Eradication of Helicobacter pylori with lansoprazole, roxithromycin and metronidazole--an open pilot study.

Background: The most extensively studied Helicobacter pylori eradication regimen comprises omeprazole, clarithromycin and metronidazole. Macrolide antibiotics other than clarithromycin should achieve similar efficacy, but they have not yet been thoroughly tested.

Aim: To determine the efficacy and safety of a triple therapy regimen using lansoprazole, roxithromycin, and metronidazole on the basis of multicentre outpatient care in an open pilot study.

Physiological role of cholecystokinin in gastroprotection in humans.

Objective: Cholecystokinin (CCK) is able to protect gastric mucosa against acute injury in experimental animals but little is known about the role of this hormone in maintaining mucosal integrity in humans. This double-blind, placebo controlled study was performed in 16 healthy volunteers. It describes the effects of CCK-8 infused intravenously (i.

Human intestinal epithelial cells down-regulate IL-8 expression in human intestinal microvascular endothelial cells; role of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1).

Cytokines produced from intestinal epithelial cells may function as signals to neighbouring immune cells. In the present study we analysed the effects of colonic epithelial cell lines (HT-29, Caco-2, HCT-116, Colo-320) and freshly isolated intestinal epithelial cells on IL-8 expression in the SV-40T transfected human microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1). Epithelial cell-conditioned media and transwells preventing physical contact between epithelial and endothelial cells were used.

Prospective randomized trial of two different immunoadsorbers in severe systemic lupus erythematosus.

Experiences with extracorporeal therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus have been published over the last 20 years and more. In addition to plasmapheresis, specific adsorption columns have been developed to deplete pathogenic antibodies and immune complexes in the plasma of patients with SLE. We conducted a prospective randomized trial to compare the efficacy of a disposable adsorption column, which contained a specific ligand, phenylalanine (IMPH-350|Pt, Diamed, Köln, Germany) with a regenerable Ig-adsorbing column containing sheep anti-human antibodies (Ig-Therasorb|Pt, Therasorb, München, Germany).

Gastric adaptation to aspirin and Helicobacter pylori infection in man.

The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and aspirin (ASA)-induced gastropathy and gastric adaptation to ASA remains unclear. We compared gastric damage and adaptation after repeated exposures to ASA in the same subjects without H. pylori infection and those infected by H.

Helicobacter pylori-positive peptic ulcer patients do not adapt to aspirin.

Background: Recent studies indicate that eradication of Helicobacter pylori might prevent peptic ulcer formation in patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). On the other hand, gastric adaptation after repeated exposures to aspirin (ASA) is well documented but the influence of H. pylori on this process remains to be elucidated.

Current concept of the role of monocytes/macrophages in inflammatory bowel disease--balance of proinflammatory and immunosuppressive mediators.

Macrophages are important in providing the first line of intestinal defence against microorganisms or toxins that break the epithelial barrier, by presenting antigen to sensitised T cells and releasing a variety of cytokines and inflammatory mediators. During active states in inflammatory bowel disease, large numbers of monocytes leave the bloodstream and migrate into the inflamed mucosa and submucosa. Phenotypic studies have previously shown the presence of much more marked macrophage heterogeneity in inflammatory bowel disease mucosa than in normal mucosa.

Enhancement in the protective qualities of gastric mucus with combination therapy of ebrotidine and amoxicillin for H. pylori eradication.

1. Gastric mucus from Helicobacter pylori-positive patients with active chronic gastritis type B, before and after successful combination therapy consisting of the H2 receptor antagonist ebrotidine (400 mg) and amoxicillin (1,000 mg) administered b.i.

Oral budesonide therapy for steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis: a pilot trial.

Background: Budesonide, a corticosteroid with high topical anti-inflammatory activity and low systemic activity, has been shown to prolong time to relapse in Crohn's disease. In the present study, the efficacy of budesonide in an oral pH-modified-release formulation was evaluated for maintenance treatment in patients with steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis.

Methods: Fourteen patients with steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis in the reduction phase of conventional glucocorticosteroids (c-GCS) following a severe attack, were treated with budesonide 3 mg t.

Metastatic pancreatic VIPoma: deteriorating clinical course and successful treatment by liver transplantation.

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors are slowly growing and metastases are often limited to the liver. As a result of their favorable biological behavior these tumors have a relatively good prognosis even in metastatic stage. Due to a variety of therapeutic options patients with malignant neuroendocrine tumors may survive for extended periods of time up to ten years.

IL-10 synergizes with IL-4 and IL-13 in inhibiting lysosomal enzyme secretion by human monocytes and lamina propria mononuclear cells from patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Tissue injury and inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are associated with enhanced monocytic lysosomal enzyme release. In this study, peripheral monocytes and lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMNC) were isolated from IBD patients and normal controls. Cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide after treatment with IL-13, IL-4, and IL-10, and enzyme secretion was assessed by using the corresponding p-nitrophenyl glycosides as substrates.

[A system of nonspecific defense in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases--pathophysiologic and therapeutic aspects].

Monocytes/macrophages are a prominent feature of the inflammatory infiltrate in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Progress in the development of monoclonal antibodies has provided a powerful means to identify and study various subsets of macrophages in the intestinal mucosa. In both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis distinct macrophage populations have been found being prominent in active disease, but absent from normal mucosa.

