Long-term treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients with frequent symptomatic relapses using rabeprazole: on-demand treatment compared with continuous treatment.

BACKGROUND: On-demand treatment may be an alternative in the long-term treatment of non-severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in patients with frequent symptomatic relapses. AIM: To compare the efficacy of on-demand treatment with rabeprazole 10 mg versus continuous treatment in the long-term treatment of patients with frequent symptomatic relapses of mild to moderate gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. METHODS: This randomized, open-label study enrolled patients diagnosed with non-erosive reflux disease or oesophagitis grade 1 or 2 (Savary-Miller classification) reporting frequent symptomatic relapses (requiring > or =2 courses of antisecretory therapy during the previous year), whose intensity is rated at least moderate (>2 on a 5-point Likert scale). After a 4-week selection phase with rabeprazole 10 mg once daily, patients reporting symptom relief (Likert score < or =2) were randomized to receive either rabeprazole 10 mg continuous treatment or on-demand treatment for 6 months. The main evaluation criterion was the rate of symptom relief (scored on the Likert scale) after 6 months. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-six patients were enrolled in the 4-week selection phase (men, 53%; mean age, 49 years; non-erosive reflux disease, 36.4%; gastro-oesophageal reflux disease 1, 53.4%; gastro-oesophageal reflux disease 2, 10.2%). Rabeprazole relieved symptoms in 88.6% of patients. Of this group, 152 were randomized to the comparative phase to receive rabeprazole 10 mg continuous treatment (once daily) or on-demand treatment (continuous treatment, n = 81; on-demand treatment, n = 71). At month 6 (end point), the symptom relief rate was slightly higher for patients in the continuous treatment group compared with those in the on-demand treatment group: 86.4% versus 74.6%, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.065). For the overall quality of life score, there was no difference between the continuous treatment and on-demand treatment groups (86.25 and 84.94). Mean daily consumption of rabeprazole was significantly lower in the on-demand treatment group versus the continuous treatment group (0.31 tablets versus 0.96 tablets; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: On-demand therapy with rabeprazole 10 mg provides an alternative to continuous therapy in patients with mild to moderate gastro-oesophageal reflux disease suffering from frequent symptomatic relapses.

[Diagnosis of spontaneous ascites infection in patients with cirrhosis: reagent strips]. / Diagnostic des infections spontanées du liquide d'ascite chez le cirrhotique par bandelette urinaire.

AIM: To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of dipstick testing (DT) for detecting spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), defined by an ascites neutrophil polymorphonuclear cell count > or = 250/mm3, in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: The study includes all patients with cirrhosis and ascites admitted to our general hospital on the southern outskirts of the Paris metropolitan area (France) from June 2003 to May 2004 (n = 47:27 men and 20 women). Diagnostic abdominal paracentesis was performed on admission, and a Multistix SG (Bayer Pharma) reagent strip was immersed in one ascitic sample from each patient. Readings after 120 s were either negative (DT-) or positive (DT+, with 4 levels of positivity: trace, +, ++, or +++). In case of cytologically-proven SBP, patients were treated with cefotaxime, and subsequent paracentesis with DT and cytologic testing took place every 48 hours, until recovery. RESULTS: Six of the 47 patients had proven SBP, all with clinical signs of SBP (fever and/or abdominal pain); five of these patients were DT+ and one was DT-. In the five patients initially DT+, the DT became negative at the same time as the cytologic criteria for SBP disappeared. Forty-one patients did not meet the cytologic criteria for SBP: 34 were DT- and 7 were DT+ (traces: 4, ++: 2, +++:1); two of these had clinical signs suggestive of SBP. CONCLUSION: Although the sensitivity (83%), specificity (83%) and negative predictive value (97%) of DTwere satisfactory, its positive predictive value (42%) was low. Dipstick testing of ascitic fluid is easy to perform and inexpensive and may be recommended for diagnosis and follow-up of SBP, especially in emergency settings.

[Candidiasis involvement of the small intestine complicated by perforation. A case of favorable course]. / Atteinte candidosique de l'intestin grêle compliquée de perforation. Un cas d'évolution favorable.

We report the case of a 51 year-old man who developed candidiasis of the small bowel associated with intestinal perforation. This condition is very rarely recognized ante mortem. Here, the diagnosis was established by pathological examination of a surgically resected specimen of small bowel at the time of surgery. A complete work-up failed to disclose any predisposing condition to digestive candidiasis. Antifungal therapy resulted in complete recovery.

[Prognosis of acute viral hepatitis in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis]. / Pronostic des hépatites virales aiguës survenant chez des malades atteints de cirrhose alcoolique.

