Assessing risk stratification in long-term outcomes of rectal neuroendocrine tumors following endoscopic resection: a multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: While endoscopic resection of rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has significantly increased, long-term data on risk factors for recurrence are still lacking. Our aim is to analyze the long-term outcomes of patients with rectal NETs after endoscopic resection through risk stratification. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective study, we included patients who underwent endoscopic resection of rectal NETs from 2009 to 2018 and were followed for ≥12 months at five university hospitals. We classified the patients into three risk groups according to the clinicopathological status of the rectal neuroendocrine tumors: low, indeterminate, and high. The high-risk group was defined if the tumors have any of the followings: size ≥ 10 mm, lymphovascular invasion, muscularis propria or deeper invasion, positive resection margins, or mitotic count ≥2/10. RESULTS: A total of 346 patients were included, with 144 (41.6%), 121 (35.0%), and 81 (23.4%) classified into the low-, indeterminate-, and high-risk groups, respectively. Among the high-risk group, seven patients (8.6%) received salvage treatment 28 (27-67) days after the initial endoscopic resection, with no reported extracolonic recurrence. Throughout the follow-up period, 1.1% (4/346) of patients experienced extracolonic recurrences at 56.5 (54-73) months after the initial endoscopic resection. Three of these patients (75%) were in the high-risk group and did not undergo salvage treatment. The risk of extracolonic recurrence was significantly higher in the high-risk group compared to the other groups (p = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Physicians should be concerned about the possibility of metastasis during long-term follow-up of high-risk patients and consider salvage treatment.

Quantitative multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of Helicobacter pylori and clarithromycin resistance.

BACKGROUND: Identifying clarithromycin resistance is essential for eradicating Helicobacter pylori (HP). Therefore, we evaluated the performance of Allplex™ H.pylori & ClariR Assay (Allplex™) for diagnosing and detecting clarithromycin resistance in HP. METHODS: Subjects who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy between April 2020 and August 2021 at Incheon St. Mary's hospital were enrolled in this study. The diagnostic performances of Allplex™ and dual priming oligonucleotide (DPO)-based multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were compared with sequencing as the gold standard. RESULTS: A total of 142 gastric biopsy samples were analyzed. Gene sequencing revealed 124 HP infections, 42 A2143G mutations, 2 A2142G mutations, one dual mutation, and no A2142C mutation. DPO-PCR showed 96.0% sensitivity and 100.0% specificity for HP detection; the corresponding rates for Allplex™ were 99.2% and 100.0%. DPO-PCR showed 88.3% sensitivity and 82.0% specificity for A2143G mutation, and Allplex™ showed 97.6% and 96.0%. The Cohen's Kappa coefficient for overall test results was 0.56 for DPO-PCR and 0.95 for Allplex™. CONCLUSION: Allplex™ showed comparable diagnostic performance with direct gene sequencing and non-inferior diagnostic performance to DPO-PCR. Further research is required to confirm whether Allplex™ is an effective diagnostic tool for the eradication of HP.

Association between regular physical activity and lower incidence of colorectal cancer in patients with diabetes mellitus: a nationwide cohort study.

AIM: The aim of this work was to investigate the association between changes in physical activity (PA) status and the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with diabetes. METHOD: This nationwide population study included 1 439 152 patients with diabetes who underwent a health screening provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service between January 2009 and December 2012 and a follow-up screening after 2 years. Based on changes in PA status, participants were categorized into four groups: remained inactive, remained active, active-to-inactive and inactive-to-active. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 5.2 years, 38 244 new cases of CRC were diagnosed. Compared with the remained inactive group, among the three other groups, the remained active group had the lowest risk of CRC [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.93; 95% CI 0.90-0.96], followed by the inactive-to-active group (aHR 0.97; 95% CI 0.94-1.00) and active-to-inactive group (aHR 0.99; 95% CI 0.96-1.02), after adjusting for confounding variables (p = 0.0007). This reduction in cancer incidence in the remained active group was observed for both rectal cancer (aHR 0.87, 95% CI 0.79-0.95) and colon cancer (aHR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.97), irrespective of sex. In terms of the intensity and amount of PA, moderate intensity PA was the most effective, and a positive correlation was found between the amount of PA and the reduction in CRC incidence. CONCLUSION: Regular PA was independently associated with a decreased risk of CRC in patients with diabetes. The intensity and amount of physical activity both play a role in reducing the risk.

