The spiral bacteria, Helicobacter heilmannii (H. heilmannii), distinct from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), was found in the gastric mucosa of a 71-year-old man without clinical symptoms. The endoscopic examination revealed erosive gastritis. Rapid urease test from the antral specimen was positive, but both culture and immunohistological staining for H. pylori were negative. Touch smear cytology showed tightly spiral bacteria, which were consistent with H. heilmannii. At the second endoscopy after medication regimen for eradication of H. pylori, inflammation was decreased and the rapid urease test was negative. The second cytology showed no evidence of H. heilmannii. Anti-H. pylori therapy may be a useful medication for H. heilmannii. (+info)
Accuracy and economics of Helicobacter pylori diagnosis.
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Many diagnostic tests are available to establish Helicobacter pylori infection status. Most of the tests are accurate though none works perfectly, and no gold standard for diagnosis exists. Newly developed serum immunoassay kits can substitute for laboratory-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, but whole blood immunoassays do not yet demonstrate adequate performance characteristics. Serologic diagnosis of H. pylori remains the most cost-effective option and should be utilized to establish initial infection in the majority of cases. If rapid urease testing is performed at endoscopy, negative results can be confirmed with a subsequent serologic test in those patients with a high probability of infection. Obtaining additional gastric tissue at endoscopy to evaluate for bacterial infection is reasonable if specimens are being taken for a mucosal defect. Confirmation of bacterial eradication cannot be justified for all post-treatment patients at present due to the expense. It is important to test for cure in those patients with complicated ulcer disease and those with recurrent symptoms after therapy. (+info)
Endoscopic assessment of oesophagitis: clinical and functional correlates and further validation of the Los Angeles classification.
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BACKGROUND: Endoscopic oesophageal changes are diagnostically helpful and identify patients exposed to the risk of disease chronicity. However, there is a serious lack of agreement about how to describe and classify the appearance of reflux oesophagitis AIMS: To examine the reliability of criteria that describe the circumferential extent of mucosal breaks and to evaluate the functional and clinical correlates of patients with reflux disease whose oesophagitis was graded according to the Los Angeles system. METHODS: Forty six endoscopists from different countries used a detailed worksheet to evaluate endoscopic video recordings from 22 patients with the full range of severity of reflux oesophagitis. In separate studies, Los Angeles system gradings were correlated with 24 hour oesophageal pH monitoring (178 patients), and with clinical trials of omeprazole treatment (277 patients). RESULTS: Evaluation of circumferential extent of oesophagitis by the criterion of whether mucosal breaks extended between the tops of mucosal folds, gave acceptable agreement (mean kappa value 0.4) among observers. This approach is used in the Los Angeles system. An alternative approach of grouping the circumferential extent of mucosal breaks as occupying 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 76-99%, or 100% of the oesophageal circumference, gave unacceptably high interobserver variation (mean kappa values 0-0.15) for all but the lowest category of extent (mean kappa value 0.4). Severity of oesophageal acid exposure was significantly (p<0.001) related to the severity grade of oesophagitis. Preteatment oesophagitis grades A-C were related to heartburn severity (p<0.01), outcomes of omeprazole (10 mg daily) treatment (p<0.01), and the risk for symptom relapse off therapy over six months (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results add further support to previous studies for the clinical utility of the Los Angeles system for endoscopic grading of oesophagitis. (+info)
A prospective randomised trial of a "test and treat" policy versus endoscopy based management in young Helicobacter pylori positive patients with ulcer-like dyspepsia, referred to a hospital clinic.
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BACKGROUND: Management of dyspepsia remains a controversial area. Although the European Helicobacter pylori study group has advised empirical eradication therapy without oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) in young H pylori positive dyspeptic patients who do not exhibit alarm symptoms, this strategy has not been subjected to clinical trial. AIMS: To compare a "test and treat" eradication policy against management by OGD. PATIENTS: Consecutive subjects were prospectively recruited from open access OGD and outpatient referrals. METHODS: H pylori status was assessed using the carbon-13 urea breath test. H pylori positive patients were randomised to either empirical eradication or OGD. Symptoms and quality of life scores were assessed at baseline and subsequent reviews over a 12 month period. RESULTS: A total of 104 H pylori positive patients aged under 45 years were recruited. Fifty two were randomised to receive empirical eradication therapy and 52 to OGD. Results were analysed using an intention to treat policy. Dyspepsia scores significantly improved in both groups over 12 months compared with baseline; however, dyspepsia scores were significantly better in the empirical eradication group. Quality of life showed significant improvements in both groups at 12 months; however, physical role functioning was significantly improved in the empirical eradication group. Fourteen (27%) in the empirical eradication group subsequently proceeded to OGD because of no improvement in dyspepsia. CONCLUSIONS: This randomised study strongly supports the use of empirical H pylori eradication in patients referred to secondary practice; it is estimated that 73% of OGDs in this group would have been avoided with no detriment to clinical outcome. (+info)
Testing for Helicobacter pylori infection: validation and diagnostic yield of a near patient test in primary care.
