BACKGROUND: Outcome of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection results from interaction of multiple variables including host, environmental and bacterial-associated virulence factors. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the correlation of cagA, cagE, vacA, iceA and babA2 genotypes with gastric histopathology and disease phenotype in the central region of a South-European country. METHODS: This prospective st...
BACKGROUND: Empiric triple treatments for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are increasingly unsuccessful. We evaluated factors associated with failure of these treatments in the central region of Portugal. METHODS: This single-center, prospective study included 154 patients with positive (13)C-urea breath test (UBT). Patients with no previous H. pylori treatments (Group A, n = 103) received pantoprazole 40 mg 2×...
PURPOSE: NOD2 mutations have been linked to an increased risk of Crohn's disease and to some of its phenotypes. The association between NOD2 mutations and susceptibility to ulcerative colitis (UC) remains somewhat controversial and potential correlations between these mutations and UC phenotype have not been studied. AIM: To assess whether NOD2 mutations are a risk factor for UC in Portugal and if there are any...
INTRODUCTION: Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics is steadily increasing and multidrug-resistant strains are common and difficult to eliminate, mainly in countries where bismuth, tetracycline, furazolidone, and rifabutin are unavailable. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a triple therapy with proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), amoxicillin, and doxycycline in patients with multidrug-resistant H. py...
Colorectal cancer is initiated in colonic crypts as a consequence of alterations leading to the disruption of the normal colonic cellular process. We propose a model, which couples a convection-diffusion type equation with a level set equation, for tracking the time evolution of an epithelial cell set, inside a colonic crypt, until it reaches the top of the crypt. The convection-diffusion equation describes the...
PURPOSE: CARD15 mutations are associated with higher susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD) and longstanding colonic CD increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The relation between these mutations and sporadic CRC remains controversial. The aim of this study was to assess whether germline and/or somatic CARD15 mutations are risk factors for sporadic CRC in Portugal and whether there are genoty...
BACKGROUND: CARD15 mutations alter bowel immunity and increase susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD). However, the relation between these mutations and Crohn's perianal fistulas has not been fully clarified. AIMS: To assess whether CARD15 mutations are associated with risk of developing Crohn's perianal fistulas and whether these mutations are predictors of the response of perianal fistulas to antibiotics. MET...
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Aberrant crypt foci (ACF) are preneoplastic lesions in animal models of colorectal cancer. The aim of the study is to investigate if ACF are involved in human colorectal carcinogenic process and if they can be helpful in predicting the presence of a colorectal neoplasia. METHODS: The study included, between 2003 and 2005, 182 patients, 62 with adenoma, 55 with colorectal carcinoma, 53 witho...