Reduction of Sniff Nasal Inspiratory Pressure (SNIP) as an Early Indicator of the Need of Enteral Nutrition in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the standard procedure for feeding severely dysphagic patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It is associated with prolonged survival and improvement in quality of life. Nasal inspiratory pressure during a sniff (SNIP) is a respiratory test used extensively in ALS for the assessment of inspiratory muscle strength. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of SNIP at baseline to predict PEG placement in ALS. Data from a clinical incident cohort of 179 ALS cases attending the multidisciplinary ALS unit of the University of Bari between April 2006 and December 2012 were retrospectively analysed. At baseline, patients underwent detailed neurological, nutritional and respiratory assessments, including measurements of SNIP and forced vital capacity (FVC). Patients were therefore followed up approximately every three to six months until they were able to attend the centre. The censoring date for the survival analysis was 15 April 2014, with PEG placement as the main outcome. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to examine the association between SNIP and PEG placement, adjusted for possible confounders. During the follow-up period, 75 participants (42%) received PEG implant. PEG placement was more frequent (57% vs. 31%; p = 0.001) and earlier (after 11.6 ± 14.0 months from the first visit, vs. 23.3 ± 15.5 months; p < 0.0001) in the group of patients with baseline SNIP ≤ 40 cm H2O. Baseline SNIP was a predictor of PEG placement even after correction for multiple potential confounders (HR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96–0.99; p = 0.02). To conclude, the present study showed that SNIP at baseline is an early indicator of disease progression and therefore of the need for enteral nutrition in ALS.

Helicobacter pylori infection and positive Rome IV criteria for functional dyspepsia in Romanian medical students

Recent data suggest that the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in Romania has been declining in the last 30 years. However, there are no studies regarding HP prevalence among medical students. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of HP infection and assess the prevalence of dyspepsia in medical students and the relationship between dyspepsia and infection. We included 150 students from the Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Cluj-Napoca, Romania (102 females and 48 males, mean age 21 years). Each student completed a lifestyle questionnaire, personal history, family history as well as the Rome IV questionnaire for functional dyspepsia. The status of HP infection was determined using the C13-urea respiratory test. The prevalence of HP infection was 25.33%, and 18% met the Rome IV criteria for functional dyspepsia. 37% of students with functional dyspepsia had a positive HP test. Of all students, 8% had a history of HP infection. Those with a history of HP infection had a 4.45% (95% CI 1.6 – 12.37) higher risk of having positive Rome IV criteria for functional dyspepsia than those with no previous history of infection (p=0.008). Thus, the present study adds to the body of evidence regarding HP prevalence among medical students, 25.33% being positive. We found no statistically significant correlation between HP infection and functional dyspepsia. Those with a history of HP infection had a higher risk of functional dyspepsia.

Simulation-based optimisation to quantify heterogeneity of specific ventilation and perfusion in the lung by the Inspired Sinewave Test

The degree of specific ventilatory heterogeneity (spatial unevenness of ventilation) of the lung is a useful marker of early structural lung changes which has the potential to detect early-onset disease. The Inspired Sinewave Test (IST) is an established noninvasive ‘gas-distribution’ type of respiratory test capable of measuring the cardiopulmonary parameters. We developed a simulation-based optimisation for the IST, with a simulation of a realistic heterogeneous lung, namely a lognormal distribution of spatial ventilation and perfusion. We tested this method in datasets from 13 anaesthetised pigs (pre and post-lung injury) and 104 human subjects (32 healthy and 72 COPD subjects). The 72 COPD subjects were classified into four COPD phenotypes based on ‘GOLD’ classification. This method allowed IST to identify and quantify heterogeneity of both ventilation and perfusion, permitting diagnostic distinction between health and disease states. In healthy volunteers, we show a linear relationship between the ventilatory heterogeneity versus age ($${R}^{2}=0.42$$ R 2 = 0.42 ). In a mechanically ventilated pig, IST ventilatory heterogeneity in noninjured and injured lungs was significantly different (p < 0.0001). Additionally, measured indices could accurately identify patients with COPD (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve is 0.76, p < 0.0001). The IST also could distinguish different phenotypes of COPD with 73% agreement with spirometry.

Chronic gastroduodenal pathology in schoolchildren: the clinical picture and features of the course

The aim of the study was to study the course and clinical manifestations of chronic gastroduodenal pathology (CGDP) in schoolchildren.Materials and methods. Clinically examined 286 children and adolescents from 6 to 15 years old with СGDP. The research methods included collection of anamnestic data, instrumental and functional (esophagogastroduodenoscopy, pH-metry), clinical and laboratory (general blood analysis, coprology), and Helicobacter pylori infection was tested by respiratory test and fecal immunochromatographic test.Result. Studies have shown that the main clinical manifestations of СGDP in children were dyspeptic syndrome, vegetovascular dysfunction, and pain syndrome, against the background of objectively visible signs of anemia. Symptoms were more characteristic in patients with СGDP from vegetovascular dysfunction: loss of appetite (83.6%), fatigue (83.2%), recurrent headaches (62.2%), and sleep disturbances (59.1%). Among dyspeptic disorders, unstable stools (85%), periodic nausea (57.7%), belching (56.6%), and a feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region after eating (56.3%) prevailed. Clinical symptoms more pronounced in children with chronic gastritis.Conclusion. For schoolchildren with CGDP, vegetovascular dysfunction (98.9%) with severe dyspeptic disorders (100%) and pain (79%), against the background of objective signs of anemia (53%), is more characteristic. In adolescents is more often a less symptomatic.

