Akut mesenterialis ischaemia: biomarker egyenlő diagnózis?

Acute mesenteric ischemia is an emergency condition that requires immediate therapy. Despite advances in the fields of surgery and intensive therapy, the mortality of this condition remains high. This is due to the broad variability of clinical presentations and non-specific laboratory findings, which delay the diagnosis allowing the ischemia to progress and further worsening the patients' chances of survival. Thus, there is a significant need for reliable and enhanced serological markers of intestinal ischemia. The authors review the traditionally used and novel experimental serological markers for early diagnosis of mesenteric ischemia. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(41), 1615-1623

Bakteriális transzlokáció: rés a pajzson | Bacterial translocation: gap in the shield

A gastrointestinalis traktus a táplálék feldolgozásában betöltött emésztő-, illetve felszívófunkcióján túl kiemelkedő jelentőséggel bír a béllumenben lévő patogénekkel szemben, megakadályozva azok keringésbe jutását, és fontos szerepet játszik az immunhomeosztázis fenntartásában. Bakteriális transzlokáció alatt a gyomor-bél rendszer életképes baktériumainak vagy bakteriális termékeinek különböző, extraintestinalis szövetekbe jutása értendő. A kóros jelenséget számos klinikai kórkép kapcsán azonosították. A bakteriális transzlokáció kialakulására prediszponáló, alapvető feltételek közé tartozik a bél mikroflórájának megváltozása, a nyálkahártya-integritás sérülése, valamint a gazdaszervezet immunhiányos állapota. A bakteriális transzlokáció fellépése megnövekedett szövődményekkel és mortalitási rátával párosul, ezért a jövőben fontos mérlegelendő szempontot kell képeznie a kockázati csoportba tartozó betegek terápiás algoritmusának felállítása során. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(8), 304–312. | The gastrointestinal tract is not only regarded as a system where nutrient absorption takes place, but also as a vital barrier against intraluminal pathogens entering the circulation and the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Bacterial translocation is defined as the penetration of viable bacteria or bacterial compounds from the gastrointestinal tract to extraintestinal sites. This disorder has been described in several clinical conditions. The main promoting factors for bacterial translocation have been proposed to be changes in the intestinal microflora, mucosal barrier failure and defects in host immunity. The presence of bacterial translocation has been associated with higher complications and mortality rates; therefore it should be taken into account in the therapeutic strategies of patients with predisposing factors. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(8), 304–312

Postconditioning: "Toll-erating" mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion injury?

BACKGROUND: Postconditioning may prove to be a suitable method to decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury of intestine after mesenteric arterial occlusion. Toll-like-receptor-4 is involved in the pathophysiology of organ damage after ischemia-reperfusion; therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the effect of postconditioning on the mucosal expression of toll-like-receptor-4. METHODS: Male Wistar rats (n = 10/group) underwent 60 minutes of superior mesenteric artery occlusion followed by 6 hours of reperfusion in 3 groups: sham-operated, ischemia-reperfusion, and a postconditioned group. Postconditioning was performed by 6 alternating cycles of 10 seconds of reperfusion/reocclusion. Blood and tissue samples were collected at the end of reperfusion. Intestinal histopathologic changes and immunohistochemical expression of mucosal caspase-3, antioxidant status, and protein levels of high-mobility group box-1 and toll-like-receptor-4 were assessed. Immunofluorescent labeling and confocal microscopic analysis of toll-like-receptor-4 were performed. Mucosal and serum levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha protein were measured. RESULTS: Histologic alterations in the postconditioned group were associated with decreased caspase-3 positivity, less toll-like-receptor-4 mRNA, and less protein expression of high-mobility group box-1 and toll-like-receptor-4 in the intestinal villi compared with the ischemia-reperfusion group. Furthermore, a significantly improved antioxidant state of the intestinal mucosa and less mucosal and serum protein levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were detected in the postconditioned group. CONCLUSION: Small intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in male Wistar rats caused by the occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery was ameliorated by the use of postconditioning, showing a more favorable inflammatory response, which may be attributed to the decreased mucosal expression of toll-like-receptor-4

Posztkondicionálás kisérletes vizsgálata vékonybél ischaemiás-reperfusiós modelljében

INTRODUCTION: The ischemic-reperfusion injury of the intestine, which occurs as a consequence of circulatory redistribution or occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, is associated with high mortality rates. Postconditioning may reduce ischemic-reperfusion damage in such cases. Effects of this new surgical method were investigated in rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats underwent 60 minutes of superior mesenteric artery occlusion in four groups: sham-operated, control and two postconditioned groups with different algorithms. Postconditioning was performed immediately at the beginning of reperfusion, by repetitive cycles of reperfusion and reocclusion. 3 cycles of 1 minute and 6 cycles of 10 seconds were applied according to groups. Intestinal microcirculation was followed by laser Doppler flowmetry. Blood and tissue samples were taken after 60 minutes of reperfusion. Histological analayses of the small intestine, measurement of serum necroenzyme levels and IL-6, mesenterial venous blood gas analyses were preformed and antioxidant state of the mucosa was investigated. RESULTS: The microcirculation during the reperfusion showed significant improvement in both postconditioned groups. Histological damage, necroenzyme and IL-6 levels were significantly reduced, while antioxidant state was improved in the postconditioned groups. CONCLUSION: Postconditioning was capable of increasing the guts chance to survive ischemic-reperfusion injury caused by superior mesenteric artery occlusion

Impaired Intestinal Mucosal Barrier upon Ischemia-Reperfusion: “Patching Holes in the Shield with a Simple Surgical Method”

Mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is associated with impairment of the gut barrier function and the initiation of a proinflammatory cascade with life-threatening results. Therefore methods directed to ameliorate IR injury are of great importance. We aimed at describing the effects of postconditioning (PC) on the alterations of the intestinal mucosal function and the inflammatory response upon mesenteric IR. Methods. Male Wistar rats were gavaged with green fluorescent protein-expressing E. coli suspensions. Animals were randomized into three groups (n=15), sham-operated, IR-, and PC-groups, and underwent 60 minutes of superior mesenteric artery occlusion, followed by 6 hours of reperfusion. Postconditioning was performed at the onset of reperfusion. Blood and tissue samples were taken at the end of reperfusion, for histological, bacteriological, and plasma examinations. Results. The PC-group presented a more favorable claudin-2, claudin-3, claudin-4, and zonula occludens-1 membrane expression profile, and significantly lower rates of bacterial translocation to distant organs and plasma D-lactate levels compared to the IR-group. Histopathological lesions, plasma I-FABP, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were significantly lower in the PC-group compared to the IR-group. Conclusion. The use of postconditioning improved the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier upon mesenteric IR, and thus reduced the incidence of bacterial translocation and development of a systemic inflammatory response