Essentials D‐dimer could provide important information about abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) progression. The greatest diameter of the infrarenal aorta and the value of plasma D‐dimer were determined. AAA progression is correlated with increasing plasma D‐dimer levels. The increasing value of plasma D‐dimer could be a predictor of aneurysm progression.

Objectives: Chemokines and their receptors participate in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory diseases. Few studies have confirmed that variants of CCR5 gene are correlated with susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn’s disease. Data on prevalence of CCR5Δ32 mutation in Crohn’s disease in population from Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina are lacking. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of CCR5Δ32 mutation and its association with Crohn’s disease in these populations. Methods: In this pilot study, we recruited 229 participants. Out of 60 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 30 were controls; out of 169 participants from Poland, 83 were controls. We examined the prevalence of CCR5Δ32 mutation and compared with disease behavior/phenotype which was assessed according to Montreal classification. Participants were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and data were analyzed using the StatView computer software version 5.0 (SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, USA). Results : Ileal localization was more frequent in Bosnian (40.0%) compared to Polish patients with Crohn’s disease (3.2%) ( χ 2 =26.07; p<0.0001). A2L2B1 and A2L3B1 were more frequent in Polish than in Bosnian patients with Crohn’s disease ( χ 2 =60.31; p<0.001). In Bosnian and Polish patients with Crohn’s disease mean frequency of Δ32 allele was 3.3% and 7.0%, and for Bosnian and Polish control groups 13.3% and 9.8%, respectively. Conclusion: CCR5Δ32 mutation may be associated with disease behavior and thereby may contribute to the observed heterogeneity of Crohn’s disease. Further studies with larger sample size in both countries are warranted. Keywords: genetic polymorphism, C-C chemokine receptor type 5, Crohn’s disease, Montreal classification

Data on prevalence and phenotypic consequences of nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain 2/caspase recruitment domains 15 (NOD2/CARD15) variants in Crohn's disease (CD) population in Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are nonexistent. We aimed to determine the prevalence of NOD2/CARD15 mutations and their association with disease phenotype in Polish and Bosnian patients with CD and in healthy controls. We prospectively recruited 86 CD patients and 83 controls in Poland and 30 CD patients and 30 controls in B&H, 229 in total. We determined the prevalence of NOD2/CARD15 mutations and their association with the disease phenotype according to Montreal classification. Participants were genotyped for Leu1007fsinsC and Gly908Arg mutations. At least one CD-associated allele was found in 29/86 (33.7%) of Polish CD patients and in 9/83 (10.8%) of healthy controls (p<0.001). In both CD patients and controls in Bosnian sample, at least one NOD2 mutation was found in equal number of patients (3/30; 10%) with all of the NOD2 mutation positive CD patients being homozygous, while controls being heterozygous. In Polish sample, perianal disease was less frequent in CD patients with any NOD2 mutation (1/21; 4.8%) compared to those without (11/41; 26.8%; p=0.046). Higher percentage of patients with NOD2 mutations had history of CD related surgery when compared with those without mutations (66.7% vs. 43.3%; p=0.05). The risk for CD is increased in patients with NOD2 mutations (Poland) and especially in the presence of homozygous NOD2 mutations (Poland and Bosnia). The presence of variant NOD2 alleles is associated with increased need for surgery and reduced occurrence of perianal disease.

A case of a 45-year-old Caucasian male initially reported with symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction was presented. Diagnostic tests revealed presence of eosinophilic ascites with marked peripheral eosinophilia, a significant thickening of stomach and intestinal wall and infiltration of gastric and duodenal mucosa with eosinophiles. Findings were conclusive with subserosal type of eosinophilic gastroenteritis and the patient's treatment started with a combination of parenteral methylprednisolone and oral loratadine. A prompt clinical response was encountered after 5 days of treatment with complete resolution.

Acute pancreatitis is a rare but life-threatening complication in patients with transplanted kidney. The incidence of acute pancreatitis after kidney transplantation ranges from 2% to 7%, with mortality rate between 50 and 100%. We report a case of a female patient aged 46 years, developing an interstitial acute pancreatitis 8 years following a renal transplantation. The specific aethiological factor was not clearly established, although possibility of biliary pancreatitis with spontaneous stone elimination and/or medication-induced pancreatitis remains the strongest. Every patient after renal transplantation with an acute onset of abdominal pain should be promptly evaluated for presence of pancreatitis with a careful application of the most appropriate diagnostic procedure for each individual patient.

