Relationship between atrophic gastritis, serum ghrelin and body mass index.

OBJECTIVE: Atrophic gastritis may affect circulating ghrelin levels and, indirectly, body mass index. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between atrophic gastritis, focusing on autoimmune atrophic gastritis and advanced stages of atrophic gastritis, serum ghrelin levels and BMI. METHODS: Sixty-three patients, of whom 18 had autoimmune atrophic gastritis, 27 non-autoimmune antrum and corpus atrophic gastritis, and 18 non-atrophic gastritis or antrum-limited atrophic gastritis (control group) were assessed. All participants underwent endoscopy with multiple gastric biopsies. Atrophic gastritis was diagnosed by histology, classified according to the Updated Sydney System and staged by the Operative Link on Gastritis Assessment (OLGA) Classification. Total serum ghrelin, body weight and height were measured. RESULTS: Compared with control patients (144.6 ± 111 pg/ml), mean serum level of total ghrelin was higher in patients with autoimmune atrophic gastritis (226.08 ± 243.03 pg/ml, P = 0.65) and lower in those with both antrum and corpus atrophic gastritis (74.51 ± 37.38 pg/ml, P = 0.12), although differences were not statistically significant. Serum ghrelin decreased in patients with advanced OLGA stages of atrophic gastritis. In non-obese patients BMI was significantly lower in those with both antrum and corpus atrophic gastritis than in control patients (23.1 ± 1.8 vs. 24.5 ± 1.6, P = 0.01), also after adjustment for age and sex (P = 0.02); BMI was positively correlated with serum total ghrelin (r = 0.51, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Advanced stages of atrophic gastritis, but not autoimmune atrophic gastritis, seem to be associated with lower serum levels of ghrelin and lower BMI. In non-obese patients, BMI was positively correlated with total serum ghrelin.

Non-bismuth and bismuth quadruple therapies based on previous clarithromycin exposure are as effective and safe in an area of high clarithromycin resistance: A real-life study.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth quadruple (BQT) and non-bismuth quadruple (N-BQT) therapies are the recommended first-line treatments for Helicobacter (H.) pylori infection. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of BQT and N-BQT in clinical practice in an area with high clarithromycin resistance, choosing the regimen on the basis of previous exposure to clarithromycin. METHODS: A total of 404 consecutive H pylori-positive, naïve patients were enrolled. A total of 203 patients without previous exposure to clarithromycin received N-BQT, 100 patients for 10 days and 103 for 14 days, whereas 201 with previous exposure to clarithromycin received 10-day BQT. Efficacy and treatment-related adverse events were assessed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Eradication rates by intention-to-treat analysis were 88.2% for N-BQT and 91.5% for BQT (P = .26); per-protocol analysis eradication rates were 91.2% and 95.8% for N-BQT and BQT, respectively (P = .07). Eradication rates were significantly higher with 14-day than 10-day CT (P < .003). Almost all patients had a good compliance with both N-BQT (95.6%) and BQT (95%). Adverse events occurred in 24.1% and 26.9% (P = .53) of patients in the N-BQT and BQT group, respectively. In conclusion, clarithromycin-containing non-bismuth or bismuth quadruple therapy, based on the knowledge of previous clarithromycin exposure, is effective and safe even in an area of high prevalence of clarithromycin-resistant H pylori strains.

Diagnostic imaging for acute abdominal pain in an Emergency Department in Italy.

Imaging plays a key role in the diagnostic work-up of patients with non-traumatic acute abdominal pain (AAP) in emergency department (ED). We aimed to evaluate the use and diagnostic performance of imaging techniques in adult patients with AAP in an ED in Italy. Patients with non-traumatic AAP admitted at the ED of S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital of Bologna (Italy) from the 1st to the 30th November 2016 were included. Demographic and clinical data, data on radiological procedures and discharge diagnosis were collected. Sensitivity and specificity for detecting acute diseases were assessed using the discharge diagnosis from the ED as reference standard. Of the 578 patients (female 52.8%, mean age 51.3 years) admitted to the ED for AAP, 433 (74.9%) underwent abdominal imaging. The most frequent techniques used were abdominal plain radiography and ultrasonography (US), performed in 38.4% and 37.9% of patients, respectively, followed by computed tomography (CT) in 28% of patients. Plain radiography yielded a sensitivity of 28% and specificity of 91.1%; the sensitivity increased to 79.4% in patients with small bowel obstruction. Ultrasonography's sensitivity and specificity were 61.8% and 98.4%, respectively; the sensitivity of US reached 85.2% and 90% in patients with acute cholecystitis/biliary colic and urolithiasis, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of CT were 87.8% and 92.9%, respectively. Plain radiography is still overused in the diagnostic work-up of AAP in ED in Italy, despite its unsatisfactory sensitivity. Ultrasonography and CT has a higher sensitivity and should be used as first-level imaging in most patients.

