[Clinical and endoscopic prognostic factors in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer].

Background: The main objectives of this study were to review the clinic and endoscopic variables of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGB) due to peptic gastroduodenal lesions who were evaluated in our hospital during one year, to identify the characteristics associated with a negative evolution of the UGB and to analyse the characteristics of those patients who were discharged immediately after the endoscopy was performed.

Patients And Method: A one-year retrospective analysis of all UGB episodes was performed. Patients having gastroduodenal ulcer or erosive gastritis/duodenitis at endoscopy were included.

[Helicobacter pylori infection and functional dyspepsia. Meta-analysis of efficacy of eradication therapy].

Background: To establish a causal link between Helicobacter pylori infection and functional dyspepsia it is necessary to demonstrate that H. pylori eradication induces an improvement in dyspeptic symptoms. Our aim was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized studies comparing, in functional dyspepsia, the efficacy of H.

[Stool antigen test for initial Helicobacter pylori diagnosis and for confirmation of eradication after therapy].

Background: : Recently, a new diagnostic method based on the detection of Helicobacter pylori antigen in stools (HpSA) has been developed. Our aim was to prospectively evaluate the accuracy of HpSA both in the initial diagnosis of H. pylori infection and in the confirmation of the eradication after treatment.

Natural anticoagulant proteins and antiphospholipid antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Thrombosis is a relatively common complication in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and is strongly associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). The mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of this prothrombotic state remains obscure. We studied 4 natural anticoagulant proteins: protein C, protein S, antithrombin III, and plasminogen in 50 patients diagnosed with SLE.