Acute upper GI bleeding: did anything change? Time trend analysis of incidence and outcome of acute upper GI bleeding between 1993/1994 and 2000.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine recent time trends in incidence and outcome of upper GI bleeding. METHODS: Prospective data collection on all patients presenting with acute upper GI bleeding from a defined geographical area in the period 1993/1994 and 2000. RESULTS: Incidence decreased from 61.7/100,000 in 1993/94 to 47.7/100,000 persons annually in 2000, corresponding to a 23% decrease in incidence after age adjustment (95% CI = 15-30%). The incidence was higher among patients of more advanced age. Rebleeding (16% vs 15%) and mortality (14% vs 13%) did not differ between the two time periods. Ulcer bleeding was the most frequent cause of bleeding, at 40% (1993/94) and 46% (2000). Incidence remained stable for both duodenal and gastric ulcer bleeding. Almost one half of all patients with peptic ulcer bleeding were using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin. Also, among patients with ulcer bleeding, rebleeding (22% vs 20%) and mortality (15% vs 14%) did not differ between the two time periods. Increasing age, presence of severe and life-threatening comorbidity, and rebleeding were associated with higher mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Between 1993/1994 and 2000, among patients with acute upper GI bleeding, the incidence rate of upper GI bleeding significantly decreased, but no improvement was seen in the risk of rebleeding or mortality in these patients. The incidence rate of ulcer bleeding remained stable. Prevention of ulcer bleeding is important.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in stress-induced gastric mucosal injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of Helicobacter pylori infection in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit in the formation of gastric and duodenal mucosal injury in these patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort analysis in an 18-bed mixed medical and surgical closed format ICU in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit for emergency reasons and requiring mechanical ventilation were included. INTERVENTIONS: H. pylori infection was detected by the laser-assisted ratio analyzer [13C]urea breath test (UBT). Gastric and duodenal mucosal lesions were assessed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and classified as minor (up to five erosions or submucosal hemorrhages) or major (more than five erosions or submucosal hemorrhages) mucosal injury. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Six patients were not eligible because the UBT could not be processed. Of the 44 eligible patients 22 were H. pylori positive by UBT and 22 H. pylori negative. Either minor or major gastric mucosal injury was found on endoscopy in 66 %. Of the 29 patients with minor mucosal injury 10 (34.5 %) were infected with H. pylori as indicated by positive LARA 13C-UBT. In contrast, of the 15 patients with major mucosal injury 12 (80%) were infected with H. pylori (p = 0.004). H. pylori was the only risk factor significantly associated with major mucosal injury in a multiple regression analysis (p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: The severity of gastric and duodenal mucosal injury in critically ill patients during mechanical ventilation is significantly correlated with the presence of H. pylori infection.

Gut decontamination of critically ill patients reduces Helicobacter pylori acquisition by intensive care nurses.

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is increased in healthcare workers and in intensive care nurses. Exposure to H. pylori from gastric secretions and faeces are probably the main sources of transmission to healthcare workers. Routine use of selective decontamination of digestive tract (SDD) in an intensive care unit suppresses H. pylori in critically ill patients. It was questioned whether this suppression and the subsequent decreased exposure to H. pylori for intensive care nurses would lead to a lower prevalence of H. pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori infection prevalence in intensive care nurses from a unit routinely using SDD (group I) was compared to that of nurses from a unit not using SDD (group II). Heathcare workers from other departments of the hospital where no SDD was used (group III) served as a control group. Persons using proton pump inhibitors were excluded. Helicobacter pylori was detected by Laser Assisted Ratio Analyser(13)C-urea breath test (UBT) and serology. This could not be performed in three out of 64 in group I, five out of 55 in group II and five out of 55 in group III (total UBTs = 169). The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 11% (7/61) in group I and 25.5% (14/50) in group II (P= 0.027). In group III, the prevalence of H. pylori infection was 16% (8/45), which was not significantly different from both group I and II. Sero-prevalence in group I was 18.6%, 27% in group II (ns) and 24% in group III. Mean age in the three groups was 35.9, 37.8 and 36.6 years, respectively (ns). In conclusion, the prevalence of H. pylori infection among intensive care nurses is lower in nurses from a unit using SDD compared to a non SDD-using unit. Acquisition of H. pylori by transmission from critically ill patients appears to be diminished through SDD use.

Suppression of Helicobacter pylori infection during intensive care stay: related to stress ulcer bleeding incidence?

