The impact of previous HBV infection on the course of chronic hepatitis C.

Objective: Individuals with chronic hepatitis C who are anti-HBc positive may carry an occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection that can affect their response to antiviral therapy.

Methods: In this study the prevalence of anti-HBc and HBV-DNA positivity was assessed in the serum and liver of 285 HCV-RNA-positive subjects treated with interferon-alpha at 5 mU/day for 12 months. The response to interferon (normal ALT and undetectable serum HCV-RNA) was evaluated at three different endpoints: 1) after 6 months; 2) at the end of treatment; and 3) 6 months after interferon discontinuation.

Incidence of secondary Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics in treatment failures after 1-week proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies: a prospective study.

Background: Antibiotic-resistant Helicobacter pylori strains are becoming increasingly prevalent, although it is not clear to what extent the new resistant organisms will spread.

Aim: To evaluate the incidence of secondary Helicobacter pylori resistance to metronidazole, clarithromycin and/or amoxycillin after one-week proton pump inhibitor based triple therapy failure in patients who were, before therapy infected with Helicobacter pylori strains susceptible to these antibiotics.

Patients And Methods: Enrolled in the study were 97 consecutive Helicobacter pylori-positive subjects infected by Helicobacter pylori strains susceptible to metronidazole, clarithromycin and amoxycillin.

Antibody response to Helicobacter pylori CagA and heat-shock proteins in determining the risk of gastric cancer development.

Objective: To investigate whether the systemic antibody response to Helicobacter pylori heat shock protein B can be considered, in addition to anti cytotoxin-associated protein [CagA) antibody determination, a further serological marker of increased risk of gastric cancer development.

Methods: A total of 98 Giemsa positive Helicobacter pylori patients (28 with gastric cancer, 30 with duodenal ulcer and 40 with nonulcer dyspepsia) were studied. Serum samples obtained from all patients were tested for IgG antibodies to CagA (116 kDa), VacA [89kDa) and heat skock protein B (54 kDa) antigens of Helicobacter pylori by the Western blot technique.

Pantoprazole versus one-week Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy for the prevention of acute NSAID-related gastroduodenal damage in elderly subjects.

Aim: To compare the efficacy of pantoprazole vs. a one-week Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy for the prevention of NSAID-related gastroduodenal damage.

Methods: Patients over 60 years old with symptoms and/or a history of ulcer who needed NSAID treatment were evaluated by endoscopy.

Topographic patterns of intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer.

Objective: The role of intestinal metaplasia in gastric oncogenesis has been demonstrated by both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. This study was designed to determine whether, in a population at high risk for gastric cancer, different topographical patterns and phenotypes of intestinal metaplasia were associated with different degrees of cancer risk.

Methods: A total of 68 Colombian patients with gastric cancer and 67 controls with nonulcer dyspepsia were studied by an extensive biopsy protocol.

Noninvasive diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in older subjects: comparison of the 13C-urea breath test with serology.

Background: The potential influence of cognitive status, physical activities, comorbidity and cotreatments on the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of two noninvasive diagnostic tests for Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, i.e., the 13C-urea breath test (13C-UBT) and serology (immunoglobulin G [IgG] anti-Hp antibodies), in older subjects is not known.

A multicentre randomised study of intrasphincteric botulinum toxin in patients with oesophageal achalasia. GISMAD Achalasia Study Group.

Background: Intrasphincteric injection of botulinum toxin (Botx) has been proposed as treatment for oesophageal achalasia. However, the predictors of response and optimal dose remain unclear.

Aims: To compare the effect of different doses of Botx and to identify predictors of response.

Effect of pretreatment antibiotic resistance to metronidazole and clarithromycin on outcome of Helicobacter pylori therapy: a meta-analytical approach.

Our purpose was to define the effect of pretreatment Helicobacter pylori resistance to metronidazole or to clarithromycin on the success of antimicrobial therapy. We used 75 key words to perform a literature search in MEDLINE as well as manual searches to identify clinical treatment trials that provided results in relation to H. pylori susceptibility to metronidazole and clarithromycin or both during the period 1984-1997 (abstracts were not included).

Gastric dysplasia: the Padova international classification.

A worldwide-accepted histologic, classification of the gastric carcinomatous and precancerous lesions is a prerequisite for a consistent recording of epidemiologic data and for both developing and evaluating primary and secondary preventive efforts. Different nomenclatures have been proposed for gastric precancerous lesions in eastern countries and in Japan. This article presents a classification of gastric precancerous lesions resulting from an international consensus conference involving pathologists of different countries.

Pharmacologic treatment can prevent pancreatic injury after ERCP: a meta-analysis.

Background: The identification of therapeutic agents that can prevent the pancreatic injury after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is of considerable importance.

