Pelvic floor rehabilitation for defecation disorders.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation is frequently recommended for defecation disorders, in both constipation and fecal incontinence. However, the lack of patient selection, together with the variety of rehabilitation methods and protocols, often jeopardize the results of this approach, causing difficulty in evaluating outcomes and addressing proper management, and above all, in obtaining scientific evidence for the efficacy of these methods for specific indications. The authors represent different gastroenterological and surgical scientific societies in Italy, and their aim was to identify the indications and agree on treatment protocols for pelvic floor rehabilitation of patients with defecation disorders. This was achieved by means of a modified Delphi method, utilizing a working team (10 members) which developed the statements and a consensus group (15 members, different from the previous ones) which voted twice also suggesting modifications of the statements.

The concept of quality of life in organ transplantation.

The goal of organ transplantation is not only to ensure the survival of individuals with end-stage heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, and small bowel diseases, but also to offer patients the health they enjoyed before the disease, achieving a good balance between the functional efficacy of the graft and the patient's psychological and physical integrity. Quality of life (QoL) assessments are used to evaluate the physical, psychological, and social domains of health, seen as distinct areas that are influenced by a person's experiences, beliefs, expectations, and perceptions, and QoL is emerging as a new medical indicator in transplantation medicine too.

Capsule endoscopy findings in patients with suspected Crohn's disease and biochemical markers of inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Because it provides a direct view of superficial lesions in the small bowel, capsule endoscopy is a promising diagnostic tool for studying patients with suspected Crohn's disease undetected by conventional modalities. AIM: To assess the role of capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis of patients with suspected Crohn's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients (16 males, mean age 46.2 years) with suspected Crohn's disease but negative at conventional imaging were examined using capsule endoscopy. They were divided into 2 groups: 12 patients with ongoing symptoms (Group 1), and 26 with ongoing symptoms and biochemical markers of inflammation (Group 2). Capsule endoscopy findings were classified as diagnostic (multiple erosions/ulcerations), suspicious (

Capsule endoscopy for the diagnosis and follow-up of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome.

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome is a rare disorder characterised by cutaneous and gastrointestinal vascular malformations. A 31-year-old man came under our observation with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Hemangiomas on his back and the multiple bluish vascular lesions in the distal ileum revealed by capsule endoscopy led to the diagnosis of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome. The patient was treated with octreotide to prevent rebleeding. During the 12 months of treatment he had no gastrointestinal bleeding episodes or anaemia. Then repeat capsule endoscopy showed that the small bowel vascular lesions were unchanged. Capsule endoscopy may be a useful tool for diagnosing and monitoring the effects of therapy in patients with blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome.

Changing attitude to organ donation and transplantation in university students during the years of medical school in Italy.

UNLABELLED: The shortage of organ donations is a major limiting factor in transplant programs. Since a favorable attitude of health professionals to organ donation can positively influence the decision of families of potential donors, educating physicians early in their careers may become crucial in this setting. The aim of this study was to compare medical student opinions on organ donation and transplantation at different stages in their undergraduate career. METHODS: Medical students were prospectively surveyed in their first and fourth years by an anonymous 10-item questionnaire. RESULTS: The 100 of 195 (51.3%) students completed both questionnaires including 29 men, of an overall cohort mean age 23.7 (range, 22-32 years). 91% of the students had attended classical or scientific high school and 83% were Catholic. Their attitude to transplantation remained strongly positive (96% vs 92%, fourth vs first year). 96% of the fourth year students would accept an human donor organ or an artificial organ (vs 95% of first year) and 91% would accept an animal organ (vs 84%). The students showed a positive attitude to organ donation (96% vs 91%, fourth vs first year). Most of them were prepared to donate their organs after death (88% vs 87%). 63% of the fourth year students signed a donor card. In conclusion, medical student attitudes to organ donation and transplantation are highly positive, but do not improve during the first 3 years of Medical School. An educational program is therefore needed.

Effects of quinolone carboxylic acid derivatives on GABAA receptor-mediated stimulation of gastric acid secretion and intestinal motility.

The present study investigates the effects of some quinolone carboxylic acid derivatives on GABAA receptor-mediated excitatory responses in gastrointestinal preparations in vivo and in vitro. In stomach-perfused rats, norfloxacin, nalidixic and pipemidic acid dose dependently antagonized acid hypersecretion induced by muscimol. Under the same conditions, the quinolone derivatives failed to modify acid hypersecretion evoked by 2-deoxy-D-glucose. In the isolated guinea-pig ileum, norfloxacin, nalidixic and pipemidic acid antagonized muscimol-elicited contractions in a non-competitive manner. In contrast, these drugs did not influence ileal cholinergic contractions evoked by transmural electrical stimulation or by exogenous acetylcholine. Taken together, these results suggest that the quinolone derivatives tested act as antagonists at both central and peripheral GABAA receptors. In addition, GABAA-mediated gastrointestinal responses might represent a simple and reliable method to assay the GABAA receptor antagonist properties of new quinolone derivatives.

