Objective:To investigate the correlation between transabdominal bowel ultrasongraphy (TBUS) parameters and disease activity of ulcerative colitis (UC).Methods:The results of TBUS, endoscopy and laboratory tests of 68 UC patients (108 examinations) who visited the Department of Gastroenterology of the Second Hospital (Eastern Campus) of Hebei Medical University From January 2022 to February 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. According to Mayo endoscopic score (MES), there were 10 cases of remission (MES=0) and 98 cases of active phase (MES>0); patients in active phase further classified into 16 cases of mild (MES=1), 19 cases of moderate (MES=2), and 63 cases of severe (MES=3). The TAUS parameters were compared between patients in remission and active phases. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the TBUS parameters including bowel wall thickness (BWT), Limberg score, wall layer stratification, fat wrapping and endoscopic activity score, laboratory inflammatory indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was applied to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the TBUS parameters and laboratory inflammatory indicators in identifying remission under endoscopy. Independent sample t-test and Fisher′s exact probability method were used to compare the two groups. Results:The BWT of patients in remission was significantly thinner than that of patients in active phase ((2.99±0.41) mm vs. (5.66±1.57) mm, t=-5.34, P<0.001). The proportions of patients in remisson with Limberg score ≤2, normal wall layer stratification, and absence of fat wrapping were significantly higher than those of patients in active phase (10/10 vs. 34/98, 10/10 vs. 48/98, 10/10 vs. 41/98, Fisher′s exact test, P<0.001, =0.002, =0.001). BWT, Limberg score, wall layer stratification, and fat wrapping were positively correlated with MES ( r=0.676, 0.677, 0.441, and 0.493, all P<0.001). BWT and Limberg score were moderate positively correlated with C-hypersensitive reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and fecal calprotectin (BWT: r=0.561, 0.420 and 0.458, all P<0.001; Limberg score: r=0.576, 0.469 and 0.403, all P<0.001), and were negatively correlated with serum albumin and hemoglobin (BWT: r=-0.604 and -0.453, both P<0.001; Limberg score: r=-0.573 and -0.532, both P<0.001). The results of ROC analysis showed that BWT achieved the best predictive efficacy in identifying endoscopic remission, and the best cut-off value was 3.45 mm (area under the curve was 0.972, 95% confidence interval: 0.944 to 1.000, P<0.001), with a sensitivity of 93.9% and specificity of 100.0%. Conclusions:TBUS parameters can accurately reflect disease activity in UC. It is a powerful tool for UC monitoring. The BWT<3.45 mm is the best cut-off value in prediction of endoscopic remission.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between transabdominal bowel ultrasongraphy (TBUS) parameters and disease activity of ulcerative colitis (UC).Methods:The results of TBUS, endoscopy and laboratory tests of 68 UC patients (108 examinations) who visited the Department of Gastroenterology of the Second Hospital (Eastern Campus) of Hebei Medical University From January 2022 to February 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. According to Mayo endoscopic score (MES), there were 10 cases of remission (MES=0) and 98 cases of active phase (MES>0); patients in active phase further classified into 16 cases of mild (MES=1), 19 cases of moderate (MES=2), and 63 cases of severe (MES=3). The TAUS parameters were compared between patients in remission and active phases. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the TBUS parameters including bowel wall thickness (BWT), Limberg score, wall layer stratification, fat wrapping and endoscopic activity score, laboratory inflammatory indicators. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was applied to evaluate the predictive efficacy of the TBUS parameters and laboratory inflammatory indicators in identifying remission under endoscopy. Independent sample t-test and Fisher′s exact probability method were used to compare the two groups. Results:The BWT of patients in remission was significantly thinner than that of patients in active phase ((2.99±0.41) mm vs. (5.66±1.57) mm, t=-5.34, P<0.001). The proportions of patients in remisson with Limberg score ≤2, normal wall layer stratification, and absence of fat wrapping were significantly higher than those of patients in active phase (10/10 vs. 34/98, 10/10 vs. 48/98, 10/10 vs. 41/98, Fisher′s exact test, P<0.001, =0.002, =0.001). BWT, Limberg score, wall layer stratification, and fat wrapping were positively correlated with MES ( r=0.676, 0.677, 0.441, and 0.493, all P<0.001). BWT and Limberg score were moderate positively correlated with C-hypersensitive reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and fecal calprotectin (BWT: r=0.561, 0.420 and 0.458, all P<0.001; Limberg score: r=0.576, 0.469 and 0.403, all P<0.001), and were negatively correlated with serum albumin and hemoglobin (BWT: r=-0.604 and -0.453, both P<0.001; Limberg score: r=-0.573 and -0.532, both P<0.001). The results of ROC analysis showed that BWT achieved the best predictive efficacy in identifying endoscopic remission, and the best cut-off value was 3.45 mm (area under the curve was 0.972, 95% confidence interval: 0.944 to 1.000, P<0.001), with a sensitivity of 93.9% and specificity of 100.0%. Conclusions:TBUS parameters can accurately reflect disease activity in UC. It is a powerful tool for UC monitoring. The BWT<3.45 mm is the best cut-off value in prediction of endoscopic remission.

