Adolescents with chronic hepatitis C might be good candidates for direct-acting antiviral therapy.

Three Japanese adolescents with chronic hepatitis C were treated by direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). No adverse events or laboratory abnormalities were observed during and after DAA therapy, and a sustained virological response was achieved in all cases. The emotional functioning of the patients and their mothers were improved after DAA therapy.

Elevated serum uric acid level was a notable adverse event during combination therapy with sofosbuvir and ribavirin.

Aim: Combination therapy with sofosbuvir and ribavirin (SOF/RBV) has been recently available for chronic hepatitis C patients with genotype 2 (CHG2) in Japan. The domestic phase III clinical trial showed a high antiviral effect with a relatively safe adverse event (AE) profile. Our aim was to report an important AE detected during treatment.

Can endoscopic submucosal dissection be safely performed in a smaller specialized clinic?

Aim: To investigate whether endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) can be safely performed at small clinics, such as the Shirakawa Clinic.

Methods: One thousand forty-seven ESDs to treat gastrointestinal tumors were performed at the Shirakawa Clinic from April 2006 to March 2011. The efficacy, technical feasibility and associated complications of the procedures were assessed.

[Cost cut of cancer by a shift in gastric cancer risk screening (serum ABC classification) combined with eradication of H. pylori, and H. pylori test and treatment program in young people].

We estimated the costs and the benefits of a shift strategy of gastric cancer risk screening (ABC stratification) with H. pylori eradication, and H. pylori test and treatment program in young people, comparing with the current barium gastrograph.

Analysis of colonoscopic perforations at a local clinic and a tertiary hospital.

Aim: To define the clinical characteristics, and to assess the management of colonoscopic complications at a local clinic.

Methods: A retrospective review of the medical records was performed for the patients with iatrogenic colon perforations after endoscopy at a local clinic between April 2006 and December 2010. Data obtained from a tertiary hospital in the same region were also analyzed.

Analysis of ABC (D) stratification for screening patients with gastric cancer.

Aim: To evaluate the value of ABC (D) stratification [combination of serum pepsinogen and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody] of patients with gastric cancer.

Methods: Ninety-five consecutive patients with gastric cancer were enrolled into the study.

Stricture after endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancers and adenomas.

Background And Aim:  Stricture is a complication that may occur after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of gastric neoplasms. The goal of the present study was to investigate the incidence, risk factors and management of gastric stricture after ESD.

Methods: The medical records of 308 patients who underwent ESD for gastric neoplasms were reviewed.

Clinical characteristics and treatment for patients presenting with bleeding duodenal varices.

Background And Aim: Bleeding from ectopic varices, including duodenal varices, is uncommon, but it can be difficult to manage. The clinical data of patients diagnosed and treated for duodenal varices were reviewed to investigate the strategy for treatment.

Methods: The present study reviewed the clinical data of 10 patients with duodenal varices (mean age, 58.

Endoscopic treatment of rectal carcinoid tumors.

Background: Various methods have been reported for the endoscopic treatment of rectal carcinoid tumors. The present study was designed to identify the optimal treatment strategy for an endoscopic resection.

Methods: Forty rectal carcinoid tumors of 38 patients were treated endoscopically.

Primary Sjogren's syndrome complicated by bilateral pleural effusion.

Sjogren's syndrome can cause many organic changes, but is rarely accompanied by pleuritis. We report a 65-year-old patient with primary Sjogren's syndrome who developed bilateral pleuritis with moderately large effusions. He was diagnosed as having Sjogren's syndrome, based on xerophthalmia, xerostomia, positive results for anti-Sjogren's syndrome (anti-SS-A/SS-B) antibodies, the Schirmer test and biopsy findings in the minor salivary glands.

Ectopic varices rupture in the gastroduodenal anastomosis successfully treated with N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate injection.

The term "ectopic varices" is used to describe dilated portosystemic collateral veins in unusual locations other than the gastroesophageal region. We recently experienced a rare case of ectopic varices that developed in the gastroduodenal anastomosis after subtotal gastrectomy. A 70-year-old male with liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus infection was admitted for hematemesis and tarry stool.

Elevated plasma resistin concentrations in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background: Resistin, an adipose-derived polypeptide hormone, has been proposed to be a candidate in insulin resistance, although its role in humans remains controversial. Liver cirrhosis (LC) is characterized by an elevated number of circulating proinflammatory cytokines, hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to determine the plasma resistin levels in patients with LC.

Overexpression of NK2 promotes liver fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride-induced chronic liver injury.

Background/aims: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inhibits liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) in animal models. NK2 is a natural splice variant of HGF, but its in vivo function remains to be elucidated. We investigated the in vivo effects of NK2 on CCl4-induced liver fibrosis.

Endoscopic management of duodenal diverticular bleeding.

Background: Although the presence of a duodenal diverticulum is usually asymptomatic, bleeding in this tissue is sometimes difficult to diagnose and treat.

Objective: To investigate the strategy for treatment, we reviewed the clinical data of patients diagnosed and treated for duodenal diverticular bleeding.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Primary liver cancers with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (six men and three women, median age 71.5 years) and one patient with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), a 50-year-old man, in NASH are described. Most patients were associated with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or hypertriglyceridemia.

HGF ameliorates a high-fat diet-induced fatty liver.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has various effects especially on epithelial cells. However, the precise role of HGF on lipogenesis is still not fully understood. A high-fat diet was administered to HGF transgenic mice and wild-type control mice in vivo.

Hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: clinical characteristics, prognosis, and patient survival analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is associated with a poor prognosis. New therapeutic modalities, such as continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (CHAIC), have recently been reported to be promising strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and survival of patients with PVTT according to treatment regimen.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in young adults: the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and findings of a patient survival analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. However, HCC is rare in young Japanese patients and the clinical features of young patients with HCC have not yet been fully studied. This study was designed to determine the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with HCC who are younger than aged 40 years.

Preventive effects of vitamin K on recurrent disease in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma arising from hepatitis C viral infection.

Background: Despite the progression of therapeutic approaches, a high frequency of recurrence is what determines the long-term prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, the chemopreventive effects of vitamin K2 on the recurrence and survival of patients with HCC after curative therapy were evaluated.

Methods: Sixty patients who were diagnosed to be free of HCC after radiofrequency ablation therapy or surgery were randomly assigned to either the vitamin K2 group (n = 30 patients) or the control group (n = 30 patients).

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for rectal tumors.

Background And Study Aim: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has recently been developed for one-piece resection of gastric tumors. In order to improve patients' quality of life, it may be desirable to use the same technique for rectal tumors.

Methods: 35 consecutive patients with rectal tumors were enrolled.

Hepatocyte growth factor accelerates thrombopoiesis in transgenic mice.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is one of the potent growth factors for liver regeneration and has a strong effect on epithelial and nonepithelial cells. As one of the pleiotropic functions, HGF acts as a hematopoietic regulator in the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors. However, the effect of HGF on the thrombopoietic function remains unclear.

Gene expression profiles of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters with an overexpression of hepatocyte growth factor.

Background: It is important to elucidate the precise mechanism of drug metabolism during hepatic regeneration. Although cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are well known to be down-regulated in growth-stimulated cells, the overall gene expression profile of drug metabolizing enzymes are still not fully understood during hepatic regeneration. In this study, we investigated the gene expression profiles of such enzymes with an overexpression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF).

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancers and large flat adenomas.

Background And Study Aim: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a new diagnostic and treatment technique for early gastric cancer (EGC). The present study aims to identify the technical feasibility, operation time, and complications associated with ESD.

Methods: We reviewed the patients who underwent ESD for EGCs at Maebashi Red Cross Hospital.