M.C. Di Paolo

Short-chain fatty acid topical treatment in distal ulcerative colitis

Background: Some evidence indicates that short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) enemas are effective in the treatment of distal ulcerative colitis.

Sulphasalazine and 5-aminosalicylic acid in long-term treatment of ulcerative colitis: report on tolerance and side-effects.

BACKGROUND Use of sulphasalazine in ulcerative colitis patients is hampered by a variety of side-effects, including male infertility. 5-aminosalicylic acid is better tolerated and has been increasingly used to treat patients intolerant/allergic to sulphasalazine but it may also be associated with side-effects. AIM To evaluate tolerance of long-term treatment with sulphasalazine and 5-aminosalicylic acid in ulcerative colitis. METHODS Side-effects to sulphasalazine (2-3 g/day) and 5-aminosalicylic acid (1.2-2.4 g/day) were recorded in 685 patients: 410 patients received only sulphasalazine, 130 only 5-aminosalicylic acid, and 145 both drugs. In patients with side-effects to sulphasalazine, a desensitisation protocol (rechallenge) was attempted to improve tolerance, and patients still presenting side-effects after desensitisation were switched to 5-aminosalicylic acid. Male fertility was also assessed in 42 males on sulphasalazine and on 5-aminosalicylic acid. RESULTS Side-effects were observed in 110/555 patients (20%) on sulphasalazine and in 18/275 patients (6.5%) on 5-aminosalicylic acid during a median period of follow-up of 7 and 5 years, respectively. Desensitisation was achieved in 40% of patients intolerant to sulphasalazine. 5-aminosalicylic acid intake induced side-effects in 2/130 patients (1.5%) who had not taken sulphasalazine before versus 4/91 patients (4%) tolerating sulphasalazine and 12/54 patients (22%) intolerant/allergic to sulphasalazine, the difference in incidence of side-effects in the two latter groups being statistically significant (4.4% vs 20.8%, p=0. 001). Fertility was found to be affected in all patients on sulphasalazine but improved when put onto 5-aminosalicylic acid. CONCLUSIONS 5-aminosalicylic acid should be considered the drug of choice in the treatment of ulcerative colitis bearing in mind that intolerance or allergy may occur in a few patients also on this drug.

Absence of circulating interferon in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Suggestion against an autoimmune etiology

Whether inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can be classified as autoimmune disorders is not established. Since circulating acid‐labile interferon‐alpha (IFN‐α) is believed to reflect autoimmune reactions, we tested sera from two groups of IBD patients for the presence of circulating IFN. No detectable IFN was found in 51 serum samples of IBD patients. Furthermore, in no serum sample of IBD patients were neutralizing anti‐IFN antibodies found. In contrast, acid‐labile IFN‐αwas present in sera from 21/52 HIV‐infected and from 6/14 systemic lupus erythematosus patients. These observations provide evidence that IBD differs from systemic autoimmune disorders, at least for the presence of circulating IFN.

Application of a scintillating-fibre detector to the study of short-lived particles

Abstract The technique of particle tracking with scintillating fibres is described and its application to the study of short-lived particles is illustrated using results obtained in the WA84 experiment at CERN.

WS9.5 The role of daily physical activity on exercise performance in adults with cystic fibrosis

WS9.5 The role of daily physical activity on exercise performance in adults with cystic fibrosis D. Savi1, M. Di Paolo2, N.J. Simmonds3, T. Perelli1, M. Varchetta1, S. Bertasi1, G. Cimino1, P. Troiani1, V. D’Alù1, S. Quattrucci1, S. Cucchiara1, P. Palange2. 1Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology, Cystic Fibrosis Center, Rome, Italy; 2Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Rome, Italy; 3Royal Brompton Hospital and Imperial College, Department of Cystic Fibrosis, London, United Kingdom