Delayed Perforation Occurring after Gastric Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: Clinical Features and Management Strategy

Background/Aims@#Delayed perforation is a rare but serious adverse event of gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical features and appropriate management strategy of patients with delayed perforation. @*Methods@#Among 11,531 patients who underwent gastric ESD, the clinical features and outcomes of patients who experienced delayed perforation were retrospectively reviewed and compared with those of the control group. @*Results@#Delayed perforation occurred in 15 of 11,531 patients (0.13%). The patients with delayed perforation were significantly older than those without delayed perforation (p=0.027). The median time to diagnosis of delayed perforation was 28.8 hours (range, 14 to 71 hours). All 15 patients with delayed perforation complained of severe abdominal pain after gastric ESD and underwent subsequent chest X-rays (CXRs) for evaluation. In subsequent CXR, free air was found in 12 patients (80%). For three (20%) patients without free air in CXR, delayed perforation was finally diagnosed by computed tomography. Leukocytosis was significantly less frequent in the patients without free air in CXR (p=0.022). A perforation hole smaller than 1 cm in size was more frequently observed in the six patients who underwent successful non-surgical treatments than in the nine patients who underwent surgery (p<0.001). There was no mortality related to delayed perforation. @*Conclusions@#One-fifth of the patients with delayed perforation did not show free air in CXR and exhibited less leukocytosis than those with free air. Non-surgical treatments including endoscopic closure might be considered as an initial treatment modality for delayed perforation smaller than 1 cm.

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in Patients With Localized Gastric Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: A Case Series / 대한Helicobacter연구학회지

Objectives@#Localized gastric Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) characterized by abnormal proliferation of Langerhans cells in the stomach without systemic involvement, is rare; therefore, the clinical characteristics and outcomes of LCH remain unclear. We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients diagnosed with localized gastric LCH and have also discussed treatment strategies for this rare disease. @*Methods@#The study included seven patients diagnosed with localized gastric LCH at our hospital between September 1997 and December 2023. We retrospectively reviewed medical records and analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics and patient outcomes. @*Results@#Endoscopically, localized gastric LCH appeared as a small erosion in the distal part of the stomach. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography revealed normal findings in 100.0% (4/4) of patients during pre-treatment workup. Immunohistochemical analysis using S-100 and CD1a showed immunopositive cells in all tested patients. Of the six patients who underwent follow-up, two (33.3%) showed metachronous recurrence at a location distinct from the initial site. However, all patients eventually showed spontaneous regression of the disease, and no gastric LCH-induced mortality was observed during follow-up. @*Conclusions@#Careful and regular surveillance may be sufficient for patients with localized gastric LCH without systemic involvement.

Outcomes of Endoscopic Resection for Early Gastric Cancer in Very Elderly Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Background/Aims@#Few studies have investigated the long-term outcomes of endoscopic resection for early gastric cancer (EGC) in very elderly patients. The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate treatment strategy and identify the risk factors for mortality in these patients. @*Methods@#Patients with EGC who underwent endoscopic resection from 2006 to 2017 were iden-tified using National Health Insurance Data and divided into three age groups: very elderly (≥85 years), elderly (65 to 84 years), and non-elderly (≤64 years). Their long- and short-term outcomes were compared in the three age groups, and the survival in the groups was compared with that in the control group, matched by age and sex. We also evaluated the risk factors for long- and short-term outcomes. @*Results@#A total of 8,426 patients were included in our study: 118 very elderly, 4,583 elderly, and 3,725 non-elderly. The overall survival and cancer-specific survival rates were significantly lower in the very elderly group than in the elderly and the non-elderly groups. Congestive heart failure was negatively associated with cancer-specific survival. A significantly decreased risk for mortality was observed in all groups (p<0.001). The very elderly group had significantly higher readmission and mortality rates within 3 months of endoscopic resection than the non-elderly and elderly groups. Furthermore, the cerebrovascular disease was associated with mortality within 3 months after endoscopic resection. @*Conclusions@#Endoscopic resection for EGC can be helpful for very elderly patients, and it may play a role in achieving overall survival comparable to that of the control group.

