Association between two single base polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene and inflammatory bowel disease

Aim: The present study evaluated the association between G241R and K469E polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene and inflammatory bowel disease in Iranian population

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. There are two single base polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1gene, G241R and K469E, reported to be associated with inflammatory disorders

Patients and methods: In this case-control study, 156 inflammatory bowel disease patients [110 ulcerative colitis and 46 Crohn's disease patients] and 131 healthy controls were enrolled. Two polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1gene, including G241R and K469E, were assessed by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism

Results: The E469 allele of K469E polymorphism was significantly more frequent in Crohn's disease patients compared to controls [P< 0.05, OR= 1.83; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.96]. The mutant homozygote genotype of K469E polymorphism [E/E] was also significantly more frequent in Crohn's disease patients compared to controls [P< 0.05, OR= 4.23; 95% CI: 1.42 to 12.59]. No difference was observed in the frequency of K469E polymorphism among ulcerative colitis patients compared to controls. There were no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of G241R polymorphism among ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients compared to control subjects

Conclusion: According to our findings, K469E polymorphism of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene may probably participate in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease in Iran

Penbactam for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a randomised comparison of quadruple and triple treatment schedules in an Iranian population

Selection of the best drug regimens for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection especially in patients at risk of peptic ulcer relapses and the development of complications is challenging. This study assessed and compared the efficacy of the two common PPI based triple therapies to a quadruple therapy including PPI, metronidazole, amoxicillin and a bismuth compound in Iranian population. Three hundred and thirty patients with peptic ulcer and H. pylori infection were included in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment protocols all given twice daily: [a] A 14-day quadruple therapy [OMAB group] comprising omeprazole 20 mg, metronicazole 500 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, and bismuth subcitrate 240 mg; [b] A 14-day triple regimen [OCP group] comprising omeprazole 20 mg plus clarithromycine 500 mg and penbactam 750 mg and [c] A 14-day triple regimen [OCA group] comprising omeprazole 20 mg plus clarithromycine 500 mg and amoxicillin 1 g. Cure was defined as a negative urea breath test at least six weeks after treatment. The per-protocol eradication rates achieved with both OCP regimen [87.0%] and OCA treatment [90.8%] were significantly higher than the OMAB treatment protocol [56.0%]; however, no significant difference emerged in eradication rates between the two triple treatment schedules. No significant differences between the groups were found in most side-effects. Two-week quadruple therapy showed a lower eradication rate compared to common triple treatment schedules when used as first-line eradication treatment for H. pylori infection in Iranian population

Coeliac in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms: a population-based study in Tehran

Determination of prevalence of celiac disease among patients with gastrointestinal symptoms was the main objective of this study. Other factors which cause digestive disorders in such patients were also studied. This cross sectional-descriptive study was conducted in Tehran province in 2006-2007; to conduct the study 5176 people were selected randomly. Out of them 670 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were tested to determine the amount of IgA and tissue Transeglutaminase [tTg]. The amount of IgA tTG was measured in individuals with IgA deficiency. Out of 670 patients, 427 [63.37%] and 243 [36.37%] patients were women and men, respectively; their average age was 42.5. Anti-tTG test was diagnosed positive in 22 patients [17 women and 5 men] [3.3%]. Eight patients showed IgA deficiency. The result of IgG tTG test was found positive in three patients out of the abovementioned 8 patients. This study shows a high dispersion of celiac among Iranian patients with the gastrointestinal symptoms [3%]. Routine serologic tests are recommended for diagnosing the unknown cases of sensitivity to gluten

Study of association between interleukin 20 polymorphism [Rs1518108] and chronic hepatitis C infection

Chronic hepatitis C is a major concern for global health as it causes liver problems, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Immune factors have a determinant role in susceptibility to chronic infection or clearance of infection in body. As a defensive agent, cytokines are important factors of immune system, since they can activate immune response or inhibit virus replication directly. The aim of this study is the evaluation of interleukin 20 polymorphism [rs1518108] in hepatitis C patients. This survey was a case-control study. By using PCR-RFLP method, 105 patients and 135 controls were studied randomly. We used SPSS-16 software for statistical analysis. A 10Tsignificant association was found between polymorphism [rs1518108] of interleukin 20 and hepatitis C patients [p=0.035] [OR=2.283]. The incidence of hepatitics C in males was observed five times more than that one females [p=0.01] [OR=5.18]. In addition, no significant association between polymorphism of genotypes and liver harms [chronic and cirrhosis] was found in this study [p=0.362]. Our findings show that variants of interleukin 20 polymorphism [rs1518108] in the population of the study are important factors for being affected by hepatitis C. The incidence of heterozygote allele CT was more than of homozygote genotype TT

relation between the level of interleukin-23 with duration and severity of ulcerative colitis

