Correlation between trough levels of infliximab and postoperative endoscopic recurrence in Crohn's disease patients submitted to ileocolonic resections.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum levels of Infliximab (IFX) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) who underwent an ileocolonic resection and to correlate them with the presence or absence of endoscopic disease recurrence. METHODS: An observational and cross-sectional study was carried out in patients from 2 treatment centers in Curitiba-PR, with CD, who underwent ileocaecal resection and used IFX after surgery. Drug serum levels were measured, and colonoscopy was performed 30 days before or after collection. Patients were then divided into two groups: with or without endoscopic recurrence (defined as a Rutgeerts score greater than or equal to 2), and mean serum IFX levels were identified and compared. The primary objective was the correlation between recurrence and the median levels of IFX, performed comparatively between groups. RESULTS: Of the 21 patients included in the study, 14 had no endoscopic recurrence and 7 had it. There was no difference between groups in terms of baseline patient characteristics, mono or combo therapy treatment, serum albumin, and the time elapsed between collection of serum levels and diagnosis, surgery, and beginning of therapy. Patients with endoscopic recurrence used more biologics previously ( P  = 0.027). There was no difference between the median values of serum IFX levels between the groups: (4.71 [0.03-14.4]) in patients without recurrence versus (2.18 [0.88-14]) in those with recurrence ( P  = 0.601). CONCLUSION: Low serum IFX levels were not correlated with postoperative endoscopic recurrence. Studies with a larger number of patients are needed to better test the proposed hypothesis.

INTERACTION BETWEEN FOOD PYRAMID AND GUT MICROBIOTA. A NEW NUTRITIONAL APPROACH.

The food pyramid is a pre-established nutritional education tool. The integration between the intestinal microbiome, food groups, and SCFA-producing bacteria, which benefit from the ingestion of these foods, has the potential to further improve and innovate healthy eating. The diet-microbiome interaction needs to be incorporated into nutrition science, and the food pyramid might assist in this interaction and nutritional learning. Against this context, this brief communication proposes through the food pyramid, the interactions between the intestinal microbiota, food groups, and SCFAs-producing bacteria.

Interação entre a pirâmide alimentar e a microbiota intestinal. Uma nova abordagem nutricional / Interaction between food pyramid and gut microbiota. a new nutritional approach

ABSTRACT The food pyramid is a pre-established nutritional education tool. The integration between the intestinal microbiome, food groups, and SCFA-producing bacteria, which benefit from the ingestion of these foods, has the potential to further improve and innovate healthy eating. The diet-microbiome interaction needs to be incorporated into nutrition science, and the food pyramid might assist in this interaction and nutritional learning. Against this context, this brief communication proposes through the food pyramid, the interactions between the intestinal microbiota, food groups, and SCFAs-producing bacteria.

RESUMO A pirâmide alimentar é uma ferramenta pré-estabelecida de educação nutricional. A integração entre microbioma intestinal, grupos de alimentos e bactérias produtoras de ácidos graxos de cadeia curta (AGCC), que se beneficiam da ingestão de carboidratos fermentáveis, tem o potencial de melhorar e inovar ainda mais a proposta de alimentação saudável. O conceito dieta-microbiota intestinal pode ser incorporado à ciência da nutrição, e a pirâmide alimentar pode auxiliar nessa interação nutricional. Diante desse contexto, esta breve comunicação propõe, por meio da pirâmide alimentar, a ampliação do conhecimento entre a microbiota intestinal, grupos alimentares e bactérias produtoras de AGCC.

HIGHLIGHTS •Integration between food pyramid and gut microbiome. •Negative and positive effects of food on the gut microbiome using the food pyramid. •SCFA-s-producing bacteria and their effects on the gut microbiome.

