Online registry for nationwide database of Helicobacter pylori eradication in Korea: Correlation of antibiotic use density with eradication success.

BACKGROUND: The Helicobacter pylori eradication rate has decreased with increasing antibiotic resistance. We conducted a prospective, nationwide, multicenter registry study to monitor the real status of H. pylori eradication therapy and to investigate the association between eradication success and antibiotic use density in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 9318 patients undergoing H. pylori eradication therapy from 37 hospitals through "on-line database registry" from October 2010 to July 2015. Demographic data, detection methods, treatment indications, regimens, durations, compliance, adverse events, and eradication results were collected. The use of all commercially available eradication antibiotics was analyzed through the Korean National Health Insurance data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The defined daily dose of antibiotics was used to standardize drug use comparisons. RESULTS: Finally, 6738 patients were analyzed. The overall eradication rate of first-line therapy was 71.8%. The eradication success rates were 71.7%, 86.9%, and 74.0% for standard triple therapy for 7 days, quadruple therapy, and concomitant therapy, respectively. The eradication success rate in naive patients was higher than that in those who previously underwent H. pylori eradication. Eradication success was significantly associated with younger age, female sex, and high compliance. Regional differences in eradication rates were observed. The yearly use density of clarithromycin increased statistically in seven regions across the country from 2010 to 2015. The yearly use density of amoxicillin in the Gyeongsang and Chungcheong areas was significantly increased (P < .01), whereas that of other macrolides was significantly lower in the Gyeonggi area than in other areas (P = .01). The overall use of eradication antibiotics has increased while the eradication rate steadily decreased for 5 years. However, there was no significant correlation between antibiotic use density and eradication. CONCLUSION: There was no relationship between the eradication rate and antibiotic use density in Korea.

Inter-observer agreement in the endoscopic classification of colorectal laterally spreading tumors: a multicenter study between experts and trainees.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The risk of cancer varies with the subtype of colorectal "laterally spreading tumors" (LSTs). However, visual interpretations vary among endoscopists. The aim of this study was to evaluate inter-observer agreement and accuracy in the endoscopic classification of LST subtypes among experts and trainees. METHODS: In total, 40 LST images were collected and reviewed independently by 14 gastroenterology experts and 10 trainees. All investigators recorded their findings as one of the following four categories: homogeneous, nodular mixed, flat-elevated, and pseudo-depressed. Agreement was assessed in terms of the kappa (κ) statistic and AC1 estimate. Accuracy is reported as percentage agreement with the gold standard, based on the gross morphology of the resected specimens. RESULTS: Of the possible 91 pair-wise κ estimates among experts, 41 (45.1%) were >0.75, indicating excellent agreement, while only 2 (4.44%) of the 45 pair-wise κ estimates among trainees were >0.75. Agreements for individual LST subtypes in the trainee group were significantly lower than those in the expert group. The κ and AC1 estimates showed similar values in individual subtypes of LSTs. The overall accuracy of LST was also significantly higher for the experts than the trainees (85.9 vs. 72.5%, P < 0.001). Notably, the flat-elevated subtype showed the lowest agreement and accuracy and was frequently misclassified as the pseudo-depressed subtype by both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Inter-observer agreement and accuracy for LST subtype classification differ significantly between experts and trainees. Implementation of an adequate training system for beginners is necessary to better identify colorectal LSTs.

Predictive risk factors of perforation in gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection for early gastric cancer: a large, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is standard therapy for early gastric cancer, the complication rate is unsatisfactory, with perforation as the major complication during ESD. There have been several reports regarding the complications of ESD for gastric tumor especially perforation; however, little is known about the predictors for complications in patients undergoing ESD. The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the risk factors for perforation in patients with early gastric cancer during ESD. METHODS: Between February 2003 and May 2010, we performed ESD for 1,289 lesions in 1,246 patients at six tertiary academic hospitals in Daegu, Kyungpook, Korea. Patient-related variables (age, sex, and underlying disease), endoscopic-related variables (indication of ESD, lesion size, location, type, and mucosal ulceration), procedure-related variables (operation time, complete resection, and invasion of submucosa/vessel/lymph node), and the pathologic diagnosis were evaluated as potential risk factors. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 64 years. The mean size of the endoscopic lesion was 19.4 mm. The overall en bloc resection rate was 93.3 %. Perforation (microperforation and macroperforation) was seen in 35 lesions. The location of the lesion (long axis: body/short axis: greater and lesser curvature) and piecemeal resection were associated with perforation (p = 0.01/0.047 and p = 0.049). Upon multivariate analysis, the location (body vs. antrum) of the lesion (odds ratio (OR) 2.636; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.319-5.267; p = 0.006) and piecemeal resection (OR 2.651; 95 % CI 1.056-6.656; p = 0.038) were significant predictive factors for perforation. CONCLUSIONS: The result of this study demonstrated that the location of the lesion (body) and piecemeal resection were related to perforation during ESD.

