Association between sHLA-G and HLA-G 14-bp deletion/insertion polymorphism in Crohn's disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the HLA-G 14-bp deletion/insertion (Del/Ins) polymorphism and soluble (s) HLA-G production in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We analyzed also the sHLA-G molecules by ELISA and western blot in plasma samples. Among unselected patients, the 14-bp Del/Ins polymorphism was not significantly associated with increased CD risk neither for alleles (P = 0.371) nor for genotypes (P = 0.625). However, a significant association was reported between the 14-bp Del/Ins polymorphism and CD, in particular in young-onset CD patients for alleles [P = 0.020, odds ratio (OR) = 2.438, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-5.25] but not with adult-onset CD patients. A significant association was reported concerning the genotype Ins/Ins for young-onset CD patients (P = 0.029, OR = 3.257, 95% CI: 1.08-9.77). We observed also a significant increase in sHLA-G measured by ELISA in CD patients compared to controls (P = 0.002). The 14-bp Del/Del and 14-bp Del/Ins genotypes are the high HLA-G producers. Among sHLA-G(positive) patients, 43% of subjects present dimers of HLA-G. The presence of dimers seems to be related to the advanced stages of the disease. The 14-bp Del/Ins polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of CD particularly in young-onset CD patients and controls sHLA-G plasma levels. Dimers of sHLA-G are frequent in advanced disease stages. The above findings indicate that the genetic 14-bp Del/Ins polymorphism in exon 8 of the HLA-G gene is associated with the risk of CD and suggest a role for sHLA-G as a prognostic marker for progressive disease.

Predictive scores of early mortality from variceal gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients.

INTRODUCTION: The variceal bleeding, main complication of portal hypertension during cirrhosis, is associated with high early mortality riskestimated between 15 and 20%. This highlights the necessity of predictive models that allow identifying high-risk patients raising the issue of amore aggressive therapeutic care. OBJECTIVE: To assess the performance of four scores for the prediction of cirrhotic patients' high early mortality risk due to digestive hemorrhageand to compare them to the Child-Pugh reference score. METHODS: We collected 87 cirrhotic patients admitted to the Gastroenterology Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital for a high digestivehemorrhage by rupture of gastric or esophageal varicose veins. RESULTS: 56 men and 31 women were included in this study. The average value of Rockall, Glasgow Blatchford, MELD and MELD-Na scores,was respectively equal to 6.19, 10.91, and 17.6 and at 20. Early mortality was 30%. The average value of all the scores was significantly higherwith the prematurely deceased patients (p<0.001). The MELD-Na score had higher sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of prematuremortality compared to the other scores but without statistical significantly difference (Area under the ROC curve: MELD-Na=0.867, p<0.001;Child-Pugh=0.809, p<0.001; Rockall=0.777, p=0.001; Glasgow-Blatchford=0.761, p<0.001; MELD=0.838, p<0.001). The predictive value of thecut-off MELD-Na score was equal to 19 with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 82%. CONCLUSION: The studied four scores had a good predictive value of early mortality risk by varicose digestive hemorrhage with cirrhotic patients.

[Efficiency of endoscopic treatment with intra gastric balloon in severe to morbid obesity]. / Efficacité du traitement endoscopique par le ballon intragastrique au cours de l'obésité severe à morbide.

BACKGROUND: Obesity raises such a healthcare matter throughout the world. Its management is not only complex but also most often multidisciplinary. The medico-dietary treatment is of inconstant efficiency and the surgical treatment, though more efficient, presents a considerable morbidity-death rate. The endoscopic treatment through intra-gastric balloon avails a seducing alternative namely accounting for surgery preparation. AIM: To assess the efficiency of the endoscopic treatment through gastric balloon, both in the short and long term, and this is accounting for weight loss as well as tolerance. METHODS: We have carried out a retrospective study including the patients suffering from severe to morbid obesity and who had a gastric balloon implemented in our Endoscopy Unit between November 2005 and December 2007. RESULTS: Twenty one patients were included. The average age was 32,19 ± 12,65 years with extremes of 16 and 52 years. Fifteen patients suffered from morbid obesity. The patients' average weight was 134, 52 ± 26,46 kg (extremes 88 and 194 kg). Some co-morbidity was found out with 15 patients. Te balloon implementation (Héliosphère®) was carried out with no incidents in all patients. Six months after the balloon implementation, the average weight loss was 17,5% and the average loss of over weigh was 37%. In biological level, we noted a normalisation of fasting glycaemia in 28,6 % of cases, of the cholesterolemia in 100 %, of the triglyceridemia in 33,33%, of the uraemia in 42,8% and hepatic tests in 50 % of the cases. The metabolic syndrome disappeared in 28,57 % of cases. The assessment after a 5-year-period was marked by the need to surgical treatment in 4 patients and this is due to the loss of efficiency of endoscopic treatment. A bad tolerance of gastric balloon was observed in 34 % of the cases, dominated by sicknesses. Only one patient presented incoercible sicknesses with ionic troubles as well as deshydrating requiring the precocious extraction of the balloon after 48 hours of its implementation. CONCLUSION: The endoscopic treatment through intra gastric balloon is well tolerated but efficiently limited in time. It might be recommended in preparation for a surgical treatment or in case of contre- indication or surgery refusal.

[Place of endoscopic variceal ligation for the prophylaxis of rebleeding from oesophageal varices. Prospective study about 102 cases]. / Place de la ligature elastique dans la prevention secondaire de l'hemorragie digestive par rupture de varices oesophagiennes. Etude prospective de 102 cas.

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and morbidity of endoscopic variceal ligation for the prophylaxis of rebleeding from oesophageal varices. This work is a prospective study including 102 patients having had at least one episode of variceal bleeding. The mean age is 52.5 years. Oesophageal varices were eradicated in 83.3% of cases after an average of 3.5 sessions. Recurrence of oesophageal varices after eradication was observed in 22% after an average follow-up of 7 months. 10 patients died before eradication of oesophageal varices from causes unrelated to the technique. The endoscopic variceal ligation is effective for eradication of oesophageal varices, with a low morbidity. This technique appears to be a method of choice in the prophylaxis of rebleeding from oesophageal varices.

[Bone mineral density in patients with Crohn's disease. Contribution of bone densitometry in 53 cases]. / La densite minerale osseuse au cours de la maladie de Crohn: apport de l'osteodensitometrie chez 53 patients.

Fifty-three patients with Crohn disease were included in a prospective study. Bone mineral density was measured at the femoral neck and lumbar spine by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Ten variables were analyzed in search of an association with bone demineralization; Age, sex, nutritional state, smoking, duration of the disease, hormonal status, inflammatory syndrome, site of disease: ileal, colic or ileocolic, accumulated doses of corticoids and intestinal resection. A bone demineralization was observed in 58.5% of cases. The ileum location and the corticothérapie were predictives of bone demineralization. Crohn disease is a disease at high risk of bone demineralization. Predictors of the bone loss were smoking, long duration of the disease, ileal site and systematic corticotherapy.