Irritable bowel syndrome dietary modifications - what to forbid and what to recommend?

Irritable bowel syndrom is a gastrointestinal disorder, that affects about 10 % of worlds population. The etiology remains unclear, however studies show, that bad dietary habits may aggravate the symptoms. The most frequent signs of IBS are: abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and change in bowel habits. The aim of this study was to describe dietary modifications that can alleviate the symptoms and improve patients quality of life. The study material consisted of publications, that we’ve found on databases as PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar. Patients find out, that certain food aggravate the symptoms. The most frequent triggering factors are: coffee, diary products, alcohol, spicy foods and lipids. Our review shows, there are some recommendations that help patients in their everyday diet change. For example drinking at least 3 cups of coffee per day can reduce bloating and diarrhea, while drinking more than 1,5 L of other fluids per day can alleviate symptoms as constipation. According to studies, following a IBS diet can minimize the signs. Moreover, recently developed  „IBS food pyramid” is based on actual recommendations and knowledge a visual and user-friendly tool helping patients in everyday diet changes.Unfortunately, still there is insufficient evidence of studies about dietary approaches. Well designed and randomized control trials are needed to improve efficacy, safety and knowledge about dietary modifications

Irritable bowel syndrome - pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment. The role of low FODMAP diet

Introduction: The gut microbiota is the microorganisms in the digestive tract. They are mainly bacteria. They play a very important role in maintaining the body's homeostasis. The state of the microbiota is influenced by lifestyle including diet, stress and physical activity. In irritable bowel syndrome, there are disorders in the composition of the intestinal microbiota. It is also associated with a disruption in the proper functioning of the gut-brain axis.     Aim: The aim of this study was to review the literature reports on irritable bowel syndrome and the impact of a low FODMAP diet. Methods:  Data for the article were retrieved using PubMed setting the time descriptors to 2017-2021. Results and conclusions: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disease. It is manifested by chronic abdominal pain , diarrhea or constipation and changes in the frequency of bowel movements. It significantly affects the quality of life of patients. The diagnosis uses the Roman IV criteria. Pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological methods are important in the treatment. A low-FODMAP diet plays a major role. Studies show that its proper use significantly alleviates the symptoms of IBS

Theories of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia

Introduction: Schizophrenia is one of the most serious and frightening of all mental illnesses. It affects almost 1% of the population worldwide. The main concept and treatment of schizophrenia are based on the dopaminergic hypothesis. However, accumulating evidence has shown that the core pathophysiology of schizophrenia might involve dysfunction in dopaminergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic, and gamma-aminobutyric acid signaling.The aim of the study: The purpose of this systemic review was to collect and analyse current and new information on the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.Material and method: Standard criteria were used to review the literature data. The search of articles in the PubMed database was carried out using the following keywords: schizophrenia, dopamine hypothesis, serotoninergic hypothesis, hypothesis of schizophrenia .Description of the state of knowledge: There are evidence that pathogenesis of schizophrenia include dysfunction in dopaminergic, serotoninergic, GABAergic, glutamatergic systems. The use of drugs that act on any of these systems reduces the symptoms of the disease. Nicotinic receptors may also be the target for drugs in treatment of schizophrenia. Studies about the role of nicotinic receptors in pathogenesis of schizophrenia show that it normalize many of the sensory processing deficits found in schizophrenia.Summary: Despite the fact that current concept and treatment are still based on the dopaminergic hypothesis of the disease, existing theories and each new theory, open up different ways for treating schizophrenia. Considering that schizophrenia is one of the most serious and frightening of all mental illnesses and has major public health implications, more research about pathogenesis and ways of treatment is needed