Objective:To summarize the clinical features of intestinal Beh?et′s disease, so as to provide reference for the diagnosis of the disease.Methods:From April 1 2014 to January 31 2019, the clinical data of 47 patients diagnosed as intestinal Beh?et′s disease at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University were retrospectively analyzed, which included initial symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, complications, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), the levels of C reactive protein (CRP), hemoglobin, serum albumin, results of acupuncture test, gastrointestinal involved site and ulcer shape. At the same time, gender differences of clinical manifestations were compared. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.Results:Among 47 patients with intestinal Beh?et′s disease, the initial symptoms of 26 (55.3%) cases were gastrointestinal symptoms. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom, the others were diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal distension and perianal abscess, and the incidence rate was 80.9%(38/47), 46.8% (22/47), 42.6% (20/47), 36.2% (17/47) and 2.1% (1/47), respectively. The main complications were gastrointestinal bleeding, perforation and obstruction, and the incidence rates was 40.4% (19/47), 4.3% (2/47) and 4.3% (2/47), respectively. Thirty-seven (78.7%) patients had different degrees of hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin<35 g/L). The CRP level of 36(76.6%) patients increased. The ESR of 36 (76.6%) patients increased. Twenty-two (46.8%) patients had mild anemia (hemoglobin<90 g/L). The acupuncture test was positive in 25 (53.2%) patients. The involved sites of gastrointestinal tract were terminal ileum and ileocecal junction, colon, esophagus, duodenum and jejunum, stomach, and rectum, the proportion was 57.4% (27/47), 27.2% (13/47), 23.4% (11/47), 23.4% (11/47), 17.0% (8/47) and 8.5% (4/47), respectively. All 47 (100.0%) patients had oral ulcers. 62.1%(18/29) patients presented with multiple ulcers under endoscope. The shape of ulcer was round ulcer, irregular ulcer, and longitudinal ulcer, the proportion was 48.3% (14/29), 34.5% (10/29) and 17.2 (5/29), respectively. The incidence rate of genital ulcer of female patients with intestinal Beh?et′s disease was higher than that of male patients with intestinal Beh?et′s disease (85.7%, 18/21 vs. 30.8%, 8/26), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=14.189, P<0.01). There were no significant differences between the female group and the male group in the incidence rate of oral ulcer, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and positive rate of acupuncture test (100.0%, 21/21 vs. 100.0%, 26/26; 85.7%, 18/21 vs. 76.9%, 20/26; 42.9%, 9/21 vs. 50.0%, 13/26; 52.4%, 11/21 vs. 58.3%, 14/26, all P>0.05). Conclusions:The common clinical symptoms of intestinal Beh?et′s disease are oral ulcers, abdominal pain, diarrhea and genital ulcer. Female patients with intestinal Beh?et′s disease are more likely to develop genital ulcer than male patients with intestinal Beh?et′s disease. Multiple ulcers are more common under endoscopy, which are round ulcer, irregular ulcer and longitudinal ulcer. The most common sites are the terminal ileum and ileocecal junction, followed by colon, esophagus and other parts.

