Orchid Bee (Apidae: Euglossini) Communities in Atlantic Forest Remnants and Restored Areas in Paraná State, Brazil.

In this study, we compare orchid bee communities surveyed in four forest remnants of the Atlantic Forest and four reforested areas characterized by seasonal semi-deciduous forest vegetation in different successional stages (mature and secondary vegetation), located in southern Brazil. The sizes of forest remnants and reforested areas varied from 32.1 to 583.9 ha and from 11.3 to 33.3 ha, respectively. All reforested areas were located near one forest remnant. During samplings, totaling nine per study area, euglossine males were attracted to eight scent baits and captured with bait trap and entomological nets. Each forest remnant and its respective reforested area were sampled simultaneously by two collectors. We collected 435 males belonging to nine species of orchid bees distributed in four genera. The number of individuals and species did not differ significantly between different areas, except for a reforested area (size 33.3 ha), which was located far from its respective forest remnant. Our findings also revealed an apparent association between an orchid bee species (Euglossa annectans Dressler 1982) and the most preserved area surveyed in our study, suggesting that this bee is a potential indicator of good habitat quality in recuperating or preserved areas. Our results suggest that reforested habitats located near forest remnants have a higher probability of having reinstated their euglossine communities.

Single-Dose and Multiple-Dose Pharmacokinetics of Vaniprevir in Healthy Men.

Vaniprevir is an inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease. The aim of these double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I studies was to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of vaniprevir in healthy male volunteers. The primary objective for both studies was the safety and tolerability of vaniprevir. Single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics were also assessed. In both studies, there was no apparent relationship between the frequency or intensity of adverse events and vaniprevir dose. At single doses >20 mg, the plasma area under the curve (AUC)0-∞ and maximum concentration (Cmax ) increased in a greater-than-dose-proportional manner. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs; fed/fasted) were 1.22 and 0.79 for AUC0-∞ and Cmax , respectively. Following multiple doses, GMR accumulations for AUC0-12h and Cmax (day 14/day 1) ranged from 1.53 to 1.90 and from 1.41 to 1.92, respectively. These data support the use of vaniprevir with peginterferon and ribavirin in patients with HCV infection.

Feeding catheter gastrostomy with the round ligament of the liver prevents mechanical bowel obstruction after esophagectomy.

Jejunostomy, which requires the fixation of the jejunum to the abdominal wall, is commonly used as an enteral feeding access after esophagectomy. However, this procedure sometimes causes severe complications, such as mechanical bowel obstruction. In 2009, we developed a modified approach to insert an enteral feeding tube through the reconstructed gastric tube using the round ligament of the liver. The aim of this study is to investigate the usefulness of this approach as compared to the approach through jejunostomy. Between January 2005 and March 2015, 420 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy via thoracotomy and laparotomy. Of these, 214 underwent feeding jejunostomy (FJ group) and 206 patients underwent feeding via gastric tube with round ligament of the liver (FG group). Catheter-related complications, other postoperative complications, and mortality were compared between the two groups. The incidence of catheter site infection during catheterization in the FG group was significantly lower (n = 1/206, 0.5%) compared to the FJ group (n = 11/214, 5.1%) (P < 0.01). The postoperative bowel obstruction did not occur in the FG group, while it occurred in eight patients (3.7%) in the FJ group (P < 0.01). The incidences of other catheter-related and postoperative complications were similar between the two groups. Feeding catheter gastrostomy with the round ligament of the liver can be a useful enteral feeding access after esophagectomy, because the incidence rate of severe catheter-related complications, such as surgical site infection and mechanical obstruction tend to be lower with this technique compare to jejunostomy.

Plasma concentrations of coffee polyphenols and plasma biomarkers of diabetes risk in healthy Japanese women.

Coffee consumption has been reported to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in experimental and epidemiological studies. This anti-diabetic effect of coffee may be attributed to its high content in polyphenols especially caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. However, the association between plasma coffee polyphenols and diabetic risks has never been investigated in the literature. In this study, fasting plasma samples were collected from 57 generally healthy females aged 38-73 (mean 52, s.d. 8) years recruited in Himeji, Japan. The concentrations of plasma coffee polyphenols were determined by liquid chromatography coupled with mass tandem spectrometer. Diabetes biomarkers in the plasma/serum samples were analysed by a commercial diagnostic laboratory. Statistical associations were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients. The results showed that plasma chlorogenic acid exhibited negative associations with fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and C-reactive protein, whereas plasma total coffee polyphenol and plasma caffeic acid were weakly associated with these biomarkers. Our preliminary data support previous findings that coffee polyphenols have anti-diabetic effects but further replications with large samples of both genders are recommended.

