[Antibodies against Helicobacter pylori in saliva. Study of their validity versus breath test and its agreement with serology]. / Anticuerpos frente a Helicobacter pylori en saliva. Estudio de su validez frente a la prueba del aliento y de su concordancia con la serología.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate prospectively the validity of a new diagnostic method based on a saliva sample, taking as reference the breath test with 13C-marked urea, and to compare the results of this technique with another indirect method based on the detection of antibodies, "classical" serology using venous blood. METHODS: 48 individuals, 24 healthy volunteers and 24 consecutive patients with gastro-duodenal ulcer disease, were studied prospectively. Treatment during the previous month with gastro-erosive medication, antibiotics, proton-pump inhibitors or bismuth-derived drugs, prior treatment to eradicate H. pylori, gastric surgery and the presence of linked illnesses, were all considered criteria of exclusion from the study. For the diagnostic test in saliva a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, trademark Helisal) was used; and for blood serology, another commercial ELISA (Helico-G). The staff responsible for reading the saliva, serology and breath tests did not know the result of the other diagnostic methods. The result of the breath test with 13C-urea (TAU-kit) was taken as the reference standard for H. pylori infection. RESULTS: The mean age of the healthy volunteers was 23 +/- 0.7 years; and of ulcer patients, 55 +/- 18. The prevalence of H. pylori infection, valued by the gold standard, was 79.2% in the ulcer patients and 54% in the volunteers. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of the saliva test in the ulcer patients were, respectively: 100% (95% CI, 79-99), 60% (17-93), 90% (68-98), 100% (31-97) and 92% (71-98). In the volunteers these figures were: 46% (20-74), 73% (39-93), 67% (31-91), 53% (27-78) and 58% (37-77). The serology results were better, with 100% sensitivity in both groups and outstanding diagnostic accuracy (92% and 96% for ulcer patients and volunteers, respectively). Concordance between serology and the saliva test in ulcer patients was perfect (kappa, 1). However, in asymptomatic individuals concordance was deficient (kappa, 0.28), and the prevalence of infection diagnosed with the two tests was not homogeneous (McNemar, 2.8; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The diagnostic test for H. pylori infection in saliva is lacking in diagnostic accuracy in healthy individuals, which indicates that it cannot be used for screening infection in the asymptomatic population. The technique is more valuable in ulcer patients, although it does not reach the specificity desirable. For these reasons, the saliva test evaluated in this study cannot be recommended for diagnosis of H. pylori infection.

Anticuerpos frente a helicobacter pylori en saliva. Estudio de su validez frente a la prueba del aliento y de su concordancia con la serología / Helicobacter pylori antibodies in saliva. Study of their validity versus the breath test and their concordance with serology

Objetivo. Evaluar prospectivamente la validez de un nuevo método diagnóstico a partir de una muestra de saliva, tomando como referencia la prueba del aliento con urea marcada con 13C, así como comparar los resultados de esta técnica con otro método indirecto basado en la detección de anticuerpos, la serología 'clásica' realizada a partir de sangre venosa. Métodos. Se estudiaron prospectivamente 48 individuos, 24 voluntarios sanos y 24 pacientes consecutivos con enfermedad ulcerosa gastroduodenal. Se consideró criterio de exclusión el tratamiento durante el último mes con fármacos gastroerosivos, antibióticos, inhibidores de la bomba de protones y derivados del bismuto, la administración previa de tratamiento erradicador de H. pylori, la cirugía gástrica y la presencia de enfermedades asociadas. Para la realización del test diagnóstico en saliva se empleó un enzimoinmunoanálisis (ELISA) comercial (Helisal®). Para la serología en sangre se empleó un ELISA comercial (Helico-G®). El personal responsable de la lectura del test en saliva, de la serología y de la prueba del aliento desconocían el resultado de los demás métodos diagnósticos. Como patrón de referencia de infección por H. pylori se consideró el resultado de la prueba del aliento con 13C-urea (TAU-kit®). Resultados. La edad media de los voluntarios sanos fue de 23 ñ 0,7 años y de 55 ñ 18 en los ulcerosos. La prevalencia de infección por H. pylori, valorada por el 'patrón oro', fue del 79,2 por ciento en los ulcerosos y del 54 por ciento en los voluntarios. La sensibilidad, especificidad, valor predictivo positivo, valor predictivo negativo y exactitud diagnóstica del test en saliva en los ulcerosos fue, respectivamente: 100 por ciento (IC del 95 por ciento, 79-99), 60 por ciento (17-93), 90 por ciento (68-98), 100 por ciento (31-97) y 92 por ciento (71-98). Por su parte, dichos valores en los voluntarios fueron: 46 por ciento (20-74), 73 por ciento (39-93), 67 por ciento (31-91), 53 por ciento (27-78) y 58 por ciento (37-77).Los resultados de la serología fueron mejores, destacando una sensibilidad del 100 por ciento en ambos grupos, con una notable exactitud diagnóstica (92 por ciento y 96 por ciento, respectivamente para los ulcerosos y los voluntarios). La concordancia entre la serología y el test en saliva en los enfermos ulcerosos fue perfecta (kappa, 1), mientras que en los individuos asintomáticos fue deficiente (kappa, 0,28) y las prevalencias de infección diagnosticadas con ambas pruebas en este último grupo no fueron homogéneas (McNemar, 2,8; p < 0,05). Conclusión. El test diagnóstico de infección por H. pylori en saliva posee una deficiente exactitud diagnóstica en los individuos sanos, lo que indica que no es útil para el cribado de la infección en la población asintomática. El valor de esta técnica en los pacientes ulcerosos es mayor, aunque no alcanza los valores de especificidad deseables. Por todo ello, el test en saliva evaluado en el presente estudio no puede ser recomendado para realizar el diagnóstico de la infección por H. pylori (AU)

