[Efficacy of meloxicam in juvenile polyposis syndrome. A case report]. / Poliposi giovanile in un caso clinico in cui e risultata efficace la terapia con meloxicam.

The Authors present a case of a 11 year-old patient with a history of Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome (JPS), a condition characterized by the occurrence of multiple hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients with JPS are traditionally treated by repeated endoscopic polypectomies and elective surgery. Recent studies reported up-regulation of cyclo-ossigenase 2 (COX-2) in colorectal polyps. Specific COX-2 inhibitors have been withdrown from the market for tromboembolic side effects. However efficacy and safety of preferential selective COX-2 inhibitor has been reported as antiinflammatory drugs also in children. In this patient meloxicam treatment, a preferential selective COX-2 inhibitor, leaded to a significant reduction in the number of colorectal polyps during 3 years follow up.

Predictive factors of mortality from nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: From an Italian Registry of patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIH), we assessed the clinical outcomes and explored the roles of clinical, endoscopic, and therapeutic factors on 30-day mortality in a real life setting. METHODS: Prospective analysis of consecutive patients endoscoped for UGIH at 23 community and tertiary care institutions from 2003 to 2004. Covariates and outcomes were defined a priori and 30-day follow-up obtained. Logistic regression analysis identified predictors of mortality. RESULTS: One thousand and twenty patients were included. A total of 46 patients died for an overall 4.5% mortality rate. In all, 85% of deaths were associated with one or more major comorbidity. Sixteen of 46 patients (35%) died within the first 24 h of the onset of bleeding. Of these, eight had been categorized as ASA class 1 or 2 and none of them was operated upon, despite a failure of endoscopic intention to treatment in four. Regression analysis showed advanced age, presence of severe comorbidity, low hemoglobin levels at presentation, and worsening health status as the only independent predictors of 30-day mortality (P < 0.001). The acute use of a PPI exerted a protective effect (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09-0.73). Recurrent bleeding was low (3.2%). Rebleeders accounted for only 11% of the total patients deceased (OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.5-11.2). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that 30-day mortality for nonvariceal bleeding is low. Deaths occurred predominantly in elderly patients with severe comorbidities or those with failure of endoscopic intention to treatment.