Screening for gastric premalignant lesions with narrow band imaging, white light and updated Sydney protocol or both?

Background: Narrow band imaging (NBI) can accurately discriminate gastritis but premalignant lesions (PMLs) are difficult to detect.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare white light endoscopy (WLE) and histopathologic findings using the updated Sydney protocol (USP) with NBI and targeted biopsies (TB).

Methods: One hundred nineteen symptomatic patients referred for upper GI endoscopy were included in this prospective open study.

Ultrasound-guided liver biopsy in real life: comparison of same-day prebiopsy versus real-time ultrasound approach.

Background And Aim: Currently, an increasing number of liver biopsies are performed by radiologists under real-time ultrasound control. A routine ultrasound assessment of a puncture site before performing percutaneous biopsy is reported to increase diagnostic yield and decrease complication rates. It is not clear if real-time ultrasound is superior to marking the puncture site before biopsy as regards reducing biopsy size and avoiding fragmentation and complications.

Hypergastrinemia is associated with increased risk of distal colon adenomas.

Background/aims: Helicobacter pylori infection is a recognized cause of hypergastrinemia, but the association of blood gastrin levels with colonic adenomas (CAs) is controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate if hypergastrinemia, H. pylori infection and/or cagA protein are risk factors for CAs.

Changes in liver histology accompanying massive weight loss after gastroplasty for morbid obesity.

Background: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is common in morbid obesity. Our goal was to evaluate the alterations in liver histology and biochemistry before and after weight loss in 51 morbidly obese patients following Mason's vertical banded gastroplasty.

Methods: Two biopsies were performed (on entry and after an average of 18 months), while 16 of these subjects had a third biopsy 17 months after the second.

Molecular analysis of B-cell clonality in Helicobacter pylori gastritis.

The aim of our study was to identify PCR-detectable clonal B-cell population in Helicobacter pylori gastritis and assess their relation to the Wotherspoon-Isaacson (W-I) grade for gastric lymphoid infiltrates. Amplified DNA was obtained from thirty four H. pylori positive gastritis dyspeptic patients and thirty four H.

Cell turnover of serrated adenomas.

Serrated adenomas of the colon are characterized by epithelial neoplasia combining the architectural features of hyperplastic polyps and the cytological features of adenomas. Cell turnover, which is related to the malignant potential of these polyps, has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate epithelial cell proliferation, apoptosis, and oncoprotein expression in serrated adenomas.