[A survey on diet manuals in Italian hospitals]. / Indagine conoscitiva sui dietetici ospedalieri.

Hospital catering is very important to counteract the onset of malnutrition due to either undernutrition or overnutrition and for dietetic treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate nutritional quality of the hospital dietetic manual used in some Italian hospitals and to analyze the role of the institutional Catering Service and of the Department of Clinical Nutrition. A survey has been carried out, in some Italian hospitals, using a questionnaire to point out the characteristics of hospitals, the typology of catering service, of the diets and of the staff of the Department of Clinical Nutrition. Only 22% of the hospitals has answered; three Italian regions (Umbria, Molise, Basilicata) are completely missing; -each hospital has a specific dietetic manual in most cases completely different from structure and nutritional quality point of view; the staff acting in this field is absolutely insufficient in term of numerousness and of professional typologies. Hospital in-patients are not homogeneous as for age, dietary needs and diseases, so it's necessary to treat them with an ad hoc nutritional intervention not established in advance in a dietetic manual; if from an organisation point of view it is necessary to have such a dietetic manual, it has to be based on nutritional guidelines and recommended dietary allowances.

Effects of cimetropium bromide on gastrointestinal transit time in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Cimetropium bromide is a new antimuscarinic compound with strong antispasmodic activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral cimetropium bromide on total gut transit time in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Forty patients, divided according to their initial total gastrointestinal transit times and presenting symptoms, were treated with cimetropium bromide 50 mg t.d.s. or placebo for 1 month according to a double-blind, parallel group design. Before and after treatment all subjects ingested 24 radio-opaque markers. The total intestinal transit time was determined by evaluating the rate of disappearance of markers from plain X-ray films of the abdomen taken every 24 h for 4 days. Pain and bowel habits were also monitored. Seven patients did not complete the study. Cimetropium bromide significantly (P less than 0.01) shortened the whole gut transit time in patients with prolonged transit time (80.8 +/- 4.0 h before vs 60.8 +/- 6.7 h after treatment) and improved the global clinical condition significantly compared with placebo (P = 0.029). In patients with a short total intestinal transit time, cimetropium bromide had no effect on whole gut transit time and did not significantly improve symptoms. The results of this study indicate that oral cimetropium bromide is effective both objectively and subjectively in a subgroup of irritable bowel syndrome patients with constipation.

Gastric effects of a prostaglandin E1-derivate (rioprostil) on acid, alkaline, and mucus secretion.

In a double-blind crossover study, the gastric effects of a single oral dose of rioprostil (150 and 300 micrograms) or placebo were compared in basal conditions and during a 120-minute pentagastrin infusion. A slight decrease in basal acid output and a nonsignificant rise in basal bicarbonate secretion were observed with the 300-micrograms dose. Pentagastrin-stimulated acid secretion was reduced by the prostaglandin derivate, especially with the 300-micrograms dose. Compared with placebo, 300 micrograms of rioprostil significantly stimulated basal mucoprotein secretion and bicarbonate and mucus output during pentagastrin infusion. The results suggest that 300 micrograms of rioprostil exerts both a moderate antisecretory activity and a strengthening effect on the gastric mucus-bicarbonate barrier.

Standards for oesophageal manometry. A position statement from the Gruppo Italiano di Studio Motilità Apparato Digerente (GISMAD).

Manometry is an important tool in the diagnosis of oesophageal motility, disorders, but proper instruments and methods are needed to obtain useful clinical information. The authors reviewed the minimal technical requirements, operative aspects, which information the final report should contain as well as indications and contraindications of the text itself. Technical requirements: At least a three-channel, multiple-lumen catheter perfused with a pneumo-hydraulic capillary infusion system which ensures deltaP/deltaT>150-200 mmHg/sec.; data should be recorded at a sampling rate of > or =8 Hz to study the oesophageal body and lower oesophageal sphincter; lower oesophageal sphincter tonic (pressure) and phasic activity (relaxations) and oesophageal body amplitude and peristaltic activity should be recorded. The final report must contain the patient's details, the indication for the test and a manometric diagnosis. Indications for manometry: Dysphagia (after ruling out any organic pathology); non- cardiac chest pain (after ruling out any cardiopulmonary involvement); systemic collagenosis (to investigate oesophageal involvement); gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (if surgery is planned). Contraindications are limited to: pharyngeal or upper oesophageal obstructions, oesophageal bullous disorder, cardiac conditions in which vagal stimulation may not be tolerated, severe coagulopathy and patient non-compliance.

Comparison of ranitidine, domperidone maleate and ranitidine + domperidone maleate in the short-term treatment of reflux oesophagitis.