The Pharmacokinetic Exposure to Fexofenadine is Volume-Dependently Reduced in Healthy Subjects Following Oral Administration With Apple Juice.

Pharmacokinetic exposures to fexofenadine (FEX) are reduced by apple juice (AJ); however, the relationship between the AJ volume and the degree of AJ-FEX interaction has not been understood. In this crossover study, 10 healthy subjects received single doses of FEX 60 mg with different volumes (150, 300, and 600 mL) of AJ or water (control). To identify an AJ volume lacking clinically meaningful interaction, we tested a hypothesis that the 90% confidence interval (CI) for geometric mean ratio (GMR) of FEX AUCAJ /AUCwater is contained within a biocomparability bound of 0.5-2.0, with at least one tested volume of AJ. GMR (90% CI) of AUCAJ 150mL /AUCwater , AUCAJ 300mL /AUCwater , and AUCAJ 600mL /AUCwater were 0.903 (0.752-1.085), 0.593 (0.494-0.712), and 0.385 (0.321-0.462), respectively. While a moderate to large AJ-FEX interaction is caused by a larger volumes of AJ (e.g., 300 to 600 mL), the effect of a small volume (e.g., 150 mL) appears to be not meaningful.

Natural history of bleeding risk in colonic diverticulosis patients: a long-term colonoscopy-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The natural history of bleeding risk from colonic diverticulosis remains unclear. AIM: To identify the incidence of bleeding in colonic diverticulosis patients and associated risk factors. METHODS: A cohort of 1514 patients with colonoscopy-confirmed asymptomatic diverticulosis was selected between 2001 and 2013. Age, sex and location of colonic diverticulosis (right or left side, or bilateral) were assessed. The endpoint was a bleeding event, and data were censored at the time of last colonoscopy. The cumulative and overall incidences of bleeding were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier and person-years methods. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs). RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 46 months. Bleeding events occurred in 35 patients, and the median time-to-event interval was 50 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of diverticular bleeding was 0.21% at 12 months, 2.2% at 60 months and 9.5% at 120 months. By the person-years method, the overall incidence rate of bleeding was 0.46 per 1000 patient-years. On multivariate analysis, age ≥70 (aHR. 3.7) and bilateral diverticulosis (aHR, 2.4) were significant risk factors for bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: This long-term follow-up study demonstrated that the cumulative incidence of bleeding from diverticulosis was approximately 2% at 5 years and 10% at 10 years, and the overall incidence was 0.46 per 1000 patient-years. Bilateral diverticulosis increased the risk of bleeding.

Randomized clinical trial: rikkunshito in the treatment of functional dyspepsia--a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Rikkunshito, a standardized Japanese herbal medicine, is thought to accelerate gastric emptying and relieve dyspepsia, although no large-scale, randomized, placebo-controlled trials of rikkunshito have been conducted. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of rikkunshito for treating functional dyspepsia (FD). METHODS: FD patients received 2.5 g rikkunshito or placebo three times a day for 8 weeks in this multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. The primary end point was the proportion of responders at 8 weeks after starting test drug, determined by global patient assessment (GPA). The improvement in four major dyspepsia symptoms severity scale was also evaluated. In addition, plasma ghrelin levels were investigated before and after treatment. KEY RESULTS: Two hundred forty-seven patients were randomly assigned. In the eighth week, the rikkunshito group had more GPA responders (33.6%) than the placebo (23.8%), although this did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.09). Epigastric pain was significantly improved (p = 0.04) and postprandial fullness tended to improve (p = 0.06) in the rikkunshito group at week 8. Rikkunshito was relatively more effective among Helicobacter pylori-infected participants (rikkunshito: 40.0% vs placebo: 20.5%, p = 0.07), and seemed less effective among H. pylori-uninfected participants (rikkunshito: 29.3% vs placebo: 25.6%, p = 0.72). Among H. pylori-positive individuals, acyl ghrelin levels were improved just in rikkunshito group. There were no severe adverse events in both groups. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Administration of rikkunshito for 8 weeks reduced dyspepsia, particularly symptoms of epigastric pain and postprandial fullness. (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry, Number UMIN000003954).

