Cost-effectiveness of alginic acid in combination with proton pump inhibitor for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in systemic sclerosis patients.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients often become refractory to proton pump inhibitors (PPI)-a standard treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-and intolerant to PPI in combination with domperidone. PPI with alginic acid is an alternative treatment option, but alginic acid is costly.

Objectives: We compared the costs and effectiveness of alginic acid plus PPI versus standard treatments (PPI with/without antacids as needed and lifestyle modifications) for GERD in SSc patients unsuitable for, or intolerant to, domperidone.

Incidence and Predictors of an Abnormal Liver Function Test Among 674 Systemic Sclerosis Patients: A Cohort Study.

Background: Abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) can indicate cirrhosis or liver cancer leading to mortality among systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. No recent studies have investigated the clinical predictors of an abnormal LFT in SSc. We aimed to determine the incidence of abnormal LFT (including from hepatitis and cholestasis) and to identify its clinical predictors in SSc patients.

Prevalence and associated factors of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth among systemic sclerosis patients.

Background: Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) results in nutrient malabsorption and malnutrition, thereby increasing the morbidity and mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of SIBO in SSc patients.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2015 and January 2016 in SSc patients over 18, using the glucose H /CH breath test to evaluate SIBO.

Impact of Fecal Hb Levels on Advanced Neoplasia Detection and the Diagnostic Miss Rate For Colorectal Cancer Screening in High-Risk vs. Average-Risk Subjects: a Multi-Center Study.

Objectives: The Asia-Pacific Colorectal Screening (APCS) scoring system was developed to identify high-risk subjects for advanced neoplasia. However, the appropriate fecal immunochemical test (FIT) cutoff for high-risk population may be different from that of average-risk population. We aimed to evaluate the FIT performance at different cutoffs in high-risk subjects undergoing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.

Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Modified High Dose Omeprazole and Amoxicillin Triple Therapy with Standard Triple Therapy for Helicobacter Pylori Eradication.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is related to peptic ulcer diseases and gastric cancer and eradication of H. pylori should be expected to decrease the risk of their development.

The Optimal Cut-Off Level of The Fecal Immunochemical Test For Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Country with Limited Colonoscopy Resources: A Multi-Center Study from Thailand.

Background: Selecting the cut-off point for the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs is of prime importance. The balance between the test performance for detecting advanced neoplasia and the available colonoscopy resources should be considered. We aimed to identify the optimal cut-off of FIT for advanced neoplasia in order to minimize colonoscopy burden.

Three Human Gnathostomiasis Cases in Thailand with Molecular Identification of Causative Parasite Species.

Human gnathostomiasis is one of the important food-borne parasitic zoonoses. The disease is caused by a spirurid roundworm of the genus Gnathostoma. Here, we describe three parasitological confirmed cases of human gnathostomiasis, caused by Gnathostoma spinigerum, in a hospital in Thailand during 2004-2012.

Cost utility analysis of endoscopic biliary stent in unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma: decision analytic modeling approach.

Background/aims: Endoscopic biliary drainage using metal and plastic stent in unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCA) is widely used but little is known about their cost-effectiveness. This study evaluated the cost-utility of endoscopic metal and plastic stent drainage in unresectable complex, Bismuth type II-IV, HCA patients.

Methodology: Decision analytic model, Markov model, was used to evaluate cost and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of endoscopic biliary drainage in unresectable HCA.

Asia-Pacific consensus recommendations for endoscopic and interventional management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) is one of the most common types of hepatobiliary cancers reported in the world including Asia-Pacific region. Early HCCA may be completely asymptomatic. When significant hilar obstruction develops, the patient presents with jaundice, pale stools, dark urine, pruritus, abdominal pain, and sometimes fever.

Hospitalized incidence and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in Thailand.

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common emergency gastrointestinal problem which has substantial mortality and health care resources use. The nationwide basic information on UGIB is not available in Thailand.

Objective: To identify the hospitalized incidence, outcomes and hospitalization cost of patients who presented with UGIB in Thailand.

PCR-RFLP and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of Helicobacter pylori isolated from antrum and corpus of dyspeptic patients in Thailand.

