Is rectal indomethacin effective in preventing of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis?

AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of rectally administered indomethacin in the prophylaxis of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis and hyperamylasaemia in a multicentre study. METHODS: A prospective, randomised, placebo-controlled multicentre study in five endoscopic units was conducted on 686 patients randomised to receive a suppository containing 100 mg indomethacin, or an inert placebo, 10-15 min before ERCP. Post-ERCP pancreatitis and hyperamylasaemia were evaluated 24 h following the procedure on the basis of clinical signs and laboratory parameters, and computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging findings if required. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were excluded because of incompleteness of their data or because of protocol violation. The results of 665 investigations were evaluated: 347 in the indomethacin group and 318 in the placebo group. The distributions of the risk factors in the two groups did not differ significantly. Pancreatitis developed in 42 patients (6.3%): it was mild in 34 (5.1%) and severe in eight (1.2%) cases. Hyperamylaesemia occurred in 160 patients (24.1%). There was no significant difference between the indomethacin and placebo groups in the incidence of either post-ERCP pancreatitis (5.8% vs 6.9%) or hyperamylasaemia (23.3% vs 24.8%). Similarly, subgroup analysis did not reveal any significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: 100 mg rectal indomethacin administered before ERCP did not prove effective in preventing post-ERCP pancreatitis.

[Role of pulse oximetric monitoring during gastrointestinal endoscopy. Prospective multicenter study of the Gastroenterology Working Group of the Veszprém Regional Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (VEAB)]. / Az endoszkópos vizsgálatok pulzoximetriás monitorozásának jelentosége. Az MTA VEAB Gasztroenterológiai Munkabizottságának prospektív multicentrikus vizsgálata.

INTRODUCTION: Recent guidelines recommend routine pulse oximetric monitoring during endoscopy, however, this has not been the common practice yet in the majority of the local endoscopic units. AIMS: To draw attention to the importance of the routine use of pulse oximetric recording during endoscopy. METHOD: A prospective multicenter study was performed with the participation of 11 gastrointestinal endoscopic units. Data of pulse oximetric monitoring of 1249 endoscopic investigations were evaluated, of which 1183 were carried out with and 66 without sedation. RESULTS: Oxygen saturation less than 90% was observed in 239 cases corresponding to 19.1% of all cases. It occurred most often during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (31.2%) and proximal enteroscopy (20%). Procedure-related risk factors proved to be the long duration of the investigation, premedication with pethidine (31.3%), and combined sedoanalgesia with pethidine and midazolam (34.38%). The age over 60 years, obesity, consumption of hypnotics or sedatives, severe cardiopulmonary state, and risk factor scores III and IV of the American Society of Anestwere found as patient-related risk factors. CONCLUSION: To increase the safety of patients undergoing endoscopic investigation, pulse oximeter and oxygen supplementation should be the standard requirement in all of the endoscopic investigation rooms. Pulse oximetric monitoring is advised routinely during endoscopy with special regard to the risk factors of hypoxemia.

[Effects of rectal indomethacin in the prevention of post-ERCP acute pancreatitis]. / Az indometacin szerepe az endoszkópos retrográd cholangiopancreatographiát követo akut pancreatitis prevenciójában.

UNLABELLED: Recently non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have seemed to reduce the frequency of post-ERCP pancreatitis in some prospective controlled trials, but the results have to be confirmed by further studies. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of rectally administered indomethacin for the reduction of incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis. METHOD: A prospective randomized placebo-controlled study was conducted in 228 patients who underwent ERCP. Patients were randomized to receive a suppository containing 100 mg indomethacin or an inert placebo 10 mins before ERCP. Patients were evaluated clinically and biochemically by using serum amylase levels measured 24 h after the procedure. RESULTS: Pancreatitis and hyperamylasemia occurred more frequently in the placebo group, but the difference was not significant. In respect to the rate of pancreatitis, this tendency could particularly be observed in females, in patients older than 60 years and in patients with BMI lower than 25; however, it completely failed in cases with pancreatic duct filling or in those with pancreatic EST. CONCLUSIONS: Rectal indomethacin given before ERCP did not prove to be statistically effective in the reduction of the incidence of post-procedure pancreatitis. Further, controlled multicenter studies are required to assess safely the potential efficacy of indomethacin in the prevention of pancreatitis following ERCP.

