Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals the molecular changes of acute pancreatitis in experimental models.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) encompasses a spectrum of pancreatic inflammatory conditions, ranging from mild inflammation to severe pancreatic necrosis and multisystem organ failure. Given the challenges associated with obtaining human pancreatic samples, research on AP predominantly relies on animal models. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying AP using various AP models. AIM: To investigate the shared molecular changes underlying the development of AP across varying severity levels. METHODS: AP was induced in animal models through treatment with caerulein alone or in combination with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Additionally, using Ptf1α to drive the specific expression of the hM3 promoter in pancreatic acinar cells transgenic C57BL/6J- hM3/Ptf1α(cre) mice were administered Clozapine N-oxide to induce AP. Subsequently, we conducted RNA sequencing of pancreatic tissues and validated the expression of significantly different genes using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. RESULTS: Caerulein-induced AP showed severe inflammation and edema, which were exacerbated when combined with LPS and accompanied by partial pancreatic tissue necrosis. Compared with the control group, RNA sequencing analysis revealed 880 significantly differentially expressed genes in the caerulein model and 885 in the caerulein combined with the LPS model. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis indicated substantial enrichment of the TLR and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, TLR signaling pathway, and NF-κB signaling pathway, alongside elevated levels of apoptosis-related pathways, such as apoptosis, P53 pathway, and phagosome pathway. The significantly elevated genes in the TLR and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways, as well as in the apoptosis pathway, were validated through quantitative real-time PCR experiments in animal models. Validation from the GEO database revealed that only MYD88 concurred in both mouse pancreatic tissue and human AP peripheral blood, while TLR1, TLR7, RIPK3, and OAS2 genes exhibited marked elevation in human AP. The genes TUBA1A and GADD45A played significant roles in apoptosis within human AP. The transgenic mouse model hM3/Ptf1α(cre) successfully validated significant differential genes in the TLR and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways as well as the apoptosis pathway, indicating that these pathways represent shared pathological processes in AP across different models. CONCLUSION: The TLR and NOD receptor signaling pathways play crucial roles in the inflammatory progression of AP, notably the MYD88 gene. Apoptosis holds a central position in the necrotic processes of AP, with TUBA1A and GADD45A genes exhibiting prominence in human AP.

Vonoprazan and amoxicillin dual therapy as the first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of vonoprazan-amoxicillin (VA) dual therapy as the first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection in different regions with inconsistent results reported. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VA dual therapy compared to the currently recommended therapy for eradicating H. pylori. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases was performed using the following search terms: ("Helicobacter" OR "H. pylori" OR "Hp") AND ("vonoprazan" OR "potassium-competitive acid blocker" OR "P-CAB") AND ("amoxicillin" OR "penicillin") AND ("dual"). The primary outcome was to evaluate the eradication rate according to intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. The secondary outcomes were adverse events and compliance. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies involving 4, 568 patients were included. The pooled eradication rate of VA dual therapy was 85.0% and 90.0% by intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis, respectively. The adverse events rate and compliance of VA dual therapy were 17.5% and 96%, respectively. The efficacy of VA dual therapy was superior to proton pump inhibitors-based triple therapy (82.0% vs. 71.4%, p < 0.01) but lower than vonoprazan-containing quadruple therapy (83.1% vs. 93.3%, p = 0.02). 7-day VA dual therapy showed lower eradication rates than 10-day (χ2 = 24.09, p < 0.01) and 14-day VA dual therapy (χ2 = 11.87, p < 0.01). The adverse events rate of VA dual therapy was lower than vonoprazan triple therapy (24.6% vs. 30.9%, p = 0.01) and bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (20.5% vs. 47.9%, p < 0.01). No significant difference of compliance was observed between VA dual therapy and each subgroup. CONCLUSION: VA dual therapy, a novel regimen, showed high efficacy as the first-line treatment for H. pylori eradication, which should be optimized before application in different regions.

Elevated CK-MB levels are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in acute pancreatitis: a propensity score-matched study.

