Failure to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection is more frequent among HIV-positive patients.

OBJECTIVES: Helicobacter pylori is a worldwide infection, but little is known about the efficacy of treatment for H. pylori infection in HIV-positive patients. The goal of this work was to evaluate outcomes after first-line H. pylori treatment and identify risk factors for failure in HIV-positive patients. METHODS: This registry study of unmatched H. pylori-infected HIV-positive patients and HIV-negative obese pre-bariatric surgery controls was performed in a tertiary university hospital. Cases were enrolled from 2006 to 2017, controls from 2007 to 2014, and both received standard of care. An additional 'optimal' subgroup of cases was enrolled prospectively from 2017 to 2019 which was treated only on the basis of antibiogram, drug interaction search and additional support by one referent physician. Helicobacter pylori eradication failure rates were compared according to clinical, microbiological and pathological parameters and treatment. RESULTS: We analysed 258 HIV-positive patients and 204 HIV-negative control patients. Helicobacter pylori eradication failure rates were markedly greater in cases (24.1%) than in controls (8.8%). The proportions of levofloxacin and metronidazole resistance were greater in cases than in controls (P < 0.05). Among cases treated with H. pylori triple therapy (S3T), the 'optimal' subgroup experienced a 9.5% failure rate vs. 28.6% with other strategies (P = 0.01). Risk factors for failure were H. pylori treatment strategy, exposure to antiretroviral treatment, and alcohol status. Overall, positive HIV status was a risk factor for S3T eradication failure. CONCLUSIONS: Patients co-infected with H. pylori and HIV frequently failed to eradicate H. pylori and this was related to treatment strategy, antiretroviral exposure and lifestyle.

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: The current literature suggests that there has been a decrease in opportunistic diseases among HIV-infected patients since the widespread introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1995. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of HAART and CD4 lymphocyte count on diseases of the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract, digestive symptoms, and endoscopic and histological observations. METHODS: A review of 706 HIV-infected patients who underwent GI endoscopy was undertaken. The cohort was divided into three groups: group 1 (G1), pre-HAART, consisting of 239 patients who underwent endoscopy between January 1991 and December 1994; group 2 (G2), early HAART, consisting of 238 patients who underwent endoscopy between January 1999 and December 2002; and group 3 (G3), recent HAART, consisting of 229 patients who underwent endoscopy between January 2005 and December 2008. Parameters studied included age, gender, opportunistic chemoprophylaxis, antiretroviral therapies, CD4 cell counts, symptoms, observations at the first UGI endoscopy and histology. RESULTS: When G1, G2 and G3 were compared, significant increases were seen over time in the following parameters: the percentage of women, the mean CD4 cell count, and the frequencies of reflux symptoms, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), inflammatory gastropathy, gastric ulcer and Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection. Significant decreases were seen in the frequencies of the administration of anti-opportunistic infection prophylaxis, odynophagia/dysphagia, acute/chronic diarrhoea, candida oesophagitis, nonspecific oesophageal ulcer and Kaposi sarcoma. No significant change was observed in the other parameters, i.e. digestive bleeding, duodenal ulcer and inflammatory duodenopathy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a correlation between the improvement of immunity as a result of more efficient antiviral therapy and the decrease in the frequency of digestive diseases in AIDS, mainly opportunistic pathologies. However, HP infection, reflux symptoms and GERD have increased in the HAART era.

Video. Laparoscopic transgastric access to the common bile duct after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

INTRODUCTION: Rapid weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) often is associated with gallstones formation, which can lead to cholecystitis and/or choledocholithiasis. Difficult access to the biliary tract is one of the disadvantages after RYGBP. We report a useful technique of laparoscopic transgastric access to the gastric remnant for an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). CASE REPORT: A 40-year-old woman with a BMI of 48 kg/m(2), was submitted to a laparoscopic RYGBP in December 2003. At that time the abdominal ultrasound was negative for gallbladder lithiasis. In April 2007, she was admitted for upper right side abdominal pain, vomiting episodes, fever, and jaundice; the BMI at the time was 24 kg/m(2). Hepatic ultrasound showed lithiasis of the common bile duct with intra- and extrahepatic bile duct dilation, as well as gallbladder lithiasis. The patient was taken to the operating room for laparoscopic evaluation. A pursestring suture was performed on the greater curvature of the gastric remnant. After the opening of the stomach, an 18-mm trocar was inserted into the lumen and the endoscope was directly passed through the port into the duodenum. An ERCP was performed under fluoroscopic guidance, and as a result of sphincterotomy the stone was retrieved. After removing the endoscope, the gastrotomy was closed by tying the pursestring. Cholecystectomy was performed as well. RESULTS: The procedure lasted 98 min. Liver function tests returned normal on postoperative day 2, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 4. After 9 months, the patient was well and asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: Patients previously submitted to RYGBP and presenting choledocholithiasis can benefit from an ERCP through the gastric remnant.