Increased Risk of Diabetes after Definitive Radiotherapy in Patients with Indolent Gastroduodenal Lymphoma / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed to evaluate the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on the risk of diabetes by assessing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in patients with gastroduodenal indolent lymphoma. @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective study included patients with stage I extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue or follicular lymphoma of the gastroduodenal region who were treated with Helicobacter pylori eradication and/or RT between 2000 and 2019 in our institution. Of total 79 patients with HbA1c test, 17 patients received RT (RT group), while 62 patients did not receive RT (control group). A diabetes-associated event (DAE) was defined as a ≥ 0.5% increase in HbA1c levels from baseline, and diabetes event (DE) were defined as HbA1c level of ≥ 6.5%. @*Results@#During the median follow-up of 49 months, no local failure occurred after RT and no patients died of lymphoma. The RT group had significantly higher risk for DAEs on univariable analysis (hazard ratio [HR], 4.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64 to 10.66; p < 0.01) and multivariable analysis (HR, 3.68; 95% CI, 1.42 to 9.56; p=0.01). Further, the DE risk was significantly higher in the RT group than in the control group (HR, 4.32; 95% CI, 1.08 to 17.30; p=0.04) and in patients with increased baseline HbA1c levels (HR, 35.83; 95% CI, 2.80 to 459.19; p=0.01). On multivariable analysis, RT significantly increased the risk of DEs (HR, 4.55; 95% CI, 1.08 to 19.19; p=0.04), even after adjusting baseline HbA1c level (HR, 40.97; 95% CI, 3.06 to 548.01; p=0.01). @*Conclusion@#Patients who received RT for gastroduodenal indolent lymphoma had an increased risk of diabetes compared to those who did not.

Clinical Outcomes and Adverse Events of Gastric Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection of the Mid to Upper Stomach under General Anesthesia and Monitored Anesthetic Care

Background/Aims@#Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of gastric tumors in the mid-to-upper stomach is a technically challenging procedure. This study compared the therapeutic outcomes and adverse events of ESD of tumors in the mid-to-upper stomach performed under general anesthesia (GA) or monitored anesthesia care (MAC). @*Methods@#Between 2012 and 2018, 674 patients underwent ESD for gastric tumors in the midbody, high body, fundus, or cardia (100 patients received GA; 574 received MAC). The outcomes of the propensity score (PS)-matched (1:1) patients receiving either GA or MAC were analyzed. @*Results@#The PS matching identified 94 patients who received GA and 94 patients who received MAC. Both groups showed high rates of en bloc resection (GA, 95.7%; MAC, 97.9%; p=0.68) and complete resection (GA, 81.9%; MAC, 84.0%; p=0.14). There were no significant differences between the rates of adverse events (GA, 16.0%; MAC, 8.5%; p=0.18) in the anesthetic groups. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the method of anesthesia did not affect the rates of complete resection or adverse events. @*Conclusions@#ESD of tumors in the mid-to-upper stomach at our high-volume center had good outcomes, regardless of the method of anesthesia. Our results demonstrate no differences between the efficacies and safety of ESD performed under MAC and GA.

Long-term Outcomes of Additional Endoscopic Treatments for Patients with Positive Lateral Margins after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer

