Remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus

The surge in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is tightly linked to obesity,leading to ectopic fat accumulation in internal organs.Weight management has become a cornerstone of T2DM treatment,with evidence suggesting that significant weight loss can induce remission.Remission,defined as sustained hemoglobin(HbA1c)below 6.5% for at least 3 months without medication,can be achieved through various approaches,including lifestyle,medical,and surgical interventions.Metabolic bariatric surgery offers significant remission rates,particularly for patients with severe obesity.Intensive lifestyle modifications,including lowcalorie diets and exercise,have also demonstrated significant potential.Medications like incretin-based agents show robust results in improving beta-cell function,achieving glycemic control,and promoting weight loss.While complete remission without medication may not be attainable for everyone,especially those with severe insulin resistance or deficiency,early and aggressive glycemic control remains a crucial strategy.Maintaining HbA1c below 6.5%from the time of diagnosis reduces the risk of long-term complications and mortality.Moreover,considering a broader definition of remission,encompassing individuals with sustained control on medication,could offer a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to managing this chronic disease.

Efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation for treatment of ulcerative colitis:A post-consensus systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have assessed the efficacy and safety of fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)as a therapy for ulcerative colitis(UC).However,the treatment processes and outcomes of these studies vary.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of FMT for treating UC by conducting a systematic meta-analysis.METHODS The inclusion criteria involved reports of adult patients with UC treated with FMT,while studies that did not report clinical outcomes or that included patients with infection were excluded.Clinical remission(CR)and endoscopic remission(ER)were the primary and secondary outcomes,respectively.RESULTS We included nine studies retrieved from five electronic databases.The FMT group had better CR than the control group[relative risk(RR)=1.53;95%confidence interval(CI):1.19-1.94;P<0.0008].ER was statistically significantly different between the two groups(RR=2.80;95%CI:1.93-4.05;P<0.00001).Adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups.CONCLUSION FMT demonstrates favorable performance and safety;however,well-designed randomized clinical trials are still needed before the widespread use of FMT can be recommended.Furthermore,standardizing the FMT process is urgently needed for improved safety and efficacy.

Diabetes remission and nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease

This editorial focuses on the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease(NAFPD)and the development and remission of type 2 diabetes(T2D).NAFPD is characterized by intrapancreatic fatty deposition associated with obesity and not associated with alcohol abuse,viral infections,and other factors.Ectopic fat deposition in the pancreas is associated with the development of T2D,and the underlying mechanism is lipotoxicβ-cell dysfunction.However,the results on the relationship between intrapancreatic fat deposition(IPFD)andβ-cell function are conflicting.Regardless of the therapeutic approach,weight loss improves IPFD,glycemia,andβ-cell function.Pancreatic imaging is valuable for clinically monitoring and evaluating the management of T2D.

Correlation between type 2 diabetes mellitus remission and intrapancreatic fat deposition

BACKGROUND Intrapancreatic fat deposition(IPFD)exerts a significant negative impact on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),accelerates disease deterioration,and may lead to impairedβ-cell quality and function.AIM To investigate the correlation between T2DM remission and IPFD.METHODS We enrolled 80 abdominally obese patients with T2DM admitted to our institution from January 2019 to October 2023,including 40 patients with weight lossinduced T2DM remission(research group)and 40 patients with short-term intensive insulin therapy-induced T2DM remission(control group).We comparatively analyzed improvements in IPFD[differential computed tomography(CT)values of the spleen and pancreas and average CT value of the pancreas];levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG),2-h postprandial blood glucose(2hPBG),and insulin;and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)scores.Correlation analysis was performed to explore the association between T2DM remission and IPFD.RESULTS After treatment,the differential CT values of the spleen and pancreas,FBG,2hPBG,and HOMA-IR in the research group were significantly lower than those before treatment and in the control group,and the average CT value of the pancreas and insulin levels were significantly higher.Correlation analysis revealed that the greater the T2DM remission,the lower the amount of IPFD.

Remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus:Emerging concepts and proposed diagnostic criteria

The remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)is a topic that has been widely discussed recently,and it gives new hope for people with T2DM.Achievement of normal blood glucose levels or levels below the diagnostic threshold for T2DM without pharmacotherapy among people with T2DM after metabolic surgery and carbohydrate or calorie-restricted diet paved the way for more enthusiastic research in this area.There is a lot of confusion regarding the appropriate terminology and definition of remission of T2DM.In this short review,we briefly analyzed the emerging concepts and proposed criteria for diagnosing remission of T2DM,which will be helpful for healthcare providers and people with T2DM.

