Biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease are an essential tool in clinical practice. They allow a non-invasive evaluation of patients and thus guide decision-making at different stages of the disease, including diagnostic suspicion, severity assessment, relapse prediction, and treatment response. Although biomarkers in blood such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, are the most commonly used biomarkers, because their low cost and accessibility, they lack specificity. Currently, fecal biomarkers offer greater reliability, applicability, and specificity. Fecal calprotectin is the most commonly used marker. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease, as well as their clinical applications and new biomarkers currently under research.

RESUMO Em pacientes com colite ulcerativa refratária à terapia médica, a proctocolectomia total e anastomose de bolsa ileal-anal posterior é a terapia cirúrgica padrão. Uma das possíveis complicações é a pouchite. Dependendo da duração dos sintomas, pode ser classificado como aguda, recorrente ou crônica. Esta última, de acordo com a resposta à terapia, pode ser definida como dependente de antibióticos ou refratária a eles. O tratamento da pouchite baseia-se no uso de antibióticos e probióticos. A thiopurina e a terapia biológica têm sido sugeridas em pacientes com pouchite refratária. Um cuidado especial deve ser tomado na vigilância endoscópica desses pacientes, especialmente se apresentarem fatores de risco, como displasia ou câncer colorretal anterior, colangite esclerosante primária ou colite ulcerativa por mais de 10 anos.

ABSTRACT In patients with ulcerative colitis refractory to medical therapy, total proctocolectomy and posterior ileal-anal pouch anastomosis is the standard surgical therapy. One of the possible complications is pouchitis. Depending on the duration of the symptoms, it can be classified as acute, recurrent, or chronic. The latter, according to the response to therapy, can be defined as antibiotic-dependent or refractory. The treatment of pouchitis is based on the use of antibiotics and probiotics. Thiopurine and biological therapy have been suggested in patients with refractory pouchitis. Special care should be taken in the endoscopic surveillance of these patients, especially if they present risk factors such as dysplasia or previous colorectal cancer, primary sclerosing cholangitis or ulcerative colitis for more than 10 years.

Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile infection has become a major health problem due to the increase in its incidence, severity, and recurrence. In this last scenario, age over 65 has been associated with a more unfavorable evolution. Risk factors such as the presence of altered immunity, comorbidities, malnutrition, polypharmacy, and changes in the intestinal microbiota would explain this higher risk in this group of patients. On the other hand, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective strategy in the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection when standard therapy fails. Recently published guidelines suggest that this strategy can be used from the second recurrence. However, few studies have evaluated the results of the FMT in patients over 65 years old, and for our knowledge, there is limited national experience in this group of patients. We present two cases of TMF in octogenarian patients with a recurrent infection due to Clostridioides difficile, with satisfactory recovery at the long term.

Resumen La infección por Clostridioides (previamente Clostridium) difficile se ha convertido en un problema de salud importante debido al aumento en su incidencia, gravedad y recurrencia. En este último escenario, una edad mayor de 65 años ha sido asociada a una evolución más desfavorable. Factores de riesgo como la presencia de una inmunidad alterada, co-morbilidades, malnutrición, polifarmacia y cambios en la microbiota intestinal explicarían este mayor riesgo a mayor edad. El trasplante de microbiota fecal (TMF) es una estrategia efectiva en el tratamiento de la infección recurrente por Clostridioides difficile cuando la terapia estándar fracasa. Guías publicadas recientemente sugieren que esta estrategia puede ser utilizada a partir de la segunda recurrencia. Sin embargo, escasos estudios han evaluado los resultados del TMF en pacientes mayores de 65 años y para nuestro conocimiento existe una escasa experiencia nacional en este grupo de pacientes. Presentamos dos casos de TMF en pacientes octogenarios con una infección recurrente por Clostridioides difficile, con una evolución satisfactoria a largo plazo.