Background/Aims@#It is uncertain whether additional endoscopic treatment may be chosen over surgery in patients with positive lateral margins (pLMs) as the only non-curative factor after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for early gastric cancer (EGC). We aimed to compare the long-term outcomes of additional endoscopic treatments in such patients with those of surgery and elucidate the clinicopathological factors that could influence the treatment selection. @*Methods@#A total of 99 patients with 101 EGC lesions undergoing additional treatment after noncurative ESD with pLMs as the only non-curative factor were analyzed. Among them, 25 (27 lesions) underwent ESD, 29 (29 lesions) underwent argon plasma coagulation (APC), and 45 (45 lesions) underwent surgery. Clinicopathological characteristics and long-term outcomes were compared. @*Results@#Residual tumor was found in 73.6% of cases. The presence of multiple pLMs was associated with higher risk of residual tumor (p=0.046). During a median follow-up of 58.9 months, recurrent or residual lesions after additional ESD and APC were found in 4% (1/25) and 6.8% (2/29) of patients, respectively. However, all were completely cured with surgery or repeated ESD. There were no extragastric recurrences after additional endoscopic treatment. Lymph node metastasis was identified after additional surgery in one (2.2%) patient with an EGC showing histological heterogeneity. @*Conclusions@#Given the favorable long-term outcomes, additional ESD or APC may be an acceptable choice for patients with pLMs as the only non-curative factor after ESD for EGC. However, clincopathological characteristics such as multiple pLMs and histological heterogeneity should be considered in the treatment selection.

Impact of Helicobacter pylori Eradication on the Risk of Incident Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Cohort Study

Background/Aims@#Previous studies have reported an association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our study examined whether eradication for H. pylori infection reduces the risk of incident NAFLD. @*Materials and Methods@#This retrospective cohort study examined 3,780 adults who had no NAFLD at baseline but were infected with H. pylori. The study population was followed from January 1995 until January 2020. H. pylori infection was determined by an H. pylori-specific IgG antibody test. Fatty liver was diagnosed by ultrasound. @*Results@#During a median follow-up of 7.9 years, 1,294 participants developed NAFLD. In a multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status, alcohol intake, and metabolic variables, the uneradicated (for H. pylori) group exhibited a higher risk of incident NAFLD than the eradicated group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.18~1.56). The multivariable analysis also demonstrated that higher BMI, current smoking and several metabolic abnormalities were significant risk factors for NAFLD. Subgroup analyses revealed that persistent H. pylori infection correlated with an increased risk of NAFLD. H. pylori eradication was associated with a decreased risk of NAFLD development. @*Conclusions@#H. pylori infection may have a pathophysiological role in NAFLD development. Hence, successful eradication of H. pylori decreases the risk of incident NAFLD.

Risk-Scoring System for Prediction of Non-Curative Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Requiring Additional Gastrectomy in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer

Purpose@#When patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) undergo non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection requiring gastrectomy (NC-ESD-RG), additional medical resources and expenses are required for surgery. To reduce this burden, predictive model for NC-ESDRG is required. @*Materials and Methods@#Data from 2,997 patients undergoing ESD for 3,127 forceps biopsyproven differentiated-type EGCs (2,345 and 782 in training and validation sets, respectively) were reviewed. Using the training set, the logistic stepwise regression analysis determined the independent predictors of NC-ESD-RG (NC-ESD other than cases with lateral resection margin involvement or piecemeal resection as the only non-curative factor). Using these predictors, a risk-scoring system for predicting NC-ESD-RG was developed. Performance of the predictive model was examined internally with the validation set. @*Results@#Rate of NC-ESD-RG was 17.3%. Independent pre-ESD predictors for NC-ESD-RG included moderately differentiated or papillary EGC, large tumor size, proximal tumor location, lesion at greater curvature, elevated or depressed morphology, and presence of ulcers. A risk-score was assigned to each predictor of NC-ESD-RG. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting NC-ESD-RG was 0.672 in both training and validation sets. A risk-score of 5 points was the optimal cut-off value for predicting NCESD-RG, and the overall accuracy was 72.7%. As the total risk score increased, the predicted risk for NC-ESD-RG increased from 3.8% to 72.6%. @*Conclusions@#We developed and validated a risk-scoring system for predicting NC-ESD-RG based on pre-ESD variables. Our risk-scoring system can facilitate informed consent and decision-making for preoperative treatment selection between ESD and surgery in patients with EGC.

