Factors Associated with Response to Systemic Corticosteroids in Active Ulcerative Colitis: Results from a Prospective, Multicenter Trial.

Background: Among patients with ulcerative colitis, 30-50% receive corticosteroids within the first five years after diagnosis. We aimed to reconsider their effectiveness in the context of the biologic era.

Methods: In this prospective, multicenter study, patients with active ulcerative colitis (Lichtiger score ≥ 4) were eligible if initiating systemic corticosteroids.

Prediction of Response to Systemic Corticosteroids in Active UC by Microbial Composition-A Prospective Multicenter Study.

Background: Corticosteroids are used for induction of remission in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. However, up to one-third of patients fail to this therapy. We investigated if fecal microbial composition or its metabolic capacity are associated with response to systemic corticosteroids.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Risk of Major Bleeding During Anticoagulation for Venous Thromboembolism.

Background: Little is known about the bleeding risk in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) treated with anticoagulation. Our aim was to elucidate the rate of major bleeding (MB) events in a well-defined cohort of patients with IBD during anticoagulation after VTE.

Methods: This study is a retrospective follow-up analysis of a multicenter cohort study investigating the incidence and recurrence rate of VTE in IBD.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine and low quality of life associate with the need for psychological and psychotherapeutic interventions in inflammatory bowel disease.

Introduction: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) suffer from various symptoms, impairing their quality of life and often affecting psychosocial issues. This may lead to the need for additional psychological care. This study investigated patients' subjective need for integrated psychosomatic support and psychotherapy and indicators for it.

Prevalence and indicators of use of complementary and alternative medicine in Austrian patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) seems to be frequently used among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to determine the prevalence and indicators of CAM use in Austrian IBD patients.

Methods: In a multicentre cross-sectional study, adult patients with IBD attending 18 Austrian outpatient clinics completed a multi-item questionnaire that recorded use of CAM as well as medical and socioeconomic characteristics.

Diagnostic delay in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Austria.

Background: Delayed diagnosis seems to be common in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The study was carried out to investigate the diagnostic delay and associated risk factors in Austrian IBD patients.

Methods: In a multicenter cross-sectional study adult patients with IBD attending 18 Austrian outpatient clinics completed a multi-item questionnaire that recorded medical and socioeconomic characteristics.

[Second Austrian consensus on the safe use of anti-TNFα-antibodies in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases].

Anti-TNFα-antibodies have revolutionized the therapy of inflammatory bowel diseases and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Due to the increasing application of these substances, the Working Group of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases of the Austrian Association of Gastroenterology and Hepatology intended to update their consensus report on the safe use of Infliximab (published in 2010) and to enlarge its scope to cover all anti-TNFα-antibodies. The present consensus report summarizes the current evidence on the safe use of anti-TNFα-antibodies and covers the following topics: general risk of infection, bacterial infections (i.

Assessment of the need for psychosomatic care in patients with suspected cardiac disease.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the subjectively perceived need for additional general disease-oriented and psychotherapeutic care in patients with suspected cardiac disease and to investigate if the request for additional care is consistent with impairment of generic quality of life and the presence of psychosomatic risk factors.

Material And Methods: Patients referred for cardiac stress testing because of suspected cardiac disease completed the assessment of the demand for additional psychological treatment (ADAPT) questionnaire, an assessment tool for counselling demand in patients with chronic illness, the SF-36 quality of life and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) questionnaires.

Results: The questionnaires were administered to 233 patients (age: 54.

Depression as an independent risk factor for mortality in critically ill patients.

Objective: Mortality on medical intensive care units (ICU) is approximately 25%. It is associated with age, severity of illness, and comorbidities. Preexisting depression is a risk factor for worse outcome in many diseases.

Self-reported need for psychotherapy predicts interferon-induced depression in hepatitis C: stratification for interferon-free treatment.

Background: Interferon (IFN)-induced depression occurs in approximately 30% of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients undergoing pegylated (PEG)-IFN-based antiviral therapy. While IFN-free therapy has been developed, it is not accessible to all CHC patients due to the high costs of treatment. This study evaluated the Assessment of Demand for Additional Psychological Treatment (ADAPT) questionnaire as a screening tool for patients at risk of IFN-induced depression, in order to identify patients who may uniquely benefit from IFN-free regimens.

Long-term success of GUT-directed group hypnosis for patients with refractory irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: Gut-directed hypnotherapy (GHT) in individual sessions is highly effective in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to assess the long-term effect of GHT in group sessions for refractory IBS.

Methods: A total of 164 patients with IBS (Rome-III-criteria) were screened, and 100 refractory to usual treatment were randomized 1:1 either to supportive talks with medical treatment (SMT) or to SMT with GHT (10 weekly sessions within 12 weeks).

Clinical presentation of venous thromboembolism in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background And Aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but data on frequency, site of thrombosis and risk factors are limited. We sought to determine prevalence, incidence as well as location and clinical features of first VTE among IBD patients.

