Alcoholic beverages and gastric epithelial cell viability: effect on oxidative stress-induced damage.

UNLABELLED: Alcohol is known to cause damage to the gastric epithelium independently of gastric acid secretion. Different alcoholic beverages exert different damaging effects in the stomach. However, this has not been systematically evaluated. Moreover, it is not known whether the non-alcoholic components of alcoholic beverages also play a role in the pathogenesis of gastric epithelial cell damage. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate whether different alcoholic beverages, at a similar ethanol concentration, exerted different damaging effect in gastric epithelial cells in vitro. Moreover, we evaluated whether pre-treatment of gastric epithelial cells with alcoholic beverages prevented oxidative stress-induced damage to gastric cells. Cell damage was assessed, in MKN-28 gastric epithelial cells, by MTT assay. Oxidative stress was induced by incubating cells with xanthine and xanthine oxidase. Gastric cell viability was assessed following 30, 60, and 120 minutes incubation with ethanol 17.5-125 mg/ml(-1) or different alcoholic beverages (i.e., beer, white wine, red wine, spirits) at comparable ethanol concentration. Finally, we assessed whether pre-incubation with red wine (with or without ethanol) prevented oxidative stress-induced cell damage. Red wine caused less damage to gastric epithelial cells in vitro compared with other alcoholic beverages at comparable ethanol concentration. Pre-treatment with red wine, but not with dealcoholate red wine, significantly and time-dependently prevented oxidative stress-induced cell damage. CONCLUSIONS: 1) red wine is less harmful to gastric epithelial cells than other alcoholic beverages; 2) this seems related to the non-alcoholic components of red wine, because other alcoholic beverages with comparable ethanol concentration exerted more damage than red wine; 3) red wine prevents oxidative stress-induced cell damage and this seems to be related to its ethanol content.

Drinking habits and risk of altered liver enzymes in the general population of a rural area in Southern Italy.

PURPOSE: To assess the overall drinking habits (amount and duration of alcohol intake, as well as type of alcoholic drinks consumed) and their potential for alteration of liver enzymes in a random sample of the general population aged > or =18 years of a rural area in Southern Italy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of the 4000 subjects selected, 3306 (82.7%) agreed to take part in the study. Of these, 41% were teetotallers (54.4% females, 26.1% males; p<0.01). A very small proportion of subjects reported > or =4 drinks/day (11.9% males, 0.8% females; p<0.01). RESULTS: Increased aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase values were observed in 148 (4.5%) subjects. Hepatitis C virus positivity alone, excessive body mass index alone and alcohol intake alone were observed in 28.6, 23.8 and 18.4% of cases, respectively. After exclusion of subjects with chronic viral hepatitis infections (hepatitis B virus and/or hepatitis C virus) and adjustment for the confounding effect of age (>50 years) and body mass index (> or =25) by multiple logistic regression analysis, subjects who reported consuming >4 drinks/day were 2.4-fold (95%CI=1.1-5.2) more likely than teetotallers to have altered liver enzyme values; subjects reporting intake below this threshold were not at risk of alterations in aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (OR 1.4; 95%CI=0.7-2.6). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that only a small proportion of the rural population studied (particularly females) can be considered as alcohol misusers. Moreover, a mild alcohol intake (< or =4 drinks/day) is not associated with alterations in aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase levels in the absence of other factors such as hepatitis viruses and impaired body mass index.

Platelet aggregation is affected by nitrosothiols in patients with chronic hepatitis: in vivo and in vitro studies.

AIM: To investigate the relationship among the number of platelets and plasma levels of S-nitrosothiols (S-NO), nitrite, total non-protein SH (NPSH), glutathione (GSH), cysteine (CYS), malondialdehyde (MDA), 4-hydroxininenal (4HNE), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin (IL)-6 in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH). METHODS: In vitro the aggregation of platelets derived from controls and CH patients was evaluated before and after the addition of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and collagen, both in basal conditions and after incubation with nitrosoglutathione (GSNO). RESULTS: In vivo, S-NO plasma levels increased significantly in CH patients and they were significantly directly correlated with platelet numbers. Patients with platelet counts < 150000/microL, had a smaller increase in S-NO, lower levels of GSH, CYS, NPSH, TNFalpha, and IL-6, and higher levels of nitrite, MDA, and 4-HNE relative to those of patients with platelet counts > 150000/microL. In vitro, the ADP and collagen aggregation time was increased in platelets from patients and not from controls; in addition, platelets from CH patients but not from controls also showed a latency time after exposure to collagen. CONCLUSION: The incubation of platelets with GSNO improved the percentage aggregation and abolished the latency time.

