Biomarkers and Microscopic Colitis: An Unmet Need in Clinical Practice
Authors: Maurizio Vecchi
Gian Eugenio Tontini
Luca Pastorelli
Vincenzo Villanacci
Laura Francesca Pisani
Beatrice Marinoni
Barbara Bruni
Journal: Frontiers in Medicine (2017)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: biomarkers; chronic diarrhea; collagenous colitis; lymphocytic colitis; microscopic colitis.
Affiliations: Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy., Institute of Pathology, "Spedali Civili" Brescia, Brescia, Italy., Pathology and Cytodiagnostic Unit, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Italy., Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Abstract:  One of the most common causes of chronic diarrhea is ascribed to microscopic colitis (MC). MC is classified in subtypes: collagenous colitis (CC) and lymphocytic colitis (LC). Patients with MC report watery, non-bloody diarrhea of chronic course, abdominal pain, weight loss, and fatigue that may impair patient's health-related quality of life. A greater awareness, and concomitantly an increasing number of diagnoses over the last years, has demonstrated that the incidence and prevalence of MC are on the rise. To date, colonoscopy with histological analysis on multiple biopsies collected along the colon represents the unique accepted procedure used to assess the diagnosis of active MC and to evaluate the response to medical therapy. Therefore, the emerging need for less-invasive procedures that are also rapid, convenient, standardized, and reproducible, has encouraged scientists to turn their attention to the identification of inflammatory markers and other molecules in blood or feces and within the colonic tissue that can confirm a MC diagnosis. This review gives an update on the biomarkers that are potentially available for the identification of inflammatory activity, related to CC and LC. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Dear all, Thanks for discovering those image duplications. I was absolutely not aware that the pictures one of the coauthors provided have already been published elsewhere; I was really shocked when I saw your posts and I am really grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to publish a corrigendum. As a matter of fact, the coauthor who provided the images is the one who took the original pictures and is author of all the other papers were the images were used. When we discussed the problem with the Journal, they told us to solve the issue by citing only the 2011 paper (I guess because it was the last one published before ours and maybe the 2011 paper s obligation to cite the 2010 paper). So, again, thanks a lot! PS: Just to be precise, I do not think that any of the panel of the 2014 paper shown in post #6 are present in our manuscript. , 
 Dear Dr. Pastorelli, thanks for communicating your side of the story. In the meantime your latest comment (thread #7) raises additional concerns. 1.tYour statement: u201c I was absolutely not aware that the pictures one of the coauthors provided have already been published elsewhereu201d and also: u201cAs a matter of fact, the coauthor who provided the images is the one who took the original pictures and is author of all the other papers were the images were usedu201d, confirm what the readers already know, and point to the fact that all these images have been published several times in papers sharing originally two common authors Villannacci V and Bassotti G, while coming to your paper, the only name shared by these publications is Villanacci V. https: pubpeer.com search?q=villanacci 2.tThere is another statement you made that needs, however, a further comment.: u201cWhen we discussed the problem with the Journal, they told us to solve the issue by citing only the 2011 paper (I guess because it was the last one published before ours and maybe the 2011 paper s obligation to cite the 2010 paper)u201d. So, apparently the journal staff (the Editor the Managing editor?) told you to cover up the story by publishing an erratum stating the false. Indeed, your original paper failed to discover the permission mentioned in the Erratum as well as the sources the images. The images you published are, indeed, from multiple sources, not only from the 2011u2019s paper. However, you might want to post here the permission for reproducing the 2011u2019s paper. 3.tIn the meantime, the Erratum fails to amend the issue. The images shown in Figure 1, appended below, shows that panel A of your Front in Medicineu2019s 2017, was first published in Dig Dis Sci in 2010 and Revista Espagnola in 2010 and only for a third time, in 2011. 4.tThe same images have been re-used by Villanacci V. et al in 2018 (See Figure 2, below), which further confirm that Villanacci was the one who, wrongfully, replicated these images. As you correctly stated. 5.tYour images A and B are only portions of the panels A and B in the 2011u2019s paper. Your paper includes portions with modifications of the 2010 and 2011 papers: the 2017u2019s images are enlarged and sliced and include arrows. The images eventually should have been the same. 6.tYour Panel B, was originally published in 2010 and not 2011. 7.tThe 2018u2019s publication by Villanacci et al. (which follows the paper you co-authored) is a fusion of images from the two 2010 papers and 2011u2019s paper and your paper. 8.tThere is more. The same images illustrate, over the years, different clinical settings (see Figure 1 appended below) which makes your derivation from them highly problematic in any case. 9.tYour last comments related to the thread # 6 (see above) is addressed in Figure 3 and 4, appended below. Note that Panel B by Villanacci, Mourin and Salviato 2018, is a portion of Panel A of 2017u2019s Front Medicine, you co-authored (source: https: pubpeer.com publications E0997B51FBE30DDD7F0A1AE2C8B959#4). The former 2018 paper, in addition, includes a duplication (other images from your paper) from another paper authored by Villanacci and Bassotti in 2014. So the thread #6 was correct. Finally, there are over 200 threads in PubPeer related to wrongfully duplicating images and ethical issues related to publications authored by Villanacci V (83) and Bassotti G (65). Looking to them you have been the only one that has taken responsibility to clarify at least your portion of the story. Hope you will be able solve the issue. ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] ![file] , 
 Here there is another substantial reason why the correction fails to correct the issue. Indeed between the Fronties paper (2017) and the three papers by Villanacci and Bassotti, published in 2010 and 2011 there is another paper published in 2014 By Villanacci and Salemme that reproduces the same images. This the 4th paper in row. The Frontiesr paper is 5th. The 6th is 2018. So far. ![file] , 
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 An erratum as been published to this paper. The authors admit one duplication. A Corrigendum onu000bBiomarkers and Microscopic Colitis: An Unmet Need in Clinical Practice by Pisani, L. F., Tontini, G. E., Marinoni, B., Villanacci, V., Bruni, B., Vecchi, M., et al. (2017). Front. Med. 4:54. doi:u00a010.3389 fmed.2017.00054 In the original article, there was a mistake in the legend foru00a0Figure 1u00a0as published as Villanacci et al. (2011) was inadvertently not cited. FIGURE 1u00a0| Histological features of microscopic colitis. Hematoxylin and eosinu00a0(A)u00a0and anti-CD3u00a0(B)u00a0staining in lymphocytic colitis; black arrows indicate intraepithelial lymphocyte infiltration. Hematoxylin and eosinu00a0(C)u00a0and Masson s Trichrome stainingu00a0(D)u00a0in collagenous colitis; arrows point to the subepithelial collagen band. All images also show surface epithelial injury and lamina propria increased cellularity (original magnification: 40u00d7). This figure was obtained from Villanacci et al. (101) with permission. The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated. References 101. Villanacci V, Manenti S, Antonelli E, Chiudinelli M, Giuliano V, Bassotti G. Non-IBD colitides: clinically useful histopathological clues.u00a0Rev Esp Enferm Dig. (2011) 103:366u201372. doi: 10.4321 s1130-01082011000700006 PubMed Abstractu00a0|u00a0CrossRef Full Textu00a0|u00a0Google Scholar , 
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