A red wine intervention does not modify plasma trimethylamine N-oxide but is associated with broad shifts in the plasma metabolome and gut microbiota composition.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota profiles are closely related to cardiovascular diseases through mechanisms that include the reported deleterious effects of metabolites, such as trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which have been studied as diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Moderate red wine (RW) consumption is reportedly cardioprotective, possibly by affecting the gut microbiota. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of RW consumption on the gut microbiota, plasma TMAO, and the plasma metabolome in men with documented coronary artery disease (CAD) using a multiomics assessment in a crossover trial. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, crossover, controlled trial involving 42 men (average age, 60 y) with documented CAD comparing 3-wk RW consumption (250 mL/d, 5 d/wk) with an equal period of alcohol abstention, both preceded by a 2-wk washout period. The gut microbiota was analyzed via 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Plasma TMAO was evaluated by LC-MS/MS. The plasma metabolome of 20 randomly selected participants was evaluated by ultra-high-performance LC-MS/MS. The effect of RW consumption was assessed by individual comparisons using paired tests during the abstention and RW periods. RESULTS: Plasma TMAO did not differ between RW intervention and alcohol abstention, and TMAO concentrations showed low intraindividual concordance over time, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.049 during the control period. After RW consumption, there was significant remodeling of the gut microbiota, with a difference in ß diversity and predominance of Parasutterella, Ruminococcaceae, several Bacteroides species, and Prevotella. Plasma metabolomic analysis revealed significant changes in metabolites after RW consumption, consistent with improved redox homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Modulation of the gut microbiota may contribute to the putative cardiovascular benefits of moderate RW consumption. The low intraindividual concordance of TMAO presents challenges regarding its role as a cardiovascular risk biomarker at the individual level. This study was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT03232099.

Temporal trends in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases in the public healthcare system in Brazil: A large population-based study.

Background: Population-based data on epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) in Brazil are scarce. This study aims to define temporal trends of incidence and prevalence rates of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in Brazil. Methods: All IBD patients from the public healthcare national system were included from January 2012 to December 2020. Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using log-linear regression for incidence and binomial regression for prevalence. Moran's I autocorrelation index was used to analyse clustering of cities by level of prevalence. Findings: A total of 212,026 IBD patients were included. Incidence of IBD rose from 9.4 in 2012 to 9.6 per 100,000 in 2020 (AAPC=0.8%; 95% CI -0.37, 1.99); for UC, incidence increased from 5.7 to 6.9 per 100,000 (AAPC=3.0%; 95% CI 1.51, 4.58) and for CD incidence decreased from 3.7 to 2.7 per 100,000 (AAPC=-3.2%; 95% CI -4.45, -2.02). Prevalence of IBD increased from 30.0 in 2012 to 100.1 per 100,000 in 2020 (AAPC=14.8%; CI 14.78-14.95); for UC, from 15.7 to 56.5 per 100,000 (AAPC=16.0%; CI 15.94, 16.17); for CD from 12.6 to 33.7 per 100,000 (AAPC=12.1% CI 11.95, 12.02). A south-north gradient was observed in 2020 prevalence rates of IBD [I=0.40 (p<0.0001)], CD [I=0.22 (p<0.0001)] and UC [I=0.42 (p<0.0001)]. Interpretation: Incidence of CD is decreasing whereas of UC is increasing, leading to stabilization in the incidence of IBD from 2012 to 2020 in Brazil. Prevalence of IBD has been climbing with 0.1% of Brazilians living with IBD in 2020. Funding: None.

A Retrospective Analysis of Colorectal Serrated Lesions from 2005 to 2014 in a Single Center: Importance of the Establishment of Diagnostic Patterns.

BACKGROUND: Serrated colorectal lesions are increasingly recognized as an important process in the development of colorectal cancer. Endoscopic and histological diagnosis may be difficult, and knowledge of the serrated lesions is important for the establishment of strategies for treating colorectal lesions. We aimed to analyze serrated lesions diagnosed at a single center and evaluate if there was an increase in their identification over the years. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective analysis of colonoscopy reports was performed at a specialized center from 2005 to 2014. METHODS: Colonoscopy reports about any resected endoscopic lesions were reviewed and subjected to histological diagnosis from 2005 to 2014. Then, serrated lesions were evaluated based on morphological characterization, location, size, occurrence of synchronous lesions, and the patient's history of colorectal cancer and polyps. RESULTS: A total of 2126 colonoscopy examination reports were reviewed, and 3494 lesions were analyzed. On histopathological examination, 1089 (31.2%) were classified as hyperplastic polyps, 22 (0.6%) as sessile serrated adenomas, and 21 (0.6%) as traditional serrated adenomas. There was an increase in the number of cases of sessile and traditional serrated adenomas diagnosed after 2010. Before 2010, two cases of sessile serrated adenomas and seven cases of traditional serrated adenomas were diagnosed; after 2010, 20 cases of sessile serrated adenoma and 14 cases of traditional serrated adenomas were diagnosed. CONCLUSION: There was an increase in the diagnosis of sessile serrated adenomas over the years, which can be attributed to better accuracy in colonoscopy and histological classification.