Apple polyphenol extracts prevent damage to human gastric epithelial cells in vitro and to rat gastric mucosa in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Fresh fruit and vegetables exert multiple biological effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa. AIM: To assess whether apple extracts counteract oxidative or indomethacin induced damage to gastric epithelial cells in vitro and to rat gastric mucosa in vivo. METHODS: Apple extracts were obtained from freeze dried apple flesh of the "Annurca" variety. Cell damage was induced by incubating MKN 28 cells with xanthine-xanthine oxidase or indomethacin and quantitated by MTT. In vivo gastric damage was induced by indomethacin 35 mg/kg. Intracellular antioxidant activity was determined using the (2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazolin-6-sulfonate) method. Malondialdehyde intracellular concentration, an index of lipid peroxidation, was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. RESULTS: (1) Apple extracts decreased xanthine-xanthine oxidase or indomethacin induced injury to gastric epithelial cells by 50%; (2) catechin or chlorogenic acid (the main phenolic components of apple extracts) were equally effective as apple extracts in preventing oxidative injury to gastric cells; and (3) apple extracts (i) caused a fourfold increase in intracellular antioxidant activity, (ii) prevented its decrease induced by xanthine-xanthine oxidase, (iii) counteracted xanthine-xanthine oxidase induced lipid peroxidation, and (iv) decreased indomethacin injury to the rat gastric mucosa by 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Apple extracts prevent exogenous damage to human gastric epithelial cells in vitro and to the rat gastric mucosa in vivo. This effect seems to be associated with the antioxidant activity of apple phenolic compounds. A diet rich in apple antioxidants might exert a beneficial effect in the prevention of gastric diseases related to generation of reactive oxygen species.

Ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy of early hepatocellular carcinoma complicating liver cirrhosis: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Because hepatic cirrhosis is a major risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma, recent guidelines by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) on clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma recommend periodic ultrasound surveillance of cirrhotic patients with immediate workup for nodules >1 cm; an increase in the frequency of screening is considered sufficient for smaller lesions. AIMS: To determine the actual risk of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with the latter lesions and to assess the role of ultrasound guided-fine needle biopsy in their diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were analysed for 294 new nodular lesions <20 mm, including 48 that were <10 mm, detected during a prospective multicentre study involving ultrasound surveillance of 4375 patients with hepatic cirrhosis. In the absence of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels diagnostic of hepatocellular carcinoma, ultrasound guided-fine needle biopsy was performed (n = 274). AFP and fine needle biopsy diagnoses of malignancies (hepatocellular carcinoma and lymphoma) were considered definitive. Non-malignant fine needle biopsy diagnoses (dysplastic or regenerative nodule) were verified by a second imaging study. Diagnoses of hepatocellular carcinoma based on this study were considered definitive; non-malignant imaging diagnoses were considered definitive after at least one year of clinical and ultrasound follow up. RESULTS: Overall, 258/294 (87.6%) nodules proved to be hepatocellular carcinoma, including 33/48 (68.7%) of those < or =10 mm. Overall typing accuracy of ultrasound guided-fine needle biopsy was 89.4%, and 88.6% for lesions < or =10 mm. CONCLUSIONS: In a screening population, well over half of very small nodules arising in cirrhotic livers may prove to be hepatocellular carcinoma, and approximately 90% of these malignancies can be reliably identified with ultrasound guided-fine needle biopsy.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a multicentre clinical study by the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver.

