Upsala journal of medical sciences
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Corticosteroids, immunomodulators (IM) and tumour necrosis factor antagonists (anti-TNF) are commonly used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but they also supress the defence against infectious disease. The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence of infectious events in patients with IBD and the association to concomitant medical therapy. ⋯ We observed no significant difference in risk for infections between patients on monotherapy with IM or anti-TNF and patients with low use of immunosuppression, but there was a significant risk for combination therapy.
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Endothelial-specific molecule 1 (endocan) has emerged as an inflammatory biomarker in recent years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic value of serum endocan levels in the prediction of COVID-19 disease among patients with a false-negative reverse transcription polymerase change reaction (RT-PCR) test, and also to determine its correlation with the clinical severity of the disease. ⋯ There is a need for different laboratory markers capable of assisting diagnosis and showing COVID-19 infection in suspected COVID-19 RT-PCR false-negative patients. Endocan levels can be used as an assistant blood test for identifying COVID-19 patients with false-negative RT-PCR tests and in determining the clinical severity of the disease.
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Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is an immune-mediated fibroinflammatory condition that can affect multiple organs. IgG4-RD may show a variety of initial symptoms. In the oral mucosa, lesions present as inflammatory fibrosis with a large number of IgG4-positive plasma cells. ⋯ We present a case report of localized IgG4-RD with ulcerative and proliferative manifestations on the tongue, which clinically mimicked oral squamous cell carcinoma. A tumor-like lesion on the tongue can indicate something else other than the malignant or reactive changes commonly found in the oral mucosa. Multiple differential diagnoses of these atypical oral lesions, including localized IgG4-RD, should be considered.
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There is a lack of knowledge about mortality in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Therefore, this study aimed to examine the mortality in EoE. ⋯ In this nationwide, population-based matched cohort study in Sweden, there was no increased risk of death in patients with EoE compared with their siblings and the general population.