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Background. Vedolizumab is recommended as a first-line biological treatment, along with other biological drugs, in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients in whom conventional therapy failed and as a second-line biological treatment following a failure of a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) antagonist. Objectives. We aimed to assess the real-world effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab induction therapy in UC patients treated in the scope of the National Drug Program (NDP) in Poland. Materials and methods. The endpoints were the proportions of patients who reached clinical response, clinical remission and mucosal healing at week 14. Partial Mayo scores, Mayo subscores and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also evaluated. Results. Our study population consisted of 100 patients (55 biologic-naïve and 45 biologic-exposed). The median total Mayo score at baseline was 10 (interquartile range (IQR): 9-11), and 52 patients (52%) had extensive colitis. The clinical response at week 14 was achieved in 83 (83%) and clinical remission in 24 (24%) cases. Mucosal healing was observed in 56 (62%) patients at week 14. In patients with prior failure of biologic treatment (n = 25), 17 (68%) responded to vedolizumab treatment. A decrease in the median CRP level (from 3.7 mg/L to 2.6 mg/L) and the median total Mayo score (from 10 to 4) was observed. No new safety concerns were recorded and no patients discontinued the treatment due to adverse events (AEs). Conclusions. Vedolizumab was effective and safe as induction therapy for UC in a Polish real-world population including patients with severely active UC and a low number of patients with prior biological treatment failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raw materials containing methylxanthine alkaloids such as yerba mate, guaraná, white and green tea, coffee seeds, chocolate and cacao seed powder and extracts obtained from these raw materials were investigated for their antioxidant features and the amount of phenolic compounds. The level of phenolic compounds was measured with the colorimetric method using Folin-Ciocalteu’s phenol reagent and antioxidant features was determined with the use of DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical). Amounts of phenolic compounds were presented in percentages per mass of extracts and mass of raw materials. Antiradical potential was shown as the number of TAUDPPH units per mg of extracts and g of raw materials. The highest number of antiradical units TAUDPPH as well as the amount of phenolic compounds was calculated for white tea and its extracts and lowest for chocolate. The correlation coefficient between the content of phenolics and antiradical features of raw materials is equal to r=0.994.

Featured Application: Computer programs/algorithms developed to aid medical test analysis (intelligent medical decision support systems dedicated for clinical use and medical student teaching). In this paper, a new method for analysing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is shown. This novel method uses wavelet transform (WT) and wavelet-based fractal analysis (WBFA) on esophageal pH-metry measurements. The esophageal pH-metry is an important diagnostic tool supporting the physician's work in diagnosing some forms of reflux diseases. Interpreting the results of 24-h pH-metry monitoring is time-consuming, and the conclusions of such an analysis can sometimes be too subjective. There is no strict procedure or reference values to follow when the impedance measurements are assessed. Therefore, an attempt was made to develop a point of reference for the assessment process, helping to distinguish healthy patients from GERD patients. In this approach, wavelet transform (WT) and wavelet-based fractal analysis (WBFA) were used to aid the diagnostic process. With this approach, it was possible to develop two efficient computer methods to classify healthy and sick patients based on the pH measurement data alone. The WT method provided a sensitivity value of 93.33%, with 75% specificity. The results of the fractal analysis confirmed that the tested signals have features that enable their automatic classification and assignment to a group of sick or healthy people. The article will be interesting for those studying the application of wavelet and fractal analysis in biomedical waveforms. The authors included in the work a description of the implementation of the fractal and wavelet analysis, the descriptions of the results of the analyses, and the conclusions drawn from them. The work will also be of interest to those who study the methods of using machine learning and artificial intelligence in computer-aided, automatic medical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Psychological and emotional factors influence human health to a considerable extent. Judging from our clinical experience, there seemed to exist a relationship between the intensity of symptoms and the presence of circumstances which pose a psychological burden to patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Aim of study: Comparison of personality profiles of patients with IBS and GERD and identification of psychological mechanisms which influence their physical and mental well-being. Material and methods: 39 patients with IBS and 40 patients with GERD were included in the study. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory questionnaire (MMPI) adapted into Polish by M. Matkowski was used to assessed the psychological profile of study participants. Results: Both study groups were found to have higher than expected values on the "Hypochondria", "Hysteria", and "Psychastenia" scales. Comparison of the values on each of the scales of the "neurotic triad" has demonstrated that the somatization phenomenon occurred in more than half of the study participants (56.4% of IBS patients and 55% of GERD patients). Conclusions: There is a remarkable resemblance in the psychological profile of both groups. A similar defence mechanism (conversion- somatization) has been detected in patients with both IBS and GERD. Emotional factors have a clear impact on both conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We hypothesized that, based on magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), measured in the affected parts of the intestine, it is possible to effectively differentiate active and chronic phases of Crohn's disease., Aim: To create a multidimensional diagnostic model for differentiating between the phases of Crohn's disease., Material and Methods: This study included 125 patients - 55 women (aged 19 to 66 years) and 70 men (aged 12 to 67 years) - who underwent MRE and ADC measurement for the first time., Results: The group of potential explanatory variables comprised 11 variables, including the thickness and length of the occupied section, number of lymph nodes, layered bowel wall enhancement, total transitions on fat tissue, and features of restricted diffusion. The final discrimination model was based on 2 variables: ADC (A) and layered bowel wall enhancement (W). Active Crohn's disease was defined as -6.339 + 4.747 × W + 0.008 × A, while chronic Crohn's disease was defined as -11.365 + 2.812 × W + 0.012 × A. Definitive diagnosis was based on histological examination of material collected during ileocolonoscopy in 96 patients, surgery with subsequent histopathological examination in 17 patients, and capsule endoscopy in 12 patients., Conclusions: The predictive model described here could identify the active form of Crohn's disease with a probability of 93.06% and the chronic form with a probability of 75.57%. The use of classic MRE layered bowel wall enhancement and a DWI-based ADC metric eliminates the main shortcomings of both approaches., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Termedia.)