Efficacy of Lafutidine Versus Famotidine in Patients with Reflux Esophagitis: A Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Non-inferiority Phase III Trial.

BACKGROUND: There has been no study on the efficacy of lafutidine for patients with reflux esophagitis in Korea. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of a new-generation histamine-2 receptor antagonist, lafutidine, in comparison with famotidine in patients with reflux esophagitis. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority trial enrolling patients with erosive esophagitis. The efficacy and safety of 20 mg lafutidine (treatment group) were compared with those of 40 mg famotidine (control group) and 20 mg omeprazole (reference group). The primary endpoint was the complete healing rates of reflux esophagitis on endoscopy after 8 weeks of treatment. The non-inferiority margin was assumed to be -15 %. RESULTS: The healing rates of reflux esophagitis on endoscopy after 8 weeks of treatment were 70.14 % (101/144) in the lafutidine, 63.45 % (92/145) in the famotidine, and 85.71 % (126/147) in the omeprazole group. The difference in healing rates between the lafutidine and famotidine groups was 6.69 % (95 % confidence interval = [-4.14 to 17.52]). In addition, lafutidine was superior to famotidine in clinical improvement (53.73 % vs. 39.55 %, P = 0.0200). CONCLUSIONS: Lafutidine was non-inferior to famotidine in healing of reflux esophagitis. Lafutidine, however, was superior to famotidine in terms of symptom relief of reflux esophagitis.

Endoscopic resection yields reliable outcomes for small rectal neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We analyzed the characteristics of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors and examined the outcomes and safety of modalities in rectal neuroendocrine tumors. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2011, a total of 91 patients with gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumors were retrospectively reviewed in terms of the characteristics of tumors. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients had rectal neuroendocrine tumors and underwent endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR, n = 29), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD, n = 23), or transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM, n = 14). The complete resection rate was higher in the ESD group (82.7%) and in the TEM group (100%) compared to the EMR group (65.5%) (P < 0.046). The complication rate was higher in the ESD group (47.8%) than in the EMR group (18.5%) (P = 0.003). No local tumor recurrence was observed in all patients, regardless of the procedure, during the median follow-up period of 21.5 ± 13.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: ESD achieved a higher complete resection rate than EMR and comparable to TEM. Tumor recurrence was not observed in the endoscopic resection and TEM groups, regardless of the completeness of resection. Small neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract can be managed reliably with both endoscopic resection and TEM.

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori according to 23S ribosomal RNA point mutations associated with clarithromycin resistance.

BACKGROUND: Clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori is associated with point mutations in the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. METHODS: A total of 1232 patients participated and were divided into 2 control groups and 1 case group. Patients in the APC control group, which consisted of 308 randomly assigned participants, were treated with standard triple therapy, consisting of amoxicillin, rabeprazole, and clarithromycin; 308 participants in the APM control group were treated with amoxicillin, rabeprazole, and metronidazole. For the 616 participants in the case group, a test for point mutations in the 23S rRNA gene of H. pylori was conducted. A total of 218 individuals in the case group received a new tailored therapy regimen, in which amoxicillin, rabeprazole, and clarithromycin were given in the absence of a mutation, whereas clarithromycin was replaced by metronidazole if the mutation was detected. RESULTS: The rate of eradication of H. pylori in the tailored group was 91.2% (176/193), which was significantly higher than that in the APC (75.9% [214/282]; P < .001) and APM (79.1% [219/277]; P < .001) control groups. CONCLUSION: The rate of H. pylori eradication among patients who received tailored therapy on the basis of detection of a clarithromycin resistance mutation by polymerase chain reaction was much higher than the rate among patients who received a standard triple therapy regimen. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT0145303.

Risk factors for delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage is a rare but serious complication. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for the development of delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study of patients who developed delayed hematochezia after receiving colonoscopic polypectomy. The control patients underwent uneventful polypectomy and were selected at a 4:1 ratio. RESULTS: Of the 7447 lesions examined from the 3253 patients who received colonoscopic polypectomy, 53 lesions (0.7%) of 42 patients (1.3%) developed delayed hemorrhage, and 168 patients were selected as controls. According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, a polyp larger than 10 mm (odds ratio [OR] 2.355, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.225-4.528, P = 0.010), a pedunculated polyp (OR 3.473, 95% CI 1.576-7.657, P = 0.002), and a polyp located in the right hemi-colon (OR 2.690, 95% CI 1.465-4.940, P = 0.001) were significant risk factors for delayed post-polypectomy hemorrhage. The presence of comorbidities did not increase the risk of delayed hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Polyp size (large), shape (pedunculated), and location (right hemi-colon) represented substantial risk factors for the development of delayed hemorrhage after colonoscopic polypectomy.