Relationship between clinical factors and severity of esophageal candidiasis according to Kodsi's classification.

Severe Candida esophagitis (CE) may lead to development of strictures, hemorrhage, esophagotracheal fistula, and a consequent decrease in quality of life. Although the severity of CE has been classified based on macroscopic findings on endoscopy, the clinical significance remains unknown. The aim of the study was to elucidate the predictive clinical factors for endoscopic severity of CE. Patients who underwent upper endoscopy and answered questionnaires were prospectively enrolled. Smoking, alcohol, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, liver cirrhosis, systemic steroids use, proton pump inhibitor use, H2 blocker use, and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were assessed on the same day of endoscopy. GI symptoms including epigastric pain, heartburn, reflux, hunger cramps, nausea, dysphagia, and odynophagia were assessed on a 7-point Likert scale. Endoscopic severity was classified as mild (Kodsi's grade I/II) or severe (grade III/IV). Of 1855 patients, 71 (3.8%) were diagnosed with CE (mild, n = 48; severe, n = 23). In the CE patients, 50.0% (24/48) in the mild group and 23.1% (6/23) in the severe group did not have any GI symptoms. In HIV-infected patients (n = 17), a significant correlation was found between endoscopic severity and declining CD4 cell count (Spearman's rho = -0.90; P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that GI symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 3.32) and HIV infection (OR, 3.81) were independently associated with severe CE. Patients in the severe group experienced more epigastric pain (P = 0.02), reflux symptoms (P = 0.04), dysphagia (P = 0.05), and odynophagia (P < 0.01) than those in the mild group. Of the GI symptoms, odynophagia was independently associated with severe CE (OR 9.62, P = 0.02). In conclusion, the prevalence of CE in adults who underwent endoscopy was 3.8%. Silent CE was found in both mild and severe cases. Endoscopic severity was associated with characteristic GI symptoms and comorbidity of HIV infection. A decline in immune function correlated with CE disease progression.

Predictive value of endoscopic findings in the diagnosis of active intestinal amebiasis.

Endoscopic diagnosis of amebic colitis can be difficult because its appearance may mimic other forms of colonic disease. The aim of this study was to identify predictive endoscopic findings for amebic colitis. Patients with suspected amebic colitis based on distinctive endoscopic findings such as aphthae or erosions, ulcers, exudates, or a bump, were included in the study. A total of 157 patients were selected, 50 of whom had amebic colitis. The sensitivity and specificity of endoscopic findings that were significantly associated with amebic colitis were: cecal lesions (80% and 54%), multiple number of lesions (96% and 29%), presence of aphthae or erosions (84% and 37%), and presence of exudate (88% and 74%). Multivariate analysis revealed that the best combination of findings to predict amebic colitis was the presence of cecal lesions, multiple lesions, and exudates, which corresponded to an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.89 (95% confidence interval 0.82-0.95).

Recurrence of colonic diverticular bleeding and associated risk factors.

AIM: Colonic diverticular bleeding often recurs, but the risk factors remain unclear. Our aim was to identify risk factors for recurrence in patients with diverticular bleeding. METHOD: Seventy-two hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with diverticular bleeding between 2004 and 2008 were analyzed. Rebleeding was considered as the main outcome measure, with the duration until recurrence identified from medical records. Potential risk factors for rebleeding, such as underlying pathologies, medication and smoking and drinking habits, were investigated from the medical records on initial admission. RESULTS: Of the 72 patients, 19 had a diverticular disease on the right, 16 on the left side and 37 on both sides of the colon. Recurrence was identified in 27 (38%) patients at a median interval of 1535 days. The cumulative incidence of rebleeding at 6, 12 and 24 months was 15%, 20% and 33%. Multivariate analysis revealed nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (hazard ratio (HR), 2.57; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.89-7.46; P=0.08), antiplatelet drugs (HR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.01-5.67; P=0.05) and hypertension (HR, 4.16; 95% CI, 1.22-14.2; P=0.02) to be risk factors for rebleeding. CONCLUSION: Patients with colonic diverticular bleeding show high recurrence rates within a short period. Risk factors for recurrence have been identified as the use of NSAIDs or antiplatelet drugs and hypertension.

