Lymphocyte Fractions as Indicators of T-Helper 1/T-Helper 2 Cytokine Profiles in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease is characterized by various cytokine patterns. In this study, we aimed to investigate the markers that can distinguish Th1/Th2 cytokines in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods And Results: In patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated at our hospital, the Th1/Th2 ratio (interferon-γ/interleukin-4 ratio), serum immunoglobulin E level, leucine-rich alpha 2 glycoprotein level, serum amyloid A level, and leukocyte fraction were measured simultaneously, and the relationship between them was examined.

Annual Infliximab Monitoring After Treatment Optimization.

Infliximab (IFX), a TNF-α inhibitor, remains a key treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, despite the emergence of new therapies. However, treatment failure due to primary non-response or loss of response is common and often linked to low IFX trough levels (TLs) or anti-drug antibodies. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) has thus become a valuable tool in optimizing IFX therapy.

Optimal positioning of biomarkers according to ulcerative colitis activity.

The diagnostic performance and clinical utility of fecal calprotectin (FC), fecal immunochemical occult blood test (FIT), leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG), C-reactive protein (CRP), and prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) as established biomarkers for ulcerative colitis (UC) were evaluated. Significant correlations were observed between the clinical activity index, Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES), and each biomarker. Among MES groups, fecal biomarkers demonstrated significant differences, except between MES 2 and MES 3.

IL-17A inhibitor-induced ulcerative colitis treated with an anti-IL-23 antibody.

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) has been suggested to have a protective effect on the intestinal mucosa. The administration of an anti-IL-17 receptor monoclonal antibody has been associated with the onset of inflammatory bowel disease. We present a case of ulcerative colitis caused by secukinumab, an anti-IL-17 receptor A monoclonal antibody, that was treated with mirikizumab, a p19-directed antibody against IL-23.

Usefulness of Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite in Monitoring Crohn's Disease Activity: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The goal of treatment for Crohn's disease (CD) is to achieve mucosal or transmural healing, and biomarker measurements are useful in monitoring disease activity and guiding treatment. This study aimed to investigate the utility of a new urinary biomarker, prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM), in assessing CD activity.

Methods: The study involved 87 patients with CD who underwent endoscopic examination and measurements of 4 biomarkers: Prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite, fecal calprotectin (FC), leucine-rich α2 glycoprotein (LRG), and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Fecal Calprotectin as a Biomarker of Crohn's Disease in Patients With Short Disease Durations: A Prospective, Single-Center, Cross-Sectional Study.

Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a Crohn's disease (CD) biomarker, although the impact of disease duration on its accuracy remains unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of CD disease duration on FC. In this prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study, we performed 113 endoscopies and biomarker measurements.

Vedolizumab-steroid combination therapy improves long-term prognosis in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: In real-world clinical settings, the clinical efficacy of vedolizumab (VDZ) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of prednisolone (PSL)-VDZ combination therapy in patients with UC.

Methods: Changes in the clinical activity index (CAI), blood test results, and the factors affecting VDZ rate and continuity were investigated.

Effect of past extensive ulcers on fecal calprotectin in ulcerative colitis.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) causes extensive ulceration attributable to intestinal inflammation. This study investigated the effect of past extensive ulcers (PEUs) on fecal calprotectin (FC).

Methods: This retrospective, single-center, observational study included patients with UC with a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0.

Immunogenicity of a booster dose of a bivalent (Asp614Gly and omicron BA.4/5 variant) self-amplifying mRNA SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccine versus the BNT162b2 omicron BA.4/5 mRNA vaccine: a randomised phase 3 trial.

Background: We previously showed that ARCT-154, a self-amplifying mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, had improved immunogenicity and antibody persistence compared with conventional mRNA or adenovirus vector vaccines. In this study, we compared ARCT-2301, a bivalent self-amplifying mRNA vaccine (Asp614Gly and omicron BA.4/5 variant), with the bivalent Comirnaty omicron BA.

Comparison of fecal calprotectin levels and endoscopic scores for predicting relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission.

