Correlation between symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome and the response to the food extract skin prick test

The relationship between the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and food intolerance is not clear. We studied the cutaneous response to food antigens in 43 volunteers who were students and employees of the Faculty of Medicine of Universidade Federal Fluminense. Subjects were divided into 3 groups after evaluation for Roma II criteria for functional disease of the gastrointestinal tract: group I, 14 volunteers with IBS; group II, 15 volunteers with functional dyspepsia; group III, 14 volunteers without habitual gastrointestinal symptoms. The subjects were submitted to the skin prick test with 9 food antigen extracts, for a total of 387 skin tests (9 per volunteer). Of the 126 tests applied to group I, 24 (19.4%) were positive (a 3-mm wider papule than the negative control) and of the 135 tests applied to group II, 3 (2.3%) were positive. Of the 126 tests applied to group III, 6 (4%) were positive. The number of positive responses obtained in group I (IBS) differed significantly from the other 2 groups (P < 0.01). None of the volunteers with IBS reported intolerance to any isolated food. The higher reactivity to food antigens in group I compared to groups II and III suggests that intestinal permeability may be increased in patients with IBS.

Serum laminin, type IV collagen and hyaluronan as fibrosis markers in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Hepatic fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with progression of the disease. In the present study, we analyzed the discriminative ability of serum laminin, type IV collagen and hyaluronan levels to predict the presence of fibrosis in these patients. In this preliminary report, we studied 30 overweight patients divided into two groups according to the absence (group I, N = 19) or presence (group II, N = 11) of fibrosis in a liver biopsy. Triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidade, hyaluronan (noncompetitive fluoroassay), type IV collagen, and laminin (ELISA) were determined. Group II presented significantly higher mean laminin, hyaluronan, type IV collagen, and aspartate aminotransferase values, which were due to the correlation between these parameters and the stage of fibrosis in the biopsy (Spearman's correlation coefficient, rS = 0.65, 0.62, 0.53, and 0.49, respectively). Analysis of the ROC curve showed that laminin values >282 ng/ml were those with the best diagnostic performance, with 87% accuracy. Association of laminin with type IV collagen showed improvement in the positive predictive value (100%), but with reduction in diagnostic sensitivity (64%). When compared with the criteria of Ratziu et al. [Gastroenterology (2000) 118: 1117-1123] for the diagnosis of septal fibrosis, laminin values presented a better diagnostic accuracy (83 vs 70%). Determination of extracellular matrix components in serum, especially of laminin, may identify patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and fibrosis and these components may be used as indicators for liver biopsy in these patients.

[Portrait de l'athlète Paul] Esparbès [vainqueur du 800 m des championnats de France d'athlétisme, le 18/7/20, stade Pershing] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60108

[Portrait de l'athlète Paul] Esparbès [vainqueur du 800 m des championnats de France d'athlétisme, le 18/7/20, stade Pershing] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60109

[Stade Pershing, de gauche à droite] Deullé, [Kléber] Argouac'h, [Robert] Goullieux : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60248

[Kenzo] Yashima, [Yahei] Miura, [Chizo]Kanakuri, [Zensaku] Motegi, [marathoniens japonais] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 59976

[Kenzo] Yashima [marathonien japonais] : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 59977

[Portrait du boxeur belge] Arthur Wyns : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60190

[1-8-20, championnat de France de natation, bassin de la maison Niclausse à la Villette], Lehu, champion 100 m dos : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60305

[Portrait du boxeur Ercole de] Balzac : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60706

[Portrait du boxeur Ercole de] Balzac : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60707

[Portrait du boxeur Ercole de] Balzac : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 60708