Aim: Cardiac injury, reflected by the measured concentrations of chemicals released from injured cardiac muscle, is common in acute pancreatitis (AP). However, there is no adequate evidence assessing the impact of cardiac injury on AP-related outcomes. Creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB) mainly exists in the myocardium. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the relationship between the increase in CK-MB and the adverse clinical outcomes of AP. Methods: This propensity score-matched study analyzed AP patients admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from June 2017 to July 2022. Propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to explore the relationship between CK-MB elevation and AP outcome variables. Results: A total of 5,944 patients were screened for eligibility, of whom 4,802 were ultimately enrolled. Overall, 896 (18.66%) of AP patients had elevated (>24 U/ml) CK-MB levels, and 895 (99.89%) were paired with controls using propensity score matching. The propensity score-matched cohort analysis demonstrated that mortality (OR, 5.87; 95% CI, 3.89-8.84; P < 0.001), severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) (OR, 2.74; 95% CI, 2.23-3.35; P < 0.001), and infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP) (OR, 3.40; 95% CI, 2.34-4.94; P < 0.001) were more frequent in the elevated CK-MB (>24 U/ml) group than in the normal CK-MB (≤ 24 U/ml) group. Using the multivariate logistic regression analysis, elevated CK-MB levels were independently associated with increased mortality (OR, 2.753, 95% CI, 2.095-3.617, P < 0.001), SAP incidence (OR, 2.223, CI, 1.870-2.643, P < 0.001), and INP incidence (OR, 1.913, 95% CI, 1.467-2.494, P < 0.001). CK-MB elevation was an independent risk factor for adverse clinical outcomes in AP patients. Conclusion: CK-MB elevation was significantly related to adverse outcomes in AP patients, which makes it a potentially useful laboratory parameter for predicting adverse clinical outcomes of AP.

TikTok and Bilibili as sources of information on Helicobacter pylori in China: A content and quality analysis.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is closely associated with gastric diseases and has a high prevalence in China. Public platforms are considered common and important tools to publicize H. pylori-related information. This study aimed to assess and compare the content and quality of H. pylori-related videos on TikTok and Bilibili. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search was performed on the TikTok and Bilibili platforms using the keyword "H. pylori". The source of upload was categorized as for-profit organizations, general users, health professionals, news agencies, nonprofit organizations, and science communicators. The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), Global Quality Scale (GQS), and modified DISCERN scores were used to evaluate the quality of the included videos. RESULTS: A total of 93 TikTok videos and 79 Bilibili videos were included and analyzed. TikTok videos had a significantly shorter duration than Bilibili videos (64 vs. 149 s, respectively; p < 0.001). The duration of the video showed a positive correlation with the modified DISCERN and GQS scores (p < 0.001, r = 0.388 and r = 0.437, respectively). The JAMA and modified DISCERN scores of the TikTok video were significantly higher in health professionals and nonprofit organizations than in other sources (p < 0.05). For Bilibili, science communicators had a significantly higher JAMA score than the other video sources (p < 0.001). The videos uploaded by news agencies received more views, comments, shares, and favorites than any other organization or individual (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In China, H. pylori-related videos from TikTok and Bilibili tended to provide the information regarding the transmission and eradication of H. pylori. However, many videos scored an average rating in content and quality and need to be improved. We recommend that the public obtain H. pylori-related information through videos uploaded by health professionals, nonprofit organizations, and science communicators.

Research trends on vonoprazan-based therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A bibliometric analysis from 2015 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Vonoprazan is an emerging option for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. We aimed to assess the research trends and hotspots of vonoprazan-based therapy for H. pylori eradication through bibliometric analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Vonoprazan-based studies for eradicating H. pylori published from 2015 to 2023 were extracted from the Web of Science using a combination of the search terms "H. pylori" and "vonoprazan." Each study was weighted according to the number of included patients. RESULTS: A total of 65 studies were included. Japan was the most productive and cooperative country, accounting for 69.2% of publications. Vonoprazan in combination with amoxicillin and clarithromycin (41.8%) was most used for eradicating H. pylori, followed by vonoprazan in combination with amoxicillin (20.4%) and vonoprazan in combination with amoxicillin and metronidazole (19.4%). The eradication rates for first-line vonoprazan-based therapies by intention to treat were: dual therapy (82.9%, 95% CI: 77.7%-88.0%), triple (83.3%, 95% CI: 79.7%-86.8%) and quadruple therapy (91.5%, 95% CI: 85.5%-97.4%), and per protocol: dual therapy (86.1%, 95% CI: 81.5%-90.7%), triple (89.3%, 95% CI: 87.9%-90.6%) and quadruple therapy (94.0%, 95% CI: 88.6%-99.4%). Vonoprazan was superior to proton pump inhibitors in triple therapy regarding empirical therapy (RR = 1.18, 95% CI, 1.14-1.22, p < 0.01) and clarithromycin-resistant group (RR = 1.71, 95% CI, 1.33-2.20, p < 0.01), but there is no significant difference between triple therapy and dual therapy (RR = 1.02, 95% CI, 0.98-1.07, p = 0.33). CONCLUSIONS: Vonoprazan has been widely used for H. pylori eradication. Further studies are needed to optimize the best duration and dosage of vonoprazan-based regimens in different regions.

