A Prospective Observational Study Analyzing the Diagnostic Value of Hepcidin-25 for Anemia in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Iron deficiency (IDA) and chronic disease (ACD) anemia are complications of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Therapeutic modalities in remission and active IBD depend on the type of anemia. This study evaluated the link between hepcidin-25, proinflammatory cytokines, and platelet activation markers as biomarkers of anemia and inflammation in active IBD and remission. This prospective observational study included 62 patients with IBD (49 with ulcerative colitis and 13 with Crohn's) and anemia. Patients were divided into Group I (no or minimal endoscopic signs of disease activity and IDA), Group II (moderate and major endoscopic signs of disease activity and mild ACD), and Control group (10 patients with IBD in remission, without anemia). We assessed the difference among groups in the levels of CRP, hemoglobin (Hgb), serum iron, ferritin, hepcidin-25, interleukins, TNF-α, IFN-γ, soluble CD40 ligand, and sP-selectin. Hepcidin-25 levels were significantly higher in Group II versus Group I (11.93 vs. 4.48 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Ferritin and CRP values showed similar patterns in IBD patients: significantly higher levels were observed in Group II (47.5 ng/mL and 13.68 mg/L) than in Group I (11.0 ng/mL and 3.39 mg/L) (p < 0.001). In Group II, hepcidin-25 was positively correlated with ferritin (ρ = 0.725, p < 0.001) and CRP (ρ = 0.502, p = 0.003). Ferritin was an independent variable influencing hepcidin-25 concentration in IBD patients, regardless of disease activity and severity of anemia. IBD hepcidin-25 best correlates with ferritin, and both parameters reflected inflammation extent and IBD activity.

Assessment of Maxillary Molars Interradicular Septum Morphological Characteristics as Criteria for Ideal Immediate Implant Placement-The Advantages of Cone Beam Computed Tomography Analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the interradicular septum bone morphometric characteristics using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, as well as to establish quantitative shortcuts to allow clinicians to make a faster and more reliable plan for immediate implant placement in the maxillary molars area. This retrospective quantitative study was conducted on CBCT images obtained from 100 patients. The morphometric analysis of the maxillary molars region was based on the parameters obtained on the sagittal and axial slices. The analysis performed on sagittal slices showed that the first maxillary molars had a wider interradicular septum when compared to the second molars, but the septum height in the first molars was significantly below the height in the second maxillary molars. The axial CBCT slices analysis showed that both interradicular septum perimeter and surface area were significantly more pronounced in the first than in the second maxillary molars. The interradicular furcation angle significantly correlated with the surface area (positively) and septum height (negatively) for both molars. The results of this study may recommend CBCT image analysis as a useful tool in predefining the circumstances that can allow for substantially better planning of immediate implant placement procedures in the region of maxillary molars.

An integrated view on society readiness and initial reaction to COVID-19: A study across European countries.

With the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the question of society's capability to deal with an acute health crisis is, once again, brought to the forefront. In the core is the need to broaden the perspective on the determinants of a country's ability to cope with the spread of the virus. This paper is about bringing together diverse aspects of readiness and initial reaction to a COVID-19 outbreak. We proposed an integrated evaluation framework which encapsulates six dimensions of readiness and initial reaction. Using a specific multi-level outranking method, we analysed how these dimensions affect the relative positioning of European countries in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. The results revealed that the order of countries based on our six-dimensional assessment framework is significantly reminiscent of the actual positioning of countries in terms of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality in the initial phase of the pandemic. Our findings confirm that only when a country's readiness is complemented by an appropriate societal reaction we can expect a less severe outcome. Moreover, our study revealed different patterns of performance between former communist Eastern European and Western European countries.

Antiplatelet agents'-ticagrelol and eptifibatide-safety in experimental colitis in mice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate the side effects of two antiplatelet agents - ticagrelor and eptifibatide - in mice with experimentally-induced inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS AND MATERIAL: This study was designed as a controlled, animal, drug safety investigation. C57Bl/6 mice were used to establish the ulcerative colitis model by exposure to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and divided into three experimental groups: eptifibatide-treated (150 µg/day intraperitoneally; n = 10), ticagrelol-treated (1 mg/day via gastric tube; n = 10), and DSS-control (plain drinking water; n = 10). An unmodeled non-DSS group served as the experimental control. Complete blood count was taken for all mice at baseline (day 0, treatment initiation) and after four days of treatment. On day 4, all animals were sacrificed for autopsy. The primary outcome measure was bleeding, and the secondary outcomes were change in platelet count, hemoglobin level, and hematocrit level. RESULTS: Neither ticagrelor nor eptifibatide treatment produced a significant effect on DSS colitis mice for the safety parameters measured. Platelet count and hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were statistically similar between the three DSS groups and the non-DSS control group (P > 0.05). Autopsy found no evidence of recent bleeding in liver, spleen, central nervous system or serous cavities. CONCLUSION: The antiplatelet agents ticagrelor and eptifibatide were safe in DSS colitis mice, suggesting their potential in humans suffering from ulcerative colitis, and supporting future safety studies.