Background: Although the usefulness of endoscopic scores, such as the Mayo Endoscopic Subscore (MES), Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS), and Ulcerative Colitis Colonoscopic Index of Severity (UCCIS), and biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin (FC) for predicting relapse in ulcerative colitis (UC) has been reported, few studies have included endoscopic scores for evaluating the entire colon.

Aim: To compare the usefulness of FC value and MES, UCEIS, and UCCIS for predicting relapse in patients with UC in clinical remission.

Methods: In total, 75 patients with UC in clinical and endoscopic remission who visited our institution between February 2019 and March 2022 were enrolled.

Both MLH1 deficiency and BRAFV600E mutation are a unique characteristic of colorectal medullary carcinoma: An observational study.

Although immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins (MMR IHC) is used to identify DNA MMR status, universal screening of all patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) using a combination of both MMR IHC and genetic testing for the BRAFV600E mutation is limited in Japan. This study aimed to better understand the histopathological characteristics of CRCs, which exhibit both deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and BRAFV600E mutation. MMR IHC of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from tumor areas obtained from 651 patients with CRC who underwent surgical resection at Hamamatsu University Hospital (Hamamatsu, Japan) between August 2016 and March 2022 were used to evaluate MMR status, which was determined by staining for the expression of 4 MMR proteins (MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, and MSH6).

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and ulcerative colitis: Two case reports.

Background: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an extraintestinal manifestation of ulcerative colitis (UC). PSC is a well-known risk factor for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and ICC is known to have a poor prognosis.

Case Summary: We present two cases of ICC in patients with PSC associated with UC.

Expectations for the Dual Therapy with Vonoprazan and Amoxicillin for the Eradication of .

Vonoprazan (VPZ) inhibits gastric acid secretion more potently than proton pump inhibitors. Recently, attention has been focused on the dual therapy with VPZ and amoxicillin (AMOX) for the eradication of The dual VPZ/AMOX therapy attains the sufficient eradication rate with lowering the risk of adverse events in comparison with the triple therapy and quadruple therapy. Therefore, the dual VPZ/AMOX therapy is considered a useful eradication regimen for infection.

Evaluation of hand functions and distal radioulnar joint instability in elite wheelchair basketball athletes: a cross-sectional pilot study.

Background: Wrist injury affects wheelchair basketball players' performance; however, the relationship between distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) instability and hand functions is unclear. This cross-sectional pilot study investigated DRUJ instability in elite female wheelchair basketball athletes using force-monitor ultrasonography.

Methods: Nine elite female wheelchair basketball athletes (18 wrists) were included in the study.

Importance of eosinophilic infiltration of the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis patients who are refractory to maintenance therapy: A prospective, single-center study.

Eosinophilic infiltration is sometimes observed histologically in ulcerative colitis (UC), but the effect of the degree of infiltration on the treatment course for UC is not completely understood. We investigated whether short-term steroid administration in UC patients refractory to maintenance therapy, with high eosinophilic infiltration in the colonic mucosa, contributed to the clinical and endoscopic improvement. Ten patients with endoscopically active and pathologically high eosinophilic infiltration, based on pathological examination using endoscopic biopsy, were examined for the clinical background when starting steroid treatment.

Modified method of patency judgement using patency capsule prior to capsule endoscopy in clinical practice.

In 2012, Japan approved the use of a tag-less patency capsule (PC), which evaluates gastrointestinal patency before small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE). This study aimed to evaluate the validity of our modification on the passage criteria for this PC in clinical practice. We retrospectively enrolled 326 consecutive patients who underwent PC examination before SBCE.

Lymphocyte to monocyte ratio and serum albumin changes predict tacrolimus therapy outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Tacrolimus therapy for ulcerative colitis is ineffective in certain patients; these patients require biologics or colectomy. We examined the ability of serum albumin levels and leukocyte subtypes to predict the therapeutic efficacy of tacrolimus. Patients with ulcerative colitis treated with tacrolimus were divided into non-failure and failure (required colectomy or switch to biologics or systemic steroids) groups.