Unfavorable survival rates in Iranian patients with gastric cancers: a single center experience from Tehran

We examined the effect of potential interfering factors that play major roles in the outcome of our patients with stomach cancer. 100 consecutive patients diagnosed with gastric cancers were prospectively observed, treated and followed from November 2009 to January. Absence of Helicobacter pylori infection [P=0.027], absence of vascularisation [P<0.001], and undetermined histopathological type of adenocarcinoma [P=0.003] were factors significantly associated with higher grade of gastric lesions. Life tables were used to define survival of gastric cancers. Survival rates of these patients at 1st week, 1st month, 2nd month, 3rd month, and 6th month were 97%, 96%, 91%, 90%, and 82%, respectively. The only determinant of 6 months of survival was age over 68 [P=0.039]. Our study confirms our previous knowledge that gastric cancers have unfavorable outcome in Iran

Predictive value of having positive family history of cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and hypertension in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients

In the present study, we examined the relationship between family history of cardiovascular diseases [CVD], dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes with laboratorial abnormalities and syndromes in Iranian patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease [NAFLD]. A total of 332 NAFLD patients from our outpatient clinic were consecutively entered into analysis. Exclusion criteria were having diabetes mellitus and fasting blood glucose over 126, active hepatitis B virus infection, having HCV positive serology, and to be under corticosteroid therapy. Family history of CVD, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension were taken from patients and related to the study variables. Family history of cardiovascular diseases [CVD] was associated with low HDL levels [P=0.05]. Patients with positive family history of diabetes mellitus were significantly more likely to have AST/ALT levels proportion of higher than one [P=0.044]. Family history of dyslipidemia was a predictor for hypertriglyceridemia [P=0.02], higher prothrombin time levels [P=0.013], lower albumin [P=0.024] and T4 [P=0.043] levels. Family history of hypertension was associated with dysglycemia/diabetes [P=0.038], high ALT [P-0.008], and low TIBC [P-0.007] and albumin levels [P=0.001]. Family history for CVD, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension were of clinical importance in the Iranian patients with NAFLD. We therefore recommend that physicians should precisely get family history of main disorders in all NAFLD patients; and to pay more attention to those having the mentioned family histories. Further studies with larger patient population and prospective approach are needed for confirming our findings

Famotidine in the treatment oft unctional dyspepsia: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

In the present study, we aimed to investigate patients with a documented diagnosis of functional dyspepsia [FD] who had been admitted to our outpatient Gastroenterology Clinic and provided consent to participate in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the therapeutic impact off amotidine on the symptoms and quality ofl ife of FD patients. A total of 160 patients attending our outpatient clinic with a diagnosis of FD according to Rome III criteria were enrolled in this double-blind study. They were randomized into case [famotidine treatment] and placebo groups; patients were asked to refill the Honk Kong dyspepsia index [a self global assessment tool] before the start of the study as well as after 3 months of treatment. Both famotidine and placebo led to significant improvements in dyspepsia symptoms, except for vomiting in both groups and loss of appetite in the placebo control group. However, the extent of these improvements was not different between the two study groups for most of the study parameters, whereas belching, feeling of acid regurgitation, heartburn, and the total score for the Hong Kong dyspepsia index were significantly more responsive to famotidine than placebo. No significant effectiveness off amotidine therapy was found regarding quality of life. This study showed a significant improvement in the total dyspepsia scores of FD, with a marked effect on belching, heartburn, and the feeling of acid regurgitation. These findings suggest that famotidine may be administered in certain FD patients who have significantly more symptoms of belching, heartburn, and acid regurgitation

Elevated alanine aminotransferase activity is not associated with dyslipidemias, but related to insulin resistance and higher disease grades in non-diabetic non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore demographic and metabolic factors associated with increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in non-diabetic non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Overall 372 patients who consecutively attended to Gastroenterology Clinic of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran awere diagnosed as NAFLD entered into analysis. Exclusion criteria were having diabetes mellitus and fasting blood glucose over 126 mg/dL, active hepatitis B virus infection, having hepatitis C virus positive serology, and to be under corticosteroid therapy. ALT levels were considered pathologically high when it was over 30 IU/L for men and over 19 IU/L for women.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Bivariate analyses using t test and chi-square test showed that patients with pathologically augmented ALT levels had significantly higher NAFLD grades in their ultrasonographic evaluations (P=0.003). Moreover, these patients represented significantly higher homeostatic model assessment levels (P=0.003), levels of serum insulin (P=0.002), fasting blood glucose (P<0.001), and uric acid (P=0.02). The prevalence of insulin resistance was also higher in patients with increased serum ALT concentrations. Multifactorial logistic regression models showed that ultrasonographic grading of NAFLD (P=0.027) and insulin resistance (P=0.013) were the only variables significantly associated with abnormal ALT levels.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study shows that the associations of increased ALT serum levels in NAFLD patients are different from what are supposed before. By excluding diabetic patients from our population, we find that increased ALT levels are not associated with dyslipidemias but are independently associated with insulin resistance and NAFLD grading on ultrasonographic evaluations. Further studies are needed to confirm our results.</p>