Probiotic Medilac-S^(█) for the induction of clinical remission in a Chinese population with ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM To assess the effects of probiotic Medilac-S~ as adjunctive therapy for the induction of remission of ulcerative colitis(UC) in a Chinese population through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted to find randomized, controlled trials in a Chinese population with at least two study arms-a control arm which receives a conventional, oral aminosalicylate drug, and a treatment arm, which administers the same conventional drug in conjunction with the probiotic Medilac-S~ per os. Both English and Chinese databases were searched, including Pub Med, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and VIP Search, and study data was extracted onto standardized abstraction sheets. Meta-analyses were conducted for primary and secondary outcomes of interest using a fixed or random effects model. The primary outcome was the induction of clinical remission and the secondary outcomes included changes in Sutherland index, endoscopic and histological scores, proportion of reported clinical symptoms and adverse events(AEs). For outcomes with sufficient data, the type of conventional drug therapy was also assessed to determine if the effects of combination therapy with Medilac-S~ was influenced by drug type. All tests were conducted using a type Ⅰ error rate of 0.05 and all confidence intervals(CI) were based on a 95% confidence level. Review protocol was uploaded to PROSPERO(CRD42018085658 upon completion).RESULTS Fifty-three clinical trials with a total of 3984 participants were identified and included in the review. Medilac-S~ adjunctive therapy significantly improved induction of clinical remission(RR = 1.21; 95%CI: 1.18-1.24; P < 0.0001) with the estimated likelihood of effective treatment, on average, 21% higher for those consuming the probiotic. Sutherland index scores showed the control mean was on average 3.10(CI: 2.41-3.78; P = 0.0428) units greater than the treatment mean, thereby demonstrating significant improvement in participants taking the probiotic. Similarly, a significant difference was seen between the overall reduction of endoscopic and histological scores of control and treatment arm participants, with score decreases in the control groups 0.71(CI: 0.3537-1.0742) and 1.1(CI: 0.9189-1.2300) units smaller than treatment group score decreases. The proportion of participants reporting clinical symptoms,(abdominal pain, tenesmus, blood and mucous in stool, and diarrhea) was significantly reduced after combination therapy with Medilac-S~(P < 0.0001) and estimated to be on average 44%(RR = 0.44, CI: 0.32-0.59), 53%(RR = 0.53, CI: 0.38-74), 40%(RR = 0.40, CI: 0.28-0.58) and 47%(RR = 0.47 CI: 0.36-0.42) respectively, of the proportion of individuals reporting the aforementioned symptoms after conventional therapy alone. The risk of AEs was also significantly reduced with adjunctive Medilac-S~ therapy. The proportion of individuals in the treatment groups reporting AEs was an estimated 72% of the proportion of individuals in the control groups reporting AEs(RR = 0.72, CI: 0.55-0.94, P = 0.0175). Upon comparing effect means for different drug types in conjunction with Medilac-S~, evidence of significant variability(P < 0.0001) was observed, and sulfasalazine was found to be the most effective drug in both primary and secondary outcomes. CONCLUSION Evidence suggests Medilac-S~ adjunctive therapy should be considered standard care for UC in a Chinese population because it aids in the induction of clinical remission, improves symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract and reduces risk of AEs.

Fecal microbiota transplantation for the maintenance of remission in patients with ulcerative colitis:A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Fecal microbial transplantation(FMT)is a promising new method for treating active ulcerative colitis(UC),but knowledge regarding FMT for quiescent UC is scarce.AIM To investigate FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC patients.METHODS Forty-eight UC patients were randomized to receive a single-dose FMT or autologous transplant via colonoscopy.The primary endpoint was set to the maintenance of remission,a fecal calprotectin level below 200μg/g,and a clinical Mayo score below three throughout the 12-mo follow-up.As secondary endpoints,we recorded the patient’s quality of life,fecal calprotectin,blood chemistry,and endoscopic findings at 12 mo.RESULTS The main endpoint was achieved by 13 out of 24(54%)patients in the FMT group and by 10 out of 24(41%)patients in the placebo group(log-rank test,P=0.660).Four months after FMT,the quality-of-life scores decreased in the FMT group compared to the placebo group(P=0.017).In addition,the disease-specific quality of life measure was higher in the placebo group than in the FMT group at the same time point(P=0.003).There were no differences in blood chemistry,fecal calprotectin,or endoscopic findings among the study groups at 12 mo.The adverse events were infrequent,mild,and distributed equally between the groups.CONCLUSION There were no differences in the number of relapses between the study groups at the 12-mo follow-up.Thus,our results do not support the use of a single-dose FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC.