[A case of peritoneal mesothelioma with direct invasion to gastric mucosa].

Mesothelioma is a rare aggressive tumor arising from the mesothelial cell and regarded as universally fatal disease with average survival around 1 year. The incidence rate is varied from one to forty per million in different countries and increasing by the year. The most common site of tumor origin is the pleura and only 20% to 33% of mesothelioma arise from the peritoneum. There are increasing reports of malignant mesothelioma with forty to fifty fatal cases per year in Korea. Histological studies with immunohistochemical stain is helpful for the diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma and imaging modality alone is not sufficient for diagnosis, so it is difficult to confirm diagnosis. A 64-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital with a palpable mass on abdomen. The 6x6 cm sized huge mass was seen on the body of stomach adjacent to the peritoneum. We report a case of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma without evident exposure to asbestos, of which direct invasion to the gastric mucosa was confirmed by endoscopic biopsy and immunohistochemical stain.

[A case of sclerosed hemangioma mimicking intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma].

Hemangioma is one of the most frequently encountered benign hepatic neoplasm which can develop secondary degeneration. Sclerosed hemangioma is a rare disease histologically characterized by large amount of collagen and elastic fibril between sclerosed small vessels. Its differential diagnosis is very difficult. It should be included in the differential diagnosis of other hepatic lesions such as hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and metastatic hepatic tumor. A 77-year old male was admitted with upper abdominal discomfort. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed GB stone, dilated common bile duct with bile duct stone, and a 4.6 cm sized hyperechoic mass at segment 5 and 6 of the liver. Abdominal dynamic computed tomography demonstrated dilated intrahepatic bile ducts and a 5 x 5 cm sized mass which showed minimally delayed enhancement. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed the mass with low signal intensity in T1 weighted image, high signal intensity and focal low signal in T2 weighted image which showed minimal enhancement. We removed common bile duct stone with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography then decided to undergo right lower segmentectomy of liver due to possibility of cholangiocarcinoma. Histopathological examination of hepatic mass showed large amount of fibrous tissue with occasional residual vascular channels. We describe one case of sclerosed hemangioma mimicking cholangiocarcinoma.

[The factors related to the prognosis of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Several risk factors, such as size and location, are related to local recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objectives of this study were to clarify factors related to prognosis. METHODS: From October 1999 to December 2002, we performed RFA for 107 consecutive patients with solitary HCC. We evaluated spiral computed tomography and serum alpha-fetoprotein level every 3 months after RFA. Seven possible factors for prognosis were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model: tumor size, tumor location, age, sex, etiology, platelet count, and Child-Pugh classification. Overall survival and disease free survival rate were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between two groups were compared using the log rank test. RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival after radiofrequency ablation were 90.5% at 12 months, 67.4% at 24 months and 46.4% at 36 months and disease free survival were 71.4%, 46.7% and 20.9%, respectively. Using the Cox proportional hazards regression model, it was shown that with regard to overall survival and disease free survival, Child-Pugh classification (P=0.001, P=0.026) and platelet count (P<0.001, P=0.002) were statistically significant factors. The other factors did not have a statistically significant relationship to overall survival and disease free survival. CONCLUSIONS: The size and location known as local recurrence factors were not statistically significant with regard to survival and disease free survival. The Child-Pugh classification and platelet count, that reflect the liver function at the time of RFA, were significant factors for prognosis.

A randomised clinical trial of 10-day concomitant therapy and standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

BACKGROUND: As a result of increased resistance to antibiotics, Helicobacter pylori eradication rates using standard triple therapy have been declining. AIM: To validate the efficacy and tolerability of a concomitant regimen as a first-line treatment for H. pylori infection. METHODS: A total of 348 naïve H. pylori-infected patients from six hospitals in Korea were randomly assigned to concomitant therapy and standard triple therapy groups. The concomitant regimen consisted of 30 mg of lansoprazole, 1g of amoxicillin, 500 mg of clarithromycin, and 500 mg of metronidazole, twice daily for 10 days. The standard triple regimen consisted of 30 mg of lansoprazole, 1g of amoxicillin, and 500 mg of clarithromycin, twice daily for 10 days. RESULTS: Concomitant and standard eradication rates were 78.7% (137/174) vs. 70.7% (123/174) by intention-to-treat (p=0.084) and 88.7% (133/150) vs. 78.4% (120/153) by per-protocol (p=0.016), respectively. The two groups were similar with regard to the incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Although 10-day concomitant therapy was validated as a suboptimal treatment option for the treatment of H. pylori infection, this regimen is expected to be a promising starting point in the development of an optimal treatment regimen for H. pylori infection.

