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OBJECTIVE: For safe implementation and broader application of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), quality controlled stool banking is a must. Establishing a stool bank is a complex, time-consuming, and expensive process, making it a real challenge in an Eastern European country. We aimed to establish the first stool bank in Eastern Europe - in Bulgaria. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary team of gastroenterologists, microbiologists, infectionists, and geneticists was set up. We used a questionnaire based on the First European FMT Consensus in order to recruit possible stool donors. Laboratory blood and stool tests were performed on all potential donors. RESULTS: Between October 2018 and April 2019, 112 donor volunteers completed a questionnaire; 70 (62.5%) were excluded, mainly because of age above 50, an unhealthy BMI, and risk behavior. Fourty-two (37.5%) donor candidates were invited for laboratory testing of blood and feces, of which 12 (28.6%) passed this screening. Of 12 donors, 4 (33%) failed at the following screening test, which is performed every 3-6 months. Finally, 8 (7.14%) active donors were enrolled. Ten successful FMTs were performed on patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. CONCLUSIONS: Even though we found many healthy volunteers, only a low percentage (7.14%) of them were suitable to become feces donors. Establishing a stool bank in an Eastern European country is essential for making FMT safe and more popular as a treatment method, finding further implementation and regulation of FMT and supporting physicians offering this treatment to their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To study gut barrier function in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) by evaluating the intestinal permeability (IP) and its relationship with the severity and etiology of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 31 patients with LC and 25 healthy controls. Child-Pugh score was used for evaluation of the LC severity. IP was assessed by the rise in levels of iohexol, which was administered orally (25 mL, 350 mg/mL) 2 h after breakfast. Three and six hours later serum (SIC mg/L) and urine (UIC g/mol) iohexol concentrations were determined by a validated HPLC-UV technique. RESULTS: Patients with LC had significantly higher mean SIC value compared with control group at 3 h (2.05 ± 1.67 vs. 1.25 ± 1.41 mg/L, p=0.021, as well as at 6 h (2.20 ± 2.65 vs. 1.11 ± 1.06 mg/L, p=0.001) after ingestion. No significant difference was found in mean SIC value of patients at 3 and 6 h. 23% of the patients had an increased IP. The mean iohexol urine recovery of patients was similar to that of the controls both at 3 h and at 6 h. Mean SIC values were significantly higher in patients with advanced Child C class than in healthy controls or the subgroup with Child B class, both at 3 h (2.54 ± 1.95 mg/L vs. 1.11 ± 1.06 mg/L, p=0.007) or (2.57 ± 1.85 mg/L vs. 1.35±1.32 mg/L, p=0.005) and at 6 h (2.57 ± 1.85 mg/L vs. 1.25 ± 1.40 mg/L, p=0.002) or 2.54 ± 1.95 mg/L vs. 1.07 ± 0.35 mg/L, p=0.02). Cirrhotic patients with ascites had significantly higher SIC in comparison with the controls, both at 3 h (2.31 ± 1.74 vs. 1.25 ± 1.41 mg/, p=0.009) and at 6 h (2.20 ± 1.87 vs. 1.11 ± 1.06 mg/l, p=0.007). In the subgroup of patients with alcoholic LC, the mean SIC values at 3 and 6 h (2.29 ± 1.80, 2.33 ± 1.85 mg/L, respectively) were significantly higher (p= 0.016, p=0.003) compared to the control group (1.25 ± 1.41, 1.11 ± 1.06 mg/L, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Increased IP is found in 23% of cirrhotic patients. Permeability alterations are significantly more pronounced in patients with advanced LC with the presence of ascites and in those with alcoholic etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the preoperative rectal cancer angiogenesis with Endorectal Power Doppler Ultrasonography by using the Power Doppler Vascularity Index (PDVI) calculated by imaging analysis software, and to compare it with the microvessel density (MVD) in surgical specimens PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 110 patients (39 females; mean age 61.5 years) with rectal cancer. Immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens with anti-CD-31 antibody was used for MVD evaluation. The PDVI of each tumor was calculated using Endorectal Power Doppler with computer-assisted quantification of colour pixels. RESULTS: Mean MVD - 163 ± 69 microvessels/ mm2 (50-328) was used as a cutoff point, differentiating two groups of tumors with high (> 160 mm2) and low (≤ 160 mm²) angiogenic activity. Mean PDVI of 8.9 ± 6.0% (0-27.3) was used as a cutoff point, dividing two groups of tumors with high (> 8%) and low (≤ 8%) PDVI. The MVD and the PDVI showed a good positive correlation (r = 0.438, p = 0.002). Patients with low PDVI had 25 months longer overall survival (p < 0.05) than patients with high PDVI. Patients with low MVD had 36 months longer survival (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Endorectal Power Doppler Ultrasonography is a reliable and noninvasive method for assessment of the extent of rectal cancer angiogenesis. Tumor angiogenesis assessed by the PDVI correlated with histological MVD determination and could predict survival rates. Endorectal Power Doppler examination is a useful and reproducible method for in vivo preoperative quantitative assessment of tumor vascularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the role of serum trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) as a biomarker of disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to compare TFF3 values with those of fecal calprotectin (FC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 128 patients with IBD were divided into four groups: 1) active ulcerative colitis (UC); 2) quiescent UC; 3) active Crohn's disease (CD); 4) quiescent CD. The serum levels of TFF3 and FC levels were assessed in all patients and 16 controls. RESULTS: Patients with active UC had higher TFF3 levels than those with quiescent UC (p<0.001), those with active (p<0.001) or quiescent CD (p<0.001) and controls (p <0.001). We found a correlation between TFF3 and FC values in patients with active (r = 0.478, p = 0.006) and quiescent UC (r=0.528, p=0.002). TFF3 levels correlated with endoscopic activity in UC (evaluated by UC Endoscopic Index of Severity - UCEIS) (r=0.662, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum TFF3 is able to identify patients with active UC. It could be used as a marker to predict disease activity in patients with UC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]