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Biomedicines
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State-of-the-Art Hepatic and Gastrointestinal Diseases in Germany
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State-of-the-Art Hepatic and Gastrointestinal Diseases in Germany

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular and Translational Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2624

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Christa Büchler

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Internal Medicine I, Regensburg University Hospital, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
Interests: adipose tissue; obesity; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; adiponectin; chemerin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hepatic and gastrointestinal diseases are a broad category of conditions that affect the digestive system and the liver. Inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastro-oesophageal reflux, celiac disease, and liver diseases, such as fatty liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma, are caused by a variety of pathomechanisms that are not yet fully understood. The development of diagnostic tools, therapies, and interventions for the wide range of liver and gastrointestinal diseases requires an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms. The discovery of non-invasive biomarkers for early diagnosis and prognosis is another challenge. We continue to learn more about the mechanisms underlying liver and gastrointestinal diseases thanks to developments in molecular and cellular biology, which are also driving innovation in medical research and healthcare. Pathomechanisms, diagnostics, and treatment aspects of liver and gastrointestinal diseases in Germany are the main topics of this Special Issue. Manuscripts on other topics related to liver and gastrointestinal diseases not covered here will also be considered. Studies on the course of the various diseases and on their prevalence and trends over the last few years in Germany are also very welcome. We invite original research and review articles on all novel aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic and gastrointestinal diseases in Germany.

Prof. Dr. Christa Büchler
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • biomarker
  • prevalence
  • Germany
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • cancer

