Fecal calprotectin for detection of postoperative endoscopic recurrence in Crohn's disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Anastomotic recurrence is frequent in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) following ileocecal resection. The degree of endoscopic recurrence, quantified by the Rutgeerts score (RS), correlates with risk of clinical and surgical recurrence. Several studies demonstrate the accuracy of fecal calprotectin (FC) for detection of endoscopic recurrence, however the optimal threshold FC value remains to be established.

Successful creation of an anemia management algorithm for hemodialysis patients.

Introduction: Several anemia guidelines for hemodialysis patients have recommended a target hemoglobin (Hb) range of 10-12 g/dL. However, maintaining Hb values continuously within a narrow target has been difficult, and there has been no generally accepted anemia management algorithm for hemodialysis patients.

Methods: In our study, we created an anemia management algorithm that considers the length of erythrocyte lifetimes, focuses on the combination of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent management and iron administration, and prevents iron deficiency and overload.

[Practice of drug monitoring based on comprehensive pharmaceutical judgment].

With the revisions to the pay for performance of pharmaceutical service of inpatients in April 2012, the ward permanent time of pharmacists grew longer than previously; however, there are as yet few reports on the pharmaceutical outcome of the new medical service. To improve the pharmaceutical service requires that pharmacists collect useful medical information and extract the problems of pharmaceutical care for inpatients. Since many cases of treatment with multidrug regimens are regularly performed, pharmacists cannot contribute to medical treatment only by knowledge of a single disease.

Outcomes of everolimus-eluting stent incomplete stent apposition: a serial optical coherence tomography analysis.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the natural course of acute incomplete stent apposition (ISA) after second-generation everolimus-eluting stent (EES) when compared with first-generation sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) by using optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods And Results: From the OCT substudy of the RESET trial, we identified 77 patients (EES = 38 and SES = 39) who successfully underwent serial OCT examination at post-stenting and 8-12-month follow-up. The presence of ISA was assessed in the OCT images, and ISA distance was measured from the centre of the strut blooming to the adjacent lumen border.

Faecal calprotectin and lactoferrin as markers for monitoring disease activity and predicting clinical recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease after ileocolonic resection: A prospective pilot study.

Background: Several studies have reported that faecal calprotectin and lactoferrin showed a close correlation with endoscopic inflammation in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. However, the clinical significance of faecal calprotectin or lactoferrin in postoperative Crohn's disease (CD) is not fully evaluated. This prospective study was to investigate the relationship between endoscopic activity, and faecal calprotectin and lactoferrin, and assess the predictive value of these markers for future recurrence.

The impact of early endoscopic lesions on the clinical course of patients following ileocolonic resection for Crohn's disease: A 5-year prospective cohort study.

Background: Early endoscopic lesions following resection for Crohn's disease (CD) are often observed. Currently, the relationship between this endoscopic observation and subsequent occurrence of CD lesions or recurrence is not understood well, but should be valuable in the context of predicting CD course. This prospective study was to investigate the impact of early endoscopic lesions on future clinical recurrence rates following ileocolonic resection for CD.

Detection of coronary artery disease using coronary flow velocity reserve by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography versus multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography: influence of calcium score.

Background: There have been no clinical data specifying the degree of calcium deposition at which coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) measurement using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography surpasses 320-row multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) in detecting obstructive coronary artery disease.

Methods: One hundred seventy patients who underwent invasive coronary angiography, transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, and CTCA were prospectively enrolled. Coronary artery stenosis was defined as percentage diameter stenosis ≥ 50% on invasive coronary angiography.

Surgery for luminal Crohn's disease.

Many patients with Crohn's disease (CD) require surgery. Indications for surgery include failure of medical treatment, bowel obstruction, fistula or abscess formation. The most common surgical procedure is resection.

Fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin as predictors of relapse in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis during maintenance therapy.

Purpose: This prospective study was to evaluate the significance of fecal calprotectin and lactoferrin for the prediction of ulcerative colitis (UC) relapse.