High-dose intravenous cyclosporine in steroid refractory attacks of inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determin whether cyclosporine is effective in inducing remission in patients with severe active inflammatory bowel disease, refractory to steroids. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-three patients with severe and steroid-refractory inflammatory bowel disease (15 ulcerative colitis and 8 Crohn's disease) were included. The Mayo Clinic Score and the CDAI were used to evaluate activity. Cyclosporine (4 mg/kg/day) was administered for a maximum of ten and a minimum of 7 days. RESULTS: Ten of the 15 ulcerative colitis patients achieved remission with a mean response lag time to onset improvement of 8 days. Seven of these patients remained stable with mesalazine 4 months after cyclosporine treatment. Two patients relapsed and underwent colectomy on the 50th and 200th day after treatment. Five patients presented no response and required urgent colectomy. Six of the 8 Crohn's disease patients achieved remission with a mean response lag time to onset improvement of 7 days. The 6 patients remained stable with mesalazine four months after cyclosporine treatment. The other 2 developed reversible renal failure and had to be released from the study. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous high dose cyclosporine is effective and can be used as a rapid onset treatment for acute steroid refractory IBD.

Recurrence of Helicobacter pylori infection after eradication: incidence and variables influencing it.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to study the incidence of Helicobacter pylori recurrence in our country and to assess the different variables that might influence it. METHODS: We studied prospectively 331 duodenal ulcer patients (mean age, 48 +/- 14 years, 71% male) in whom H. pylori had been eradicated. Several therapies were used, classified as low-efficacy (omeprazole + amoxycillin, 32% eradication rate; omeprazole + amoxycillin + metronidazole, 56%) and high-efficacy therapies (omeprazole + clarithromycin + amoxycillin or metronidazole, 88%; bismuth triple therapy, 77%). One month after completion of therapy an endoscopy with biopsies and/or 13C-urea breath test was performed. A breath test was carried out again at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, to study H. pylori recurrences. Endoscopy (with biopsies) was performed only to confirm recurrences. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used. Differences between Kaplan-Meier curves were evaluated with the log-rank test. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients were followed up for 6 months, 136 for 1 year, and 128 for 2 years, giving 425 patient-years of follow-up. A total of 18 H. pylori recurrences was observed (12 at 6 months, 4 at 1 year, and 2 after 2 years), yielding a yearly recurrence of 4.2% patient-years(-1). The respective risk of H. pylori recurrence for each period was 3.6% (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.1%-6.2%), 1.5% (0.6%-3.8%), and 1.5% (0.4%-5.5%). The probability of being H. pylori-negative at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years was, respectively, 96.4% (94.4%-98.4%), 94.9% (92.5%-97.4%), and 93.4% (90.3%-96.6%). Duodenal ulcer was found in half of the reinfected patients. The recurrence rate at 6 months was 10.3% (5.7%-18%) in patients <40 years old and only 0.85% (0.2%-3.1%) in those > or =40 years old (P = 0.0002). Of the patients who became reinfected at 6 months 27% (6%-61%) had delta breath test values between 3 per thousand and 5 per thousand 1 month after therapy, whereas only 4.6% (2.7%-7.7%) of non-reinfected patients had delta after eradication > or =3 per thousand (P = 0.0097). H. pylori recurrence at 6 months was 8.2% (4.5%-15%) in patients previously treated with low-efficacy therapies and only 1.7% (0.7%-4.3%) when high efficacy therapies were used (P = 0.0098). In the multivariate analysis age (odds ratio (OR), 0.9; 95% CI, 0.8-0.96; P = 0.0008), the delta breath test value after therapy (OR, 2.2; CI, 1.2-4.1; P = 0.0076), and therapy regimen (OR, 6.4; CI, 1.5-27; P = 0.0109) were the only variables that correlated with H. pylori recurrence at 6 months. Differences were observed when Kaplan-Meier curves were compared, depending on age (<40 or > or =40 years; P = 0.0054), breath test value (delta) 1 month after therapy (<3 or > or =3 per thousand; P = 0.0089), and therapy regimen (high or low efficacy; P = 0.0006). CONCLUSIONS: Risk of post-eradication H. pylori recurrence is higher during the first 6 months, which suggests that most recurrences during this period are recrudescences and not true reinfections. Patients who have H. pylori recurrence tend to be younger and have higher delta 13C-urea breath test values after therapy, which suggests that a 'negative' value between 3 per thousand and 5 per thousand needs to be confirmed. Recurrence of H. pylori is more frequent in patients treated with low-efficacy therapies but is exceptional when high-efficacy therapies are used, in which case post-therapy eradication can be safely confirmed at 4 weeks. Finally, recurrence of H. pylori is clinically relevant, as ulcer recurrence is observed in a considerable proportion of these patients.

[Acute pancreatitis in Caroli's syndrome]. / Pancreatitis aguda en un síndrome de Caroli.

Caroli's syndrome is included in the fibropolycystic abnormalities of the bile ducts. The disease is usually manifested by episodes of cholangitis. We report a case which presented as acute pancreatitis in the adulthood. The diagnosis was obtained by ultrasonography, CT scan, ERCP and liver biopsy. A choledochojejunostomy was performed with poor outcome and the patient is in the waiting list for liver transplantation.