Eosinophilic enteritis – case report of a rare manifestation and review of updates

Eosinophilic enteritis is one of the eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders characterised by various clinical symptoms. Histopathologic proof of dense eosinophilic infiltration is the cornerstone for the diagnosis. There is no consensus on how dense the infiltration should be, and cut-off values of the eosinophilic count in HPF have not been defined yet. Therapy for eosinophilic enteritis is based on an elimination diet and corticosteroid treatment. Herein the authors report a case of 14-year-old boy who suffered from acute abdominal pain. Computer tomography of the abdomen revealed a thickening of the duodenal wall mimicking a tumour, which seemed to infiltrate the gallbladder and omentum. Histopathological examination of samples taken during laparoscopy showed eosinophilic infiltration and sclerotic changes of the gallbladder and duodenum. Follow-up endoscopy proved extensive eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract: eosinophilic esophagitis, duodenal ulcer with dense eosinophilic presence and eosinophilic proctitis. The patient recovered after dietary restrictions and prednisone.</jats:p

MicroRNA as an Early Biomarker of Neonatal Sepsis

Sepsis is a major cause of lethality in neonatal intensive care units. Despite significant advances in neonatal care and growing scientific knowledge about the disease, 4 of every 10 infants born in developed countries and suffering from sepsis die or experience considerable disability, including substantial and permanent neurodevelopmental impairment. Pharmacological treatment strategies for neonatal sepsis remain limited and mainly based upon early initiation of antibiotics and supportive treatment. In this context, numerous clinical and serum-based markers have been evaluated for diagnosing sepsis and evaluating its severity and etiology. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) do not encode for proteins but regulate gene expression by inhibiting the translation or transcription of their target mRNAs. Recently, it was demonstrated in adult patients that miRNAs are released into the circulation and that the spectrum of circulating miRNAs is altered during various pathologic conditions, such as inflammation, infection, and sepsis. Here, we summarize current findings on the role of circulating miRNAs in the diagnosis and staging of neonatal sepsis. The conclusions point to substantial diagnostic potential, and several miRNAs have been validated independently by different teams, namely miR-16a, miR-16, miR-96-5p, miR-141, miR-181a, and miR-1184.</jats:p