Remission endpoints in ulcerative colitis: A systematic review

AIM To summarize the current consensus on the defnition of remission and the endpoints employed in clinical trials.METHODSA bibliogragraphic search was performed from 1946 to 2016 sing online databases （National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central Medline, OVID SP MEDLINE, OVID EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Conference Abstracts） with key words： （“ulcerative colitis”） AND （“ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity” OR “UCEIS”） AND （“remission”） as well as （“ulcerative colitis”） AND （“ulcerative colitis disease activity index”） OR “UCDAI” OR “UC disease activity index” OR “Sutherland index”） AND （“remission”）.RESULTSThe search returned 37 and 116 articles for the UCEIS and UCDAI respectively. For the UCEIS, 12 articles were cited in the final analysis of which 9 validation studies have been identified. Despite the UCEIS has been more extensively validated in all three aspects （validity, responsiveness and reliability）, it has been little employed to monitor disease in randomised clinical trials. For the UCDAI, 37 articles were consider-ed for the final analysis. Although the UCDAI is only partially validated, 29 randomised clinical trials were acknowledged to use the UCDAI to determine endpoints and disease remission, though no clear protocol was identifed.CONCLUSIONAlthough the UCEIS has been more widely validated than the UCDAI, it has not been refected in the moni-toring of disease activity in clinical trials. Conversely, the UCDAI has been used in numerous large clinical trials to defne their endpoints and disease remission, however, it is challenging to determine the best possible outcomes due to a lack of homogeneity of the clinical trial protocols. Before determining a gold standard index, international agreement on remission is urgently needed to advance patient care.

Effectiveness of pharmacogenomics on the response and remission of treatment-resistant depression: a metaanalysis of randomised controlled trials

Background Pharmacogenomics(PGx)is a promising tool to realise tailored drug therapy for depression.Aims To investigate the treatment efficacy of PGxfor treatment-resistant depression(TRD)compared with treatmentas usual.Methods A systematic search was conducted in PubMed,Embase,the Cochrane Library,Web of Science and PsyclNFO to identify relevant studies published from inception to 15 April 2023.Two-arm randomised controlled trials(RCTs)exploring the efficacy of PGx-guided versus unguided treatment for TRD were included.The risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool.The overall quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations,Assessment,Development and Evaluation(GRADE)approach.Results Seven RCTs(n=3003)comparing PGx-guided(n=1492)and unguided(n=1511)groups were identified and analysed.PGx-guided treatment was superior to treatment as usual in response(relative risk(RR)=1.31;95%confidence interval(95%Cl):1.15 to 1.49;p<0.001)and remission(RR=1.40;95%Cl:1.09 to 1.80;p=0.009)improvements.Effect sizes for acceptability(RR=0.90;95%Cl:0.80 to 1.02;p=0.100)and side effect burden(RR=0.58;95%Cl:0.29 to 1.15;p=0.120)between the two groups were not statistically different.The overall quality of evidence was rated from'very low'(25%)to low'(75%)based on the GRADE criteria.Conclusions PGx-guided treatment has shown a small overall effect in improving the response and remission rates for patients with TRD.However,these results should be interpreted cautiously because of the few included studies and the low quality of evidence.Further high-quality clinical trials are warranted to confirm the findings.

Spontanous Remission of PAN

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) affects mostly medium-sized arteries and sometimes small ones as well. The primary methods used to make the diagnosis are through physical examinations, biopsies of organs that are affected, and/or angiographic studies. Immunosuppressants like glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide are usually started as soon as possible after a diagnosis. So, it’s not clear if sudden remission of PAN happens or not. Here we present a 42-year-old male who presented with right upper quadrant, right flank pain and fever. CT angiogram Aorta revealed soft tissue rind around the small to medium sized vessel in the abdomen and bilateral cortical renal infarcts of variable age in the right more than the left. A diagnosis of polyarteritis nodosa was made and the patient achieved spontaneous remission with no need for corticosteroids or immunosuppressive therapy.

