Characteristics of Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy in Patients 80 Years or Older Living in a Metropolitan Area: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Background: The situation of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy has been changing over time, owing to increases in antimicrobial-resistant strains, lifestyle improvements, and changes in indications for eradication. In Japan, eradication therapy is now available to all H. pylori-positive patients under the medical insurance system, and the potassium-competitive acid blocker vonoprazan has been used for eradication from 2015.

Small intestinal bleeding and stricture caused by Meckel's diverticulum.

A 44-year-old man presented to our hospital with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. We performed balloon-assisted enteroscopy, which revealed diverticulum and stricture at the ileum. The patient underwent segmental small bowel resection and diagnosed with Meckel's diverticulum.

Long-Term Follow-Up of Targeted Biopsy Yield (LOFTY Study) in Ulcerative Colitis Surveillance Colonoscopy.

We previously performed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing targeted and random biopsy in neoplasia detection in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), which showed the short-term effectiveness of targeted biopsy with one-time colonoscopy. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated the long-term effectiveness of targeted biopsy in tertiary care hospitals, using the follow-up data from patients with UC for ≥ 8 years who had enrolled in the initial RCT. The primary outcome was death from colorectal cancer (CRC).

Relationship of aging and nutritional status to innate immunity in tube-fed bedridden patients.

Background And Objectives: Aging and malnutrition are known to influence immune functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of aging and malnutrition to innate immune functions in tube-fed bedridden patients.

Methods And Study Design: A cross-sectional survey was performed in 71 tube-fed bedridden patients aged 50-95 years (mean age±SD, 80.

Caudal type homeobox 2 expression induced by leukocytapheresis might be associated with mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis.

Background And Aim: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon with an intractable, recurrent course. Although the goal of UC therapy has recently been to target mucosal healing, the molecular mechanism of mucosal healing remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular dynamics related to the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells during cytapheresis therapy in a short duration.

Comparison of Targeted vs Random Biopsies for Surveillance of Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer.

Background & Aims: A random biopsy is recommended for surveillance of ulcerative colitis (UC)-associated colorectal cancer. However, a targeted biopsy might be more effective. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare rates of neoplasia detection by targeted vs random biopsies in patients with UC.

Fecal calprotectin is a clinically relevant biomarker of mucosal healing in patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis.

Background And Aim: Calprotectin is an abundant protein in neutrophils, which infiltrate the mucosa during inflammation. Fecal calprotectin (FC) level has shown correlation with disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Additionally, FC level is expected to indicate mucosal healing (MH).

A case of Degos disease: demonstration of C5b-9-mediated vascular injury.

A 68-year-old Japanese male presented with atrophic erythematous white lesions with peripheral dark reddish rims on his back. Multiple ulcers were detected from his stomach to his large intestine using endoscopy. Although the patient was given high doses of a steroid, aspirin, dipyridamole, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, he died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, perforation and septic shock.

A multicentre randomised trial to compare the efficacy of omeprazole versus rabeprazole in early symptom relief in patients with reflux esophagitis.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are affected by cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) polymorphisms. This study compared the effect of two PPIs on early symptom relief in Japanese patients with reflux esophagitis, classified by the CYP2C19 phenotype.

Methods: Patients with reflux esophagitis were randomised to treatment with omeprazole 20 mg or rabeprazole 10 mg once daily.

Long-term enteral immunonutrition containing lactoferrin in tube-fed bedridden patients: immunological and nutritional status.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of a novel immune-enhancing enteral formula, Prem-8, which contains lactoferrin as an immunonutrient.

Design, Setting, Patients: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 5 hospitals in Japan, and 71 tube-fed bedridden patients with serum albumin concentrations between 2.5 and 3.

A prospective analysis of the incidence of and risk factors for opportunistic infections in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Immunosuppressants lead to an increased risk of infection, but few prospective studies have assessed the incidence of opportunistic infections in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, a high proportion of whom are treated with immunosuppressants. The aim of this study was to assess the age distribution of Japanese IBD patients with opportunistic infections and the risk factors associated with these infections.

Methods: A multicenter, prospective study of 570 IBD patients was conducted.