[Heartburn: gastro-oesophageal reflux in 9 pictures]. / Le pyrosis: reflux gastro-oesophagien en 9 tableaux.

This article summarises the conference which took place during the " Centre Universitaire de Médecine Générale de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles" (C.U.M.G.-U.L.B.) Seminar in April 7-14, 2007. It is in no way an extensive review about gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but instead an attempt of answering the most frequently asked questions by the general practitioner, reported in 9 pictures: 1. Definition, prevalence and physiopathology. 2. Work up and role of endoscopy. 3. Medical treatment. 4. PPI: Equivalence of the medications? Equivalence of the generic drugs? 5. Barrett's esophagus. 6. Reflux and negative endoscopy. 7. Extra-oesophageal manifestations. 8. Surgical treatments. 9. Endoscopic treatments.

Inhibition of human colonic epithelial cell proliferation in vivo and in vitro by calcium.

Nine patients at high risk of developing colon cancer were placed on daily p.o. supplementation of 1500 mg of calcium for 4-8 weeks. The colonic epithelial cells in six of these patients showed a statistically significant decrease in their [3H]thymidine labeling indices in tissue culture so that they resembled those of patients at low risk of developing colon cancer. The three nonresponders had similar labeling indices before and after calcium supplementation. Biopsies from each of nine high-risk patients exhibited a decrease in proliferation when they were cultured in vitro with a high level of CaCl2 (2.2 mM compared with the 0.1 mM optimum value for proliferation). Two adenomas and two carcinomas showed a different pattern of response than normal cells, exhibiting no inhibition of growth at 2.2 mM CaCl2. These data indicate that the growth inhibition induced by high levels of extracellular calcium levels is lost at a stage in tumor development before cells become malignant.

Modulation of high-dose infusional fluorouracil by low-dose methotrexate in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer: final results of a randomized European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Study.

PURPOSE: Methotrexate (MTX) has been described to modulate the activity of fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer Cooperative Group (GITCCG) conducted a phase III trial to investigate the efficacy and tolarability of the addition of low-dose MTX (40 mg/m2) to high-dose infusional 5-FU (60 mg/kg over 48 hours) given weekly for 4 weeks and thereafter every 2 (for 4 weeks) and 3 weeks. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred ten patients were randomized between 1987 and 1992. Eligible patients had measurable advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer and had not been pretreated with antifolates or fluorodinated pyrimidines. All 297 eligible patients were evaluated for survival; toxicity was assessed in 292 patients who received at least one course of treatment. Patients with bidimensionally measurable disease (n = 230) were also evaluated for response according to standard criteria. RESULTS: The addition of low-dose MTX to high-dose infusional 5-FU led to a doubling of the response rate from 10% to 21% (P = .025). The median survival time also increased from 9.3 to 12.5 months, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .12). High-dose infusional 5-FU with or without low-dose MTX was well tolerated, with grade 3 to 4 toxicity in greater than 10% of patients only occurring for stomatitis with the combination treatment. Performance status was the sole prognostic factor for survival in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Low-dose MTX effectively modulated high-dose infusional 5-FU in a large, randomized trial in which less than 5% of patients received leucovorin.

Evaluation of antiandrogen therapy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: results of a European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer multicentric double-blind trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of antiandrogen therapy on overall survival and response in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 244 patients with unresectable HCC were included in this multicentric double-blind trial. According to a two-by-two factorial design, patients were randomly assigned to receive one of the following treatments: pure antiandrogen plus placebo (A+P group, 60 patients); luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist plus placebo (LHRH+P group, 62 patients); pure antiandrogen plus LHRH agonist (A+LHRH group, 62 patients); or placebo plus placebo (P+P group, 60 patients). Pure antiandrogen consisted of Anandron (Roussel-Uclaf Laboratory, Romainville, France) administered orally (300 mg daily for 1 month, then 150 mg daily). LHRH consisted of goseriline acetate (3.6 mg) or triptoreline (3.75 mg) administered monthly by subcutaneous injection. Treatment was given until death. Response was evaluated every 8 weeks according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. RESULTS: Six patients were considered ineligible. One patient had a complete response (A+P arm) and three had a partial response (two in the LHRH+P arm and one in the A+LHRH arm). An overall log-rank test did not demonstrate any significant difference in survival among the four arms. Taking the factorial design into account, comparison of survival showed no significant difference between Anandron-containing regimens and others, or between LHRH-containing regimens and others. No serious side effects occurred for any regimen. CONCLUSION: This controlled study shows clearly the lack of efficacy of androgen treatment in unresectable HCC.

