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Biomedical subjects

Claudia Morselli

Publications and source records attributed to Claudia Morselli.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Antimicrobials in the management of inflammatory bowel disease.

Many experimental and clinical observations suggest a potential role for intestinal microflora in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Manipulation of the luminal content using antibiotics may therefore represent a potentially effective therapeutic option. However, the available studies do not support the use of antimicrobials in ulcerative colitis and larger studies are required. These drugs are however effective in treating septic complications of Crohn's disease (CD). The use of antibacterial agents as primary therapy for CD is more controversial, although this approach is frequently and successfully adopted in clinical practice. Despite the fact that properly controlled trials have been not carried out, antimicrobials are the mainstay of the treatment of pouchitis. Rifaximin is a poorly absorbed, broad-spectrum antibiotic that, thanks to its efficacy and long-term safety, could represent the preferred tool of manipulating enteric flora in patients with IBD. Preliminary data suggest that rifaximin may be beneficial in the treatment of active ulcerative colitis (and pouchitis), mild to moderate CD as well as prevention of post-operative recurrence of CD.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Probiotic therapy in the prevention of pouchitis onset: decreased interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8, and interferon-gamma gene expression.

BACKGROUND: Probiotic therapy has been shown to prevent the onset of pouchitis and to improve the quality of life in ulcerative colitis patients who required ileal pouch anal anastomosis. Pouchitis has been associated with elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis of archived endoscopic samples from responding patients enrolled in the above-mentioned trial, we were interested in studying mucosal gene expression of the pleiotropic proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6), TH1 cytokines (interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-12), regulatory cytokines (interleukin-10, transforming growth factor-beta), and the chemokine interleukin-8. In addition to assessment of cytokine gene expression, the presence of polymorphonuclear cells in the mucosal tissue was evaluated. RESULTS: Data show that patients who were treated with probiotics had significant lower mucosal mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1beta, interleukin-8, and interferon-gamma compared with placebo-treated patients. In addition, a lower number of polymorphonuclear cells was present in the tissue of patients within the probiotic group compared with the number of polymorphonuclear cells in the tissue of patients receiving placebo and patients having an episode of pouchitis. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that probiotic treatment regulates the mucosal immune response by reducing mucosal levels of neutrophil-chemoattractant IL-8 and tissue influx of polymorphonuclear cells, and may further act by inhibition of T-cell activation, by reinforcement of barrier function and by a tight control of the potent pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1beta.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Management of inflammatory bowel disease: does rifaximin offer any promise?

An increasing number of both clinical and laboratory-derived observations support the importance of luminal components in driving the inflammatory response in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Although its role is unclear, antibiotic therapy is commonly used in clinical practice for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Metronidazole and/or ciprofloxacin are currently employed in active Crohn's disease, particularly in patients with colonic involvement and with perianal disease. Rifaximin, a rifamycin-derived antibiotic, is characterized by a wide range of antibacterial activity and a very low systemic absorption. Some preliminary data show its efficacy in severe active ulcerative colitis, pouchitis and prevention of postoperative recurrence in Crohn's disease.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2004

Management of pouch dysfunction or pouchitis with an ileoanal pouch.

Pouchitis, a non-specific inflammation of the ileal reservoir, is the most frequent long-term complication after pouch surgery for ulcerative colitis. Incidence rates vary widely. The etiology is still unknown, but genetic susceptibility and fecal stasis with bacterial overgrowth seem to be important factors. A clinical diagnosis should be always confirmed by endoscopy and histology, and Pouchitis Disease Activity Index (PDAI), based on clinical symptoms, endoscopic appearance and histologic findings, represents an objective and reproducible scoring system for pouchitis. The treatment of pouchitis is largely empiric given the few controlled studies available. Antibiotics, especially metronidazole and ciprofloxacin, are the therapy of choice. Chronic pouchitis occurs in about 10-15% of patients; in these cases, further diagnostic tests should be performed to exclude alternative diagnoses. Highly concentrated probiotics (VSL#3) have been shown to be effective in preventing the onset and relapse of pouchitis.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2003

Standard treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic, chronic inflammation of the colon which may present with a range of mild to severe symptoms. The disease may be localized to the rectum or can be more extensive and involve the left side of the colon or the whole colon. Treatment in UC is directed towards inducing and maintaining remission of symptoms and mucosal inflammation. The key parameters to be assessed for the most appropriate treatment are the severity and extent of the inflammation. Meta-analyses of published trials have shown that topical treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) is the treatment of choice in active distal mild-to-moderate UC. Oral aminosalicylates are effective in both distal and extensive mild-to-moderate disease, but in distal disease, the rates of remission are lower than those obtained with topical 5-ASA. New steroids, such as budesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), administered as enemas, constitute an alternative to 5-ASA therapy. In some studies, these have been shown to be as effective as conventional steroids but with significantly lower inhibition of plasma cortisol levels. Patients with unresponsive disease or those with more severe presentation will require oral corticosteroids and sometimes intravenous therapy. Approximately 10% of patients with unresponsive UC have severe attacks requiring hospitalization. Patients with severe disease should be managed jointly by a medical and surgical team, and intensive intravenous treatment should be started with high-dose steroids. Early recognition of failure of therapy will allow the introduction of immunosuppressive therapy with intravenous cyclosporine. Patients who respond are shifted to oral cyclosporine associated with azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, whereas those who fail will require proctocolectomy. Oral aminosalicylates are the first-line therapy in maintenance of remission. Topical 5-ASA may play a role in distal disease. Patients who are steroid dependent can be started on azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine although it may take up to 3 months for the treatment to become effective. They may have reversible immediate side effects, such as pancreatitis or bone marrow suppression, which disappear upon discontinuation of therapy. Close monitoring of these hematologic and biochemical parameters will improve safety. The use of biologic therapy with infliximab in more severe disease has not been established.

Administration, Oral↗