Accuracy of automated cuff blood pressure monitors in special populations: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Task Group report and call for research.

Objective: Automated cuff blood pressure (BP) devices are widely used for ambulatory, home, and office BP measurement. However, an automated device, which is accurate in the general adult population may be inaccurate in some special populations. A 2018 Collaborative Statement by the US Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, the European Society of Hypertension, and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) considered three special populations requiring separate validation (age <3 years, pregnancy, and atrial fibrillation).

A universal standard for the validation of blood pressure measuring devices: Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation/European Society of Hypertension/International Organization for Standardization (AAMI/ESH/ISO) Collaboration Statement.

: In the last 30 years, several organizations, such as the US Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), the British Hypertension Society, the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) Working Group on Blood Pressure (BP) Monitoring and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have developed protocols for clinical validation of BP measuring devices. However, it is recognized that science, as well as patients, consumers and manufacturers would be best served if all BP measuring devices were assessed for accuracy according to an agreed single validation protocol that had global acceptance. Therefore, an international initiative was taken by AAMI, ESH and ISO experts who agreed to develop a universal standard for device validation.

Comparison of an ecabet sodium and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) combination therapy with PPI alone in the treatment of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)--induced ulcers in early gastric cancer: prospective randomized study.

Background/aims: Ecabet sodium (ES) is a widely employed mucoprotective agent, for the treatment of gastric ulcers. The present paper prospectively evaluate the additive benefits of using ES in combination with the rabeprazole proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for the treatment of gastric ulcers after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).

Methodology: A total of 56 patients who had undergone ESD for early gastric cancers were randomly assigned to receive either PPI with ES (P/ES group, n=28) or PPI alone (PPI group, n=28) for 8 weeks.

The clinical characteristics, endoscopic treatment, and prognosis for patients presenting with duodenal varices.

Background/aims: This study investigated the clinical characteristics, endoscopic appearances, usefulness of endoscopic treatments, and survival of patients with duodenal varices.

Methodology: Twelve patients were evaluated in whom endoscopy confirmed duodenal varices (13 lesions), and patient data was retrospectively analyzed regarding underlying diseases, hepatic function, endoscopic appearance, previous treatment for other complicated varices, endoscopic treatment for hemorrhage from duodenal varices, and survival.

Results: Underlying diseases consisted of liver cirrhosis in 8 patients, and pancreatic cancer-related pylemphraxis in 4 patients.

Endoscopic ultrasonography with three miniature probes of different frequency is an accurate diagnostic tool for endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background/aims: Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) examinations are necessary to determine the vertical cancer invasion depth. In this study, we prospectively performed EUS with three miniature probes of different frequency (12, 20, and 30 MHz) in patients with early gastric cancer scheduled for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) based on endoscopic findings.

Methodology: The study included 142 early gastric cancer lesions in 132 patients in our hospital.