Search

Objectives: We investigated the effect modification of health literacy (HL) in ameliorating the negative impact of underlying health conditions (UHC) on long COVID among non-hospitalized and hospitalized survivors., Study Design: An online cross-sectional study was conducted in Vietnam from December 2021 to October 2022., Methods: A sample of 4507 participants recruited from 18 hospitals and health centers were those aged 18 or older, had contracted COVID-19 for at least 28 days, and were not in the acute phase of reinfection. Participants reported their long COVID symptoms, UHC, health literacy, socio-demographics, clinical parameters, the COVID-19 impact battery disability scale, and health-related behaviors. The logistic regression models were used to examine the associations and interactions., Results: Underlying health conditions were associated with a higher likelihood of long COVID in non-hospitalized participants (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 2.10 [1.61, 2.61]; p < 0.001), and hospitalized ones (aOR = 2.26 [1.87, 2.73]; p < 0.001). In non-hospitalized participants, higher HL scores were significantly linked to a reduced likelihood of experiencing long COVID (aOR = 0.96 [0.95, 0.97]; p < 0.001). Furthermore, HL moderated the adverse effect of underlying health conditions (UHC) on long COVID in this group (aOR = 0.97 [0.94-0.99]; p = 0.042). In hospitalized participants, although higher HL scores were also associated with a lower risk of long COVID (aOR = 0.99 [0.98-0.99]; p = 0.036), HL did not significantly mitigate the negative impact of UHC on long COVID (aOR = 1.01 [0.99-1.03]; p = 0.332)., Conclusions: In non-hospitalized individuals, high health literacy ameliorated the negative impact of UHC on long COVID. Such effects of health literacy were not observed in hospitalized COVID-19 survivors., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Survivors of COVID-19 are susceptible to diminished health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and adverse psychological health, which may be exacerbated by their experiences of fear and the impact of the pandemic itself. This study aims to identify distinct fear and impact patterns related to the COVID-19 pandemic among survivors through latent profile analysis (LPA) and examine the associations of fear and impact patterns with post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and HRQoL. A total of 5,890 Vietnamese COVID-19 survivors completed the COVID-19 Impact Battery- Disability Scale (CIB-D), the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCoV-19 S), the Impact of Event Scale-Revised for PTSS, and the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) for HRQoL. Four distinct groups of fear and impact were identified: "Fearful and highly impacted" (26.8%), "moderately impacted yet not fearful" (22.9%), "less impacted and less fearful" (18.6%), and "mildly impacted and neutral" (31.7%). Survivors who were "less impacted and less fearful" exhibited significantly higher HRQoL scores (regression coefficient, B: 10.9; 95% confidence interval (CI): 10.0 - 11.7), both in terms of physical (B: 12.0; 95%CI: 11.1 - 12.9) and mental health (B: 19.4; 95%CI: 9.6 - 11.1), and lower PTSS levels (B: -24.5; 95%CI: -25.8 - -23.3) compared to those who were "highly impacted and fearful". It is imperative to acknowledge the intricate association between fear, impact, and mental health to comprehensively address the diverse needs of this distinct population post-COVID-19. These findings provide insights for designing interventions and support mechanisms for COVID-19 survivors., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate: The study protocol received approval from the Institutional Ethical Review Committee of Hanoi University of Public Health (No. 400/2021/YTCC-HD3 and 45/2022/YTCC-HD3). All participants gave consent online consent after receiving information about the study and before joining the survey. Consent for Publication: This study is approved by the respective ethics review board for publication. All authors approve this manuscript for submission and publication. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the significance of adopting healthy lifestyles to mitigate the risk of severe outcomes and long-term consequences., Objective: This study focuses on assessing the prevalence and clustering of 5 unhealthy lifestyle behaviors among Vietnamese adults after recovering from COVID-19, with a specific emphasis on sex differences., Methods: The cross-sectional data of 5890 survivors of COVID-19 in Vietnam were analyzed from December 2021 to October 2022. To examine the sex differences in 5 unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (smoking, drinking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and sedentary behavior), the percentages were plotted along with their corresponding 95% CI for each behavior. Latent class analysis was used to identify 2 distinct classes of individuals based on the clustering of these behaviors: the "less unhealthy" group and the "more unhealthy" group. We examined the sociodemographic characteristics associated with each identified class and used logistic regression to investigate the factors related to the "more unhealthy" group., Results: The majority of individuals (male participants: 