AIM: To define the characteristics of the Italian patient presenting non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 305 patients with abnormally high plasma aminotransferase and/or gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase levels for at least 12 months, with no known cause of chronic liver damage, were consecutively enrolled in the study. Clinical, routine biochemical and liver histology investigations were carried out in all patients. Also evaluated were: (a) oral glucose load; (b) insulinaemia and insulin-resistance using the HOMA test model; and (c) plasma endotoxaemia, total antioxidant plasma capability, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, plasma interleukin-6 and -10 levels. Malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal content were determined on liver samples from 120 patients. RESULTS: The majority of patients were young overweight or obese males, with dyslipidaemia (20-60%), diabetes (10.5%), hyperinsulinaemia (40%), hyperferritinaemia (35%). Endotoxaemia was negative in all patients and cytokines were only sporadically altered. Total antioxidant plasma capability was decreased in 38.4% of the patients. Eighty percent of the cases had histological steatosis with a mild degree of inflammation and fibrosis. Seven patients had cirrhosis. Lipid peroxidation markers were increased in 90% of the cases, inversely correlated with fibrosis. Even if at univariate analysis, age, ferritin and tissue 4-hydroxynonenal were independent factors of steatosis (P < 0.01), and insulin, HOMA and ferritin of inflammation and fibrosis (P < 0.01), at multivariate analysis no single factor was found to be an independent predictor of hepatic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The typical Italian patient with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is a young male, obese, not diabetic, with a variable incidence of dyslipidaemia and hyperinsulinaemia. Only liver biopsy may define the type of liver damage.

Glutathione supplementation improves oxidative damage in experimental colitis.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease is due, in part, to enhanced free-radical production and reduced antioxidant potential in mucosa cells. AIM: We evaluated in a rat model of trinitrobenzensulphonic acid (TNBS) colitis to see whether parenteral administration of glutathione is able to improve mucosal oxidative damage at onset (study A) and during chronic phases of colitis (study B). METHODS: In study A, the rats were injected with a single dose of glutathione (200 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline (0,2 ml, i.p.) 1 h before colitis induction and killed 1 h later. In study B, rats with induced colitis were treated with daily injection of glutathione (50 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline (0,2 ml, i.p.), and killed at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks. We evaluated on mucosal samples the macroscopic and histological damage and the oxidative stress assessed by the mucosal levels of lipoperoxides, malonyldialdehyde, glutathione and cysteine. RESULTS: In study A, colitis induction caused a significant increase to the total histological score (p<0.05), lipoperoxide and malonyldialdehyde levels (p<0.001), but did not affect glutathione and cysteine content. Glutathione pre-treatment decreased both total histological score (p<0.05) and lipoperoxide and malonyldialdehyde values (p<0.001). In study B, the extensive macroscopic and histological colonic damage induced by TNBS was accompanied by a reduction of glutathione and cysteine mucosal levels (p<0.01) and increased lipid peroxidation. Glutathione supplementation significantly improved colonic damage (p<0.01), restored glutathione and cysteine levels, and decreased, and even, if not totally, abolished lipid peroxidation (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This paper further supports the pathogenic role of the imbalance in oxidant/antioxidant content in inducing mucosal colonic damage.

Liver p53 expression in patients with HCV-related chronic hepatitis.

Mutated p53 acts as a dominant oncogene and alterations in the p53 gene are described in a large number of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been demonstrated that hepatitis C virus (HCV)-core protein regulates transcriptionally cellular genes, as well as cell growth and apoptosis. This study was undertaken to evaluate whether p53 may be expressed also in a precocious stage of HCV-related liver damage. We studied p53 expression by immunoluminometric assay on liver samples from 40 patients (M/F 18/ 22, median age 44 years, range 13-64 years) with biopsy-proven HCV-related chronic hepatitis. We considered the following factors: degree of liver damage, liver iron content and HCV-RNA titre. We also evaluated as possible co-factors alcohol and food intake in the last 3 years. p53 was over-expressed in seven of 40 (17.5%) patients. Liver histology documented the presence of unexpected cirrhosis in two patients among the p53 positive subjects. The p53 positive group had a daily ethanol intake significantly higher in respect to that of the p53 negative group (P < 0.05). Alimentary history documented that patients with a p53 over-expression had a lower intake of total calories, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin C and riboflavin. Data indicate that p53 over-expression can occur even in initial stages of HCV-related liver disease.

Reflux oesophagitis in adult coeliac disease: beneficial effect of a gluten free diet.

