Why internists should care about Helicobacter pylori: recapitulating gastric cancer prevention.

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a leading but also modifiable cause of gastric cancer. However, evidence indicates that the goal of a primary prevention of gastric cancer is still far from being achieved.

Why internists should be concerned about glyphosate.

Environmental health should be an ethical obligation for experts in internal medicine. Besides the harmful health effects of air pollution, endocrine-disrupting chemicals and climate change, growing evidence points to glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, which generates risks to public health in terms of noncommunicable diseases and cancer. Detection of glyphosate in humans has been associated with all-cause mortality, increased frailty, insulin resistance, impaired glucose homeostasis and diabetes, increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Opioid-induced constipation in internal medicine: recognition and management pathways.

Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) remains one of the most frequent and distressing gastrointestinal side effects encountered by patients on chronic opioid therapy. Despite the high prevalence, OIC is frequently underdiagnosed and inadequately managed, with critical effects on the quality of life of patients. Aim of this review is to promote the awareness about OIC in the context of internal medicine.

Clinical prediction models using artificial intelligence approaches in dementia.

Background: While nearly half of all dementia cases are potentially preventable, early detection and targeted interventions are critical. Artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced clinical prediction models offer promising tools to improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy by leveraging machine learning (ML) to integrate diverse data sources. This systematic review evaluates the development, performance, and clinical applicability of AI-based prediction models in dementia.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Assessing metabolic dysfunction, cardiovascular risk factors, and lifestyle habits.

Background And Aims: Steatotic liver disease (SLD), a hallmark of metabolic dysfunction, is closely associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This study investigated gender differences, metabolic risk factors, and lifestyle habits in a large cohort of dysmetabolic patients with SLD, reclassified under the novel MASLD framework.

Methods: A total of 400 patients (mean age: 58.

Psychological and Clinical Factors Mediate Post-COVID-19 Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background: Exposure to COVID-19 has been shown previously to be associated with a higher risk for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to better explain this relationship using mediation analysis.

Methods: This post hoc analysis of a multicenter cohort study includes 623 patients with and without COVID-19 infection.

Bridging the gap in obesity research: A consensus statement from the European Society for Clinical Investigation.

Background: Most forms of obesity are associated with chronic diseases that remain a global public health challenge.

Aims: Despite significant advancements in understanding its pathophysiology, effective management of obesity is hindered by the persistence of knowledge gaps in epidemiology, phenotypic heterogeneity and policy implementation.

Materials And Methods: This consensus statement by the European Society for Clinical Investigation identifies eight critical areas requiring urgent attention.

A physico-chemical explanation for the litho-protective effects of obeticholic acid in low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis.

Patients with low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis may suffer from recurrent biliary symptoms and complications despite cholecystectomy and ursodeoxycholic acid therapy. Recently, beneficial clinical effects of treatment with the potent Farnesoid X receptor (i.e.

Predictors of proteinuria, amyloidosis and kidney failure in familial Mediterranean fever: data from the International AIDA Network Registry.

Objectives: Proteinuria, amyloidosis and kidney failure are the main long-term renal complications of FMF. This study assesses their risk factors, independent of ethnicity or residence.

Methods: Patients' data were drawn from the International AIDA Network registry for monogenic autoinflammatory diseases.

Long-Term Impact of COVID-19 on Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction: Incidence, Symptom Burden, and Psychological Comorbidities.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has highlighted the potential exacerbation of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs). However, the distinct symptom trajectories and psychological burden in patients with post-COVID-19 DGBIs compared with patients with pre-existing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)/functional dyspepsia (FD) and non-DGBI controls remain poorly understood.

Objectives: To examine the long-term gastrointestinal symptom progression and psychological comorbidities in patients with post-COVID-19 DGBI, patients with pre-existing IBS/FD and non-DGBI controls.

Efficacy and safety profile of biotechnological agents and Janus kinase inhibitors in VEXAS syndrome: data from the international AIDA Network VEXAS registry.