Background: Listeria monocytogenes infections have been poorly characterized in Chile. ^4im: To evaluate clinical manifestations and risk factors associated to a fatal outcome in a series of patients. Methods: retrospective analysis of cases from 1991 to 2012. Results: Twenty three cases were identified, including 2 diagnosed after prolonged hospitalization (8.7%) with an average age of 68.4 years (range 44-90). Known predisposing factors were age > 65 years (60.9%), diabetes mellitus (40.9%), and immunosuppression (27.3%). Most cases presented after 2003 (70%). No cases associated with neonates, pregnancy or HIV infections were recorded. Patients presented with central nervous system (CNS) infection (39%), including 8 cases of meningitis and one of rhomboencephalitis; bacteremia (43.5%), including one case with endocarditis; abscesses (8.7%); and other infections (spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and pneumonia; 8.7%). Risky food consumption was found in 80% of those asked about it. Predominant clinical manifestations were fever (90.9%), and confusion (63.6%). CNS infections were associated to headache (OR 21, p < 0.05), nausea and vomiting (OR 50, p < 0.01). Only 45.5% received initial appropriate empirical therapy and 36.4% a synergistic combination. Eight patients died (34.8%), this outcome was associated to bacteremia (OR 8.25; IC95 1.2-59 p < 0.05). Conclusions: L. monocytogenes infections appear to be increasing in Chile, causing infections in different sites, attacking vulnerable patients, and have a high case-fatality ratio, especially among those with bacteremia.

Introducción: Las infecciones por Listeria monocytogenes representan una zoonosis con escasa caracterización clínica en Chile. Objetivo: Analizar manifestaciones clínicas y factores de riesgo asociados a desenlace fatal. Pacientes yMétodos: Estudio retrospectivo de casos desde 1991 a 2012. Resultados: Se identificaron 23 casos, dos de ellos de aparición nosocomial (8,7%). La edad promedio fue 68,4 años (rango 44-90). El 70% de los casos ha ocurrido desde el año 2003. Los factores predisponentes más frecuentes fueron edad > 65 años (60,9%), diabetes mellitus (40,9%) e inmunosupresión (27,3%). No se encontraron casos asociados a embarazo, infección por VIH o neonatos. La presentación clínica correspondió a infección del SNC (39%,) con ocho casos de meningitis y uno de romboencefalitis (5%); bacteriemias (43,5%) con un caso de endocarditis infecciosa; abscesos (8,7%) y un caso de neumonía y de peritonitis bacteriana espontánea (8,7%). El consumo de alimentos de riesgo fue buscado en cinco pacientes y confirmado en cuatro (80%). Las manifestaciones clínicas más frecuentes fueron fiebre (90,9%) y compromiso de conciencia (63,6%). La presencia de cefalea (OR 21 p < 0,05), o náuseas y/o vómitos (OR 50 p < 0,01) se asociaron en forma significativa a infección del SNC. Sólo 45,5% recibió una terapia antimicrobiana empírica inicial adecuada y 36,4% un esquema sinérgico. Ocho pacientes fallecieron (34,8%), desenlace que estuvo asociado a bacteriemia (OR 8,25; IC95 1,2-59 p < 0,05). Conclusiones: Las infecciones por L. monocytogenes parecen estar aumentando lentamente en Chile, producen infecciones en diferentes parénquimas, afectan a pacientes vulnerables, y tienen una alta letalidad, especialmente en el subgrupo con bacteriemia.

Pregnancy of an anencephalic fetus generates deep thoughts about its diagnosis, treatment and management of maternal risk, having in mind the irreversibility of the fetal situation. At the present moment, there are no guidelines for labor care in these cases, probably because in most developed countries in which abortion is legal, these pregnancies are interrupted earlier. In Chile, where abortion is illegal we must deal with these situations at the end of the pregnancy period. Of 35,682 labors attended at our hospital, 14 were anencephalic fetuses. In 50% of these a cesarean section was done and in one, a hysterectomy was required due to uterine inertia