2432/2447, 99.4% and female participants: 3411/3443, 99.1%) exhibited at least 1 unhealthy behavior, with male participants being more susceptible to multiple unhealthy behaviors. The male-to-female ratio for having a single behavior was 1.003, but it escalated to 25 for individuals displaying all 5 behaviors. Male participants demonstrated a higher prevalence of combining alcohol intake with sedentary behavior (949/2447, 38.8%) or an unhealthy diet (861/2447, 35.2%), whereas female participants tended to exhibit physical inactivity combined with sedentary behavior (1305/3443, 37.9%) or an unhealthy diet (1260/3443, 36.6%). Married male participants had increased odds of falling into the "more unhealthy" group compared to their single counterparts (odds ratio [OR] 1.45, 95% CI 1.14-1.85), while female participants exhibited lower odds (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.51-0.83). Female participants who are underweight showed a higher likelihood of belonging to the "more unhealthy" group (OR 1.11, 95% CI 0.89-1.39), but this was not observed among male participants (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.41-0.89). In both sexes, older age, dependent employment, high education, and obesity were associated with higher odds of being in the "more unhealthy" group., Conclusions: The study identified notable sex differences in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors among survivors of COVID-19. Male survivors are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors compared to female survivors. These findings emphasize the importance of tailored public health interventions targeting sex-specific unhealthy behaviors. Specifically, addressing unhealthy habits is crucial for promoting post-COVID-19 health and well-being., (©Lan T H Le, Thi Ngoc Anh Hoang, Tan T Nguyen, Tien D Dao, Binh N Do, Khue M Pham, Vinh H Vu, Linh V Pham, Lien T H Nguyen, Hoang C Nguyen, Tuan V Tran, Trung H Nguyen, Anh T Nguyen, Hoan V Nguyen, Phuoc B Nguyen, Hoai T T Nguyen, Thu T M Pham, Thuy T Le, Thao T P Nguyen, Cuong Q Tran, Ha-Linh Quach, Kien T Nguyen, Tuyen Van Duong. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 02.04.2024.)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has been influencing people's psychological health, especially in pregnant women. We aimed to examine associated factors of fear of COVID-19, anxiety and depression among pregnant women during the pandemic where the impacts of healthy eating behaviour (HES) and health literacy (HL) were emphasized., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 14 February 2020 and 31 May 2020 in 18 health centres and hospitals across Vietnam. Data of 518 pregnant women were analysed, including socio-demographics, pregnant-related factors, HES, HL, health-related behaviours, fear of COVID-19 scale (FCoV-19S), anxiety (using the generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7)) and depression (using the patient health questionnaire with 9 items (PHQ-9)). Regression analysis was utilized to explore the associations., Results: Pregnant women with higher scores of HES and HL had lower likelihood of anxiety (odds ratio, OR, 0.79; 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 0.73, 0.87; p  < .001; and OR, 0.94; 95%CI, 0.90, 0.99; p  = .018) and depression (OR, 0.84; 95%CI, 0.78, 0.91; p  < .001; and OR, 0.96; 95%CI, 0.91, 0.99; p  = .044), respectively. Pregnant women being employed had a lower FCoV-19S score (regression coefficient, B , -1.46; 95%CI, -2.51, -0.40; p  = .007). Besides, other significant predictors of anxiety were eating healthier during the pandemic, unchanged or more physical activity, elevated gestational age and smoking. Other significant predictors of depression were eating healthier during the pandemic, elevated gestational age and smoking., Conclusions: Among others, HES and HL had positive impacts on protecting pregnant women against anxiety and depression. Improving HES and HL should be addressed as a strategic approach to improve reproductive health during the pandemic.KEY MESSAGEThe COVID-19 pandemic influences antenatal mental disorders with the higher level as opposed to that before the pandemic.Healthy eating behaviour and better health literacy (HL) had critical roles in lowering prenatal anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 crisis.Strategic approaches for improving healthy eating and HL should be recommended for protecting pregnant women from mental health problems during the pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19-induced lockdown has been implemented in many countries, which may cause unfavorable changes in lifestyles and psychological health. People's health literacy, healthy diet, and lifestyles play important roles in mitigating the negative impacts of the pandemic. Therefore, we aimed to examine associations of COVID-19 lockdown with changes in eating behavior, physical activity, and mental health; and the modification effects by digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) and eHealth literacy (eHEALS) on the associations. Methods: We conducted an observational study on 4,348 outpatients from 7th April to 31st May 2020. Data from 11 hospitals in Vietnam included demographic characteristics, DDL, eHEALS, eating behavior, physical activity, and mental health