Long-term remission by secukinumab in erythrodermic psoriasis with metabolic syndrome:report of two cases

Introduction Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disorder which is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome.Erythrodermic psoriasis(EP)is a severe type of psoriasis that causes severe physical and mental impairment.Evidence-based data on EP treatment are limited in recent years.Although conventional systemic treatments such as acitretin,cyclosporine,methotrexate and steroids show efficacy in patients with EP,these treatments have many limitations and intolerance[1].Improvement of this syndrome can seriously affect patients’quality of life(DLQI).Secukinumab is an interleukin-17A inhibitor human monoclonal antibody which has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis[2].There has been no research on the use of secukinumab in EP patients with metabolic syndrome.We present two EP patients with metabolic syndrome who achieved and maintained successful treatment and remission for more than 52 weeks with secukinumab.

Treat to target in Crohn’s disease:A practical guide for clinicians

A treat-to-target(T2T)approach applies the principles of early intervention and tight disease control to optimise long-term outcomes in Crohn's disease.The Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease(STRIDE)-II guidelines specify short,intermediate,and long-term treatment goals,documenting specific treatment targets to be achieved at each of these timepoints.Scheduled appraisal of Crohn’s disease activity against pre-defined treatment targets at these timepoints remains central to determining whether current therapy should be continued or modified.Consensus treatment targets in Crohn’s disease comprise combination clinical and patient-reported outcome remission,in conjunction with biomarker normalisation and endoscopic healing.Although the STRIDE-II guidelines endorse the pursuit of endoscopic healing,clinicians must consider that this may not always be appropriate,acceptable,or achievable in all patients.This underscores the need to engage patients at the outset in an effort to personalise care and individualise treatment targets.The use of non-invasive biomarkers such as faecal calprotectin in conjunction with cross-sectional imaging techniques,particularly intestinal ultrasound,holds great promise;as do emerging treatment targets such as transmural healing.Two randomised clinical trials,namely,CALM and STARDUST,have evaluated the efficacy of a T2T approach in achieving endoscopic endpoints in patients with Crohn’s disease.Findings from these studies reflect that patient subgroups and Crohn’s disease characteristics likely to benefit most from a T2T approach,remain to be clarified.Moreover,outside of clinical trials,data pertaining to the real-world effectiveness of a T2T approach remains scare,highlighting the need for pragmatic real-world studies.Despite the obvious promise of a T2T approach,a lack of guidance to support its integration into real-world clinical practice has the potential to limit its uptake.This highlights the need to describe strategies,processes,and models of care capable of supporting the integration and execution of a T2T approach in real-world clinical practice.Hence,this review seeks to examine the current and emerging literature to provide clinicians with practical guidance on how to incorporate the principles of T2T into routine clinical practice for the management of Crohn’s disease.

Disease clearance in ulcerative colitis:A new therapeutic target for the future

Advancements in murine modeling systems for ulcerative colitis have diversified our understanding of the pathophysiological factors involved in disease onset and progression.This has fueled the identification of molecular targets,resulting in a rapidly expanding therapeutic armamentarium.Subsequently,management strategies have evolved from symptomatic resolution to well-defined objective endpoints,including clinical remission,endoscopic remission and mucosal healing.While the incorporation of these assessment modalities has permitted targeted intervention in the context of a natural disease history and the prevention of complications,studies have consistently depicted discrepancies associated with ascertaining disease status through clinical and endoscopic measures.Current recommendations lack consideration of histological healing.The simultaneous achievement of clinical,endoscopic,and histologic remission has not been fully investigated.This has laid the groundwork for a novel therapeutic outcome termed disease clearance(DC).This article summarizes the concept of DC and its current evidence.

Honeymoon phase in type 1 diabetes mellitus: A window of opportunity for diabetes reversal?