BACKGROUND: Coeliac disease patients show a number of gastrointestinal motor abnormalities, including a decrease in lower oesophageal sphincter pressure. The prevalence of endoscopic oesophagitis in these subjects however is unknown. AIM: To evaluate whether untreated adult coeliac patients had an increased prevalence of reflux oesophagitis and, if so, to assess whether a gluten free diet exerted any beneficial effect on gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) symptoms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 205 coeliac patients (females/males 153/52, median age 32 years) who underwent endoscopy for duodenal biopsy and 400 non-coeliac subjects (females/males 244/156, median age 37 years) referred for endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Each patient was given a questionnaire for evaluation of GORD symptoms prior to and 4-12 months after endoscopy. Coeliac patients were given a gluten free diet. Oesophagitis patients of both groups, following an eight week course of omeprazole, were re-evaluated for GORD symptoms at four month intervals up to one year. Significance of differences was assessed by Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Oesophagitis was present in 39/205 (19%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 13.8-25.0%) coeliac patients and in 32/400 (8%, 95% CI 5.5-11.1%) dyspeptic subjects. At the one year follow up, GORD symptoms relapsed in 10/39 (25.6%, 95% CI 13-42.1%) coeliacs with oesophagitis and in 23/32 (71.8%, 95% CI 53.2-86.2%) non-coeliac subjects with oesophagitis. CONCLUSION: Coeliac patients have a high prevalence of reflux oesophagitis. That a gluten free diet significantly decreased the relapse rate of GORD symptoms suggests that coeliac disease may represent a risk factor for development of reflux oesophagitis.

Cyclic treatment of chronic hepatic encephalopathy with rifaximin. Results of a double-blind clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatic encephalopathy (HE) represents a frequent and serious complication of chronic liver disease. Aim of the study is to comparatively evaluate the effect of rifaximin, lactitol and their combination in treating chronic HE. METHODS: Forty out-patients (29 males, 11 females, mean age: 59 years, range 40-70), with viral liver cirrhosis and chronic HE (1st-2nd degree) were studied. HE was assessed by considering: mental state, asterixis, number connection test (NCT), arterial blood ammonia levels. Patients were randomly assigned to the following treatments: rifaximin (plus sorbitol as placebo) (group R); lactitol (group L); rifaximin plus lactitol (group RL). All treatments were continued for 15 days for 3 cycles, intervalled by 15 days of washout. RESULTS: The 3 treatments reduced HE, but with different efficacy: patients of group R and RL significantly (p<0.05) documented a faster improvement in HE degree, a higher percentage of patients which normalized mental state and NCT, a faster improvement of asterixis and a longer persistence of normal ammonia levels than patients of group L. CONCLUSIONS: Rifaximin in combination with lactitol or sorbitol represents an effective and safe treatment of chronic HE.

Up-regulation of heparin binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor and amphiregulin expression in Helicobacter pylori-infected human gastric mucosa.

BACKGROUND: Host response plays a major role in pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastroduodenal disease including adenocarcinoma of distal stomach. Epidermal growth factor-related growth factors are important modulators of gastric homeostasis in normal and damaged gastrointestinal mucosa. AIM: To evaluate expression of heparin binding epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin in antral mucosa of Helicobacter pylori-infected and non-infected dyspeptic patients and to correlate levels of heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin mRNA with mitogenic activity of gastric epithelial cells. METHODS: A total of 10 Helicobacter pylori-infected and 15 Helicobacter pylori non-infected (10 with and 5 without gastritis) dyspeptic patients were studied. Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection was based on rapid urease test and histology. Heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin mRNA expression in antral mucosa were assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression and localization of both peptides were determined by immunohistochemistry. Mitogenic activity of antral gastric mucosa was assessed by determination of proliferating cell nuclear antigen labelling index by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin mRNA expression increased in Helicobacter pylori-infected vs Helicobacter pylori non-infected patients. Heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin immunostaining was more intense and deeper in gastric gland compartment in infected mucosa than in non-infected mucosa. Increase in heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin mRNA expression significantly correlated with increase in proliferating cell nuclear antigen labelling index. CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori gastritis is associated with up-regulation of heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin which correlates with increased mitogenic activity of gastric mucosa. Increased heparin binding-epidermal growth factor and amphiregulin expression is postulated to contribute to reparative response of gastric mucosa to Helicobacter pylori infection.

