AIM： To evaluate the prevalence of Giardia lamblia （G. lamblia） infection in patients with irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and dyspepsia and to establish which is the most accurate test to diagnose the infection i...AIM： To evaluate the prevalence of Giardia lamblia （G. lamblia） infection in patients with irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and dyspepsia and to establish which is the most accurate test to diagnose the infection in this setting. METHODS： One hundred and thirty-seven patients who consecutively attended the Outpatient Gastroenterology Clinic for the first time between January 2002 and Decernber 2003 due to symptoms of IBS and/or dyspepsia were recruited. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, first-step haematology and chemistry tests, serologic assays for celiac disease, lactose-H2 breath test, abdominal ultrasonography, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Helicobacterpylon status was evaluated. In patients with symptoms of IBS older than 45 years, colonoscopy was also performed. In all patients, duodenal biopsies and stool samples were examined for trophozoites and cysts of G. lamblia by several methods. RESULTS： G. lamblia was identified in 9 patients. The following diagnoses were also made： IBS （100/137, 73%）, functional dyspepsia （62/137, 45%）, organic dyspepsia （33/137, 24%）, and lactose intolerance （75/137, 55%）. A significant association was found between giardiasis and H pylori infection （x^2= 6.632, OR= 12.4, CI= 1.5-68.1）. There were no symptoms that reliably allowed the recognition of giardiasis. Direct search of the parasite in duodenal biopsy and stool sample examinations gave concordant results in all cases while histological examination of duodenal biopsies displayed a low sensitivity （e.g., 22.2%）. CONCLUSION： In this consecutive series, diagnosis of G.lamblia infection accounted for 6.5% of patients with IBS and dyspepsia. Duodenal biopsies for diagnosis of giardiasis may be unnecessary if stool sample examination is performed.展开更多
BACKGROUND Anti-tumor necrosis factor α(TNFα) represents the best therapeutic option to induce mucosal healing and clinical remission in patients with moderate-severe ulcerative colitis. On the other side gut microb...BACKGROUND Anti-tumor necrosis factor α(TNFα) represents the best therapeutic option to induce mucosal healing and clinical remission in patients with moderate-severe ulcerative colitis. On the other side gut microbiota plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis but few information exists on how microbiota changes following anti-TNFα therapy and on microbiota role in mucosal healing.AIM To elucidate whether gut microbiota and immune system changes appear following anti TNFα therapy during dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) colitis.METHODS Eighty C57 BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: "No DSS", "No DSS + antiTNFα", "DSS" and "DSS + anti-TNFα". "DSS" and "DSS + anti-TNFα" were treated for 5 d with 3% DSS. At day 3, mice whithin "No DSS+anti-TNFα" and"DSS+anti-TNFα" group received 5 mg/kg of an anti-TNFα agent. Forty mice were sacrificed at day 5, forty at day 12, after one week of recovery post DSS. The severity of colitis was assessed by a clinical score(Disease Activity Index), colon length and histology. Bacteria such as Bacteroides, Clostridiaceae, Enterococcaceae and Fecalibacterium prausnitzii(F. prausnitzii) were evaluated by quantitative PCR.Type 1 helper T lymphocytes(Th1), type 17 helper T lymphocytes(Th17) and CD4+ regulatory T lymphocytes(Treg) distributions in the mesenteric lymph node(MLN) were studied by flow cytometry.RESULTS Bacteria associated with a healthy state(i.e., such as Bacteroides, Clostridiaceae and F. prausnitzii) decreased during colitis and increased in course of anti-TNFαtreatment. Conversely, microorganisms belonging to Enterococcaceae genera,which are linked to inflammatory processes, showed an opposite trend.Furthermore, in colitic mice treated with anti-TNFα microbial changes were associated with an initial increase(day 5 of the colitis) in Treg cells and a consequent decrease(day 12 post DSS) in Th1 and Th17 frequency cells. Healthy mice treated with anti-TNFα showed the same histological, microbial and immune features of untreated colitic mice. "No DSS + anti-TNFα" group showed a lymphomononuclear infiltrate both at 5 th and 12 th d at hematoxylin and eosin staining, an increase of in Th1 and Th17 frequency at day 12, an increase of Enterococcaceae at day 5, a decrease of Bacteroides and Clostridiaceae at day 12.CONCLUSION Anti-TNFα treatment in experimental model of colitis improves disease activity but it is associated to an increase in Th17 pathway together with gut microbiota alteration.展开更多