Methods: Eighty UC patients in remission for ≥3 months on mesalamine as maintenance therapy were included. At entry, stool samples were collected for the measurement of calprotectin and lactoferrin.

Effects of preoperative leukocytapheresis on inflammatory cytokines following surgery for ulcerative colitis: a prospective randomized study.

Targeted extracorporeal granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA) has produced clinical efficacy together with down modulation of specific inflammatory cytokines in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). This study was to investigate if preoperative GMA produces immunological effect on dysregulated immune activity after restorative proctocolectomy (RPC) in patients with UC. Forty patients requiring RPC were included.

Evaluation of haemoglobin A1c measurement by an enzymatic method using an automated analyser that has an on-board haemolysis system.

Background: Enzymatic assays, which can be run on a general automated clinical analyser, have been developed for haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement. The performance of the BM Test HbA1c which is an enzymatic HbA1c assay was evaluated using the Bio Majesty (BM)6010/C, which has an on-board haemolysis system.

Methods: We evaluated whether the difference in sampling position from the centrifuged erythrocyte layer caused a difference in HbA1c values obtained by the BM6010/C and the Tosoh G7.

Strategies for the prevention of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease.

Aim: To review the optimal strategy to prevent recurrence of Crohn's disease (CD) after surgery, with particular emphasis on the risk factors that predict postoperative recurrence, methods of monitoring for recurrence and medications used to prevent postoperative recurrence.

Method: MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library were searched for clinical trials and meta-analyses that studied postoperative recurrence and prophylactic medications in CD.

Results: The most significant factor that predicted postoperative recurrence was patient smoking status.

Nutrition and diet in inflammatory bowel disease.

Purpose Of Review: Diet is known to have a major role in the expression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The role of dietary interventions and enteral nutrition in the management of IBD remains unelucidated. This study was to review the current evidence for dietary risk factors for the development of IBD and the efficacies of dietary and enteral interventions.

Enteral nutrition to suppress postoperative Crohn's disease recurrence: a five-year prospective cohort study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of enteral nutrition (EN) as a maintenance therapy in Crohn's disease (CD) patients following surgery.

Methods: This study was an extension of our previous study to prolong the duration of intervention and follow-up from 1 to 5 years. Forty consecutive patients who underwent resection for ileal or ileocolic CD were included.

Comparison of coronary flow velocity reserve measurement by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography with 320-row multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography in the detection of in-stent restenosis in the three major coronary arteries.

We sought to compare the diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) measurement using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE) and 320-row multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) for predicting in-stent restenosis (ISR). We enrolled 126 consecutive patients with 309 implanted coronary stents in the 3 major coronary arteries. TTDE and CTCA were performed within the 2-week period before follow-up invasive coronary angiography.

Long-term clinical impact of early introduction of granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis in new onset, moderately active, extensive ulcerative colitis.

Background And Aims: The efficacy of granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) for patients with a first episode of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been scarcely reported. This study was to see if the introduction of GMA at an early stage reduces corticosteroid administration and steroid dependency in the long term clinical course of UC.

Methods: Forty consecutive patients with moderately active symptoms as the first attack of UC were included.

Increases in body mass index during infliximab therapy in patients with Crohn's disease: an open label prospective study.

In the past, the impact of infliximab therapy on nutritional status in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) has not been assessed. This prospective study was to investigate the effect of infliximab on nutritional status in CD patients. Fifty consecutive patients with active CD received infliximab (5 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2 and 6 as remission induction therapy, and then at 8 weeks intervals as maintenance therapy.

Daily granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis in patients with active ulcerative colitis: a prospective safety and feasibility study.

Background: This prospective study was to assess the safety and feasibility of daily granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) therapy in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with moderately or severely active UC received daily GMA treatment (5 sessions over 5 consecutive days) with the Adacolumn. Adverse events (AE), patient tolerability, and clinical symptoms were monitored daily.