[Clinical Impact Assessment and Utilization Prospects of the t(11:18) Chromosomal Translocation in Gastric MALT Lymphoma in Koreans: A Single Center Retrospective Analysis].

Background/Aims: The gastric extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (gastric MALT lymphoma) are mostly related to Helicobacter pylori infections. However, chromosomal aberration involving translocation t(11;18) is also frequently reported in these patients. Methods: The study was a retrospective review and analysis of electronic medical records to assess the factors which affect complete remission (CR) in patients with gastric MALT lymphoma. Based on the medical records, subjects with gastric MALT lymphoma were enrolled consecutively from January 2004 to December 2021. Results: Among the 77 subjects who were found with gastric MALT lymphoma in the database, 65 cases with complete records were analyzed. Of these, 66.2% (43/65) were H. pylori positive. Genetic analyses for t(11:18) were done on 41 subjects. The t(11:18) chromosomal translocation with MALT1:BIRC3 fusion was found in 31.7% (13/41) of the subjects. With H. pylori eradication therapy, 75% (21/28) of the subjects without t(11:18) achieved CR. However, only 23.1% (3/13) subjects with t(11:18) could achieve CR (p-value= 0.009). In the H. pylori-positive group, 85.7% (18/21) subjects without t(11:18) achieved CR with eradication therapy, but 71.4% (5/7) subjects with t(11:18) failed to achieve CR (p-value=0.004). In the H. pylori-negative group, 42.3% (3/7) of the subjects without t(11:18) achieved CR with eradication therapy. However, 83.3% (5/6) of H. pylori-negative subjects with t(11:18) failed to achieve CR with eradication therapy and needed additional radiotherapy (p-value=0.396). Conclusions: H. pylori negativity and the presence of t(11:18) were both risk factors for failure to achieve CR with H. pylori eradication therapy as the first line of treatment.

The benefit of the bismuth add-on to the 2-week clarithromycin-based triple regimen for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a propensity score-matched retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Bismuth salt is bacteriostatic and bactericidal against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Little is known about the benefit of bismuth itself. Recently in Korea, government regulation changed to allow bismuth add-on to conventional triple eradication regimens. Study aimed the additional benefit of the bismuth add-on to the 2-week clarithromycin-based triple regimen for H. pylori eradication. METHODS: A single-centered retrospective review of electronic medical records was conducted in Seoul, Korea. Treatment-naïve H. pylori infected subjects treated with the clarithromycin-based triple regimen were consecutively enrolled. After propensity score matching, 118 subjects who were treated with rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 14 days (PAC) and matched 118 subjects with PAC plus bismuth subcitrate potassium 300 mg twice daily for 14 days (PACB) were included in the final analysis. The primary endpoint was the eradication success rates in each group.Article title: Kindly check and confirm the edit made in the article title.Yes, I agree with the article title.  RESULTS: The eradication success rates were 91.5% (86.4-96.6%) for PACB regimen and 81.4% (74.2-88.5%) for PAC in the intention-to-treat analysis, and 97.3% (94.2-100%) for PACB and 88.1% (81.9-94.3%) for PAC in the per-protocol analysis. The relative risk of eradication failure for PACB over PAC was calculated as 0.184 (0.0492-0688, p value = 0.005) in multiple regression logistic analysis. Compliance and adverse event incidence were not different between the two groups.Author names: Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). Author 1 Given name: [Da Wit], Last name: [Shin]. Author 2 Given name: [Dae Young], Last name: [Cheung]. Author 3 Given name: [Ji Hee], Last name: [Song]. Author 4 Given name: [Fan Hee], Last name: [Lee]. Author 5 Given name: [Jin Il], Last name: [Kim]. Yes. I found the names presented are accurate and in the correct sequence. Author 1 Given name: [Da Wit], Last name: [Shin].Author 2 Given name: [Dae Young], Last name: [Cheung].Author 3 Given name: [Ji Hee], Last name: [Song].Author 6 Given name: [Han Hee], Last name: [Lee].Author 7 Given name: [Jin Il], Last name: [Kim]. CONCLUSION: The bismuth add-on to the 2-week clarithromycin-based triple regimen increased the eradication success rate.