The importance of IgG4 in the predictive model of thyroiditis.

UNLABELLED: Immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related sclerosing disease (IgG4-RSD) is a new disease entity first proposed with regard to autoimmune pancreatitis. A 67-year-old male patient was examined because of weight loss and an abdominal pain. Based on the clinical characteristics, laboratory parameters and ultrasound features, we identified the diagnosis of the IgG4-related systemic disease (IgG4-RSD), that was confirmed by the histopathological analysis after the biopsy of the head of pancreas. After confirmation, we started with the corticosteroid therapy with a good clinical, biochemical and morphological response. During the previous therapy, the disturbance of glucoregulation appeared, so we had to change the modality of treatment. We decided to add Azathioprine to the therapy in a dose of 150 mg/day. We achieved a stable phase of the disease with IgG 4.37 g/l and IgG4 0.179 g/l, and with no side effects from the therapy. LEARNING POINTS: There are potential clinical applications of identifying subsets of patients with IgG4 thyroiditis (FVHT and Riedel thyroiditis).A trial of immunosuppressive therapy should be included if a resection is deemed inadvisable.In particular, cases of FVHT that mimic malignancy, tissue and serum IgG4 may provide supportive diagnostic information.

Acquired cystic disease and renal cell carcinoma in hemodialysis patients--A case report on three patients.

INTRODUCTION: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is derived from renal tubular epithelial cells and represents approximately 3.8% of all malignancies in adults. The incidence of renal cell carcinoma has been growing steadily and ranging from 0.6 to 14.7 for every 100,000 inhabitants. Patients with end-stage renal disease and acquired cystic kidney disease are at increased risk of developing RCC while undergoing dialysis treatment or after renal transplantation. CASE REPORT: We presented 3 patients undergoing hemodialysis, with acquired cystic kidney disease accompanied by the development of RCC. In all the patients tumor was asymptomatic and discovered through ultrasound screening in 2 patients and in 1 of the patients by post-surgery pathohistological analysis of the tissue of the kidney excised using nephrectomy. All the three patients had organ-limited disease at the time of the diagnosis and they did not require additional therapy after surgical treatment. During the follow-up after nephrectomy from 6 months to 7 years, local recurrence or metastasis of RCC were not diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Acquired cystic kidney disease represents a predisposing factor for the development of renal cell carcinoma in dialysis patients and requires regular ultrasound examinations of the abdomen aimed at early diagnosis of malignancies. Prognosis for patients with end-stage renal disease and RCC is mostly good because these tumors are usually of indolent course.

Myeloma multiplex with pulmonary dissemination.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple myeloma is a hemathological malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone the marrow. Extramedullary dissemination of multiple myeloma is uncommon. In several cases only, the multiple myeloma malignant plasma cells had diseminated to the lung parenchyma. CASE REPORT: We presented a case of multiple myeloma with lung plasmacytoma, in a 79 year-old patient, hospitalized for febrility and infiltrative mass in the right lung. Two months before the patient was admitted, because of developing terminal renal failure, hemodialysis treatment had started three times a week. Since then, the patient was oliguric, but because of febrility and hemoptysis that appeared, at first he was treated with dual antibiotic therapy which resulted in temporary improvement of his general condition, but pleural effusion remained. After thoracocentesis, followed by myelogram, the multiple myeloma diagnosis was established. CONCLUSION: In patients of middle and older age, with general weakness, exhaustion, loss of weight, renal failure which progresses to the end stage rapidly, if symptoms of respiratory tract occur, consider this uncommon disease--extramedullary dissemination of multiple myeloma.

Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty application effect on renal function in patients with renal artery stenosis - a case report on 4 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Renal artery stenosis (RAS) is narrowing of one or both renal arteries or their branches. Clinically sig nificant stenosis involves narrowing of the lumen, which is approximately 80%. The two most common causes of its occurrence are atherosclerosis and fibromuscular dyspla sia. Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) with stent implantation is an effective treatment modality that leads to lower blood pressure and improvement of kidney function. CASE REPORT: We presented 4 patients with significant stenosis of one or both renal arteries fol lowed by the development of arterial hypertension and re nal insufficiency. The causes of RAS were atherosclerosis in two patients and fibromuscular dysplasia in one patient. One of the patients had renal artery stenosis of trans planted kidney that developed 9 month after transplanta tion. In all the patients, in addition to clinical signs, dop pler screening suspected the existence of significant renal artery stenosis. The definitive diagnosis was made by ap plying computed tomographic angiography (CTA) of renal arteries in 3 of the patients and in 1 patient by percutaneus selective angiography. All the patients were treated by ap plication of PTRA with stent implantation followed by improvement/normalization of blood pressure and kidney function. CONCLUSION: Application of PTRA with stent implantation is an effective treatment of significant steno sis of one or both renal arteries followed by renal insuffi ciency.

[Gastrointestinal symptomatology as first manifestation of systemic erythematous lupus].

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematodes (SLE) is chronic, often febrile, multisystemic disease unknown origin and relapsing course which affects connective tissue of the skin, joints, kidney and serous membranes. Gastrointestinal manifestations are rarely the first sign of systemic lupus erythematosus. CASE REPORT: We presented a female patient, 35 years old, whose first symptoms of SLE were paralitic ileus (chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction) and polyserositis (pleural effusion and ascites). Except for high parameters of inflammation, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia, all immunological and laboratory tests for SLE were negative in the onset of the disease. During next six months the patient had clinical signs of paralitic ileus several times and was twice operated with progressive malabsorptive syndrome. The full picture of SLE was manifested seven months later associated with lupus nephritis. Treatment with cyclophosphamide, corticosteroids and total parenteral nutrition (30 days) induced stable remission of the disease. CONCLUSION: The SLE can be initially manifested with gastroenterological symptoms without any other clinical and immunologic parameters of the disease. If in patients with SLE and gastrointestinal tract involvement malabsorption syndrom is developed, a treatment success depends on both immunosupressive therapy and total parenteral nutrition.

[Anterior pituitary lobe atrophy as late complication of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome].

INTRODUCTION: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is acute infective multisystemic disease followed by febrility, hemorrhages and acute renal insufficiency. Bleeding in the anterior pituitary lobe leading to tissue necrosis occurs in acute stage of severe clinical forms of HFRS, while atrophy of the anterior pituitary lobe with diminution of the gland function occurs after recovery stage. CASE REPORT: We presented a patient with the development of chronic renal insufficiency and hypopituitarism as complication that had been diagnosed six years after Hantavirus infection. Magnetic resonance of the pituitary gland revealed atrophy and empty sella turcica. CONCLUSION: Regarding frequency of this viral infection and its endemic character in some parts of our country partial and/or complete loss of pituitary function should be considered during the late stage of HFRS.

[Influence of the background activity region selection on the measurement of glomerular filtration rate using the Gates method].

BACKGROUND/AIM: The most frequent method for the assessment of glomerular filtration rate GFR) in clinical practice is clearance of creatinine, clearance of chromium-51 radiolabelled ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (51Cr-EDTA) and clearance of technetium-99m radiolabelled diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA). The Gates method for glomerular filtration rate assessment is based on distribution of 99mTc-DTPA in the kidney 2-3 minute after its applying. Calculation of GFR is corrected for the background and depth of the kidney and finally expressed as a percentage of the net injected counts. This value of GFR highly correlates with biexponential model as the most accurate method for the assessment of GFR. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of different background sites on GFR rate assessment using the Gates method. METHODS: We analysed 50 patients who were divided into two groups: the group of healthy subjects (21 subjects, mean age 47.38 yrs) and the group of subjects with unilateral kidney damage (29 subjects, mean age 39.79 yrs). Three different background activity regions were chosen: a region drawn below the lower pole of each kidney, region drawn by the lateral side of each kidney and region drawn around the whole kidney. RESULTS: Gromerular filtration rate calculated by the use of a region under the lower pole is statistically significantly higher than GFR calculated using a region by the lateral side and around the whole kidney (p < 0.0001). Glomerular filtration rate calculated using the region by the lateral side and region around the whole kidney did not show statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The selection of background activity region has a significant influence on GFR rate measured by the Gates method. It is recommended to use only one method for choosing the region of background activity.