Measurement and clinical implications of choroidal thickness in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

ABSTRACTPurpose:Ocular inflammation is a frequent extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may parallel disease activity. In this study, we evaluated the utility of a choroidal thickness measurement in assessing IBD activity.Methods:A total of 62 eyes of 31 patients with IBD [Crohn's disease (CD), n=10 and ulcerative colitis (UC), n=21] and 104 eyes of 52 healthy blood donors were included in this study. Choroidal thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. The Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) and the modified Truelove Witts score were used to assess disease activity in CD and UC, respectively.Results:No significant differences in mean subfoveal, nasal 3000 μm, or temporal 3000 μm choroidal thickness measurements (P>0.05 for all) were observed between IBD patients and healthy controls. Age, smoking, CD site of involvement (ileal and ileocolonic involvement), CDAI, CD activity, and UC endoscopic activity index were all found to be significantly correlated with choroidal thickness by univariate analysis (P<0.05). Smoking (P<0.05) and the CD site of involvement (P<0.01) were the only independent parameters associated with increased choroidal thickness at all measurement locations.Conclusions:Choroidal thickness is not a useful marker of disease activity in patients with IBD but may be an indicator of ileal involvement in patients with CD

Gastrointestinal Bleeding Caused by Meckels Diverticulum Diagnosed by Double Balloon Enteroscopy: Three Cases and a Brief Literature Review

Meckel's diverticulum is a small bulge in the small intestine present at birth and is the most frequent malformation of the gastrointestinal tract. Although Meckel diverticulum is usually of no medical significance, tendency to gastrointestinal bleeding can require clinical attention. Despite the availability of modern imaging techniques, diagnosis is still challenging. We herein report three cases of undiagnosed gastrointestinal bleeding despite a number of imaging techniques. In all of these cases double balloon enteroscopy was successfully used and the diagnosis of Meckels diverticulum was established. We discuss the use of this successfully technique in obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding caused by Meckel's diverticulum in relation to the pertinent literature. [Med-Science 2015; 4(3.000): 2528-35

DR-70 as a novel diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer.

To assess the utility of the DR-70 immunoassay in the diagnosis of gastric cancer

Lidocaine versus lidocaine plus benzydamine as a topical anesthesia regimen for unsedated upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: A comparison study.

The aim was to assess the efficacy of adding benzydamine (B) spray to standard treatment with a lidocaine (L) spray before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) as a topical anaesthetic regimen

DR-70 as a novel diagnostic biomarker for gastric cancer

Background/Aims: To assess the utility of the DR-70 immunoassay in the diagnosis of gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 29 patients with histologically proven malignant gastric tumor and 29 healthy blood donors were enrolled in this study. DR-70 immunoassay was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit to quantify the serum levels of fibrin degradation products. Results: The DR-70 values in patients with gastric cancer significantly differed from the values in controls (p<0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed >= 1.45 mu g/mL as the best cut-off value to distinguish between patients with gastric cancer and healthy controls. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.871. Using >= 1.45 mu g/mL as the cut-off value, the DR-70 immunoassay showed a good clinical performance with a sensitivity of 82.8\% and a specificity of 79.3\%. The positive predictive value was 80.0\%, and the negative predictive value was 82.1\%. Conclusion: The DR-70 immunoassay reliably differs between gastric cancer and healthy controls, promising to become a useful cancer detection tool in clinical practice

Is the Probiotic Mixture Effective in the Treatment of TNBS-induced Experimental Colitis?

WOS: 000530895000009Objective: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic disease associated with changes in the immune system and in the intestinal microbiota. The most accepted hypothesis of IBD pathogenesis is thought to be the abnormal immunological response and chronic intestinal inflammation, which is caused by the complex interactions between genetic, environmental factors and the host immune system. Microbial flora is important in the maturation of the immune system. Dysbiosis is defined as changes in intestinal microbiota composition and function. Clinical and experimental studies support that dysbiosis plays a significant role in the etiopathogenesis of IBD. Probiotics are useful live microorganisms that provide the intestinal balance in the host. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities of Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium longum bacteria in the experimental colitis model. Methods: Twenty-four female Wistar-Albino rats and 30 mg 0.5 mL trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) dissolved in 50% ethanol which induced colitis by intrarectal installation. Rats were divided into four groups; healthy control (sham: group A), TNBS colitis (group B), (TNBS + methylprednisolone: group C) and probiotic (TNBS + P: group D). The rats were sacrificed on the 8th day. Macroscopic and microscopic scores, tissue myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured. Results: Macroscopic and microscopic scores levels in group A were significantly lower than in group B, C and D. Macroscopic and microscopic scores levels in group C were significantly lower than in group B. Macroscopic scores were statistically similar between group C and D. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of median MDA levels and median SOD levels (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of median MPO levels (p=0.114). Median MPO levels were 0.27 (0.15-0.30) in group A, 0.44 (0.22-0.61) in group B, 0.28 (0.25-0.50) in group C, and 0.30 (0.25-0.37) in group D (p=0.114). Median MDA levels were 1.1 (1.0-2.8) in group A, 4.3 (3.1-5.5) in group B, 3.8 (3.2-4.2) in group C, and 3.9 (3.1-4.2) in group D (p<0.001). Median SOD levels were 160.7 (150.1-161.7) in group A, 141.6 (137.9-147.3) in group B, 157.6 (155.2-167.7) in group C, and 164.7 (160.3-168.3) in group D (p<0.001). MDA levels were statistically significantly different between each group. These levels were significantly higher in group B, C and D than in group A; statistically similar in group C and D; and statistically higher in group B than in group C and D (p<0.001 & p=0.047). SOD levels were statistically significantly different between each group. They were significantly lower in group B, C and D than in group B; statistically significantly different in group A, C and D; and statistically higher in group D than in group A and C. Conclusion: Our study showed that probiotics regulate the balance between anti-oxidant and oxidant systems. Therefore, probiotics can be used as a supportive treatment in inflammatory bowel diseases if promoted by clinical trials