Aim. The study reviews current evidence on digestive system lesions provoked by the new COVID-19 coronavirus infection.Key points. Alongside the destructive impact on respiratory system, COVID-19 manifests itself in gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) that may precede respiratory signs and prevail in the clinical picture of infection. Patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapy are at elevated risk of severe COVID-19 progression. The new coronavirus infection may induce liver damage with increased transaminase activity.Conclusion. Association of digestive system lesions with COVID-19 remains understudied and requires further research.
Aim. Current clinical recommendations are intended to supply gastroenterologists, physicians and general practitioners with modern methods for the diagnosis and treatment of constipation.Key points. Constipation is defined as primary (functional) and secondary form, the latter comprising a manifestation of another illness. The causes of constipation are diagnosed with colonoscopy, especially in patients aged over 50 having “anxiety symptoms” and hereditary colorectal oncological predisposition. Indications may also include the bowel transit time estimation with radiopaque markers, balloon expulsion test, anorectal manometry, defecography and electromyography. Therapy for constipation should be comprehensive and concern lifestyle, diet recommendations and use of medications (psyllium, macrogol, lactulose, lactitol, contact laxatives, prucalopride). Patients with a less effective conservative therapy and largely reduced quality of life should be considered for surgical intervention.Conclusion. An effective therapy for constipation requires a correct diagnosis of its causes.
Background
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a pathologic condition characterized by changes in gut microbiome composition, low-grade inflammation, and disruption of intestinal wall permeability. The interaction between the gut microbiome and the disease manifestation remains unclear. The changing of tight junction proteins and cytokines expression throughout the gastrointestinal tract in IBS patients has not been studied yet.
Aim of the study
To assess the changes of gut microbiome composition, tight junction proteins, and cytokines expression of intestinal mucosa from the duodenum to the distal part of the colon in IBS patients and healthy volunteers.
Methods
In 31 IBS patients (16 patients with IBS-D; 15 patients with IBS-C) and 10 healthy volunteers the expression of CLD-2, CLD-3, CLD-5, IL-2, IL-10, and TNF-α in mucosal biopsy specimens was determined by morphological and immune-histochemical methods. The qualitative and quantitative composition of the intestinal microbiota was assessed based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing in both groups of patients.
Results
The expression of IL-2 and TNF-α was significantly increased in IBS patients compared with the controls (p<0.001), with a gradual increase from the duodenum to the sigmoid colon. The expression of IL-10, CLD-3, and CLD-5 in mucosal biopsy specimens of these patients was lower than in the control group (p<0.001). Increased ratios of Bacteroidetes and decreased ratios of Firmicutes were noted in IBS patients compared to healthy volunteers (p<0.05).
Conclusion
IBS patients have impaired gut permeability and persisting low-grade inflammation throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Changes in the gut microbiota may support or exacerbate these changes.
Aim. The aim of this literature review is to generalize existing approaches to the pathogenetic treatment of gastritis as a basis for the prevention of gastric cancer, as well as to submit a resolution of a scientific symposium that brought together gastroenterologists from a number of CIS countries.Background. H. pylori infection is widespread in CIS countries. The proportion of infected adults in the population ranges from 60 % to over 90 %. This causes a high incidence of chronic gastritis and other diseases associated with H. pylori. In 2012, gastric cancer was recognized as the 3rd leading malignant disease in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan, 5th — in Belarus and Kazakhstan, 6th — in Armenia and the Russian Federation. According to the standardized cancer mortality rate, gastric cancer takes the 1st place in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, 2nd — in Belarus, 3rd — in Kazakhstan, and 4th — in Armenia and Russia. In every case of H. pylori detection, it is important to make a decision about the expediency of eradication therapy. This is particularly significant, since H. pylori eradication has been recognized as an effective method of gastric cancer prevention. In addition, H. pylori eradication therapy in patients suffering from chronic gastritis with dyspepsia symptoms serves as the firstchoice therapy that allows patients with dyspepsia resulting from H. pylori infection to be excluded. The choice of the H. pylori eradication therapy scheme is determined by the protocols (standards) of patient management accepted in the respective CIS country. A high efficacy of H. pylori infection eradication is shown to be provided by bismuthcontaining schemes.Conclusion. Opportunistic screening of H. pylori is carried out by general practitioners, district physicians, gastroenterologists and other specialists. The most effective method of gastric cancer prevention is the eradication therapy of H. pylori infection in chronic gastritis. The maximal positive potential of such a therapy is realized when it is performed before the atrophic changes of the gastric mucosa have appeared.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.