Causal role of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric cancer

胃的癌症是在世界，为在亚洲的所有癌症盒子的一个大比例的财务，拉丁美洲，和在欧洲的一些国家上的第二很经常的癌症。Helicobacter pylori (H pylori ) 被认为是在萎缩性胃炎的发展起一个特定的作用，它多代表最公认的小径在走肠类型的胃的致癌作用。最近的研究建议那联合招待基因因素，细菌的毒力因素，并且环境并且生活方式因素决定胃的损坏和 H pylori 感染的最终的临床的结果的严厉。胃的癌症的领先的原因应该导致有效根除策略的 H pylori 的精液的发现。胃的癌症的预防要求更好屏蔽的策略为根除识别候选人。

Azathioprine is essential following cyclosporine for patients with steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis

AIM: To evaluate long-term prognosis following cyclosporine treatment by examining the rate of surgery avoidance among cyclosporine responders.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records for 29 patients diagnosed with severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis in our hospital from August 1997 to August 2008 and treated with cyclosporine by continuous intravenous infusion.All patients were treated with intravenous corticosteroids for more than 5 d prior to cyclosporine therapy.Administration was continued for up to 21 d under serum monitoring to maintain cyclosporine levels between 400 and 600 ng/mL.Clinical activity was assessed before and after cyclosporine therapy using the clinical activity index score,with a reduction of ≥ 5 considered to indicate a response.Among responders,we defined cases not requiring surgery for more than 5 years as exhibiting long-term efficacy of cyclosporine.Factors considered to be possibly predictive of long-term efficacy of cyclosporine were sex,age,disease duration,clinical activity index score,C-reactive protein level,hemoglobin level,disease extent,endoscopic findings,and clinical course.RESULTS: Cyclosporine was not discontinued due to side effects in any patient.Nineteen(65.5%) of 29 patients were considered responders.A statistically significant(P = 0.004) inverseas sociation wa s observed between an endoscopic finding of "mucosal bleeding" and responsive cases.Fifteen(9 males,6 females) of these 19 patients were followed for 5 years or more,of whom 9(60%) exhibited long-termefficacy of cyclosporine.Of the 10 non-responders,9(90%) underwent surgery within 6 mo of cyclosporine therapy.None of the following factors had a significant impact on the long-term efficacy of cyclosporine: sex,age,duration of disease,clinical activity index score,C-reactive protein level,hemoglobin level,extent of disease,endoscopic findings,or clinical course.In contrast,a significant association was observed for maintenance therapy with azathioprine after cyclosporine therapy(P = 0.0014).CONCLUSION: Maintenance therapy with azathioprine might improve the long-term efficacy of continuously infused cyclosporine for severe steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis patients.

Magnifying chromoscopy, a novel and useful technique for colonoscopy in ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder characterized by exacerbations and remissions. The degree of inflammation as assessed by conventional colonoscopy is a reliable parameter of disease activity. However, even when conventional colonoscopy suggests remission and normal mucosal findings, microscopic abnormalities may persist, and relapse may occur later. Patients with long-standing, extensive ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer is characterized by an early age at onset, poorly differentiated tumor cells, mucinous carcinoma, and multiple lesions. Early detection of dysplasia and colitic cancer is thus a prerequisite for survival. A relatively new method, magnifying chromoscopy, is thought to be useful for the early detection and diagnosis of dysplasia and colitic cancer, as well as the prediction of relapse.

Clinical utility of a new endoscopic scoring system for Crohn's disease

AIM:To evaluate the clinical value of the newly modified Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's disease(m SES-CD).METHODS:Seventy-six Crohn's disease(CD) patients who underwent transanal double balloon endoscopy(DBE) in our hospital between 2003 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. DBE is defined as small intestinal endoscopy using two attached balloons. We included patients with stenosis which hampered passage of the scope and those who underwent DBE with observation for at least 80 cm from the ileocecal valve. Our new m SES-CD assesses the endoscopic activity of two consecutive small intestinal segments located 0-40 cm and 40-80 cm from the ileocecal valve by DBE,in addition to the activity of four colorectal segments. To compare the usefulness of m SES-CD with SES-CD,we similarly divided the patients into two groups according to total m SES-CD score(low disease activity group,< 4; high disease activity group,≥ 4). The clinical value of m SES-CD in predicting clinical outcome in patients with CD was evaluated using the occurrence of surgery after DBE as an endpoint.RESULTS:Median age of the 76 CD patients was 36 years(range,16-71). Thirty-nine patients had stenosis which hampered passage of the DBE to 80 cm on the proximal side from the ileocecal valve. Median evaluable length of small intestine by DBE was 80 cm(range,3-200). A total of 74 patients had one or more small intestinal lesions detected by DBE,of which 62(83.8%) were within 80 cm of the ileocecal valve on the proximal side. Only two patients(2.7%) with proximal-side lesions more than 80 cm from the ileocecal valve did not have lesions within 80 cm. Patients with high m SES-CD scores showed significantly shorter surgeryfree survival than those with low scores(P < 0.05). In contrast,surgery-free survival did not significantly differ between the low and high SES-CD groups(P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis by a Cox proportional hazards model identified m SES-CD as an independent factor for surgery-free survival.CONCLUSION:m SES-CD is useful in evaluating the risk of surgery-free survival in patients with CD.

Value of colonoscopy for prediction of prognosis in patients with ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder characterized by exacerbations and remissions. Some UC patients remain refractory to conventional medical treatment while, in others, the effectiveness of drugs is limited by side-effects. Recently, cyclosporine and leukocyte removal therapy have been used for refractory UC patients. To predict the efficacy of these therapies is important for appropriate selection of treatment options and for preparation for colectomy. Endoscopy is the cornerstone for diagnosis and evaluation of UC. Endoscopic parameters in patients with severe or refractory UC may predict a clinical response to therapies, such as cyclosporine or leukocyte removal therapy. As for the patients with quiescent UC, relapse of UC is difficult to predict by routine colonoscopy. Even when routine colonoscopy suggests remission and a normal mucosal appearance, microscopic abnormalities may persist and relapse may occur later. To more accurately identify disease activity and to predict exacerbations in UC patients with clinically inactive disease is important for deciding whether medical treatment should be maintained. Magnifying colonoscopy is useful for the evaluation of disease activity and for predicting relapse in patients with UC.