Diet Optimization in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Impact on Disease Relapse and Inflammatory Markers. A 1-year Prospective Trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recent research has shown that Western-style diets have been associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Our aim was to examine the link between an anti-inflammatory diet and the maintenance of IBD remission, as well as to assess the potential therapeutic advantages of this dietary approach in preserving IBD remission. METHODS: The inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to a total of 189 individuals with IBD, with 21 individuals not meeting the criteria. Therefore, 168 eligible patients were enrolled in the study and allocated to either an anti-inflammatory diet or a regular diet, based on their personal preference. RESULTS: A cohort of 168 IBD adult patients was recruited for the study: 88 patients with ulcerative colitis and 80 with Crohn's disease. The intervention group received an anti-inflammatory diet consisting of the removal of red and processed meat, fried foods, high-lactose foods, fast food, white bread, sugar, and vegetable oils rich in omega-6 for a period of 1 year. The clinical response was maintained in 80 patients (95.2%) in the intervention group and in 72 patients (85.7%) in the control group (p-value=0.036). Although not statistically significant, fecal calprotectin was higher in the control group than in the intervention group at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who adhered to an anti-inflammatory diet exhibited a higher rate of maintenance of clinical remission. Furthermore, improvement in inflammation tests was observed in the intervention group, reinforcing the proposition that IBD is a lifestyle-related disease.

Impact of Dietary Patterns in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Subtypes Versus Healthy Subjects: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives:Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have been associated with multiple environmental factors, including diet. A dietary pattern characterized by low fiber content, high fat content and high carbohydrate content has been linked to the development of IBD. The objective of the current investigation is to examine the potential link between dietary patterns and the occurrence of IBD and to investigate whether there are any differences in relation to the type of IBD and specific food groups. Material and methods:We conducted an observational retrospective comparative study using three cohorts: 89 Crohn's disease (CD) patients, 40 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 64 healthy subjects. All participants underwent structured interviews and were required to complete a questionnaire regarding their dietary habits either prior to the onset of IBD or within the last year for control subjects. Results:A higher proportion of CD patients reported a higher rate of salt intake (71.9% vs. 53.1%, p-value = 0.043), sweetened beverages (38.2% vs. 17.2%, p-value=0.022), processed meat (66.3% vs. 40.6%, p-value=0.007), fatty meat (50.6% vs. 28.1%, p-value=0.021), fried foods (47.2% vs. 9.4%, p-value<0.001) and mayonnaise (21.3% vs. 6.2%, p-value=0.032) and a lower intake of nuts and seeds (20.2% vs. 43.8%, p-value=0.004) and yogurt (23.6% vs. 43.8%, p-value=0.030) compared to healthy subjects. Compared to controls, in the UC group there was a higher consumption of salt (85% vs. 53.1%, p-value=0.003), sweetened beverages (47.5% vs. 17.2%, p-value=0.005), fatty meat (55% vs. 28.1%, p-value=0.025) and fried foods (55% vs. 9.4%, p-value<0.001) and a lower intake of nuts and seeds (10% vs. 43.8%, p-value=0.001). Conclusion:Diet patterns before the onset of the disease are similar in patients with Crohn's disease and patients with ulcerative colitis: increased consumption of sweetened beverages, processed and fatty meat, fried food, salt, store-bought ice cream, and mayonnaise, and decreased intake of seeds, nuts, and yogurt.

Is Spontaneous Preterm Prelabor of Membrane Rupture Irreversible? A Review of Potentially Curative Approaches.

There is still no curative treatment for the spontaneous preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (sPPROM), the main cause of premature birth. Here, we summarize the most recent methods and materials used for sealing membranes after sPPROM. A literature search was conducted between 2013 and 2023 on reported newborns after membranes were sealed or on animal or tissue culture models. Fourteen studies describing the outcomes after using an amniopatch, an immunologic sealant, or a mechanical cervical adapter were included. According to these studies, an increase in the volume of amniotic fluid and the lack of chorioamnionitis demonstrate a favorable neonatal outcome, with a lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and early neonatal sepsis, even if sealing is not complete and stable. In vivo and in vitro models demonstrated that amniotic stem cells, in combination with amniocytes, can spontaneously repair small defects; because of the heterogenicity of the data, it is too early to draw a thoughtful conclusion. Future therapies should focus on materials and methods for sealing fetal membranes that are biocompatible, absorbable, available, easy to apply, and easily adherent to the fetal membrane.

Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives-A Future Direction to the Milky Way.

One significant food group that is part of our daily diet is the dairy group, and both research and industry are actively involved to meet the increasing requirement for plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs). The production tendency of PBDAs is growing with a predictable rate of over 18.5% in 2023 from 7.4% at the moment. A multitude of sources can be used for development such as cereals, pseudocereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds to obtain food products such as vegetal milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, and different sweets, such as ice cream, which have nearly similar nutritional profiles to those of animal-origin products. Increased interest in PBDAs is manifested in groups with special dietary needs (e.g., lactose intolerant individuals, pregnant women, newborns, and the elderly) or with pathologies such as metabolic syndromes, dermatological diseases, and arthritis. In spite of the vast range of production perspectives, certain industrial challenges arise during development, such as processing and preservation technologies. This paper aims at providing an overview of the currently available PBDAs based on recent studies selected from the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, and Scopus. We found 148 publications regarding PBDAs in correlation with their nutritional and technological aspects, together with the implications in terms of health. Therefore, this review focuses on the relationship between plant-based alternatives for dairy products and the human diet, from the raw material to the final products, including the industrial processes and health-related concerns.

Role of an Exclusion Diet (Reduced Disaccharides, Saturated Fats, Emulsifiers, Red and Ultraprocessed Meats) in Maintaining the Remission of Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Adults.

Background and Objectives: Inflammatory bowel diseases are a main focus in current research, with diet being an emerging therapeutic line due to its links in both onset and progression. A Western-style diet high in processed foods, food additives, red meat, and animal fat has been linked to a higher risk of developing IBD. The aim of this study was to establish an association between an anti-inflammatory exclusion diet and maintenance of remission in IBD. Also, we assessed the efficacy and safety of this diet compared to a non-dietary group and the possible therapeutic effect of this diet in the maintenance of IBD remission. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 patients with IBD were screened for inclusion, but 21 did not met the inclusion criteria. Thus, 139 patients were assigned to either an exclusion diet or a regular diet according to their choice. Results: Clinical remission after six months was maintained in the exclusion diet arm (100%). In the control arm, four patients had clinically active disease (one patient with UC and three with CD), and 90 patients maintained the clinical remission state (95.7%) (p-value = 0.157). Regarding biochemical markers, ESR at baseline was higher in the exclusion diet arm: 29 (5-62) versus in the control arm 16 (4-48) (p-value = 0.019), but six months after, the groups were similar (p-value = 0.440). Conclusions: Patients who followed an exclusion diet maintained clinical remission more frequently. However, the threshold for statistical significance was not achieved. There was also a trend of improvement in inflammation tests in the intervention group.

Diet as an environmental trigger in inflammatory bowel disease: a retrospective comparative study in two European cohorts

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: inflammatory bowel disease development has been associated with several environmental factors, among which, diet can play a key role, probably due to a westernized lifestyle. However, its involvement in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is difficult to demonstrate. The aim of this study was to analyze dietary composition in a Romanian and Belgian population with IBD. METHODS: an observational retrospective comparative study was performed using two European cohorts (Romanian and Belgian). The IBD group included 76 Romanian and 53 Belgian patients with an IBD diagnosis, while the control group included a total of 56 healthy people (35 Romanians and 21 Belgians). All subjects were interviewed and asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding diet. RESULTS: in the entire IBD cohort (Romanian + Belgian), a significantly increased consumption of sweets (OR 3.36 [95 % CI 1.6,7]), processed and high fat meat (OR 2.5 [95 % CI 1.4, 4.7], fried food (OR 9.5 [3.8, 23.6]), salt (OR 2.8 [1.5, 5.3]), ice cream (OR 3.25 [1.1, 9.8]), mayonnaise (OR 3.49 [1.1, 10.3]), margarine (OR 5.63 [1.64, 19.33]) and chips/nachos/other snacks (OR 2.3 [0.97, 5.73]) were found compared to the healthy control group. The intake of seeds, nuts (OR 0.26 [0.14, 0.52]) and yoghurt consumption (OR 0.44 [0.23, 0.83]) was lower in the IBD group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: a westernized diet with increased consumption of sweets, processed food, high fat meat, fried food, salt, margarine, snacks, ice cream and mayonnaise seems to be a risk factor for IBD in Romanian and Belgian IBD patients. Intake of seeds, nuts and yoghurt may be a protective factor

