Cancer treatments including chemotherapy and radiotherapy treat cancer by targeting rapidly dividing cells. Although these forms of treatment damage rapidly dividing cancer cells, they are also toxic to the cells of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to inflammation of the mucosal layer (mucositis) and causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Improvement in symptoms may allow patients to have better performance status permitting ongoing treatment and possibly a better prognosis. This article describes the pathophysiology of chemotherapy-induced mucositis and includes 3 case reports of treatment of mucositis with serum bovine immunoglobulin.

SAMMANFATTNING Livet förändras både fysiskt och emotionellt när individen får en diagnos med en kronisk sjukdom. Den sjuke tvingas att anpassa och acceptera att livet förändras. Hur livet med sjukdomen upplevs och hur personen anpassar sig, är individuellt. Även anhöriga och vänner runt den sjuke drabbas. Vården kan bli en viktig del i den sjukes livsvärld och det är viktigt att lyfta fram hur den som är sjuk upplever sin sjukdom och sin vardag. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva personers upplevelser av att leva med kronisk inflammatorisk tarmsjukdom och hur sjukdomen inverkar på deras vardag. Metod: En litteraturöversikt valdes som metod. Resultatet består av 16 vetenskapliga artiklar, publicerade mellan 2005-2016 vilka passade till studiens syfte och frågeställning. I analysen hittade författarna meningsenheter som omvandlades till koder, koderna delades in i sub-kategorier och dessa delades in i huvudkategorier. Resultat: Tre huvudkategorier kunde utläsas efter analysarbetet; begränsningar i vardagen, emotionell påverkan och kontakter med vården. Begränsningar i vardagen beskrevs vara okontrollerad tarm, fysiska symtom, begränsning av att inte kunna medverka vid aktiviteter, arbetet och nutritionen. Emotionell påverkan var kopplad till maktlöshet, oro, skuld och bristande förståelse. Kontakter med vården beskrivs utifrån vårdens stöd och behandlingar. Slutsats: Stora delar av livet påverkas för personer som lever med kronisk inflammatorisk tarmsjukdom. Varje person upplever sin situation individuellt och har olika erfarenheter och tillgång till stöd. För att skapa kontroll av sin sjukdom krävs det att flera faktorer samspelar med varandra. Det gäller att prova sig fram till vad som fungerar bäst för varje individ. Här är det viktigt att vården är lyhörd och anpassar vården utefter varje individs individuella behov. / ABSTRACT Life changes both physically and emotionally when an individual is diagnosed with a chronical illness. The person is forced to adapt and accept that life changes. How life as ill is perceived individually and how the individual adapts to a new situation differs. Even relatives and friends around the patient suffer. The care can be an important part of the patient’s life-world and it is important to highlight how the patient experience their illness and their daily lives. Aim: The aim was to describe peoples’ experiences of living with chronic inflammatory bowel disease and how the disease affects their daily lives. Method: A literature review was chosen as method. The result consists of 16 scientific articles, published between 2005-2016 which were suited to the purpose of the study and research question. In the analysis aouther found meaning units that were converted into codes, the codes were divided into sub-categories and these were divided into major categories. Results: Three main categories could be seen after the analysis; limitations in everyday life, emotional impact and contacts with healthcare. Limitations in everyday life were described to be uncontrollable bowel, physical symptoms, and limitation of not being able to participate in activities, work and nutrition. Emotional impact was linked to powerlessness, anxiety, guilt and lack of understanding. Contacts with healthcare were based on healthcare support and treatment. Conclusion: Big parts of life is affected for people living with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Every individual experience their situation differently and have different experiences and access to support. In order to control their illness they require several factors that interact with each other. It’s up to every individual to try and find out what works best for them. Here it’s important that the healthcare personal is responsive and adapt healthcare along each person's individual needs.