In the treatment of reflux oesophagitis, either drugs preventing regurgitation of gastric juice in the lower oesophagus or pharmacological agents increasing the pH of the refluxing material are employed. In the present study 45 outpatients with reflux oesophagitis were randomly treated with either ranitidine (150 mg b.i.d.) or domperidone maleate (20 mg t.i.d.) or both drugs for six weeks. Before and after treatment the severity of dyspeptic symptoms and the grade of endoscopic and histological changes were assessed. The three therapeutic regimens were significantly and equally effective in inducing symptomatic relief and promoting endoscopic and histological disappearance or improvement of oesophagitis. The combined use of ranitidine and domperidone maleate failed to show any additional benefit compared with treatment with either drug alone.

Weakening effect of famotidine but not of nizatidine on the mucus-bicarbonate barrier of the human stomach.

Twenty outpatients with various duodenal disorders but endoscopically normal gastric mucosa were randomly treated for 4 weeks with either nizatidine (300 mg h.s.) or famotidine (40 mg h.s.). Before and after treatment quantitative and qualitative evaluations of gastric mucus secretion as well as measurement of gastric bicarbonate output were performed. No changes in the mucus-bicarbonate barrier were observed after nizatidine treatment. In contrast, famotidine was found to impair the quality of mucus, thus weakening the mucosal defences against re-ulceration after treatment withdrawal.

Ranitidine vs metoclopramide in the medical treatment of reflux esophagitis.

45 patients with symptomatic reflux esophagitis were randomly treated with either Ranitidine (150 mg b.i.d.) or Metoclopramide (10 mg t.i.d.) for six weeks. The severity of dyspeptic symptoms and the grade of endoscopic and histological esophagitis were assessed before and after treatment. Both drugs proved significantly effective in inducing symptomatic and endoscopic improvement, but Ranitidine appeared significantly superior in promoting disappearance or improvement of endoscopic esophagitis. Moreover Ranitidine was found to significantly reduce the severity of histological changes, whereas Metoclopramide was unable to do so.

[Effects of the administration of magnesium hydroxide on gastric acidity in health volunteers]. / Effetto della somministrazione di idrossido in magnesio sulla acidità gastrica in volontari sani.

Antacids are often the first therapeutic approach in patients with pyrosis. We carried-out a study on 8 healthy volunteers who underwent a 24 hour gastric pH-metry to assess the real efficacy of magnesium hydroxide administration on gastric acidity. Magnesium hydroxide was alternatively administered at different dosages (400 mg or 800 mg) in the population studied. Our results showed a mild and non reproducible response to lower dose, but, on the contrary, the 800 mg dose always induced an immediate, effective and prolonged antacid action, reaching a maximum pH value of 5 and lasting up to 40 minutes. Our study confirms, using a modern and reliable technique as the 24-hour gastric pH-metry, the antacid activity of magnesium hydroxide.

[Effect of tiropramide chlorhydrate on intestinal transit time in patients with irritable colon syndrome]. / Azione della tiropramide cloridrato sul tempo di transito intestinale in pazienti affetti da sindrome del colon irritabile.

The effect of tiropramide hydrochloride--a new spasmolytic drug with calmodulin-independent activity--in correcting alterations of intestinal transit, has been investigated in 40 IBS patients (20 with accelerated and 20 with delayed transit time). Intestinal transit has been evaluated by means of radioopaque markers. Tiropramide hydrochloride, at a dose of 100 mg t.i.d. for 4 weeks, was found significantly more effective than placebo both in normalizing intestinal transit time and in inducing symptomatic relief.

[Evaluation of 2 devices for long-term ambulatory recording of manometry and pH data]. / Valutazione di due dispositivi per la registrazione ambulatoriale prolungata di dati manometrici e pH-metrici.

In the present paper some general and technical features of two of the commonest pH and manometric long-term ambulatory recording devices available in Italy are reviewed.

Correlation between oropharyngeal pH-monitoring and esophageal pH-impedance monitoring in patients with suspected GERD-related extra-esophageal symptoms.

BACKGROUND: 24-hour esophageal pH-impedance (pH-MII) is not totally reliable for laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). Oropharyngeal (OP) pH-monitoring with the Dx-pH probe may detect LPR better. The correlation between these two techniques is not thoroughly established. Aim of this study is to examine the correlation between OP pH-metry and esophageal pH-MII monitoring. METHODS: Thirty-six consecutive patients with suspected gastroesophageal reflux disease-related extra-esophageal symptoms were evaluated using 24-h OP-pH and concomitant esophageal pH-MII monitoring. OP events were defined as: drop in pH below thresholds of 5.5, 5.0, 4.5, 4.0 or drop in pH of at least 10% from a running baseline. Temporal relationship between OP and esophageal reflux events and outcomes of the two tests were evaluated. KEY RESULTS: 2394 refluxes were detected by pH-MII; of these only 120 were detected also by OP Dx-probe. On the other hand, the proportion of OP-pH events which were temporally related to an episode of distal reflux ranged from 0% to 17%, depending on the proximal pH criteria used. In 8/36 patients both tests were pathological, while in 10/36 they were both normal; 14/36 patients had pathological OP reflux, but a normal pH-MII test; 4/36 patients had pathological pH-MII, but a normal OP reflux. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The correlation between OP pH-metry and pH-MII was weak. At present, the absence of a reliable gold standard for the diagnosis of LPR and the uncertain etiology of the pharyngeal pH alterations make it difficult to decide which is the most reliable technique for the diagnosis of true LPR.

