Biomedical subjects

V Criscuoli

Publications and source records attributed to V Criscuoli.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Incidence of Crohn's disease and CARD15 mutation in a small township in Sicily.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) has been shown to be lower in Southern than in Northern Europe. Data on the frequency of the NOD2/CARD15 mutations for Mediterranean area are very scant. AIM: To determine the incidence of CD from 1979 to 2002 in a township in Sicily together with the allele frequency of NOD2/CARD15 mutations in patients, family members and controls, and to determine the allele frequency of these mutations in sporadic CD from other areas of Sicily in comparison with a control population. METHODS: Casteltermini is a small town close to Agrigento (Sicily) with a population of 9,130 inhabitants. All the diagnoses of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) made from 1979 to 2002 were obtained through the local health authority. NOD2/CARD15 mutations were studied in 23 out of the 29 patients with CD in Casteltermini, in 60 family members and in 64 controls. NOD2/CARD15 was also studied in 80 sporadic cases of CD disease among Sicilians outside Casteltermini and 118 healthy controls. RESULTS: From 1979 to 2002, 29 patients with CD and 13 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were registered. The 6-year mean incidence of CD ranged from 8.0 to 17 new cases for every 100,000 inhabitants, whereas the mean incidence of UC ranged from five new cases to 7.8 for every 100,000 inhabitants. The allele frequencies of NOD2/CARD15 mutations (L1007finsC, G908R, R702W) were 8.7, 4.3 and 8.7%, respectively, in CD cases; 5.0, 4.2 and 3.1% in family members; 1.6, 2.3 and 3.1% in controls. In sporadic Sicilian CD patients outside Casteltermini the allele frequency was 7.5, 8.1, 6.2% whereas in control population it was 3.3, 1.6, 1.6%. CONCLUSIONS: A high incidence of CD compared with UC was observed in this small town in Southern Italy. The frequency of NOD2/CARD15 mutations in CD is similar to other Caucasian population studied so far.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Severe acute colitis associated with CMV: a prevalence study.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus has been identified as a pathogen that contributes to flares of colitis when detected in colonic specimens of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. AIM: To determine the overall prevalence and the role of cytomegalovirus infection in a consecutive series of patients with acute severe colitis admitted to our department from 2000 to 2003. METHODS: Among 42 patients (38 with ulcerative colitis and 4 with Crohn's disease) admitted to our hospital for acute severe colitis, we performed proctoscopy and biopsy together with blood sample for cytomegalovirus determination at the time of admission, regardless of their steroid resistance. RESULTS: In the 42 patients, we discovered an overall cytomegalovirus infection prevalence of 21.4% (9/42) in our geographical area. In seven patients (16.6%), cytomegalovirus was detected through biopsy. The presence of cytomegalovirus in biopsies was not always predictive of steroid resistance. Three patients with cytomegalovirus in biopsies responded to conventional treatment without needing any antiviral treatment, which suggests that the virus plays only an incidental role. CONCLUSIONS: Cytomegalovirus is frequently associated with colitis but it is not always pathogenic. Studies on the genotyping of the virus might explain the diversity of its biological behaviour.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The role of calprotectin in predicting endoscopic post-surgical recurrence in asymptomatic Crohn's disease: a comparison with ultrasound.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Faecal calprotectin is predictive of clinical relapse in inflammatory bowel disease and ultrasound is sensitive in detecting its post-surgical recurrence. However, no data regarding the role of calprotectin in predicting post-surgical recurrence in asymptomatic Crohn's disease are available. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the role of calprotectin as a predictive marker for one year post-surgical endoscopic recurrence in comparison with ultrasound in patients with asymptomatic Crohn's disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We consecutively enlisted 50 patients who had undergone a resection for Crohn's disease. Faecal calprotectin was analysed and ultrasound were performed at the third month, and a colonoscopy after one year. The sensitivity and specificity of these two techniques were evaluated using endoscopic findings as a golden standard. A Receiver Operator Curve (ROC) curve was plotted, in order to identify the best-cut off value for calprotectin. RESULTS: 39 out of 50 patients were evaluated by performing a colonoscopy after one year; 19 patients had an endoscopic recurrence after one year. Calprotectin sensitivity and specificity were calculated for 5 different cut-off values; the best cut-off value for calprotectin sensitivity (63%) and specificity (75%) was > 200 mg/L. The US sensitivity and specificity at the third month were 26% and 90% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: When performed three months after surgery ultrasound is more specific than calprotectin in predicting endoscopic recurrence. Faecal calprotectin at a dosage > 200 mg/L seems to have a better sensitivity than ultrasound. Values of calprotectin > 200 mg can be an indication to colonoscopy in the group of patients with negative ultrasound in order to detect early recurrence.

Adolescent↗