Colorectal Cancer in Patient with Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Aim. A clinical observation to highlight the importance of detailed examination in patients with functional gastrointestinal symptoms.Key points. A 28-yo female patient was admitted with complains of left ileal pain, abdominal distention and up to 4-day stool delay. The complaints had long been interpreted as clinical manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome. No significant abnormalities were revealed in outpatient check-up (general and biochemical blood panels, stool test, abdominal ultrasound, oesophagogastroduodenoscopy). Colonoscopy was performed on admission, with diagnosis of rectal adenocarcinoma. The patient had a prompt surgical intervention, repeated courses of polychemotherapy and is currently followed by an oncologist and coloproctologist. No relapse signs have been reported.Conclusion. Patients with the complaints satisfying the Rome Criteria Revision IV for functional gastrointestinal diseases should have a thorough examination as per recommendations of the Russian Gastroenterological Association and Russian Association of Coloproctologists.

Drug Therapy for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis-Induced Liver Fibrosis

Aim. An overview of current pharmacotherapy for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-associated liver fibrosis.Key points. In current clinical recommendations, therapeutic measures in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease should include lifestyle change, body weight normalisation, NASH-associated liver fibrosis-specific drug therapy and treatment for metabolic syndrome-related diseases. Given a lack of approved antifibrotic therapies in NASH, several drugs have nevertheless demonstrated an adequate efficacy and safety in phase 3 clinical trials, also in compensated cirrhosis, which allows their practical validation in phase 4.Conclusion. The understanding of liver fibrosis as an adverse natural consequence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease clearly attests for an early introduction and wide use of antifibrotic therapy to improve NASH outcomes and avoid associated complications.

Current Prospects of Herbal STW 5 Agent in Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal Diseases

Aim. A review of current therapeutic perspectives of the herbal STW 5 medicine (Iberogast®) in functional gastrointestinal (GI) diseases.Key points. A limited remediation in most common functional GI diseases, functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), is conditioned by their multifactorial pathogenesis. Meanwhile, most specific medicines only target selected pathogenesis components, thus warranting a multitarget agent development. Such is Iberogast® that acts at variant components of FD and IBS pathogenesis. The article reviews the Iberogast® mechanisms of action and evaluates its treatment efficacy in FD and IBS.Conclusion. The current evidence claims that Iberogast® provides an effective and safe treatment for FD and IBS.

Bile Acids and Their Value for Central Nervous System

Aim. A review to highlight the bile acids importance as steroid mediators of nervous system activity and show the nervous system involvement in cholesterol metabolism and bile acids production.Key points. Presence of bile acid membrane and nuclear receptors and their activation role in mediating manifold metabolic processes have been established in various organs and tissues. Bile acid transporters are discovered in CNS. The animal brain under physiological conditions was found to contain about 20 bile acid types of likely innate origin suggested by their high contents; the bile acids spectrum in CNS differs significantly from blood plasma. Clinical and experimental works are conclusive about the CNS bile acids influence on mitochondrial membrane, their antioxidative role and, probably, steroid-mediator involvement in indirect regulation of memory, attention, motor functions and appetite.Conclusion. Bile acids act as pleiotropic signalling molecules affecting various tissues. The presence in CNS of various bile acid synthesis-related receptors and enzymes indicates their value in brain functioning and warrants research into their metabolism.

Hymecromone Administration in Real Clinical Practice: Results of the Prospective Multicentre Observational Study in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Introduction. This multicentre prospective non-interventional observational study was conducted to obtain additional data about Odeston efficacy and safety in routine clinical practice. The objectives of the study included collection of clinical characteristics of patients, evaluation of Odeston effects in treatment of biliary pain and changes in the gallbladder emptying, evaluation of compliance to therapy, and treatment effect satisfaction.Materials and methods. The study was conducted from July 2020 to April 2021 at the premises of 60 study sites in 4 cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Patients having indications for Odeston administration according to the patient leaflet were enrolled. The study included 2 patient visits and an intermediate telephone contact. A visual analogue scale and RAPID questionnaire were used to characterise biliary pain; severity of associated symptoms, bowel habit and a quality of life according the SF-12 were also assessed. A rate of a ≥50 % reduction in symptom severity was used as a primary efficacy criterion; a rate of a ≥10 improvement in the SF-12 quality of life score was used as a secondary efficacy criterion. Compliance to treatment was evaluated using a number of days on Odeston. Treatment satisfaction was assessed using 5 grades.Results. 877 patients, 68.2 % of females and 31.8 % of males, were included in the study; the mean age was 46.0 ± 14.9 years. Primary functional biliary disorder was diagnosed in 65.3 % of patients, chronic non-calculous cholecystitis — 51.4 %, uncomplicated gallbladder disease — in 8.9 %, biliary sludge — 38.4 %, sphincter of Oddi functional disorder — 5.3 % of patients. A dose of Odeston was prescribed at the discretion of the physician. Group A patients received 600 mg (n = 89), group B received 1200 mg of Odeston a day (n = 788). In group B, an incidence of pronounced pain interference with daily living activities was higher. In both groups, the mean VAS scores were reduced to 1 point on treatment, a primary efficacy criterion was achieved in 77.3 % of patients in group A and in 79.8 % of patients in group B, р < 0.05. In both groups, a reduction in the incidence of constipation and diarrhea (р < 0,001) and an increase in the mean scores of physical and mental functioning were noted (р < 0.001, though a secondary efficacy criterion was not achieved (a ≥10 change in the SF-12 score). A prevalence of ultrasonographic sings of biliary sludge was reduced, and an increased gallbladder emptying was observed (p < 0.001). 77.4 % of patients in a total group of patients reported about drug administration for 21 days. A number of patients who were completely satisfied with treatment was higher in group B (p = 0.027).Conclusions. It was found that biliary pain interfered with daily living activities and commonly accompanied by other symptoms of gastrointestinal dysmotility. Odeston effectively reduces the severity of biliary pain, corrects dyspeptic disorders and normalizes stool pattern in patients with functional and organic diseases of the biliary system. Treatment satisfaction was higher with a dose of 1200 mg a day, particularly in more pronounced interference of pain with daily living activities.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Clinical Recommendations of the Russian Gastroenterological Association and Association of Coloproctologists of Russia

