Optic neuropathies constitute a group of conditions with various etiologies and might be caused by different factors; we can distinguish the genetic and acquired causes of optic neuropathies. Even though the symptoms are not highly specific, this condition is primarily characterized by unilateral or bilateral vision loss with worsening color detection. The loss may be acute or gradual depending on the causation. In this article, we included a specification of toxic optic neuropathy (TON) mainly triggered by alcohol abuse and also the usage of other substances, including drugs or methanol, as well as intoxication by metals, organic solvents, or carbon dioxide. Nutritional deficiencies, vitamin absorption disorder, and anemia, which usually appear during excessive alcohol intake, and their effect on the etiology of the optic neuropathy have been likewise discussed.

Purpose of the Review Alcohol abuse causes a wide range of disorders that affect the nervous system. These include confusion, cerebellar ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, and cognitive impairment. Chronic and excessive alcohol consumption is the primary cause of peripheral neuropathy. It is worth noting that peripheral neuropathy has no reliable treatment due to the poor understanding of its pathology. Recent Findings Coasting is a major feature of alcoholic neuropathy, largely due to chronic alcohol abuse. Its major features are hyperalgesia, allodynia, and burning pain. Even though much research was done in this area, still we do not have a full understanding of the mechanism of alcoholic neuropathy. However, some theories have been proposed. These include direct or indirect effects of alcohol metabolites, impaired axonal transport, suppressed excitatory nerve pathway activity, or imbalance in neurotransmitters. Activation of spinal cord microglia, mGlu5 spinal cord receptors, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis also seem to be implicated in the pathophysiology of this alcoholic neuropathy. The goal of treatment is to impede further damage to the peripheral nerves while also restoring their normal physiology. Alcohol abstinence, intake of balanced diets, and treatment with medications are suggested including benfotiamine, alpha-lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine, vitamin E, methylcobalamin, myo-inositol, N-acetylcysteine, capsaicin, tricyclic antidepressants, or antiepileptic drugs. Summary This review focuses on the many pathways that play a role in the onset and development of alcohol-induced neuropathy, as well as present the possible treatment strategies of this disorder, providing insights into a further search of new treatment modalities.

Introduction and purpose: Isotretinoin, the vitamin A derivative, has been commonly used in treatment of acne vulgaris for years. Despite its unquestionable efficacy, chronic oral isotretinoin treatment leads to multiple side effects. The aim of study is analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms prevalence during oral isotretinoin treatment and their impact on physical activity.Material and methods: The study was conducted using the original survey questionnaire shared online among members of Polish group of patients treated for acne. Total of 196 responses were analyzed and compared with up-to-date literature related to the topic.Results: 86,7% of respondents reported at least one of the musculoskeletal symptoms. The most common were back pain (82,7%), fatigue and lethargy (70,4%), myalgia (55,1%) and arthalgia (32,1%). In 97,6% cases adverse effects were developed within the first 6 months of treatment. In 64,2% they persisted during the whole therapy, sometimes even beyond. Due to musculoskeletal side effects, in 2,4% cases dose reduction was necessary, 1,8% of respondents had to stop treatment and 48% had to limit or stop physical activity. 71,4% of repondents reported that lower back pain occurred or escalated during isotretinoin treatment.Conclusions: Prevalence of reported musculoskeletal symptoms is very high and totals 86,7%. They result in prolonged limiting or stopping of physical activity in almost 50% of people. Although musculoskeletal symptoms are typically benign, possibility of severe disorders and potential permanent effects must be taken into consideration.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. HPV infection has a strong relationship with the onset of cervix uteri, vagina, penis, anus, and oropharynx, but also tonsils and tongue cancers. Some epidemiological data indicate that except for gynecologic cancers, HPV infection can be one of the risk factors associated with a greater risk of induction and progression of gastrointestinal cancers. Data, however, remain contradictory and definite conclusions cannot be drawn, so far. The following review aims to organize recent evidence and summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the association between HPV infection and gastrointestinal tumors primarily focusing on esophageal, liver, gastric, colorectal, and anal cancers.