Endoscopic Prediction for Acid Reflux in Patients without Hiatus Hernia / 대한소화기학회지

Background/Aims@#A diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease is challenging in patients who have reflux symptoms but do not respond to proton pump inhibitors nor have reflux esophagitis and hiatal hernia (HH) on endoscopy. This study examined the predictive role of the endoscopic findings, including the flap valve grade for pathologic acid exposure (PAE) to establish an endoscopic prediction model in patients with neither reflux esophagitis nor HH. @*Methods@#Five hundred seventy-eight patients who underwent upper endoscopy and 24 hours pH monitoring for reflux esophageal symptoms without evidence of reflux esophagitis and HH were analyzed. The gastroesophageal flap valve (GEFV), esophageal metaplasia, and chronic atrophic gastritis were assessed. The association between the endoscopic parameters and PAE was evaluated. @*Results@#Four hundred ninety-four patients were enrolled. The most common complaint was chest discomfort (42.3%) followed by globus (31.8%), dysphagia (7.9%), and heartburn (7.7%). PAE was present in 43 patients (8.7%). Multivariable analysis revealed PAE to be associated with the GEFV grade (p<0.001) and inversely associated with the chronic atrophic gastritis grade (p=0.005). Using these features, a predictive model was established and showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.705 (95% CI 0.619-0.790). The cutoff value of 12.0 had a sensitivity and specificity of 44.0% and 84.0%, respectively. @*Conclusions@#A loosened GEFV is associated with a risk of PAE in patients with neither reflux esophagitis nor HH, while atrophic gastritis is preventive. On the other hand, the endoscopic predictive model revealed a low sensitivity for detecting PAE. Thus, reflux testing needs to be performed further when gastroesophageal reflux disease is suspected, even without endoscopic evidence.

Impact of Sarcopenia on the Risk of Erosive Esophagitis / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: An association between obesity and erosive esophagitis has been reported, but the effects of sarcopenia and obesity on erosive esophagitis are unknown. This study examined the relationship between obesity, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and erosive esophagitis in a large population of asymptomatic men and women.METHODS: This study analyzed 32,762 subjects who underwent a comprehensive health check-up, which included upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, from August 2006 to December 2011 by a cross-sectional study. Sarcopenia was defined as a decrease in the appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM)/body weight value of two SD or more below the normal means for a younger reference group.RESULTS: The study was carried out on four groups according to obesity and sarcopenic status: normal, obesity, sarcopenic, and sarcopenic obese group. In a multivariable model, the risk of erosive esophagitis was higher in the obese (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.35, 95% CI 1.22–1.49), sarcopenic (aOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.40–3.19), and sarcopenic obese groups (aOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.27–1.87) than in the normal group. The risk of erosive esophagitis was higher in the sarcopenic and sarcopenic obese groups than the obese group; the ORs were 1.63 (95% CI 1.08–2.47) and 1.22 (95% CI 1.01–1.46), respectively. In dose-response analysis, increasing sarcopenia severity showed a positive and graded relationship with the overall, Los Angeles (LA)-B or higher grade, and LA-C erosive esophagitis.CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that sarcopenia is strongly and progressively associated with erosive esophagitis.

Associations between Atopic Dermatitis and Risk of Gastric Cancer: A Nationwide Population-based Study / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Epidemiologic and clinical data indicate that allergies may be associated with reduced risks for several cancers; however, to date, only a few studies have examined the associations between allergies and gastric cancer. This study aimed to examine the associations between allergies and gastric cancer using a large population-based dataset. METHODS: This cross-sectional study obtained data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2010 and 2014, involving a total of 24,089 participants. The associations between allergies and gastric cancer were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses with complex sampling, while adjusting for confounding factors that included age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol intake, and level of education. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression analyses that were adjusted for the potential confounders determined that a history of allergic diseases tended to be associated with reduced risk of gastric cancer; however, this relationship was not statistically significant (any allergy: odds ratio [OR], 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34-1.12; atopic dermatitis: OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.50-1.72; allergic rhinitis: OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.34-1.46; asthma: OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.15-1.29). Multivariable analysis showed that a history of atopic dermatitis was associated with reduced risk of gastric cancer in men (OR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.03-0.75). CONCLUSIONS: This findings of this study suggest that individuals with allergies tend to have a reduced risk of gastric cancer, without a statistically significant association. Furthermore, atopic dermatitis was associated with reduced risk of gastric cancer, particularly in men.

