Ultrasonographic scores for ileal Crohn's disease assessment: Better, worse or the same as contrast-enhanced ultrasound?

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is an increasingly used non-invasive tool to evaluate Crohn's disease (CD) activity. Recently, two IUS scores that evaluate inflammatory activity have emerged: the Simple Ultrasound Activity Score for CD (SUS-CD) and the International Bowel Ultrasound Segmental Activity Score (IBUS-SAS). We aimed to compare the accuracy of SUS-CD, IBUS-SAS and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in predicting inflammatory activity in the terminal ileum in ileocolonoscopy in CD patients. METHODS: Retrospective study including all consecutive CD patients submitted to IUS with CEUS directed to the terminal ileum performed by a single operator between April 2016 and March 2020. Segmental SUS-CD and IBUS-SAS were calculated. A time-intensity curve of the contrast bowel wall enhancement was created with measurement of peak intensity using CEUS. The CD endoscopic activity in ileocolonoscopy was graded by Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (SES-CD) as inactive (SES-CD < 7) or active (SES-CD ≥ 7). RESULTS: Fifty patients were included, 54.0% were female, with mean age of 34 ± 12 years, and most had isolated ileal disease (60.0%), and a nonstricturing, nonpenetrating behaviour (44.0%). Most of the patients (60.0%) had active endoscopic disease (SES-CD ≥ 7). SUS-CD and IBUS-SAS were not different between patients with active or inactive endoscopic disease (p = 0.15; 0.57, respectively), having a poor accuracy to correlate endoscopic activity (area under de curve (AUC) 0.62; 0.55, respectively). Peak intensity in CEUS was significantly different in patients with active or inactive endoscopic disease (p = 0.004), having a good accuracy to correlate endoscopic activity (AUC 0.80). CONCLUSION: Unlike CEUS, SUS-CD and IBUS-SAS were not able to accurately correlate endoscopic activity in terminal ileum in CD. Therefore, CEUS is a non-invasive emerging method that should be increasingly integrated in the ultrasonographic evaluation of CD patients.

Bowel preparation for small bowel capsule endoscopy - The later, the better!

BACKGROUND: In small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE), the presence of residue may compromise diagnostic accuracy. AIMS: To assess differences in quality of visualisation and diagnostic yield of SBCE using 3 different preparation protocols. METHODS: Prospective, randomized, blind, pilot study. Protocol A:Clear liquids diet the day before the examination with fasting from 8p.m.; Protocol B:Protocol A + 2 pouches of Moviprep®(polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution + sodium ascorbate) in 1 L of water from 8p.m. of the day before the examination; Protocol C: Protocol A + 2 pouches of Moviprep® in 1 L of water consumed after real-time confirmation of capsule arrival at small bowel. Small bowel preparation was classified by two experienced physicians, considering the percentage of the examination during which mucosal observation was adequate: Excellent(>90%); Good(90-75%); Fair(75-50%); Poor(<50%). RESULTS: 101 patients randomized to the 3 protocols (A 37, B 31, C 33 patients). Protocol C had an excellent/good small bowel preparation in a higher percentage of examinations for both readers(Reader 1-A:37.8% vs B:45.2% vs C:78.8%, p = 0.002 and Reader 2 -A:37.8% vs B:41.9% vs C:75.8%, p = 0.003). Also, protocol C had a higher detection of angioectasia (A:5.4% vs B:9.7% vs C:27.3%, p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: The administration of Moviprep® after the capsule had reached the small bowel was associated with a better small bowel preparation and a higher detection of angioectasia.

Pyrazolopyrimidines: synthesis, effect on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells and cytotoxic activity.

A series of 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines (3--6) substituted at positions 1 (R(1)=Ph, H, tert-butyl and ribosetribenzoate), 4 (R(2)=chlorine, nitrogen and oxygen nucleophiles), and 6 (dimethylamino) have been synthesized and their effect on the release of histamine from rat peritoneal mast cells measured. After chemical stimulation, (polymer 48/80), several compounds (i.e. 3b, 4a, 4b, 4d, 4g, 5a), produce inhibition two to three times higher (40--60%) than DSCG but this action is lower after preincubation. 4b (R(1)=Ph, R(2)=NHCH(2)Ph; 50--70% inhibition) and 5a (R(1)=H, R(2)=OMe; 50--55% inhibition) are the most active ones in both experiments. With ovoalbumin as stimulus, several pyrazolopyrimidines show inhibition similar to DSCG, the most active compounds being 6a--d (IC(50)=12--16 microM; R(1)=ribosetribenzoate, R(2)=methoxy and amino). Compounds 4e (R(1)=t-butyl, R(2)=OMe) and 4g (R(1)=t-butyl, R(2)=piperidino) are inducers of the release of histamine (60 and 150% increase). Compounds 4b and 4c showed cytotoxic activity (IC(50)=1 microg/mL) to HT-29 human colon cancer cells.

Effects of some isoxazolpyrimidine derivatives on nitric oxide and eicosanoid biosynthesis.

The inhibitory effect of some isoxazolpyrimidine derivatives on iNOS and COX-2 endotoxin induction in mouse peritoneal macrophages has been studied. Three of these compounds inhibited nitrite and PGE2 accumulation in a concentration dependent-manner at microM range. None of these active compounds affected iNOS, COX-2, COX-1 or PLA2 activities, although some reduced iNOS or COX-2 expression. Besides, no effect was observed on human neutrophil inflammatory responses (LTB4 biosynthesis and superoxide or elastase release). Active compounds were assayed by oral administration in the mouse air pouch model, where they inhibited nitrite accumulation without affecting PGE2 levels or leukocyte migration.

Necrotic changes of the adrenal cortex following orthostatic collapse in rabbits.

The adreal gland was studied in 56 adult male rabbits; 44 had been subjected to orthostatic collapse, and 12 served as controls. The animals either died from collapse or were sacrificed at regular intervals up to 30 days after the experimental procedure. Nuclear pyknosis was seen in cortical cells of animals dying in collapse. At 6 or more hours following collapse, necrosis was found involving single cells, or rarely small groups of cells mainly in the zona fasciculata. Regenerative areas were present at 7 and 15 days after collapse. This necrosis may be related to a nutritive disturbance, largely hypoxic in nature (hypovolemia with blood stasis and thrombosis). The adrenal medulla showed only degranulation.