Subcutaneous needle-tract seeding after fine needle aspiration biopsy of pancreatic liver metastasis.

A case of subcutaneous neoplastic seeding after fine needle aspiration biopsy of a pancreatic liver metastasis is reported. Neoplastic seeding is a rare complication after fine needle biopsy (FNB). The seeding appeared 3 months after the biopsy with a subcutaneous hypoechoic nodule; diagnosis was confirmed by fine needle aspiration of the nodule. The neoplastic seeding did not change the outcome of the patient.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in an area of southern Italy: main clinical, histological, and pathophysiological aspects.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Studies on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have included chronic liver damage attributed to various causes. Our investigation was held to observe the main clinical, histological, and pathophysiological aspects of NAFLD in patients not exposed to any known cause of chronic liver disease. METHODS: We evaluated, in 84 in-patients (male/female, 66/18; median age, 36 years), the clinical and biochemical characteristics of NAFLD, and particularly its association with diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia and/or with the increase of parameters of oxidative stress (blood levels of malonyldialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal and total plasma antioxidant capacity). RESULTS: Ninety percent of patients had an increased body mass index (BMI), 35% had dyslipidemia, 40% had sub-clinical diabetes (only 3% had overt diabetes), 60% had hyperinsulinemia, and more than 90% had enhanced levels of lipid peroxidation markers. In 48 patients who had consented to liver biopsy, we found: 14 with simple steatosis, 32 with steatohepatitis, and two with cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that in our country, NAFLD may occur in young males with an increased BMI, with or without hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia and diabetes, generally associated with disorders of redox status, and that it may be differentiated from steatosis to steatohepatitis or cirrhosis only with a liver biopsy.

Relationship of blood trace elements to liver damage, nutritional status, and oxidative stress in chronic nonalcoholic liver disease.

Trace elements are involved in chronic liver diseases because these elements may have a direct hepatic toxicity or may be decreased as a consequence of the impaired liver function, particularly in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and/or malnutrition. In this study, we determined plasma and erythrocytes trace elements in 50 inpatients with nonalcoholic chronic liver disease (11 with biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis, 39 with cirrhosis [16 in stage A according to Child-Pugh criteria, 23 Child B+C]), and in a control group of 10 healthy subjects by the proton induced x-ray emission method. The relationship between trace element concentration and the extent of liver damage, the nutritional status (by anthropometric evaluations), and various blood markers of oxidative stress--reduced glutathione, total lipoperoxides and malonyldialdehyde--was investigated. We found that cirrhotics had a significant decrease of Fe, Zn, Se, and GSH levels in the plasma and of GSH and Se in the erythrocytes with respect to the control and chronic hepatitis groups. GSH levels were related to the degree of liver damage; a significant direct correlation was observed among Se, Zn, and GSH plasma values and between GSH and Se in the erythrocytes. The trace element decrease was, on the contrary, independent of the degree of liver function impairment and only partially affected by the nutritional status. Data indicate that liver cirrhosis, even if not alcohol related, induces a decrease of Se and Zn and that, in these patients, an oxidative stress is present, as documented by the significant correlation between Se and GSH. The plasma Br level was higher in cirrhotics with respect to the control and chronic hepatitis groups.

Interactions between metabolic disorders (diabetes, gallstones, and dyslipidaemia) and the progression of chronic hepatitis C virus infection to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. A cross-sectional multicentre survey.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes, gallstones and dyslipidaemia are widespread, metabolically related, disorders that can affect the liver, often in a clinically silent fashion. AIM: To investigate whether the presence of these disorders may worsen chronic viral disease by inducing additional liver damage, revealed by variations in serum increases of aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase activities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study involved 1,195 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: 47.2% chronic hepatitis, 45.2% cirrhosis, and 7.6% hepatocellular carcinoma. 14.9% of patients had enzymatic cholestasis, defined as combined increase of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase. A Log-linear statistical model was applied to the following variables: stages of liver disease, diabetes, cholelithiasis, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, and enzymatic cholestasis. RESULTS: Log-linear analysis, applied to categorical variables, revealed, for the first time, a three-way interaction between the stages of chronic liver disease, diabetes, and enzymatic cholestasis. Two-way interactions demonstrated that liver disease stages correlated directly to the prevalence of cholelithiasis and inversely to hypercholesterolaemia. Irrespective of the liver disease stage, hypertriglyceridaemia correlated to hypercholesterolaemia. CONCLUSIONS: This study discloses a synergistic liver damaging effect of diabetes and hepatitis C virus. The three-way interaction obtained by our analysis suggests that diabetes is a risk factor for the progression of viral liver disease and that it contributes to disease evolution, at least in part, by induction of cholestasis.