The study determined the genetic heterogeneity of Helicobacter pylori isolates from antrum and corpus of the same dyspeptic patients in a Thai population and determined the relationship between the antimicrobial susceptibility (AS) profile (antibiogram) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) pattern. One hundred and nineteen H. pylori isolates comprising 7 single and 56 paired antrum and corpus isolates obtained by gastric biopsy from 160 dyspeptic patients were analyzed.

Efficacy of metal and plastic stents in unresectable complex hilar cholangiocarcinoma: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Endoscopic biliary stent drainage is effective in the palliative treatment of patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCA). However, no randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of the self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) and the plastic stent (PS) in patients with unresectable complex HCA is available.

Objective: To compare the successful drainage rates of endoscopic SEMSs and PSs.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori isolated from gastric biopsies in dyspeptic patients.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in Helicobacter pylori isolated from the antrum and corpus of dyspeptic patients in Khon Kaen, Thailand, and to compare the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of H. pylori isolated from the antrum and corpus in individual patients. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion, studying susceptibility to metronidazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline.

The endoscopic-pathologic findings in intestinal capillariais: a case report.

A 27-year-old Thai man presented with chronic watery diarrhea for 2 years. The diagnosis of capillariasis was made by enteroscopy after negative repeated stool tests. Here, the authors reported the first case of abnormal endoscopic finding of intestinal capillariasis.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori vacA, cagA, cagE, iceA and babA2 genotypes in Thai dyspeptic patients.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of the vacA, cagA, cagE, iceA, and babA2 genotypes in Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from Thai dyspeptic patients, and to determine whether any correlation exists between these genotypes and clinical manifestations.

Methods: Helicobacter pylori was examined in 112 patients (62 with non-ulcer dyspepsia (gastritis), 34 with peptic ulcer disease, and 16 with gastric cancer (GCA)), detected by culture or direct detection from gastric biopsies. Allelic variants of the vacA, cagA, cagE, iceA, and babA2 genotypes were identified by using the polymerase chain reaction.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for serodiagnosis of Helicobacter pylori in dyspeptic patients and volunteer blood donors.

Helicobacter pylori, an important etiological agent in the development of gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric carcinoma, can be detected by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our objectives were: (1) to evaluate the efficacy of a commercial ELISA kit (Pyloriset EIA-G III) in sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy for diagnosis of H. pylori infection in Thai dyspeptic patients in Khon Kaen Thailand; and (2) to examine the seroprevalence of H.

Sensitivity and specificity of an in-house rapid urease test for detecting Helicobacter pylori infection on gastric biopsy.

We developed an in-house rapid urease test (iRUT) and evaluated the efficacy and the agreement of the iRUT and the cRUT compared with culture and histology for the detection of H. pylori infection. Five iRUT media were tested with H.

Detection of H. pylori in dyspeptic patients and correlation with clinical outcomes.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the methods used to diagnose Helicobacter pylon infection in gastric biopsies, and to evaluate the correlation between H. pylori infection and clinical outcomes. Gastric biopsies, obtained from 210 patients, were evaluated for H.

Outward migration of Gnathostoma spinigerum in interferon alpha treated hepatitis C patient.

After the first dose injection of pegylated interferon alpha-2b (Peg-IFN alpha-2b) to a HCV infected Thai woman, she developed cyclic painful swelling nodules on right upper quadrant of abdomen and right anterior lower chest wall. The nodules subsided spontaneously within 1-2 days but were recurrent after every Peg-IFN alpha-2b injection. She also experienced acute urticaria.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis following excessive exercise of university freshman cheer-training.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis is a life threatening condition resulting from lysis of muscle cells after vigorous exercise. It can cause many complications such as renal failure. It occurs most commonly in military personnel but also in civilians who have excessive excercise after work.

Splenic abscess: clinical features, microbiologic finding, treatment and outcome.

Splenic abscess is a rare clinical entity but may be underreported. A retrospective study at Srinagarind Hospital revealed 60 cases of splenic abscess between 1992 and 2001. The causative organisms were identified in 41 cases (68.