butyrate and short chain fatty acids in prevention of travellers' diarrhoea: a randomized prospective study.

Introduction: Travellers' diarrhoea (TD) remains a considerable concern among international travellers. Known methods of prevention include dietary precautions, administration of vaccines and antibiotic agents.

Aim: To assess the efficacy of sodium butyrate (SB) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in prevention of TD.

Single dose of green tea extract decreases lipid digestion and absorption from a test meal in humans.

Background & Aims: Green tea is known worldwide for its high content of polyphenolic compounds and multifactorial beneficial effects on human health. The role of green tea as an inhibitor of lipid hydrolysis is widely discussed. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of green tea extract on lipid digestion and absorption.

High Resolution Melting analysis as a rapid and efficient method of screening for small mutations in the STK11 gene in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

Background: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare hereditary syndrome characterized by the occurrence of hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract, mucocutaneous pigmentation and increased risk of cancer in multiple internal organs. Depending on the studied population, its incidence has been estimated to range from 1:200 000 even up to 1:50 000 births. Being an autosomal disease, PJS is caused in most cases by mutations in the STK11 gene.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most common bacterial infections worldwide. The prevalence of Hp infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) is unclear.

Butyric acid in irritable bowel syndrome.

Butyric acid (butanoic acid) belongs to a group of short-chain fatty acids and is thought to play several beneficial roles in the gastrointestinal tract. Butyric anion is easily absorbed by enteric cells and used as a main source of energy. Moreover, butyric acid is an important regulator of colonocyte proliferation and apoptosis, gastrointestinal tract motility and bacterial microflora composition in addition to its involvement in many other processes including immunoregulation and anti-inflammatory activity.

Butyric acid in functional constipation.

Butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid, is a major energy source for colonocytes. It occurs in small quantities in some foods, and in the human body, it is produced in the large intestine by intestinalkacteria. This production can be reduced in some cases, for which butyric acid supplementation may be useful.

Trace elements and rat pouchitis.

The procedure of restorative proctocolectomy is associated with a complete removal of the colon and slight reduction of ileum length, which together can lead to systemic shortages of trace elements. Inflammatory changes in the pouch mucosa may also have some impact. However, there is no data on trace elements in pouchitis.

Stricture of ileo-anal J pouch anastomosis increased the intensity of pouchitis in an experimental rat model.

Background: Pouchitis appears to be the most common complication after restorative proctocolectomy.

Material/methods: In experimental models we investigated the correlation between the width of anastomosis and the frequency of pouchitis. Twenty-three Wistar rats underwent restorative proctocolectomy under pentobarbital anesthesia.

Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis: Polish 4 years' experience with CFTR sequencing strategy.

Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis (NBS CF) in Poland was started in September 2006. Summary from 4 years' experience is presented in this study. The immunoreactive trypsin/DNA sequencing strategy was implemented.

Microencapsulated sodium butyrate reduces the frequency of abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Aim: Abdominal pain, defaecation disorder and change of bowel habit are the commonest symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The effect of microencapsulated sodium butyrate (MSB) was assessed on the severity of symptoms in patients with IBS.

Method: Sixty-six patients treated with one of the standard pharmacological therapies for at least 3 months were included in the study.

Vitamin K status in patients with short bowel syndrome.

Background & Aims: Available evidence suggests that patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) might be at risk of vitamins A, D, E and B(1) deficiency. However, there is little clinical data describing the vitamin K status. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to assess the body resources of vitamin K in a subset of SBS patients.

Discrepancy between clinical and histological effects of DHA supplementation in a rat model of pouchitis.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) potentially modulates inflammatory processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of DHA supplementation on the expression of intestinal inflammation and nutritional status in rats which have undergone restorative proctocolectomy. Twenty-four Wistar rats were operated.

The impact of vegan diet on B-12 status in healthy omnivores: five-year prospective study.

Background: There are no long-term prospective studies assessing the impact of the vegan diet on vitamin B-12 (B-12) status. Many vegans take B-12 supplements irregularly or refuse to adopt them at all, considering them to be "unnatural" products. The use of B-12 fortified food may be an alternative.

Lactose malabsorption is a risk factor for decreased bone mineral density in pancreatic insufficient cystic fibrosis patients.

As decreased bone mineral density (BMD) is a common problem in cystic fibrosis (CF) and milk products may have pivotal dietary role affecting BMD, we aimed to assess the potential influence of adult-type hypolactasia (ATH) and lactose malabsorption (LM) on BMD in adolescent and young adult patients. In 95 CF pancreatic-insufficient patients aged 10-25 years (without liver cirrhosis, steatosis and cholestasis, diabetes mellitus, systemic glucocorticoid therapy), lumbar BMD, the nutritional status, pulmonary function, vitamin D3 concentration, calcium intake and single-nucleotide polymorphism upstream of the lactase gene were assessed. In subjects with the -13910 C/C genotype predisposing to ATH, the presence of LM was determined with the use of a hydrogen-methane breath test (BT).

Vitamin K status in peritoneally dialyzed patients with chronic kidney disease.

Abnormal vitamin K status was documented in patients with chronic kidney diseases (CKD), especially those undergoing hemodialysis. The data related to patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) are contradictory. Therefore, in the present study we aimed to evaluate vitamin K status in patients with CKD who are treated with continuous ambulatory PD.

Pilot study: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial of pancrealipase for the treatment of postprandial irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhoea.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of pancrealipase (PEZ) compared with placebo in the reduction of postprandial irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhoea (IBS-D). DESIGN: An intention to treat, double blind, randomised, crossover trial comparing PEZ to placebo for reduction of postprandial IBS-D. Patients had to recognise at least two different triggering foods, be willing to consume six baseline 'trigger meals' and again blinded with PEZ and placebo.