QT interval changes and reversibility of QT dispersion in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Background/aims: QT dispersion is a sign of heterogeneity of ventricular myocardial wall and is associated with cardiac mortality and morbidity. Data regarding with the persistence of QT interval changes in cases with acute pancreatitis (AP) that required clinical follow-up, are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the QT interval changes during attack and after remission of the disease, in cases with AP.

Short and medium-term therapeutic effects of pneumatic dilatation for achalasia: a 15-year tertiary centre experience.

Background: Pneumatic dilatation (PD) is a commonly used endoscopic technique to weaken the lower oesophageal sphincter in patients with achalasia. It is considered as the most effective non-surgical therapeutic option for achalasia, but further data on the overall effectiveness and rate of complications is needed.

Aims: To determine the short- and medium-term therapeutic effectiveness of PD for achalasia and estimate the cumulative probability of remaining in remission over one year after a single treatment.

The role of gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire in the Republic of Macedonia.

The Aim Of The Study: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common disease with a multifactorial pathogenesis. Our aim was to analyse the role of the Gastroesophageal Disease Questionnaire in diagnosing reflux disease in the population of the Republic of Macedonia.

Methods: The questionnaire on the severity of the symptoms related to GERD was used.

Obstructive jaundice caused by pancreatic head malignancies are there predictive factors for successful endoscopic biliary stenting?

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography provides precise imaging of malignant biliopancreatic strictures and allows palliative treatment with endoscopic stenting. Initial successful biliary stenting can be achieved in about 69-100% of patients with pancreatic head malignancies. Preliminary data from our Clinic reported a much lower success rate of endoscopic biliary stenting in obstructive jaundice caused by pancreatic head malignancies.

The kinetics of virological and biochemical responses in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C by dual antiviral therapy.

Introduction: Infection with hepatitis C is often manifested by a mild clinical course, and in many patients it is revealed incidentally, during routine laboratory ests. Progression of the disease often takes 10-20 years with specified high risk of fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Material And Methods: The group of subjects with chronic liver disease of viral C etiology was consisted of 50 patients of both sexes, 38 (75%) were male and 13 (25%) females, aged 20-65 years.

Choledochal cysts: diagnosis and treatment.

The aim of this study is to show the different diagnostic procedures and treatment in patients diagnosed with congenital choledochal cysts. Choledochal cysts are congenital anomalies of the bile ducts and include cystic dilatation of the extrahepatic and intrahepatic biliary ducts or both. The study shows ten patients diagnosed as having choledochal cysts.

Serum complement C4 in chronic hepatitis C: correlation with histopathologic findings and disease activity.

Background/aims: Hepatitis C virus leads to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. Viral markers and other laboratory tests used in the diagnosis and follow-up of chronic hepatitis C do not correlate well with disease activity and liver histopathology. Therefore, alternative tests that indicate disease activity and relate with liver biopsy findings are needed.

Conventional video-gastroscopes for the recognition of early gastric cancers.

Background/aims: To determine the role of conventional video-gastroscopes for detection of early gastric cancers (EGC).

Methodology: All conventional upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGE) reports (12000 UGE reports) and pathology reports of all UGEs, between January 2003-December 2008, were evaluated retrospectively.

Results: The endoscopist suspected for EGC in 163 patients.

Lipid profile changes and importance of low serum α-lipoprotein fraction (high-density lipoprotein) in cases with acute pancreatitis.

Objectives: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common systemic inflammatory disorder of the pancreas. The data related to the lipid changes in patients with AP were insufficient. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the other lipid parameters and the severity of the disease in AP cases.

Could complement C4 be an alternative to biopsy for chronic hepatitis B histopathologic findings?

Background: Hepatitis B leads to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular cancer. Viral markers and other laboratory tests used in diagnosis and follow-up of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) do not correlate well with disease activity and liver histopathology. For this reason, alternative tests that indicate disease activity are needed.

Usefulness of laboratory data in estimation of Crohn's disease activity.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by unpredictable and severe course. Most clinicians use simple laboratory parameters of inflammatory activity such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), the number of leukocytes (Le) and platelet count to assess disease activity. The aim of this paper was to determine the value of various laboratory parameters in the assessment of Crohn's disease activity.