Background: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the most common cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and an important cause of death in hospitalized patients with diarrhea. However, there are not sufficient clinical researches on the risk factors of CDI. Aims: To investigate the risk factors of CDI in hospitalized patients with diarrhea. Methods: A total of 230 hospitalized diarrhea patients who received Clostridium difficile test from January 2015 to January 2019 at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University were collected. The patients were divided into CDI group and non-CDI group. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the risk factors of CDI. Results: Compared with non-CDI group, patients in CDI group had a longer hospital stay (P<0.05) and a higher proportion of surgery in the past 6 months (P<0.05). The number of comorbidities in CDI group was higher than that in non-CDI group (P<0.05), and the ratio of gastrointestinal disease, cardiovascular disease, blood/immune system disease, nervous system disease in CDI group were higher than those in non-CDI group (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed the number of comorbidities (OR=3.215, 95% CI: 1.576-4.743; P=0.003), gastrointestinal disease (OR=4.135, 95% CI: 3.048-11.416; P=0.000), surgical history (OR=6.734, 95% CI: 2.692-15.849; P=0.000) and antibiotic use (OR=5.996, 95% CI: 2.173-15.481; P=0.000) were risk factors of CDI, especially the use of quinolone antibiotics (OR=4.769, 95% CI: 2.138-14.757; P=0.000). Conclusions: CDI can prolong the hospital stay of patients with diarrhea. Number of comorbidities, underlying gastrointestinal disease, recent history of surgery and antibiotic use, especially the use of quinolone antibiotics are risk factors of CDI in hospitalized patients with diarrhea.

Objective:To explore the risk factors, clinical features, endoscopic characteristics and the efficacy of antiviral therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients complicated with cytomegaloviremia (CMV) and Epstein-Barr (EB) viremia.Methods:From April 1, 2014 to January 31, 2019, at The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, a total of 320 UC patients hospitalized at the Department of Gastroenterology were enrolled. According to the pathogens, the patients were divided into four groups: complicated with CMV and EB viremia group ( n=35), only complicated with CMV viremia group ( n=33), only complicated with EB viremia group ( n=52) and without CMV and EB viremia group ( n=200). Clinical features and the efficacy of antiviral therapy of the patients were retrospectively analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia. Kruskal-Wallis H test, Chi-square test and Fisher exact test were used for statistical analysis. Results:The proportion of patients of age>60 years old (42.86%, 15/35), the rate of glucocorticoid use (51.43%, 18/35) within three months before onset and the inefficacy rate of glucocorticoid treatment (22.86%, 8/35) of UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia group were all higher than those of UC without CMV and EB viremia group (14.00%, 28/200; 24.50%, 49/200; 1.00%, 2/200), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=17.062, 10.598 and 29.769; all P<0.01). However, there were no statistically significant differences between UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia group and UC without CMV and EB viremia group in gender, and treatment of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), azathioprine and infliximab within three months before onset (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients with fever (54.29%, 19/35), abdominal pain (91.43%, 32/35), hematochezia (94.29%, 33/35), weight loss (28.57%, 10/35), severe disease activity (94.29%, 33/35), total colon involvement (91.43%, 32/35), serum albumin less than 30 g/L (71.43%, 25/35) and hemoglobin less than 100 g/L (48.57%, 17/35) of UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia group were all higher than those of UC without CMV and EB viremia group (13.50%, 27/200; 43.00%, 86/200; 44.00%, 88/200; 13.50%, 27/200; 38.00%, 76/200; 65.00%, 130/200; 18.00%, 36/200 and 18.50%, 37/200), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=31.475, 27.945, 32.930, 5.100 and 40.194, Fisher exact test, χ2=44.242 and 15.220, all P<0.01). However, there were no statistically significantl differences in clinical classification and disease course (all P>0.05). The incidence rates of deep ulcer (45.71%, 16/35), irregular ulcer (42.86%, 15/35) and longitudinal ulcer (8.53%, 3/35) under endoscopy of UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia group were significantly higher than those of UC without CMV and EB viremia group (1.50%, 3/200; 3.50%, 7/200 and 1.00%, 2/200), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=72.521 and 49.837, Fisher exact test, all P<0.01). The incidence rates of deep ulcer and irregular ulcer under endoscopy of UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia group were higher than those of UC only complicated with EB viremia group (15.38%, 8/52 and 11.54%, 6/52), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=9.663 and 11.206, P=0.002 and 0.001). The results of Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that severe disease activity, serum albumin level less than 30 g/L, and deep ulcer and irregular ulcer under endoscopy were risk factors of UC patients complicated with CMV and EB viremia (odds ratio=48.519, 44.352, 53.432 and 39.989, 95% confidence interval 9.057 to 587.669, 4.499 to 437.245, 3.302 to 864.670 and 3.418 to 467.910, all P<0.05). The improvement rate of antiviral therapy in UC complicated with CMV and EB viremia group (73.53%, 25/34) was significantly lower than those of UC only complicated with CMV group (96.88%, 31/32) and UC only complicated EB viremia group (95.65%, 44/46), and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2=6.989 and 6.310, P=0.008 and 0.012). Conclusions:UC patients with severe disease activity, serum albumin level less than 30 g/L, and deep ulcer and irregular ulcer under endoscopy are more likely to develop CMV and EB viremia. The more severe the disease, the worse the treatment response, so it is necessary to strengthen the screening to CMV and EB virus infection in UC patients.