Gut
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Cholera toxin, and Escherichia coli heat labile (LT) and heat stable (STa) enterotoxins induce small intestinal secretion in part by activating enteric nerves. Igmesine is a novel sigma receptor ligand that inhibits neurally mediated secretion. ⋯ The sigma ligand, igmesine, inhibits neurally mediated enterotoxigenic secretion. Its ability to inhibit established secretion makes it an agent with therapeutic potential.
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an increased incidence of thromboembolic disease. Hyperhomocysteinaemia (hyper-tHcy), a condition associated with the C677T variant of 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), is linked with an increased incidence of thromboembolic disease. Hyper-tHcy has been reported in patients with IBD. ⋯ There is an association between the thermolabile MTHFR C677T variant and IBD. This accounts in part for the raised plasma tHcy found in patients with IBD and may contribute to the increased incidence of thromboembolic complications. All patients with IBD should receive low dose folic acid and vitamin B(12) therapy to protect against the thromboembolic complications of raised tHcy.
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Alcoholic liver disease is associated with increased hepatic expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha). ⋯ Serum MCP-1 concentrations are raised in alcoholic liver disease and reflect severity of hepatic inflammation. Monocyte secretion of both MCP-1 and MIP-1alpha is increased in severe alcoholic hepatitis. Both intrahepatic sources and peripheral mononuclear cells contribute to the raised serum MCP-1 concentrations.
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To develop and assess a disease specific instrument for measuring health related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). ⋯ The CLDQ is short, easy to administer, produces both a summary score and domain scores, and correlates with the severity of liver disease.