[Evaluation of the cost of maintenance therapy (6 months) with 150 mg ranitidine vs 20 mg omeprazole vs 20 mg omeprazole every other day in duodenal ulcer]. / Valutazione dei costi della terapia di mantenimento (sei mesi) con ranitidina 150 mg vs omeprazolo 20 mg vs omeprazolo 20 mg a giorni alterni nell'ulcera duodenale.

Prevention of ulcer relapse and of its complications is a problem which remains to be solved. Our study involved 250 patients, with healed duodenal ulcer. We evaluated efficacy and costs of three different maintenance therapies: ranitidine 150 mg/day, omeprazole 20 mg/day every other day and omeprazole 20 mg/day. Six months later, we found the incidence of relapse to be 24.4% (32/131) in the once-a-day ranitidine group, 19.7% (13/66) in the day every-other-day omeprazole group, and 3.8% (2/53) in the once-a-day omeprazole group. Further, we evaluated costs relative to relapsing patients, and total costs for each treatment group. From these data, we conclude that personalized maintenance therapy with omeprazole is the most cost-effective: a dosage of 20 mg/day is extremely effective in maintaining remission, and is therefore most indicated in patients at risk; omeprazole 20 mg/day every-other-day affords better compliance, lower costs and fewer relapses with respect to standard H2-antagonist dosages.

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampus sustain impulsivity and aggressiveness in borderline personality disorder.

BACKGROUND: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients are characterized by increased levels of aggressivity and reduction of impulse control, which are behavioural dimensions mainly sustained by hippocampus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). In this study we aimed at investigating whether hippocampus and DLPFC anatomy may sustain impulsive and aggressive behaviours in BPD. METHODS: Fifteen DSM-IV BPD patients (11 females, 4 males) and fifteen 1:1 matched healthy controls (11 females, 4 males) were studied with a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and underwent a psychopathological assessment in order to measure the severity of aggressive and impulsive traits. RESULTS: Right hippocampal volumes were significantly reduced in BPD patients compared to healthy subjects (p=0.027), particularly in those with a history of childhood abuse (p=0.01). Moreover, in patients but not in controls, right hippocampal volumes significantly inversely correlated with aggressiveness and DLPFC grey matter volumes significantly inversely associated with impulsiveness (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that hippocampus and DLPFC play a separate and unique role in sustaining the control of impulse and aggressive behaviours in BPD patients.

Gastritis OLGA-staging and gastric cancer risk: a twelve-year clinico-pathological follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal-type gastric cancer (GC) still ranks among the high-incidence, highly lethal malignancies. Atrophic gastritis is the cancerization field in which GC develops. The current histological reporting formats for gastritis do not include any (atrophy-based) ranking of GC risk. AIM: To test the gastritis OLGA-staging (Operative Link for Gastritis Assessment) in prognosticating neoplastic progression. METHODS: Ninety-three Italian patients were followed up for more than 12 years (range: 144-204 months). Clinical examinations, pepsinogen serology, endoscopy and histology (also assessing Helicobacter pylori status) were performed both at enrolment (T1) and at the end of the follow-up (T2). RESULTS: All invasive or intra-epithelial gastric neoplasia were consistently associated with high-risk (III/IV) OLGA stages. There was a significant inverse correlation between the mean pepsinogen ratio and the OLGA stage (test for trend; P < 0.001). OLGA-staging at T1 predicted both the OLGA stage (Kaplan-Maier log-rank test, P = 0.001) and the neoplasia at T2 (Kaplan-Maier log-rank test, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This long-term follow-up study provides the first evidence that gastritis OLGA-staging conveys relevant information on the clinico-pathological outcome of gastritis and therefore for patient management. According to OLGA-staging and H. pylori-status, gastritis patients could be confidently stratified and managed according to their different cancer risks.

Longitudinal prospective study on quality of life and psychological distress before and one year after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The impact of liver disease and medical complications on quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress before and after liver transplantation (LT) is a matter of growing interest. METHODS: In a longitudinal prospective study, perceived QOL (LEIPAD Quality of Life test) and psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI) were assessed in 25 cirrhotic patients when they were listed for LT and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after LT. Patients were also evaluated for medical complications and blood levels of immunosuppressive agents. RESULTS: Overall QOL and psychological distress improved significantly and rapidly in most domains from the first month and up to a year after LT. Medical complications and immunosuppressive agents did not correlate with any changes in QOL and psychological distress after LT. When patients were divided according to liver disease etiology: 1. HCV patients listed for LT had worse QOL levels than the group of patients as a whole or the alcoholic liver disease (ALD) patients; 2. HCV patients reported a significant improvement in QOL only 6 and 12 months after LT, and still suffered more psychological distress 12 months after surgery; 3. in ALD patients, overall QOL and psychological distress improved significantly at all follow-up points after LT; 4. HCV patients reported a worse QOL and greater psychological distress 1 and 3 months after LT than the group as a whole or the ALD patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplantation improves QOL and psychological distress in most recipients, but not in the early stages after LT in patients transplanted for HCV cirrhosis.