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis including 28 clinical trials on the use of somatostatin (12 studies), octreotide (10 studies), and gabexate mesilate (6 studies) after ERCP. Outcome measures evaluated were the incidence of acute pancreatitis, hyperamylasemia, and pancreatic pain.

Semiquantitative assessment of IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen and prediction of the severity of chronic hepatitis B.

Controversial results have been reported concerning the correlation between serum levels of IgM antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (IgM HBcAb) and the histological activity of chronic hepatitis B. In this study, paired serum samples and liver biopsies were collected from 200 consecutive chronic hepatitis B patients (mean age 39.2 +/- 0.

Prediction of relapse or sustained response in biochemical responders by serum hepatitis C virus RNA monitoring during interferon therapy.

Normalization of serum aminotransferase levels is achieved in approximately 50% of chronic hepatitis C patients treated with interferon (IFN); however, in about one-half of these patients the hepatitis relapses after therapy. In this study we investigated the efficacy of serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA monitoring during IFN therapy to predict the outcome of a biochemical end-of-treatment (ETR) response. Eighty patients with chronic hepatitis C received leucocyte (natural) IFN-alpha (13 patients) or recombinant IFN-alpha2a (67 patients).

Randomised controlled trials of ursodeoxycholic-acid therapy for primary biliary cirrhosis: a meta-analysis.

Background: Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only approved treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis, but its effect on disease progression and survival is uncertain. The aim of this study was to clarify the efficacy of UDCA in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Methods: A systematic review, including the use of meta-analysis, was done for the randomised and switch-over phases of trials comparing UDCA with placebo, obtained from Medline and Embase databases, and from manual searches derived from review articles and abstracts of major international meetings.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt compared with endoscopic treatment for prevention of variceal rebleeding: A meta-analysis.

Endoscopic treatment (ET) is frequently used to prevent variceal rebleeding but this still occurs in about 50% of patients. Recently, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been compared with ET in several trials. Using a meta-analysis, we evaluated randomized trials comparing TIPS to ET assessing prevention of rebleeding, survival, and the effects on resource use and the quality of patients' lives.

Lack of association between Helicobacter pylori infection and extracardiac atherosclerosis in dyspeptic elderly subjects.

Background: There are conflicting data on the association between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and cardiovascular diseases.

Aim: To determine if there is an association between gastric HP infection and atherosclerosis of cerebral or peripheral arteries in elderly subjects.

Methods: 90 dyspeptic elderly subjects had upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy and the gastroduodenal pathology was identified.

The dark side of the gastric biopsy.

Based on the assumption that both sides of a gastric biopsy sample have a similar appearance, the choice of which side of a specimen is to be sectioned is usually random. We tested the hypothesis that the diagnosis reached by examining the two sides of a gastric biopsy may differ. Eighty-one antral biopsy specimens from patients with neither focal lesions nor previous gastric surgery were evaluated.

Intrahepatic expression of hepatitis B virus antigens: effect of hepatitis C virus infection.

Coinfection with hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV) is not uncommon, but the expression of HBV antigens in the liver of patients with concomitant HCV infection has not been investigated. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of concomitant HCV infection on the intrahepatic expression of HBV antigens in chronic hepatitis. HBV surface and core antigens (HBsAg, HBcAg) were immunohistochemically evaluated and semiquantitatively scored in liver biopsy specimens from patients with chronic hepatitis, comprising 17 cases with dual HBV/HCV infection and 25 with HBV infection alone.

High prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in shepherds.

It has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori infection may, in some instances, be a zoonosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in Sardinian shepherds and their families in relation to exposure to sheep and sheep dogs.

Patients younger than 40 years with gastric carcinoma: Helicobacter pylori genotype and associated gastritis phenotype.

Background: In the general population, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), particularly the cagA positive strain, has been associated with intestinal-type gastric carcinoma. Gastric carcinomas are rarely observed in patients age < or = 40 years.

Efficacy of 7 day lansoprazole-based triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in elderly patients.

Background: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori increases with age. However, data regarding the effects of anti-H. pylori treatments in the elderly are very scarce.

The effect of antibiotic resistance on the outcome of three 1-week triple therapies against Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Resistance of Helicobacter pylori to antibiotics may be a major reason for treatment failure.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of primary H. pylori resistance to antibiotics on the cure rates of three anti-H.

Rapid improvement of symptomatology with pantoprazole, amoxycillin and metronidazole in Helicobacter pylori-positive duodenal ulcer patients.

Background/aims: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a new 1-week triple therapy regimen consisting of pantoprazole, amoxycillin and metronidazole.

Methodology: The study involved 51 Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positive patients (M:30, F:21, mean age: 52.