Evidence-based therapy according to the guideline for gastric ulcers is cost-effective in Japan.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major cause of gastric ulcers (GU) and eradication of the infection controls the ulcer with no requirement for maintenance therapy. In Japan, an evidence-based guideline (GL) was first published in 2003 (1(st) version) and then again in 2007 (2(nd) version) with a minor revision under support of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (GUGLJ). Adherence to its standards is high, estimated at 80%. GU patients aged 18 or older with active ulcers at the time of diagnosis by an endoscopic examination at National Hospital Organization (NHO) hospitals of Japan were enrolled between September 2004 and April 2005. Subjective and endoscopic outcome, medical treatments and medical costs during the following nine months were analyzed, retrospectively. As a result, 935 patients and 270 doctors in charge from 62 NHO hospitals were analyzed. Among H. pylori-positive GU patients, the endoscopic recurrence rate of 24 patients with failure of eradication was 29.2%, which was significantly higher than 8.8% of 194 patients with successful eradication. Successful eradication of H. pylori resulted in significantly lower endoscopic recurrence rates for GU patients either with or without administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). GUGLJ adherence scores were significantly related to the specialty or knowledge on the GUGLJ of doctors in charge, and the total medical cost consumed. These results suggest that the therapy of GU along with an evidence-based GL is essential to implement cost-effective treatment and the GI experts or the doctors that understand the GUGLJ very well should perform it.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection: a safe technique for colorectal tumors.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) aims to resect large neoplastic lesions en bloc, allowing for more precise histopathological analysis. The present retrospective study aimed to analyze the technical and clinical outcomes after ESD of colorectal tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: ESD was performed for the treatment of 71 colorectal neoplasms in 70 patients (38 men, 32 women; mean age 63.4 years). Lesion size, procedure time, complications, and immediate and follow-up outcomes were evaluated. The results for these 71 lesions were compared with those for a group of 32 lesions treated by conventional piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) performed during the same period. RESULTS: For the ESD-treated group of lesions, the average lesion size was 32.7 mm (range 13-80 mm), and the mean operating time was 61.1 minutes (range 7-164 minutes). One perforation occurred in the ESD group (1.4%) and this was treated conservatively with clipping. The majority of these lesions (n = 50) were laterally spreading tumors. Histological examination showed low-grade adenoma in 12 cases; high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia in 47 cases; and submucosally invasive cancer in 11 cases, of which four were sm1, and seven were sm2 or sm3 (these seven patients underwent surgery). The en bloc resection rate was 98.6%. For the 64 tumors that were treated by radical endoscopic resection, no tumor recurrence was found after a mean follow-up period of 12.2 months (range 3-34 months) and a mean of 2.1 follow-up endoscopies (range 1-4). This contrasted with the 6.3% recurrence rate in the 32 piecemeal EMR cases (mean tumor size 28.7 mm, range 20-60 mm). CONCLUSION: In our hands, ESD is a safe and effective resection technique for large colorectal neoplasms. As experience with the technique increases, it might gradually replace piecemeal EMR in the majority of cases.

Costs and benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: abdominal wall lifting vs. pneumoperitoneum procedure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gasless laparoscopic surgery using the abdominal wall lifting (AWL) method was first developed in Japan and has been used in various surgical fields. The AWL method allows the use of conventional reusable surgical instruments. The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LSC) using the AWL method in relation to that using pneumoperitoneum (P) method. METHODOLOGY: Retrospective analysis of 431 LSC procedures between 1991 and 2004 was performed. The two surgical groups consisted of consecutively operated patients with a diagnosis of cholecystolithiasis or gallbladder polyps. One group consisted of 224 LSC procedures performed using the P method from 1992 to 1998 and the other group comprised 207 LSC performed using the AWL method from 1998 to 2004. All instruments used in the P method were disposable, whereas trocars, scissors, dissectors, graspers and L-hook electrodes (excluding clips) used in the AWL method were reusable. Hospital expenses, length of hospital admission and complication rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean hospital cost per case for LSC using the AWL method (dollars 6743) was 7% less expensive than that using the P method (dolars 7215). Costs of operative equipment contributed to the difference (mean dollars 912 per case) in total cost. Conversion to open cholecystectomy occurred in 6 cases (2.9%) using the AWL method and 7 cases (3.1%) using the P method. There were no significant differences in length of hospital admission or complication rates between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: LSC using AWL method was less expensive than that using P method. This is mainly due to the use of reusable instruments in the AWL method. If LSC is performed using the AWL method instead of using disposable equipment, considerable savings can be achieved without compromising patient safety.

