Akutni učinci olova, žive i mangana u kombinaciji s alkoholom na središnji i periferni živčani sustav u štakora

Heavy metals, due to their numerous applications in industrial processes, agrochemicals and household articles, have caused a widespread pollution and can be found in different foods. One of their target organs is the central nervous system. The toxic effects of heavy metals can be modified by lifestyleoriginated factors such as consumption of alcohol. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in spontaneous cortical activity (ECoG), cortical sensory evoked potentials (EPs) and peripheral nerve action potentials, recorded in rats pre-treated with alcohol and acutely treated with lead, mercury and manganese by intraperitoneal injection. In the ECoG, Hg2+ caused a massive shift to lower frequencies while the effect of Mn2+ and Pb2+ was slight, and alcohol pre-treatment altered the effect of the metals minimally. The amplitude of EPs increased upon the application of heavy metals, and the peak latency lengthened. The effect of Hg2+ was the strongest and that of Pb2+ the weakest, and these effects were potentiated by alcohol. Exposure to heavy metals, together with alcohol consumption, can aggravate the known neurotoxic effects.Teški metali, zbog velike primjene u industrijskim procesima, kao agrokemikalije i u predmetima za domaćinstvo, mogu uzrokovati vrlo opsežno onečišćenje i mogu se naći u raznim uzorcima hrane. Jedan od ciljnih organa za metale je središnji živčani sustav. Toksični efekti teških metala mogu biti izmijenjeni utjecajem čimbenika povezanih s načinom života, kao što je konzumiranje alkoholnih pića. Svrha je ovog rada istražiti promjene spontane kortikalne aktivnosti (ECoG), potencijale izazvane osjetljivošću korteksa (EP) i potencijale aktivnosti perifernih živaca. Ispitivanja su provedena na štakorima koji su prethodno tretirani alkoholom i zatim intraperitonealno teškim metalima kao što su olovo, živa i mangan. Živa izaziva smanjenje ECoG, dok mangan i olovo slabije djeluju, a prethodni tretman alkoholom minimalno mijenja učinak. Amplituda EP povećana je pod djelovanjem metala. Utjecaj žive je najjači, a olova najslabiji, ali oba su efekta pojačana alkoholom. Konzumiranje alkohola može pogoršati poznate neurotoksične efekte pri izlaganju teškim metalima

Perianal disease, small bowel disease, smoking, prior steroid or early azathioprine/biological therapy are predictors of disease behavior change in patients with Crohn’s disease

AIM: To assess the combined effect of disease phenotype, smoking and medical therapy [steroid, azathioprine (AZA), AZA/biological therapy] on the probability of disease behavior change in a Caucasian cohort of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD)

Long-term Efficacy, Safety, and Immunogenicity of Biosimilar Infliximab after One Year in a Prospective Nationwide Cohort

Background: It has been previously shown that biosimilar infliximab CT-P13 is effective and safe in inducing remission in inflammatory bowel diseases. We report here the 1-year outcomes from a prospective nationwide inflammatory bowel disease cohort. Methods: A prospective, nationwide, multicenter, observational cohort was designed to examine the efficacy and safety of CT-P13 in the induction and maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Demographic data were collected and a harmonized monitoring strategy was applied. Clinical remission, response, and biochemical response were evaluated at weeks 14, 30, and 54, respectively. Safety data were registered. Results: Three hundred fifty-three consecutive inflammatory bowel disease (209 CD and 144 UC) patients were included, of which 229 patients reached the week 54 endpoint at final evaluation. Age at disease onset: 24/28 years (median, interquartile range: 19-34/22-39) in patients with CD/UC. Forty-nine, 53, 48% and 86, 81 and 65% of patients with CD reached clinical remission and response by weeks 14, 30, and 54, respectively. Clinical remission and response rates were 56, 41, 43% and 74, 66, 50% in patients with UC. Clinical efficacy was influenced by previous anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) exposure in patients with a drug holiday beyond 1 year. The mean C-reactive protein level decreased significantly in both CD and UC by week 14 and was maintained throughout the 1-year follow-up (both UC/CD: P < 0.001). Thirty-one (8.8%) patients had infusion reactions and 32 (9%) patients had infections. Antidrug antibody positivity rates were significantly higher throughout patients with previous anti-TNF exposure; concomitant azathioprine prevented antidrug antibody formation in anti-TNF-naive patients with CD. Conclusions: Results from this prospective nationwide cohort confirm that CT-P13 is effective and safe in inducing and maintaining long-term remission in both CD and UC. Efficacy was influenced by previous anti-TNF exposure; no new safety signals were detected