The effect of gastritis on human gastric alcohol dehydrogenase activity and ethanol metabolism.

Background: Gastric mucosal alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) may decrease the bioavailability of ingested ethanol. Because this enzyme is found in highest concentrations in the superficial gastric mucosa, diffuse abnormalities of this tissue could lead to a decrease in the first pass metabolism of ethanol.

Methods: Thirty-three adult subjects undergoing routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy had gastric biopsies performed for assessment of gastric histology and the measurement of gastric ADH activity.

Interferon alfa for chronic active hepatitis B. Long term follow-up of 62 patients: outcomes and predictors of response.

Objective: To evaluate the response to treatment with interferon alfa and the long term outcome of patients with chronic active hepatitis B.

Methods: Sixty-two patients with chronic active hepatitis B (43 males, 19 females; age range, 10-67 years) who were treated with interferon alfa at Westmead Hospital between 1984 and 1992 were followed up (mean period of follow-up, 44 months). Thirty-nine patients were treated with interferon alfa-2a and 23 with interferon alfa-2b for a mean of 22.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: impaired antipyrine metabolism and hypertriglyceridaemia may be clues to its pathogenesis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis resembles alcoholic liver disease in hepatic morphology but appears to have a different natural history. We sought to assess the nature of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by a prospective study of its clinical progression and the relationship of biochemical abnormalities to changes in serum lipids among 15 patients with this disorder. In addition, antipyrine clearance (Cl-AP), which reflects hepatic microsomal oxidative capacity, was measured serially.

The role of fibre optics in gastroenterology.

Diagnostic fibre optic endoscopy has a well established role in clinical gastroenterology. The authors highlight the expanding therapeutic applications of this technology.