Diagnosis of the Syndrome of Excessive Bacterial Growth of the Small Intestine in Patients with Bauhinia Insufficiency and After its Surgical Correction (First Results)

Objective: To determine the syndrome of excessive bacterial growth in the small intestine (SIBO) in patients with insufficiency of the bauhinia valve (NBZ) and after its surgical correction. Methods of examination: Patients of the studied groups were examined using direct and indirect methods of diagnosis of SIBO. Bacteriological examination of ileal aspirate and other surgical material was performed. All patients underwent a hydrogen respiratory test with a load of lactulose and performed a qualitative reaction of urine to indican. Characteristics of the material: 50 patients were examined, of which 30 were included in the main group, who underwent surgical correction of NBZ - Bauginoplasty; 20 patients are included in the control group in which the ileocecal valve is consistent. Patients of the main group were examined before surgery and on the 7th and 45th day after Bauhinoplasty. Main results: All patients of the main group had SIBS of varying severity, in 80% of patients SIBS was localized in the distal small intestine. Patients with normal function of ileocecal valve syndrome of excessive bacterial growth did not suffer. Intraoperatively, 76% of patients showed signs of mesenteric mesentery of the small intestine, and the fact of bacterial translocation in SIBO was also confirmed. After 7 days after surgical correction of the Bauhinia valve, the normalization of peak and background excretion of hydrogen was observed in 37% of patients. For 45 days in all patients the hydrogen curve corresponded to the norm. Conclusions: the deficiency of the bauhinia valve is obligately accompanied by the syndrome of excessive bacterial growth in the small intestine, surgical correction is an effective method for correcting the syndrome of excessive bacterial growth in patients with NBD.

Disorders of cardiorespiratory coupling in hypercapnic respiratory test and moderate physical exercise in patients with pulmonological pathology

Relevance.The comprehensive assessment of cardiorespiratory coupling (CRC) for the diagnosis of functional adaptation in pulmonological patients is presented.The objective of the study was to test the complex criteria of CRC for objective differential diagnosis of individual adaptive reactions of pulmonological patients.Methods and materials. 30 volunteers without verified pathology and 31 patients with restrictive and obstructive disorders were examined. All subjects underwent physical examination with traditional routine method using spiroarteriocardiorhythmography (SACR) at rest and during performing functional tests with hypercapnia and moderate physical exercise.Results. We proposed the methodology of integrated assessment of multicomponent system of CRC, which increases the diagnostic precision of SACR in the tasks of predicting the adaptive defects of the organism at different pulmonary syndromes.Conclusion. Breathing with a fixed frequency normalizes the regulation of CRC, both in healthy and pulmonological patients. Moderate physical activity (80 W) modifies the indicators of CRC in pulmonological patients in comparison with the control group statistically due to disorders of the heart rate and circulation. During moderate physical activity, stroke volume (SV) statistically decreases in patients differently: SV were significantly lower in the group with obstructive disorders than in the group with non-obstructive disorders.

Chronic duodenal stasis and the state of cavity intestinal microbiota

Objective: to study the motor-evacuation function of the gastrointestinal tract in chronic duodenal stasis and the conjugation of their disorders with excessive bacterial growth.Materials and methods. Thirty patients with chronic duodenostasis (DS) aged 37.1 ± 13.8 years were examined. Anamnestic and physical data, results of X-ray and endoscopic examinations, intracavitarymanometry were used in the verification of DS. The determination of excess bacterial growth (IDB) in the small intestine was carried out by analyzing the results of the hydrogen respiratory test (VDT). The assessment of the motor function of the stomach and duodenum was carried out using the gastroenteromanometer GEM-01 “Gastroskan-GEM”. For conducting short-term pH-measurement, the Gastroskan-5M device was used.Results. All patients with DS presented dyspeptic complaints, revealed asthenic syndrome. In the postprandial period, impaired propulsive motility in all sections of the digestive tube was also expressed, which proves a 1.5-fold decrease in fasting urea, jejunum and ileum by 1.5 times in both phases of the study (p& <0.001). In patients with DS, IDB was detected in 22 (78.6%) cases. Among all examined patients in 19 (67.9%) patients, IDB was associated with increased bacterial activity in the small intestine. Colon dysbiosis was detected in 3 (10.7%) patients (χ2 = 7.093, p = 0.008). A correlation analysis between the hydrogen content in exhaled air and the rhythmic coefficient of the large intestine showed a reliable strong feedback (r& = 0.65, p = 0.015).Conclusion. A comprehensive study of the motor-evacuation function of the digestive system and the state of enteric microbiocenosis expands the possibilities of pathogenetically substantiated therapy for diseases of the organs of the gastroduodenobiliary pancreatic zone.