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Diet as an environmental trigger in inflammatory bowel disease: a retrospective comparative study in two European cohorts.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: inflammatory bowel disease development has been associated with several environmental factors, among which, diet can play a key role, probably due to a westernized lifestyle. However, its involvement in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is difficult to demonstrate. The aim of this study was to analyze dietary composition in a Romanian and Belgian population with IBD. METHODS: an observational retrospective comparative study was performed using two European cohorts (Romanian and Belgian). The IBD group included 76 Romanian and 53 Belgian patients with an IBD diagnosis, while the control group included a total of 56 healthy people (35 Romanians and 21 Belgians). All subjects were interviewed and asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding diet. RESULTS: in the entire IBD cohort (Romanian + Belgian), a significantly increased consumption of sweets (OR 3.36 [95 % CI 1.6,7]), processed and high fat meat (OR 2.5 [95 % CI 1.4, 4.7], fried food (OR 9.5 [3.8, 23.6]), salt (OR 2.8 [1.5, 5.3]), ice cream (OR 3.25 [1.1, 9.8]), mayonnaise (OR 3.49 [1.1, 10.3]), margarine (OR 5.63 [1.64, 19.33]) and chips/nachos/other snacks (OR 2.3 [0.97, 5.73]) were found compared to the healthy control group. The intake of seeds, nuts (OR 0.26 [0.14, 0.52]) and yoghurt consumption (OR 0.44 [0.23, 0.83]) was lower in the IBD group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: a westernized diet with increased consumption of sweets, processed food, high fat meat, fried food, salt, margarine, snacks, ice cream and mayonnaise seems to be a risk factor for IBD in Romanian and Belgian IBD patients. Intake of seeds, nuts and yoghurt may be a protective factor.

Environmental Factors in Romanian and Belgian Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease - a Retrospective Comparative Study.

Background:Several environmental factors have been associated with onset of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD): smoking, hygiene, microorganisms, oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, appendectomy, diet, breastfeeding, vitamin D, stress and ambient air pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of these factors in a Romanian and Belgian population with IBD. Material and methods:A total of 129 patients with an IBD diagnosis (76 from Romania and 53 from Belgium) participated in an interview and were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding environmental factors before and after the onset of IBD; 35 Romanian and 21 Belgian healthy individuals constituted the control group. Results:A total of 40 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 89 with Crohn's disease (CD) were included. Gender distribution was 43% males and 57% females. They had a median age of 42 years (range between 19-74 years), a median disease duration of eight years and 79% were in clinical remission. Both Romanian and Belgian IBD patients reported an increased antibiotic consumption before IBD onset compared to controls: 58% vs 10% (p<0.001) and 51% vs 5% (p<0.001), respectively. Belgian IBD patients declared significantly more frequent OCP use (53% vs 9%, p <0.001), they were breastfed in a lower proportion (49% vs 76%, p <0.001) and had experienced a higher level of psychosocial stress (p<0.001). Conclusion:Antibiotic consumption before IBD onset may play a pivotal role in IBD development in both Romanian and Belgian populations. In Belgian patients, OCP consumption, a higher level of psychosocial stress and lack of breastfeeding may also be involved.

The Adipokine Profile and the Cardiometabolic Risk in Non-Obese Young Adults

Background: Young, non-obese adults are considered at low risk for cardiometabolic diseases, although markers of an unhealthy metabolic state are not uncommon findings in this population. Adipose tissue dysfunction, evaluated by the adipokine profile, significantly influences lipid and glucose metabolism and low-grade systemic inflammation. Aims: To determine the relation between adipose tissue dysfunction and the already confirmed cardiometabolic risk indicators, including the atherogenic index of plasma, lipid accumulation product, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, and the low-grade inflammation markers, namely, interleukin 6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: We recruited 93 non-obese, healthy young adults. Anthropometric, lipid profile, inflammatory markers, and adipokines were measured. An abnormal adipokine profile (high leptin-to-adiponectin ratio) was considered as a marker of a dysfunctional adipose tissue. The correlation between the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio and the anthropometric measurements, atherogenic index of plasma, lipid accumulation product, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, interleukin 6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was determined. Results: We found a direct correlation between the abnormal adipokine profile and the cardiometabolic risk indicators mentioned above, except for the low-grade inflammatory markers. In the regression model derived from our data, the leptin-to-adiponectin ratio was best correlated with the unfavorable plasma lipid profile, as estimated by the atherogenic index of plasma (r=0.097, confidence interval=0.015-0.180, p=0.021). A significantly higher leptin-to-adiponectin ratio was found in the insulin-resistant group (p=0.012) and in the highest lipid accumulation product quartile (p=0.032). Conclusion: In a non-obese young population, the high rate of leptin-adiponectin may be a good predictor of cardiovascular and metabolic risk assessment.