Capsaicin-sensitive afferentation represents an indifferent defensive pathway from eradication in patients with H. pylori gastritis.

AIM: To study the role of capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positive chronic gastritis before and after eradication. METHODS: Gastric biopsy samples were obtained from corpus and antrum mucosa of 20 healthy human subjects and 18 patients with H. pylori positive chronic gastritis (n = 18) before and after eradication. Traditional gastric mucosal histology (and Warthin-Starry silver impregnation) and special histochemical examinations were carried out. Immunohistochemistry for capsaicin receptor (TRVP1), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) were carried out by the labeled polymer immunohistological method (Lab Vision Co., USA) using polyclonal rabbit and rat monoclonal antibodies (Abcam Ltd., UK). RESULTS: Eradication treatment was successful in 16 patients (89%). Seven patients (7/18, 39%) remained with moderate complaints, meanwhile 11 patients (11/28, 61%) had no complaints. At histological evaluation, normal gastric mucosa was detected in 4 patients after eradication treatment (4/18, 22%), and moderate chronic gastritis could be seen in 14 (14/18, 78%) patients. Positive immuno-staining for capsaicin receptor was seen in 35% (7/20) of controls, 89% (16/18, P < 0.001) in patients before and 72% (13/18, P < 0.03) after eradication. CGRP was positive in 40% (8/20) of controls, and in 100% (18/18, P < 0.001) of patients before and in 100% (18/18, P < 0.001) after eradication. The immune-staining of gastric mucosa for substance-P was positive in 25% (5/20) of healthy controls, and in 5.5% (3/18, P > 0.05) of patients before and in 0% of patients (0/18, P > 0.05) after H. pylori eradication. CONCLUSION: Distibution of TRVP1 and CGRP is altered during the development of H. pylori positive chronic gastritis. The immune-staining for TRVP1, CGRP and SP rwemained unchanged before and after H. pylori eradication treatment. The capsaicin-sensitive afferentation is an independent from the eradication treatment. The 6 wk time period might not be enough time for the restituion of chronic H. pylori positive chronic gastritis. The H. pylori infection might not represent the main pathological factor in the development of chronic gastritis.

[The value of twenty-four hour intraoesophageal pH monitoring and manometry in the management of patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms]. / A 24 órás pH-monitorozás és a nyelocso-manometria szerepe felso gastrointestinalis panaszokkal jelentkezo betegek kivizsgálásában.

UNLABELLED: Functional gastroenterological examinations (intraoesophageal pH monitoring, oesophageal manometry, scintigraphy, impedance examination) play important role in the management of patients with upper gastrointestinal complaints. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four different cases are demonstrated where diagnose and therapy was developed by these examinations. Two patients had typical gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms and two others had dysphagia. Intraoesophageal pH monitoring was performed by Zinetics twenty-four hour one or two channel pH catheters and oesophageal manometry was carried out by Zinetics EMC four channel catheter with water perfusion method. CASE REPORTS: In one of the patients with typical and extraoesophageal reflux symptoms, lower oesophageal sphincter incompetency by manometry and pathological acid reflux was observed by intraoesophageal pH monitoring, respectively. Furthermore, hiatal hernia was established, peristalsis of the oesophagus proved to be preserved. Because of incomplete efficacy of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, antireflux surgery was indicated. An other patient with reflux symptoms had physiological pH monitoring and manometric values. Hypersensitive oesophagus was diagnosed and PPI therapy in double dose was applied. Both patients are symptom free up to now. Other two patients complained difficult swallowing and weight loss. Absence of lower oesophageal sphincter relaxation and hypomotility of the oesophagus was observed. After oesophageal dilatation, both patients with achalasia could easy swallow and eat. CONCLUSIONS: Our cases confirm the importance of the twenty-four hour intraoesophageal pH monitoring and oesophageal manometry in the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, non-cardiac chest pain, other extraoesophageal manifestations and dysphagia. These examinations support the decision for the adequate therapeutic strategy (conventional treatment, surgery or operation or endoscopic intervention) and are important in the follow-up of patients.