Incidence and characteristics of the 2009 influenza (H1N1) infections in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Background: In 2009, influenza A (H1N1) infections spread worldwide. Because the use of immunomodulators is associated with an increased risk of infection, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients who are on immunomodulators might be concerned about H1N1 influenza infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the age distribution and risk factors associated with H1N1 influenza of IBD patients in 2009-2010.

Elevation of carcinoembryonic antigen coinciding with disease activity of ulcerative colitis.

We report on three cases of ulcerative colitis who presented with increased levels of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) during the active stage. All cases were pancolitis with a moderate to severe disease course. After remission induction with medical therapies, serum CEA levels decreased to the normal reference range.

The impact of disease activity of Crohn's disease during pregnancy on fetal growth.

Although it is known that women with inflammatory bowel disease have an increased risk of adverse outcome of pregnancy, the relationship between disease activity during pregnancy and the adverse outcome is not well known. A 29-year-old woman with Crohn's disease presented with flare-up at the end of the first trimester. Although the disease had been rendered inactive by maintenance infusion of infliximab, the drug was discontinued at the time of conception because of the patient's fear of the adverse effects of infliximab.

Newly developed antibiotic combination therapy for ulcerative colitis: a double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter trial.

Objectives: Fusobacterium varium may contribute to ulcerative colitis (UC). We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter trial to determine whether antibiotic combination therapy induces and/or maintains remission of active UC.

Methods: Patients with chronic mild-to-severe relapsing UC were randomly assigned to oral amoxicillin 1500 mg/day, tetracycline 1500 mg/day, and metronidazole 750 mg/day, vs.

Sclerosing mesenteritis, a rare mesenteric disorder, in a patient with ulcerative colitis.

A 60-year-old female who had been ill with ulcerative colitis for more than ten years presented with upper abdominal pain. A flare-up of ulcerative colitis was unlikely, because she did not report rectal bleeding, altered bowel habit, and changes of stool form. A poorly defined mass with mild tenderness was palpable in the upper abdomen, with increased levels of serum pancreatic enzymes, leading us to suspect pancreatic disease.

Prokinetics influence the pharmacokinetics of rabeprazole.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are unstable at a low PH. Accelerated transfer of PPIs to the upper small intestine may influence the pharmacokinetics of PPIs.

Aim: To see if concomitant use of mosapride citrate with rabeprazole sodium influences the pharmacokinetics of the PPI.

Vulnerability of gastric mucosa to prednisolone in rats chronically exposed to cigarette smoke.

We examined gastric mucosal vulnerability in a rat model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Male Wistar rats were exposed to cigarette smoke for 12 weeks (CSE rats), and on the last 4 days of exposure, prednisolone was given to induce gastric mucosal injury. Histopathology, pulmonary function, arterial blood gases, and levels of lipid peroxides (LPO), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha subunit (HIF-1alpha), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in gastric mucosa were examined.

Mental rotation test performance in four cross-cultural samples (n = 3367): overall sex differences and the role of academic program in performance.

Two meta-analyses (Linn and Petersen, 1985; Voyer et al., 1995) discuss variables that affect mental rotation performance but they do not mention a potentially important variable, the Academic Program in which students are enrolled. Sex differences in brain size have been related to sex differences in spatial performance (e.

[The cause of failure of eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori].

The drug treatment, the combination of lansoprazole + amoxicillin + clarithromycin, for Helicobacter pylori infection with gastroduodenal ulcer was approved for the national heath insurance November 2000 in JAPAN, and has been widely applied. However, failures of eradication have been counted in 10-20% of the cases. The major reason of the failure has been reported as the drug resistance of the H.

Increased tyrosine kinase activites may lead to the phenotypic differences of gastric cancer cells.

Background: The aim of this study was to elucidate possible mechanisms responsible for the phenotypic difference in gastric cancer cells between the intestinal type and the diffuse type.

Materials And Methods: The gastric cancer cell lines MKN7 and KATO-III were used. Expression of adhesion molecules and protein tyrosine phosphorylation were examined by immunoblotting.

Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases mediate H(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit gene expression.

Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERKs) are important in many cellular functions. We and others have previously reported that prolonged exposure of gastric parietal cells to epidermal growth factor (EGF) enhanced gastric acid secretion stimulated by secretagogues via ERKs. In this study, we examined whether ERKs regulated H(+),K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit gene expression using a gastric cancer cell line, AGS.