Usefulness of Forward-Viewing Endoscope for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Patients with Billroth II Gastrectomy

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Patients undergoing Billroth II (B II) gastrectomy are at higher risk of perforation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). We assessed the success rate and safety of forward-viewing endoscopic biliary intervention in patients with B II gastrectomy. METHODS: A total of 2,280 ERCP procedures were performed in our institution between October 2008 and June 2011. Of these, forward-viewing endoscopic biliary intervention was performed in 46 patients (38 men and 8 women with B II gastrectomy). Wire-guided selective cannulations of the common bile duct using a standard catheter and guide wire were performed in all patients. RESULTS: The success rate of afferent loop entrance was 42 out of 46 patients (91.3%) and of biliary cannulation after the approach of the papilla was 42 out of 42 patients (100%). No serious complications were encountered, except for one case of small perforation due to endoscopic sphincterotomy site injury. CONCLUSIONS: When a biliary endoscopist has less experience and patient volume is low, ERCP with a forward-viewing endoscope is preferred because of its ease and safety in all patients with prior B II gastrectomies. Also, forward-viewing endoscope can be used to improve the success rate of biliary intervention in B II patients.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Colorectal Neoplasms according to Coronary Artery Obstructive Disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Both colorectal neoplasm (CN) and coronary artery obstructive disease (CAOD) are prevalent and major leading causes of death in Korea. Although CN and CAOD share similar risk factors such as male gender, smoking, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, few studies of both CN and CAOD have been reported. In this study, we evaluated clinical correlations between CN and CAOD. METHODS: Between June 2003 and December 2007, 176 patients (Male: 101, average age: 62.1+/-9.7 yr) who underwent colonoscopy after or before coronary angiography were retrospectively enrolled. The colonoscopic findings (normal, adenoma, or cancer) of patients as well as clinical and laboratory data according to the extent of CAOD (normal, minimal CAOD, or CAOD) were compared. RESULTS: CAOD negative, minimal CAOD, and CAOD patients totaled 36, 40, and 100, respectively. The presence of CN (adenoma and adenocarcinoma) in CAOD negative, minimal CAOD, and CAOD cases was 42%, 48%, and 63%, respectively, which was significantly different (P or =60 yr; P=0.03, odds ratio 2.47) and the presence of CAOD (P=0.02, odds ratio 4.11) were associated with the presence of CN. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CN increased in proportion to the severity of CAOD. Colorectal cancer screening by fecal occult blood tests or colonoscopy should be a priority in patients with CAOD, particularly the elderly.

Neuroendocrine Tumor in Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

Gastric neuroendocrine tumor (GNET) is rare, but increasing in incidence. GNET may be classified into three types on the basis of the background pathology. Type I GNET is related to autoimmune atrophic gastritis and hypergastrinemia. Type II is related to multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN)-1, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and hypergastrinemia and sporadic Type III is not related to any background pathology. Type I GNETs can be considered as benign tumors with unusual metastases. However, type II may be related to distant metastases, which is also common in type III GNETs. Type I and type II lesions can be treated by endoscopic excision or somatostatin analogues whereas surgical treatment should be considered for type III lesions. Hypergastrinemia is an essential precondition for the evolution of type I and II lesions, but hypergastrinemia alone is not enough for explanation of tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the pathogenesis of type III neuroendocrine tumors is still poorly understood. Despite improvements in our knowledge of GNET pathogenesis in diagnostic approach and treatment, further investigations and large scale clinical studies are warranted.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori Infection on p16, p53, CEA, EGFR Expression in Gastric Neoplasia

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric cancer is one of the most widespread cancers and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been classified as a type I carcinogen for gastric cancer, the exact pathway has remained indistinct. In this study, we investigated the effects of H. pylori on oncogenic proteins (epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR], CEA), tumor suppressor (p53) and cell-cycle regulator (p16) expression, using immunohistochemical stains, in gastric neoplasias. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2007 until July 2009, 166 patients with consecutive gastric neoplasias resected were retrospectively enrolled; 35 gastric dysplasias, 70 early gastric cancers and 60 advanced gastric cancers. We examined the relationship of clinicopathologic features of gastric neoplasias such as age, sex, p16, p53, EGFR, tissue CEA, TNM stage, Lauren classification, location, histologic type of neoplasia to H. pylori infection status. RESULTS: H. pylori infection detected in the samples of gastric dysplasia, early gastric cancer (EGC) and advanced gastric cancer (AGC) were 15 (41.7%), 38 (54.3%) and 33 (55.0%) samples. p53, CEA and EGFR stains expression were associated with cancer stage (P<0.05). There was no relation between the immunohistochemical stains (p16, p53, CEA, EGFR) and H. pylori infection. CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to show any relation of immunohistochemical markers of p16, p53, EGFR, CEA expressions to H. pylori infection in gastric dysplasia as well as gastric cancer. Further study is necessary to investigate the effect of H. pylori infection on p16, p53, CEA, EGFR expressions in precancerous lesions such as atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography for evaluating cirrhotic cardiomyopathy in liver cirrhosis / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The blunted ventricular systolic and diastolic contractile responses to physical and pharmacological stress in cirrhosis are termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM). CCM has been known to involve multiple defects in the beta-adrenergic signaling pathway. The aim of this study was to determine whether cirrhotic patients have blunted cardiac responses to catecholamine stimulation through dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE). METHODS: Seventy-one cirrhotic patients with normal left ventricular (LV) chamber size and ejection fraction were enrolled. The LV systolic and diastolic functions were evaluated by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography at rest and during peak dobutamine infusion (40 microg/kg/min). An abnormal response was defined as a decrease of less than 10% in LV end-diastolic volume, a decrease of less than 20% in end-systolic volume, and an increase of less than 10% in LV ejection fraction (EF) at peak dobutamine infusion, based on previously used criteria. The early/late diastolic flow (E/A) ratio and diastolic parameters were also measured. RESULTS: A blunted LV response to dobutamine was observed in 18 of 71 cirrhotic patients (25.4%). The baseline EF was significantly higher in 18 patients with a blunted DSE response than that of those with a normal DSE response (P<0.05). The baseline and peak E/A ratios, which are common diastolic dysfunction markers, were higher in the cirrhosis group than in the control group (P<0.001). No adverse events associated with DSE were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Blunted cardiac responses to dobutamine stimulation, which are implicated in defects in the beta-adrenergic signaling pathway, might contribute to the pathogenesis of CCM in patients with cirrhosis.

