[Cholecystectomy as a risk factor for duodenogastric reflux]. / Colecistectomía como factor de riesgo para reflujo duodenogástrico.

Bile reflux or duodenogastric reflux (DGR), refers to the retrograde flow of duodenal contents (mainly bile) into the stomach; capable of producing chemical damage to the mucosa, and triggering mutations towards the development of intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and even gastric cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of primary bile reflux in cholecystectomized patients and to identify whether cholecystectomy is a risk factor for development of DGR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional and observational study was conducted, in which all patients who underwent upper digestive endoscopy from February to June 2023 in a private endoscopic center in Lima, Peru, were included. According to the endoscopic report, patients were divided into two groups as those with DGR and those without DGR. Demographic characteristics, history of cholecystectomy, and endoscopic findings were statistically analyzed. 408 patients were included. RESULTS: The mean age of the population was 48.18 ± 16.82 years; 61.52% were female. The prevalence of DGR was 25.74% in the population, while in cholecystectomized patients it was 52.11%. The prevalence of DRG in patients with a history of cholecystectomy was 2.58 times compared to patients without cholecystectomy (p<0.001). Age ≥50 years also behaved as a risk factor for RDG (p=0.025). No significant difference in diabetes, Helicobacter pylori infection or smoking were found. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, a history of cholecystectomy as well as age were found to be risk factors for development of primary DGR.

The Effect of Primary Duodenogastric Bile Reflux on the Presence and Density of Helicobacter pylori and on Gastritis in Childhood.

Background and Objectives: Although there are many studies that investigate the relationship between duodenogastric reflux (DGR) and Helicobacter pylori in adult patients, the reported data are contradictory. In addition, there are very few studies in the literature investigating the relationship between DGR and H.pylori in the pediatric age group. In the present study, we investigated the effect of primary DGR on H.pylori and gastritis. Materials and Methods: A total of 361 patients who were referred to the clinic of our hospital with dyspeptic complaints who had an upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy and a gastric biopsy were included in the study. Results: DGR was detected in 45 cases, and 316 cases that did not have DGR were considered as the control group. Comparisons were made between the DGR cases and the control group in terms of risk factors (age, gender), the presence and density of H.pylori, and the presence and severity of gastritis. The average age of the patients who were included in the study was 11.6 ± 4.6 years. A total of 128 (36%) of the cases were male and 233 (64%) were female. DGR was present in 45 (13%) of the cases. The average age of the patients with DGR was 13.9 ± 3.1 years, the average age of the control group was 11.3 ± 4.7, and there were statistically significant differences (p < 0.001). No significant differences were detected in terms of gender between DGR and the control group (p > 0.05). H.pylori (+) was detected in 29 (64%) of patients with DGR, and in 202 (64%) of the control group. No significant differences were detected between H.pylori prevalence (p = 0.947). Gastritis was detected in 37 (82%) of the patients with DGR, and in 245 (77%) of the control group (p = 0.476). No significant differences were detected between the presence and density of H.pylori, gastritis presence, severity and DGR (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The ages of patients with DGR were significantly higher than in the control group, and advanced age was shown to be a risk factor for primary DGR. It was found that the presence of DGR has no effect on the presence and severity of H.pylori. Given this situation, we consider it is important to eradicate H.pylori infection, especially in the case where H.pylori is present together with DGR.

Morpho-functional gastric pre-and post-operative changes in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstone related disease.

BACKGROUND: Cholecystectomy, gold standard treatment for gallbladder lithiasis, is closely associated with increased bile reflux into the stomach as amply demonstrated by experimental studies. The high prevalence of gallstones in the population and the consequent widespread use of surgical removal of the gallbladder require an assessment of the relationship between cholecystectomy and gastric mucosal disorders.Morphological evaluations performed on serial pre and post - surgical biopsies have provided new acquisitions about gastric damage induced by bile in the organ. METHODS: 62 elderly patients with gallstone related disease were recruited in a 30 months period. All patients were subjected to the most appropriate treatment (Laparoscopic cholecystectomy). The subjects had a pre-surgical evaluation with:• dyspeptic symptoms questionnaire,• gastric endoscopy with body, antrum, and fundus random biopsies,• histo-pathological analysis of samples and elaboration of bile reflux index (BRI).The same evaluation was repeated at a 6 months follow-up. RESULTS: In our series the duodeno-gastric reflux and the consensual biliary gastritis, assessed histologically with the BRI, was found in 58% of the patients after 6 months from cholecystectomy. The demonstrated bile reflux had no effect on H. pylori's gastric colonization nor on the induction of gastric precancerous lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Cholecystectomy, gold standard treatment for gallstone-related diseases, is practiced in a high percentage of patients with this condition. Such procedure, considered by many harmless, was, in our study, associated with a significant risk of developing biliary gastritis after 6 months during the postoperative period.

