(C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation.”
“Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of two betamethasone dosage regimens on selected parameters in mothers and on the status of the preterm newborn. Methods: The analysis included 121 patients who gave birth by gestational week 35 and within 7 days after the completion of a full course of steroid treatment

(24 mg). The study group consisted of 45 patients receiving six 4-mg doses of betamethasone every 8 h. The control group consisted of 76 patients receiving two 12-mg doses of betamethasone separated by 24 h. Results: After treatment, a significant increase in the leukocyte count was observed in the selleck products control group. Significant reductions in the erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin levels and hematocrit after treatment were also found in the control group. The post-natal status of newborns did not differ significantly between groups. The betamethasone dosage regimen used did not affect the

incidence of moderate and severe respiratory disorders, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), retinopathy (ROP), infection, hyperbilirubinemia or anemia in neonates. Mild respiratory disorders were slightly more common in the study group. Conclusion: A reduction in the single steroid dose administered to patients at risk of premature birth may reduce maternal side-effects.”
“Background: Non-caseating granulomas exist in a substantial portion of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified as a having MEK inhibitor side effects strong association selleckchem with CD, including

SNPs within the autophagy related 4 homolog A (ATG4A) gene and the neutrophil cytosolic factor 4 (NCF4) gene. We hypothesized a possible association between the presence of granulomas in CD patients and variants in the ATG4A and NCF4 genes.

Aims: To investigate whether variants in the NCF4 and ATG4A genes are associated with granuloma formation in a cohort of Israeli patients with CD, exploring demographic and clinical characteristics that differ between granuloma positive and granuloma negative patients.

Methods: 307 Israeli patients with CD were studied. Patients with CD who underwent biopsy or resection of the intestine were classified according to presence or absence of granulomas. Using PCR-RFLP we determined the allele frequency in SNP rs4821544 (NCF4 gene) and SNP rs807185 (ATG4A gene) for all patients.

Results: Granulomas were found in 85 out of 307 CD patients (27%). There were no significant differences between patients with or without granulomas in allele frequency in SNPs rs4821544 and rs807185. CD Patients with granuloma were younger at diagnosis than patients without granuloma (mean age 19 vs. 27, respectively, P<0.0001) and were more likely to undergo surgery (55.3% vs. 34.8%, respectively, P=0.002).