Methods: We evaluated a cohort of 2811 IBD patients for a history of symptomatic, objectively confirmed first VTE, recruited from 14 referral centers.

Long-term follow-up of babies exposed to azathioprine in utero and via breastfeeding.

Background: Recommendations on breastfeeding under thiopurines are inconsistent due to limited data.

Aim: To assess the risk of infections in offspring breastfed by mothers receiving azathioprine (AZA) for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Babies, who were breastfed from their mothers treated either with or without AZA were included from a local pregnancy-registry.

Predictors of indeterminate IFN-γ release assay in screening for latent TB in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: IFN-γ release assays (IGRA), widely used for latent tuberculosis screening prior to anti-TNF-α treatment, are limited by indeterminate results in patients under immunomodulatory (IM) therapy. The aim of our observational study was to delineate factors associated with indeterminate IGRA results.

Methods: A total of 190 patients with inflammatory bowel disease were included.

Are inherited thrombotic risk factors associated with fibrostenosis in Crohn's disease?

Background: Fibrostenotic lesions are common complications in Crohn's disease (CD) often requiring surgery. Inherited thrombotic risk factors are associated with fibrosis in other chronic inflammatory diseases. The aim of the study was to assess whether inherited thrombotic risk factors are associated with fibrostenosis in CD.

Accuracy and reliability of a subcutaneous continuous glucose-monitoring system in critically ill patients.

Background: Continuous glucose monitoring has been proposed to optimize glucose control in critically ill patients. To achieve strict glucose regulation, accurate and reliable continuous glucose-monitoring systems are essential.

Objective: Evaluation of a subcutaneous continuous glucose-monitoring system for use in critically ill patients.

Long-term outcome in patients with ulcerative colitis treated with intravenous cyclosporine A is determined by previous exposure to thiopurines.

Background And Aim: Rescue therapy with intravenous cyclosporine A (CsA) helps to avoid colectomy in a substantial proportion of patients with severe ulcerative colitis (UC) but the impact on long-term outcome remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to define predictive factors for colectomy in patients treated with intravenous CsA for severely active UC.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center study with a minimum follow-up of 18 months was performed.

Jejunal tube placement in critically ill patients: A prospective, randomized trial comparing the endoscopic technique with the electromagnetically visualized method.

Objective: Head-to-head comparison of the success rate of jejunal placement of a new electromagnetically visualized jejunal tube with that of the endoscopic technique in critically ill patients.

Design: : Prospective, randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Two intensive care units at a university hospital.

Factors impacting the results of interferon-γ release assay and tuberculin skin test in routine screening for latent tuberculosis in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: Screening for latent tuberculosis (LTB) including chest x-ray, tuberculin skin test (TST), and facultative whole blood interferon-γ assay (IGRA) is part of routine management in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients before starting therapy with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors. However, in patients with immunomodulators (IM) TST and IGRA might show limitations.

Methods: We aimed to evaluate the results from an IGRA (QuantiFERON-TB Gold in Tube) and TST as well as their concordance in 208 consecutive IBD patients with indications for anti-TNF-α therapy.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a risk factor for recurrent venous thromboembolism.

Background & Aims: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of a first venous thromboembolism (VTE), yet their risk of recurrent VTE is unknown. We performed a cohort study to determine the risk for recurrent VTE among patients with IBD compared with subjects without IBD.

Methods: We assessed 2811 patients with IBD for a history of VTE, recruited from outpatient clinics at 14 referral centers (June 2006-December 2008).

Mortality, morbidity and special issues of obese ICU patients.

Obesity is on the advance in western industrialised countries and is therefore increasingly relevant also to intensive care medicine. In contrast to the common prejudice that obese patients probably have a higher ICU mortality than lean patients, convincing meta-analyses have revealed that this is not the case. Nevertheless, obese ICU patients are challenging.

The impact of thiopurines on the risk of surgical recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease after first intestinal surgery.

Objectives: Smoking and a lack of immunosuppressive (IS) therapy are considered risk factors for intestinal surgery in Crohn's disease (CD). Good evidence for the latter is lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of thiopurine treatment on surgical recurrence in patients after first intestinal resection for CD and its possible interaction with smoking.

Real-time continuous glucose monitoring in critically ill patients: a prospective randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) on glycemic control and risk of hypoglycemia in critically ill patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total 124 patients receiving mechanical ventilation were randomly assigned to the real-time CGM group (n = 63; glucose values given every 5 min) or to the control group (n = 61; selective arterial glucose measurements according to an algorithm; simultaneously blinded CGM) for 72 h. Insulin infusion rates were guided according to the same algorithm in both groups.

Public awareness of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis: A national survey.

Background And Aims: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are lifelong inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) progressing over time. Lack of public awareness may contribute to tardy consultation of primary care physicians, late diagnosis and development of potentially preventable complications of disease. A public opinion poll has been performed to assess the awareness of CD and UC in the Austrian population.