The pattern of metachronous recurrence after endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric adenocarcinoma and dysplasias.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Metachronous recurrence incidences and risk factors following endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric adenocarcinoma and dysplasias were investigated. METHODS: Retrospective review of electronic medical records of patients who underwent gastric ESD at The Catholic University of Korea, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital. RESULTS: A total of 190 subjects were enrolled for analysis during the study period. The mean age was 64.4 years-old and the male sex occupied 73.7%. The mean observation period following ESD was 3.45 years. The annual incidence rate of metachronous gastric neoplasms (MGN) was about 3.96%. The annual incidence rate was 5.36% for the low-grade dysplasia group, 6.47% for the high-grade dysplasia group, and 2.74% for the EGC group. MGN was more frequent in the dysplasia group than in the EGC group (p<0.05). For those with MGN development, the mean time interval from ESD to MGN was 4.1 (±1.8) years. By using the Kaplan-Meier model, the estimated mean MGN free survival time was 9.97 years (95% confidence interval, 8.53-11.40) The histological types of MGN were not related to the primary histology types. CONCLUSION: MGN following ESD developed in 3.96% annually and MGN was more frequent in the dysplasia group. The histological types of MGN did not correlate with those of primary neoplasm.

Five-year Progress of Gastric MALT Lymphoma Presenting as Gastric Outlet Obstruction.

This paper reports a 70-year-old female with gastric extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (gastric MALT lymphoma) as a rare case of gastric outlet obstruction. Five years earlier, she initially presented with weight loss and anemia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed multiple gastric and duodenal ulcers with a pyloric deformity, while histology revealed chronic active inflammation and a Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Three years earlier, she underwent EGD per the National Cancer Screening Program and was diagnosed with antral and duodenal ulcers. A forceps biopsy specimen from one of the ulcers showed the findings of gastric MALT lymphoma, but she did not visit the hospital for proper management. She visited complaining of a loss of appetite. EGD revealed a gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) caused by antral deformity and pyloric narrowing. A staged workup with CT and PET revealed full-layered, encircling antral wall thickening and several enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. She was finally diagnosed with a gastric MALT lymphoma at Ann Arbor stage I1E with translocation t(11;18). She was treated with palliative surgery for GOO and systemic chemotherapy with a CHOP regimen. This paper reports a gastric MALT lymphoma that progressed from superficial mucosal lesions to an overt mass with regional lymph node metastasis for five years.

[Factors Associated with the Clinical Outcomes of Iatrogenic Colonic Perforation].

Background/Aims: This study evaluated the incidence of iatrogenic colonic perforation (ICP) in a high-volume center and analyzed the clinical outcomes and associated factors. Methods: As a retrospective study of the electronic medical records, the whole data of patients who underwent colonoscopy from June 2004 to May 2020 were reviewed. Results: During 16 years, 69,458 procedures were performed, of which 60,288 were diagnostic and 9,170 were therapeutic. ICP occurred in 0.027% (16/60,288) for diagnostic colonoscopies and in 0.076% (7/9,170) for therapeutic purposes (p=0.015; hazard ratio 2.878; 95% CI, 1.184-6.997). Fifty-two percent (12 cases) were managed with endoscopic clip closure, and 43.5% (10 cases) required surgery. The reasons for the procedure and the procedure timing appeared to affect the treatment decision. Perforations during therapeutic colonoscopy were treated with surgery more often than those for diagnostic purposes (66.7% [4/6] vs. 37.5% [6/16], p=0.221). Regarding the timing of the procedure, ICP that occurred in the afternoon session was more likely treated surgically (56.3% [9/16] vs. 0/5, p=0.027). Mortality occurred in two patients (2/23, 8.7%). Both were aged (mean age 84.0±1.4 vs. 65.7±10.5, p<0.001) and lately recognized (mean elapsed time [hours], 43.8±52.5 vs. 1.5±3.0, p<0.001) than the surviving patients. Conclusions: ICP occurs in less than 0.1% of cases. The events that occurred during the morning session were more likely managed endoscopically. Age over 80 years and a longer time before perforation recognition were associated with mortality.