The role of total bile acid in oral secretions in ventilator-associated pneumonia.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of inflammatory biomarkers and total bile acid (TBA) in oral secretions in the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). MATERIALS: This prospective study was conducted in an intensive care unit. Oral secretions were collected from mechanically ventilated patients who met the selection criteria for VAP prevention protocol. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor α, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, C-reactive protein, surfactant protein D, and TBA in oral secretions were measured and compared between the patients with and those without VAP. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients with and 39 patients without VAP were studied. The levels of inflammatory biomarkers in oral secretions showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. However, the patients with VAP had significantly higher values of TBA in oral secretions than did those without VAP (median and 25th-75th interquartile range, 9.59 and 1.37-24.66 µmol/L vs 2.74 and 0.00-8.22 µmol/L; P < .003). No significant correlations were found between TBA and inflammatory biomarkers in oral secretions. CONCLUSIONS: Duodenogastroesophageal reflux as evidenced by the presence of TBA in oral secretions is common in mechanically ventilated patients and may play a role in the development of VAP.

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and upper gastrointestinal disease.

BACKGROUND: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most widely used antidepressants in the world. Recent studies, however, have raised the concern that SSRIs increase the risk of gastrointestinal dysfunction. Therefore, we conducted a case-control study on gastrointestinal symptoms and endoscopic findings in patients who were taking SSRIs in Japan. METHODS: Forty-one patients who were taking SSRIs (SSRI-treated group) and 82 age- and sex-matched patients who were not taking antidepressants (control group) were selected from the population of patients who underwent endoscopic examination from January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2010 in our institution, and their subjective symptoms and endoscopic findings were analyzed. Patients who were taking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and/or histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists (H2RAs) were excluded from this study. RESULTS: The chief complaints at the endoscopic examination were classified into the following 4 categories: reflux symptoms, dysmotility symptoms, ulcer-like symptoms, and no upper abdominal symptoms. No significant difference was found in the complaint rate of each category between the SSRI-treated and the control groups. No significant differences were found between the groups in endoscopic findings, the LANZA score and the rate of chief complaints in patient classes stratified by the endoscopic finding. CONCLUSION: It was not evident that SSRIs induced mucosal damage of the upper gastrointestinal tract. And, it is considered that SSRIs do not increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in patients treated with SSRIs for 1 month or longer. The present study suggests that SSRI medication does not have a bad influence on gastrointestinal symptoms and gastrointestinal organic diseases.

Effect of low-proof alcoholic beverages on duodenogastro-esophageal reflux in health and GERD.

BACKGROUND: Alcoholic beverages are known to increase acidic gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) and the risk of esophagitis. Moreover, duodenogastro-esophageal reflux (DGER), containing bile acids, was shown to harmfully alter the esophageal mucosa, alone and synergistically with HCl and pepsin. However, studies directly addressing potential effects of different low proof alcoholic beverages on DGER in health and disease are missing. METHODS: Bilitec readings for beer and white, rose, and red wine were obtained in vitro from pure and from mixtures with bile. One-hour DGER monitoring and pH-metry were performed in 12 healthy subjects and nine reflux patients with DGER after ingestion of a standardized liquid meal together with 300 mL of water, white wine, and in the volunteers, beer and rose wine. KEY RESULTS: Bilitec measurement was found to be feasible in the presence of beer, white wine, and using a threshold of 0.25, rose wine. However, the presence of red wine resulted in extinction values above this threshold. The consumption of all investigated alcoholic beverages, especially of white wine, triggered increased acidic GER, both in healthy participants and patients with reflux disease. In contrast, no relevant DGER was found after intake of alcoholic beverages. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Fiber-optic bilirubin monitoring can be used for DGER monitoring in combination with alcoholic beverages, except with red wine. Low-proof alcoholic beverages are a strong trigger of GER, but not of DGER, both in healthy subjects and patients with reflux disease.

Duodenogastric reflux induced by endoscopic submucosal dissection.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) may cause excessive duodenogastric reflux (DGR) in a similar manner to distal gastrectomy, particularly after antral resections. We aimed to examine the occurrence of DGR after ESD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with gastric neoplasm for whom ESD was indicated were categorized according to lesion site: the antral group (lower [L] stomach, n = 46) and the nonantral group (upper or middle [U or M] stomach, n = 49). Endoscopy was performed before ESD, the day after ESD, and 3 months after ESD, and the fasting bile acid concentration (BAC) in the gastric juice was analyzed. RESULTS: BAC values showed significant interaction between time point and group, although this association differed in the antral and nonantral groups. BACs on the day after ESD were higher in the antral group than in the nonantral group, but not the pre-ESD and 3 months post-ESD levels. In the antral group only, fasting BACs increased significantly the day after ESD and decreased to baseline levels 3 months post-ESD. There was also a correlation between BAC and lesion location in the antral subgroups, with significantly higher BACs found the day after ESD in patients with lesser curvature lesions. CONCLUSIONS: ESD of lesions in the antral lesser curvature may lead to a transient early increase in DGR. However, ESD does not result in long-term DGR, a factor that is known to increase the risk of carcinogenesis following gastrectomy.

Increased Duodeno-Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (DGER) in symptomatic GERD patients with a history of cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Duodenal-Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (DGER) represents an independent risk factor for the development of complicated Gastro-esophageal-reflux-disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus. Clinical and epidemiological data suggest a potential association between cholecystectomy (CCE) and augmented bile reflux. METHODS: 132 patients (67 women, 65 men, median age 55) with typical symptoms of GERD were enrolled in the study and divided in cholecystectomized (CCE-group: n = 107) and non- cholecystectomized (nCCE-group: n = 25) patients. Standardized clinical work-up of patients included combined esophageal 24 h pH-measurement and Bilitec 2000 esophageal manometry and upper endoscopy. RESULTS: In the statistical analysis no differences between the cholecystectomized group (CCE-group, n = 25) and the patients without cholecystectomy (nCCE-group, n = 107) could be observed in quantity or quality of reflux symptoms. Furthermore, neither acid reflux nor severity of inflammation and frequency of Barrett's esophagus significantly differed between the nCCE and CCE-group. However, the percentage of patients with pathological DGER were significantly higher in the CCE-group as compared to the nCCE-group (76 vs. 55 %, p < 0.01). Moreover, the CCE-group revealed significant higher levels of pathological DGER compared to the nCCE-group (15.5 % +/- 14.1 vs. 8.6 % +/- 15.4; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: To conclude, our data provide first evidence of elevated DGER after CCE in patients with typical clinical symptoms of GERD using the Bilitec device. Both the frequency and the extent of DGER was significantly increased in the CCE-group. Prospective studies are urgently needed to elucidate the impact of CCE on DGER in patients with clinical symptoms of a reflux disease.

[Duodenogastric reflux in patients with recurrent postoperative complicated duodenal ulcers].

Duodenogastric reflux (DGR) was revealed in 52.6% patients, suffering recurrent postoperative complicated duodenal ulcers (RPOCDU). Pylorodestructive operations performance, pyloric involvement into ulcerative infiltrate and absence of chronic duodenal impassability (CHDI) correction during the first operation done had constituted the DGR occurrence causes. While establishing the indications for elective operation performance as well as choosing the surgical method of the RPOCDU treatment it is necessary to take into account the presence and severity degree of DGR. Surgical treatment of DGR must obligatory include not only the pyloric preservation and strenghtening, but the CHDI correction as well. Selective periarterial sympathectomy of duodenum constitutes an effective method, improving her tone without pyloric innervations disturbing.

[The clinical manifestation of duodeno-gastroesophageal reflux (DGER) in the children and adolescents]. / Objawy kliniczne u dzieci i mlodziezy z refluksem zólciowym.

UNLABELLED: The development of the new techniques and methods enabled to investigate the role of duodenal reflux in the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) therefore there is a need to establish the most common symptoms occurring in patients with duodenal reflux. THE AIM OF THE STUDY: To determinate the type of manifestation and the prevalence of duodeno-gastroesophageal reflux in children and adolescents confirmed in Bilitec 2000 method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 59 patients (37 girls, 22 boys) aged 7-17 years (mean 14.7) with the symptoms of GER there were divided into 2 groups: subgroups: A--18 children with confirmed duodeno-gastroesophageal reflux in Bilitec 2000TM method and B--control consisted of 15 children with short stature referred to endoscopy due to celiac disease exclusion. In accordance to the endoscopic finding there were selected 3 subgroups: 20 patients with duodenal reflux, 19 patients with esophagitis and 20 children presenting those both disorders simultaneously. In all patients from group B the endoscopy, Bilitec 2000 and esophagitis pH metric findings haven't showed any abnormality. RESULTS: The most common complain--in 16 (88.89%) patients was recurrent and/or chronic abdominal pain, next- heartburn in 12 (66.67%), vomits and/or regurgitations in 10 (55.56%) children. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestation of duodenal reflux was very much alike as in acid gastroeophageal reflux in the examined group. Therefore the functional gastrointestinal tract examinations have to be included in the diagnostic procedure.

[Prevalence of a pathological DGER (duodeno-gastric-oesophageal reflux) in patients with clinical symptoms of reflux disease]. / Prävalenz eines pathologischen Duodeno-Gastro-Osophagealen Refluxes (DGER) bei Patienten mit klinischen Beschwerden einer Refluxerkrankung.

BACKGROUND: According to recent studies DGER (duodeno-gastric-oesophageal reflux) is considered as an independent risk factor for the development of reflux esophagitis and the Barrett metaplasia. The Bilitec 2000 allows a qualitative and quantitative measurement of DGER in patients with symptoms of reflux disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of DGER in patients with reflux symptoms. METHODS: 146 patients with symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, oesophageal manometry and simultaneous 24 h oesophageal pH and bilirubin monitoring. The presence of pathological DGER and its relations to the symptom pattern, distal oesophageal acid exposure and endoscopic findings were analysed. RESULTS: In 74 out of 146 patients (51 %, 39 men, 34 women) a DGER could be detected. Twenty-eight (32 %) of these patients suffered from an isolated DGER, while 46 (32 %) had a combined acid and DGER reflux. An isolated acid reflux was found in additional 28 (19 %) patients. The degrees of both acid and DGER were significantly higher in those patients with oesophageal lesions. CONCLUSIONS: 1. There is a high prevalence of DGER in patients with the clinical symptoms of a reflux disease. 2. The combined measurement of acid reflux and DGER helps to better define the cause of reflux symptoms. 3. In analogy to the acid reflux DGER increases with the gravity of oesophageal lesions.

Bile reflux index after therapeutic biliary procedures.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic biliary procedures disrupt the function of the sphincter of Oddi. Patients are potential "bile refluxers". The aim of this study was to assess how these procedures affect the histology-based bile reflux index (BRI), which can be used to reflect duodenogastric reflux (DGR). METHODS: Gastric antrum and corpus biopsies were collected from 131 subjects (56 men, 75 women; mean age, 55.9 +/- 15.6 years). Group 1 (Biliary group-BG; n = 66) had undergone endoscopic sphincterotomy, endoscopic stenting, or choledochoduodenostomy for benign pathology; Group 2 (n = 20) had undergone cholecystectomy alone; and Group 3 (n = 6) Billroth II gastroenterostomy. Group 4 (no cholecystectomy; n = 39) had upper endoscopy with normal findings and served as controls. BRI > 14 indicated DGR (BRI [+]). To eliminate confounding effects of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, comparisons were made according to Hp colonization. RESULTS: Fifty-nine subjects (45%) were Hp (+). The frequencies of BRI (+) status in antrum and corpus specimens from Hp (-) BG patients were 74.3% and 71.4%, respectively (85.7% for both antrum and corpus for choledochoduodenostomy). Corresponding results were 60% and 60% for Group 2, 100% (only corpus) for Group 3, and 57.1% and 38.1% for controls (BG, Group 2, and Group 3 vs controls - p > 0.05 antrum, p < 0.05 corpus). Fifty-four BG patients had previously undergone cholecystectomy. Excluding those, the rates of BRI (+) in Hp (-) BG patients were 75% antrum and 62.5% corpus (p > 0.05 for both vs. Group 2). CONCLUSION: Patients who had undergone biliary procedures showed similar bile-related histological changes in both corpus and antrum biopsies, but the changes seen in controls were more prominent in the antrum than corpus. Therapeutic biliary procedures increase the rate of BRI (+) especially in the case of choledochoduodenostomy. Therapeutic biliary procedures without cholecystectomy also increase the rate of BRI (+) similar to that observed in patients with cholecystectomy.

Stratification and symptom characteristics of non-erosive reflux disease based on acid and duodenogastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The subgroups and symptom characteristics of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) based on acid and duodenogastroesophageal reflux may be different in Chinese patients to Western patients. This study aimed to explore the stratification and symptom characteristics of patients with NERD. METHODS: Patients with typical heartburn and/or acid regurgitation symptoms were enrolled. Each patient filled out a questionnaire. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed for each patient followed by simultaneous ambulatory 24-h esophageal pH and Bilitec (bilirubin) monitoring. A symptom index (SI) of > or =50% was considered to be positive. RESULTS: Eighty-two consecutive NERD patients were evaluated. Abnormal (NERD pH+) and normal (NERD pH-) 24-h pH tests were found in 24 (29.3%) and 58 (70.7%) patients, respectively. Among 42 NERD pH- patients who reported heartburn symptoms during monitoring, SI was positive in 19 (45.2%) patients (NE-SI+) and negative in 23 (54.8%) patients (NE-SI-). Pathological duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER) was found in 43 (52.4%) patients. No significant differences were noted regarding the prevalence of other upper gastrointestinal symptoms, except for acid regurgitation in NERD pH+ and NERD pH- groups. Additionally, no significant differences were seen in the prevalence of other symptoms, except for chest pain, in groups with pathological and normal DGER. CONCLUSION: The proportion of NERD patients with pathological acid reflux was somewhat lower than that reported in Western countries. The role of DGER in NERD may be important. It is difficult to differentiate whether NERD patients have pathological acid or bile reflux according to symptoms.

[Functional condition of the hepatobiliary system in patients with biliary dyskinesia].

AIM: To study function of the liver, sphincter system and the gall bladder (GB) in patients with biliary dyskinesia (BD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients with BD have undergone clinical, fibrogastroduodenoscopic examinations, fractional duodenal intubation with examination of the bile, ultrasonography, dynamic scintigraphy of the hepatobiliary system. RESULTS: The examination of the patients has detected GB hypotonia (65%), GB hypertension (35%), Oddi's sphincter hypertention (28%), Oddi's sphincter hypotonia (44%), Lutkens' sphincter hypertonicity (19%), Lutkens' sphincter hypotonia (13%), impairment of intrahepatic biliary tracts (65%), lithogenic bile (100%), duodenogastric reflux (41%). CONCLUSION: Consecutive use of duodenal tubing, ultrasonography and hepatobiliscintigraphy provide assessment of defects in the function of the liver, biliary tract and sphincter system in patients with BD.

Reflujo gastroesofágico y y enfermedad por reflujo gastroesofágico: límite entre la fisiología y la enfermedad / Gastroesophageal reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease: teh limit between physiology and pathology

El reflujo gastroesofágico(RGE) es un proceso fisiológico que se manifiesta clínicamente en mayor o menor grado. La enfermedad por reflujo gastroesofágico(ERGE), entendido como el conjunto de signos y síntomas derivados del RGE, es poco frecuente. Se revisan los mecanismos fisiopatológicos implicados en estos procesos, los procedimientos diagnósticos y el tratamiento

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER)is a physiologic process that has a variable expression. We understand gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD), as the clinical picture that appears secondary to GER. We have reviewed physiopathologic mechanisms involved, as well as the diagnosis procedures and treatment

Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy or hepaticoduodenostomy for biliary reconstruction during the surgical treatment of choledochal cyst: which is better?

We reviewed our experience of Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (RYHJ) and hepaticoduodenostomy (HD) performed for the surgical repair of choledochal cyst (CC), with special emphasis on postoperative complications related to the type of biliary reconstruction performed. Eighty-six patients underwent primary cyst excision for CC from 1986 to 2002 at our institution. Forty-six cases with concurrent intrahepatic bile duct dilatation (IHBD) were excluded because HD was not used for biliary reconstruction if IHBD was present. Thus, 28 cases had RYHJ, and 12 had HD. Differences between the RYHJ and HD groups with respect to type of CC, age at cyst excision, and length of follow-up were not statistically significant. However, the incidences of postoperative complications related to biliary reconstruction, such as endoscopy-proven bilious gastritis due to duodenogastric bile reflux [4/12 (33.3%) of the HD group], and adhesive bowel obstruction/cholangitis [2/28 (7.1%) of the RYHJ group] were significantly different (p<.05). Our experience suggests that HD is not ideal for biliary reconstruction in CC because of a high incidence (33.3%) of complications due to duodenogastric bile reflux. Currently, RYHJ is our exclusive technique of choice for biliary reconstruction during the surgical repair of CC.

[The influence of Helicobacter pylori eradication on oesophageal pH-metry and bilimetry results in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia]. / Wplyw eradykacji Helicobacter pylori na wyniki pH-metrii i bilimetrii przelyku u osób z czynnosciowa dyspepsja wrzodopodobna.

Substernal, fasting and night pains with no endoscopic findings in the upper gastrointestinal tract are the leading symptoms of nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD). Our study aimed at determining whether there is duodenogastroesophageal reflux in patients with NUD and to evaluate what role Helicobacter pylori plays in NUD pathophysiology. The study comprised 40 patients, in whom endoscopy, breath test (UBT-13C), 24-hour pH-metry (Digitrapper III) and bilimetry (Bilitec 2000) of the esophagus were performed before and after 7-day antibacterial treatment (pantoprazole 2 x 40 mg, amoxicillin 2 x 1000 mg, clarithromycin 2 x 500 mg). Eradication was achieved in 29 patients, in whom total index of acid reflux (t% pH < 4.0) decreased from 23.1+/-10.4% to 13.1+/-6.2% (p<0.05) and alkaline reflux index (t% abs > 0.14) from 12.9+/-6.3 to 8.1+/-5.7% (p>0.05). Positive correlations between urea breath test results and the indexes of acid (r=0.692) and alkaline refluxes (r=0.246) were observed. In patients with nonulcer dyspepsia infected with Helicobacter pylori complex functional disorders are present. They are expressed as duodenogastroesophageal reflux. The refluxes intensity depends on the extent of Helicobacter pylori infection, which should be remembered when planning antibacterial treatment.

Reconstructive procedure after distal gastrectomy to prevent remnant gastritis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastroduodenostomy (Billroth I) or gastrojejunostomy (Billroth II) after distal gastrectomy is associated with duodenogastric reflux and remnant gastritis. This study sought to determine which reconstructive procedure is least likely to cause remnant gastritis and to determine the correlation between duodenogastric reflux and remnant gastritis. METHODOLOGY: Sixty patients who underwent curative distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer were classified into three groups by reconstructive procedure: group A, Roux-Y (n=18); group B, Billroth I (n=25); group C, Billroth II (n=17). Intragastric bile reflux was monitored using the Bilitec 2000 14 days after surgery, and endoscopy was performed and a patient questionnaire was completed 12 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Bile reflux occurred in 23.9%, 40.4%, and 73.4% of the time (p<0.001), and remnant gastritis developed in 33%, 76%, and 100% of patients (p<0.001), in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Helicobacter pylori infection did not correlate with remnant gastritis (p=0.57). Symptoms following Roux-Y reconstruction were comparable to those following Billroth I and II reconstructions. CONCLUSIONS: Roux-Y reconstruction following distal gastrectomy is superior to Billroth I and II reconstruction in preventing remnant gastritis because it reduces duodenogastric reflux.

Duodenogastric bile reflux is common in cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a high incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease, but few cases of mucosal injury are reported. Duodenogastric reflux has not been studied in CF but has been suggested to have a pathogenic role in producing alkaline injury to the esophageal mucosa. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of duodenogastric reflux in patients with CF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten patients with CF and 7 healthy volunteers participated in the study. Gastroduodenal manometry and intragastric perfusion were performed in all subjects. Gastric perfusate was analyzed for bilirubin and bile acids. Only patients and controls exhibiting normal migrating motor complexes were evaluated. RESULTS: Eight patients with CF had normal motility recordings and had significantly higher gastric bilirubin levels compared with healthy subjects (P = 0.003). The bilirubin concentration was associated with bile acid regurgitation in five patients with CF. All bile acids were conjugated with a high glycine/taurine ratio and low levels of secondary bile acids. Small amounts of keto bile acids were found in two patients. CONCLUSION: The patients with CF had an increased incidence of duodenogastric reflux compared with healthy subjects. The bile acid composition was typical for CF with low levels of secondary bile acids. Although high bile acid concentration was found in the duodenogastric reflux in most patients with CF, the less toxic profile of the bile acids might possibly contribute to the low frequency of Barrett's esophagus in CF.