Colloidal bismuth pectin-containing quadruple therapy as the first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is an effective regimen for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment. No head-to-head comparison trials have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of colloidal bismuth pectin (CBP) in quadruple therapy for eradicating H. pylori. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of CBP quadruple therapy and bismuth potassium citrate (BPC) quadruple therapy for 14 days in the first-line treatment of H. pylori. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority clinical trial, H. pylori-infected subjects without eradication history were randomized to receive amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, tetracycline 500 mg three time daily, esomeprazole 20 mg twice daily in combination with CBP 200 mg three time daily or BPC 240 mg twice daily for 14 days. 13 C-urea breath tests were used to access the eradication rate at least 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Between April 2021 and July 2022, 406 patients were assessed for eligibility and 339 subjects were randomized. The cure rates (primary outcome) of CBP and BPC quadruple therapy were 90.5% and 92.3% (p = 0.56) by intention-to-treat analysis, respectively, and 96.1% and 96.2% (p = 1.00) by per-protocol analysis, respectively. CBP quadruple therapy was non-inferior to BPC quadruple therapy in the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis (p < 0.025). The frequency of adverse events and compliance were not different among the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both CBP and BPC quadruple therapy for 14 days provide high efficacy, good compliance, and safety in the first-line treatment of H. pylori in China.

Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum P9 on defecation, quality of life and gut microbiome in individuals with chronic diarrhoea: Protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Probiotics may be an ideal choice for these patients, given it can improve the defecation and quality of life of individuals with chronic diarrhoea. However, evidence-based medical research is still limited to support its use as a diarrhoea agent. Method: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is designed to pinpoint the efficiency and possible action modes of probiotics for chronic diarrhoea. 200 eligible volunteers with chronic diarrhoea are randomly assigned to a probiotic group (orally taking Lactobacillus plantarum p9 probiotics powder) or a placebo group. Except an independent project administrator who will be responsible for unblinding, the other researchers are blinded. Primary outcome is diarrhoea severity score, and secondary outcomes include weekly mean frequency of defecation, weekly mean stool appearance score, weekly mean stool urgency score, emotional state score, gut microbiome, and faecal metabolome. Each outcome measure will be assessed at the timepoints of pre-administration (day 0), administration (day 14 and/or 28), and post-administration (day 42) to identity inter- and intra-groups differences. Adverse events will be recorded to evaluate the safety of L. plantarum p9. Discussion: The study protocol will provide high-quality evidence for the use of probiotics as a diarrhoea agent when it is strictly conducted out, providing evidence regarding whether and to what extent L. plantarum p9 can improve the defecation and well-being of individuals with chronic diarrhoea. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) (NO. ChiCTR2000038410). Registered on November 22, 2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=56542.

The management of Helicobacter pylori infection and prevention and control of gastric cancer in China.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, a type-1 carcinogen, was closely associated with gastric cancer (GC). Successfully eradicating H. pylori infection could reduce the incidence of GC. China was a country with high incidence of GC and high prevalence of H. pylori infection. Nearly half of worldwide GC new cases and deaths attributed to H. pylori infection occurred in China. H. pylori prevalence varied over time with the improvement of socioeconomic status and sanitary conditions. The knowledge of antibiotic resistance rate in time was important to guide the clinical choice of antibiotics use in the regimens. With the publication of five Chinese consensus reports on the management of H. pylori infection and the effort of public preach of H. pylori-related knowledge, the standardization of H. pylori diagnosis and treatment by clinicians was improved. Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy was widely applied in clinical practice of H. pylori eradication because of high efficacy and safety. High-dose Proton Pump Inhibitor-amoxicillin dual therapy or vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy showed comparable efficacy and lower side effects than bismuth-containing quadruple therapy, which were the alternative choice. The diagnosis rate of early GC was low and distinguishing Chinese GC risk population for the further endoscopy screening was important. Efforts have been done to establish prediction models to stratify GC risk in the Chinese GC risk population. We reviewed the current situation of the management of H. pylori infection and prevention and control of GC in China here.