Bakgrund: IBD är en kronisk inflammatorisk tarmsjukdom som innefattar sjukdomarna ulcerös kolit och Crohns sjukdom. Sjukdomen har ökat kraftigt i förekomst de senaste tre decennierna, även i Sverige. En person som har en kronisk sjukdom får en påverkad tillvaro och behöver stöd utöver bara kunskap om sjukdomen för att kunna hantera den. Professionell attityd och empati är viktiga aspekter för att skapa ömsesidigt förtroende och respektfull vård för personer med IBD. Syfte: Litteraturstudiens syfte var att belysa personers (≥18 år) upplevelser av att leva med inflammatorisk tarmsjukdom (IBD). Metod: En litteraturstudie med kvalitativ ansats, som omfattade 11 vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativ metodik, genomfördes. Databaserna CINAHL och PubMed användes för databassökning. Analysen genomfördes som en stegvis process inspirerad av innehållsanalys. Resultat: Personernas upplevelse av att leva med IBD sammanställdes i två kategorier; ‘Upplevelser ur ett inre perspektiv’ och ‘Upplevelser ur ett relationellt perspektiv’. Kategorierna delades därefter in i nio subkategorier; ‘Oförutsägbarhet och kontrollförlust’, ‘Oro för framtiden’, ‘Kroppsbild och stigma’, ‘Fysiska påfrestningar’, ‘Optimism’, ‘Sociala situationer’, ‘Familj och partner’, ‘Arbete samt ‘Sjukvård’. Konklusion: Personer med IBD upplever både fysiska och psykiska påfrestningar som kräver en helhetssyn i omvårdnaden. En individanpassad omvårdnad är avgörande för att upprätthålla förtroendet för vården och främja positiva resultat för personens behandling och hälsa. Sjuksköterskor bör vara lyhörda för de individuella behoven och ta hänsyn till de psykiska påfrestningar som sjukdomen kan bidra till. Det är också viktigt att skapa en trygg miljö för personerna, då sjuksköterskan kan fungera som en stödjande faktor vid sociala problem. Litteraturstudien visar därmed att omvårdnad spelar en betydande och värdefull roll i personers upplevelser av att leva med IBD. / Background: IBD is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease. It has significantly increased in incidence over the past three decades, in Sweden as well. A person with chronic illness experiences an impacted life and requires support beyond just knowledge of the disease in order to be able to manage it. Professional attitude and empathy are important aspects to create mutual trust and respectful care for people with IBD. Aim: The aim was to illuminate people’s (≥18 years) experiences of living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Method: A literature review with a qualitative approach, which included 11 scientific articles with qualitative methodology. The databases CINAHL and PubMed were used for the database searching. The analysis was conducted as a stepwise process inspired by content analysis. Results: The people’s experience of living with IBD was compiled into two categories; ‘Experiences from an inner perspective’ & ‘Experiences from a relational perspective’. The categories were then divided into 9 subcategories; ‘Unpredictability and loss of control’, ‘Anxiety about the future’, ‘Body image and stigma’, ‘Physical stress’, ‘Optimism’, ‘Social situations’, ‘Family and partner’, ‘Work’ and ‘Healthcare’. Conclusion: People with IBD experience both physical and psychological stress, which requires a holistic view in nursing. Individualized care is crucial to maintaining trust and promoting positive outcomes for a person's treatment and health. Nurses should be attentive to individual needs and consider the psychological impacts of the disease. Additionally, creating a safe environment is important, as nurses can act as a supportive factor in case of social problems. The literature review highlights the significant and valuable role of nursing care in the experiences of individuals living with IBD.

Introduction Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its complications have been well-established. The literature shows an association between IBD and decreased bone mineral density in the adult population. However, most studies have reported an association between IBD and osteoporosis, while the risk of fractures has not been well-studied. The aim of this meta-analysis is to summarize the best available evidence regarding IBS and osteoporotic fractures. Methods A review of the literature using the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed during November 2017. We included cross-sectional and cohort studies that reported the relative risks, odds ratios, and hazard ratios comparing the risk of developing osteoporotic fractures among patients with IBD patients, both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), versus patients without IBD as controls. The pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the generic inverse-variance method. Results After a review of the literature, seven studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria established during the analysis. A significant association was found between IBD and osteoporosis, with a pooled OR of 1.32 (95% CI, 1.2 - 1.4). Low heterogeneity among the studies was found, I=42.3. No publication bias was found using the Egger regression test p=0.18. Sensitivity analysis showed that the inclusion of data on children by Kappelman et al. (2007) did not change the results. Conclusion A significant association between IBD and the risk of developing osteoporotic fractures was observed in this study. There is a 32% increased risk, which is consistent with different cohort studies previously done.