Gastric cancer is currently one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide with a high mortality rate. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection significantly contributes to the onset and progression of gastric cancer mainly due to the induction of chronic inflammatory responses. The pathogenicity of H. pylori is associated with a vast number of virulence factors among which cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) plays a crucial role. We conducted a literature review of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus on September 1st, 2021. There were no limits regarding the year and the language of publication. Articles included in this review concerned human and animal studies. The following search string was applied during the search: (gastric cancer) AND (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) AND (Helicobacter pylori) AND (cytotoxin-associated gene A). The final analysis included 135 articles independently reviewed by the authors. H. pylori CagA-positive strains seem to be more virulent compared to the CagA-negative strains. CagA pathogenicity includes the increased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, induction of cancer stem cell-like properties, apoptosis prevention, or overactivation of particular oncogenic pathways. H. pylori might induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via numerous pathways, among which CagA-related pathogenicity is considered to be of high significance. Mechanisms associated with CagA action are involved in the maintenance of chronic H. pylori infection, subsequent EMT induction, and further onset and progression of gastric cancer. Because of a huge number of H. pylori strains with different virulence mechanisms, the clinical outcome of patients is also associated with the particular type of strain that infected a patient.

The increase in the incidence rate of multidrug resistant strains of bacteria has prompted scientists to look for alternatives to antibiotics. One option is phage therapy. The possibility of using phages (bacteriophages) in infections of almost every organ and system is being investigated. The treatment of osteoarticular infections using antibiotics is often very problematic, which is why this is an important area of interest for phage research.As part of the bacteriophage experimental therapy conducted by Patey et al., 9 patients with osteoarticular diseases were treated. In 7 cases complete recovery was obtained. One patient achieved partial eradication of the pathogen with closure of several fistulas and stabilization of the general condition.The study was carried out on an animal model by Yilmaz et al. showed greater effectiveness in eliminating MRSA colony forming units when combining bacteriophages with antibiotics (drop to 5000 units, no biofilm) than when using antibiotics alone (17,165 units survived, biofilm present). Independent application of phage therapy brought the worst effect (30,788 surviving units).The results of the cited studies indicate the possible effectiveness of phage therapy in the case of osteoarticular infections. The potential synergy of antibiotics and bacteriophages in eradicating bacterial biofilm deserves attention.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic process leading to narrowing of the major distal arteries in relation to the aortic arch. The progressive closure of the artery leads to its narrowing, reduced blood flow and the appearance of intermittent claudication-the most common symptom among patients. Standard methods of management include drug treatment and lifestyle modification. In severe cases, surgical treatment is used, including intravascular lithotripsy (IVL). The aim of the study is to analyze the available data on the treatment of peripheral arterial disease with IVL. The work uses the latest data published on the PubMed platform. The efficacy of lithotripsy in the treatment of PAD has been confirmed in numerous publications. The therapeutic effect was obtained both using the lithotripsy procedure alone as well as in combination with other methods modifying atherosclerotic plaque. IVL is a safe method, the number of observed complications was negligible. After the patient is properly qualified for the procedure, IVL may become the therapy of choice in the treatment of PAD.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic severe non-cancer pain and the use of prescription opioids are now an increasing and common problem. Both RA and its comorbid pain have different mechanisms and their control can prove challenging, especially when patients are unresponsive to non-opioid analgesics or have side effects. The aim of the study is to analyze the available results of research and meta-analyzes on the use of opioids among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Materials and methods: the literature available on the PubMed platform and published between 2010 and 2020 was analyzed. Results and conclusions: The use of opioids can cause a number of side effects, including misuse, abuse or addiction to these drugs. These phenomena are becoming more common in European and North American populations, as well as more and more people are using