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of active Helicobacter pylori infection in patients admitted to the intensive care unit, to determine the effect of selective gut decontamination on the persistence of this organism, and to explore the possible relationship between H. pylori infection and stress ulcer bleeding incidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined in a prospective observational study of 300 consecutive, mechanically ventilated patients the activity of H. pylori infection and the incidence of stress ulcer-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding over time. H. pylori infection was detected by Laser-Assisted Ratio Analyzer (LARA)- (13)C-urea breath test (Alimenterics, Inc., NJ) and serology. Stress ulcer prophylaxis was not prescribed. Endoscopy was performed in cases of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. RESULTS: The prevalence of active H. pylori infection on admission was 38% as detected by urea breath test, and declined to 8% on the third day, and to 0% on the seventh day after admission as a result of antibiotic treatment. Stress ulcer-related upper gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 1.0% (3 of 300) of the patients; none were infected with H. pylori on admission or at the time of bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori infection monitored by LARA- (13)C-urea breath test was rapidly suppressed during intensive care treatment, which can be explained by the routine use of antibiotics for gut decontamination.The low incidence of stress ulcer-related bleeding might be related to the prevention of H. pylori-associated stress lesions by effective suppression of this microorganism, but further studies are warranted to test this hypothesis.

In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to, and in vivo suppression by, antimicrobials used in selective decontamination of the digestive tract.

The incidence of bleeding related to stress ulcers is reduced in critically ill patients in whom gut decontamination has been performed; this may be a result of suppression of Helicobacter pylori infection. We determined the susceptibility of H. pylori to the applied antibiotics. In nine of 10 critically ill patients (using intravenous cefotaxime and topical polymyxin, tobramycin and amphotericin B (PTA) given by nasogastric tube) and all six volunteers (using PTA alone), H. pylori was suppressed as long as the topical antibiotics were ingested. The in vitro studies revealed that all strains were susceptible to cefotaxime and tobramycin. The strains were not susceptible to polymyxin or amphotericin B.

Management in peptic ulcer hemorrhage: a Dutch national inquiry.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: There is no consensus as to what endoscopic hemostatic therapy and pharmacotherapy should be used in peptic ulcer hemorrhage (PUH). We conducted a mail survey to investigate current management of ulcer hemorrhage in the Netherlands. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to gastroenterologists or, if not present, to internists, performing endoscopies, in every hospital in the Netherlands (n = 123). Endoscopic hemostatic therapy, pharmacotherapy, endoscopic reintervention, and management of Helicobacter pylori were evaluated. RESULTS: 90/123 (73%) questionnaires were returned. Endoscopic hemostatic therapy is given in ulcers classified as Forrest Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, and IIc by, respectively, 89%, 93%, 83%, 47%, and 19% of respondents. Gastroenterologists perform endoscopic therapy more often in Forrest Ib (P=0.03), IIa (P=0.002), and IIb (P=0.001) ulcers when compared with internists. Endoscopic injection therapy is used by 93% of respondents as first modality. Epinephrine combined with polidocanol is most commonly used (60%). Pharmacotherapy is given by 97%. A total of 71% use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and 26% use H2-receptor antagonists (H2RAs), both mainly initially given intravenously. In case of suspected rebleeding, endoscopic reintervention is performed by 76%, including a significantly greater percentage of gastroenterologists (89% of gastroenterologists vs. 60% of internists, P=0.005), whereas the others refer the patient directly for surgery. Almost all respondents investigate for H. pylori. Eradication is confirmed by only 64% (80% of gastroenterologists vs. 50% of internists, P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: There are important differences in management of peptic ulcer hemorrhage between gastroenterologists and internists in the Netherlands. Management is only partly in accordance with evidence-based medicine.

[Nonspecific symptoms due to gastrointestinal stromal tumors]. / Aspecifieke klachten bij gezwellen van de maag-darmwand.

Three patients, two women aged 64 and 52 years and one man aged 78 years, had non-specific symptoms and they had signs of a tumour at imaging examination. Immunohistochemical study of operation preparations led to the diagnosis of 'gastrointestinal stromal tumour' (GIST). It is important to consider the possibility of a GIST at surgery, because the potential malignancy requires a resection with free margins.

Ranitidine bismuth citrate with clarithromycin versus omeprazole with amoxycillin in the cure of Helicobacter pylori infection.

