[The good discharge summary--criteria and evaluation].

Background: A discharge summary should be sent to the primary care physicians to ensure adequate follow-up of patients after discharge from hospital. It should arrive in due time and its content should serve its purpose.

Material And Methods: We identified six criteria to be used for quality evaluation of discharge summary content and format.

A prospective study of same day bi-directional endoscopy in the evaluation of patients with occult gastrointestinal bleeding.

Objective: Previous studies show conflicting results in the diagnostic yield of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) and colonoscopy (bi-directional) in identifying potential bleeding sources (PBS) in patients investigated for occult gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). The aims of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic yield of bi-directional endoscopy in patients presenting with OGIB and to assess the factors predictive of a positive yield.

Material And Methods: Patients with OGIB referred to the gastroenterology unit were prospectively included in the study.

Follow-up on 242 patients with peptic ulcer disease one year after eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Background/aims: From Dec. 1990 to Jan. 1993 we treated 306 patients with chronic peptic ulcer disease and gastric Helicobacter pylori infection with one of three triple therapy regimens comprising bismuth subnitrate suspension (B) 15 mg/ml, oxytetracycline (OT), and metronidazole (M).

Helicobacter pylori eradication with bismuth subnitrate, oxytetracycline and metronidazole in patients with peptic ulcer disease.

A total of 152 patients with recurrent peptic ulcer disease were treated with bismuth subnitrate, oxytetracycline and metronidazole. The 51 patients in Group 1 were included following a study of the effect of cognitive psychotherapy on the recurrence rate after curative treatment for duodenal ulcer (DU). Group 2 comprised 101 consecutive patients referred to us with recurrent peptic ulcer.

Serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin as a marker of alcohol consumption in patients with chronic liver diseases.

We measured serum levels of carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) in 420 subjects: 100 healthy blood donors, 82 healthy employees, 70 abstaining patients with different chronic nonalcoholic liver disease, 16 abstaining patients with alcoholic fatty liver, 50 abstaining patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, 25 abusing patients with alcoholic fatty liver, 41 abusing patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and 36 patients with alcohol dependence syndrome with a daily ethanol consumption of 173 +/- 120 g the last 4 weeks before blood was drawn. In controls the serum level of CDT was significantly higher in females compared with males (17.7 +/- 5.

Eosinophil cationic protein and phospholipase A2 activity in human gastric juice. With emphasis on Helicobacter pylori status and effects of antacids.

To elucidate possible new effects of antacids, gastric juice from 15 volunteers with known Helicobacter pylori status were analysed for eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and bile acids (BA) before and after administration of one tablet of antacid or placebo in a double blind cross-over design. Geometric mean ECP concentrations were more than 13 times higher in gastric juice from H. pylori-positive (12.

Is there a place for antacids in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection?

Two pilot studies were performed to determine whether aluminium-containing antacids may have a place in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. The urease activity of H. pylori is cytopathic to gastric epithelium, and inhibition of this enzyme may have therapeutic potential.

Comparison of low-dose antacids, cimetidine, and placebo on 24-hour intragastric acidity in healthy volunteers.

Low-dose aluminium (Al) antacids are effective in promoting ulcer healing and symptomatic relief in peptic ulcer patients, although the effect on intragastric acidity is very weak. In this randomized, double-blind study, 24-hr intragastric acidity was compared in 11 healthy volunteers, treated with a low-dose Al antacid regimen (1 tablet four times a day), cimetidine (800 mg at bedtime) and placebo, using the double-dummy technique. Standardized meals were given at 8 AM, noon, and 5 PM.

[Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Rapid urease test, microscopy of smears and culture from ventricular biopsy compared with the 14C-urea breath test].

By employing the 14C-urea breath test as the reference method we determined the specificity and sensitivity of three bioptic methods for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in 103 subjects. All biopsy specimens were obtained from the gastric antrum. For culture the specificity was 100%.

Gastrointestinal bleeding associated with the use of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs--symptomatology and clinical course.

The symptoms associated with admission for gastrointestinal haemorrhage were studied in relation to the intake of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) within fourteen days prior to admission. In a prospective, two-year study we included only those with bleeding due to gastroduodenal ulcers or haemorrhagic erosive gastritis. In 94 patients with a median age of 74 years, NSAID use was stated in 54, but the symptoms in these subjects (degree of epigastric pain, nausea or heartburn) were no different from those without previous NSAID use.

Gastrointestinal bleeding: dyspeptic symptoms and clinical course in relation to use of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

To study the symptoms of NSAID-associated gastroduodenal bleeding, 94 patients (median age 71 years, range 19-90), were included in a prospective, clinical trial where hematemesis or melena from gastroduodenal ulceration or haemorrhagic/erosive gastritis were the inclusion criteria. NSAID use within one month was studied in relation to subjective symptoms prior to admission and to clinical course of the episode. Significantly fewer of the NSAID users (n = 54) than the non-users (n = 40) had experienced prior peptic ulceration or dyspeptic symptoms.