Down-regulation of sarcolipin mRNA expression in chronic atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is an important modulator of chronic atrial fibrillation. Sarcolipin, a homologue of phospholamban, is specifically expressed in the atria, and may play an important role in modulating intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in the atria. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of sarcolipin mRNA in the atrial myocardium of patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We analyzed the expression of sarcolipin, phospholamban, cardiac calsequestrin and sodium calcium exchanger mRNAs in the right atrial myocardium from nine patients with mitral valvular disease with atrial fibrillation (MVD/AF), nine patients with MVD who had normal sinus rhythm (MVD/NSR), and 10 control patients with normal sinus rhythm who received open heart surgery (controls). The expression of mRNA was measured using the ABI PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). RESULTS: Relative expression levels of sarcolipin mRNA were significantly lower in MVD/AF (0.60 +/- 0.11) than in either MVD/NSR (1.28 +/- 0.17, P < 0.01) or controls (1.10 +/- 0.10, P < 0.05). The expression levels of sarcolipin mRNA were significantly lower in the group with high values for right atrial pressure. The expression levels of phospholamban, cardiac calsequestrin and sodium calcium exchanger mRNAs were comparable among all three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic electrical and mechanical overload decreased the expression of sarcolipin mRNA in the right atrial myocardium in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. Down-regulation of sarcolipin mRNA may be part of atrial fibrillation-induced atrial remodelling.

Improvement in gastric histology following Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Japanese peptic ulcer patients.

We aimed to determine if successful or failed eradication of Helicobacter pylori with triple therapy causes any difference in gastric mucosal histology. Japanese H. pylori-positive patients with a healed peptic ulcer received high (n = 112) or low (n = 113) doses of triple therapy (omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin) for 1 week. Biopsies from the greater curvature of the central antrum and upper corpus were taken 6 weeks and 30 weeks after treatment completion, and gastric mucosal histology compared between successful (n = 171) and failed (n = 34) eradication groups. Morphological variables of gastritis were graded according to the updated Sydney System. Successful eradication therapy was defined as improvement in inflammation, neutrophil activity and atrophy; failed eradication therapy as improvement in inflammation and neutrophil activity only. Gastric mucosal atrophy gradually improved (in addition to improvements in inflammation and neutrophil activity) with successful eradication of H. pylori infection.

Changes in hemodynamics and autonomic nervous activity in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy: differences between the pneumoperitoneum and abdominal wall-lifting method.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Intraoperative changes in circulatory hemodynamics and autonomic nervous activity were evaluated in 33 patients with cholelithiasis who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of these patients, 18 were treated using a pneumoperitoneum (group G) and 15 using the abdominal wall-lifting method (group WL). Their ECG, blood pressure, arterial oxygen saturation, and expiratory carbon dioxide partial pressure were monitored. Autonomic nervous function was evaluated by spectral analysis of the heart rate. RESULTS: Mean blood pressure increased significantly in group G during surgery, but did not vary in group WL during any stage of surgery. The high-frequency (HF) power, an index of parasympathetic activity, decreased significantly in group G after pneumoperitoneum. However, the HF power did not decrease significantly in group WL. The LF/HF ratio, an index of sympathetic activity, increased significantly in group G after pneumoperitoneum, but did not vary in group WL. In addition, the incidence of ventricular or supraventricular arrhythmias and the severity of the arrhythmias as determined by Lown's classification were higher in group G than in group WL. These findings suggest that intraoperative changes in autonomic nervous activity, due to increased intra-abdominal pressure, were smaller in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy using the abdominal wall-lifting method than in those undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy using pneumoperitoneum. The results also demonstrated that hemodynamic changes were smaller in patients undergoing the abdominal wall-lifting method than in those undergoing pneumoperitoneum. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that hemodynamics should be carefully monitored during pneumoperitoneum, and that the abdominal wall-lifting approach in laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a method worthy of consideration for elderly patients or those with cardiopulmonary complications.