Injury induced by fatty acids or bile acid in isolated human colonocytes prevented by calcium.

Measurement of the modulation of the growth fraction of isolated normal colonocytes from adult subjects in primary monolayer culture was used as a sensitive quantitative assay to evaluate toxic effects of several endogenous compounds found within the colon. This assay was used to study the role of CaCl2 in blocking cell injury. When added simultaneously with the injurious agent, 5-10 mM CaCl2 blocked the toxicity of physiological concentrations of deoxycholic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and linoleic acid.

Gastric screening prospects.

The incidence of gastric cancer is rapidly declining in the Western world, but it remains high in the Third World and in Japan. Systematic screening for gastric cancer has been undertaken in Japan, where barium X-ray is used in people over the age of 40. Evaluation data suggest a benefit in reduced mortality, but biases cannot be ruled out. A similar screening programme has been started in Venezuela. Currently, stomach cancer screening programmes cannot be recommended as public health policy, except in high-risk areas where they have already started. The Correa model of gastric carcinogenesis states that environmental influences cause a normal gastric mucosa to undergo successive stepwise changes, through superficial gastritis, atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia, carcinoma and, finally, invasion. Incriminated environmental influences include irritant, antibodies, gastrectomy, nutritional deficits, intake of nitrogen compounds and Helicobacter pylori. These bacteria cause a chronic superficial gastritis, which may develop into atrophic gastritis. H. pylori is less frequently found in advancing preneoplastic lesions, and seldomly in gastric carcinoma tissue (it may, however, be identified more readily in the surrounding non-cancerous tissue). Several lines of evidence suggest that H. pylori may play an important role in human gastric carcinogenesis. We found that in some patients with H. pylori infection and without preneoplastic lesions, the gastric cell turnover was increased; this was correlated with the intensity of the inflammatory changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Helicobacter pylori: the link with gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is the world's overall second most common cancer, and carries a bad prognosis. In the Correa model of gastric carcinogenesis, environmental factors (salt, nitrate, a lack of vitamin C and beta-carotene, bile reflux, bacterial overgrowth in atrophic gastritis with nitrosamine formation) are related to the evolution from normal gastric tissue through superficial gastritis, multifocal atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia to carcinoma. The incidence of H. pylori decreases with progressing preneoplastic lesions. In several studies, the prevalence of H. pylori was elevated in patients with gastric cancer, with a trend for a higher prevalence in intestinal type gastric cancer vs diffuse type. Family members of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma have a higher H. pylori prevalence than controls; patients infected with H. pylori have more family members with gastric cancer. Several epidemiological studies showed a higher H. pylori prevalence in regions or populations with high gastric cancer risk vs low-risk populations. Large-scale studies in China and Europe showed a correlation between H. pylori seroprevalence and gastric cancer incidence and mortality. Three prospective nested case-control studies showed that infection with H. pylori increased the risk of further development of gastric adenocarcinoma, showing that H. pylori infection precedes the development of gastric cancer. Several pathways can be identified explaining the association between H. pylori and gastric adenocarcinoma. We showed that gastric cell proliferation is increased in parallel with inflammation. The ascorbic acid concentrating mechanism is abolished in gastritis. Ammonia, generated by H. pylori's urease, gives rise to gastric mucosal atrophy. We showed that salt increases the gastric cell proliferation only in H. pylori-infected individuals. The organism's toxin may play a role in gastric cancer. Besides H. pylori, other environmental factors are important in determining the gastric cancer risk. For instance, we showed that in Belgium, Maghreb immigrants have a high prevalence of H. pylori infection but a low prevalence of intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer. Gastric lymphoma is rare (about 5% of all gastric tumours), but its incidence is steadily increasing. It was shown that H. pylori also increases the risk for low-grade as well as high-grade gastric lymphoma. Eradication of H. pylori has been shown to cure several cases of unequivocally proven gastric low-grade lymphoma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Omeprazole-based antimicrobial therapies: results in 198 Helicobacter pylori-positive patients.

