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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori treatment on the long-term mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background/Aims@#Meta-analyses of randomized trials reported a non-significant increase in overall mortality risk after Helicobacter pylori eradication. In this study, we investigated whether H. pylori treatment is associated with increased risk of overall mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. @*Methods@#In this retrospective population-based cohort study, we identified 66,706 patients treated for type 2 diabetes between 2002 and 2010 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort. Patients who received H. pylori treatment (Hp-treatment cohort, 1,727 patients) were matched to those who did not (non-treatment cohort, 3,454 patients) at a 1:2 ratio. The primary outcome was overall mortality. The secondary outcomes were mortalities due to cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, or cancers. To estimate hazard ratio (HR) with confidential interval (CI), we used the Cox proportional-hazard model. @*Results@#During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, the overall mortality was 5.9% (101/1,727 patients) among patients in the Hp-treatment cohort and 7.6% (364/3,454 patients) among patients in the non-treatment cohort. Adjusted HR (aHR) for overall mortality in the Hp-treatment cohort was 0.74 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.93; p = 0.011). The mortality risks due to cardiovascular disease (aHR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.54 to 3.30; p = 0.529), cerebrovascular disease (aHR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.37 to 2.55; p = 0.947), and cancer (aHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.72; p = 0.742) were not significantly different between the groups. @*Conclusions@#In type 2 diabetes patients, overall mortality did not increase after H. pylori treatment.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori treatment on the long-term mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes

Background/Aims@#Meta-analyses of randomized trials reported a non-significant increase in overall mortality risk after Helicobacter pylori eradication. In this study, we investigated whether H. pylori treatment is associated with increased risk of overall mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. @*Methods@#In this retrospective population-based cohort study, we identified 66,706 patients treated for type 2 diabetes between 2002 and 2010 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort. Patients who received H. pylori treatment (Hp-treatment cohort, 1,727 patients) were matched to those who did not (non-treatment cohort, 3,454 patients) at a 1:2 ratio. The primary outcome was overall mortality. The secondary outcomes were mortalities due to cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, or cancers. To estimate hazard ratio (HR) with confidential interval (CI), we used the Cox proportional-hazard model. @*Results@#During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, the overall mortality was 5.9% (101/1,727 patients) among patients in the Hp-treatment cohort and 7.6% (364/3,454 patients) among patients in the non-treatment cohort. Adjusted HR (aHR) for overall mortality in the Hp-treatment cohort was 0.74 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.93; p = 0.011). The mortality risks due to cardiovascular disease (aHR, 1.34; 95% CI, 0.54 to 3.30; p = 0.529), cerebrovascular disease (aHR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.37 to 2.55; p = 0.947), and cancer (aHR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.72; p = 0.742) were not significantly different between the groups. @*Conclusions@#In type 2 diabetes patients, overall mortality did not increase after H. pylori treatment.

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.

Effect of Helicobacter pylori Treatment on Long-term Mortality in Patients with Hypertension

Background/Aims@#A meta-analysis of randomized trials performed in healthy asymptomatic individuals suggested that overall mortality may increase after Helicobacter pylori eradication despite a significant decrease in the gastric cancer incidence and mortality rates. This retrospective population-based cohort study investigated if H. pylori treatment is associated with an increase in overall mortality in patients with hypertension. @*Methods@#From the database of the Korean National Health Insurance Sample Cohort, we selected 198,487 patients treated for hypertension between 2002 and 2010. Those who received H. pylori treatment (H. pylori treatment cohort, 5,541 patients) were matched to those who did not (nontreatment cohort, 11,082 patients) at the ratio of 1 to 2. The primary outcome was the risk of overall mortality. The secondary outcomes were the risks of mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer. The outcomes were evaluated from 6 months after H. pylori treatment to December 2013. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs). @*Results@#During a median follow-up period of 4.8 years, death from any cause was reported in 4.1% of the patients in the H. pylori treatment cohort and 5.5% of the patients in the nontreatment cohort. The adjusted HR (aHR) for overall mortality in the H. pylori treatment cohort was 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 0.82; p<0.001). With regard to cause-specific mortality, compared with the nontreatment cohort, the H. pylori treatment cohort had a lower risk of mortality due to cerebrovascular disease (aHR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26 to 0.81; p=0.007). The risks of mortality due to cancer and cardiovascular disease were not different between the cohorts. @*Conclusions@#H. pylori treatment is not associated with an increase in overall mortality in patients treated for hypertension.

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.

