[Degree of nicotine dependence in the Gastroenterology Ward of Clinical Hospital number 4 in Lublin]. / Stopien uzaleznienia od nikotyny pacjentów hospitalizowanych w Oddziale Gastroenterologii SPSK 4 w Lublinie.

It is common knowledge that smoking badly influences people's health. Amount of toxic chemical substances delivered to the human organism is directly proportional to the number of smoked cigarettes. Tobacco smoking increases the number of ill people and accelerates death. The problem of nicotine addiction has both social and medical aspects. The aim of the work was to assess the tobacco smoking among patients hospitalized in the Gastroenterology Clinic in SPSK 4 in Lublin. We found that smoking prevalence in the investigated group considerably exceeds the average values for Polish population.

Enhanced phenotypic and functional maturation of monocyte-derived dendritic cells from patients with active Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Disturbed immunoregulation and an inappropriate immune response to gut microflora is assumed to be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Physiologically dendritic cells (DCs) as the professional antigen presenting cells play a crucial role in the control of intestinal inflammation and immune tolerance. In order to evaluate their role in the IBD we analyzed the phenotypic and functional properties of monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs) generated from UC and CD patients following stimulation with TNF-α, lipopolisaccharide E. coli or hydrocortisone. Thirty seven patients with moderate to severe inflammation (19 UC, 18 CD) were recruited to the study. Monocyte-derived dendritic cell immunophenotypes and their endocytic ability were analysed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-23 secretion were investigated by ELISA. Both unstimulated and stimulated MoDCs generated from IBD patients had more mature phenotype and secreted elevated concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines as compared to a control group. The addition of LPS E. coli to culture media was associated with enhanced dendritic cell activation and maturation as compared to DCs stimulated only with TNF-α. This may suggest altered dendritic cell interactions with intestinal microflora in inflammatory bowel disease. Hydrocortisone decreases the numbers of mature dendritic cells and the proinflammatory cytokine concentrations in all cell culture types that may explain the efficacy of steroid therapy in inflammatory bowel disease.

Is melatonin involved in the irritable bowel syndrome?

There is a substantial evidence that large quantities of melatonin are produced in gastrointestinal tract, however, is still unclear which is the role of melatonin in digestive system in human physiology and pathophysiology. In the present study we investigated urinary excretion of a main melatonin metabolite, 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The investigation was carried out in 67 persons, both sexes, aged 20-45 years old who according to Rome III Criteria were diagnosed as sufferers of constipation (C-IBS, n=21 persons) or diarrhoea (D-IBS, n=24 persons) form of irritable bowel syndrome and as healthy subjects (K, n=22), matched for control. Samples were obtained from the collected diurnal urine. The concentration of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (6-SMLT) was measured with ELISA method, creatinine (crea) was automatically analyzed with biochemical analyzer and 6-SMLT/crea calculated. There were statistically significant differences between groups: the 6-SMLT/crea level was lower in C-IBS (103.86+/- 82.83 ng/mg) and D-IBS (112.72+/-85.29 ng/mg) groups compared to K group (202.7+/-89.28 ng/mg), respectively, p=0.002, p=0.003. There were no differences between C-IBS and D-IBS groups, however, there were observed differences between men and women with C-IBS. The 6-SMLT/crea. level was higher in women with C-IBS (139.31+/-96.45) compared to men with C-IBS (35.51+/-41.05) (p=0.04). These results suggest that different melatonin secretion and metabolism may be involved in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome.