[The topical therapy of ulcerative colitis. A multicenter study with beclomethasone dipropionate foam]. / Terapia topica della colite ulcerosa. Studio multicentrico con beclometasone dipropionato schiuma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The use of steroids was recently extended to the various forms of ulcerative rectocolitis by the introduction of topical formulations, above all steroids with an hepatic "first pass" devoid of systemic interference. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of Beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in a rectal foam formulation, in the treatment of patients suffering from ulcerative colitis. METHODS: The experimental protocol took the form of a 28-day open prospective trial using BDP rectal foam in patients suffering from ulcerative colitis. Endoscopic, histological, clinical and tolerability parameters were evaluated. The centres taking part in the trial collected data for 60 cases out of a total of 80 patients enrolled in the study, of both sexes and aged between 20 and 81 years old, suffering from proctosigmoiditis (46.7%) and ulcerative rectocolitis (53.3%). RESULTS: Endoscopic parameters showed an improvement after 28 days of treatment in 74.5% of patients; a clinical improvement was achieved in 65.2% of cases. In percentage terms of the mean value of all the improved parameters, histological parameters were altered in 56.9% of patients. With regard to tolerability 82% of patients judged the treatment to be good/excellent. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, in line with recent reports regarding other pharmaceutical forms of BDP, including the use of rectal foam, these data confirm the efficacy and tolerability of this molecule and emphasise the validity of its use in the treatment of ulcerative colitis and proctosigmoiditis.

Role of oesophageal manometry in clinical practice.

The present study evaluates the role of oesophageal manometry in clinical practice. Over 5 years, 347 consecutive patients were evaluated in our oesophageal laboratory. The reasons for referral were: dysphagia (11.5%), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) (46.7%), non-cardiac chest pain (28.5%), connective tissue disease (6.9%) and other symptomatology (6.3%). Patients were classified into the following five groups according to the referral diagnosis: dysphagia (40 patients), gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) (162 patients), non-cardiac chest pain (99 patients), connective tissue disease (24 patients) and other symptomatology (22 patients). Abnormalities in oesophageal motility were detected in 90% of patients with dysphagia, in 40.1% of patients with GORD, in 47.5% of subjects with non-cardiac chest pain, in 45.8% of patients with connective tissue disease and in 18.2% of subjects with other symptomatology. The high prevalence of abnormalities in the dysphagia group was statistically significant (p < 0.001), and the range of 95% confidence intervals (0.81-0.99) suggests that the value found may be a reasonably good estimate of percentage of anomalies detectable in the dysphagia patient population. In the dysphagia group, the initial diagnosis was confirmed in 40% of patients and changed in 52.5%; in only 7.5% of cases were the manometry results not relevant for determining an appropriate diagnosis. Manometry substantially contributed to patients receiving the correct treatment in 82.5% of cases (p < 0.001 among all groups). In the GORD group and in the non-cardiac chest pain group, the results of manometry were not relevant for confirming or changing a diagnosis in 59.8% and 53.5% of cases respectively; nevertheless, in both groups, on the basis of manometry results, the treatment was changed in 42.5% of patients (p < 0.01 vs. other symptomatology group). In conclusion, on the basis of the present data, we can emphasize the usefulness of oesophageal manometry assessment in patients with dysphagia or non-cardiac chest pain, with negative routine examinations, and also in patients with refractory GORD who have been considered for antireflux surgery.

The effect of endoscopic sclerotherapy of esophageal varices on the development of gastric varices.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The effect of sclerotherapy of esophageal varices on the development of gastric varices is a controversial question. The aim of the present study was to evaluate prospectively the presence and development of gastric varices as a consequence of esophageal variceal sclerotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 227 patients, all of whom had liver cirrhosis at the time of the first bleeding episode due to esophageal varices. All patients were treated with emergency endoscopic sclerotherapy, and further courses of sclerotherapy to eradicate the varices were given at seven-day intervals for three sessions, and then every fifteen days until eradication was complete. At the time of inclusion in the study, patients were divided in two groups: group A, with initial gastric varices, and group B, without any gastric varices initially. RESULTS: Group A included 138 patients (60.8%), in 99 of whom (71.7%) disappearance of the gastric varices was observed. In 63 cases (63.6%) the varices were eliminated during the sclerotherapy treatment, before the eradication of esophageal varices; in 36 cases (36.4%), the gastric varices disappeared after the eradication of the esophageal varices. Group B included 89 patients (32.9%); in 78 of them (87.6%), no appearance of gastric varices was observed, while in 11 (12.4%), gastric varices appeared. CONCLUSION: From these data, it can be concluded that sclerotherapy of esophageal varices cannot be a determinant factor either for the appearance of gastric varices or for their subsequent risk of bleeding.

Non-bleeding visible vessel treatment: perendoscopic injection therapy versus omeprazole infusion.

BACKGROUND: The non-bleeding visible vessel in a peptic ulcer is the highest risk factor for a bleeding recurrence among not actively bleeding lesions. Perendoscopic injection of sclerosing compounds is usually used as prophylaxis against rebleeding. METHODS: Forty-two patients with visible vessels in a peptic ulcer at an emergency endoscopic procedure have been studied: 21 patients underwent prophylactic perendoscopic hemostasis, and 21 patients were infused with omeprazole intravenously. RESULTS: Eight patients (19%), four in each group, had early rebleedings (within 48 h after the enrollment). There was no significant difference between the two types of treatment. At the endoscopic control after 48 h there were significantly more lesions with higher risk of rebleeding (Forrest IIa and IIb) in the group treated with perendoscopic hemostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that omeprazole infusion is a valid alternative to injection treatment of non-bleeding visible vessels.