Review article: Associations between Helicobacter pylori and obesity--an ecological study.

BACKGROUND: There is emerging debate over the effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on body mass index (BMI). A recent study demonstrated that individuals who underwent H. pylori eradication developed significant weight gain as compared to subjects with untreated H. pylori colonisation. AIM: To elucidate the association between H. pylori colonisation and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in developed countries. METHODS: The literature was searched for publications reporting data on H. pylori prevalence rates and obesity prevalence rates. Studies selected reported H. pylori prevalence in random population samples with sample sizes of more than 100 subjects in developed countries (GDP >25,000 US$/person/year). Corresponding BMI distributions for corresponding countries and regions were identified. Nonparametric tests were used to compare the association between H. pylori and overweight and obesity rates. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies with data from 10 European countries, Japan, the US and Australia were identified. The mean H. pylori rate was 44.1% (range 17-75%), the mean rates for obesity and overweight were 46.6 (± 16)% and 14.2 (± 8.9)%. The rate of obesity and overweight were inversely and significantly (r = 0.29, P < 0.001) correlated with the prevalence of H. pylori infection. CONCLUSIONS: There is an inverse correlation between H. pylori prevalence and rate of overweight/obesity in countries of the developed world. Thus, the gradual decrease of the H. pylori colonisation that has been observed in recent decades (or factors associated with decrease of) could be causally related to the obesity endemic observed in the Western world.

A 13-nation population survey of upper gastrointestinal symptoms: prevalence of symptoms and socioeconomic factors.

BACKGROUND: Previous data collected in separate studies using various different survey instruments have suggested some variability in the prevalence of symptoms between nations. However, there is a lack of studies which assess and compare the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms contemporaneously in various countries using a uniform, standardised method. AIM: To determine the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) symptoms in 13 European countries, and the association between socioeconomic factors and symptoms using a standardised method. METHODS: A representative age- and gender-stratified sample of 23,163 subjects (aged 18-69 years) was surveyed. RESULTS: The prevalence of UGI symptoms was 38%. UGI symptoms were most prevalent in Hungary [45%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 42.2-48.4] and lowest in the Netherlands (24%, 95% CI: 21.0-26.2). UGI symptoms were more prevalent in women (39%, 95% CI: 38.4-39.6) vs. men (37%, 95% CI: 36.4-37.6). Heartburn (24%, 95% CI: 23.4-24.6) and acidic reflux (14%, 95% CI: 13.6-14.4) were most common. With age, the prevalence of UGI symptoms decreased (e.g. 18-29 years: 43%, 95% CI: 41.4-44.3 vs. 50-69 years: 33%, 95% CI: 32.3-34.4); in contrast, the frequency of symptom episodes/year increased with age (e.g. 18-29 years: 11.3 episodes per years, 95% CI: 10.5-12.1 vs. 50-69 years: 21.8, 95% CI: 20.7-22.9). Socioeconomic status as measured by gross domestic product was inversely associated with symptoms and in total, socioeconomic factors, gender, body mass index, smoking habits and alcohol consumption explained 83% of the variance of UGI symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: There are marked differences in the country specific prevalence of upper gastrointestinal complaints. Socioeconomic factors are closely associated with the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms.

Un-promoted issues in inflammatory bowel disease: opportunities to optimize care.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), comprising Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic inflammatory disorders of the gut, which lead to significant morbidity and impaired quality of life (QoL) in sufferers, without generally affecting mortality. Despite CD and UC being chronic, life-long illnesses, most medical management is directed at acute flares of disease. Moreover, with more intensive medical therapy and the development of biological therapy, there is a risk that management will become even more narrowly focused on acute care, and be directed only at those with more severe disease, rather than encompassing all sufferers and addressing important non-acute issues. This imbalance of concentration of medical attention on 'high-end' care is in part driven by the need to perform and publish randomized clinical trials of newer therapies to obtain registration and licensing for these agents, which thus occupy a large proportion of the recent IBD treatment literature. This leads to less attention on relatively 'low-technology' issues including: (i) the psychosocial burden of chronic disease, QoL and specific psychological comorbidities; (ii) comorbidity with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs); (iii) maintenance therapy, monitoring and compliance; (iv) smoking (with regard to CD); (v) sexuality, fertility, family planning and pregnancy; and (vi) iron deficiency and anaemia. We propose these to be the 'Un-promoted Issues' in IBD and review the importance and treatment of each of these in the current management of IBD.

The ageing gut: diminished symptom response to a standardized nutrient stimulus.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of dyspepsia and the severity of reflux symptoms decreases with advancing age. We postulate that advancing age influences sensory function and this will be associated with a diminished symptom response to a standardized meal stimulus.Our aim was to assess the influence of age on visceral sensory function. METHODS Baseline gastrointestinal symptoms and anxiety and depression were assessed in 53 healthy volunteers using validated questionnaires. After an 8-h fast, subjects received 200 mL of a standardized enteral feeding solution every 5 min up to a cumulative volume of 800 mL. After each 200 mL drink, five key symptoms were assessed (fullness, abdominal pain, retrosternal/abdominal burning, nausea and regurgitation) using a standardized instrument on visual analogue scales (0-100). The cumulative symptom score across all symptoms was calculated. KEY RESULTS Fullness was the most prominent symptom reported (79.8 +/- 9.5) followed by nausea (14.9 +/- 4.9) and pain (9.8 +/- 4.5); these three items accounted for more than 90% of the overall symptom load. The cumulative pain and nausea scores during a standardized nutrient challenge were significantly and inversely correlated with age (r = -0.43, P = 0.002 and r = -0.28, P = 0.045). Subjects >60 years of age reported significantly lower pain and nausea scores (0.9 +/- 0.9, 4.5 +/- 3.9) than did subjects <40 years (22 +/- 11.9, P = 0.002; 29.3 +/- 12, P = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES Symptom responses to a standardized nutrient challenge, in particular pain and nausea, are inversely correlated with age.

The effect of functional gastrointestinal disorders on psychological comorbidity and quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Psychological comorbidities of anxiety and depression are also highly prevalent in IBD. AIM: To quantify the burden of FGIDs in a hospital-based cohort of patients with IBD and to determine whether there is any inter-relationship between the presence and number of FGIDs and patients' quality of life or psychological status. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 61 out-patients was performed. Data on psychological status, quality of life, disease activity and functional symptoms according to Rome III criteria were collected. RESULTS: Overall, 49 (80%) participants met Rome III criteria for a functional bowel disorder and 52% of participants met criteria for more than one FGID. Participants with no FGID had significantly better physical quality of life than those with more than two FGIDs (P = 0.025). However, there was no relationship among the number of FGIDs, mental quality of life, anxiety or depression. CONCLUSIONS: Functional gastrointestinal disorders are highly prevalent in out-patients with IBD. Somewhat unexpectedly, the presence of anxiety and/or depression did not appear to correlate with either the presence or the number of FGIDs.