Autonomic nervous activity before and after eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with chronic duodenal ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection is involved in the formation of chronic peptic ulcer. However, a previously reported hypothesis concerning the involvement of central autonomic nervous disorder in this condition cannot be ruled out. AIM: To use spectrum analysis of heart rate viability to examine autonomic nervous activity before and after H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Twenty patients with chronic duodenal ulcer (duodenal ulcer group) and 20 age-matched normal adults (N group). In both groups, 24-h Holter electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded and spectrum analysis of heartrate variability was performed. In the duodenal ulcer group, Holter ECG was recorded before and after H. pylori eradication. RESULTS: In the N group, analysis of heart rate variability showed that high frequency (HF) power, an index of parasympathetic activity, was high at night, while the low frequency (LF)/HF ratio, an index of sympathetic function, was high during the daytime. In the duodenal ulcer group, HF power was higher at night than during the daytime, showing a similar pattern to the N group, but the power value was higher than in the N group (P < 0.05). In the duodenal ulcer group, LF/HF at night was significantly higher than that of the N group. In addition, in the duodenal ulcer group, autonomic activity after H. pylori eradication did not differ significantly from that before H. pylori eradication. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic peptic ulcer, both sympatheticotonia and parasympatheticotonia may occur at night, and this abnormality in autonomic nervous activity may cause increased gastric acid secretion and gastric mucosal vasoconstriction. Abnormalities in autonomic activity persist even after H. pylori eradication, suggesting that they may be an independent risk factor in the formation of chronic peptic ulcer in addition to H. pylori infection.

Helicobacter pylori infection and the development of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have found an association between Helicobacter pylori infection and the development of gastric cancer, many aspects of this relation remain uncertain. METHODS: We prospectively studied 1526 Japanese patients who had duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, gastric hyperplasia, or nonulcer dyspepsia at the time of enrollment; 1246 had H. pylori infection and 280 did not. The mean follow-up was 7.8 years (range, 1.0 to 10.6). Patients underwent endoscopy with biopsy at enrollment and then between one and three years after enrollment. H. pylori infection was assessed by histologic examination, serologic testing, and rapid urease tests and was defined by a positive result on any of these tests. RESULTS: Gastric cancers developed in 36 (2.9 percent) of the infected and none of the uninfected patients. There were 23 intestinal-type and 13 diffuse-type cancers. Among the patients with H. pylori infection, those with severe gastric atrophy, corpus-predominant gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia were at significantly higher risk for gastric cancer. We detected gastric cancers in 21 (4.7 percent) of the 445 patients with nonulcer dyspepsia, 10 (3.4 percent) of the 297 with gastric ulcers, 5 (2.2 percent) of the 229 with gastric hyperplastic polyps, and none of the 275 with duodenal ulcers. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric cancer develops in persons infected with H. pylori but not in uninfected persons. Those with histologic findings of severe gastric atrophy, corpus-predominant gastritis, or intestinal metaplasia are at increased risk. Persons with H. pylori infection and nonulcer dyspepsia, gastric ulcers, or gastric hyperplastic polyps are also at risk, but those with duodenal ulcers are not.

Clinicopathological features of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a comparison with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma without a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma component.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study was to clinicopathologically distinguish the pathogenesis of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma without a MALT lymphoma component (DLL). METHODS: We investigated clinicopathological features of these gastric lymphomas including age, sex ratio, tumor location and depth, macroscopic appearance, and infection with Helicobacter pylori of these gastric lymphomas and hepatitis viruses in 24 patients with gastric low-grade MALT lymphoma, 10 patients with high-grade MALT lymphoma, and 19 patients with DLL. The frequency of H. pylori infection in lymphoma patients was compared with that in age- and sex-matched control subjects. RESULTS: There was a predominance of females with MALT lymphoma (male to female ratio, 8/16 for low-grade MALT lymphomas and 1/9 for high-grade MALT lymphomas), and there was a predominance of males with DLL (male to female ratio, 13/6); the ratios differed significantly (P < 0.05). Ninety-two percent of low-grade MALT lymphomas and 80% of high-grade MALT lymphomas were confined to the mucosal and submucosal layers, but lymphoma cells invaded the muscular layer or more deeply in 74% of DLL. Helicobacter pylori infection occurred significantly more often in patients with low-grade MALT lymphoma than in age- and sex-matched controls (96 vs 67%, P < 0.01). Conversely, the frequency of H. pylori infection in DLL patients did not differ from that in controls. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that H. pylori infection may be associated with the development of gastric MALT lymphoma, but not DLL, and that MALT lymphoma and DLL may have a different pathogenesis.