Smaller CO2 injection volume and lower gastric pressure induce bothersome symptoms in drug-resistant functional dyspepsia patients with less frequent belching.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between bothersome symptoms and gastric pressure or CO2 injection volumes in drug-resistant functional dyspepsia (FD) patients remains unknown; therefore, this relationship was examined in drug-resistant FD and non-FD patients. METHODS: Thirty drug-resistant FD patients and 30 non-FD patients were recruited. Gastric pressure was assessed using an external pressure transducer, and the CO2 injection volume was measured using an endoscopic CO2-supplied device and flow meter. The following variables were examined: gastric pressure at baseline and gastric pressure and the CO2 injection volume when patients initially felt abdominal tension and bothersome symptoms following the CO2 injection. The relationship between belching and bothersome symptoms was also investigated. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in basal gastric pressure between the groups. Initial and bothersome symptoms in the upper abdomen in drug-resistant FD patients developed at a significantly lower gastric pressure and significantly smaller CO2 injection volume than in non-FD patients. The frequency of belching was significantly lower in the drug-resistant FD group than in the non-FD group. CONCLUSION: Bothersome symptoms in drug-resistant FD patients develop at a lower gastric pressure and smaller CO2 injection volume than in non-FD patients. These patients also had difficulties with belching.

New endoscopic method for gastric hypersensitivity testing: Pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although one of the causes of dyspeptic symptoms in functional dyspepsia patients is gastric hypersensitivity, there is currently no routine endoscopic gastric hypersensitivity test. We developed a new endoscopic method for gastric hypersensitivity testing. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether this method is useful for evaluating gastric hypersensitivity in drug-resistant functional dyspepsia patients who were strongly suspected of having gastric hypersensitivity. METHODS: Twenty-seven drug-resistant functional dyspepsia patients and 27 nonfunctional dyspepsia patients were recruited. Gastric pressure was assessed using an external pressure transducer, and the CO2 insufflation volume was measured using an endoscopic CO2-supplied device and flow meter. The following variables were examined: gastric pressure at baseline and gastric pressure, the CO2 insufflation volume, and compliance of the stomach when patients initially felt abdominal tension following CO2 insufflation. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in baseline gastric pressure or compliance of the stomach between the groups. Drug-resistant functional dyspepsia patients had a significantly smaller CO2 insufflation volume and lower gastric pressure when symptoms developed than nonfunctional dyspepsia patients. Based on a cutoff value of 1.25 L by receiver operating characteristic curves, sensitivity and specificity for gastric pressure were 85.0 and 96.3%, respectively. Similarly, based on a cutoff value of 12.7 mmHg, sensitivity and specificity for the CO2 insufflation volume were 81.5 and 81.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This endoscopic gastric hypersensitivity testing is a useful tool for evaluating the presence of gastric hypersensitivity.

Synthesis of lipid A type carboxymethyl derivatives with ether chains instead of ester chains and their LPS-antagonistic activities.

Synthesis of lipid A type carboxymethyl derivatives having ether chains at both the C-3 and C-3' positions and their LPS-antagonistic activities toward human U937 cells are described.