Lack of Association between Helicobacter pylori Infection and Various Markers of Systemic Inflammation in Asymptomatic Adults / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been known to cause various extra-gastric diseases, which may be mediated by an increase in systemic inflammation. Thus, we examined the association between H. pylori infection and various markers of systemic inflammation in a large sample of asymptomatic adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 17,028 adults who completed routine health check-ups. H. pylori infection status was determined using a serum immunoglobulin G test, and systemic inflammation was assessed using the C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR). RESULTS: Multiple linear regression model-adjusted for potential confounders-revealed that H. pylori infection was not associated with CRP levels (coefficient: −0.012, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.037, 0.012, p=0.319), NLR (coefficient: 0.055, 95% CI: −0.027, 0.138, p=0.192), or PLR (coefficient: 1.798, 95% CI: −1.979, 5.574, p=0.351). In a multivariable logistic regression model, H. pylori infection was not associated with the risk of CRP levels being elevated to ≥0.1 mg/dL (odds ratio: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.81, 1.08) or ≥0.3 mg/dL (odds ratio: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.84, 1.19). In the multivariable model, CRP levels elevated to ≥0.1 mg/dL were significantly associated with body mass index, current smoking status, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Regular exercise and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were factors that minimized the elevation of CRP levels. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic infection with H. pylori was not associated with various inflammatory markers. Further investigation is needed to clarify the interaction between H. pylori infection, systemic inflammation, and extra-gastric disease.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection in Patients with Early Gastric Cancer: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been regarded as a curative treatment for early gastric cancer (EGC) in indicated cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nationwide long-term clinical outcomes of ESD for EGC in Korea. METHODS: A prospective multicenter cohort study was performed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of ESD for EGC within pre-defined indications at 12 institutes in Korea. The cases that met the expanded criteria upon pathological review after ESD were followed for 5 years. The primary outcome was 5-year disease specific free survival. RESULTS: Six hundred ninety-seven patients with 722 EGCs treated with ESD were prospectively enrolled and followed for 5 years. Complete resection was achieved in 81.3% of the cases, and curative resection was achieved in 86.1%. During the 5-year follow-up, the overall survival rate was 96.6%, and the disease specific free survival rate was 90.6%. Local recurrence developed in 0.9%, and metachronous tumor development occurred in 7.8%; both conditions were treated by endoscopic or surgical treatment. Distant metastasis developed in 0.5% during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: ESD showed excellent long-term clinical outcomes and can be accepted as a curative treatment for patients with EGC who meet the expanded criteria in final pathology studies.

Factors Associated with Rebleeding in Patients with Peptic Ulcer Bleeding: Analysis of the Korean Peptic Ulcer Bleeding (K-PUB) Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Rebleeding is associated with mortality in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB), and risk stratification is important for the management of these patients. The purpose of our study was to examine the risk factors associated with rebleeding in patients with PUB. METHODS: The Korean Peptic Ulcer Bleeding registry is a large prospectively collected database of patients with PUB who were hospitalized between 2014 and 2015 at 28 medical centers in Korea. We examined the basic characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients in this registry. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with rebleeding. RESULTS: In total, 904 patients with PUB were registered, and 897 patients were analyzed. Rebleeding occurred in 7.1% of the patients (64), and the 30-day mortality was 1.0% (nine patients). According to the multivariate analysis, the risk factors for rebleeding were the presence of co-morbidities, use of multiple drugs, albumin levels, and hematemesis/hematochezia as initial presentations. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of co-morbidities, use of multiple drugs, albumin levels, and initial presentations with hematemesis/hematochezia can be indicators of rebleeding in patients with PUB. The wide use of proton pump inhibitors and prompt endoscopic interventions may explain the low incidence of rebleeding and low mortality rates in Korea.