Renal tubular function by lithium clearance in liver cirrhosis.

Increased tubule sodium reabsorption has been largely suspected in liver cirrhosis (LC), however studies in humans have produced contrasting results. Therefore to ascertain the entity of renal sodium handling in LC this study was devised. A total of 13 patients with child A LC were studied along with 26 age-sex matched healthy controls (HC). Patients and controls were kept on daily Na-intake of 100 mmol for at last 1 week, by measuring glomerular filtration rate (GFR; inulin) and lithium clearance. We have calculated (1) C(Li); (2) the absolute reabsorption of isotonic fluid in the proximal tubule (APR) as GFR - C(LI); (3) the fractional proximal sodium reabsorption (FPRNa) as 1 - (C(Li)/GFR); (4) the absolute distal reabsorption of sodium (ADRNa) as (C(LI) - C(Na)) x P(Na;) and (5) the fractional distal sodium reabsorption (FDRNa) as (C(LI) - C(Na))/C(Li). GFR was significantly lower in LC (P<.001), C(Li) was significantly higher in LC than in HC (P<.001). APRNa and FPRNa were reduced in LC (P<.0001). ADRNa was higher in LC than in HC (P<.001). No difference was found for FDRNa. In conclusion, lithium clearance discloses an increase sodium reabsorption in distal tubule in humans with LC.

Clinical nutrition practice in Italian Gastroenterology Units.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional status affects the course, ensuing complications and prognosis of virtually all diseases. AIMS: To define the role of nutrition in Gastroenterology Units by means of two investigations that analyse: a) availability of devices for assessing nutritional status; b) nutritional treatment in clinical practice: incidence and frequency of indications for its use, together with type of treatment adopted. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two questionnaires were sent to Italian Academic and Hospital Gastroenterology Units, all with clinical wards. RESULTS: Results refer to 27 Units, 22 of which took part in both parts of the analysis, enrolling 547 patients during the two-week study The first analysis shows that scales and the altimeter are not available everywhere, while more specific tools, such as skinfold calipers are available in 54% of the Units, and caloric intake can be assessed in 22-41%. The second analysis reveals that nutritional treatment was necessary in 50% of patients in the series examined, and that this was taken into account and prescribed in almost all cases (91%). Of the patients treated, 69% received dietetic supplementation and 31% artificial nutrition [12% enteral, 88% parenteral), although supportive parenteral nutrition is often contraindicated in conditions where good bowel function provides the conditions for enteral nutrition. CONCLUSION: Data emerging from the investigation showed that i) artificial nutrition is commonly used in gastroenterology Units in Italy although 23% of them never consider either enteral or parenteral nutrition as medical treatment of gastrointestinal disease; ii) malnutrition is a very frequent complication (mean 27%; range 4-55%0) in Gastroenterology Unit patients albeit only 42% of malnourished patients received artificial nutrition; iii) indications for enteral and parenteral nutrition are not always respected, as there is an excessive use of parenteral nutrition and an unjustified resistance to the use of enteral nutrition; iv] nutritional treatment is often administered without adequate nutritional assessment and without a complete adherence to the standards recommended for preparation of parenteral bags, supported by suitable technology; v) only two Gastroenterology Units report admitting and following patients in a home parenteral nutrition programme; vi) this investigation probably reflects the response of those Gastroenterology Units most aware of the importance of nutritional problems. Better awareness of correct practices for nutritional support should be promoted, encouraging greater use of diagnostic and monitoring techniques and a more discerning choice of the most suitable type of artificial nutrition to be administered in gastroenterology