The influenza season 2016/17 in Bucharest, Romania - surveillance data and clinical characteristics of patients with influenza-like illness admitted to a tertiary infectious diseases hospital.

BACKGROUND: Influenza continues to drive seasonal morbidity, particularly in settings with low vaccine coverage. OBJECTIVES: To describe the influenza cases and viral circulation among hospitalized patients. METHODS: A prospective study based on active surveillance of inpatients with influenza-like illness from a tertiary hospital in Bucharest, Romania, in the season 2016/17. RESULTS: A total of 446 patients were tested, with a balanced gender distribution. Overall, 192 (43%) patients tested positive for influenza, with the highest positivity rate in the age groups 3-13 years and >65 years. Peak activity occurred between weeks 1 and 16/2017, with biphasic distribution: A viruses were replaced by B viruses from week 9/2017; B viruses predominated (66.1%). Among the 133 (69.3%) subtyped samples, all influenza A were subtype H3 (n=57) and all influenza B were B/Victoria (n=76). Patients who tested positive for influenza presented fewer comorbidities (p=0.012), except for the elderly, in whom influenza was more common in patients with comorbidities (p=0.050). Disease evolution was generally favorable under antiviral treatment. The length of hospital stay was slightly longer in patients with influenza-like illness who tested patients negative for influenza (p=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Distinctive co-circulation of A/H3 and B/Victoria in Bucharest, Romania in the 2016/17 influenza season was found. While the A/H3 subtype was predominant throughout Europe that season, B/Victoria appears to have circulated specifically in Romania and the Eastern European region, predominantly affecting preschoolers and school children.

Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects in malignant sinonasal lymphoma.

Among head and neck malignancies, lymphoma is the second most frequent cause. They can develop in the head and neck lymph nodes or as extranodal determinations. The onset of malignant lymphoma outside of lymph node registers increasingly frequent, currently over 30% of malignant lymphoma are diagnosed as taking place outside the lymph nodes. The aim of this paper is bringing in discussion and the presentation of current elements on the diagnosis and treatment in case of malignant sinonasal lymphoma, a pathological entity with a growing incidence. This study is a retrospective one, from January 2008 through December 2013, and included 31 patients admitted to "Prof. Dr. Dorin Hociota" Institute of Phonoaudiology and Functional ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) Surgery, Bucharest, Romania, and diagnosed with malignant sinonasal lymphoma. Despite progress in terms of immunological techniques, cytogenetic and molecular histological outlining of malignant lymphomas, correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy of malignant sinonasal lymphoma is still a problem for the clinician and pathologist, as multidisciplinary collaboration of ENT-Hematology-Pathology-Radiotherapy being essential in this regard.

[Effect of air pollution upon the hospitalization for acute lower respiratory tract infections among the Bucharest municipality's residents]. / Efectul poluarii aeriene asupra frecventei spitalizarii pentru infectii acute ale cailor respiratori inferioare în populatia municipiului Bucuresti.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of the short-term association between exposure to outdoor air pollution and hospitalization for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in the Bucharest municipality'spopulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relation exposure--health effect has been explored through linear regression upon time series, where the independent variable was represented by daily levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) from atmospheric air of Bucharest municipality whereas the dependent variable has been represented by daily frequency, by age groups, of Bucharest municipality residents, hospitalized during the year 2007for LRTI (ICD-10 codes: J12-J22). RESULTS: In the year 2007, through linear regression we found high correlations (p < 0.01) between the following variables: (a) daily atmospheric concentrations of NO2, CO and SO2, (b) daily frequencies of hospitalizations for LRTI by age group and (c) daily air levels of three of the above mentioned pollutants and the age-specific frequencies of patient hospitalization for LRTI. The O3 daily air levels have been correlated (p < 0.01) only with the daily air levels of SO2 and CO but wasn't correlated to NO2 air level or with the health effect studied CONCLUSIONS: in the Bucharest municipality, the study demonstrated robust associations between the atmospheric pollutants' levels and daily frequencies of hospital admissions for LRTI. Through inference the results suggests that the interventions for environment control which will result in decreasing of the pollution level with NO2, CO and SO2 might be associated with decreasing the frequency of hospitalization for LRTI and consequently with preserving the resources allocated for health.