Can Helicobacter pylori Serology Predict Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia in Young Dyspeptic Patients? / 대한소화기내시경학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In western courtry, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) serology is a screening test for non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) before endoscopy in dyspeptic patients under 45 years old without alarm symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of H. pylori serology before endoscopy in Korea. METHODS: Six hundred and fifteen outpatients (M:F=339:276, mean age 43.6+/-13.8, range 15-81) with dyspepsia performed anti-H. pylori IgG (GAP or HM-CAP) and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with biopsy. Exclusion criteria were alarm symptoms, history of gastrectomy, NSAID use and previous anti-H. pylori treatment. RESULTS: The prevalence of anti-H. pylori IgG was 61.0% in patients under and 40 years old and 63.8% in patients over 40 years old. There was no significant difference between age groups. For patients under and 40 years old, serology predicted all pathology except 5 gastric ulcer, 8 duodenal ulcer, 2 reflux esophagitis and 2 gastric submucosal tumor. The sensitivity and negative predictive value (76.7, 85.8%) in patients under and 40 years old were higher than that (61.9, 64.0%) in patients over 40 years old (p=0.037, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori serology seems to be an acceptable screening test for NUD in dyspeptic patients under and 40 years old without alarm symptoms.

Two Cases of CMV Esophagitis and Proctitis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease most frequently occurs in adults with immune deficiency due to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), organ trans- plantation, cancer chemotherapy, and steroid therapy. Because the number of patients with immune deficiency has increased in recent years in Korea and CMV is one of the most common infecting complications in these settings, the number of patients with CMV disease is also increasing. Most cases of CMV disease are due to reactivation of a latent virus. The pathogenesis of this intestinal disease is vascular endothelial involvement with subsequent ischemic mucosal injury. An endoscopy usually reveals large, well defined ulcers greater than 3 cm. Deep longitudinal serpiginous ulcers represent a coalescence of adjoining smaller ulcers. CMV infection produces a characteristic cytomegalic cell containing a intranuclear inclusion, which is sometimes surrounded by a clear halo ("owl's eye"). The presence of cytomegalic cells on mucosal biopsy specimens stained with hematoxylin and eosin has been considered the golden standard for establishing the diagnosis of CMV gastrointestinal disease. Immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibody to CMV antigens and in situ hybridization for CMV DNA are useful in the diagnosis. We report 2 cases of CMV esophagitis and proctitis which showed characteristic endoscopic and histologic findings of the CMV infection.

Standard Esophageal Manometric Finding in Dysmotility-like Functional Dyspepsia / 대한소화관운동학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Functional dyspepsia(FD) is primarily a symptom complex. There is no consensus on the pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia. Disorders of motor function of the upper gastrointestinal tract have been implicated in the pathogenesis of FD. About 25-60% of patients with FD have delayed gastric emptying and postprandial antral hypomotility. Intestinal dysmotility is common in patients with severe and incapacitating FD. But there were few reports about association with esophageal dysmotility in FD. We performed this study to investigate the esophageal motility in patients with dysmotility-like FD. METHODS: The study included twenty-three patients (M:F=6;17, mean age: 42.5 years) referred to Ajou University Hospital for evaluation of their dyspepsia from July 1994 to July 1997. All patients underwent routine blood tests, upper gastrointestinal series or esophagogastroduodenoscopy and abdominal ultrasound to rule out organic cause of dyspepsia. The patients with reflux-like symptoms such as heartbum and/or regurgitation and noncardiac chest pain were also excluded. Standard esophageal manometry was done with pneumohydraulic capillary infusion system. RESULTS: 1) Out of 23 patients, 12 patients showed normal esophageal manometric finding, 11 patients(47.8%) abnormal finding. Esophageal manometry revealed hypertensive upper esophageal sphinter (UES) in 3 patients, hypertensive lower esophageal sphinter (LES) in 2 patients, hypotensive LES in 1 patients. Four patients showed nonspecific esophageal motility disorder low-amplitude contractions in 3 patients, nontransmitted contractions in 1 patient). One patient exhibited nutcracker esophagus. 2) Out of 23 patients, 5 patients also complained of symptoms consistent with lower gut dysfuctian, chiefly irritable bowel syndrome. Three of these patitnets revealed abnormal esophageal manometric finding (hypertensive UES in 2 patient, low-amplitude contractions in one patient). CONCLUSIONS: This findings indicate that some patients with FD have esophageal manometric abnormalities. The esophageal motor dysfunction was mainly observed in esophageal body and lower esophageal sphinter, which are made up of smooth muscle.

Usefulness of CA72-4 in gastric carcinoma and other gastrointestinal malignancies / 대한암학회지

No abstract available.