Background: VEXAS syndrome, a recently identified systemic autoinflammatory disorder, poses new diagnostic and management challenges. Based on experience with other autoinflammatory diseases, anti-interleukin (IL)-1, anti-IL-6, anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) biotechnological agents, and Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) have been widely employed in VEXAS patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the global effectiveness and safety of biotechnological agents and JAKis using data from the real-world context.

Ultrasonographic assessment of gastric and gallbladder dynamics in human health and disease.

The diagnosis of functional disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract relies on clinical evaluation after exclusion of most frequent organic diseases. Diagnostic techniques contribute to better characterization of disease, choice of specific therapy, and follow-up. Functional ultrasonography was introduced in the early '80 s for the non-invasive study of gastric and gallbladder emptying without ionizing radiation, during fasting and postprandially.

Poliprotect, a Medical Device Made of Substances, Potently Protects the Human Esophageal Mucosa Challenged by Multiple Agents: Evidence from In Vitro and Ex Vivo Electrophysiological Models.

The integrity of esophageal epithelial cells in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or GERD-like symptoms is the first mechanism of protection to decrease the sensitivity to gastric reflux and heartburn symptoms. We investigated the protective effects of Poliprotect (PPRO), a CE-marked medical device, on esophageal epithelial integrity using in vitro and ex vivo models. In vitro, the protective effects of PPRO were tested on Caco-2 cells.

Bile acid diarrhea in patients with chronic diarrhea. Current appraisal and recommendations for clinical practice.

Bile Acid Diarrhea (BAD) is a common cause of chronic diarrhea, often accompanied by urgency, occasional fecal incontinence, abdominal pain, and fatigue. A nationwide survey has shown limited awareness of BAD within the Italian medical community, prompting a panel of experts to develop a Position Paper that outlines the most practical and cost-saving diagnostic investigations and treatments for this frequently overlooked condition. The document provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and classification of the different types of Bile Acid Diarrhea (BAD).

Herbal Medicine in Three Different Mediterranean Living Areas During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Polyphenolic-Rich Thyme-like Plants.

Despite herbal medicine being popular across the Mediterranean basin, there is no evidence in favor of COVID-19 infection. This study investigates the utilization and effects of medicinal plants in Italy, Lebanon, and Tunisia during COVID-19 and its effects on post-COVID-19 pandemics. We used a tailored, web-based "Google Form" questionnaire with the random sampling method.

Improving Diagnosis and Management of Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC) in Clinical Practice: An Italian Expert Opinion.

Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is a very common and troublesome gastrointestinal side effect following the use of opioids. Despite existing international guidelines, OIC is largely underdiagnosed and undertreated. ECHO OIC is a European project designed to improve the diagnosis and management of OIC at the primary care level.

Unraveling the Role of the Human Gut Microbiome in Health and Diseases.

The human gut is a complex ecosystem that supports billions of living species, including bacteria, viruses, archaea, phages, fungi, and unicellular eukaryotes. Bacteria give genes and enzymes for microbial and host-produced compounds, establishing a symbiotic link between the external environment and the host at both the gut and systemic levels. The gut microbiome, which is primarily made up of commensal bacteria, is critical for maintaining the healthy host's immune system, aiding digestion, synthesizing essential nutrients, and protecting against pathogenic bacteria, as well as influencing endocrine, neural, humoral, and immunological functions and metabolic pathways.

Aquaporins in Biliary Function: Pathophysiological Implications and Therapeutic Targeting.

Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane proteins permeable to water and a series of small solutes. AQPs play a key role in pathways of hepatobiliary secretion at the level of the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder. AQP8 and -9 are pivotal in facilitating the osmotic water movement of hepatic bile, which is composed of 95% water.

One Year Follow-Up Assessment of Impact of Rigorous Diet Regimen and Adequate C-PAP Therapy on Obese Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Retrospective Study.

This study evaluated the impact of continuous positive airway pressure (C-PAP) therapy combined with a rigorous diet regimen on obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Sixty obese patients (BMI ≥ 30) diagnosed with severe OSAS were recruited in order to establish the evaluation of CPAP therapy with different extents of adherence to a rigorous diet regimen. After one year, significant improvements were observed.