One fifth of hospitalizations for peptic ulcer-related bleeding are potentially preventable.

AIM: To calculate the proportion of potentially preventable hospitalizations due to peptic ulcer disease (PUD), erosive gastritis (EG) or duodenitis (ED). METHODS: Retrospective cohort study using ICD-10 codes to identify all patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage secondary to endoscopically proven PUD, EG or ED during the period from March 2007 to October 2010 in three major metropolitan hospitals in Melbourne, Australia. Patients were divided into "high risk" (those who would benefit from gastroprotection) and "not high risk" groups as defined by established guidelines. Mean Rockall score, transfusion requirement, length of stay, rebleeding rates, need for surgery and in-hospital mortality was compared between "high risk" and "not high risk" groups. Within the "high risk" group, those on gastroprotection and those with no gastroprotection were also compared. RESULTS: Five hundred and seven patients were included for analysis of which 174 were classified as high risk. Median values of complete Rockall Score (5 vs 4, P = 0.002) and length of stay (5 d vs 4 d, P = 0.04) were higher in the high risk group but in-hospital mortality was lower (0.6% vs 3.9%, P = 0.03). 130 out of the 174 patients in the high risk group were not taking recommended gastroprotective therapy prior to hospitalization. Past history of PUD (OR = 3.7, P = 0.006) and clopidogrel use (OR = 3.2, P = 0.007) significantly predicted prescription of gastroprotective therapy. Using proton pump inhibitor protection rates of 50%-85% from published studies, an estimation of 13% to 22% of the total number of the hospitalizations due to PUD or EG/ED related bleeding may have been preventable. CONCLUSION: Up to one fifth of all hospitalizations for bleeding secondary to PUD or EG/ED are potentially preventable.

Complications and survival associated with surgical compared with medical management of horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Based on clinical observation, it is hypothesised that horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) that are treated surgically have a shorter duration, smaller volume, and slower rate of nasogastric reflux (NGR) compared to horses treated medically, are more likely to develop diarrhoea than medically managed cases, and have a higher incisional infection rate than a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. OBJECTIVES: To compare: 1) duration, volume and rate of NGR and the percentage of horses with diarrhoea between medically and surgically treated DPJ cases; and 2) incisional infection rate in horses with DPJ undergoing abdominal exploration to a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. METHODS: Medical records of cases with DPJ diagnosed 1995-2006 were reviewed. Information obtained included subject details, presenting clinical findings, treatment category (medical/surgical), complications (diarrhoea, incisional infection), and outcome (survival/nonsurvival). Data were analysed using a Chi-squared test and a mixed model analysis of variance. Level of significance was P<0.05. RESULTS: Compared to medical cases, surgical cases had significantly decreased survival, a longer duration and larger total volume of NGR, and were more likely to develop diarrhoea. The incisional infection rate for horses with DPJ undergoing abdominal exploration was 16% compared to 7% for the sample population of horses. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of horses with DPJ did not lead to resolution of NGR faster than medical treatment. Surgical cases were more likely to develop diarrhoea and did not have a significantly higher incisional infection rate than the sample population.

Time trends in peptic ulcer disease and in gastritis and duodenitis. Mortality, utilization, and disability in the United States.

This study compared the results of two analytic methods testing the effects of histamine H2 receptor antagonists on acid-related conditions. We examined the rates of peptic ulcer disease-related and of gastritis- and duodenitis-related mortality, hospitalizations, surgery, physician visits, work-loss, and disability retirements in the United States from 1970 to 1986. First, we performed a nonparametric epidemiologic analysis. For mortality, hospitalizations, and surgeries, age-specific rates continued their historic decline; there was an additional large one-time decline of operations in 1978. Trends were stronger for peptic ulcer than for gastritis and duodenitis. From pooled annual data, rates of physician visits and physician referral declined for peptic ulcer and for gastritis and duodenitis in the post-1977 period (p = 0.0001). Work-loss and other restrictions on normal daily activities also declined for persons with peptic ulcer and with gastritis and duodenitis (p = 0.0001). Second, we fit a parametric model by maximum likelihood to test specific population effects of H2 blockers. The model indicated that people > or = 65 years old had increasing peptic ulcer mortality rates after 1977 (p < 0.001), while people < 65 years old had a deceleration in rates of decline (p < 0.01). Hospitalization rates for peptic ulcer and for gastritis and duodenitis increased in the elderly after 1977 (p < 0.01) and decreased among those < 65 years old. Both age groups experienced similar declining trends of operations for peptic ulcer; these were not significantly different when pre- and post-1977 periods were compared. The rate of disability retirement declined sharply for workers > or = 50 years old (p < 0.01) and for those < 50 years of age (p < 0.001). The inconclusive results of the parametric analysis, plus only partial congruence between parametric and nonparametric analyses, emphasize the difficulty of relating diverse effects over time to a single, new, more effective treatment.

Prognostic indicators for horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis. 75 horses (1985-1989).

The medical records of 75 horses with duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) were reviewed. Ages, physical parameters, laboratory values, and treatment data were compared between horses surviving DPJ and horses not surviving DPJ (Table 1). Fifty of 75 horses (66.6%) survived. Sixty-six horses (88.0%) were managed with medical treatment alone and nine horses (12.0%) were managed with medical treatment plus surgical intervention. Using a logistic regression model, the association of each of the 19 physical and laboratory parameters with death was evaluated retrospectively in the 75 horses. Three parameters (anion gap, abdominal fluid total protein concentration, and volume of gastric fluid for the first 24 hours of hospitalization) were significantly associated with death by univariate analysis. Using a stepwise multiple logistic regression, two parameters remained significantly associated with death (P < 0.05), anion gap and abdominal fluid total protein concentration.

[Diverticular disease. Pathology and clinical aspects based on 368 autopsy cases]. / Die Divertikelkrankheit. Pathologie und Klinik anhand von 368 Sektionsfällen.

There were found 368 cases (4.5 percent) of diverticulosis of the intestine based on 8124 autopsies in the years of 1979 till 1988 with regard to their localisation, complications and accompanied diseases. In 174 of 368 cases clinical files could be examined and integrated in the evaluation. Sigmoid diverticula were most frequently followed from duodenal diverticula chiefly in the immediate vicinity of the "Papilla of Vateri". Constipation, stomachache, haemorrhoids and spasm of the anal sphincter were typical complaints. One during lifetime known diverticulosis was noted only approximately half on the autopsy application as a second disease. The autopsy results a complication of diverticula (mostly with a peritonitis) in 39 percent as the primary cause of death. Most frequently complication was a diverticulitis (in 16.8 percent refer to the total number). Arteriosclerosis, hypertension and/or diabetes (so called "civilization diseases") were in the main accompanied diseases, which were found too. Surgical intervention took place principal under suspicion of malignoma or as an "acute abdomen". Non-characteristic complaints (protraction by the physician) and the ignorance of the illness among the population (protraction by the patients) are disadvantageous to the identification of the diverticulosis. Because the diverticulosis as a disease of the economic developed countries represents a growing problem ought to direct more attention to prevention, which consists in application of food rich in ballast-substances and the treatment of the constipation.

Changes in peptic ulcer and gastritis/duodenitis in Great Britain, 1970-1985.

The signal event of the 1970s in peptic ulcer disease was the introduction of H2 blockers. We examined changing direct and indirect effects of peptic ulcer and gastritis/duodenitis on the British population from 1970 to 1985. Death rates from gastric ulcer declined irregularly for all except women 65 years of age and older, in whom it increased, while for duodenal ulcer mortality declined only for men less than 65 years old and increased sharply for women 65 years and above. Mortality due to gastritis/duodenitis rose irregularly to 1980 and then fell inconsistently through 1985, and was but 1.0 to 1.5% that of peptic ulcer. Elderly women were disproportionately affected, much as with peptic ulcer. There was no significant change in essentially stable time trends for peptic ulcer perforation deaths. Hospitalizations for gastric and duodenal ulcer continued to fall through 1985 except for those age 65 years and above. Hospitalizations for peptic ulcer hemorrhage did not change overall, but the distribution favoring the elderly in the early 1970s reversed. Elderly men and women are now the most likely to bleed for both gastric and duodenal ulcer. Hospitalizations for gastritis/duodenitis increased for all populations. Peptic ulcer operations declined markedly for all groups, most for men and women less than 65 years old. Peptic ulcer as a cause of work loss declined sharply over time for men but was stable for women, while work loss due to gastritis/duodenitis plunged for both sexes beginning in 1979. Mean days off work per spell of absenteeism remained relatively constant: 35-45 days for peptic ulcer and 10-12 days for gastritis/duodenitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)