Insulin Resistance in HIV-Patients: Causes and Consequences.

Here we review how immune activation and insulin resistance contribute to the metabolic alterations observed in HIV-infected patients, and how these alterations increase the risk of developing CVD. The introduction and evolution of antiretroviral drugs over the past 25 years has completely changed the clinical prognosis of HIV-infected patients. The deaths of these individuals are now related to atherosclerotic CVDs, rather than from the viral infection itself. However, HIV infection, cART, and intestinal microbiota are associated with immune activation and insulin resistance, which can lead to the development of a variety of diseases and disorders, especially with regards to CVDs. The increase in LPS and proinflammatory cytokines circulating levels and intracellular mechanisms activate serine kinases, resulting in insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) serine phosphorylation and consequently a down regulation in insulin signaling. While lifestyle modifications and pharmaceutical interventions can be employed to treat these altered metabolic functions, the mechanisms involved in the development of these chronic complications remain largely unresolved. The elucidation and understanding of these mechanisms will give rise to new classes of drugs that will further improve the quality of life of HIV-infected patients, over the age of 50.

Dietary risk factors for colorectal cancer in Brazil: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: High meat intake and low consumption of vegetables, fruits and whole grains have been associated with increased risk of colorectal cancer in some relevant cohort studies conducted in distinct ethnic populations. The role of the dietary pattern on the risk of sporadic colorectal adenocarcinoma (SCA) in Brazil is unknown; therefore, it was the aim of the present study. METHODS: The dietary patterns of 169 patients with SCA and 101 controls were analysed by food frequency recall. Crude odds ratios were calculated and given within 95 % confidence intervals. RESULTS: Patients reported higher average intakes of beef (32.0 ± 1.8 versus 23.7 ± 1.6, P = 0.0069), chicken (18.1 ± 0.9 versus 12.2 ± 0.8, P = 0.0002), and pork (8.9 ± 0.9 versus 3.4 ± 0.5, P < 0.0001). These individuals had a 1.025, 1.069, and 1.121-fold increased risk of SCA. Similar consumption of fish, vegetables, fruits and whole grains was reported by patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Meat consumption is greater in patients with SCA in the Brazilian population. Considering the study population - characterized by ethnic heterogeneity -, the environmental factor related to food habits may be associated with higher incidence of this disease in Brazil.

High frequency of Fredrickson's phenotypes IV and IIb in Brazilians infected by human immunodeficiency virus.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is very prevalent in Brazil. HIV therapy has been recently associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for CHD that is frequently described in HIV positive patients, but very few studies have been conducted in Brazilian patients evaluating their lipid profiles. METHODS: In the present work, we evaluated the frequency and severity of dyslipidemia in 257 Brazilian HIV positive patients. Two hundred and thirty-eight (93%) were submitted to antiretroviral therapy (224 treated with protease inhibitors plus nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 14 treated only with the latter, 12 naive and 7 had no records of treatment). The average time on drug treatment with antiretroviral therapy was 20 months. None of the patients was under lipid lowering drugs. Cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipid and free fatty acids were determined by enzymatic colorimetric methods. Lipoprotein profile was estimated by the Friedewald formula and Fredrickson's phenotyping was obtained by serum electrophoresis on agarose. Apolipoprotein B and AI and lipoprotein "a" were measured by nephelometry. RESULTS: The Fredrickson phenotypes were: type IIb (51%), IV (41%), IIa (7%). In addition one patient was type III and another type V. Thirty-three percent of all HIV+ patients presented serum cholesterol levels >or= 200 mg/dL, 61% LDL-cholesterol >or= 100 mg/dL, 65% HDL-cholesterol below 40 mg/dL, 46% triglycerides >or= 150 mg/dL and 10% have all these parameters above the limits. Eighty-six percent of patients had cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio >or= 3.5, 22% increased lipoprotein "a", 79% increased free fatty acids and 9% increased phospholipids. The treatment with protease inhibitors plus nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors increased the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in these patients when compared with naïve patients. The HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.01) and apolipoprotein A1 (p = 0.02) levels were inversely correlated with the time of protease inhibitor therapy while total cholesterol levels had a trend to correlate with antiretroviral therapy (p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: The highly varied and prevalent types of dyslipidemia found in Brazilian HIV positive patients on antiretroviral therapies indicate the urgent need for their early diagnosis, the identification of the risk factors for CHD and, when needed, the prompt intervention on their lifestyle and/or with drug treatment.