Reflux oesophagitis in Italy (Diomede project).

AIMS: A multicentric observational study was performed to update the available information on reflux oesophagitis in Italy. METHODS: In phase I, the number and severity of reflux oesophagitis diagnosed in 1 year (2003) were reported together with the associated endoscopic findings. In phase II, oesophagitis patients consecutively referred in a 3-month period were analysed. A multivariate analysis was used to identify the risk factors for severe oesophagitis. RESULTS: 253,992 upper endoscopies were collected. The overall prevalence of oesophagitis was 14.8% and the endoscopic findings associated with oesophagitis were hiatus hernia (46.3%), duodenal ulcer (10.7%), gastric ulcer (3.6%) and Barrett's oesophagus (2.9%). In phase II, 1542 reflux oesophagitis patients were analysed (60.3% males; mean age 50.7 +/-16.6 years). Only 53.4% of patients reported heartburn and/or regurgitation as main complaint. Severe symptoms, age > 50 years, hiatus hernia and male gender were identified as independent predictors of severe oesophagitis. CONCLUSIONS: Oesophagitis is the most frequent among the peptic diseases of the upper gastro-intestinal tract. Only half of the oesophagitis patients reported typical reflux symptoms as dominant. Advanced age, male gender, severe symptoms and hiatus hernia were independent risk factors for severe disease.

Longterm oral cisapride improves interdigestive antroduodenal motility in dyspeptic patients.

We have evaluated the effect of cisapride on interdigestive antroduodenal motility during a prolonged oral therapy in 20 consecutive dyspeptic subjects. Individuals with less than two migrating motor complexes (MMCs) starting from the antral region in 240 minutes and without evidence of upper gastrointestinal tract diseases were randomly treated with either cisapride (10 cases), or placebo (10 cases) for 15 days. Computerised manometry of antroduodenal region was performed for 240 minutes, in basal conditions and on the 15th day of therapy. Symptomatic evaluation of patients was also performed before and after treatment. After cisapride administration, a significant increase in the incidence of antral migrating motor complexes was noticed (p = 0.022); likewise, the motility index, calculated for phase-2 periods, appeared to be significantly higher both in the antrum and in the duodenum (p less than 0.001). Symptomatic improvement was observed in both groups, with a hardly significant (p = 0.049) reduction of dyspeptic symptoms severity only but not of frequency in cisapride treated patients v controls. We conclude that longterm oral therapy with cisapride improves interdigestive antroduodenal motor activity.

Esophageal motility in cirrhotics with and without esophageal varices.

Esophageal manometry was performed in 45 cirrhotics with varices, in 15 cirrhotics without varices, and in 20 normal subjects, to define the effect of varices on esophageal motility. Cirrhotics with varices showed a decreased amplitude of motor waves in the lower half of the esophagus (p less than 0.01), an increased duration of primary peristaltic waves along the entire length of the esophagus (upper esophagus, p less than 0.05; lower esophagus, p less than 0.01), and an increased peak-to-peak speed of primary peristaltic waves (p less than 0.01). Resting lower esophageal sphincter pressure and duration of sphincter relaxation were similar in patients and controls. The above-mentioned abnormalities might be due to the mechanical effect of the presence of varices.

Interdigestive motility pattern in subjects with duodenogastric bile reflux.

The role of antroduodenal motility in the pathogenesis of duodenogastric biliary reflux is widely accepted, but few and conflicting data are available on the possible motor abnormalities related to this phenomenon in the fed and in the fasting state. In an attempt to define the motility pattern of the antroduodenal region associated with bile reflux in the fasting state, 20 subjects with proven duodenogastric reflux and without disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract have been studied, and the results have been compared with those observed in 6 control subjects without evidence of reflux. The interdigestive motility complex (IDMC) has been evaluated (mean duration of IDMC and frequency and site of onset of migrating motor complexes). In subjects with duodenogastric reflux a significant increase (p less than 0.01) in the mean duration of IDMCs (179 +/- 22.19 min) was observed, in comparison with controls (108.5 +/- 37 min). A considerable reduction in the frequency of migrating motor complexes (MMC) was also observed, while no differences in the site of onset and the propagation of MMCs and in the percentage of time recorded occupied by the single phases of IDMC were found. This evidence suggests a strict relationship between duodenogastric reflux and the occurrence of phase III of IDMC and supports the hypothesis that the IDMC abnormalities are the cause and not the consequence of biliary reflux. The reduced incidence of MMC may also account for the high incidence of chronic gastritis due to prolonged contact in the fasting state between the gastric mucosa and the duodenal content.