[Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Germany - results of a nationwide cross-sectional study]. / Epidemiologie und Klinik von Patienten mit chronischer Hepatitis B (CHB) in Deutschland - Ergebnisse einer bundesweiten Querschnittstudie.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Knowledge about the epidemiology, demography and social status of patients with replicative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Germany is still scarce. This cross-sectional study evaluated in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection, with a serum HBV-DNA concentration of at least 10,000 copies/mL (> 2000 IU/mL) at documentation visit, the epidemiology, socio-demographics, time of diagnosis, history of disease, prior therapies as well the therapeutic decision. METHODS: 74 German centres with predominately hepatologic focus, recorded in an online-survey the pseudonymised data of patients with chronic HBV-infection with a serum HBV-DNA-concentration of at least 10,000 copies/mL (n = 35). RESULTS: 65 % of the patients were male. The mean age was 40 ± 14 years. 63 % were immigrants (i. e., country of birth not being Germany). 37 % were HBeAg-positive. Mean ALT value 114 ± 183 IU/mL in males and 77 ± 176 IU/mL in females. ALT was above the upper limit of normal (ULN) in 59 % and 9 % of the patients were cirrhotic. The large immigrant groups, Turks (22 %), people from the former USSR (11 %) or from Southeast Asia (10 %) differed in terms of age, sex, HBeAg-status and clinical parameters clearly from each other as well as from German patients. 55 % of the patients from SE-Asia were female and overall considerably younger than German patients. 69 % of the patients with HBV-DNA > 10,000 copies/mL combined with ALT-levels above ULN, and 87 % with advanced fibrosis recieved antiviral treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This database currently contains the largest collection of epidemiological data of CHB patients in Germany. It therefore allows a representative overview on the disease in Germany. In Germany CHB epidemiology is triggered by migration from countries with higher CHB prevalence. However, the high proportion of patients coming from states of the former USSR is likely to be a historical peculiarity of Germany. The sometimes weak German language skills as well as the cultural specifics in the different immigrant groups are still a challenge for health-care providers. The high proportion of viraemic patients, already being treated, could indicate a suboptimal efficacy of the available therapeutic options at the time documentation.

Expert opinion on the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.

The current preferred treatment for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is combination therapy consisting of pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin (RBV) for 24-48 weeks. Although this approach appears to be highly effective for patients with HCV genotypes 2 or 3, who have a sustained virological response (SVR) of approximately 80%, the treatment algorithm is less effective for patients with HCV genotype 1, as these patients have SVR rates of just 40-50%. In order to improve treatment outcomes, this article explores potential approaches for the optimization of treatment for patients with HCV genotype 1: considering shorter treatment periods for patients with a rapid virological response (RVR), increasing treatment periods for slow responders, and increasing RBV dose are all suggestions. Results from clinical trials suggest that approximately 20% of the HCV genotype 1-infected population are slow responders, and around 15% of all HCV genotype-1 infected patients could benefit from a shorter treatment duration without compromising the SVR rate. Interest has also focused on whether treatment duration could be individualized in some patients with genotype 2 and 3 infection. Here all the findings from recent studies are translated into practical advice, to help practitioners make evidence-based treatment decisions in everyday clinical practice. Although there are areas where currently available data do not provide conclusive evidence to suggest amending treatment approaches, there is clearly potential for individualized treatment in all aspects of hepatitis treatment in the future.

[Epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C in Germany--an analysis of 10,326 patients in hepatitis centres and outpatient units]. / Epidemiologie der chronischen Hepatitis C in Deutschland--Eine Analyse von 10,326 Hepatitis-C-Virus-Infizierten aus Schwerpunktpraxen und -ambulanzen.