A Case of Pulmonary Vein Tumor Presenting as a Left Atrial Mass

Primary cardiac tumors are extremely rare and can originate within the heart or be the result of tumor spread from other sites. We report a female patient with a pulmonary vein tumor extending into the left atrium that had a suspicious primary malignant origin with a sacral metastatic carcinoma. The patient was admitted complaining of pain in her buttock area as a result of a sacral tumor. It was believed that the sacral tumor was a metastasis from the imaging study and clinical manifestation. The primary malignant origin was evaluated. The chest CT showed a left atrium thrombus-like lesion without a pulmonary abnormality. After a transesophageal echocardiogram, the patient was diagnosed with a pulmonary vein tumor extending to the left atrium. The patient was given palliative radiotherapy for the sacral pain. Initially, the clinical impression was a metastatic sacral tumor with a thromboembolism of the left atrium. However, this patient was finally diagnosed with a pulmonary vein tumor with a left atrium extension by a transesophageal echocardiogram.

The Expression of MMPs and TIMPs in IPF and NSIP / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: MMPs and TIMPs are important factors for abnormal remodeling the pulmonary parenchyme in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia(IIP) This study evaluated the expression of MMPs and TIMPs in the tissue of IPF, NSIP and normal control subjects. METHOD: The MMP-2 and -9 activity in the lung tissue was studied by gelatin zymography, and the expression of MMP-1, -2 ,-9, TIMP-1 and -2 in the lung tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry. Thirty five patients, who were diagnosed with IIP (UIP ; 22, NSIP ; 13), were enrolled in the immunohistochemical study. Thirteen patients with IIP (UIP ; 9, NSIP ; 4) and five patients with lung cancer were enrolled in the zymographic assay. RESULTS: (1) The immunohistochemistry for MMP-1,-2,-9, TIMP-1 and-2 ; MMP-1,-9 and TIMP-2 were stained stronger in the UIP subjects than NSIP and the normal control. TIMP-2 was strongly stained in the UIP tissue. particularly the fibroblasts in the fibroblastic foci. (2) Zymography for MMP-2 and MMP-9 revealed MMP-2 to have prominent expression in the UIP tissue than in the NSIP tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the overexpression of the TIMPs and gelatinases in UIP might be? important factors in the irreversible fibrosis of the lung parenchyme.

Particulate Matter from Asian Dust Storms Induces the Expression of Proinflammatory Cytokine in A549 Epithelial Cells / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: PM10(Particulate matter with a diameter < 10micrometer), which is characterized by different environmental conditions, is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic compounds. The Asian dust event caused by meteorological phenomena can also produce unique particulate matter in affected areas. This study investigated the cytokine produced by A549 epithelial cells exposed to particles collected during both the Asian dust pfenomenon and ambient air particles in a non-dusty period. METHOD: Air samples were collected using a high volume air sampler(Sibata Model HV500F) with an air flow at 500l/min for at least 6 hours. The cytokine messenger RNA(mRNA) was measured using a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). The A549 cells were exposed to 10 to 500microgram/microliter of a suspension containing PM10 for 24 hours. Each was compared with those in the non-exposed control cells. RESULT: The mRNA levels of interleukin(IL)-1alpha, IL-Ibeta , IL-8, and the granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF) increased after veing exposed to PM10 in the ambient air particles, compared with those in the non-exposed control cells. The increase in IL-1alpha and IL-8 were dose dependent at a PM10 concentration between 100microgram/microliter and 500microgram/microliter. The mRNA level of IL-8 in the A549 epithelial cells was higher during the in the Asian dust period(500microgram/microliter) than during the non dust period. CONCLUSION: A549 cells exposed to the PM10 collected during the Asian dust period produce more proinflammatory cytokine than during non-dusty period. This cytokine enhances the local inflammatory response in the airways and can also contribute to the systemic component of this inflammatory process.