Focal Bone Marrow Lesions: A Complication of Ultrasound Diathermy

Ultrasound diathermy is widely used for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and other soft tissue injuries. Its use as a therapeutic modality is believed to be safe, with very few reported complications. Here, we report two patients who developed focal bone marrow abnormalities after receiving ultrasound diathermy. Both patients' magnetic resonance (MR) evaluations revealed linear subchondral bone lesions of the superolateral humeral head similar to those in osteonecrosis. The patients' symptoms subsequently improved, and available follow-up MR evaluation revealed near complete resolution of bone lesions. These findings suggest that ultrasound diathermy, and its interaction with bone tissue through thermal mechanisms, can cause focal bone marrow abnormalities. Furthermore, the bone marrow abnormalities seem to be transient, resolving upon cessation of ultrasound diathermy, therefore osteonecrosis should be differentiated from this temporal lesion.

Ten-Day Concomitant, 10-Day Sequential, and 7-Day Triple Therapy as First-Line Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Nationwide Randomized Trial in Korea

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This nationwide, multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of 10-day concomitant therapy (CT) and 10-day sequential therapy (ST) with 7-day clarithromycin-containing triple therapy (TT) as first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection in the Korean population. METHODS: Patients with H. pylori infection were assigned randomly to 7d-TT (lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 7 days), 10d-ST (lansoprazole 30 mg and amoxicillin 1 g twice daily for the first 5 days, followed by lansoprazole 30 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for the remaining 5 days), or 10d-CT (lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 10 days). The primary endpoint was eradication rate by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1,141 patients were included. The 10d-CT protocol achieved a markedly higher eradication rate than the 7d-TT protocol in both the ITT (81.2% vs 63.9%) and PP analyses (90.6% vs 71.4%). The eradication rate of the 10d-ST protocol was superior to that of the 7d-TT protocol (76.3% vs 63.9%, ITT analysis; 85.0% vs 71.4%, PP analysis). No significant differences in adherence or serious side effects were found among the three treatment arms. CONCLUSIONS: The 10d-CT and 10d-ST regimens were superior to the 7d-TT regimen as standard first-line treatment in Korea.

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.

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.

Comparative Study of Esophageal Self-expandable Metallic Stent Insertion and Gastrostomy Feeding for Dysphagia Caused by Lung Cancer / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Dysphagia is encountered in a large proportion of patients with lung cancer and is associated with malnutrition and a poor quality of life. This study compared the clinical outcomes of self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) insertion and percutaneous gastrostomy (PG) feeding for patients with lung cancer and dysphagia. METHODS: A total of 261 patients with lung cancer, who underwent either SEMS insertion (stent group) or PG (gastrostomy group) as an initial treatment procedure for dysphagia between July 1997 and July 2015 at the Samsung Medical Center, were reviewed retrospectively, and 84 patients with esophageal obstruction were identified. The clinical outcomes, including the overall survival, additional intervention, complications, and post-procedural nutritional status in the two groups, were compared. RESULTS: Among the 84 patients finally analyzed, 68 patients received SEMS insertion and 16 had PG. The stent group had less cervical obstruction and more mid-esophageal obstruction than the gastrostomy group. The Kaplan-Meier curves revealed similar overall survival in the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed that the two modalities had similar survival rates (PG compared with SEMS insertion, hazard ratio 0.682, p=0.219). Fifteen patients (22.1%) in the stent group received additional intervention, whereas there was no case in the gastrostomy group (p=0.063). The decrease in the serum albumin level after the procedure was lower in the gastrostomy group than in the stent group (-0.20±0.54 g/dL vs. -0.65±0.57 g/dL, p=0.013) CONCLUSIONS: SEMS insertion and PG feeding for relieving dysphagia by lung cancer had a comparable survival outcome. On the other hand, PG was associated with a better nutritional status.

Protective Effects of Female Reproductive Factors on Lauren Intestinal-Type Gastric Adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer shows a male predominance that might be explained by protective effects from estrogens in females. Two Lauren classification histological subtypes, intestinal and diffuse, have distinct carcinogeneses. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of sex hormone on female gastric cancer according to Lauren classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed medical records for and administered questionnaires, surveying reproductive and hormonal factors, to 758 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Samsung Medical Center from May 2012 to November 2014. Clinicopathological characteristics were compared between females and males. The incidence of intestinal-type gastric cancer was compared between females subgroups, consist of premenopausal women and three groups of postmenopausal women (five-year intervals after menopause), and males. The association between reproductive factors and intestinal-type gastric cancer was analyzed by multivariate models for the female group. RESULTS: In total, 227 females (29.9%) and 531 males (70.9%) were included in the analysis. Undifferentiated adenocarcinoma and diffuse-type histology were more frequent in female patients than male patients. While 221 (41.6%) male patients had intestinal-type gastric cancer, no premenopausal female patient had this type of gastric cancer. The incidence of intestinal-type gastric cancer increased with time after menopause, and was similar to males after 10 years from menopause. Parity was associated with an increased risk of intestinal-type gastric cancer in menopausal women. CONCLUSION: These findings support that female sex hormones might be protective against intestinal-type gastric cancer.

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.

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.

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.