Outcomes of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer with Undifferentiated-Type Histology: A Clinical Simulation Using a Non-Selected Surgical Cohort

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for undifferentiated-type early gastric cancer (EGC) need to be further evaluated. We aimed to simulate the outcomes of ESD for undifferentiated-type EGC from a surgical database. METHODS: Among 802 patients who underwent gastrectomy with endoscopic biopsy for poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (PD-type) or signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC-type), ESD candidates meeting the expanded indication (n=280) were selected by reviewing the endoscopic images. According to the surgical pathologic results, the outcomes of the ESD simulation were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the candidates, 104 (37.1%) were PD-type and 176 (62.9%) were SRC-type. The curative resection (CR) rate was 42.1%. Among the patients with CR, three patients (2.5%) showed lymph node metastasis (LNM). Three EGCs with CR and LNM were mucosal cancers ≥1.0 cm in size. The CR rate was higher in the SRC-type than in the PD-type (48.3% vs 31.7%, respectively, p=0.007). In the SRC-type, the CR rate was increased, with a smaller size criterion for the ESD indication, but was similar between the 1.0 cm and 0.6 cm criteria (63.3% and 63.6%, respectively), whereas the CR rate was below 50% in all of the different tumor size criteria (2.0 to 0.6 cm) in the PD-type. CONCLUSIONS: In undifferentiated-type EGC, ESD should be considered in selected patients with tumor sizes < 1 cm and SRC histology.

Gastric Adenocarcinoma with Systemic Metastasis Involving the Intraocular Choroid and Duodenum

Gastric cancer with double metastasis to the orbit and duodenum is extremely rare. We report the case of a patient with gastric adenocarcinoma who presented with synchronous orbital and duodenal metastases at the time of initial diagnosis. A 60-year-old man presented with a 1-month history of visual disorder and pain in his right eye. He underwent ophthalmological examinations. The biopsy results suggested intraocular metastatic carcinoma. We conducted a systemic evaluation to identify primary malignancy. Finally, a diagnosis of advanced gastric adenocarcinoma with multi-organ metastasis was made. He planned to be treated with systemic chemotherapy.

Clinical Efficacy of Gemifloxacin-containing Triple Therapy for First-line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Levofloxacin resistance is increasing rapidly, and widely limits its application in Helicobacter pylori eradication. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a clarithromycin- versus gemifloxacin-containing triple therapy regimen in first-line eradication of H. pylori infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an open-label, prospective, non-randomized two-armed pilot study in which treatment-naïve subjects with active H. pylori infection received a seven-day triple therapy with rabeprazole 20 mg bid (twice daily), gemifloxacin 320 mg qd (once daily), and amoxicillin 500 mg bid (n=70) or seven-day triple therapy with rabeprazole 20 mg bid (twice daily), clarithromycin 500 mg bid (twice daily), and amoxicillin 500 mg bid (n=83). H. pylori infection status was checked in all patients at enrollment and at least 8 weeks after the end of therapy by the urea breath test. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat eradication rates were 71.1% and 74.3% for clarithromycin-containing triple therapy and gemifloxacin- containing triple therapy, respectively (P=0.398). The corresponding per-protocol eradication rates were 76.6% and 76.1% (P=0.624). The gemifloxacin-containing triple therapy was associated with a lower incidence of adverse events (2.9% vs. 18.5%, P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Although the seven-day gemifloxacin-containing triple therapy regimen showed a more favorable safety profile, there was no significant difference in eradication rates between the gemifloxacin-containing and clarithromycin-containing triple regimens, and both regimens had eradication rates slightly lower than acceptable efficacy for the Korean population. Therefore, the gemifloxacin-containing regimen might be useful as an alternative regimen for patients showing severe side effects of clarithromycin due to poor tolerance. Further studies on the efficacy of gemifloxacin in the Korean population are warranted.

