Quality of Life in Teenagers and Adults With Coeliac Disease: From Newly Spanish Coeliac Disease Questionnaire Validation to Assessment in a Population-Based Study.

Background: Coeliac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated systemic disorder elicited by the ingestion of gluten in genetically predisposed individuals. Gluten restriction in CD sufferers leads to numerous limitations in various aspects of daily life and can significantly impact the quality-of-life (QoL). The specific and widely used Coeliac Disease Questionnaire (CDQ) is an excellent tool to evaluate QoL in patients with CD, assessing physical, psychological, and social domains. This questionnaire is unavailable in Spain. Therefore, our study is the first to translate, culturally adapt, validate, and apply the Spanish version of CDQ to a representative sample of Spanish teenagers and adults with CD. Methods: A total of 153 CD participants with biopsy-proven and self-reported gluten-free adherence were included in the cross-sectional study, which included four stages: (1) translation and retranslation of the French CDQ version into Spanish; (2) cultural adaptation and semantic evaluation; (3) CDQ validation through the internal consistency determination and reproducibility of the QoL; and (4) application of the questionnaire to Spanish teenagers and adults with CD and estimation of QoL using EQ-5D. Results: The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the Spanish CDQ were satisfactory and no ceiling or floor effects were detected. Significant correlations were identified between the CDQ scales, and the instrument for validation covering similar dimensions of the QoL was identified. The mean CDQ total score was 131.03 ± 24.1, and the social domain had the highest rating. There was no correlation between the time spent on a gluten-free diet and QoL. A significantly higher QoL score was reported among males and adolescents in the 15-17 age groups. Conclusion: The newly Spanish CDQ is an appropriate tool to assess the QoL of the teenager and adult patients with CD. This study highlights the importance of identifying the affected scales to address actions to reduce the impact of the gluten-free diet burden of the coeliac patients and maintain public health regulations that support patients with chronic diseases such as CD.

[Development and validation of quality standards for colonoscopy]. / Desarrollo y validación de indicadores y estándares de calidad en colonoscopia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Before starting programs for colorectal cancer screening it is necessary to evaluate the quality of colonoscopy. Our objectives were to develop a group of quality indicators of colonoscopy easily applicable and to determine the variability of their achievement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After reviewing the bibliography we prepared 21 potential indicators of quality that were submitted to a process of selection in which we measured their facial validity, content validity, reliability and viability of their measurement. We estimated the variability of their achievement by means of the coefficient of variability (CV) and the variability of the achievement of the standards by means of chi(2). RESULTS: Six indicators overcome the selection process: informed consent, medication administered, completed colonoscopy, complications, every polyp removed and recovered, and adenoma detection rate in patients older than 50 years. 1928 colonoscopies were included from eight endoscopy units. Every unit included the same number of colonoscopies selected by means of simple random sampling with substitution. There was an important variability in the achievement of some indicators and standards: medication administered (CV 43%, p<0.01), complications registered (CV 37%, p<0.01), every polyp removed and recovered (CV 12%, p<0.01) and adenoma detection rate in older than fifty years (CV 2%, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We have validated six quality indicators for colonoscopy which are easily measurable. An important variability exists in the achievement of some indicators and standards. Our data highlight the importance of the development of continuous quality improvement programmes for colonoscopy before starting colorectal cancer screening.

Verifying Diagnosis of Refractory Celiac Disease With Urine Gluten Immunogenic Peptides as Biomarker.

Refractory celiac disease (RCD) involves T-lymphocyte activation despite supposed absence of gluten exposure. Assessing dietary adherence is the cornerstone of RCD diagnosis, but available diagnostic tools fail to monitor gluten-free diet (GFD). A recently acknowledged GFD biomarker is gluten immunogenic peptides (GIP) in urine. This study assessed urine GIP to verify whether RCD patients could be reclassified as "exposed to gluten." Three out of four RCD patients had at least two positive-GIP urine samples in a follow-up of 3 months, demonstrating gluten exposure. Urine GIP may enable the accurate RCD verification and decrease overuse of immunosuppressants, increasing cost effectiveness.

Tumour necrosis factor alpha polymorphisms are not involved in the development of steatosis in chronic hepatitis C.

