Symptoms of functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome among medical students in Slovakia and their relation to diet and exercise.

INTRODUCTION: There is a substantial lack of data regarding the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD) in the region of Central/Eastern Europe. It is a well-described and known fact that environmental, ethnic, dietary, and cultural factors can influence the reporting of symptoms. Therefore, we aim to provide the first data documenting the prevalence of specific disorders of gut-brain interaction in Slovakia. METHODS: This is a multicenter-based study. The study population consists of medical students from three medical faculties in Slovakia, mainly with Slovakian and Scandinavian permanent residency. Data collection was performed by means of anonymous questionnaires consisting of several demographic questions. Two forms of questionnaires were used. One was in paper form, and the second was distributed via email. RESULTS: Altogether, 1061 students participated in this study. Symptoms of IBS were presented in 7.3% of students, and FD in 13%. In the Slovakian group, these were FD 12%, and IBS 7%. The subgroup from Scandinavia shows a prevalence of IBS of 11.7% and FD of 14.0%. A lack of exercise and a vegan diet are related to a higher presence of FD. CONCLUSION: The results of this multicentre study represent the first published data for the presence of symptoms of IBS and FD in Slovakia. Our data also show a significantly higher prevalence of IBS in students from Scandinavia compared with those from Central/Eastern Europe. A higher frequency of physical exercise is associated with a lower presence of symptoms of FD. On the other hand, the symptoms of FD were mostly prevalent in the group adhering to a vegan and vegetarian type diet.

Predictive value of infliximab trough levels in maintenance therapy for 5-year sustained clinical remission in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Despite long-term use of infliximab (IFX) in IBD treatment, its optimized use is unclear due to its complicated pharmacokinetics/dynamics. Hence, the predictive value of IFX trough levels (TL) is important in treatment management. METHODS: We performed a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study with 74 IBD patients treated with IFX (mean 9.1 years, SD ± 3). TL was measured during maintenance therapy, in which maintenance of remission was followed for 5 years. RESULTS:  TL > 3 µg/ml during maintenance therapy was a significant predictor of clinical remission in 5 years in UC patients (82 % vs 62 %, p 3 µg/ml during maintenance therapy in a cohort of IBD patients (p = 0.05). Deviations in percentage of remission and fraction of relapses in TL categories were insignificant in a cohort of CD patients (85 % vs 74 %, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:  TL > 3 µg/ml during maintenance therapy is a strong predictor of sustained clinical remission for 5 years in UC patients. The use of combination therapy with AZA, due to its significant association with high TL, may have a practical benefit in achieving better clinical outcomes in UC patients (Tab. 2, Fig. 10, Ref. 20).

First report of nosocomial outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infection among COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a non-intensive care unit ward in Slovakia.

BACKGROUND: Enterococcus species account for most of the human enterococcal HAI and multidrug-resistant infections and have become a major threat to modern public health. We examine the rise in the number of vancomycin resistant E. faecium blood stream and urinary tract infections in a COVID-19 department during an epidemiologic outbreak investigation to detect and eliminate nosocomial clusters of the bacteria. METHODS:  Strain identification was performed by classical isolation and biochemical and cultivation methods. Antibiotic testing results were interpreted according to European committee on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (EUCAST) guidelines. Six isolated samples underwent the whole genome sequencing (WGS) during the outbreak investigation. Isolate relatedness was determined using the core genome multi-locus sequence typing. RESULTS:  WGS revealed two genotypically distinct VRE clusters, one of which had genetically closely related patients and environmental isolates. The cluster was terminated by enhanced infection control strategies. CONCLUSIONS:  This study provides the first description of an outbreak caused by vanB-ST117 and vanA-ST17 E. faecium strains among COVID-19 patients in Slovakia. This study can help to raise the awareness about the need for strict adherence to infection control measures and the implementation of rational antimicrobial stewardship as a routine part of COVID-19 management (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 27). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, antibiotic resistant, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, bacterial outbreak, healthcare-associated infection.

Decrease of trabecular bone score reflects severity of Crohn's disease: results of a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis and osteopaenia are known chronic complications of inflammatory bowel diseases. The trabecular bone score (TBS) provides an indirect measurement of bone microarchitecture, independent of bone mineral density (BMD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was designed as a case-control study with the aim to assess and compare bone quantity and quality in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We purposefully excluded postmenopausal women and patients on long-term corticosteroid therapy. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 50 CD patients and 25 healthy controls who matched in age, sex, weight, or vitamin D status. There was no significant difference between CD patients versus controls in the mean lumbar BMD of 0.982±0.119 versus 0.989±0.12 g/cm and the mean TBS score of 1.37±0.12 versus 1.38±0.12. We observed significantly lower TBS, but not lumbar BMD, in CD patients with stricturing (B2, 1.36±0.08) or penetrating (B3, 1.32±0.11) disease compared with those with luminal disease (B1, 1.42±0.11; P=0.003 and <0.0001, respectively). We also observed lower mean±SD TBS in patients on versus not on anti-tumour necrosis factor-α therapy: 1.341±0.138 versus 1.396±0.099, respectively. However, the difference between these groups failed to reach statistical significance (P=0.11). No similar finding was seen comparing lumbar BMD in these groups. CONCLUSION: For the first time, it was observed that TBS, but not BMD, correlates with the severity of CD. Our results therefore suggest that TBS can potentially help to identify high fracture risk CD patients better than BMD alone.