In this study, we determined the relationship between the serum level of IL-23 and the severity of ulcerative colitis [UC] among our population. A recent major breakthrough for describing the pathogenesis of intestinal tissue injury in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is the pathway related to interleukin-23 [IL-23]. We performed a prospective case-control study on a total of 85 new patients with ulcerative colitis, recruited from a general referral hospital. Forty ethnically matched healthy controls were also enrolled among hospital staffs and analyzed. Serum IL-23 level was quantified using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay [ECLIA] method with an immunoassay analyzer. The mean serum IL-23 level in the group with ulcerative colitis was significantly higher than the healthy individuals [347.5 +/- 130.9 pg/ml versus 233.5 +/- 86.3 pg/ml; p<0.001]. There was a positive correlation between the serum level of IL-23 and disease duration [r = 0.27, p = 0.04]. Also, a direct relationship was found between the serum level of IL-23 and the severity of disease [mean IL-23 in mild UC = 296.2 +/- 51.2 pg/ml; in moderate UC = 356.1 +/- 142.9 pg/ml; and in severe UC=399.3 +/- 163.8 pg/ml, p=0.04]. Serum level of IL-23 is directly correlated with the duration and severity of ulcerative colitis

New sequential versus triple treatment schedules for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Iran

Selection of the best approach for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori [H. pylori] infection that encompasses higher eradication and lower failure rates leads to a decline in its related complications and disorders. To understand the relative efficacy of new sequential therapy compared with standard triple therapy as two common regimens, we have performed a randomized, controlled trial to compare these two treatment protocols in an Iranian population. This study enrolled 220 patients aged 18-81 years old with dyspepsia or peptic ulcers who were candidates for endoscopy and referred to Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Patients were randomized to receive one of two treatment regimens, a 14-day new sequential therapy that consisted of omeprazole [20 mg], amoxicillin [1.0 g], and ciprofloxacin [500 mg] administered twice daily for the first seven days, followed by omeprazole [20 mg], amoxicillin [1.0 g], and furazolidon [200 mg] administered twice daily for the remaining seven days. The second regimen comprised a proton pump inhibitor [PPI]-based triple therapy of omeprazole [20 mg], amoxicillin [1.0 g], and clarithromycin[500 mg] administered twice daily for 14 days. Overall, 10 patients in PPI-based triple therapy group and 16 patients in the 14-day new sequential group stopped treatment and did not undergo 13C-urea breath testing [UBT]. Among the remaining patients, the eradication rate with the PPI-based triple therapy was 89.0%, whereas it was 91.5% with the 14-day new sequential therapy which was not significantly different. No significant differences were found in eradication rates between genders in each treatment group. Adverse effects were mainly mild and comparable between the two treatment regimens. It seems that sequential regimen is at least as effective as standard therapy and can be used as an alternative treatment for H pylori eradication.

Interleukin-17A and interleukin-17F mRNA expressions in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a CD4[+] T cell-mediated autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system [CNS]. It was previously believed that Th1 cells were pathogenic T cells in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis [EAE]. However, the functional role of Th1 cells in EAE has been reconsidered upon the discovery of IL-17-producing T cells which are consider as dominant effectors for inducing autoimmune tissue inflammation. The objective of this study was to assess the role of IL-17A and IL-17F in MS pathogenesis. We evaluated mRNA expression of IL-17A and IL-17F in thirty-five Iranian patients with relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS] and twenty-five healthy controls by Quantitative Real Time PCR. The results of this study showed a twenty-fold increase in the expression of IL-17A mRNA in MS patients compared to the control group [p < 0.0001]. IL-17F mRNA expression in MS patients was thirty three-times greater than control group [p = 0.0008]. IL-17A mRNA expression in periphery was positively correlated with expression of IL-17F transcripts in MS patients and controls [p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively]. These results indicate the critical role of Th17- mediated cytokines in development of MS which classically has been considered as a Th1-mediated disorder. The results of this study showed, for the first time, the importance of IL-17F in MS immunopathogenesis