Aim. Current clinical recommendations accentuate current methods for the diagnosis and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).Key points. IBS is a functional bowel disorder manifested with recurrent, at least weekly, abdominal pain with the following attributes (any two leastwise): link to defecation, its frequency or stool shape. The symptoms are expected to persist for at minimum three months in a total six-month follow-up. Similar to other functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, IBS can be diagnosed basing on the patient symptoms compliance with Rome IV criteria, provided the absence of potentially symptom-causative organic GI diseases. Due to challenging differential diagnosis, IBS can be appropriately established per exclusionem, with pre-examination as follows: general and biochemical blood tests; tissue transglutaminase IgA/IgG antibody tests; thyroid hormones test; faecal occult blood test; hydrogen glucose/ lactulose breath test for bacterial overgrowth; stool test for enteric bacterial pathogens and Clostridium difficile A/B toxins; stool calprotectin test; abdominal ultrasound; OGDS, with biopsy as appropriate; colonoscopy with biopsy. The IBS sequence is typically wavelike, with alternating remissions and exacerbations often triggered by psychoemotional stress. Treatment of IBS patients includes dietary and lifestyle adjustments, various-class drug agents prescription and psychotherapeutic measures.Conclusion. Adherence to clinical recommendations can facilitate timely diagnosis and improve medical aid quality in patients with different clinical IBS variants.

Digestive Disease Mortality Dynamics During New Coronavirus Infection Pandemic in Different Subjects of Russian Federation

Aim. An analysis of digestive disease mortality dynamics in different subjects of the Russian Federation in course of the new coronavirus infection pandemic.Key points. In most subjects of the Russian Federation, the first half of 2021 enduring the COVID-19 pandemic has witnessed a higher overall mortality from digestive diseases and from peptic ulcer, liver and pancreatic illnesses compared to the same period in 2020. This situation may have roots in both the adverse impact of coronavirus infection on pre-existing digestive diseases and shortages in providing specialty medical aid to gastroenterological patients during the pandemic. Improved outpatient care and remote counselling, as well as successful educational measures, may reduce gastroenterological disease-associated mortality.Conclusion. Most regions of Russia have registered a growing mortality from digestive diseases at the new coronavirus infection pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 adverse impact on illness progression, as well as imposed difficulties in providing specialty medical aid.

Highlights of 27th United Russian Gastroenterology Week and Specialty Commission in Gastroenterology Meeting of the Ministry of Health of Russia

.

Diagnostic Algorithm for Joint Pain in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disorders

Aim. An algorithm development for joint pain differential diagnosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD) and its validation in clinical practice.Materials and methods. A total of 349 IBD patients hospitalised for gastroenterological complaints at the Chelyabinsk Regional Clinical Hospital during 2017–2020 have been examined.Results. Upon survey, 97 (27.8%) IBD patients complained of joint pain. Ulcerative colitis (UC) predominated (79 patients; 81.4%), Crohn’s disease (CD) had a 18.6% incidence. In survey, 27% UC and 32.1% CD patients reported joint pain (p = 0.26). Among IBD patients, 52.6% had mechanical, and 47.4% — inflammatory pain. The inflammatory back pain (IBP) rate in survey cohort was 23.7%. Use of a diagnostic algorithm allowed concomitant rheumatic disease detection in 7 (7.2%) patients from the IBD–joint pain cohort: 2 patients were diagnosed with psoriatic spondyloarthritis, 2 — rheumatoid arthritis, 1 — gout and 2 — with ankylosing spondylitis. IBD-associated arthritis was diagnosed in 41 (42.3%) cases, osteoarthritis — in 38 (39.2%) IBD patients with joint pain, arthralgia with no objective inflammation, impaired joint function or lesions in X-ray and/or ultrasound — in 13 (13.4%) patients.Conclusion. Joint pain complaints are common in IBD patients and require a multispecialty rheumatologists-involving approach to proceed with differential diagnosis and opting for treatment tactics. A clinically verified algorithm coupled with laboratory tests and instrumental imaging facilitates diagnosis and optimal therapy selection in IBD patients with complaints of joint pain.

Mycophenolate Mofetil and Clostridium difficile-associated Colitis

Aim. A clinical observation of colitis conditioned by mycophenolate mofetil intake and concomitant Clostridium difficile-associated disease.Key points. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an active immunosuppressant with side effects affecting gastrointestinal tract (GIT). A 37-yo male patient with type 1 diabetes mellitus was admitted at a gastroenterology unit with clinical signs of diarrhoea with haematochezia. A history of diabetic nephropathy and related-donor pre-dialysis kidney transplantation in 2012, since when MMF intake was 2000 mg daily. Catarrhal ulcerative colitis in colonoscopy, C. difficile toxins in pathogen stool panel. Ulcerative, ischaemic colitises and the graft-versus-host disease were ruled out in examination. A positive clinical and endoscopic trend was observed upon MMF withdrawn and start of vancomycin.Conclusion. The case presented illustrates the clinical picture and diagnostic algorithm in MMF-associated colitis. The case-distinctive is association with C. difficile infection.