[Clinical characteristics of gastroesophageal reflux disease with esophageal injury in korean: focusing on risk factors].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recent studies suggest that the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing in Korea. However, studies on risk factors for GERD have yielded inconsistent results. The aims of this study were to compare clinical features between symptomatic syndromes without esophageal injury (=non-erosive disease [NED]) and syndromes with esophageal injury (=erosive disease [ED]), and to determine risk factors associated ED. METHODS: A total of 450 subjects who visited gastroenterology clinics of six training hospitals in Daegu from March 2008 to April 2010 were consecutively enrolled. The subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire which inquired about gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. The questionnaire also included questions about smoking, alcohol drinking, consumption of coffee, use of drugs, exercise, and other medical history. The subjects were subdivided into NED and ED groups. RESULTS: The proportion of subjects in each NED and ED group was 172 (38.2%) and 278 (61.8%). Male gender, smoking, alcohol drinking, consumption of coffee, large waist circumference, infrequent medication of antacids, aspirin and NSAIDs, infrequent and mild GERD symptoms were all significantly associated with ED on univariate analysis. Age, hiatal hernia, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, change in weight during 1 year, and number of typical GERD symptoms were not independent risk factors for ED. However, the association between ED and alcohol drinking, infrequent medication of antacids, mild typical GERD symptoms remained as strong risk factors after adjustments on multivariate logistic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Independent risk factors associated with ED were alcohol drinking, infrequent medication of antacids and mild typical GERD symptoms.

A case of primary pancreatic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Primary pancreatic lymphoma is rare, comprising 0.2-4.9% of all pancreatic malignancies and less than 1% of cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Many patients are diagnosed with lymphoma after radical resection. We report a rare presentation of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, appearing as a primary tumor of the pancreas. A 61-year old female was admitted to the hospital with the complaint of right upper abdominal pain. Computed tomography of the abdomen showed a well defined mass located at the head of the pancreas. A frozen section of pancreas, during laparotomy, revealed lymphoma. The patient received 6 cycles of chemotherapy and is currently in complete remission. This case underscores the importance of differentiating primary lymphoma from the more common adenocarcinoma of the pancreas as treatment and prognosis differ significantly. Primary pancreatic lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic tumors and an attempt to obtain a tissue diagnosis is always necessary before proceeding to radical surgery, especially on young patients.

Solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas.

BACKGROUND: Solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a low-grade malignancy, which has been infrequently observed in adolescent and young adult females since first report by Frantz in 1959. In this article, we describe our experience of 8 cases of SPT with the clinical features, diagnosis, treatments, and outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and images of 8 patients who underwent surgery for SPT between January 1995 and December 2004. RESULTS: Seven females and 1 male with the mean age of 29 years (range, 10 to 64) at presentation were identified. Three patients presented palpable abdominal mass, 2 with abdominal pain, and the remainder with no specific symptom. The mean diameter of the tumors was 7.9 cm (range, 4.0 to 10.0). Four were located in the tail, 3 in the body, and 1 in the head. Surgical procedure included distal pancreatectomy with/without splenectomy in 7 patients and Whipple operation in 1 with no surgical morbidity and mortality. All were alive without evidence of recurrence after mean follow-up of 26.4 months (range, 1 to 66). CONCLUSIONS: SPT of the pancreas is an unusual neoplasm and typically occurs in young females presenting well-demarcated pancreatic masses, which are amenable to cure by complete surgical resection.

Clear cell hepatocellular carcinoma with spontaneous regression of primary and metastatic lesions.

The prognosis of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tends to be poor. Spontaneous regression of this lesion is extremely rare. In this report, we describe a case of HCC which spontaneously regressed along with a metastatic lesion of the chest wall. A huge HCC in the right lobe, the largest diameter of which was about 15 x 12 cm, developed in a 72-year-old man. He and his family refused further treatment. Three months after the diagnosis, metastasis to the chest wall was detected. We prescribed a painkiller for him in order to alleviate chest pain. Fourteen months after the diagnosis, the tumor size of the primary lesion was downsized to 3 x 4 cm in diameter. A biopsy taken from the chest wall proved to be clear cell HCC (CHCC). Since then, the metastatic lesion has also disappeared. Here, we report this unusual histologically proven CHCC with literature reviews.