Analysis of oral microbiota alterations induced by Helicobacter pylori infection and vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

BACKGROUND: The oral cavity is considered a potential reservoir of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and the imbalance of oral microbiota directly reflects the health of the host. We aimed to explore the relationship among oral microbiota, H. pylori infection, and vonoprazan-amoxicillin (VA) dual therapy for H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Helicobacter pylori-positive patients were randomized into low- or high-dose VA dual therapy (i.e., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d. or t.i.d. and vonoprazan 20 mg b.i.d) for 7 or 10 days. H. pylori-negative patients served as normal controls. Saliva samples were collected from 41 H. pylori-positive patients and 13 H. pylori-negative patients. The oral microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, followed by bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori-positive patients had higher richness and diversity and better evenness of oral microbiota than normal controls. Beta diversity analysis estimated by Bray-Curtis or weighted UniFrac showed distinct clustering between H. pylori-positive patients and normal controls. The number of bacterial interactions was reduced in H. pylori-positive patients compared with that in negative patients. Forty-one patients evaluated before and after successful H. pylori eradication were divided into low (L-VA) and high dose (H-VA) amoxicillin dose groups. The alpha and beta diversity of the oral microbiota between L-VA and H-VA patients exhibited no differences at the three time points (before eradication, after eradication, and at confirmation of H. pylori infection cure). CONCLUSION: Helicobacter pylori infection could alter the diversity, composition, and bacterial interactions of the oral microbiota. Both L-VA and H-VA dual therapy showed minimal influence on the oral microbiota.

Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum P9 Probiotics on Defecation and Quality of Life of Individuals with Chronic Constipation: Protocol for a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Although probiotics have been shown to improve constipation-related symptoms, a clear consensus on the use of probiotics as a constipation-relieving agent has not been reached, which is attributed to the limited available evidence and inconsistent protocols used in existing studies. Method: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is designed to study the efficiency and possible mechanism of action of probiotics for chronic constipation, in which 200 eligible volunteers with chronic constipation will be randomly assigned to a probiotic group (oral Lactobacillus plantarum P9 probiotic powder, 100 billion colony-forming units (CFUs)/day) or a placebo group. Volunteers, treatment distributors, data collectors, and data analysts will be blinded. The primary outcome is the weekly mean frequency of complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs), and secondary outcomes include weekly mean frequency of CSBMs ≥3, weekly mean frequency of spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs), weekly mean stool appearance score, weekly mean difficulty of passing stool score, weekly percentage of volunteers who use auxiliary measures to assist with defecation (WPUAMA), quality-of-life (QOL) score, emotional status score, gut microbiome, and faecal metabolome. Each outcome measure will be assessed at the time points of preadministration (day 0), administration (day 14 and/or 28), and postadministration (day 42) to identify inter- and intragroup differences. Adverse events will be recorded to evaluate the safety of L. plantarum P9. Discussion. The protocol will provide methodological guidance for other similar studies, avoiding methodological bias and ultimately facilitating the formulation of consensus on the use of probiotics as a constipation-relieving agent. In addition, the results are more comprehensive than those of existing studies and may objectively and scientifically reflect the effectiveness of L. plantarum P9 on constipation. If the expected study findings are obtained, L. plantarum P9, taken as a probiotic, may become a complementary choice for chronically constipated patients. This trial is registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) (no. ChiCTR2000038396) registered on November 22, 2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=54024.

Altered Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids After Vonoprazan-Amoxicillin Dual Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication.

The combination of vonoprazan (VPZ) and amoxicillin (VA therapy) has been shown to achieve acceptable eradication rates for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Herein, our aim was to explore the short-term effect of VA therapy on the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using human fecal samples. A total of 119 H. pylori-positive patients were randomized into low- or high-dose VA therapy (i.e., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d. or t.i.d. and VPZ 20 mg b.i.d.) for 7 or 10 days. Thirteen H. pylori-negative patients served as controls. Fecal samples were collected from H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative patients. The gut microbiota and SCFAs were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, respectively. The gut microbiota in H. pylori-positive patients exhibited increased richness, diversity, and better evenness than matched patients. Fifty-three patients studied before and after H. pylori eradication were divided into low (L-VA) and high (H-VA) amoxicillin dose groups. The diversity and composition of the gut microbiota among L-VA patients exhibited no differences at the three time points. However, among H-VA patients, diversity was decreased, and the microbial composition was altered immediately after H-VA eradication but was restored by the confirmation time point. The decreased abundance of Anaerostipes, Dialister, and Lachnospira induced by H-VA was associated with altered SCFA levels. VA dual therapy for H. pylori eradication has minimal negative effects on gut microbiota and SCFAs.

