A multicenter, randomized, prospective study of 14-day ranitidine bismuth citrate- vs. lansoprazole-based triple therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori in dyspeptic patients.

Background/aims: Proton-pump inhibitor and ranitidine bismuth citrate-based triple regimens are the two recommended first line treatments for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. We aimed to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of these two treatments in a prospective, multicentric, randomized study.

Materials And Methods: Patients with dyspeptic complaints were recruited from 15 study centers.

Transgastric migration of retained intraabdominal surgical sponge: gossypiboma in the bulbus.

A 55-year-old hemiplegic woman with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was referred to our clinic for upper gastrointestinal system bleeding and for a high level of cholestatic enzymes. She had a medical history of cerebra vascular accident three years previously and cholecystectomy one year previously. We performed gastroscopy and saw a retained surgical sponge in the bulbus.

Serum ghrelin levels in inflammatory bowel disease with relation to disease activity and nutritional status.

Ghrelin possesses various biological activities -- it stimulates growth hormone (GH) release, plays a major role in energy metabolism, and is one of the hormones that affects body composition. It also plays a role in modulating immune response and inflammatory processes. In this study we aimed to determine whether serum ghrelin levels had correlation with markers associated with disease activation.

Poor efficacy of ranitidine bismuth citrate-based triple therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Background: Helicobacter pylori eradication rates have tended to decrease recently possibly related with increasing antibiotic resistance. The present study investigated the efficacy of three different ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) based triple regimens in a population with high prevalence of H. pylori.

Large vesicula seminalis cyst: a very rare cause of constipation and male infertility.

We report a 35-year-old male patient with chronic constipation and infertility for 4 years. Spermiogram revealed severe oligospermia. An external mass compressing the rectum was found during rectal examination and flexible rectosigmoidoscopy.

Effectiveness of bougie dilation for the management of corrosive esophageal strictures.

Background And Study Aims: Caustic ingestion caused by swallowing a detergent can produce a progressive and devastating injury in the esophagus and stomach. One of the most important outcomes of the corrosive oesophagitis is the stricture formation, which is resistant to treatment. The aim of this study was firstly to determine the relation between agent, inflammation and stricture, and secondly investigate the efficiency of dilation in patients having esophageal stricture due to corrosive oesophagitis.

Acinar cell ultrastructure after taurine treatment in rat acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Objective: To evaluate the organelle-based changes in acinar cells in experimental acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) after taurine treatment and the association of electron microscopic findings with histopathological changes and oxidative stress markers.

Methods: The study was performed in February 2005 at Gulhane School of Medicine and Hecettepe University, Turkey. Forty-five rats were divided into 3 groups.

Rat liver fibrosis regresses better with pegylated interferon alpha2b and ursodeoxycholic acid treatments than spontaneous recovery.

Background/aims: Fibrosis and cirrhosis are common complications of chronic liver diseases. An imbalance between fibrogenesis and fibrolysis results in scarring of the liver parenchyma. We aimed to investigate the possible antifibrotic effectiveness of a newly modified interferon molecule peginterferon alpha2b (PEG-IFNalpha2b) which has better antiviral activity, and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).

Hyperbaric oxygen-induced changes in bacterial translocation and acinar ultrastructure in rat acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Background: We aimed to investigate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on bacterial translocation and acinar cell ultrastructure in a rat model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Methods: Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Acute pancreatitis was induced in groups II and III.

Ulcerative colitis case beginning during pregnancy in a patient with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

It is well known that there may be an increased tendency for thrombosis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study presents a case with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome with ulcerative colitis diagnosed during pregnancy. A 30-year-old female patient, in her 6th week of pregnancy, applied to our clinic with complaints of abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea.

Recent success of pantoprazole -or lansoprazole- based clarithromycin plus amoxicillin treatment in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori.

Background/aims: There are some reports showing that resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) to clarithromycin has increased in recent years. We aimed to investigate the current success of a most popular first-line eradication regimen by using two different proton pump inhibitors: lansoprazole and pantoprazole.

Elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations as a predictor of steatohepatitis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Although steatosis is common in patients with severe hyperhomocysteinemia due to deficiency of cystathionine beta-synthase, there are no satisfactory data on homocysteine concentrations in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of plasma homocysteine concentrations in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Methods: Seventy-one non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients, 36 patients with chronic viral hepatitis and 30 healthy persons were enrolled in the study.

Enteral nutrition via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and nutritional status of patients: five-year prospective study.

Background: Since it was described in 1980, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) has been a widely used method for insertion of a gastrostomy tube in patients who are unable to swallow or maintain adequate nutrition. The aim of the present paper was to determine the complications of PEG insertion and to study pre- and post-procedural nutritional status.

Methods: During the period of March 1999-September 2004, placement of PEG tube was performed in 85 patients (22 women and 63 men).

Duodenal intramural hematoma due to blunt abdominal trauma.

A 14-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital with the complaints of epigastric pain and vomiting for three days following epigastric trauma. Physical examination revealed a palpable mass in the epigastrium without any signs of peritoneal irritation. Vital signs, biochemical analysis, chest and abdominal x-rays were normal.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with Billroth II anastomosis.

Background/aims: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure is quite difficult to perform in patients with Billroth II anastomosis because of anatomical alterations. The aim of this study is to evaluate retrospectively the results of ERCP applications done in patients with Billroth II operation.

Methodology: Out of the 1632 patients who underwent ERCP between 1992 and 2002, 27 (1.

Systemic markers of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in patients with nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the systemic parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidants in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and investigate the relationship between these parameters and clinical and biochemical outcomes.

Methods: Fifty-one male patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (group I), 30 age-matched and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy male subjects, and 30 age-matched male patients with chronic viral hepatitis (group II) were enrolled in the study.

Results: Increased systemic levels of malondialdehyde and depletion of antioxidants such as coenzyme Q10, CuZn-superoxide dismutase, and catalase activity were observed in group I.

Continuity of cytokine activation in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a recessively inherited inflammatory disorder, characterized by recurrent attacks of fever and polyserositis. It has been considered that miscellaneous cytokines take part in the pathogenesis of the disease. The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in patients with FMF.

Acute pancreatitis possibly due to arginine use: a case report.

Arginine has been used by millions of athletes over the past 20 years to enhance production of human growth hormone. The effects of arginine supplementation include increased fat burning and muscle building, enhanced immunity, and improvement in erectile function in men. Excessive doses of basic amino acids such as ethionine, methionine and lysine are known to damage the rat pancreas.

The effect of combination therapy of hyperbaric oxygen, meropenem, and selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor in experimental acute pancreatitis.

Despite the new diagnostic and therapeutic advancements, acute pancreatitis has still high rate of morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy alone or combined with S-methylisothiourea (SMT), and meropenem (MER) therapy in an experimental rat model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Rats were randomly divided into 8 groups, and acute pancreatitis was induced in all groups except group 1.