Immunoscopy--a technique combining endoscopy and immunofluorescence for diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Colorectal carcinoma is a common malignant disease with a high mortality rate. It arises most frequently in adenomas of the colorectum with different grades of dysplasia. Endoscopy and biopsy are among the most reliable diagnostic tools currently available.

Human intestinal M cells exhibit enterocyte-like intermediate filaments.

Background: The derivation and ultrastructural composition of M cells covering the lymphoid follicles of Peyer's patches is still unknown. Results from different animal models have shown that there are species specific differences in the composition of intermediate filaments between M cells and neighbouring enterocytes. Little is known, however, about intermediate filaments of human M cells.

Intraductal ultrasonography may localize islet cell tumours negative on endoscopic ultrasound.

Two patients with suspected insulinoma and one patient with a gastrinoma were referred to our hospital for preoperative tumour localization. Conventional imaging methods and even endoscopic ultrasonography did not detect any tumour in the pancreatic parenchyma. During endoscopic retrograde cholangiopan-creatography ultrasound miniprobes with a 2-mm diameter were applied via the biopsy channel of the duodenoscope.

Influence of chitosan microspheres on the transport of prednisolone sodium phosphate across HT-29 cell monolayers.

Purpose: The present study was performed to investigate the influence of chitosan microspheres on transport of the hydrophilic, antiinflammatory drug prednisolone sodium phosphate (PSP) across the epithelial barrier.

Methods: Microspheres were prepared using a precipitation method and loaded with PSP. Transport studies were performed in a diffusion cell chamber using the polarized human cell line HT-29B6.

IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 down-regulate monocyte-chemoattracting protein-1 (MCP-1) production in activated intestinal epithelial cells.

Several studies have demonstrated that intestinal epithelial cells play a major role in the initiation and perpetuation of intestinal inflammation by secreting proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. MCP-1 is suggested to be a chemokine that plays a major part during intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Immunoregulatory cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 have been described to exert anti-inflammatory properties on various cell types.

Infection of Helicobacter pylori in gastric adaptation to continued administration of aspirin in humans.

Background & Aims: Involvement of Helicobacter pylori in aspirin-induced gastropathy and adaptation to aspirin remains unclear. The aim of this study was to compare gastric damage and adaptation after repeated exposures to acetylsalicylic acid in the same subjects before and after eradication of H. pylori.

Colitis as the initial presentation of Wegener's granulomatosis.

Wegener's granulomatosis is a vasculitis which commonly presents with symptoms referable to the upper airway system, lungs, joints, eyes and kidneys. We present a case in which colitis combined with sinusitis could retrospectively be attributed as the initial manifestations of Wegener's disease.

Colon carcinoma cell lines stimulate monocytes and lamina propria mononuclear cells to produce IL-10.

Cytokines released from tumour cells may have function as signals to neighbouring immune and inflammatory cells. Several studies have shown that the immunoregulatory cytokines IL-10 and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) as well as prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) play an important role in tumour-induced immunosuppression. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of colon carcinoma cell lines on IL-10 production in peripheral monocytes (PBMC) and lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC).

Effects of extracellular Mg2+ concentration on intracellular signalling and acid secretion in rat gastric parietal cells.

In the present study, the effects of extracellular magnesium concentration ([Mg2+]ex) on stimulus-secretion coupling processes were investigated in rat gastric parietal cells in vitro. Extracellular magnesium reduction resulted in (1) an increase of basal intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]in), (2) an enhancement of both carbachol and thapsigargin-induced calcium responses, (3) an improved filling state of intracellular calcium stores, (4) an increase of both basal and carbachol-induced acid secretion, whereas intracellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclicAMP) levels and histamine stimulated acid secretion were not affected. The effects of high [Mg2+]ex were opposite to the described results, except that high [Mg2+]ex was able to decrease significantly histamine-stimulated cyclicAMP levels and acid secretion.

Epidermal growth factor in gastric ulcer healing by nocloprost, a stable prostaglandin E2 derivative.

Background: The gastroprotective and ulcer-healing properties of prostaglandins, especially in gastric ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are well established. Ulcer healing is an active process of filling the mucosal defect with migrating and proliferating epithelial cells combined with angiogenesis in granulation tissue at the ulcer bed. Growth factors, especially epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) are crucial in the regulation of the reconstruction of damaged mucosal structures.

Helicobacter pylori and gastric adaptation to repeated aspirin administration in humans.

The gastric irritant properties of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are well established but the pathogenic mechanisms by which these agents damage the mucosa or delay its repair are poorly understood. The phenomenon of gastric adaptation after repeated exposures to ASA is well documented but the involvement of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in NSAID-induced gastropathy and adaptation has not been elucidated.

Gastric ulcer healing in the rat: kinetics and localisation of de novo procollagen synthesis.

Background And Aims: To gain further insight into the role of the extracellular matrix during healing of peptic ulcers, sequential changes of procollagen expression were studied over 30 days of ulcer healing.

Materials And Methods: Procollagens alpha 1 (I), alpha 1 (III), and alpha 1 (IV) RNA and their polypeptides were assessed in acetic acid induced rat gastric ulcers by in situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry.

Results: Three days after ulcer induction, intense hybridisation signals were obtained with all probes, with procollagen alpha 1 (I) showing the highest transcript levels.