We report 20 cases of alcoholic cirrhosis with superimposed episodes of acute viral hepatitis. Four had acute type B hepatitis and 16, presumed non A non B hepatitis. Before hepatitis, 17 patients had stopped drinking and only four had a complicated cirrhosis. Eighteen patients had received a blood transfusion within the 6 months before the occurrence of hepatitis (mean: 52 days). All patients developed jaundice, 7 encephalopathy, and 5 ascites. The ASAT/ALAT ratio was greater than 1 in 18 patients. Two patients died of hepatic failure. Follow-up was known in 17 of the 18 surviving patients: in all patients jaundice disappeared and transaminases returned to values less than 3 times the upper limits of normal. In our experience, the prognosis is good when viral hepatitis occurs in patients with non complicated alcoholic cirrhosis.

[Idiopathic portal hypertension associated with connective tissue disease similar to systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Hypertension portale idiopathique associée à une collagénose proche du lupus érythémateux disséminé.

A case of idiopathic portal hypertension associated with connective disease resembling systemic lupus erythematosus is described. The patient was a 50-year-old woman with splenomegaly, ascites, esophageal varices, and pancytopenia, but without extrahepatic portal obstruction or cirrhosis of the liver. Electron microscopy of the liver showed perisinusoidal fibrosis. High titers of autoantibodies against proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were found in the sera as well as in ascites; anti-DNA antibodies appeared after anti-PCNA antibodies and remained thereafter at a moderate titer. The possibility of an immunological process in the pathogenesis of idiopathic portal hypertension is discussed.

[Chronic alcoholic pancreatitis: relation of pain to withdrawal and pancreatic surgery]. / Pancréatite chronique alcoolique: relations de la douleur avec le sevrage et la chirurgie pancréatique.

A group of 73 patients suffering from painful alcoholic, chronic pancreatitis, hospitalized from 1971 to 1981, has been analyzed retrospectively. The aim was to assess the effects of alcohol withdrawal and pancreatic surgery on the course of pancreatic pain. The mean number of years during which the patients complained of pain was 3.5 +/- 0.5 (m +/- SEM). At the end of follow-up, 70 p. 100 of the patients did no longer suffer, alcohol withdrawal was obtained in 45 p. 100 and surgery had been performed in 41 p. 100. Continued alcohol abuse did not prevent pain relief: 60 p. 100 of patients continuing to drink at the end of follow-up, did not suffer any longer. One year after pancreatic surgery, pain relief was more frequent, if alcohol abstinence had been obtained before surgery (p less than 0.01). Among the 53 patients followed up to 5 years after the start of pain: a) the cumulative actuarial probability of disappearance of pain was 17 p. 100 at 2 years, 52 p. 100 at 5 years, 62 p. 100 at 8 years after the start of pain. Alcohol abstinence and surgery were observed during the first five years of pain; b) the mean number of years of pain was lower among the patients who became abstinent early (less than 4 years after the beginning of pain) than among those who did not (p less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Severe psychiatric disorders associated with severe acute colitis]. / Maladies psychiatriques sévères et colites aiguës graves.

Acute colitis occurring in patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses is believed to be linked to the intake of psychotropes. From 1983 to 1989, the authors observed, in three Hepato-gastroenterology units, 10 cases of acute colitis in patients suffering from serious psychiatric disorders, most of them inpatients of mental hospitals. The detailed study of 7 of these cases emphasized a certain number of common features: there was no previous history of digestive disease, the psychiatric illness was serious and longstanding, acute colitis was severe, and there was no recurrence during clinical and endoscopic follow-up averaging 4.3 years. Of these 7 patients, 2 were not taking psychotropes at the time of colitis or after, 2 had discontinued their treatment for a few days, and 2 had not stopped taking psychotropes. One patient died. The short-term and long-term evolution in these cases was not influenced by the intake or not of psychotropes. The pathogeny of this colitis is yet to be determined: infection is the most likely origin.

[Vascular complications of needle biopsy of the liver (author's transl)]. / Accidents vasculaires des ponctions-biopsies hépatiques (PBH).

11 complications were observed in 2,346 cases of needle biopsy (frequency 0.47%) carried out in 1,529 cases under laparoscopy, 527 cases by the intercostal route, and in 290 cases during operation. The symptoms usually appeared early, indicating bleeding. The lesions, isolated or associated were six hemoperitoneums, and 9 hematomas (including 2 subcapsular), 3 intrahepatic (1 FAV), one of the gall bladder, 3 undetermined; 5 patients out of 11 were operated on, 4 out of 11 died. The place of surgical treatment is discussed: one hemoperitoneum led to early surgical operation. An intrahepatic or subscapular hematoma may regress without sequelae. An arteriography after a liver scan should eliminate a major vascular lesion which may eventually require surgery.