changes. Multiple logistic regression and interaction models were performed to examine associations. Results: Patients under lockdown had a lower likelihood of having "unchanged or healthier" eating behavior (odds ratio, OR, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 95%CI, 0.29 to 0.51; p < 0.001), "unchanged or more" physical activity (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.90; p < 0.001), and "stable or better" mental health (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.89; p < 0.001), as compared to those after lockdown. In interaction models, as compared to patients after lockdown and with the lowest DDL score, those under lockdown and with a one-score increment of DDL had a higher likelihood of having "unchanged or healthier" eating behavior (OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.07; p < 0.001), and "stable or better" mental health (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.04; p < 0.001). Similarly, as compared to patients after lockdown and with the lowest eHEALS score, those under lockdown and with a one-score increment of eHEALS had a higher likelihood of having an "unchanged or more" physical activity (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.05; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The COVID-19 lockdown measure could negatively affect eating behavior, physical activity, and mental health among outpatients. Better DDL and eHEALS were found to mitigate the negative impacts of the lockdown, which may empower outpatients to maintain healthy lifestyles and protect mental health. However, this study holds several limitations that may undermine the certainty of reported findings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Nguyen, Nguyen, Pham, Le, Nguyen, Luong, Do, Dao, Nguyen, Ha, Pham, Nguyen, Nguyen, Do, Nguyen, Trinh, Le, Tra, Nguyen, Nguyen, Phan, Pham, Bai and Duong.)

Objectives: We explored the association of underlying health conditions (UHC) with depression and anxiety, and examined the modification effects of suspected COVID-19 symptoms (S-COVID-19-S), health-related behaviors (HB), and preventive behaviors (PB). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 8,291 outpatients aged 18-85 years, in 18 hospitals and health centers across Vietnam from 14th February to May 31, 2020. We collected the data regarding participant's characteristics, UHC, HB, PB, depression, and anxiety. Results: People with UHC had higher odds of depression (OR = 2.11; p < 0.001) and anxiety (OR = 2.86; p < 0.001) than those without UHC. The odds of depression and anxiety were significantly higher for those with UHC and S-COVID-19-S ( p < 0.001); and were significantly lower for those had UHC and interacted with "unchanged/more" physical activity ( p < 0.001), or "unchanged/more" drinking ( p < 0.001 for only anxiety), or "unchanged/healthier" eating ( p < 0.001), and high PB score ( p < 0.001), as compared to those without UHC and without S-COVID-19-S, "never/stopped/less" physical activity, drinking, "less healthy" eating, and low PB score, respectively. Conclusion: S-COVID-19-S worsen psychological health in patients with UHC. Physical activity, drinking, healthier eating, and high PB score were protective factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Nguyen, Pham, Pham, Phan, Tran, Nguyen, Nguyen, Ha, Dao, Nguyen, Trinh, Do, Nguyen, Nguyen, Nguyen, Tran, Tran, Duong, Nguyen, Pham, Nguyen, Vo, Do, Dang, Le, Do, Nguyen, Mai, Ha, Ngo, Nguyen, Bai and Duong.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been disseminating fear in the community, which has affected people's quality of life, especially those with health problems. Health literacy (HL), eHealth literacy (eHEAL), and digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) may have potential impacts on containing the pandemic and its consequences. This study aimed to examine the association between the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCoV-19S) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and to examine the effect modification by HL, eHEAL, and DDL on this association., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 hospitals across Vietnam from 7 April to 31 May 2020. Data were collected on 4348 outpatients, including demographic characteristics, HL, eHEAL, DDL, FCoV-19S, and HRQoL. Multiple linear regression and interaction models were used to explore associations., Results: Patients with higher FCoV-19S scores had lower HRQoL scores (unstandardized coefficient, B = -0.78, p < 0.001). HL (B = 0.20, p < 0.001), eHEAL (B = 0.24, p < 0.001), and DDL (B = 0.20, p < 0.001) were positively associated with higher HRQoL scores. The negative impact of FCoV-19S on HRQoL was significantly attenuated by higher eHEAL score groups (from one standard deviation (SD) below the mean, B = -0.93, p < 0.001; to the mean, B = -0.85, p < 0.001; and one SD above the mean, B = -0.77, p < 0.001); and by higher DDL score groups (from one SD below the mean, B = -0.92, p < 0.001; to the mean, B = -0.82, p < 0.001; and one SD above the mean, B = -0.72, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: eHealth literacy and digital healthy diet literacy could help to protect patients' health-related quality of life from the negative impact of the fear of COVID-19 during the pandemic.