Randomised clinical trial: comparison of tegoprazan and placebo in non-erosive reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Tegoprazan is a novel, fast- and long-acting potassium-competitive acid blocker that suppresses gastric acid secretion, which could benefit patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), a type of gastroesophageal reflux disease. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of tegoprazan compared with those of a placebo in Korean patients with NERD. METHODS: In this phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study, 324 Korean patients with NERD were randomised into three treatment groups: tegoprazan 50 mg, tegoprazan 100 mg and placebo. These drugs were provided once daily for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with complete resolution of major symptoms (both heartburn and regurgitation) for the last 7 days of the 4-week treatment period. Other outcomes related to efficacy, safety and tolerability were also evaluated. RESULTS: Among all, 42.5% (45/106), 48.5% (48/99) and 24.2% (24/99) of patients showed complete resolution of major symptoms at week 4 after receiving tegoprazan 50 mg, tegoprazan 100 mg, and placebo, respectively. Both doses of tegoprazan showed superior efficacy than the placebo (P = 0.0058 and P = 0.0004, respectively). The complete resolution rates of heartburn and proportions of heartburn-free days (as other efficacy outcomes) were significantly higher in both tegoprazan groups than in the placebo group (P < 0.05 for all). No significant difference in the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Tegoprazan 50 and 100 mg showed superior therapeutic efficacy compared with the placebo, as well as a favourable safety profile in patients with NERD. Registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02556021.

Clinical trial: inhibitory effect of revaprazan on gastric acid secretion in healthy male subjects.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Revaprazan is a novel acid pump antagonist. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of revaprazan on gastric acid secretion in healthy male subjects. METHODS: In a double-blind, three-way cross-over study, 30 healthy male volunteers were randomized to 100, 150 or 200 mg of oral revaprazan daily for 7 days. Serum gastrin concentration was measured, and 24-h intragastric pH was recorded at baseline and on days 1 and 7 of each administration period. Serial blood samples were processed for pharmacokinetics. RESULTS: Median intragastric pH over 24 h and mean percentage time that pH was > 4 increased in a dose-dependent manner and were significantly higher on days 1 and 7 compared with baseline in all groups (P < 0.05). The antisecretory effect of revaprazan was rapid and nearly maximal on day 1 in all groups. Serum gastrin levels were rapidly normalized by 100 and 150 mg/day of revaprazan on days 1 and 7, but were significantly higher in the 200 mg/day revaprazan group. The pharmacokinetic effect was rapidly absorbed and eliminated on days 1 and 7 in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Revaprazan rapidly and effectively inhibits gastric acid secretion in healthy male subjects. Therefore, revaprazan can be used as an effective drug for acid-related disease.

Incidence and etiology of overt gastrointestinal bleeding in adult patients with aplastic anemia.

Patients with thrombocytopenia caused by various neoplastic and primary bone marrow diseases are susceptible to major hemorrhage. There are few reports addressing the incidence and outcome of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in patients with aplastic anemia characterized by long-standing thrombocytopenia. We sought to retrospectively determine the incidence, etiology, clinical outcomes, and risk factors associated with overt GI bleeding in patients with aplastic anemia. We analyzed the medical records of 508 patients with aplastic anemia after excluding patients below 15 years of age or those who underwent stem cell transplantation between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2007. A total of 32 patients developed overt GI bleeding during this period. We evaluated the site, etiology, outcomes, and major risk factors in these patients who developed GI bleeding episodes. The incidence of GI bleeding was 6.3% (32 of 508 patients) in adult patients with aplastic anemia. The incidence increased to 12.6% (28 of 222 patients) in patients with severe disease. One patient died from massive GI bleeding. Bleeding sites included the esophagus (two patients, 6.3%), stomach (five, 16.3%), duodenum (two, 6.3%), small intestine (five, 15.6%), large intestine (seven, 21.6%), and unknown site (11, 34.4%). Lower GI bleeds mainly caused by neutropenic enterocolitis (NEC) and solitary ulcer developed more frequently than upper GI bleeds. The major risk factors for GI bleeding included old age (P = 0.004, odds ratio (OR) = 1.039), severe aplastic anemia (P < 0.001, OR = 11.934), non-response to therapy (P = 0.001, OR = 5.652), and major bleeding history in another organ (P < 0.001, OR = 6.677). Overt GI bleeding in patients with aplastic anemia more frequently develops in the lower tract than in the upper tract. The risk of GI bleeding is higher in patients with the following risk factors: older age, severe disease, poor response to treatment, and major bleeding history in another organ.