AIM: To determine whether the different tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) promoter gene polymorphisms are involved in the development of steatosis in chronic hepatitis C. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty patients (89 men and 41 women; mean age 42.5 +/- 12.3 years) with chronic hepatitis C were included. Insulin resistance was measured according to the Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA IR). Serum leptin levels were also obtained and the body mass index and fat mass were calculated. Liver biopsy was carried out in all the patients, and steatosis was measured as one of four stages (0 to 3): stage 0, no steatosis; stage 1, < 25% of hepatocytes with steatosis; stage 2, 25-50%; and stage 3, > 50%. DNA samples were obtained in order to describe the polymorphisms at the TNF-alpha promoter gene position. RESULTS: Fifty-nine of the 130 (45.38%) patients had different degrees of steatosis, while 71/130 (54.62%) were not steatosic. Six of the 59 (10.2%) patients with steatosis presented mutations at the -238 position of the TNF-alpha promoter region, while 5/71 (7.0%) patients without steatosis also showed mutations at this position (P=NS). Seventeen of the 59 (28.8%) steatosic patients showed a mutation at the -308 position, while 16/71 (22.5%) without steatosis also had this mutation (P=NS). Insulin resistance, beta cells reserve, insulin and leptin levels showed no differences between patients with or without mutations at the promoter region of the TNF-alpha gene. CONCLUSIONS: TNF-alpha mutations do not seem to play any role in the development of steatosis in chronic hepatitis C.

Acute hepatitis due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection without lung involvement in adult patients.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae has been associated with cholestatic hepatitis in children, while in adults, the lack of liver involvement has been considered as a typical feature of M. pneumoniae infection. Controversial data have been reported about the possibility of liver involvement with M. pneumoniae community-acquired pneumonia. We present two cases of acute hepatitis associated with M. pneumoniae infection without lung involvement.

HLA class I B44 is associated with sustained response to interferon + ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of host genetic factors on response to combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C infection. METHODS: Patients with biopsy-proved chronic hepatitis C infection were treated with interferon alone (n = 143) or combined therapy of interferon + ribavarin (n = 105; 46 treatment naïve, 59 relapsers). Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I was determined by microlymphocytotoxicity and class II by polymerase chain reaction-single specific oligonucleotide. The two biallelic tumor necrosis factor-alpha promoter polymorphisms were studied by a polymerase chain reaction-amplification refractory mutation system. Other variables measured were viral genotype, hepatitis C virus RNA load, liver function tests, and ferritin concentration. RESULTS: Univariate analysis indicated that patients bearing HLA B44+, DRB1*03, infected by genotype non-1, with higher concentrations of transaminases and shorter duration of infection showed a higher sustained response (SR) rate than those on combination therapy. HLA class II and TNF-alpha promoter polymorphisms were not related to SR. In multivariate analysis, non-1 genotype (OR 2.42, 95% CI 1.12-5.55, p = 0.026) and HLA B44+ (OR 4.84, 95% CI 1.3-17.8, p = 0.017) were the independent variables associated with SR. However, HLA B44+ was not associated with SR in patients treated with interferon alone. CONCLUSIONS: HLA class I B44 is related to a higher rate of SR in combination therapy but not in interferon monotherapy, whereas HLA class II, tumor necrosis factor-alpha -238A or -308A seem not to influence response to the antiviral therapy. These findings may be of value in therapy selection for hepatitis C-infected patients.

Serum immunological profile in patients with chronic autoimmune cholestasis.