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has a negative impact on global quality of life (QOL) of patients. In patients affected by GERD, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication is one of the most commonly performed laparoscopic procedures worldwide., Aim: To prospectively analyze the dynamics of QOL as well as severity of pain in patients with GERD, before and after laparoscopic floppy Nissen fundoplication., Material and Methods: The study involved 104 consecutive patients operated on for GERD in whom laparoscopic floppy Nissen fundoplication was performed. QOL was assessed before surgery and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after. The following instruments were used: FACIT-G, FACIT-TS-G, GIQLI, GERD symptom scale., Results: It was found that symptom relief and quality of life improvement presented different dynamics in the postoperative course. Observations revealed relief of symptoms 1 month after surgery and improvement in QOL related to the gastrointestinal tract and pain 3 months after surgery. Global QOL increased significantly as late as 12 months after surgery., Conclusions: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a chronic disease of long duration, leading to impairment of quality of life. Patients, apart from typical symptoms of GERD, suffer from pain of significant severity. QOL improves significantly after surgery. Surgical treatment results in relief of GERD symptoms, which leads to gradual improvement of QOL.

Unlabelled: Since 2004 Polish blood donors have been tested for parvovirus B19 (B19V) DNA. The screening testing has been performed in donors of plasma for fractionation and anti-D and anti-HBs production and donors of erythrocytes used for immunization. AIM is to present methods of the testing, quality control and results in period 2004-2010., Material and Methods: Testing was performed in individual donation testing (IDT) in Regional Blood Transfusion Center (RBTC) in Lublin or in pools of 24 in Institute of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine in Warsaw (IHTM). Quantitative testing with real-time PCR was preceded with nucleic acid isolation on silica based methods (Prepito Viral DNA/RNA, Chemagen and QIAamp DNA Mini Kit, QIAGEN). Amplification was performed initially with home made method and later with commercial assay (Artus Parvo B19 RG PCR Kit on Rotor Gene 6 000). In total 17 625 donations were tested: 8 539 in pools and 9 090 individually. Beside routine external quality control programmes in which both laboratories participated (Proficiency Study VQC,Amsterdam, Holand; EQA Programe, Glasgow, Scotland), panel containing negative samples, positive with very high DNA B 19V level and plasma infected with genotype 2 was prepared for RBTC in Lublin., Results: B19V infection frequency was 1:980 donations, low viraemic donations were detected most frequently (1:1 037). It was identified only one donation with DNA load that could cause potential health risk for plasma product recipients (1:17 625). In one of the donors B 19V DNA was observed for 3 years and 3 months. In acute or persistent phase of infection no clinical or laboratory symptoms (morphology of peripheral blood, ALT) were observed. Due to risk of underestimation of viral load connected with viral genome polymorphism all donations with B19V positive result were not allowed to be clinically used.