文摘AIM： To evaluate the prevalence of Giardia lamblia （G. lamblia） infection in patients with irritable bowel syndrome （IBS） and dyspepsia and to establish which is the most accurate test to diagnose the infection in this setting. METHODS： One hundred and thirty-seven patients who consecutively attended the Outpatient Gastroenterology Clinic for the first time between January 2002 and Decernber 2003 due to symptoms of IBS and/or dyspepsia were recruited. All patients underwent clinical evaluation, first-step haematology and chemistry tests, serologic assays for celiac disease, lactose-H2 breath test, abdominal ultrasonography, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Helicobacterpylon status was evaluated. In patients with symptoms of IBS older than 45 years, colonoscopy was also performed. In all patients, duodenal biopsies and stool samples were examined for trophozoites and cysts of G. lamblia by several methods. RESULTS： G. lamblia was identified in 9 patients. The following diagnoses were also made： IBS （100/137, 73%）, functional dyspepsia （62/137, 45%）, organic dyspepsia （33/137, 24%）, and lactose intolerance （75/137, 55%）. A significant association was found between giardiasis and H pylori infection （x^2= 6.632, OR= 12.4, CI= 1.5-68.1）. There were no symptoms that reliably allowed the recognition of giardiasis. Direct search of the parasite in duodenal biopsy and stool sample examinations gave concordant results in all cases while histological examination of duodenal biopsies displayed a low sensitivity （e.g., 22.2%）. CONCLUSION： In this consecutive series, diagnosis of G.lamblia infection accounted for 6.5% of patients with IBS and dyspepsia. Duodenal biopsies for diagnosis of giardiasis may be unnecessary if stool sample examination is performed.
文摘BACKGROUND Anti-tumor necrosis factor α(TNFα) represents the best therapeutic option to induce mucosal healing and clinical remission in patients with moderate-severe ulcerative colitis. On the other side gut microbiota plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis but few information exists on how microbiota changes following anti-TNFα therapy and on microbiota role in mucosal healing.AIM To elucidate whether gut microbiota and immune system changes appear following anti TNFα therapy during dextran sulfate sodium(DSS) colitis.METHODS Eighty C57 BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: "No DSS", "No DSS + antiTNFα", "DSS" and "DSS + anti-TNFα". "DSS" and "DSS + anti-TNFα" were treated for 5 d with 3% DSS. At day 3, mice whithin "No DSS+anti-TNFα" and"DSS+anti-TNFα" group received 5 mg/kg of an anti-TNFα agent. Forty mice were sacrificed at day 5, forty at day 12, after one week of recovery post DSS. The severity of colitis was assessed by a clinical score(Disease Activity Index), colon length and histology. Bacteria such as Bacteroides, Clostridiaceae, Enterococcaceae and Fecalibacterium prausnitzii(F. prausnitzii) were evaluated by quantitative PCR.Type 1 helper T lymphocytes(Th1), type 17 helper T lymphocytes(Th17) and CD4+ regulatory T lymphocytes(Treg) distributions in the mesenteric lymph node(MLN) were studied by flow cytometry.RESULTS Bacteria associated with a healthy state(i.e., such as Bacteroides, Clostridiaceae and F. prausnitzii) decreased during colitis and increased in course of anti-TNFαtreatment. Conversely, microorganisms belonging to Enterococcaceae genera,which are linked to inflammatory processes, showed an opposite trend.Furthermore, in colitic mice treated with anti-TNFα microbial changes were associated with an initial increase(day 5 of the colitis) in Treg cells and a consequent decrease(day 12 post DSS) in Th1 and Th17 frequency cells. Healthy mice treated with anti-TNFα showed the same histological, microbial and immune features of untreated colitic mice. "No DSS + anti-TNFα" group showed a lymphomononuclear infiltrate both at 5 th and 12 th d at hematoxylin and eosin staining, an increase of in Th1 and Th17 frequency at day 12, an increase of Enterococcaceae at day 5, a decrease of Bacteroides and Clostridiaceae at day 12.CONCLUSION Anti-TNFα treatment in experimental model of colitis improves disease activity but it is associated to an increase in Th17 pathway together with gut microbiota alteration.