AIM: To compare patients who had biochemical and histological features of chronic autoimmune cholestasis (CAIC) using serological autoantibody profiling. METHODS: Patients (n = 174 CAIC; 79 AMA(-) and 95 AMA(+)) were profiled for the following antibodies: antinuclear antibodies (ANAs), antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs), antismooth muscle actin (SMA, mainly F-actin), antiperinuclear cytoplasmic neutrophil antibodies (pANCAs), anti-SP100, anti-GP210, anti-M2 (2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complexes), and antisoluble liver antigen (SLA). Liver specimens were reviewed according to staging, biliary interface activity, lobular hepatitis, granulomas, cholestasis, and florid ductal lesion. RESULTS: In patients who were AMA(-) by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), 34.6% were positive for anti-M2 by immunoblotting. In 49 definitively AMA(-) patients, 24 (48.9%) showed ANA-primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)-related antibodies (rim-like, multiple nuclear dots, anti-SP100, or anti-GP210). There were no differences in immunological, biochemical, or histopathological features between IIF-AMA(+) patients and AMA(-) patients with anti-M2 or ANA-PBC-related antibodies. AIH-related autoantibodies were found in 13 patients (7.5%). Patients with AMAs or ANA-PBC-related antibodies had higher IgM levels, whereas patients with antibodies highly specific for AIH had higher AST, bilirubin, and IgG levels, and AIH scores, and higher grades of lobular hepatitis. Overall, three distinct categories of patients were observed: AMA(+) or AMA(-) patients with ANA-PBC-related antibodies; AMA(-) patients with non-PBC-related ANAs; and patients with AIH-related antibodies together with serum PBC markers. CONCLUSION: Since these three groups had immunological, biochemical, and histopathological differences, they ought to be considered as separate clinical subentities rather than as merely AMA(-) or AMA(+) patients with autoimmune cholestasis.

Desarrollo y validación de indicadores y estándares de calidad en colonoscopia / Development and validation of quality standards for colonoscopy

Fundamento y objetivos: Antes de iniciar programas de cribado de cáncer colorrectal es necesario evaluar la calidad de la colonoscopia. Nos propusimos desarrollar un grupo de indicadores de calidad en colonoscopia fácilmente aplicables y determinar la variabilidad de su cumplimiento. Pacientes y método: A partir de la bibliografía se elaboraron 21 indicadores potenciales de calidad que se sometieron a un proceso de selección en el que se determinó su validez facial, de contenido, fiabilidad y viabilidad de su medición. Se estimó la variabilidad del cumplimiento de los indicadores mediante el coeficiente de variación (CV) y del cumplimiento de estándares mediante la ji al cuadrado. Resultados: Seis indicadores superaron el proceso de selección: consentimiento informado, medicación administrada, colonoscopia completa, complicaciones, pólipos extirpados y recuperados y detección de adenomas de colon en mayores de 50 años. Se incluyeron un total de 1.928 colonoscopias procedentes de 8 centros hospitalarios. Cada centro incluyó el mismo número de colonoscopias seleccionadas mediante muestreo aleatorizado simple con sustitución. Existía una importante variabilidad en el cumplimiento de algunos indicadores y estándares: medicación administrada (CV del 43%; p<0,01), registro de complicaciones (CV del 37%; p<0,01), todos los pólipos extirpados y recuperados (CV del 12%; p<0,01) y detección de adenomas en pacientes de más de 50 años (CV del 2%; p<0,01).Conclusiones: Hemos validado 6 indicadores de calidad en colonoscopia fácilmente medibles. Existe una importante variabilidad en el cumplimiento de algunos indicadores y estándares, lo que aconseja el desarrollo de programas de mejora de la calidad en colonoscopia antes de la implantación del cribado de cáncer colorrectal (AU)

Background and objectives: Before starting programs for colorectal cancer screening it is necessary to evaluate the quality of colonoscopy. Our objectives were to develop a group of quality indicators of colonoscopy easily applicable and to determine the variability of their achievement. Patients and methods: After reviewing the bibliography we prepared 21 potential indicators of quality that were submitted to a process of selection in which we measured their facial validity, content validity, reliability and viability of their measurement. We estimated the variability of their achievement by means of the coefficient of variability (CV) and the variability of the achievement of the standards by means of ÷2. Results: Six indicators overcome the selection process: informed consent, medication administered, completed colonoscopy, complications, every polyp removed and recovered, and adenoma detection rate in patients older than 50 years. 1928 colonoscopies were included from eight endoscopy units. Every unit included the same number of colonoscopies selected by means of simple random sampling with substitution. There was an important variability in the achievement of some indicators and standards: medication administered (CV 43%, p<0.01), complications registered (CV 37%, p<0.01), every polyp removed and recovered (CV 12%, p<0.01) and adenoma detection rate in older than fifty years (CV 2%, p<0.01). Conclusions: We have validated six quality indicators for colonoscopy which are easily measurable. An important variability exists in the achievement of some indicators and standards. Our data highlight the importance of the development of continuous quality improvement programmes for colonoscopy before starting colorectal cancer screening (AU)