AIM: To compare the efficacy of ranitidine bismuth citrate plus clarithromycin (RBC-C) vs. omeprazole plus amoxycillin (OME-AMO) in the cure of Helicobacter pylori infection. METHODS: In this double-blind, multicentre, parallel-group study 122 H. pylori-positive patients with active duodenal ulcer or gastritis, with confirmed history of duodenal ulcer, were randomized to treatment with ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. plus clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. or omeprazole 20 mg b.d. plus amoxycillin 1000 mg b.d. for 14 days, followed by 14 days of ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. or omeprazole 20 mg once daily, respectively, to facilitate ulcer healing. Endoscopy was carried out at the start of the study and 28 days after the end of treatment. At each endoscopy four biopsies were obtained from the antrum and four biopsies from the corpus, for rapid urease test, histology and culture. H. pylori infection was defined as a positive urease test, confirmed by histology or culture. Cure of H. pylori infection was defined as negative urease test, histology or culture from both sites. RESULTS: Per-protocol, all-patients-treated and intention-to-treat cure rates (95% confidence interval) were, respectively, 90% (81-89%), 90% (82-89%) and 84% (74-93%) for ranitidine bismuth citrate plus clarithromycin, and 39% (27-54%), 44% (31-57%) and 41% (29-53%) for omeprazole plus amoxycillin, P < 0.00001. Both regimens were well tolerated. Eight patients were lost to follow-up, for lack of efficacy (one patient), adverse events (three patients) or refusal of second endoscopy (four patients). CONCLUSION: Ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. with clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. is superior to omeprazole 20 mg b.d. with amoxycillin 1000 mg b.d. Ranitidine bismuth citrate with clarithromycin is the first dual therapy with high cure rates and good tolerance, and is easy to take. It may therefore prove a suitable first-line treatment in H. pylori infection.

A simple method for the quantification of portosystemic shunting (PSS) in patients with portal hypertension.

Portosystemic shunting (PSS) was evaluated in 32 patients with chronic liver disease by the rectal administration of iodine-123 I-amphetamine (IMP method), a radionuclide which is rapidly absorbed from the sigmoid and extracted by liver and lungs. Simultaneous measurement of pulmonary and hepatic uptake supplies a shunt fraction (SF) as an index of PSS. The IMP method was compared with the ammonia tolerance test (NH3TT), and there proved to be a significant correlation between these two methods (r = 0.75, p < 0.001). Assuming that an increase of > 7 mumol/l in arterial ammonia concentration after NH3TT represents PSS, the IMP method had a sensitivity of 0.93. When fasting (NH3) was > 50 mumol/l, all patients showed pathological PSS with either method, but this was also the case in 50% of patients with normal basal arterial ammonia. There was also a significant correlation between the IMP method and the Child-Pugh classification (r = 0.75, p < 0.001). Endoscopy in 28 patients revealed absence of varices in 11, of whom, however, 7 (64%) had an increased SF and although all 15 patients with ascites had increased SF, this was also the case in 12 of the 17 patients without ascites. In conclusion, PSS evaluation using IMP is a non-invasive, sensitive method without patient discomfort which might be used in the staging and follow-up of chronic liver disease.

[Dieulafoy's exulceratio simplex, a life-threatening gastric hemorrhage]. / Exulceratio simplex Dieulafoy, een levensbedreigende maagbloeding.

The 'exulceratio simplex Dieulafoy' is an uncommon and probably underdiagnosed cause of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The bleeding is intermittent and even endoscopically often missed. In this article the pathogenesis, diagnostic methods, clinical presentation and therapy are discussed. We present one case treated in our hospital.

Rioprostil, a new prostaglandin E1 analogue, in the once-daily treatment of acute duodenal ulcer: a comparison with ranitidine.

The efficacy of Rioprostil (a new prostaglandin E1 analogue) is compared with ranitidine in the once-a-day treatment in the evening for 4 or 6 weeks of active uncomplicated duodenal ulcer disease. A total of 255 patients are entered in this study; of these 243 have been statistically evaluated. One hundred and twenty (120) patients receive rioprostil 600 micrograms/daily, and 123 patients receive ranitidine 300 mg/daily. After 4 weeks 63.3% of the patients on rioprostil are endoscopically healed, as compared with 69.1% on ranitidine. After 6 weeks the cumulative cure rates are 87.3% and 89.9%, respectively, the difference not being statistically significant. Pain relief is similar for both drugs. Diarrhoea with rioprostil occurs in about 2% of the treatment days and is generally self-limiting.