Abstract
Background
The identification of new biomarker is a main challenge in inflammatory boweldisease. Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is a pleiotropic mediator of various inflammatory processes. We ...determined the serum levels of LCN-2 in a cohort of newly diagnosed UC children, and we compared them with healthy controls.
Methods
Prospective cross-sectional observational study conducted at the Pediatric Gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition Unit of the Umberto I Hospital in Rome and at the IBBC – Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology – CNR in Rome. All children aged 6-18 years of age, newly diagnosed with UC at the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, were consecutively enrolled. Blood withdrawal was conducted upon diagnosis. Human serum LCN-2 (Cat. No. DY1757) was measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits (R&D Systems, Minneapolis, MN, USA), according to the protocols provided by the manufacturer. Clinical, demographic, biochemical and endoscopic data were recorded.
Results
Thirty-two children with a new diagnosis of UC 11 (34%) female, mean age 12,7 ± 4 and 38 age- and sex-matched healthy control 21 (55%) females, mean age 11.71 ± 4 were consecutively enrolled. Serum LCN-2 levels were significantly higher in cases compared to controls (280 ± 152 ng/mL vs 66 ± 55 ng/mL), p < 0,001. Among UC children, significantly higher LCN2 levels were measured in pancolitis (363.7± 155.2 ng/mL) compared to proctitis, left-sided and extensive colitis (184.9 ± 74.65 ng/mL; p = 0.0003). A significant inverse correlation was observed between LCN-2 and albumin levels at the diagnosis by the Spearman coefficient correlation (r = −0.455; P = 0.03) and a significant direct correlation was observed between LCN-2 and CRP values at the diagnosis (r = 0.44; p <0.05).
Conclusion
Serum LCN-2 levels are significantly higher in children with UC compared to the healthy control group, with the highest levels observed in children with the most extensive disease. Such results as well as and its correlation with the actual disease monitoring tool, make this protein an interesting candidate biomarker.
Abstract
Background
Mesalamine (5-ASA) is recommended as a first-line medication for inducing and maintaining remission in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC), but indications regarding its use ...in children with moderate to severe disease treated with biologics are lacking. We aimed to evaluate whether discontinuing 5-ASA might impact the outcomes of children with UC treated with anti-TNFα.
Methods
Retrospective, single-center, case-control study of children with UC receiving anti-TNFα therapy between January 2018 and January 2023 and with a minimum follow of 6 months. Children who discontinued 5-ASA within six months from the biological therapy initiation were compared to those who continued mesalamine as maintenance therapy. Every 6 months, during a 2-year follow-up, major outcomes defined as disease flares, IBD-related hospitalization, surgery, need for step-up treatment were recorded.
Results
Ninety-eight children were included in the final analysis, 51 (52%) maintained 5-ASA and 47 (48%) discontinued 5-ASA. The 2 groups were comparable for all the baseline clinical and demographic characteristics. At 6 months, the cumulative incidence of major outcomes, acute severe colitis and need for step up treatment was significantly higher in children who discontinued 5-ASA (p < 0.05). Throughout the follow-up period, children who discontinued 5-ASA were at significant higher risk of hospitalization (Log Rank p=0.02), need for step up treatment (Log Rank p=0.02) and acute severe colitis (Log Rank p=0.003).
Conclusion
Our data suggest that 5-ASA discontinuation might have a negative impact on the clinical course of children with UC treated with anti-TNFα in terms of major outcomes. However, conclusive evidence regarding this matter requires prospective randomized trials.
Introduction
With increasing morbidity and risk of death, obesity has become a serious health problem largely attributable to difficulties in finding proper treatments for related diseases. Many ...studies show how detecting abnormal eating behaviors could be useful in developing effective clinical treatments. This study aims at validating the Greek version of the Eating Behaviors Assessment for Obesity (EBA-O).
Method
After a double English/Greek forward/backward translation of the EBA-O, 294 participants completed the Greek version (GR-EBA-O), the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, the Binge Eating Scale, and the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and construct validity were calculated, and Two-way MANOVA was computed with the factors of GR-EBA-O controlling for sex and BMI categories.
Results
CFA confirmed the second-order five factors (i.e., food addiction, night eating, binge eating, sweet eating, and prandial hyperphagia) structure of the original EBA-O with excellent fit indices. GR-EBA-O factors were highly correlated. The GR-EBA-O subscales were also significantly correlated with the remaining measures, demonstrating good concurrent validity.
Conclusion
The Greek version of the EBA-O has demonstrated sound psychometric properties and appears a reliable and user-friendly tool to identify pathological eating behaviors in obesity.
Level of evidence
: V, descriptive research.