Objective To establish an optimal age threshold for endoscopy referral in patients with simple uninvestigated dyspepsia in the setting of European developing country (Bosnia and Herzegovina) with low availability and high workload of endoscopy units. Methods We reviewed patient information on all upper endoscopies performed during a 6-year period (2000–2005). Different age thresholds were evaluated in terms of their predictive power for absence of malignancy. Results A total of 82 of 4403 (1.86%) dyspeptic patients had upper gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy. Age cutoffs of 40 years for men and 45 years for women had the best predictive power, without any cases of upper GI malignancies below those thresholds. Age cutoffs of 45 years for men and 50 years for women also had excellent negative predictive values (99.7 and 99.9%, respectively) with 1.45 and 0.98 cases of missed upper GI malignancies per 1000 endoscopies, respectively. A total of 1709 of 4403 (38.8%) of endoscopies might have been avoided in men of less than 45 and women of less than 50 with uninvestigated dyspepsia. Conclusion (i) Age thresholds for endoscopy referral are lower than in Western countries and should be different for men and women. (ii) Cutoff values of 40 and 45 years for men and women, respectively, are completely safe to use. (iii) Thresholds of 45 years for males and 50 years for females have a small level of risk of missing upper GI malignancy, but are acceptable to use in areas of low availability of endoscopy.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a lifelong disease arising from an interaction between genetic and environmental factors, but seen predominantly in the developed countries of the world. The precise etiology is unknown and therefore a causal treatment is not yet available. Fistulating Crohn's disease includes fistulas arising in the perianal area, together with those communicating between the intestine and other organs or the abdominal wall. Non perianal fistulas include fistulas communicating with other viscera (urinary bladder, vagina), loops of intestine (enteroenteral fistulas) or the abdominal wall (enterocutaneus fistulas). The diagnostic approach is a crucial aspect in the management of fistulating CD as the findings influence the therapeutic strategy. Short bowel syndrome caused by extensive bowel resection should be initially treated with nutritional support and can caused serious treatment and reevaluating problems. We review this uncommon manifestation in a high risk patient after multiple operations and severely shortened bowel and also with non perianal fistulating CD.

Objective To determine (i) the prevalence of HBV infection in families of confirmed chronic carriers, (ii) possible routes of transmission and risk factors for the intrafamilial transmission, (iii) vaccination rate among family members of chronic carriers and (iv) family members with highest risk for infection. Methods A total of 172 family members of 67 hepatitis B surface antigen chronic carriers were tested for hepatitis B markers; 716 first-time blood donors from the same area were used as controls. Results Prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen was higher (P<0.001) among family members of index cases (12.2%; 21/172) than among controls (3.6%; 26/716) with relative risk of 3.3 (95% confidence Intervals=1.9–5.8; P<0.05). Rate of exposure among family members was 37.8% (65/172); only 8.7% (15/172) had been vaccinated for hepatitis B virus. Difference (P<0.001) in exposure existed among family members; exposure increased with age (ρs=0.34; P<0.001). Prevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen positivity and hepatitis B virus exposure were higher among parents of index cases (P<0.005) and among offspring of female index cases (P<0.001). There were more (P<0.001) hepatitis B surface antigen-positive family members among those with mother–children relationship with index case (13/31; 41.9%) than among those with father–children (19/85; 22.4%) and horizontal (siblings and spouses) relationship (2/56; 3.6%). Significantly more (P<0.001) hepatitis B surface antigen-positive and hepatitis B virus-exposed offspring were found in families where only mother was hepatitis B surface antigen positive. Among family members of HBeAg-positive cases more hepatitis B surface antigen-positive cases and hepatitis B virus-exposed cases have been found (P<0.001). Combination of HBeAg positivity and female sex of index case significantly increased risk for chronic carriage among family members (relative risk=24.06; 95% confidence interval=8.88–65.21; P<0.05). Conclusion In the area studied, both horizontal and vertical transmission exists, but maternal route is predominant. Female sex, HBeAg positivity of index carrier and presence of hepatitis B surface antigen-positive mother inside family increased risk for hepatitis B surface antigen positivity and exposure among family members. Vaccination rate of family members of index cases is alarmingly low.

Colorectal cancer occurs in the familial cancer syndromes in about 2 to 4 percent. The major genetic syndromes are Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). FAP is caused by germline mutation of APC gene, and HNPCC is caused by germline mutation in one of five MMR genes. The identification of patients with inherited disease is very important in the management of colorectal cancer. But, it is impractical to test every patient with the disease for these mutations. The clinical and genetical screening programme should be advised for family members at risk and colectomy in affected individuals in purpose to reduce the frequency of colorectal cancer.

The most frequent causes of the stenosis are as follows: Schatzki rings, structures as the complications of GERB', postcorrosive and postoperative at nosis. The Balloon dilatation is one from the therapeutic procedures of stenosis of the esophagus. By the clinic research is included 12 patients with the stenoses of the esophagus of the various cause. It is used the balloon dilatator (Olympus) of the diameter 16 and 18 mm, and the analysis 40 mm. In 11 patients the balloon dilatation was successful and led to the walking of the esophagus for endoscope. Only in one patient the dilatation was unsuccesful, because was applied two years after the occurrence of the stenosis caused by the corrosive esophagisitis. It is concluded that the balloon dilatation of the therapeutic procedures of the choice in stenosis of the esophagus.

observation of the gastric body mucosa shows dominant patterns in relation to the regular arrangement of collecting venules, subepithelial capillary network