Objectives Information on the occurrence and frequency of pulmonary involvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is inconsistent. Some authors reported pulmonary impairment with UC by standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and documented a reduced diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) especially in patients with active disease, whereas others could not detect differences in routine PFTs between UC patients and controls. Aim The aim of this prospective study was to determine the frequency and type of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with UC with respect to disease activity. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of smoking, nutritional status, sputum cytology and sulphasalazine therapy on PFT parameters. Patients and methods Twenty-six patients with UC (20 with active disease, 6 inactive) and 16 age and sex matched healthy controls were investigated with respect to the following pulmonary function tests, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the 1s (FEV1%) and their ratio (FEV1/FVC) and forced expiratory flow 25–75% (FEF25–75%) as well as oxygen saturation. For UC patients, colonoscopy and biopsy were done. Disease activity was assessed by Truelove index for UC. Induced sputum was sampled for cytology. Smoking habit, body mass index (BMI) and medications were recorded. Results Fifteen out of 26 patients with UC (57.6%) exhibited at least one pathological pulmonary function test (80% of predicted value). Small airway obstruction was reported in the 15 patients, restrictive dysfunction in 30.7% and obstructive dysfunction in 11.5%. The impairment of PFTs was significant and more pronounced in patients with active disease, FVC (−14% of predicted), FEV1 (−9% of predicted) and FEF25–75% (−32% of predicted), P0.01, 0.05 and 0.01, respectively. There was no significant influence of smoking and medications on PFTs. Conclusions UC patients show significantly decreased lung function tests in comparison to healthy controls. The impairment in active disease exceeded that during the remission. Early recognition is important, as they can be strikingly steroid responsive.

Objectives Information on the occurrence and frequency of pulmonary involvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is inconsistent. Some authors reported pulmonary impairment with UC by standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and documented a reduced diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) especially in patients with active disease, whereas others could not detect differences in routine PFTs between UC patients and controls. Aim The aim of this prospective study was to determine the frequency and type of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with UC with respect to disease activity. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of smoking, nutritional status, sputum cytology and sulphasalazine therapy on PFT parameters. Patients and methods Twenty-six patients with UC (20 with active disease, 6 inactive) and 16 age and sex matched healthy controls were investigated with respect to the following pulmonary function tests, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the 1s (FEV1%) and their ratio (FEV1/FVC) and forced expiratory flow 25–75% (FEF25–75%) as well as oxygen saturation. For UC patients, colonoscopy and biopsy were done. Disease activity was assessed by Truelove index for UC. Induced sputum was sampled for cytology. Smoking habit, body mass index (BMI) and medications were recorded. Results Fifteen out of 26 patients with UC (57.6%) exhibited at least one pathological pulmonary function test (80% of predicted value). Small airway obstruction was reported in the 15 patients, restrictive dysfunction in 30.7% and obstructive dysfunction in 11.5%. The impairment of PFTs was significant and more pronounced in patients with active disease, FVC (−14% of predicted), FEV1 (−9% of predicted) and FEF25–75% (−32% of predicted), P0.01, 0.05 and 0.01, respectively. There was no significant influence of smoking and medications on PFTs. Conclusions UC patients show significantly decreased lung function tests in comparison to healthy controls. The impairment in active disease exceeded that during the remission. Early recognition is important, as they can be strikingly steroid responsive.

Objectives Information on the occurrence and frequency of pulmonary involvement in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is inconsistent. Some authors reported pulmonary impairment with UC by standard pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and documented a reduced diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) especially in patients with active disease, whereas others could not detect differences in routine PFTs between UC patients and controls. Aim The aim of this prospective study was to determine the frequency and type of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with UC with respect to disease activity. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of smoking, nutritional status, sputum cytology and sulphasalazine therapy on PFT parameters. Patients and methods Twenty-six patients with UC (20 with active disease, 6 inactive) and 16 age and sex matched healthy controls were investigated with respect to the following pulmonary function tests, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the 1s (FEV1%) and their ratio (FEV1/FVC) and forced expiratory flow 25–75% (FEF25–75%) as well as oxygen saturation. For UC patients, colonoscopy and biopsy were done. Disease activity was assessed by Truelove index for UC. Induced sputum was sampled for cytology. Smoking habit, body mass index (BMI) and medications were recorded. Results Fifteen out of 26 patients with UC (57.6%) exhibited at least one pathological pulmonary function test (80% of predicted value). Small airway obstruction was reported in the 15 patients, restrictive dysfunction in 30.7% and obstructive dysfunction in 11.5%. The impairment of PFTs was significant and more pronounced in patients with active disease, FVC (−14% of predicted), FEV1 (−9% of predicted) and FEF25–75% (−32% of predicted), P0.01, 0.05 and 0.01, respectively. There was no significant influence of smoking and medications on PFTs. Conclusions UC patients show significantly decreased lung function tests in comparison to healthy controls. The impairment in active disease exceeded that during the remission. Early recognition is important, as they can be strikingly steroid responsive.

Abstract There are several options for the treatment of traumatic tibial defects. Among these options, free vascularized fibula and Ilizarov bone transport are well-known and effective techniques. The differences between both techniques and the indications for each of them are not well studied in the literature. Between September 1995 and December 2004, Ilizarov bone transport and free vascularized fibula were used to treat 25 traumatic bone. Patients were divided into two groups, Ilizarov group (12) and free fibula group (13). Preoperative

Abstract: In end-stage renal disease, particularly when treated with haemodialysis, the function of platelets,coagulation and fibrinolytic systems can be disturbed; those patients may show both thrombotic complications and bleeding abnormalities. Thus, it is essential to investigate haemostatic alterations in patients on hemodialysis so that adequate regime for anticoagulant therapy could be implemented. Haemostatic changes in patients on hemodialysis may result from alterations in vessel wall integrity and platelet function, and reduced blood flow in the native arteriovenous fistula. We study the haemostatic abnormalities associated with thrombosis in long term hemodialytic patients to determine whether coagulation and fibrinolysis are enhanced or not in 42 uremia patients on chronic regular hemodialysis treatment (20 of them had history of thrombotic events "group I" and the remaining 22 patients showed no history of thrombosis" group II") and 20 apparently health control group. Plasma levels of some blood coagulation fibrinolysis parameters were measured including platelet count, prothrombin time/concentration (PT/PC), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), thrombin time (TT), fibrinogen and D-Dimer, platelet aggregation (induced by adenosine diphosphate, collagen, Ristocetin, and Arachedonic acid), and the levels of natural anticoagulant protein C, protein S and antithrombin-III (AT-III). The mean platelet count was normal in all studied groups, while higher mean value of platelet count was observed among patients in group I than group II. Prolonged PT/sec., aPTT/sec and TT in patients groups were observed; those differences were statistically highly significant in comparison with healthy controls (p 0.001). The mean plasma fibrinogen (g/l) concentration was normal in all groups although levels above normal limits were noted in group I, fibrinogen level was significantly higher (p 0.05) in group I patients than in normal controls. The mean value of D-dimer (ng/ml) was significantly higher in group I than group II and in comparison with control group (p 0.001). We did not find differences between group I patients and control group as regard platelet aggregation induced with all agents, while there were statistically significant difference were observed between group II and control except for collagen. In contrast, the level of natural anticoagulants (protein C, protein S and AT III) were significantly reduced in patients groups than control and they were statistically significant, and the levels were lower in group I than group II. In conclusion, our results showed that the long term haemodialysis procedure affects the haemostatic process and may contribute to a thrombotic tendency. Careful weighing of risks and benefits of pharmacological prevention of thrombosis in patients on hemodialysis is crucial and this area certainly warrants further investigation