Irritable bowel syndrome - risk factors, pathogenesis and treatment options

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic common gastrointestinal disorder. It contributes to the burden of patients and society due to direct medical costs, lost productivity and also affects the quality of life. The etiology of irritable bowel syndrome is not fully understood which makes it difficult to treat patients more effectively.The aim of the study: The purpose of this systemic review was to collect and analyse current data of risk factors, pathogenesis and treatment options of irritable bowel syndrome.Material and method: Standard criteria were used to review the literature data. The search of articles in the PubMed and Google Scholar database was carried out using the following keywords: irritable bowel syndrome, gut microbiota, treatmentDescription of the state of knowledge: Altered gastrointestinal motility, visceral hypersensitivity, post infectious reactivity, brain-gut interactions, alteration in fecal microflora, bacterial overgrowth, food sensitivity, carbohydrate malabsorption, and intestinal inflammation are considered to contribute to the onset of IBS. The biopsychosocial model of illness and disease aims to help understand better the bi-directional relationship between mind and body. Patients suffering from IBS use pharmaceutical treatment but also complementary and alternative medicine. Probiotic and fecal microbiota transplantation are gut microbiota oriented treatment options.Summary:  The pathophysiology of IBS is not clear . Alterations in bidirectional brain-gut microbiota interactions are believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of well-known brain-gut disorders such as IBS. Human microbiome research continues to expand, although it still requires more study

Mindfulness sessions delivered via smartphone applications and their potential benefits

Mindfulness, as a practice of focusing one’s attention on the present moment without evaluating, is used in mindfulness based interventions (MBI) therapy. Traditionally, these sessions are conducted in person. At this moment, we are witnessing a global trend in which patients are turning to technology and are looking for alternative, more convenient solutions. There are studies assessing the effectiveness of mindfulness training conducted in a new unconventional way, which is using an application installed on patient's smartphone. This paper discusses possible benefits of online conducted mindfulness sessions.&nbsp

What do we know about rosacea? - pathophysiology and treatment

Introduction: rosacea affects approximately 10% of the world's population. It is a recurrent, inflammatory dermatosis that is difficult to deal with despite treatment. Material and methods: literature review from PubMed databases from 2017-2022. Conclusions: It is very difficult to find the cause of acne lesions. What is certain is that various factors overlap: genetic, environmental, immunological disorders, intestinal abnormalities, dietary factors. New treatments are constantly being sought. The overall health of the organism is very important in maintaining the proper function of every organ, but also of the skin - as a barrier against rosacea

Endophthalmitis — a rare but dangerous complication of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections

Agents blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) — aflibercept, bevacizumab, and ranibizumab are commonly used drugs in the treatment of retinal vascular diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions and retinopathy of prematurity. To date, intravitreal injection is the only successful administration method of anti-VEGF agents. Each administration can potentially lead to rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, intraocular pressure elevation, ocular hemorrhage, and endophthalmitis. Endophthalmitis is a rare complication, occurring in 0.012–0.1% of cases of anti-VEGF injections. The most frequent isolated pathogens are Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus viridans — commensals of the human upper respiratory and oral flora. The main symptoms of endophthalmitis are pain and decreased visual acuity. Patients become symptomatic on average three days after the injection. Prevention of endophthalmitis includes sterilization of ocular surface with povidone-iodine, use of sterile gloves, use of eye speculum, and „no-talking” policy. Topical antibiotics are not routinely used as they can even increase the risk of post-injection endophthalmitis. It is essential to estimate the risk factors and prevention methods to reduce post-injection endophthalmitis rates in the future.

Depresja pooperacyjna u pacjentów po zabiegu pomostowania aortalno-wieńcowego (CABG) – przegląd literatury