Lactate Parameters Predict Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

The predictive role of lactate in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) has been suggested. This study evaluated several lactate parameters in terms of predicting outcomes of bleeding patients and sought to establish a new scoring model by combining lactate parameters and the AIMS65 score. A total of 114 patients with NVUGIB who underwent serum lactate level testing at least twice and endoscopic hemostasis within 24 hours after admission were retrospectively analyzed. The associations between five lactate parameters and clinical outcomes were evaluated and the predictive power of lactate parameter combined AIMS65s (L-AIMS65s) and AIMS56 scoring was compared. The most common cause of bleeding was gastric ulcer (48.2%). Lactate clearance rate (LCR) was associated with 30-day rebleeding (odds ratio [OR], 0.931; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.872–0.994; P = 0.033). Initial lactate (OR, 1.313; 95% CI, 1.050–1.643; P = 0.017), maximal lactate (OR, 1.277; 95% CI, 1.037–1.573; P = 0.021), and average lactate (OR, 1.535; 95% CI, 1.137–2.072; P = 0.005) levels were associated with 30-day mortality. Initial lactate (OR, 1.213; 95% CI, 1.027–1.432; P = 0.023), maximal lactate (OR, 1.271; 95% CI, 1.074–1.504; P = 0.005), and average lactate (OR, 1.501; 95% CI, 1.150–1.959; P = 0.003) levels were associated with admission over 7 days. Although L-AIMS65s showed the highest area under the curve for prediction of each outcome, differences between L-AIMS65s and AIMS65 did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, lactate parameters have a prognostic role in patients with NVUGIB. However, they do not increase the predictive power of AIMS65 when combined.

Quality of Life after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been an established treatment for indicated early gastric cancer (EGC) without deterioration of quality of life (QOL) compared with surgical resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term QOL in patients undergoing ESD for EGC. METHODS: Patients scheduled to undergo curative ESD for EGC were prospectively enrolled from 12 institutions between May 2010 and December 2011. Assessments of QOL with Korean versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QOL questionnaire-core (QLQ-C30) and a gastric cancer-specific questionnaire (STO22) were performed at baseline and at 7 days, 3 months, and 6 months after ESD. RESULTS: A total of 666 subjects were assessed for QLQ-C30 and QLQ-STO22. The mean QLQ-C30 score was 69.5 at baseline, 68.8 at 7 days, 73.1 at 3 months, and 73.2 at 6 months. The global health status on the EORTC QLQ-C30 was significantly improved after 3 and 6 months (p=0.0003 and p<0.0001, respectively). The QLQ-C30 and STO22 scores were not significantly different, or they only slightly deteriorated between before and immediately after ESD, but they were significantly improved after 3 and 6 months (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: QOL did not deteriorate immediately after ESD, and it improved more significantly at up to 6 months in patients who underwent curative ESD for EGC without significant complications.

Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculous Mediastinal Lymphadenitis, with an Esophagomediastinal Fistula, Mimicking an Esophageal Submucosal Tumor

Mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis rarely mimics esophageal submucosal tumor, particularly in the case of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Herein, we report the case of a 61-year-old woman who visited a local hospital complaining of odynophagia. An initial esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed an esophageal submucosal tumor, and subsequent chest computed tomography showed subcarinal lymphadenopathy with an esophagomediastinal fistula. The patient was then referred to Samsung Medical Center, and a second esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed deep central ulceration, as well as a suspicious fistula in the esophageal submucosal tumor-like lesion. A biopsy examination of the ulcerative lesion confirmed focal inflammation only. Next, an endobronchial, ultrasound-guided lymph node biopsy was performed, and TB was confirmed. The patient initially began a course of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. However, after a drug sensitivity test, she was diagnosed with MDR-TB, and second-line anti-TB medications were prescribed. She recovered well subsequently.