Long-Term Alteration of Intestinal Microbiota in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis by Antibiotic Combination Therapy

Previous work has demonstrated that intestinal bacteria, such as Fusobacterium varium (F. varium), contribute to the clinical activity in ulcerative colitis (UC); thus, an antibiotic combination therapy (amoxicillin, tetracycline, and metronidazole (ATM)) against F. varium can induce and maintain UC remission. Therefore, we investigated whether ATM therapy induces a long-term alteration of intestinal microbiota in patients with UC. Patients with UC were enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Biopsy samples at the beginning of the trial and again at 3 months after treatment completion were randomly obtained from 20 patients. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) in mucosa-associated bacterial components was examined to assess the alteration of the intestinal microbiota. Profile changes of T-RFLP in mucosa-associated bacterial components were found in 10 of 12 patients in the treatment group and in none of 8 in the placebo group. Dice similarity coefficients using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages (Dice-UPGMA) confirmed that the similarity of mucosal microbiota from the descending colon was significantly decreased after the ATM therapy, and this change was maintained for at least 3 months. Moreover, at 3 months after treatment completion, the F. varium/β-actin ratio, examined by real-time PCR using nested PCR products from biopsy samples, was reduced less than 40% in 8 of 12 treated patients, which was higher, but not significantly, than in 4 of 8 patients in the placebo group. Together, these results suggest that ATM therapy induces long-term alterations in the intestinal microbiota of patients with UC, which may be associated, at least in part, with clinical effects of the therapy.     

Serum Glycan Markers for Evaluation of Disease Activity and Prediction of Clinical Course in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Background

The aims of this study were to determine the change of whole-serum N-glycan profile in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and to investigate its clinical utility.

Methods

We collected serum from 75 UC patients at the time of admission and the same number of age/sex-matched healthy volunteers. Serum glycan profile was measured by comprehensive quantitative high-throughput glycome analysis and was compared with disease activity and prognosis.

Results

Out of 61 glycans detected, 24 were differentially expressed in UC patients. Pathway analysis demonstrated that highly sialylated multi-branched glycans and agalactosyl bi-antennary glycans were elevated in UC patients; in addition, the glycan ratio m/z 2378/1914, which also increased in UC, showed the highest Area under Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (0.923) for the diagnosis of UC. Highly sialylated multi-branched glycans and the glycan ratio m/z 2378/1914 were higher in the patients with total colitis, Clinical Activity Index >10, Mayo endoscopic score 3, or a steroid-refractory status. In particular, the glycan ratio m/z 2378/1914 (above median) was an independent prognostic factor for the need for an operation (hazard ratio, 2.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–7.84).

Conclusions

Whole-serum glycan profiles revealed that the glycan ratio m/z 2378/1914 and highly sialylated multi-branched glycans increase in UC patients, and are correlated with disease activity. The glycan ratio m/z 2378/1914 was an independent predictive factor of the prognosis of UC.     

溃疡性结肠炎对凝血-纤溶系统激活现象的探讨

目的:通过对活动期和缓解期溃疡性结肠炎(UC)患者凝血和纤溶系统各指标的检测和对比,探讨肠炎对凝血-纤溶系统的激活作用。方法:以20名缓解期溃疡性结肠炎患者为对照,检测20名活动期溃疡性结肠炎患者体内凝血和纤溶系统各指标,包括血小板计数、活化部分凝血活酶时间(APTT)、凝血酶时间(TT)、凝血酶原时间(PT)、凝血因子Ⅻ、Ⅺ、Ⅹ、Ⅸ、Ⅷ、Ⅶ、Ⅴ、Ⅱ,纤维蛋白原和D二聚体(D-D)。结果:活动期溃疡性结肠炎患者体内凝血因子Ⅺ、Ⅹ、Ⅸ、Ⅷ、Ⅴ、Ⅱ因子以及血浆纤维蛋白原、D-二聚体水平显著高于非活动期患者,其他指标没有显著差别。结论:活动期溃疡性结肠炎患者凝血-纤溶系统处于激活状态,提示肠炎可以激活凝血-纤溶系统。     

Reliability of Physical Signs in Patients with Severe Attacks of Ulcerative Colitis

A series of observer variation studies in a small group of patients suffering from severe acute ulcerative colitis is reported. Seventy-two separate assessments of the patients'' physical signs and clinical progress were made by three independent observers.The results of this investigation suggest that there is difficulty in eliciting general physical signs such as anaemia or dehydration in these patients. By contrast, local abdominal signs such as tenderness and distension were relatively reliably elicited. The results also suggest that there are considerable problems in evaluating these clinical signs in terms of the patient''s immediate subsequent progress.     

Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis with Azathioprine

Azathioprine (Imuran) was administered to seven patients with ulcerative colitis suffering from a relapse which could not be controlled by adrenocortical steroids. In four patients remission started one to two weeks after initiation of antimetabolite therapy. Corticosteroid administration was continued concurrently with azathioprine, but the dosage could be reduced and in one case they were withdrawn.Apart from transient leucopenia in two cases, and transient nausea and vomiting in two, no complications were encountered.