A case of spontaneous regression of advanced gastric cancer.

An 84 yr-old male with a history of nausea and vomiting for 3 weeks was admitted to our hospital. Esopahgogastroduodenoscopy showed the diffuse infiltrative type of gastric cancer encircling from the cardia to the lower body. On abdominal computerized tomography, the gastric wall was diffusely thickened with overlying mucosal enhancement without lymph node involvement. Histologic examination revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. So surgical resection was planned. However, patient refused all medical care, and then he was discharged. He lived without any medical support and then he revisited our hospital and showed relieved symptoms on the follow-up exam. On esophagogastroduodenoscopy, the gastric mucosa of the body looked normal without any dysplastic change. Abdominal CT revealed a decreased thickening of the gastric wall of the body. The histology from the endoscopic forceps biopsy showed no evidence of malignancy. The patient is alive without any sign of tumor recurrence after 14 months.

[A case of hemophagocytic syndrome in an ulcerative colitis patient].

A case of hemophagocytic syndrome associated with ulcerative colitis is very rare. A 32-year-old man visited the hospital complaining of fever and severe abdominal pain for 7 days. He was diagnosed to have ulcerative colitis 2 years ago and had been treated with sulfasalazine. Three months ago, he had abdominal pain, weight loss, and hematochezia, so prednisolone and mercaptopurine were added to the treatment. On admission, the physical examination showed splenomegaly. Peripheral blood counts revealed pancytopenia, and bone marrow aspirate smears showed many histiocytes with active hemophagocytosis. There was no evidence of viral and bacterial infections and other neoplasms, which were commonly associated with hemophagocytic syndrome. He was successfully treated with high dose steroid. We report this case along with a review of the related literatures.

[Remission of ulcerative colitis after appendectomy: a case report].

The inverse correlation of appendectomy and ulcerative colitis is well known, but the effect of appendectomy on the clinical course of ulcerative colitis remains unclear. Although the majority of opinions were negative for the therapeutic advantage of appendectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis, advocates for positive effect of appendectomy have been proposed in a few case reports and a prospective study from Western countries. We herein report a case of ulcerative colitis who experienced clinical remission after appendectomy for acute appendicitis. The patient was 35 year old male and had been managed with immunosuppressant before appendectomy. The very acute change in clinical course and a long period of remission after appendectomy highly suggest the therapeutic effect of appendectomy for ulcerative colitis.

Randomised clinical trial: tegoprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, or lansoprazole in the treatment of gastric ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Tegoprazan is a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker for the treatment of acid-related disorders. AIMS: To assess whether tegoprazan is non-inferior to lansoprazole in terms of efficacy and safety in patients with gastric ulcers. METHODS: In this phase 3, double-blind, active control, multicentre study, 306 gastric ulcer patients were randomised to one of three treatment groups: tegoprazan 50 mg, tegoprazan 100 mg and lansoprazole 30 mg once daily for 4 or 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was the cumulative proportion of patients with healed ulcers confirmed by endoscopy up to 8 weeks from treatment initiation. Symptoms and safety were assessed. RESULTS: In the full analysis set, the cumulative healing rates at week 8 were 94.8% (91/96) for the tegoprazan 50 mg, 95.0% (94/99) for the tegoprazan 100 mg and 95.7% (89/93) for the lansoprazole 30 mg groups. At week 4, the respective healing rates were 90.6% (87/96), 91.9% (91/99), and 89.2% (83/93). In per protocol analysis, 4-week healing rates were 95.4% (84/88), 94.6% (88/93) and 92.9% (79/85) for tegoprazan 50 mg, tegoprazan 100 mg and lansoprazole 30 mg, respectively. Both doses of tegoprazan were non-inferior to lansoprazole in ulcer healing at 4 and 8 weeks. The incidence of drug-related treatment-emergent adverse events did not differ among groups. The increase in serum gastrin concentration was not higher in tegoprazan-treated patients than in lansoprazole-treated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Tegoprazan 50 or 100 mg were not inferior to lansoprazole 30 mg once daily in the treatment of gastric ulcers.