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The microbiota, as a complex of microorganisms in a particular ecosystem, is part of the wider term—microbiome, which is defined as the set of all genetic content in the microbial community. Imbalanced gut microbiota has a great impact on the homeostasis of the organism. Dysbiosis, as a disturbance in bacterial balance, might trigger or exacerbate the course of different pathologies. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a disorder characterized by differences in quantity, quality, and location of the small intestine microbiota. SIBO underlies symptoms associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGD) as well as may alter the presentation of chronic diseases such as heart failure, diabetes, etc. In recent years there has been growing interest in the influence of SIBO and its impact on the whole human body as well as individual systems. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the co-existence of SIBO with different medical conditions. The PubMed database was searched up to July 2022 and we found 580 original studies; inclusion and exclusion criteria let us identify 112 eligible articles, which are quoted in this paper. The present SIBO diagnostic methods could be divided into two groups—invasive, the gold standard—small intestine aspirate culture, and non-invasive, breath tests (BT). Over the years scientists have explored SIBO and its associations with other diseases. Its role has been confirmed not only in gastroenterology but also in cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, rheumatology, and nephrology. Antibiotic therapy could reduce SIBO occurrence resulting not only in the relief of FGD symptoms but also manifestations of comorbid diseases. Although more research is needed, the link between SIBO and other diseases is an important pathway for scientists to follow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 infection manifests mainly by involving the respiratory system. Due to the presence of abdominal symptoms, the digestive system is clearly involved in the expression, transmission, and possible pathogenesis of COVID-19. There are many theories regarding the development of abdominal symptoms, including angiotensin 2 receptor, cytokine storm, and disturbances of the intestinal microbiome. This paper provides an overview of the most important meta-analyses and publications on gastrointestinal symptoms and the gut microbiome in COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Juxtapapillary duodenal diverticula are believed to create a technical difficulty at ERCP, and cause an increased number of complications following the procedure; however, data on this issue are conflicting. Aim of study: This study was conducted to find any association between common bile duct gallstones formation and the presence of juxtapapillary diverticulum and to assess effectiveness and safety of ERCP in this group of patients. Material and methods: The retrospective study was carried out on a group of 272 patients with biliary stone disease; 68 of them had diverticulum in the Vater's periampullary region. Results: The prevalence of common bile duct gallstones in patients with a juxtapapillary diverticulum was significantly higher as compared to control (65% vs. 49%; p=0.027). Cannulation of Vater's papilla was performed with comparable efficacy in both patient groups. The most common complication of ERCP was asymptomatic transient hyperamylasemia - more frequent among control (16.3% vs. 4.9%; p=0.024). Acute pancreatitis was the least common complication (1.5% vs. 3%; p=0.602). In the study and control group, clinically important bleeding after sphincterotomy was uncommon (0.5% vs. 4.4%; p=0.05). Conclusions: Patients with a diverticulum in the Vater's periampullary region develop biliary stone disease more frequently. It seems that neither cannulation efficacy, nor bile duct contrasting or the incidence of complications in the course of ERCP is affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, obesity and its complications are heavy burdens to western civilization. Surgical procedures remain one of the available therapies for obesity and obesity-associated diseases treatment. Among them, sleeve gastrectomy is the most common bariatric procedure. Despite the well-established fact that sleeve gastrectomy results in significant weight loss, some of its other divergent effects still need to be established. To fulfill this knowledge gap, we examined whether sleeve gastrectomy affects lipid metabolism in the plasma and liver of obese rats. We demonstrated that chronic high-fat diet feeding led to an increment in the level of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin (PCSK)—a regulator of plasma cholesterol concentration—in the liver, which was decreased after the gastrectomy. Moreover, we noticed significant increases in both plasma and liver contents of free fatty acids, diacylgycerides and triacylglycerides in the obese animals, with their reduction after the bariatric surgery. In conclusion, we revealed, presumably for the first time, that sleeve gastrectomy affects lipid metabolism in the liver of obese rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of a patented preparation of sodium butyrate in the triglyceride matrix at reducing clinical symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Material and methods: In this prospective multicenter clinical trial, we observed a total of 3000 non-hospitalized patients with confirmed IBS who were treated with sodium butyrate in a triglyceride matrix at a dosage of 150 mg twice a day for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was to evaluate the efficacy of sodium butyrate at reducing the severity of clinical symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with IBS. Results: A total of 2990 complete surveys were collected. A statistically significant improvement in severity of abdominal pain was noticed (p < 0.001). Moreover, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, urgent pressure for bowel movements, nausea, and vomiting decreased significantly (p < 0.001). Most of the respondents (93.90%) declared that they would continue the therapy and 88.9% would recommend using sodium butyrate to other IBS patients. Conclusions: Sodium butyrate in the triglyceride matrix, as a postbiotic substance, may be effective in relieving the symptoms of IBS by modifying the intestinal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]