Efficacy and safety of infliximab induction therapy in Crohn's Disease in Central Europe--a Hungarian nationwide observational study.

BACKGROUND: Infliximab (IFX) has proven to be an effective addition to the therapeutic arsenal for refractory, fistulizing, and steroid dependent Crohn's disease (CD), with efficacy in the induction and maintenance of clinical remission of CD. Our objective in this study is to report the nationwide, multicenter experience with IFX induction therapy for CD in Hungary. METHODS: During a 6-year-period, beginning in 2000, a total of 363 CD patients were treated with IFX as induction therapy (5 mg/kg IFX infusions given at week 0, 2 and 6) at eleven centers in Hungary in this observational study. Data analysis included patient demographics, important disease parameters and the outcome of IFX induction therapy. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty three patients (183 women and 180 men) were treated with IFX since 2000. Mean age was 33.5 +/- 11.2 years and the mean duration of disease was 6.7 +/- 6.1 years. The population included 114 patients (31.4%) with therapy-refractory CD, 195 patients (53.7%) with fistulas, 16 patients (4.4%) with both therapy-refractory CD and fistulas, and 26 patients (7.2%) with steroid dependent CD. Overall response rate was 86.2% (313/363). A higher response rate was observed in patients with shorter disease duration (p = 0.05, OR:0.54, 95%CI:0.29-0.99) and concomitant immunosuppressant therapy (p = 0.05, OR: 2.03, 95%CI:0.165-0.596). Concomitant steroid treatment did not enhance the efficacy of IFX induction therapy. Adverse events included 34 allergic reactions (9.4%), 17 delayed type hypersensitivity (4.7%), 16 infections (4.4%), and 3 malignancies (0.8%). CONCLUSION: IFX was safe and effective treatment in this cohort of Hungarian CD patients. Based on our experience co-administration of immunosuppressant therapy is suggested in patients receiving IFX induction therapy. However, concomitant steroid treatment did not enhanced the efficacy of IFX induction therapy.

[Possible role of selected IGR and SLC22A4/SLC22A5 loci in development of inflammatory bowel diseases]. / Az 5q31 IBD5-régióban található IGR és SLC22A4/SLC22A5 variánsok lehetséges szerepe a gyulladásos bélbetegség kialakulásában.

UNLABELLED: The IBD5 locus (MIM#606348) on chromosome 5q31 has been demonstrated to confer increased risk for inflammatory bowel disease. Controversial reports have been published about the significance of individual loci located in this region. Here we investigated the possible genetic association of inflammatory bowel diseases with C1672T of SLC22A4 and G-207C SLC22A5 alleles, and with IGR2096a_1 (rs12521868) and IGR2198a_1 (rs11739135) susceptibility variants of the IBD5 region located on chromosome 5q31. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Total of 440 patients, 206 with Crohn's disease, 234 with ulcerative colitis, and 279 controls were studied by PCR-RFLP methods. RESULTS: Neither the C1672T, and G-207C alleles, nor the TC haplotype were found to confer risk for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. By contrast, both of the minor allele frequencies of IGR2096a_1 T (48.1%) and IGR2198a_1 C (46.1%) were increased in Crohn's disease subjects as compared with the controls (38.5% and 38.4%, respectively; p<0.05). Using regression analysis adjusted to age and gender these alleles were found to confer risk for Crohn's disease (OR=1.694, 95% CI: 1.137-2.522; p=0.010 for T allele, OR=1.644, 95% CI=1.103-2.449; p=0.015 for C allele of IGRs). In UC no such associations were found. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed the susceptibility nature of the examined IGR minor alleles in Hungarians, which nation differs historically from the surrounding Caucasian populations in origin of the founders of the state.

[Postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome]. / Posztinfekciós irritábilis bél szindróma.

Postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a subgroup of IBS. Patients with an episode of bacterial gastroenteritis may have a 12-fold increased risk of developing IBS symptoms within the same year. The IBS can be manifested in each of its clinical types, but the diarrhea-predominant form occurs most commonly. The primary pathophysiologic factor in developing IBS after enteral infection may be defects in enteric nervous system which can produce abnormality in visceral hypersensitivity and intestinal motility. These patients also display exaggerated increases in mucosal immunocompetent T lymphocytes and an abnormally high pro- versus anti-inflammatory cytokine ratio, providing evidence to the contribution of the immune system in the development of postinfectious IBS. Via bi-directional brain-gut interactions both peripheral and central events can play a role in the development of clinical symptoms. Stress is associated with significant worsening of the complaints in IBS and may also result in a shift in the host-gut microbial relationship. IBS itself may predispose patients to acute bacterial gastroenteritis because of the altered intestinal motility. It needs further clarifying the relationship between IBS and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome. Upon the data so far the altered intestinal flora in IBS would merely reflect developments due to altered motility and not a causal relationship. The treatment of postinfectious IBS does not differ principally from that of the idiopathic IBS. Antibiotics or probiotics may lead to temporary symptomatic improvement, but, given the lack of evidence based data, they cannot be advised for routine use so far.

Quality of life assessment after pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in chronic pancreatitis.

GOALS: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of patients with chronic pancreatitis before and after pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in a prospective, multicentre, follow-up study. STUDY: Two groups of patients were evaluated. Group 1 consisted of 31 patients with newly diagnosed chronic pancreatitis who had never been treated with pancreatic enzyme preparations. Group 2 consisted of 39 patients whose disease was diagnosed on average 3.4 years before the start of the study. The latter group of patients had undergone pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, but during follow-up this treatment proved to be insufficient. The dose of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy was tailored in accordance with the degree of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency measured by means of exocrine pancreatic function tests. A modified European Organizaton for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) was used to assess QoL. RESULTS: The social functioning and financial strain were significantly better, while the levels of hope and confidence were significantly reduced in group 1 compared with group 2. A significant gain in body weight and a significantly reduced defecation rate were found in both groups one month after the beginning of the pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy when compared with the pretreatment values. The prevalence of general and disease-specific symptoms and the intensity of pain were reduced in both groups after one month of enzyme substitution therapy. The working ability, the financial strain and the overall QoL scores were improved significantly in both groups, while the cognitive functioning score was found to be significantly improved during the follow-up only in group 1. The overall increase in the QoL score correlated significantly with the increase in body weight and the decrease in defecation number in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in patients with chronic pancreatitis not only reduced the extent of steatorrhea and pain, but also significantly improved a variety of other symptoms and the patient's QoL. Individually tailored enzyme replacement therapy improved the QoL not only in the untreated chronic pancreatitis patients, but also in the inadequately treated group. This study demonstrated that the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire, with the addition of two further questions about steatorrhea, is a useful tool for the evaluation of QoL in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

[Quality of life in the course of enzyme replacement therapy for chronic pancreatitis]. / Az életminóség vizsgálata a krónikus pancreatitis enzimszubsztitúciós kezelése során.

AIM: The ultimate goal of any treatment in chronic pancreatitis is to maximize the patient's quality of life. The authors evaluated the QoL of patients with chronic pancreatitis prior to and after pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy in a prospective, multicenter, follow-up study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two groups of patients were evaluated. Group 1: 31 patients with newly diagnosed chronic pancreatitis who had never been treated with pancreatic enzyme preparations; Group 2: 39 patients whose disease was diagnosed on average 3.4 years before the start of the study. The latter group of patients had undergone pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, but during the follow-up this proved to be insufficient. The dose of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy was tailored in accordance with the degree of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency measured by means of exocrine pancreatic function tests. RESULTS: A significant gain in body weight and a significantly reduced defecation rate were found in both groups 1 month after the beginning of the pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy as compared to the pretreatment values. The prevalence of general and disease-specific symptoms, and the intensity of pain were reduced in both groups after 1 month of enzyme substitution therapy. The working ability, the emotional functioning, the financial strain and the overall QoL score were improved significantly in both groups, while the cognitive functioning was found to be significantly improved during the follow-up only in Group 1. The overall increase in the QoL score correlated significantly with the increase in body weight and the decrease in defecation number in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Individually-tailored enzyme replacement therapy improved the QoL, reduced the extents of steatorrhea and pain, increased the body weight, not only in the untreated chronic pancreatitis patients, but even in the inadequately treated group.