Environmental factors such as diet contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Epidemiological evidence suggests a robust linkage between IBD and the Western diet, which is often characterized by a high intake of food additives. These additives, including synthetic colourants, are widely used, leading to significant human exposure. Allura Red AC (AR) is one of the most popular synthetic colourants, yet little is known about its impact on human health and the role of AR in the pathogenesis of colitis remains elusive. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), which regulates various gut physiological processes, has been shown to modulate the gut microbiota and enhance susceptibility to colitis. In this thesis, it was discovered that chronic exposure to AR, at a dose found in commonly consumed dietary products, exacerbated dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and triggered early onset of disease in the CD4+CD45RBhigh T cell-induced colitis model. AR also induced low grade colonic inflammation in naïve C57BL/6 mice. Exposure to AR was associated with increased colonic 5-HT levels and impaired intestinal barrier function via activation of the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) pathway. However, AR did not promote colitis in mice lacking tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (Tph1), the rate-limiting enzyme responsible for colonic 5-HT synthesis. Further, AR increased colonic 5-HT levels in germ-free (GF) mice and perturbed the gut microbiota composition in specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice. Transfer of this altered microbiota from the dye-exposed SPF mice to GF mice conferred enhanced susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis. Mechanistically, AR induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and promoted 5-HT secretion via the NF-κB pathway in BON cells. Data in this thesis indicate that the widely used synthetic colourant, AR, promotes colitis via colonic 5-HT in microbiota-dependent and -independent pathways. Collectively, these findings provide important information on enhancing public awareness of its detrimental effects on human health. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy / Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest a potential link between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and diet. The Western diet, often characterized by a high intake of processed foods, is associated with the growing incidence of IBD. Allura Red AC (AR) is a popular artificial food dye found in highly common processed foods, yet little is known about its impact on human health and disease. Serotonin, a key molecule in the gut, has been implicated in large bowel inflammation. Herein, the potential role of AR in the development of colitis was examined. Across multiple models, AR exposure heightened vulnerability to colitis in mice, an effect attenuated by reduced serotonin production in the gut. The effect of AR in enhancing colitis vulnerability occurred via gut microbiota-dependent and -independent pathways. These studies have identified how AR promotes colitis, findings that may advance public health awareness and impact the health of patients with IBD.

