Changes in prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Japan from 2008 to 2018: a repeated cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To understand the recent prevalence and time trends of Helicobacter pylori infection rates in the Japanese population. DESIGN: Repeated cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 22 120 workers (age: 35-65 years) from one Japanese company, who underwent serum H. pylori antibody tests in a health check-up between 2008 and 2018. MEASURES: H. pylori infection rates among participants aged 35 years from 2008 to 2018, and participants aged 35, 40, 45, and 50-65 years in 2018, based on the results of serum antibody tests, were analysed. In the 2018 analysis, in addition to the antibody test results, all participants who had undergone eradication treatment for H. pylori were considered as infected. Trends were examined using joinpoint analysis. RESULTS: H. pylori was detected in 1100 of 7586 male and 190 of 1739 female participants aged 35 years. Annual infection rates among those aged 35 years showed linear downward trends as follows: men, 17.5% in 2008 to 10.1% in 2018 (slope: -0.66); women, 12.3% in 2008 to 9.2% in 2018 (slope: -0.51) without joinpoints. In the 2018 analysis, 2432 of 9580 men and 431 of 1854 women were H. pylori positive. Infection rates tended to increase with older age (men: 11.0% (35 years) to 47.7% (65 years); women: 10.0% (35 years) to 40.0% (65 years)), and showed joinpoints in both sexes (men: 54 years; women: 45 years). Although both the first and second trends were upward, the second trend for both men and women was steeper than the first trend (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that in the previous 11 years, infection rates of H. pylori in 35-year-old male and female Japanese workers have constantly decreased, and furthermore, analysis of various age groups showed joinpoints around 50 years, suggesting a consistent declining trend in H. pylori infection rates in Japan.

Membranous tracheal stenosis in a patient with anorexia nervosa and self-induced vomiting- challenges in securing the airway.

We report a rare case of acquired membranous tracheal stenosis in a patient with anorexia nervosa and a history of self-induced vomiting, but without a history of tracheal intubation or tracheostomy. A 50-year-old woman presented with difficulty in breathing and swallowing, self-expectoration, and impaired consciousness due to acute benzodiazepine intoxication. Bronchoscopic examination was performed after tracheotomy and placement of a tracheostomy tube failed to secure her respiratory tract and ventilation continued to deteriorate. A flap-like membranous structure was identified on the posterior tracheal wall, obstructing the tracheostomy tube. Physical compression of the membranous structure improved ventilation. Bronchoscopic examination is generally recommended prior to performing tracheostomy in patients suspected to have post-intubation tracheal obstruction. Based on our findings, we suggest that these examinations should also be performed in patients with conditions associated with chronic irritation of the respiratory tract, including those with a prolonged history of self-induced vomiting.