Clipping for the prevention of immediate bleeding after polypectomy of pedunculated polyps: a pilot study.

Background/aims: Immediate postpolypectomy bleeding (IPPB) increases the procedure time and it may disturb performing a safe polypectomy. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether clipping before snare polypectomy of large pedunculated polyps is useful for the prevention of IPPB.

Methods: This is a single arm, pilot study.

Correlation of serum hepatitis B surface antigen level with response to entecavir in naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Recent studies have suggested that quantifying the serum HBsAg levels can predict the response to pegylated interferon. We aimed to determine the change in serum HBsAg levels during entecavir (ETV) treatment and the correlation with treatment response in chronic HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative hepatitis B patients. Serial HBsAg levels were measured using the Architect assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL) in sera from 101 treatment-naive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving ETV.

Role of corticotrophin-releasing factor in the stress-induced dilation of esophageal intercellular spaces.

Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role in coordinating stress responses. We aimed to test whether blocking endogenous CRF activity can prevent the stress-induced dilation of intercellular spaces in esophageal mucosa. Eighteen adult male rats were divided into 3 groups: 1) a non-stressed group (the non-stressed group), 2) a saline-pretreated stressed group (the stressed group), 3) and an astressin-pretreated stressed group (the astressin group).

[Factors associated with liver stiffness in chronic liver disease].

Background/aims: Transient elastography is a new noninvasive tool for measuring liver stiffness that accurately predicts significant fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, several studies have indicated that liver stiffness can be significantly influenced by major changes in aminotransferase in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. The aim of this study was to determine the factors influencing liver stiffness in patients with chronic liver disease.