Toxina botulínica para o tratamento de hidrocistomas faciais / Botulinum toxin for the treatment of facial hidrocystomas

Introdução: Hidrocistomas são cistos cor da pele ou translúcidos, únicos ou múltiplos, que aparecem na face. Têm origem na glândula sudorípara écrina ou apócrina e, às vezes, são desfigurantes. Podem ser tratados com cirurgia, eletrodissecção ou cáusticos, mas costumam ser recidivantes e os tratamentos podem deixar cicatrizes ou discromias. A toxina botulínica A (BoNT-A) foi sugerida como terapia em poucos casos na literatura. Objetivo: Analisar os efeitos da toxina botulínica em casos de hidrocistoma da face. Métodos: Estudo observacional retrospectivo de série de casos. Foram avaliados pacientes portadores de hidrocistoma na face, tratados com BoNT-A. Resultados: De 13 pacientes avaliados, cinco foram incluídos, a maior casuística descrita até o momento. Destes, todas as lesões tratadas apresentaram melhora clínica durante o período avaliado. Quatro pacientes mostraram regressão parcial e um, regressão total das lesões. Conclusões: Nesta série de casos, a BoNT-A mostrou resultados positivos e duradouros no tratamento de hidrocistomas faciais, sem efeitos adversos.

Introduction: Hidrocystomas are skin-colored or translucent cysts, single or multiple, appearing on the face. They originate in the eccrine or apocrine sweat gland and are sometimes disfiguring. They can be excised by surgery, electrodissection, or by caustics, but are usually recurrent and the treatments can leave scars or dyschromia. Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) has been suggested as therapy in few cases in the literature. Objective: To analyze the effects of BoNT-A in cases of facial hidrocystomas. Methods: Retrospective observational study of case series. Patients with facial hidrocystomas treated with BoNT-A at the Cosmiatry Outpatient Dermatology Clinic of the Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo, were evaluated. Results: Of the 13 patients evaluated, 5 were included, the largest case series described so far. Of these, all lesions treated showed clinical improvement during the period evaluated. Four patients showed partial regression and one, total regression of the lesions. Conclusion: In this series of cases, BoNT-A showed positive and long-lasting results in the treatment of facial hidrocytsomas, with no adverse effects.

The "three-in-one" formulation of bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication with or without probiotics supplementation: Efficacy and safety in daily clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials have shown a good efficacy of the "three-in-one" formulation of bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) for Helicobacter (H.) pylori eradication. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the three-in-one BQT in clinical practice, and investigate the effect of probiotic supplementation, in Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective database, multicentre observational study was conducted in seven Italian Hospitals. Consecutive H. pylori-positive patients who received the three-in-one BQT for 10 days were included in the analysis. H. pylori eradication was assessed by histology, 13 C-urea breath test, or stool antigen test. Compliance and adverse events were evaluated by interview. RESULTS: A total of 376 patients were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) and 352 in the per protocol (PP) analyses. One hundred and ninety-three subjects received probiotics supplementation. Overall, eradication rates were 90.2% (95% Confidence Interval (CI):86.7-93.0) in ITT and 94.6% (95% CI: 91.7-96.7) in PP analyses. The compliance was good (≥90% of treatment taken) in 94.9% of patients. The proportion of patients with a good compliance was not different with and without probiotics supplementation (94.8% vs 95.1%). Eradication rates were equally high for first-line (91.4%), second-line (87.5%), and third-line treatments (91.7%) in the ITT analysis (P = .48). Adverse events were reported by 32.4% of patients, but only 6.1% of patients discontinued treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The three-in-one BQT is highly effective and well tolerated for H. pylori eradication in daily clinical practice. Probiotics supplementation fails to improve compliance.

The Facial Platysma and Its Underappreciated Role in Lower Face Dynamics and Contour.

BACKGROUND: The platysma is a superficial muscle involved in important features of the aging neck. Vertical bands, horizontal lines, and loss of lower face contour are effectively treated with botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A). However, its pars facialis, mandibularis, and modiolaris have been underappreciated. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the role of BoNT-A treatment of the upper platysma and its impact on lower face dynamics and contour. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of cases treated by an injection pattern encompassing the facial platysma components, aiming to block the lower face as a whole complex. It consisted of 2 intramuscular injections into the mentalis muscle and 2 horizontal lines of BoNT-A injections superficially performed above and below the mandible (total dose, 16 onabotulinumtoxinA U/side). Photographs were taken at rest and during motion (frontal and oblique views), before and after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 161 patients have been treated in the last 2 years with the following results: frontal and lateral enhancement of lower facial contour, relaxation of high horizontal lines located just below the lateral mandibular border, and lower deep vertical smile lines present lateral to the oral commissures and melomental folds. CONCLUSION: The upper platysma muscle plays a relevant role in the functional anatomy of the lower face that can be modulated safely with neuromodulators.

Você conhece esta síndrome? / Do you know this syndrome?

A síndrome Leopard é distúrbio autossômico dominante de forte penetrância e expressividade variável. O epônimo Leopard foi criado em 1969 como regra mnemônica, ressaltando as características mais marcantes da síndrome: lentiginose, distúrbios de condução no ECG, hipertelorismo ocular, estenose pulmonar, anormalidade genital, retardo do crescimento e déficit auditivo sensorial. Relata-se o caso de uma menina de 15 anos com características da síndrome Leopard e discutem-se suas principais manifestações clínicas e genéticas.

LEOPARD syndrome is a dominant autosomal anomaly, with high penetrance and markedly variable expression. The acronym LEOPARD was coined in 1969 as a mnemonic rule, highlighting the major features of this syndrome: lentigines, ECG conduction abnormalities, ocular hypertelorism, pulmonic stenosis, abnormal genitalia, retardation of growth, and sensorineural deafness. We report the case of a 15-year-old girl with characteristics of LEOPARD syndrome and further discuss the main clinical and genetical features of the disorder.