Comparison of gastric relaxation and sensory functions between functional dyspepsia and healthy subjects using novel drinking-ultrasonography test.

BACKGROUND: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by various upper abdominal symptoms. The major mechanism of FD includes impaired fundic accommodation, delayed gastric emptying and visceral hypersensitivity. We developed a novel drinking-ultrasonography test to combine a drink test with ultrasonography to assess gastric motility and sensory function of FD patients. METHOD: Subjects were 20 healthy volunteers and 26 successive FD patients according to the Rome III criteria. The subjects ingested 200 ml of water at 2-min intervals 4 times (total 800 ml) through a straw. The maximum cross section of the proximal stomach was visualized before water intake, after each water intake, and 5 and 10 min after the completion of drinking using extracorporeal ultrasonography. Abdominal symptoms were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) a total of 5 times. RESULTS: The mean cross-sectional area of the fornix after 800 ml of water intake was significantly lower in the FD group compared with the control group. In the FD group, marked abdominal symptoms developed immediately after initiation of water intake, and VAS score differed significantly (p < 0.01) between the control and FD groups at each time point. CONCLUSION: We developed the novel drinking-ultrasonography test which revealed abnormalities in gastric accommodation and sensation in patients with FD compared with healthy controls. This approach can be readily performed and allows the simultaneous evaluation of gastric accommodation, emptying and sensation.

Evaluation of gastrointestinal injury and blood flow of small bowel during low-dose aspirin administration.

Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid has been widely used. We evaluated small bowel and gastric injuries during acetylsalicylic acid administration using video capsule endoscopy and gastroduodenal endoscopy. We also investigated blood flow using contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Six healthy volunteers were enrolled in this preliminary study. The subjects were administered 100 mg of enteric-coated aspirin daily for 14 days. Video capsule endoscopy and gastroduodenal endoscopy were simultaneously performed before administration and on days 1, 3, 7 and 14. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed before administration and on day 2, and 8. Video capsule endoscopy after administration of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid revealed small bowel mucosal damages of petechiae and erythema in all cases, and denuded area in one case. The total number of lesions in the small bowel increased according to duration of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid administration. However, the total number of lesions in the stomach peaked on day 3. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography showed that the time-intensity curve peak value and Areas under the curves after acetylsalicylic acid administration were reduced. We observed not only gastric mucosal injuries but also small intestinal injuries with short-term low-dose acetylsalicylic acid administration. Acetylsalicylic acid administration also caused a decrease in small intestinal blood flow. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is useful for evaluation blood flow in the small bowel mucosa.

Severe hypercalcemia associated with hepatocellular carcinoma secreting intact parathyroid hormone: a case report.

Here we describe a 73-year-old woman with hypercalcemia caused by a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) secreting intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). Serum tumor markers and dynamic CT findings indicated a diagnosis of HCC. The source of the elevated serum iPTH was not obvious. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was effective against the HCC, and the serum iPTH level fell to within the normal range, suggesting a correlation between the carcinoma and the iPTH. About 2 months later, the tumor had grown and the serum calcium level increased leading to physical deterioration and death. This clinical course suggested that HCC can ectopically secrete iPTH.

Evaluation of small bowel blood flow in healthy subjects receiving low-dose aspirin.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between low-dose aspirin-induced small bowel mucosal damage and blood flow, and the effect of rebamipide. METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. The subjects were divided into two groups: a placebo group given low-dose aspirin plus placebo and a rebamipide group given low-dose aspirin plus rebamipide for a period of 14 d. Capsule endoscopy and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography were performed before and after administration of drugs. Areas under the curves and peak value of time-intensity curve were calculated. RESULTS: Absolute differences in areas under the curves were -1102.5 (95% CI: -1980.3 to -224.7, P = 0.0194) in the placebo group and -152.7 (95% CI: -1604.2 to 641.6, P = 0.8172) in the rebamipide group. Peak values of time intensity curves were -148.0 (95% CI: -269.4 to -26.2, P = 0.0225) in the placebo group and 28.3 (95% CI: -269.0 to 325.6, P = 0.8343) in the rebamipide group. Capsule endoscopy showed mucosal breaks only in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Short-term administration of low-dose aspirin is associated with small bowel injuries and blood flow.

Lafutidine prevents low-dose aspirin and loxoprofen induced gastric injury: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The concomitant use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is a risk factor for low-dose aspirin (LDA)-associated upper gastrointestinal toxicity. Lafutidine is an H2-receptor antagonist with gastroprotective activity, produced by acting on capsaicin-sensitive afferent neurons. To evaluate the preventive effect of lafutidine on gastric damage caused by LDA alone and by the combination of both LDA and loxoprofen, we conducted a clinical study using healthy volunteers. METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover study was carried out. Sixteen healthy volunteers without Helicobacter pylori infection were randomly assigned to two groups. Both groups received 81 mg of aspirin once daily for 14 days (on days 1 to 14) and 60 mg of loxoprofen three times daily for the last 7 days (on days 8 to 14). Placebo or 10 mg of lafutidine was administered twice daily for 14 days in each group. After a 2-week washout period, placebo and lafutidine were crossed over. Endoscopic findings of gastric mucosal damage were evaluated according to the modified Lanza score. RESULTS: The mean modified Lanza score was 2.19 ± 1.06 (SD) for aspirin plus placebo as compared with 0.50 ± 0.77 for aspirin plus lafutidine (P < 0.001), and 3.00 ± 1.56 for aspirin plus loxoprofen and placebo as compared with 1.25 ± 1.37 for aspirin plus loxoprofen and lafutidine (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of loxoprofen to LDA increases gastric mucosal damage. Standard-dose lafutidine significantly prevents gastric mucosal damage induced by LDA alone or LDA plus loxoprofen in H. pylori-negative volunteers. Larger controlled studies are needed to strengthen these findings.

Preliminary trial of rebamipide for prevention of low-dose aspirin-induced gastric injury in healthy subjects: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study.

Although low-dose aspirin is widely used, since it is a cheap and effective means of prevention of cardiovascular events, it can cause hemorrhagic gastrointestinal complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of rebamipide in preventing low-dose aspirin-induced gastric injury. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was performed in twenty healthy volunteers. Aspirin 81 mg was administered with placebo or rebamipide 300 mg three times daily for 7 consecutive days. The rebamipide group exhibited significant prevention of erythema in the antrum compared with the placebo group (p = 0.0393, respectively). Results for the body and fornix did not differ significantly between the placebo and rebamipide groups. In conclusion, short-term administration of low-dose aspirin induced slight gastric mucosal injury in the antrum, but not in the body or fornix. Rebamipide may be useful for preventing low-dose aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury, especially which confined to the antrum.