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of a near patient test for Helicobacter pylori infection in primary care. DESIGN: Validation study performed within a randomised trial of four management strategies for dyspepsia. SETTING: 43 general practices around Nottingham. SUBJECTS: 394 patients aged 18-70 years presenting with recent onset dyspepsia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Results of the FlexSure test compared with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; HM-CAP) with an identical antigen profile and with results of an earlier validation study in secondary care. Diagnostic yield of patients undergoing endoscopy on the basis of their FlexSure result compared with those of patients referred directly for endoscopy. RESULTS: When used in primary care FlexSure test had a sensitivity and specificity of 67% (95% confidence interval 59% to 75%) and 98% (95% to 99%) compared with a sensitivity and specificity of 92% (87% to 97%) and 90% (83% to 97%) when used previously in secondary care. Of the H pylori test and refer group 14% (28/199) were found to have conditions for which H pylori eradication was appropriate compared with 23% (39/170) of the group referred directly for endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: When used in primary care the sensitivity of the FlexSure test was significantly poorer than in secondary care. About a third of patients who would have benefited from H pylori eradication were not detected. Near patient tests need to be validated in primary care before they are incorporated into management policies for dyspepsia. (+info)
Endoscopic treatment of upper gastrointestinal tumors.
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The art and science of gastrointestinal endoscopy will continue to evolve at an amazing pace, with both endoscopists and industry providing new techniques and technologies for us to learn, investigate and apply to the benefit of our patients. It is not difficult to imagine that the next decade may see the maturation of a distinct specialty of gastrointestinal endoscopic surgery, currently in its adolescence, which crosses traditional boundaries. Practitioners will originate from a variety of backgrounds--gastroenterological, surgical or radiological--but must be trained specifically to perform the wide range of endoscopic procedures already in existence and those continually being introduced. Such 'endotherapists' will be an integral part of multidisciplinary units where optimal management strategies are planned based on available scientific evaluation of techniques irrespective of who performs them. Currently, numerous gastroinestinal diseases including both benign and malignant conditions have been managed using only endoscopic measurements. Control of gastrointestinal bleeding (variceal and non-variceal), dilation of benign and malignant strictures, antireflux management for esophagogastric reflux, endoscopic curative resection of premalignant and malignant lesions, treatment of submucosal tumors, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy or jejunostomy, stenting for malignant stricture of hollow viscus or pancreaticobiliary diseases, tumor ablation, and removal of biliary or pancreatic duct stones, etc. have been widely performed and various fascinating techniques and instruments have been continuously developed. It would be difficult to handle all of these various treatment modalities in a limited space. In this review we would like to discuss the fields of gastrointestinal tumors. (+info)
A comparison of open access endoscopy and hospital-referred endoscopy in a district general hospital.
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Open access endoscopy (OAE) is widely used in many hospitals. The aim of this study was to compare the upper gastrointestinal endoscopies referred to as "OGDs" performed under the OAE service and those referred from hospital outpatient clinics (HR) during the initial year in which an OAE service was provided in a district general hospital. A retrospective review of medical records from all patients undergoing OGD during the first year of OAE to identify the waiting time for OGD, the extent of pre-treatment at the time of OGD, the endoscopic findings and the number of endoscopies in which oesophageal or gastric neoplasia was detected. Follow-up endoscopies (n = 41) were excluded. Of 739 OGDs included, 384 (177 male; mean age 48.0 yrs.) were performed under the OAE service, 346 (149 male; mean age 50.7 yrs.) were referred from outpatient clinics and 9 could not be accurately classified. The waiting time was significantly lower in the OAE group compared to the HR group (24.5 v. 29.8 days, p<0.001). Pre-treatment at the time of OGD was significantly more frequent in the OAE group compared to the HR group (295 v. 186, p<0.001). Frequencies of the main endoscopic diagnoses did not differ significantly between the two groups. The OAE service provided faster access to OGD than the HR group and the endoscopic findings were similar in the two groups. (+info)
Pancreatic pseudocysts transpapillary and transmural drainage.
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BACKGROUND: Pancreatic pseudocyst endoscopic drainage has been described as a good treatment option, with morbidity and mortality rates that are lower than surgery. The aim of our study is to describe the efficacy of different forms of endoscopic drainage and estimate pseudocyst recurrence rate after short follow up period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 30 patients with pancreatic pseudocyst that presented some indication for treatment: persistent abdominal pain, infection or cholestasis. Clinical evaluation was performed with a pain scale, 0 meaning absence of pain and 4 meaning continuous pain. Pseudocysts were first evaluated by abdominal CT scan, and after endoscopic retrograde pancreatography the patients were treated by transpapillary or transmural (cystduodenostomy or cystgastrostomy) drainage. Pseudocyst resolution was documented by serial CT scans. RESULTS: 25/30 patients could be treated. Drainage was successful in 21 (70% in an 'intention to treat' basis). After a mean follow-up of 42 +/- 35.82 weeks, there was only 1 (4.2%) recurrence. A total of 6 complications occurred in 37 procedures (16.2%), and all but 2 were managed clinically and/or endoscopically: there was no mortality related to the procedure. Patients submitted to combined drainage needed more procedures than the other groups. There was no difference in the efficacy when we compared the three different drainage methods. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that pancreatic pseudocyst endoscopic drainage is possible in most patients, with high success rate and low morbidity. (+info)