Helicobacter pylori and pre-neoplastic and neoplastic gastric lesions.

The spiral bacterium Helicobacter pylori has gained increasing interest as an important gastroduodenal pathogen since its isolation from the gastric mucosa. The presence of Helicobacter pylori in the human stomach is closely associated with chronic gastric inflammatory disease and growing evidence suggests an aetiologic role of this organism in peptic disease. Moreover, epidemiological and histological studies suggest that Helicobacter pylori may be a risk factor for gastric carcinoma and primary gastric lymphoma. Evidence supporting the role of Helicobacter pylori in the pathogenesis of pre-cancerous lesions are reviewed here.

Gastric antisecretory effects of esaprazole in rats.

The effects of esaprazole on gastric secretion (volume, pepsin and acid output) were investigated on animal models, both in vivo and in vitro. In conscious rats whose vagal activity was stimulated by pylorus ligation, esaprazole decreased volume, acid output and pepsin secretion. In anaesthetized stomach-perfused rats, esaprazole inhibited gastric acid secretion evoked by both vagus nerve stimulation or bethanechol infusion. By contrast, on isolated guinea-pig gastric fundus, esaprazole failed to counteract the acid output stimulated by histamine, bethanechol or pentagastrin. In addition to this, phasic contractions evoked by acetylcholine on isolated guinea-pig ileum were antagonized by esaprazole only at high concentrations. The present results suggest that the inhibitory actions of esaprazole on secretory parameters involve the cholinergic parasympathetic pathway, probably through both direct and indirect mechanisms.

Helicobacter pylori and the liver: any relationship?

Helicobacter pylori infection is being correlated to a number of human diseases, among which also those of the liver. From a clinical point of view, 4 "areas of interest" for the suggested correlation can be identified: 1. Helicobacter pylori and portal hypertension-related congestive gastropathy in cirrhotics. There are, in the literature, at least 7 studies confirming that the microorganism has no role in causing or worsening the disease. 2. Helicobacter pylori and duodenal ulcer in cirrhotic patients. Apparently, in the cirrhotic patient, the microorganism has no role in causing duodenal ulcer. 3. Helicobacter pylori, ammonia production and hepatic encephalopathy. In this case, there are at least three studies showing that Helicobacter pylori infection increases the risk of developing encephalopathy in the cirrhotic patient, this being a somewhat expected finding. 4. Helicobacter pylori infection in chronic liver disease and its diagnosis. Evidence in the literature suggests: a) that hypertensive gastropathy might not represent a favourable environment for Helicobacter pylori thus making the diagnostic sensitivity of the biopsy lower than expected, and b) that even serological diagnosis might provide data of difficult interpretation, as shown in non alcoholic cirrhosis and, by our own group, in primary biliary cirrhosis. More intriguing are the data generated with respect to the potential capacity of Helicobacter pylori and Helicobacter pylori-like bacteria such as, in particular, Helicobacter hepaticus to damage the liver by producing toxins with a granulating effect on liver cell lines which, in vivo, through the portal tract, might reach the liver, thus causing hepatocellular damage. The point has been addressed by a number of investigators and autoimmune mechanisms have also been suggested. In summary, from the clinical point of view, some evidence suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection might be relevant in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis. The data being generated with respect to a direct hepatotoxicity are, at present, stimulating but only speculative.

The impact of liver disease and medical complications on quality of life and psychological distress before and after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The impact of liver disease and medical complications on quality of life (QOL) and psychological distress before and after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is a matter of growing interest. METHODS: Perceived QOL (LEIPAD Quality of Life test) and psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI) were assessed in 40 cirrhotic patients listed for OLT (Group A) and in 101 liver transplant recipients (Groups B to G=0-6, 7-12, 13-24, 25-36, 37-48, 49-60 months post-OLT). Patients were also evaluated for medical complications, blood levels of immunosuppressive agents and recurrence of liver disease. RESULTS: QOL and psychological distress were significantly better in most of the post-OLT groups than in cirrhotic patients. Among post-OLT patients, a significantly worse QOL was perceived at 13-24 months (Life Satisfaction: Group D vs G, p=0.024; Cognitive Functioning: Group D vs F, p=0.024), while significantly greater psychological distress was detected at 7-12 months (Anxiety and Interpersonal Sensitivity: Group C vs Group B, p=0.032 and p=0.023, respectively). Medical complications and immunosuppressive therapy did not influence QOL or psychological distress after OLT. Within 6 months after OLT, patients with HCV recurrence showed significantly greater Depression (p=0.023), Anxiety (p=0.038), Phobic Anxiety (p=0.001), and Paranoid Ideation (p=0.033) than anti-HCV negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Liver transplantation improves psychological distress and most, but not all, QOL domains. Recurrent HCV infection is associated with greater psychological distress.