Little is known about the epidemiology of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Germany and especially about the importance of transmission, duration of infection, genotypes, symptoms and quality of life of the patients. The current study prospectively evaluates epidemiological and clinical data of patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Using online data entry, various characteristics of 10,326 untreated patients with CHC were documented from March 2003 until May 2006 in 352 centres all over Germany. Mean age of patients was 43.4 years. Patients infected by i.v. drug abuse were considerably younger (36.5 years) than the remaining patients (49.2 years). As indicated by their native language, 64.4% of the patients came from Germany and 19.2% from Russia. 61.7% were infected with genotype 1 and 34.9% with genotype 2 or 3. 45.5% of the patients had been infected by i.v. drug abuse. In at least 5.4% of the patients liver cirrhosis had been proved by biopsy. 63.5% of the patients felt an impairment of quality of life caused by CHC. In many patients infected with hepatitis C socio-economic issues are existent. This is reflected, i.e., in very high rates of unemployment in special subpopulations. Coinfections with hepatitis B and HIV occurred in 1.5% and 4.7%, respectively. Nearly 80% of patients were managed near their homes. The data of the 10 326 patients represent about 2% of all German patients with CHC. This database is up to now the largest of its kind and gives a representative insight into the epidemiological situation of CHC in Germany.

Renal tubular dysfunction in patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with aminosalicylate.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of case reports indicate potential nephrotoxicity of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), which shares similarities with the chemical structures of both phenacetin and acetylsalicylic acid. AIM: In a point prevalence study the occurrence of sensitive indices indicative of early kidney malfunction was assessed in outpatients with inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Routine indices of kidney function (creatinine clearance, urinary protein content, pH, electrolytes, and microscopy) were investigated in 223 patients with inflammatory bowel disease as well as sensitive markers of glomerular or tubular dysfunction (microproteinuria by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), urinary concentrations of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, alpha 1-microglobulin, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (AP), and albumin). Histories of exposure to 5-ASA were assessed by questionnaire. RESULTS: Patients receiving high amounts of 5-ASA, both actual as well as on a lifetime basis, showed an increased prevalence of tubular proteinuria by SDS-PAGE. Raised values for urinary AP and GGT indicate proximal tubular epithelial cells as the source. All other kidney function tests were normal. Analysis of covariates indicated strong associations between disease activity and size of 5-ASA doses as well as alterations in kidney tubular function. CONCLUSION: The possibility exists that high doses of 5-ASA may be associated with proximal tubular proteinuria. This point prevalence study cannot dissect the possible impact of chronic inflammation from high dose 5-ASA treatment and further prospective studies are warranted.

Ornithine decarboxylase levels in patients with normal colonic mucosa.

We describe a systematic examination of ornithine decarboxylase activity in 120 colonic mucosal samples which were obtained from 20 subjects without colonic disease to establish the normal mean and standard deviation from proximal to distal colon. Ornithine decarboxylase activity was determined by releasing CO2 from DL-[1-14C]ornithine. The mean ornithine decarboxylase levels (CO2 liberated) ranged from 0.26 +/- 0.08 nmol/h.mg protein in the caecum to 0.44 +/- 0.16 nmol/h.mg protein in the rectum. There was no difference between sex and age. Ornithine decarboxylase was not stimulated by guanosine 5'-triphosphate. alpha-Difluoromethylornithine showed an ornithine decarboxylase inhibition of 97.1%. Ornithine decarboxylase activity can be measured with reliable precision and reproducibility. The knowledge of the normal range of ornithine decarboxylase activity in normal human colonic mucosa is necessary for the determination of ornithine decarboxylase activity in pathological findings, especially in malignant transformation.

[Endosonographic findings in the upper gastrointestinal tract in staging of malignant nodal and extranodal lymphomas]. / Endosonographische Befunde des oberen Gastrointestinaltraktes beim Staging maligner nodaler und extranodaler Lymphome.

Endoscopic ultrasound has not yet become a routine procedure for the diagnosis and therapy planning of malignant lymphomas, and it was always restricted to patients with gastric or bowel involvement. From 1990 to 1992, 33 endoscopic ultrasound investigations have been performed in 25 patients with malignant lymphomas at the Cologne University Hospital. In addition, 21 of these patients had other (conventional) diagnostic procedures at the same time serving as reference. Endoscopic ultrasound showed lymphomas in 16/21 patients, and no evidence of lymphomas in 5/21 patients. The referencial investigations together showed lymphomas in 17/21 patients, and no evidence of lymphomas in 4/21 patients. Therefore, sensitivity was 94%. 5 of the patients in addition had involvement of the upper gastrointestinal tract's wall, proven by referencial investigations, which was diagnosed correctly in all cases. The pathological lymph nodes appeared mostly as echopoor, rather sharply demarcated and homogeneous. Their size was 7 mm to 55 mm in diameter, median 11 mm. The different histological types of lymphomas could not be distinguished by means of these criteria. Endoscopic ultrasound allows a detailed view at the mediastinal and epigastrical lymph node stations and may give important informations for the staging of malignant lymphomas.