Amoxicillin-vonoprazan dual therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The efficacy and safety of amoxicillin-vonoprazan (VA) dual therapy remained unclear. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2009 guidelines. A systematic search of the Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane database was conducted using the combination of "Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori or Hp," "amoxicillin or penicillin," and "Vonoprazan or TAK-438 or Takecab or (potassium AND competitive) or potassium-competitive." The initial and secondary outcome of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of VA dual therapy. RESULTS: Three studies and 668 H. pylori infected patients were included in this meta-analysis. The crude eradication rate of VA dual therapy was 87.5% and 89.6% by ITT and PP analysis, respectively. No significant differences were observed regarding the VA dual therapy and vonoprazan-amoxicillin-clarithromycin (VAC) triple therapy according to ITT (RR = 0.99, 95% CI, 0.93-1.05, P = 0.65) and PP (RR = 0.99, 95% CI, 0.94-1.05, P = 0.82) analysis. The side effect of VA dual therapy was 19.1% (95% CI, 5.9-32.4), which was lower than that of VAC triple therapy but there was no statistical significance (RR = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.59-1.06, P = 0.12). CONCLUSION: VA dual therapy shows acceptable efficacy, good safety and avoid unnecessary antibiotic use in the first-line treatment for H. pylori infection. However, its application in other regions need to be further explored.

Protocol of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of probiotics on the gut microbiome of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease treated with rabeprazole.

BACKGROUND: For patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms, the preferred treatment is proton pump inhibitor (PPI) administration for approximately 8 weeks. However, long-term use of PPIs can cause gut microbiome (GM) disturbances. This study is designed to evaluate the effect of probiotics combined with a PPI on the GM and gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHOD: This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 120 eligible patients with GERD will be randomized into the experimental group or the control group. The treatment includes two phases: the initial treatment period lasts 8 weeks (weeks 1-8), and the maintenance treatment period lasts 4 weeks (weeks 9-12). During the initial treatment period, the experimental group will take rabeprazole and LiHuo probiotics, and the control group will take rabeprazole and a probiotic placebo; during the maintenance treatment period, the experimental group will take LiHuo probiotics, and the control group will take a probiotic placebo. The primary measure is the change in the GM. The secondary measures are the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) score, Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) score, faecal metabolome (FM), body mass index, Los Angeles grade of oesophagitis, adverse event (AE) rate and treatment compliance. Each outcome indicator will be assessed at day 0 (before administration), day 28 and/or 56 (during administration), and day 84 (end of administration) to reveal intragroup differences. AEs will be monitored to assess the safety of LiHuo probiotics. DISCUSSION: This will be the first trial to use the intestinal flora metagene method to analyse the effects of probiotics on patients with GERD receiving long-term PPI treatment. The goal is to provide evidence for the use of probiotics to reduce intestinal flora disorders and other symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort in patients with GERD who have used PPIs for a long period. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) (NO. ChiCTR2000038409). Registered on November 22, 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=56358 .

Optimization of vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy for eradicating Helicobacter pyloriinfection in China: A prospective, randomized clinical pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Vonoprazan-amoxicillin (VA) dual therapy has been shown to achieve acceptable cure rates for treatment of Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) in Japan. Its effectiveness in other regions is unknown. We aimed to explore the efficacy of VA dual therapy as first-line treatment for H. pyloriinfection in China. METHODS: This was a single center, prospective, randomized clinical pilot study conducted in China. Treatment naive H. pyloriinfected patients were randomized to receive either low- or high-dose amoxicillin-vonoprazan consisting of amoxicillin 1 g either b.i.d. or t.i.d plus VPZ 20 mg b.i.d for 7 or 10 days. 13 C-urea breath tests were used to access the cure rate at least 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty-three patients were assessed, and 119 subjects were randomized. The eradication rates of b.i.d. amoxicillin for 7 and 10 days, t.i.d. amoxicillin for 7 and 10 days were 66.7% (16/24), 89.2% (33/37), 81.0% (17/21), and 81.1% (30/37) (p = .191) by intention-to-treat analysis, respectively, and 72.7% (16/22), 89.2% (33/37), 81.0% (17/21), and 81.1% (30/37) (p = .454) by per-protocol analysis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Neither 7- or 10-day VA dual therapy with b.i.d. or t.i.d. amoxicillin provides satisfied efficacy as the first-line treatment for H. pyloriinfection in China. Further optimization is needed.