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<p>Increased visceral pain is often seen in patients with gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation. Some studies, however, have suggested that such pain may persist after resolution of damage or inflammation. Despite the debilitating pain associated with GI inflammation, and its significant impact on affected individuals, few studies have addressed this issue. We hypothesized that altered visceral pain responses would persist after resolution of a bout of colitis in an animal model of colitis. We studied the pain responses to colorectal distention in Wistar rats with dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis, using changes in heart rate as an index of pain. Colonic inflammation had resolved by day 15 after DNBS administration. The assessment of colonic inflammation was based on histological scores, colonic tissue pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and myleoperoxidase activity. Rats examined at 15 days post-DNBS administration exhibited diminished pain responses to colorectal distention as compared to healthy rats. This was associated with significant increases in colonic tissue levels of IL-4 and IL-10 as compared to healthy rats, indicating a possible role for these anti-inflammatory cytokines in counteracting the generation of pain and hyperalgesia. We also studied the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in our animal model, by administering inhibitors of two of the key enzymes involved in the production of H2S. Our results demonstrated that inhibition of H2S production did not significantly alter the pain responses observed in rats at 15 days post-DNBS administration. In summary, our results demonstrate altered autonomic responses to colorectal distension following resolution of colitis. Further research on the role of anti-inflammatory cytokines and H2S may help to determine the mechanism underlying this effect.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Mucosal inflammation in conditions ranging from infective acute enteritis or colitis to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is accompanied by alteration in enterochromaffin (EC) cell numbers and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) content in the gut. Previously we had shown that CD4+ T cells, via production of T helper (Th)2 cytokines, regulate EC cell biology in the Trichuris muris-infectious colitis model. I further examined the mechanisms of immuno-endocrine interactions in the context of intestinal inflammation. In chapter 3, utilizing human EC cell line and Trichuris muris-mouse model of infectious colitis we identified a critical role of interleukin (IL)-13, a key Th2 cytokine, in increasing EC cell numbers, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH)1 expression (rate-limiting enzyme of mucosal 5-HT bio-synthesis), and 5-HT production. In chapter 4, we show that IL-13 driven intestinal inflammation is critically dependent on increased 5-HT production using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and dinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (DNBS) models of colitis. In DSS-induced colitis, we were the first to identify the increased production of IL-13 and its pathogenic role as IL-13 knockout (IL-13-KO) mice had less severe inflammation compared to wild-type, which was exacerbated following replenishment of 5-HT in IL-13-KO mice. In chapter 5, biopsy examination revealed, higher mucosal IL-13 expression accompanied inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD), which was additionally associated with increased TPH1, 5-HT receptor (5-HTR)3A, 5-HTR7 and decreased 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) expressions. Moreover, CD patients had elevated plasma and platelet-poor plasma 5-HT levels compared to healthy controls (HCs). Furthermore, 5-HTT polymorphism associated genotypes causing inefficiency in 5-HT re-uptake were more common in our patient cohort than HCs. The findings included in this thesis further emphasize the role of immuno-endocrine interactions in intestinal inflammation, which may be a step toward a better diagnosis or management or even a cure for a disease that is of growing concern, and in understanding IBD pathogenesis. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The gut produces most of the serotonin found in our body, where it regulates many normal functions. A group of special cells, named enterochromaffin cells, produces nearly all of the serotonin in the gut. In diseases of the gut, especially ones that involve inflammation resulting in symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea and bleeding, the number of these cells and serotonin concentration are different from that in the normal gut. I found that these changes are controlled by a particular protein produced by immune cells, called interleukin-13, and alteration in serotonin levels, in turn, contributes to the inflammatory process. Our laboratory experiments with cells and animals establish this connection between interleukin-13 and serotonin in gut inflammation. We further confirm this association between interleukin-13 and serotonin in human inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, we identify a potential genetic cause of these changes in serotonin concentrations which may ultimately result in inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with diseases of the colon including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the functional role of many of these SNPs is largely unknown and tissue-specific resources are lacking. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping identifies target genes of disease-associated SNPs. This study provides a comprehensive eQTL map of distal colonic samples obtained from 40 healthy African Americans and demonstrates their relevance for GWAS of colonic diseases. RESULTS: 8.4 million imputed SNPs were tested for their associations with 16,252 expression probes representing 12,363 unique genes. 1,941 significant cis-eQTL, corresponding to 122 independent signals, were identified at a false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.01. Overall, among colon cis-eQTL, there was significant enrichment for GWAS variants for IBD (Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]) and CRC as well as type 2 diabetes and body mass index. ERAP2, ADCY3, INPP5E, UBA7, SFMBT1, NXPE1 and REXO2 were identified as target genes for IBD-associated variants. The CRC-associated eQTL rs3802842 was associated with the expression of C11orf93 (COLCA2). Enrichment of colon eQTL near transcription start sites and for active histone marks was demonstrated, and eQTL with high population differentiation were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Through the comprehensive study of eQTL in the human colon, this study identified novel target genes for IBD- and CRC-associated genetic variants. Moreover, bioinformatic characterization of colon eQTL provides a tissue-specific tool to improve understanding of biological differences in diseases between different ethnic groups.