Real-time gastric juice analysis with EndoFaster for H. pylori diagnosis: a large, multicentre study.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is the main cause of the most frequent gastroduodenal diseases. Because its prevalence is decreasing in developed countries, gastric biopsies are negative in several patients. By measuring ammonium in the gastric juice, EndoFaster allows to exclude H.

Real-time determination of gastric juice pH with EndoFaster® for atrophic gastritis assessment.

Background: In patients with atrophic gastritis involving gastric body mucosa the pH value of gastric juice is distinctly increased, so that pH assessment would allow predict this precancerous lesion. We tested whether EndoFaster® - a device allowing real-time pH measure and H. pylori diagnosis - may optimize the need of taking gastric biopsies.

Evaluation of Antibiotic Resistance of Strains Isolated in Bari, Southern Italy, in 2017-2018 by Phenotypic and Genotyping Methods.

antibiotic resistance is a constantly evolving process and local surveillance is warranted to guide clinicians in the choice of therapy. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by E-test on 92 strains, and resistance to clarithromycin and levofloxacin was also evaluated using a commercially available genotyping method. In naïve patients the resistance to clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and metronidazole was 37.

Early radiation-induced mucosal changes evaluated by proctoscopy: predictive role of dosimetric parameters.

Background And Purpose: Late rectal complications are assessed according to different scoring systems. Endoscopy can provide a more sensitive estimation of early radiation damage. The aim of this paper is to investigate the correlation between dosimetric parameters and rectal mucosal changes after radiotherapy (RT).

Barrett's esophagus and esophageal cancer: an overview.

Although esophageal cancer (EC) is the eighth most common cancer in several European countries, it is one of deadliest worldwide. The most frequent predisposing factor implicated in its development is Barrett's esophagus (BE), an acquired metaplastic transformation of the esophageal lining cells from normal squamous epithelium into specialised or intestinal-like columnar epithelium. The major risk factor for BE is gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Infliximab therapy downregulation of basic fibroblast growth factor/syndecan 1 link: a possible molecular pathway of mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis.

Background: It is known that syndecan 1 in inflammatory bowel diseases is able to migrate from epithelial basolateral site to the stromal area and apical surface of epithelium with a consequent activation and modulation of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and this process sustains mucosal healing of ulcers. On the other hand, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) α mucosal levels are directly related to the entity of the damage in these disorders. Aim of the study A 'post-hoc' retrospective study was performed to estimate mucosal TNF α in rectal biopsies of subjects with ulcerative colitis (UC) before and after effective infliximab therapy and its relationship with syndecan 1, bFGF and endoscopic mucosal healing.

Differential immunohistochemical expression of syndecan-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in colonic mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) in intestinal mucosa plays a key role in the inflammation characterizing Crohn's disease (CD). Moreover, adhesion molecule syndecan-1 mediates the maintenance of mucosal integrity and supports tissue repair. Therefore, our aim in this study was to correlate simultaneous expression of TNFalpha and syndecan-1 in patients affected by CD.

Gastric epithelial cell proliferation and ras oncogene p21 expression in first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients: a case-control study.

Objectives: Individuals with a family history of gastric cancer have an increased risk of developing such neoplasia. This study aimed to assess epithelial cell proliferation and ras oncogene mutation in such individuals.

Methods: Twenty dyspeptic, first-degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer and 20 matched controls were enrolled.

Clarithromycin-resistant genotypes and eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Three point mutations (A2143G, A2142G, and A2142C) have been involved in Helicobacter pylori clarithromycin resistance.

Objective: To compare the eradication rates among the different point mutations and the efficacy of triple therapy and a sequential regimen according to genotypic resistance.

Design: Post hoc subgroup study from a multicenter, randomized trial.