Cisapride increases gallbladder volume in gallstone patients before and after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

We have previously shown that oral cisapride causes a dose-related increase of fasting gallbladder volume in healthy subjects. The present study investigates the effect of cisapride on gallbladder motility in 16 patients with gallbladder stones; 8 patients had no biliary symptoms, but the other 8 patients with symptomatic gallstone disease were studied before and 6 weeks after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). For each study the patients received a single oral dose of 20 mg cisapride; fasting gallbladder volume was measured by ultrasound before, and for 120 minutes after, drug administration. In the 8 asymptomatic patients a mean maximal increase of the fasting volume to 152.7 +/- 7.6% of the initial value was observed at a mean 97.5 +/- 8.3 minutes after cisapride ingestion. Similarly, in the 8 patients with biliary pain mean fasting volume after cisapride ingestion increased to 141.3 +/- 5.7% before ESWL treatment and to 145.0 +/- 5.8% after ESWL and 6 weeks of oral litholytic therapy. There were no significant differences between the results in the symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Our results indicate that cisapride increases the gallbladder volume in gallstone patients regardless of biliary symptoms. Similar volume changes were observed before therapy and after ESWL with bile acid therapy. The therapeutic efficacy of litholytic agents could be diminished by simultaneous cisapride administration.

Induced gall-bladder contraction accelerates fragment clearance after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy.

At the end of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) gallstone fragments are dispersed throughout the gall-bladder. In this state they should be expelled more easily than when later sedimented to the gall-bladder fundus. Thus, a randomized study was performed to evaluate the clinical benefit of induced gall-bladder contraction after ESWL. One hundred and five patients with radiolucent gallstones (1-3 stones, diameter < or = 30 mm) were randomized to received either saline or an infusion of 0.2 micrograms/kg ceruletide. Stone clearance rates and incidence of biliary symptoms were recorded. Clearance rates at 6 weeks and 3 months after ESWL were significantly (P < 0.025) improved by the ceruletide infusion. This effect, resulting in shortened bile acid therapy, was limited to patients with small solitary stones and dependent on a good initial fragmentation. Major side effects attributable to ceruletide were not observed. These results suggest that induced gall-bladder contraction can be successfully applied as an adjuvant treatment in a subgroup of patients with small solitary gallstones.

Comparison between endoscopic laser and different surgical treatments for palliation of advanced rectal cancer.

The results of different treatment modalities in 196 patients with rectal carcinoma were analyzed. Patients were treated by palliative endoscopic laser therapy (n = 37), palliative surgery (n = 42), and curative surgery (n = 117). Laser therapy was successful for recanalization of the stenosis with 1.3 (range, one to five) sessions. Bleeding stopped always after a single session. If necessary, treatment was repeated monthly. Good results were seen in 35/37 patients (95 percent). They received an average of four sessions during their remaining lifetime, the median of which was eight months. No morbidity and no therapy-related mortality occurred. Palliative surgery (expanded and restricted resections) showed good results in 41/42 patients (98 percent). Morbidity was 3/42 (7 percent); mortality was 1/42 (2 percent). The median survival was 14 months for local surgical treatment and 6.3 months for deep anterior rectal resection and for abdominoperineal (Dixon's) resection. No significant difference (P = 0.15) in survival times between the palliatively treated patient groups could be detected. Survival prognosis was determined by tumor stage and outcome. In the curative (outcome R0) resection patients, morbidity and mortality were each 9/117 (8 percent). The three-year survival rate was 80 percent. If curative resection is impossible, laser therapy should be considered as an alternative to palliative surgery because of less hospitalization and seemingly less side effects. The decision on the kind of palliation in patients with rectal carcinoma should be made with regard to the patient's quality of life.

Successful extracorporeal lithotripsy of gallbladder stones in a 12 year-old girl.

An otherwise healthy 12-year-old girl presented with radiolucent gallstones and colicky pain. After extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and oral bile acid treatment she is free of stones and biliary symptoms since 18 months. The treatment options for gallstone disease in this age group are discussed.