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors and clinical features of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Methods:Clinical data of UC patients in hospital with complete CDI screening information at Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2015 to January 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were divided into two groups according to whether they were diagnosed with CDI. Demographic characteristics and clinical features of CDI in UC patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to reveal the risk factors of CDI.Result:A total of 162 UC patients were enrolled in this study, including 84 males and 78 females. Thirty-seven UC patients (22.8%) were diagnosed with CDI. Compared with the non-CDI group, the CDI group had a higher proportion of patients who used glucocorticoids (62.2% vs. 25.6%, P<0.05) and infliximab (13.5% vs. 1.6%, P<0.05) . The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed glucocorticoids treatment was the independent risk factor of CDI in UC patients ( OR = 4.111, 95% CI: 1.581-9.131, P = 0.001) . Conclusion:Systemic treatment with glucocorticoids increases the risk of CDI in UC patients.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurrent chronic non-specific intestinal inflammatory disease. Because of the poor nutritional status and immune dysfunction caused by IBD, and the therapeutic application of glucocorticoid and immunosuppressive agents in some patients, the IBD patients are at high risk of opportunistic infections. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a kind of opportunistic causative virus which is common in IBD patients. EBV infection can cause the rapid disease progresses, worsen the effect of conventional medicine treatment, and induce the EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders. This article discusses the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical characteristics and the therapeutic strategies of IBD patients with EBV infection.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors and clinical features of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Methods:Clinical data of UC patients in hospital with complete CDI screening information at Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2015 to January 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were divided into two groups according to whether they were diagnosed with CDI. Demographic characteristics and clinical features of CDI in UC patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to reveal the risk factors of CDI.Result:A total of 162 UC patients were enrolled in this study, including 84 males and 78 females. Thirty-seven UC patients (22.8%) were diagnosed with CDI. Compared with the non-CDI group, the CDI group had a higher proportion of patients who used glucocorticoids (62.2% vs. 25.6%, P<0.05) and infliximab (13.5% vs. 1.6%, P<0.05) . The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed glucocorticoids treatment was the independent risk factor of CDI in UC patients ( OR = 4.111, 95% CI: 1.581-9.131, P = 0.001) . Conclusion:Systemic treatment with glucocorticoids increases the risk of CDI in UC patients.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurrent chronic non-specific intestinal inflammatory disease. Because of the poor nutritional status and immune dysfunction caused by IBD, and the therapeutic application of glucocorticoid and immunosuppressive agents in some patients, the IBD patients are at high risk of opportunistic infections. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a kind of opportunistic causative virus which is common in IBD patients. EBV infection can cause the rapid disease progresses, worsen the effect of conventional medicine treatment, and induce the EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders. This article discusses the epidemiology, risk factors, clinical characteristics and the therapeutic strategies of IBD patients with EBV infection.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of 1,2-dichloroethane(1,2-DCE) subacute exposure on depression in rats as well as the relevant mechanism of monoamine neurotransmitters. METHODS: The specific pathogen free male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, low-, medium-, and high-dose groups, with 10 rats in each group. The rats in these 4 groups were intra-gastrically administered with 1,2-DCE(diluted in corn oil) at the dose of 0, 20, 40, 80 mg/kg body weight, every other day for 14 times. After exposure, the behavior change of rats was observed by open-field test, sucrose preference test and forced swim test. The levels of the monoamine neurotransmitters including 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), noradrenaline(NA) and dopamine(DA) in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum of rats were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection method. RESULTS: The number of rearing, time and distance of central area, sucrose preference index of mice in medium and high dose groups were decreased(P<0.05), while immobility time of forced swim test was increased(P<0.05) when compared with the mice in control group. The levels of 5-HT, NA and DA in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum decreased with the increase of 1,2-DCE exposure(P<0.05), showing a dose-effect relationship. The levels of 5-HT, NA and DA in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum in the high-dose group were lower than that of control group(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The subacute exposure of 1,2-DCE can induce depression-like behavior in rats. The mechanism might be related to the reduction of monoamine neurotransmitters in striatum, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.