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2973 KiB  
Article
The Presence and Significance of Bacteria and Fungi in Bile Aspirated During ERC—A Retrospective Analysis
by Sylvia Weigand, Arne Kandulski, Ina Zuber-Jerger, Marcus Scherer, Jens Werner, Jan Bornschein and Kilian Weigand
Biomedicines 2025, 13(5), 1255; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13051255 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 70
Abstract
Background: Infections of the biliary tract are found frequently in pathologically or surgically altered bile ducts. Mostly these infections result from the ascent of bacteria or fungi from the small bowel, although hematogeneous infections of the biliary system may also occur. The biliary [...] Read more.
Background: Infections of the biliary tract are found frequently in pathologically or surgically altered bile ducts. Mostly these infections result from the ascent of bacteria or fungi from the small bowel, although hematogeneous infections of the biliary system may also occur. The biliary sphincter and the continuous flow of bile are thought to prevent or limit ascending infections. Obstructive alterations in the biliary system are the most frequent indication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC). The aim of this study was to analyze the spectrum and frequency of microbes within the bile, and discover the influence of earlier sphincterotomy. Methods: In our department, we routinely aspirate bile for microbiologic culture during ERC. For this study, all ERC performed in 2014–2018 were retrospectively analyzed, including all microbiological reports. Indications for the endoscopic examination were also recorded. In addition, the findings were correlated with whether or not a sphincterotomy had been previously performed, and whether or not there had been antibiotic treatment prior to the examination. Results: A total of 2253 successful standard ERC procedures were performed between 2014 and 2016. In 486 cases, bile was aspirated and sent for microbiologic culture. In total, 1220 bile samples were analyzed, and bacteria or fungi were found in 1029 (86.0%). Enterococci and Enterobacter were found most commonly, but E. coli, streptococci, klebsiella, and staphylococci were also found. In 11.2% of positive cultures, multiresistant pathogens were identified. In up to 29% Candida spp., most commonly, Candida albicans (68%) were also found, either alone or in conjunction with bacteria. Neither prior sphincterotomy nor the use of peri-interventional antibiotics had a major influence on the frequency with which positive bile cultures were detected. Conclusions: Aspiration of bile during ERC is of high clinical relevance, because microbiological analysis reveals the frequent presence of bacteria and fungi, knowledge of which may be useful for deciding on anti-infective treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Hepatic and Gastrointestinal Diseases in Germany)
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13 pages, 7297 KiB  
Article
Stereotactic Percutaneous Electrochemotherapy as a New Minimal Invasive Treatment Modality for Primary and Secondary Liver Malignancies
by Lukas Luerken, Andrea Goetz, Vinzenz Mayr, Liang Zhang, Alexandra Schlitt, Michael Haimerl, Christian Stroszczynski, Hans-Jürgen Schlitt, Matthias Grube, Arne Kandulski and Ingo Einspieler
Biomedicines 2024, 12(12), 2870; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12122870 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 828
Abstract
Background and Objectives: To report on the first results of safety, efficacy, and outcome of CT-navigated stereotactic percutaneous electrochemotherapy (SpECT) in patients with primary and secondary liver malignancies. Methods: This retrospective study included 23 consecutive lesions in 22 patients who underwent [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: To report on the first results of safety, efficacy, and outcome of CT-navigated stereotactic percutaneous electrochemotherapy (SpECT) in patients with primary and secondary liver malignancies. Methods: This retrospective study included 23 consecutive lesions in 22 patients who underwent SpECT for primary and secondary malignant liver lesions with locally curative intention. The endpoints were primary technique efficacy (PTE), local tumor progression (LTP), time to progression (TTP), and occurrence of adverse events. Results: The mean maximum diameter of the treated lesions was 42 mm (range: 16 mm–72 mm). Eight lesions were hepatocellular carcinoma (34.8%), five lesions were colorectal liver metastases (21.7%), three lesions were cholangiocellular carcinoma (13.0%), and the other seven lesions were liver metastases from different primary cancers (30.4%). PTE was achieved for 22 lesions (95.7%). The mean follow-up time was 15 months (0–39 months). No LTP was observed. In six patients (27.3%), hepatic tumor progression was observed during follow-up with a mean TTP of 3.8 months (2–8 months). In 10 procedures (43.5%), minor complications (1 CIRSE Grade 2) and side effects occurred, but no major complications were observed. Conclusions: SpECT seems to be a safe and effective new local treatment modality for primary and secondary liver malignancies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Hepatic and Gastrointestinal Diseases in Germany)
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12 pages, 1831 KiB  
Article
Fecal Nervonic Acid as a Biomarker for Diagnosing and Monitoring Inflammatory Bowel Disease
by Claudia Kunst, Tanja Elger, Johanna Loibl, Muriel Huss, Arne Kandulski, Sabrina Krautbauer, Martina Müller, Gerhard Liebisch, Hauke Christian Tews and Christa Buechler
Biomedicines 2024, 12(12), 2764; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12122764 - 4 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1126
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated pathology associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism. The administration of nervonic acid, a very long-chain fatty acid, has been shown to improve colonic inflammation in a mouse model of colitis. Our study aimed [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic immune-mediated pathology associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism. The administration of nervonic acid, a very long-chain fatty acid, has been shown to improve colonic inflammation in a mouse model of colitis. Our study aimed to quantify fecal levels of nervonic acid, as well as the very long-chain fatty acids, lignoceric acid, and pentacosanoic acid, to identify associations with IBD activity. Methods: Stool samples were collected from 62 patients with IBD and 17 healthy controls. Nervonic acid, lignoceric acid, and pentacosanoic acid were quantified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Lipid levels, normalized to the dry weight of fecal homogenates, were used for calculations. Results: Patients with IBD exhibited elevated fecal nervonic acid levels compared to healthy controls, with no significant differences observed between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. A fecal nervonic acid concentration of 0.49 µmol/g distinguished IBD patients from controls, achieving a sensitivity of 71% and a specificity of 82%. Fecal nervonic acid levels showed a positive correlation with both C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin and increased proportionally with rising fecal calprotectin levels. IBD patients treated with corticosteroids or interleukin-12/23 antibodies had higher levels of fecal nervonic acid than those in other therapies, with no difference in serum C-reactive protein and calprotectin levels between these groups. Conclusions: In summary, this analysis indicates that fecal nervonic acid may emerge as a novel specific biomarker for IBD diagnosis and disease monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Hepatic and Gastrointestinal Diseases in Germany)
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