BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB): a short-term, double-blind, randomised, controlled, crossover study on weight reduction in morbidly obese patients.

Background: The BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) System in association with restricted diet has been used for the short-term treatment of morbid obesity. Aim of this study was to evaluate the real, short term, efficacy of the BIB for weight reduction in morbidly obese patients by using a prospective, double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled, crossover study.

Methods: Patients were recruited from January 2003 to December 2003.

Laparoscopic Italian experience with the Lap-Band.

Background: An increasing number of surgeons with different levels of experience with laparoscopic surgery and open obesity surgery have started to perform laparoscopic implantation of the Lap-Band.

Methods: An electronic patient data sheet was created and was mailed and e-mailed to all surgeons performing laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) in Italy. Patients were recruited since January 1996.

Antral nodularity identifies children infected with Helicobacter pylori with higher grades of gastric inflammation.

Background: The endoscopic pattern of antral nodularity is a peculiar finding in children with Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim of this study was to determine whether this finding is related to more severe gastritis.

Methods: One hundred seventy-four consecutive children (median age 8.

Testing for serum IgG antibodies to Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated protein detects children with higher grades of gastric inflammation.

Background: Little information is available about the relationships between Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin-associated protein (CagA) and clinicopathologic features in children. The purpose of this study was to test whether determining serum IgG antibodies to CagA is a useful tool for detecting more severe disease.

Methods: One hundred twenty-seven consecutive children (age range, 0.

Changes in the mucosal expression of interleukin 15 in Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis.

Transcripts for interleukin (IL) 15 were detected in the gastric mucosal samples of 5/5 (100%) patients with no evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection and in 4/14 (28%) H. pylori-infected patients (P< 0.05).