Ablation of Barrett's epithelium by endoscopic argon plasma coagulation in combination with high-dose omeprazole.

Background: Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition induced by gastroesophageal reflux. The aim of this prospective study was to assess the efficacy of argon plasma coagulation in combination with high-dose omeprazole therapy to ablate nondysplastic Barrett's epithelium.

Methods: In 73 patients with histologically confirmed Barrett's epithelium, argon plasma coagulation was used in combination with maximal acid suppression (omeprazole 40 mg three times a day).

Successful immunomodulating in AIDS patients with ursodeoxycholic acid--a pilot study.

Based on the positive therapeutic results with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, in whom we observed a clinical improvement in conjunction with the normalization of the low pretreatment dipeptidyl peptidase (DPIV, CD26) expression of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), we hypothesized that the very low DPIV expression in AIDS patients could be positively influenced by UDCA. Four young male AIDS patients were therefore treated with 750 mg of UDCA for 4 months. The low CD26 expression (2-8% of the PBL versus 18-28% in healthy controls) at the beginning of the study rose to 10-16% after UDCA therapy.

Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma confirmed by surgical specimen: report of two cases and review of the literature.

Two cases with spontaneous regression of a histologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are presented. This rarely seen phenomenon of a spontaneous tumor involution is discussed and compared with the current literature. The clinical symptoms were very similar to that of a liver abscess.