Wstęp: Choroba niedokrwienna serca jest najczęstszą przyczyną śmierci na świecie. Życie pacjentów z defektami naczyń serca może uratować zabieg pomostowania aortalno-wieńcowego (ang. co-ronary artery bypass grafting; CABG). Wiąże się on jednak ze zwiększonym ryzykiem rozwoju depresji po operacji. Materiały i metody: Dokonano przeglądu prac dostępnych na platformie PubMed, opublikowanych po 2011 r., celem przedstawienia wyników najnowszych badań dotykających problematyki depresji po CABG, w tym prac opisujących: przebieg choroby, jej konsekwencje dla rokowań pacjenta oraz leczenie tego schorzenia. Wyniki: Depresja przed i po CABG dotyka 30–40% pacjentów, częściej kobiet. Powstała po zabiegu i nieleczona utrzymuje się wiele lat. Inaczej zachowuje się poziom lęku pacjentów, który to systematycznie obniża się po operacji. Badane są wskaźniki mogące korelować z wystąpieniem u pacjenta depresji pooperacyjnej, w tym: kortyzol, wysokoczułe białko C-reaktywne (ang. high sensitivity C-reactive protein; hsCRP) i biomarkery stresu oksydacyjnego. Występowanie depresji u pacjentów po CABG ma szereg negatywnych konsekwencji. Są to między innymi: słabsza odpowiedź na leczenie, większa szansa na nawrót choroby oraz zwiększona częstość readmisji i śmiertelność. Leczenie pacjentów z tym zaburzeniem polega na stosowaniu leków przeciwdepresyjnych (najczęściej SSRI – ang. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) i/lub różnego rodzaju psychoterapii, na czele z terapią poznawczo-behawioralną (ang. cognitive behavioral therapy; CBT). Wnioski: Depresja występująca po CABG obniża jakość życia i pogarsza rokowania pacjentów. Konieczne jest wczesne wykrywanie tego schorzenia po operacji oraz stosowanie leczenia, mając na uwadze zaburzenia ze strony kardiologicznej chorego

The meaning of blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Introduction and purpose: Alzheimer's disease (AD) belongs to the group of neurodegenerative diseases and is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Its development includes the impact of genetic, metabolic and environmental factors. Despite high prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and dynamic development of medical science, there is currently no clinically proven causal treatment. The proposed therapies are only symptomatic. However, there is a wide set of substances known as biomarkers that are detected in the blood or in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the stages preceding full-blown Alzheimer's disease.Brief description of the state of knowledge: In order to obtain material for CSF examination, a lumbar puncture must be performed. It is an invasive procedure, with the risk of complications such as bleeding into the spinal cord, infection or even nerve damage. Obtaining a blood sample for testing specific indicators is less invasive and more widely available. Currently, the diagnostic significance of commonly known markers arising in the progress of the AD pathological process, such as amyloid β, tau protein and its phosphorylated form or β-secretase, is being investigated. As the knowledge on the pathogenesis of AD grows, further markers such as ubiquitin, micro RNA or plasma neurofilament light are tested.Conclusions: There is a collection of biomarkers that can perform a diagnostic function for Alzheimer's disease. Due to the advantages of blood and plasma testing, basing the diagnosis of early forms of AD on these tests seems to be particularly interesting. However, the use of biomarkers on a global scale requires further research and test standardization, as well as the development of guidelines for their interpretation

Postoperative depression in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) – a review of the literature

Introduction: Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of death in the world. The lives of patients with vascular defects can be saved by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, it is associated with an increased risk of developing depression after surgery. Meterial and Methods: The aim of the study is to present the results of the latest research on postoperative depression after CABG, including studies describing the course of the disease, its consequences for the patient’s prognosis and treatment. The publications available on the PubMed platform published after 2011 were reviewed. Results: Depression before and after CABG affects 30–40% of patients, mostly women. Established after surgery and untreated, it persists for many years. The level of anxiety in patients decreases systematically after surgery. Indicators that may correlate with the patient’s postoperative depression, including cortisol, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and oxidative stress biomarkers, are being investigated. The occurrence of depression in patients after CABG has a number of negative consequences. Those include: weaker response to treatment, greater chance of relapse, and increased readmission frequency and mortality. Treatment of patients with this disorder involves the use of antidepressants (most often SSRIs – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and/or various types of psychotherapy with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) at the forefront. Conclusions: Depression following CABG decreases the quality of life and worsens patient prognosis. It is necessary to detect this condition early after surgery and to apply treatment, taking into account the cardiological disorders of the patient