AIM: To compare the efficacies of omeprazole-based antimicrobial therapies in Helicobacter pylori-positive patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the results of seven therapeutic trials combining omeprazole, clarithromycin, amoxycillin, colloidal bismuth subcitrate and tinidazole in 198 patients (peptic ulcer disease/non-ulcerative dyspepsia, 137/61) to eradicate H. pylori infection. The diagnosis of infection was performed by Sydney system biopsies, compliance was checked after a pill count at the end of the treatment and eradication was assessed at least 4 weeks after the end of the treatment either by the Sydney system for peptic ulcer disease or the urease breath test for non-ulcerative dyspepsia. RESULTS: When results were analysed on a protocol basis, the only significant difference in eradication (P = 0.006) was found between the total population of patients treated with amoxycillin-based combinations (27 eradications out of 48 patients) and those given a treatment that included clarithromycin (84 eradications out of 108). Forty-two patients (21%) dropped out either because of side effects (10 among patients taking clarithromycin and two taking amoxycillin) or because they were lost to follow-up (27 patients). Out of 64 patients with active ulcers, 43 (67%) were both H. pylori-negative and ulcer-free 4-8 weeks after the end of therapy, 12 out of 64 (19%) were ulcer-free but remained H. pylori-positive and nine out of 64 (14%) were H. pylori-positive and had active ulceration.

[Treatment of adenocarcinoma of Vater's ampulla]. / Traitement de l'adénocarcinome de l'ampoule de Vater.

We reviewed the records of 51 patients. In two-thirds of the cases the main symptom was icterus; one third presented with pain. The whole group underwent a retrograde choledocho-pancreatography. An abnormal papilla was found in 80% of the cases. This finding proved to be of sufficient diagnostic importance without the necessity of an associated choledocho-pancreatography for diagnostic confirmation. Although in the majority of the cases the choledochus proved to be dilated, pancreatic duct enlargment was only noted in 50%. The only treatment in the very elderly patient was endoscopic sphincterotomy. Younger patients underwent a duodeno-pancreatectomy preceded by an endoscopic sphincterotomy. The morbidity and mortality associated with endoscopic opacification of the biliary and pancreatic ducts and sphincterotomy in this setting is much higher than for all other indications in general. For this reason we propose to perform a choledocho-pancreatography only when indispensable for diagnostic purposes (nl. papilla) or when endoscopic sphincterotomy is the chosen treatment modality.

Endoscopic palliative intubation of inoperable malignant esophagogastric obstruction.

In patients with obstructive tumors of the esophagus and who cannot undergo curative surgery, endoscopic palliative intubation can provide a quick relief to dysphagia with subsequent improvement of nutritional status. The technical success rate is as high as 95%. Broncho-esophageal fistulas can be occluded by esophageal prosthesis. The most serious complication is perforation, which incidence is 6 to 8%. The other rare complications are bleeding or aspiration pneumonia. The overall survival rate is only 6 months, but with a significant improvement in the quality of life. Endoscopic intubation is now challenged by laser therapy; their specific indications and advantages are discussed.

A rare case of hematemesis following gastro-duodenal strongyloides infection.

We report the case of a 30-year old Black African man with a two-year history of nausea, abdominal discomfort and pruritus due to infection with Strongyloides stercoralis, which was successfully treated, but then complicated by the development of a bleeding pseudo-tumor in the duodenum. A review of the literature was performed.

Endoscopic palliation of malignant dysphagia.

In patients with obstructive tumors of the esophagus and who cannot undergo curative surgery, endoscopic palliative methods can provide a quick relief of dysphagia with subsequent improvement of nutritional status. The technical success rate is as high as 95% for intubation and 100% for laser therapy. Both methods have their specific indications. Intubation is often able to provide quick and definitive palliation while laser therapy requires several sessions and relapses of obstruction are frequent. On the other hand, intubation carries a high risk of perforation (8.7%), and laser appears to be safer (1.7% perforation). Both methods can be combined in many instances, and their association with afterloading or external beam radiation therapy can be beneficial. Even if the overall survival rate is only 6 to 7 months, the improvement of the quality of life is the priority goal of these methods.

[Barrett's esophagus. Characterization and monitoring policy]. / Oesophage de Barrett. caractérisation et politique de surveillance.

The authors review the literature about the assessment of risks of adenocarcinoma occurring over the natural history of Barrett's oesophagus with an incidence much higher than in the general population. The best marker is histological analysis of the cylindric epithelium for signs of dysplasia or early carcinoma. Although there is much controversy about the practical benefit of regular surveillance, the authors recommend a yearly endoscopy with multiple site biopsies. With the new potent drugs aimed at controlling gastro-oesophageal reflux, regression of metaplasia might occur, as the authors have observed in 3 patients treated by 60 mg omeprazole. However, prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding and its possible effect on reducing the risk of adenocarcinoma.