The knowledge of the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM)continues to rapidly evolve.The natural course of the disease can be described in four clinical stages based on the autoimmune markers and glycemic status.Not all individuals of T1DM progress in that specific sequence.We hereby present a case of T1DM with a classical third phase(honeymoon phase)and discuss the intri-cacies of this interesting phase along with a possible future promise of“cure”with the use of immunotherapies.We now know that the course of T1DM may not be in only one direction towards further progression;rather the disease may have a waxing and waning course with even reversal of type 1 diabetes concept being discussed.The third phase popularly called the“honeymoon phase”,is of special interest as this phase is complex in its pathogenesis.The honeymoon phase of T1DM seems to provide the best window of opportunity for using targeted therapies using various immunomodulatory agents leading to the possibility of achieving the elusive“diabetes reversal”in T1DM.Identifying this phase is therefore the key,with a lot of varying criteria having been proposed.

Advancements in autoimmune hepatitis management:Perspectives for future guidelines

The first-line treatment for autoimmune hepatitis involves the use of prednisone or prednisolone either as monotherapy or in combination with azathioprine(AZA).Budesonide has shown promise in inducing a complete biochemical response(CBR)with fewer adverse effects and is considered an optional first-line treatment,particularly for patients without cirrhosis;however,it is worth noting that the design of that study favored budesonide.A recent real-life study revealed higher CBR rates with prednisone when equivalent initial doses were administered.Current guidelines recommend mycophenolate mofetil(MMF)for patients who are intolerant to AZA.It is important to mention that the evidence supporting this recommendation is weak,primarily consisting of case series.Nevertheless,MMF has demonstrated superiority to AZA in the context of renal transplant.Recent comparative studies have shown higher CBR rates,lower therapeutic failure rates,and reduced intolerance in the MMF group.These findings may influence future guidelines,potentially leading to a significant modification in the first-line treatment of autoimmune hepatitis.Until recently,the only alternative to corticosteroids was lifelong maintenance treatment with AZA,which comes with notable risks,such as skin cancer and lymphoma.Prospective trials are essential for a more comprehensive assessment of treatment suspension strategies,whether relying on histological criteria,strict biochemical criteria,or a combination of both.Single-center studies using chloroquine diphosphate have shown promising results in significantly reducing relapse rates compared to placebo.However,these interesting findings have yet to be replicated by other research groups.Additionally,second-line drugs,such as tacrolimus,rituximab,and infliximab,should be subjected to controlled trials for further evaluation.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Probiotics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects approximately 7 million people worldwide. In the U.S. alone, per the CDC, 1.3% of adults, which is approximately 3,000,000 people, are diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease-either, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis. The estimated cost of treatment can be close to $23,000 annually, with treatment regimens comprising biologic agents and anti-inflammatory therapies. Probiotics have recently gathered interest as a low-cost additional therapy option that, in addition to the current regimen of IBD management, allows for reductions in rates of IBD flare-ups by significantly reducing the number of emergency room visits and avoiding the need to constantly escalate treatment by addition of biologic agents in achieving remission. The Analysis Goal: Our research project aimed to see if there was a significant difference in the addition of probiotics to standard therapy in inflammatory bowel disease by comparing existing research studies and trials. We analyzed RCTs published in PubMed to assess the efficacy and safety of probiotics in patients with IBD in preventing frequent disease flare-ups and reducing the cost of care. Research Methods: We did a comparative analysis of available RCTs using a PubMed search and included studies that researched the addition of probiotic strains in patients with IBD (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease). After reviewing the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the trials selected for analysis were reviewed by two independent reviewers. Results: We analyzed 21 RCTs, and 16 RCTs (76.2%) showed that probiotics are an effective therapy for IBD, inducing remission and reducing flare-up rates in patients on a standard treatment regimen. Conclusion: Probiotics given in combination with standard therapy in IBD are effective in decreasing disease activity rates and reducing remission rates. No significant adverse reactions to probiotics were noticed.

Treatment endpoints in ulcerative colitis:Does one size fit all?