Acute effects of antacids on gastric juice components in duodenal ulcer patients.

In 10 duodenal ulcer patients gastric juice was aspirated every 10 min for 20 min before and 200 min after sham feeding. One antacid tablet or placebo was given 80 min after the sham feeding. Analyses of the aspirates showed that antacids reduced mean hydrogen ion activity and pepsin concentration significantly for 40 and 60 min, respectively, and increased phospholipid concentration for 30 min, compared with placebo.

NSAID-associated gastroduodenal damage: does famotidine protection extend into the mid- and distal duodenum?

Eighteen healthy volunteers were included in a cross-over, double-blind study where 500 mg naproxen b.d. was given for 1 week with 20 mg famotidine b.

Suppression of gastric urease activity by antacids.

Campylobacter pylori (CP) infection among healthy employees at the section of gastroenterology was studied by means of the carbon-14 urea breath test. Fourteen of 46 individuals (30.4%) were infected with Campylobacter pylori (CP+).

Low-dose antacids versus 400 mg cimetidine twice daily for reflux oesophagitis. A comparative, placebo-controlled, multicentre study.

Ninety-one patients with reflux oesophagitis were randomly allocated to treatment with one chewable antacid tablet (acid-neutralizing capacity, 30 mmol) four times daily, 400 mg cimetidine twice daily, or placebo. The study was double-blind, with a double-dummy technique. Endoscopy was performed before inclusion and after 8 weeks' treatment.

Acute damage of gastroduodenal mucosa by acetylsalicylic acid: no prolonged protection by antacids.

Twenty healthy volunteers participated in a double-blind, crossover study to evaluate endoscopically whether low-dose antacids have any prolonged and pH-independent protective capacity against gastroduodenal mucosal damage induced by acetylsalicylic acid. Antacid or placebo one tablet q.d.

Symptomatic effect of a low-dose antacid regimen in reflux oesophagitis.

The symptomatic effect of a 2-week low-dose antacid tablet regimen was assessed in a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial in 47 patients with endoscopically verified reflux oesophagitis. During treatment with antacid there were lower global symptomatic scores (p less than 0.05), less acid regurgitation (p less than 0.

Low-dose antacids or cimetidine for duodenal ulcer?

In a double-blind, randomized, multicenter trial 150 consecutive outpatients with endoscopically verified duodenal ulcer were treated with either a low-dose antacid regimen (1 tablet q.i.d.

Antacids reduce Campylobacter pylori colonization without healing the gastritis in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia and erosive prepyloric changes.

Antral biopsy specimens from 89 consecutive patients with nonulcer dyspepsia and erosive prepyloric changes included in a prospective, randomized, double-blind 4-wk study of the effect of an aluminum-magnesium antacid (120 mmol/day) or pirenzepine (50 mg b.i.d.

Relationship of overweight to hiatus hernia and reflux oesophagitis.

In a prospective study in 1224 patients referred for upper alimentary endoscopy, reflux oesophagitis was found in 195 (16%) of the patients and hiatus hernia in 249 (20%). In patients with reflux oesophagitis a coexisting hiatus hernia was found in 68%. The weight-for-height index (W/H1.

Low-dose antacids and pirenzepine in the treatment of patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia and erosive prepyloric changes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

One hundred consecutive patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) and the endoscopic diagnosis of erosive prepyloric changes (EPC) were included in a 4-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The patients were randomly allocated to treatment with either Al-Mg antacids (one tablet four times daily; acid-neutralizing capacity, 120 mmol/day) or antacid placebo, in combination with either pirenzepine (50 mg twice daily) or pirenzepine placebo. Ninety patients completed the study.

Gastric prostaglandin E2 release induced by aluminium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide-containing antacids in rats. Effect of low doses and citric acid.

Suspensions of aluminium hydroxide or a commercial antacid containing aluminium hydroxide (Trigastril) was instilled intragastrically in rats in doses comparable to high and low human therapeutic doses (aluminium hydroxide, 125 mg and 12.5 mg/kg, respectively). Corresponding experiments were carried out with 0.

Urinary excretion of aluminium after ingestion of sucralfate and an aluminium-containing antacid in man.

Eleven subjects with normal renal function were given, on 2 separate days, at least 1 week apart, four tablets of sucralfate or an aluminium (Al)-containing antacid. The total Al load was approximately 976 mg with the antacid and approximately 828 mg with sucralfate. The daily urinary excretion of Al was measured the day before and during 3 days after drug administration.

Gastrointestinal absorption of aluminium from single doses of aluminium containing antacids in man.

Ten subjects with normal renal function were given different single doses of aluminium containing antacids (1, 4, or 8 tablets). The antacid tablets (aluminium content 244 mg tablet-1) were chewed and swallowed either with water, with orange juice, or with citric acid solution. There was a marked increase in serum concentration of aluminium when the antacids was ingested with citric acid (P less than 0.