[Hemosuccus pancreaticus - rare complication of chronic pancreatitis]. / Hemosuccus pancreaticus - raritná komplikácia chronickej pankreatitídy.

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is a rare cause of upper digestive tract bleeding, it is hemorrhage to the pancreatic duct. A case report is about 56-years old man who was repeatedly hospitalized and suffered from melena and enterorrhagia during 3 years. Imaging studies did not clearly identified etiology of bleeding or source of hemorrhage was wrong identified. Finally, hemosuccus pancreaticus from collaterals of pseudoaneurysm after embolization was suspected because of repeating hemorrhage and embolization of a gastroduodenal artery in history. The interventional procedure was made in a the proximal part of the gastroduodenal artery with a good clinical response. This disease causes severe diagnostic and therapeutic problems, the unrecognized one can be fatal.Key words: enterorrhagia - hemosuccus pancreaticus - chronic pancreatitis - melena.

[DRESS syndrome]. / DRESS syndróm.

DRESS syndrome (Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms) is severe drug-induced allergic-type reaction which occurs few days to weeks after taking a drug in a predisposed patient. Organ damage, eosinophilia and skin rash are typical at presentation. Corticotherapy is often necessary in severe cases. In this report we describe a case of 56-year old female with fever, elevated liver tests and skin rash. DRESS syndrome was diagnosed and allopurinol was indentified as a causative drug. Due to possible fatal outcome, DRESS syndrome should be considered in a differential diagnosis of all patients presenting with similar signs and symptoms.

[Fecal microbiota transplantation]. / Fekálna mikrobiálna terapia.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a therapeutic method, in which the fecal microflora from healthy donors is transmitted to the patient to restore the healthy microbial composition of the gut. In the recent years, there is a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of FMT in various diseases. The standard FMT protocols do not exist. Procedures of FMT vary in several aspects such as donor selection, preparation of fecal material, preparation of the recipient and administration way. FMT appears to be the most successful in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), randomized controlled studies reported 90 % success rate. There is a limited evidence for FMT as a treatment of ulcerative colitis. FMT has been also studied as treatment of diseases with impaired gut microbiota, such as cardiovascular, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. Many unanswered questions with regard to FMT remain and further research is needed.

[Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome - two sides of the same coin]. / Von Hippelov-Lindauov syndróm - dve strany jednej mince.

Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome (VHL) is a rare genetic disease. Its incidence is 1 : 36,000, there is the familial occurrence in 80 % of cases , the remaining cases are de novo mutations. The disease is caused by the highly penetrant mutations in the VHL gene (3p25.3) and is characterized by the occurrence of benign and malignant neoplasms. The most common VHL tumors are the tumors of the retina, brain and spinal hemangioblastomas, renal cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, endolymfatic sac tumors and pancreatic tumors and cysts. The mean age of the VHL patients during the diagnosis is 20-40 years. The diagnosis can be confirmed by a positive family history and the presence of one of the typical tumor. In case of no family history, the diagnosis has to be assessed by the presence of the multiple tumors. The clinical signs and prognosis of VHL depend on the location and extent of the tumors. The life expectancy is 50 years. The most common causes of death are complications of the renal cancer and the brain tumors. The treatment requires a multidisciplinary collaboration through the whole life of patients. This 2 cases report we demonstrate the differences among the patients with de novo mutations disease and the patient with familial incidence.Key words: pheochromocytoma - renal cell carcinoma - von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.

[The most recent aspects of diagnosis and therapy of hyponatraemia]. / Najnovsie aspekty diagnostiky a terapie hyponatriémie.

Hyponatraemia is the most common electrolyte disbalance in clinical practice, which is associated with increased patients morbidity and mortality. At present the pathophysiology of hyponatraemia is explored in more details, antidiuretic hormone and osmoregulation play the major roles. This article informs about relatively new classification of hyponatraemia for clinical practice based on the severity of clinical symptoms and based on the effective serum osmolality. It also offers diagnostic and treatment guidelines of hyponatraemia, which are based on current recommendations of the world experts and on the evidence based medicine.

Hyponatraemia is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND: Hyponatraemia increases morbidity and mortality, but the extent to which this condition influences mortality independently of other contributing factors is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All hyponatremic patients admitted to the internal medicine department during a six month period were included. Medical records were reviewed and patients' demographics, underlying disease, cause of hyponatremia and in-hospital deaths were noted. Control group consisted of patients with normonatremia admitted to the same department during the same period matched 1:1 by sex, age and underlying disease. Difference in in-hospital mortality rate between the study and control groups was tested by chi-square test. Baseline demographics, underlying diseases, cause of hyponatremia and state of hyponatremia correction as possible risk factors for mortality were tested in a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The baseline cohort of all admitted patients consisted of 2,171 patients. Hyponatraemia was found in 278 (13%) patients (160 females and 118 males). The three most common causes of hyponatremia included gastrointestinal loss (52 patients), decreased oral intake (47 patients), and dilution hyponatremia (45 patients). The in-hospital mortality rate in the hyponatremic group was significantly higher compared with the control group (22% vs 7%, respectively; OR 3.75, 95% CI 2.17-6.48, p<0.0001). In a multivariate analysis age above 65 years, dilution hyponatremia, decreased oral intake as etiologic factors of hyponatremia, and unsuccessful hyponatremia correction were independent factors associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION: Hyponatraemia represents independent factor associated with in-hospital mortality. Age above 65 years, failure to correct hyponatremia and some specific etiologic factors of hyponatremia are related to increased mortality.