A treat-to-target strategy in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)involves treatment intensification in order to achieve a pre-determined endpoint.Such uniform and tight disease control has been demonstrated to improve clinical outcomes compared to treatment driven by a clinician’s subjective assessment of symptoms.However,choice of treatment endpoints remains a challenge in management of IBD via a treat-to-target strategy.The treatment endpoints for ulcerative colitis(UC),recommended by the Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease(STRIDE)consensus have changed somewhat over time.The latest STRIDE-II consensus advises immediate(clinical response),intermediate(clinical remission and biochemical normalisation)and long-term treatment(endoscopic healing,absence of disability and normalisation of health-related quality of life,as well as normal growth in children)endpoints in UC.However,achieving deeper levels of remission,such as histologic normalisation or healing of the gut barrier function,may further improve outcomes among UC patients.Generally,all medical therapy should seek to improve short-and long-term mortality and morbidity.Hence treatment endpoints should be chosen based on their ability to predict for improvement in short-and long-term mortality and morbidity.Potential benefits of treatment intensification need to be weighed against the potential harms within an individual patient.In addition,changing therapy that has achieved partial response may lead to worse outcomes,with failure to recapture response on treatment reversion.Patients may also place different emphasis on certain potential benefits and harms of various treatments than clinicians,or may have strong opinions re certain therapies.Potential benefits and harms of therapies,incremental benefits of achieving deeper levels of remission,as well as uncertainties of the same,need to be discussed with individual patients,and a treatment endpoint agreed upon with the clinician.Future research should focus on quantifying the incremental benefits and risks of achieving deeper levels of remission,such that clinicians and patients can make an informed decision about appropriate treatment end-point on an individual basis.focus on quantifying the incremental benefits and risks of achieving deeper levels of remission,such that clinicians and patients can make an informed decision about appropriate treatment end-point on an individual basis.

从临床治愈到临床缓解——抑郁障碍Remission的认识亟需转变

Remission作为急性期的治疗目标是切实可行的,然而,由于Remission的中文翻译存在一定的误区,Remission常常被误解为全病程的目标,从而影响全病程治疗的策略。为此,本文梳理了抑郁障碍Remission的发展过程、Remission时期残留的症状以及定义的缺陷,提出了Remission的适宜翻译。

Development of early gastric cancer 4 and 5 years after complete remission of Helicobacter pyloriassociated gastric low-grade marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT type

AIM: To report 3 of 120 patients on the German MALT lymphoma trial with H. pylori associated gastric MALT lymphoma who developed early gastric cancer 4 and 5 years, after complete lymphoma remission following cure of H. pylori infection. PATIENTS AND RESULTS: Three patients (two men, 74 and 70 years; one women, 77 years) with H. pylori-associated low-grade MALT lymphoma achieved complete lymphoma remission after being cured. Surveillance endoscopies were performed twice a year in accordance to the protocol. Four years after complete lymphoma remission in two patients, and after 5 years in the other, early gastric adenocarcinoma of the mucosa-type, type IIa and type IIc, respectively, was detected, which were completely removed by endoscopic mucosa resection. In one patient, the gastric cancer was diagnosed at the same location as the previous MALT lymphoma, in the other patients it was detected at different sites of the stomach distant from location of the previous MALT lymphoma. The patients were H. pylori negative during the whole follow-up time. CONCLUSION: These findings strengthen the importance of regular Long-term follow-up endoscopies in patients with complete remission of gastric MALT lymphoma after cure of H. pylori infection. Furthermore, gastric adenocarcinoma may develop despite eradication of H. pylori.

Budesonide induces complete remission in autoimmune hepatitis

AIM： Prednisone and azathioprine represent the standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis （AIH）. However, only 65% of the patients enter complete histological remission. Recently, budesonide （BUD） was reported to be a promising alternative. In this study we assessed the efficacy and safety of BUD in AIH. METHODS： Eighteen patients （12 women, 6 men; mean age 45.4±21 years） with AIH were treated with BUD （Budenofalk） 3 mg thrice daily and followed up for at least 24 wk. Seven patients also had features of primary biliary cirrhosis （n = 5） or primary sclerosing cholangitis （n = 2）. Advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis was present in RESULTS： Fifteen （83%） patients had a complete clinical and biochemical remission. Ten patients, including five with acute hepatitis, were given BUD as first-line therapy, of which seven enter remission. Three patients, two with liver cirrhosis, did not improve. All patients with second-line therapy experienced long-term remission. A histological remission was also seen in three patients. Clinically relevant BUD-induced side effects were recorded only in patients with liver cirrhosis （n = 4）. CONCLUSION： BUD is effective in remission induction in the majority of our patients with AIH. Side effects and treatment failure was mainly observed in patients with liver cirrhosis.