The role of nitric oxide and ferritin in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease: a controlled clinical study.

The role of ferritin in fibrogenesis of liver parenchyma in patients with alcoholic liver disease has been investigated in previous studies. Ferritin was shown to be an indirect marker of ferum deposition in liver parenchyma in alcohol liver disease. The aim of the present study was to examine the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease as well as the influence of NO on iron (ferritin) metabolism in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Total parenteral nutrition in treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are exposed to nutritional risk. Malnutrition in Crohn's Disease (CD) and to a somewhat lesser in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is very frequent. Depending on the severity of the disease, weight loss has been reported in 65% to 76% of those with CD and in 18% to 62% of those with UC.

Pre-operative staging of gastric carcinoma.

This study is a prospective clinical investigation that includes 195 patients (pts), of whom 64 were diagnosed with gastric cancer and endosonographically determined operability. Endosonography is not used in the primary detection and diagnosis of gastric cancer, but as a supplementary method that, besides the basic detection of the presence or absence of a tumour, gives additional information about the extent of the neoplasm. For this investigation the patients were divided into 3 groups.

Helicobacter pylori and gastric carcinoma.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and gastric cancer and a possible relation with a certain histopathological type of gastric cancer and localization within the stomach. A cross-section study was conducted on 60 consecutive patients (45 men and 15 women) with an established histological diagnosis of gastric cancer. The patients were divided into 2 groups (HP positive and HP negative) and additionally, depending on histopathological type, into intestinal, diffuse and cardia cancer, and localization as cardia carcinoma, proximal and distal carcinoma.

1007fs, G908R, R702W mutations and P268S, IVS8+158 polymorphisms of the CARD15 gene in Turkish inflammatory bowel disease patients and their relationship with disease-related surgery.

Introduction: CARD15 gene mutations may present different frequencies in populations and sometimes surgical interventions may become a necessary therapy for inflammatory bowel disease patients. Mutations of 1007fs, G908R, R702W and polymorphisms of P268S, IVS8+158 of the CARD15 gene and their relation with disease-related surgery were investigated in Turkish inflammatory bowel disease patients in this study.

Material And Method: 1007fs, G908R, R702W mutations and P268S, IVS8+158 polymorphisms of CARD15 gene were analyzed in 130 inflammatory bowel disease patients (67 Crohn's disease, 63 ulcerative colitis) and 87 healthy controls.

Serum copper, ceruloplasmin and 24-h urine copper evaluations in celiac patients.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the serum copper, ceruloplasmin and 24-h urine copper levels in celiac patients. Serum copper, ceruloplasmin and 24-h urine measurements were evaluated in patients with celiac (n = 32), Crohn's (n = 25), Wilson's (n = 11) and in a healthy group (n = 35). Serum and 24-h urine zinc levels, AST, ALT, BUN, creatinine, iron, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocyte, sedimentation and CRP levels were also measured.

Cyclooxygenase-2 expression in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Background/aims: The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and to examine the relationship to various clinicopathological parameters.

Methodology: Thirty-seven gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor specimens were analyzed immunohistochemically. Correlations between expression and some parameters such as age, sex, tumor size, location, presence of multiple neuroendocrine tumor, lymphatic/vascular/muscularis propria invasion and lymph node metastases were evaluated.

Tumor suppresser gene p53 expression in premalignant lesions and gastric carcinoma - prognostic value.

The aim of the study was to verify the presence of mutated tumor suppresser gene p53 in intestinal mucosa with histologically confirmed premalignant lesions and gastric carcinoma, and assess its prognostic value. The paper presents prospective study that included 50 patients with gastric adeno-carcinoma of intestinal type that were treated at Gastroenterohepatology Clinic, and 50 patients with histologically confirmed chronic atrophic H. pylori positive gastritis.

Incomplete intestinal metaplasia as an indicator for early detection of gastric carcinoma in the events of helicobacter pylori positive chronic atrophic gastritis.

The aim of the study was to ascertain the existence of intestinal metaplasia in gastric mucosa of patients with gastric carcinoma coupled with H. pylori positive chronic atrophic gastritis and possible connection of IM with the development of gastric carcinoma. The paper presents prospective study that included 50 patients with gastric carcinoma and 50 patients with chronic atrophic H.