Lipid peroxidation in chronic gastritis; any influence of Helicobacter pylori?

In an attempt to investigate the significance of lipid peroxidation in the pathogenesis of gastritis associated with or without Helicobacter pylori infection, malonodialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured by the thiobarbiturate assay in the gastric juice of 101 patients undergoing upper GI endoscopy and correlated with histopathological findings. Elevated MDA levels were found in all patients with gastritis compared with controls. MDA levels were significantly correlated with the extent of the mucosal inflammation and with disease activity in patients with reactive gastritis.

Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with long acting somatostatin analogues.

An earlier report has shown that subcutaneous short acting octreotide significantly improves survival of patients with inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to compare survival of the patients with inoperable HCC treated with long acting somatostatin analogues (LASA) to a historical control group of untreated patients. The survival of 32 patients with inoperable HCC who received LASA treatment was compared to those of 27 untreated patients.

Changes of plasma levels of gastrointestinal peptides over the course of acute pancreatitis. Any significance for the pathophysiology and treatment of acute pancreatitis?

Background/aims: Acute pancreatitis may be accompanied by alterations of the secretion of pancreatic and gastrointestinal peptides as a result of pancreatic inflammation. These changes, that may constitute targets of therapeutic manipulation, led to the study of the serum levels of various pancreatic and gastrointestinal peptides over the course of acute pancreatitis before and after the administration of octreotide and ranitidine.

Methodology: Concentrations of gastrin, glucagon, vasoactive intestinal peptide, neurotensin and pancreatic polypeptide were determined by radioimmunoassay in the plasma of 22 patients with acute pancreatitis on the first, sixth and 11th day of the disease.