Search results for "digestive"
showing 10 items of 2631 documents
Changes in plasma and urine globotriaosylceramide levels do not predict Fabry disease progression over 1 year of agalsidase alfa.
2013
Globotriaosylceramide concentrations were assessed as potential predictors of change from baseline after 12 months by estimated glomerular filtration rate and left-ventricular mass index using pooled data from three randomized, placebo-controlled agalsidase alfa trials and open-label extensions of patients with Fabry disease.Males (aged 18 years or older) with Fabry disease received agalsidase alfa (0.2 mg/kg every other week for 12 months). A backward-elimination approach evaluated potential predictors (baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate and left-ventricular mass index; age at first dose; baseline and change from baseline at 12 months of globotriaosylceramide (urine, plasma); ur…
Pepsinogen testing for evaluation of the success of Helicobacter pylori eradication at 4 weeks after completion of therapy.
2014
Background and objective: Pepsinogen levels in plasma are increased by inflammation in the gastric mucosa, including inflammation resulting from Helicobacter pylori infection. A decrease in pepsinogen II level has been suggested as a reliable marker to confirm the successful eradication of infection. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential role of pepsinogens I and II, gastrin-17 and H. pylori antibodies in confirming successful eradication. Material and methods: Altogether 42 patients (25 women, 17 men), mean age 45 years (range 23–74), were enrolled. Pepsinogens I and II, gastrin-17 and H. pylori IgG antibodies were measured in plasma samples using an ELISA test (Biohit, Oyj., …
Incidence of HAV and HBV infections and vaccination rates in patients with autoimmune liver diseases.
2007
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV) superinfection is associated with an increased mortality in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD). Despite official recommendations, it was reported that the vaccination rate against HAV is low in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. To evaluate the situation in patients with autoimmune liver diseases, we conducted a retrospective cohort study.Susceptibility to HAV and HBV infections, course of HAV and HBV infections, vaccination rates against HAV and HBV, and efficacy of hepatitis A/B vaccines were evaluated by antibody testing in 225 patients with autoimmune liver diseases during 1,677 person-years.Susceptibility to HAV/HBV i…
Genetic predisposition to thrombophilia in inflammatory bowel disease
2011
BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to a definite risk of thromboembolic events (TE), but data on the role of prothrombotic genetic mutations are conflicting. STUDY Fourteen genetic factors involved in TE pathogenesis were investigated in a homogeneous cohort of Sicilian patients with IBD with and without history of TE and in healthy controls. Forty IBD patients (21 CD, 19 UC) and 20 healthy individuals were enrolled. Genetic testing was based on the reverse hybridization principle by a commercial assay that analyzes 14 polymorphisms involved in thrombophilia and cholesterol metabolism. The rate of genetic polymorphisms and mutations was compared between IBD patients and h…
Alterations in lipid, carbohydrate and iron metabolism in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and metabolic syndrome
2010
NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) is considered the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome (MS). We aimed to analyze lipid, carbohydrate, and iron metabolism in NASH.37 patients with MS (17 M/20 F, 51+/-15 years), elevated transaminases; 25 patients had histologically proven NASH (NAS score≥5), 12 patients had toxic background (nonNASH). 37 age, sex, BMI-matched healthy controls. Lipid variables, LDL-subfractions, iron, ferritin, transferrin (T), transferrin saturation (TS), and hepcidin (H) were measured in patients/controls. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed.NASH patients with steatosis gr. 2 and 3 (33% hepatic fat) had higher sd-LDL (mg/dl) concentrations than patie…
Long-term manometric study of anal sphincter function after hemorrhoidectomy
2006
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Data on maximum resting pressure (MRP) and maximum squeeze pressure (MSP) changes after hemorrhoidectomy are not univocal and follow-up of patients undergoing surgery is mostly short-lived. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine during 1-year follow-up the long-term manometric results of MRP, MSP, and ultra slow wave activity (USWA) within a set of patients undergoing Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy as compared to healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with hemorrhoids of third and fourth degree were enrolled and anorectal manometry was performed preoperatively, on the 5th day, and after 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: On the 5t…
Manometric Evaluation of Internal Anal Sphincter after Fissurectomy and Anoplasty for Chronic Anal Fissure: A Prospective Study
2012
Chronic anal fissure (CAF) is a common painful clinical disease and its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. After failure of pharmacological therapy, that is the first-line treatment, surgical sphincterotomy remains the treatment of choice although it is followed by a high rate of anal incontinence resulting from the sphincter damage; therefore, the research of a sphincter-saving surgical option has become an important goal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the manometric modifications and the incidence of anal incontinence after fissurectomy and anoplasty with advancement skin flap in patients affected by CAF with hypertonia of the internal anal sphincter (IAS). Fifteen patients …
Development of scoliosis in myelomeningocele. Differences in the history caused by idiopathic pattern.
1993
The natural history of scoliosis in the literature concerning the idiopathic and neuromuscular scoliosis in myelomeningocele patients (MMC) are compared to our own results in 12 patients with MMC and 89 patients operated because of an idiopathic scoliosis. According to known experiences the natural history of scoliosis in MMC is progression even after the end of growth. The chance of developing a scoliosis increases with the patients, age and the level of the lesion. The higher the level of paralysis the more common is a spinal deformity. In literature the progression rate of MMC scoliosis is 2.5-3.5 degrees per year, with the idiopathic pattern 0.5-0.65 degrees per year after end of growth…
Aggressive Pharmacological Treatment for Reversing Malignant Bowel Obstruction
2004
Early and intensive pharmacological treatment not only may reduce gastrointestinal symptoms but also reverse malignant bowel obstruction. Fifteen consecutive advanced cancer patients with inoperable bowel obstruction received a combination of drugs including metoclopramide, octreotide, dexamethasone and an initial bolus of amidotrizoato. Recovery of intestinal transit was reported within 1-5 days in fourteen patients, who continued this treatment without presenting symptoms of bowel obstruction until death. This case series establishes that the combination of propulsive and antisecretive agents can act synergistically to allow a fast recovery of bowel transit without inducing unpleasant col…
Elevated levels of serum-soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in patients with IBD do not correlate with intestinal TREM-1 mRNA e…
2012
BACKGROUND AIMS Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM 1) is a potent amplifier of pro inflammatory responses. We have previously demonstrated a substantial increase in TREM 1 expressing macrophages in the inflamed intestinal mucosa of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). TREM 1 is also produced as a soluble receptor (sTREM 1). Here we aimed to determine whether serum sTREM 1 could be used as a surrogate marker of disease activity in patients with IBD. METHODS Intestinal biopsies and concurrently collected sera from patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC) enrolled in the Swiss IBD cohort study were analyzed for intestinal TREM 1 mRNA and se…