Association between morphological features of necrotizing pancreatitis on endoscopic ultrasound and outcomes of the endoscopic transmural step-up approach.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between necrotic collections on endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and outcomes of the endoscopic transmural step-up approach in necrotizing pancreatitis (NP). METHODS: Adult NP patients who had undergone endoscopic transmural step-up approach, endoscopic transmural drainage or endoscopic transmural necrosectomy, were retrospectively enrolled, and divided into groups 1, 2 and 3 based on the amount of solid necrotic debris (quantified as a percentage of the total collection size of <30%, 30%-50%, and >50%). RESULTS: A total of 134 patients were included, of whom 52, 59 and 23 patients were categorized into groups 1, 2 and 3. Patients with more solid necrotic debris required more necrosectomy sessions (group 3 vs group 2 vs group 1: 2.0 vs 1.0 vs 1.0, P < 0.001), were more likely to experience stent occlusion (group 3 vs group 2 vs group 1: 34.8% vs 16.9% vs 9.6%, P = 0.011), and had a longer hospitalization (group 3 vs group 2 vs group 1: 40.0 d vs 28.0 d vs 25.5 d, P = 0.015). High procalcitonin level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40-26.94, P = 0.016) and any organ failure (aOR 11.51, 95% CI 2.42-54.78, P = 0.002) were independently associated with clinical failure of endoscopic transmural step-up approach. CONCLUSIONS: More solid necrotic debris on EUS is related to more necrosectomy sessions, higher incidence of stent occlusion and longer hospitalization. A nomogram combining procalcitonin and any organ failure performs well in predicting clinical failure of endoscopic transmural step-up approach.

Nomogram for the Prediction of 30-Day Readmission in Acute Pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: A prediction model for 30-day readmission in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) was needed. AIMS: To develop a nomogram to predict 30-day readmission in patients with AP and validate the usefulness of serum indicators after discharge for the prediction of 30-day readmission. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study enrolling patients with the first attack of AP. Baseline characteristics, clinical profiles, and serum indicators after discharge were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and a nomogram were employed to determine the independent risk factors for 30-day readmission. RESULTS: A total of 7.32% (121/1653) of the patients were readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Different etiologies (biliary pancreatitis (adjusted odds ratio (AdjOR), 9.63; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.28-72.52; P = 0.028), other causes (AdjOR, 9.37; 95% CI, 1.15-76.12, P = 0.026), mixed causes (AdjOR, 10.76; 95% CI, 1.27-91.35; P = 0.03) compared with alcoholic pancreatitis)), infected pancreatitis necrosis (IPN) (AdjOR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.42; P = 0.013), total bilirubin level ≥ 20.5 µmol/L (AdjOR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.23-4.77; P = 0.01), glucose level ≥ 6.1 mmol/L (AdjOR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.16-3.19; P = 0.011), and albumin level < 40 g/L (AdjOR, 4.25; 95% CI, 2.44-7.41; P < 0.001) were independently associated with 30-day readmission. A nomogram incorporating these factors demonstrated good discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. Serum indicators after discharge added predictive value compared with clinical variables alone (AUC, 0.78 vs. 0.685; P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram combining etiology, IPN, and serum indicators after discharge has favorable predictive performance for 30-Day readmission. The close monitoring and reexamination of serum indicators are essential for AP patients at high risk.

Fourteen-day vonoprazan and low- or high-dose amoxicillin dual therapy for eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection: A prospective, open-labeled, randomized non-inferiority clinical study.

Background and aim: We previously reported that vonoprazan-amoxicillin (VA) dual therapy for 7 or 10 days is not satisfactorily efficacious for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication. We aimed to explore the efficacy of VA dual therapy for 14 days as a first-line treatment for H. pylori infection. Methods: This was a single center, prospective, open-labeled, randomized non-inferiority clinical study conducted in China. Treatment naïve H. pylori infected patients were randomized into two groups: 20 mg vonoprazan (VPZ) b.i.d. in combination with low-dose (1000 mg b.i.d.) or high-dose (1000 mg t.i.d) amoxicillin for 14 days. 13C-urea breath tests were used to access the cure rate at least 4 weeks after treatment. Results: A total of 154 patients were assessed and 110 subjects were randomized. The eradication rate of VPZ with b.i.d. amoxicillin or t.i.d. amoxicillin for 14 days was 89.1% and 87.3% by intention-to-treat analysis, respectively, and 94.1% and 95.9% by per-protocol analysis, respectively. The eradication rate and incidence of adverse events were not different between the two groups. Conclusion: VPZ with b.i.d. or t.i.d. amoxicillin for 14 days provides satisfactory efficacy as a first-line treatment for H. pylori infection in China.