Objectives: We examined impacts and interactions of COVID-19 response involvement, health-related behaviours and health literacy (HL) on anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among healthcare workers (HCWs)., Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected 6 April to 19 April 2020 using online-based, self-administered questionnaires., Setting: 19 hospitals and health centres in Vietnam., Participants: 7 124 HCWs aged 21-60 years., Results: The COVID-19 response-involved HCWs had higher anxiety likelihood (OR (95% CI)=4.41 (3.53 to 5.51)), higher depression likelihood (OR(95% CI)=3.31 (2.71 to 4.05)) and lower HRQoL score (coefficient, b(95% CI)=-2.14 (-2.89 to -1.38)), compared with uninvolved HCWs. Overall, HCWs who smoked or drank at unchanged/increased levels had higher likelihood of anxiety, depression and lower HRQoL scores; those with unchanged/healthier eating, unchanged/more physical activity and higher HL scores had lower likelihood of anxiety, depression and higher HRQoL scores. In comparison to uninvolved HCWs who smoked or drank at never/stopped/reduced levels, involved HCWs with unchanged/increased smoking or drinking had lower anxiety likelihood (OR(95% CI)=0.34 (0.14 to 0.83)) or (OR(95% CI)=0.26 (0.11 to 0.60)), and lower depression likelihood (OR(95% CI)=0.33 (0.15 to 0.74)) or (OR(95% CI)=0.24 (0.11 to 0.53)), respectively. In comparison with uninvolved HCWs who exercised at never/stopped/reduced levels, or with those in the lowest HL quartile, involved HCWs with unchanged/increased exercise or with one-quartile HL increment reported lower anxiety likelihood (OR(95% CI)=0.50 (0.31 to 0.81)) or (OR(95% CI)=0.57 (0.45 to 0.71)), lower depression likelihood (OR(95% CI)=0.40 (0.27 to 0.61)) or (OR(95% CI)=0.63 (0.52 to 0.76)), and higher HRQoL scores (b(95% CI)=2.08 (0.58 to 3.58)), or (b(95% CI)=1.10 (0.42 to 1.78)), respectively., Conclusions: Physical activity and higher HL were found to protect against anxiety and depression and were associated with higher HRQoL. Unexpectedly, smoking and drinking were also found to be coping behaviours. It is important to have strategic approaches that protect HCWs' mental health and HRQoL., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

People with pre-existing health conditions (PEHC) are vulnerable to viral infection while health literacy (HL) and preventive behaviors (PB) have been shown to benefit people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to examine the association between PEHC and suspected COVID-19 symptoms (S-COVID-19-S), and to investigate the modification effect of HL and PB. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 8291 participants visiting outpatient departments at 18 hospitals and health centers across Vietnam from 14 February to 31 May 2020. Data were collected regarding participant's characteristics, HL, PB, PEHC, and S-COVID-19-S. Regression models were used for analyzing the associations. Results showed that people with PEHC had a 3.38 times higher likelihood of having S-COVID-19-S (odds ratio, OR, 3.38; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 3.01, 3.79; p < 0.001). In comparison to participants without PEHC and with the lowest HL score, those with PEHC and one HL score increment had a 7% lower likelihood of having S-COVID-19-S (OR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.92, 0.94; p < 0.001). In comparison to participants without PEHC and not adhering to mask wearing, those with PEHC and adhering to mask wearing had a 77% lower likelihood of having S-COVID-19-S (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.16, 0.32; p < 0.001). Higher HL and adherence to mask wearing can protect people from having S-COVID-19-S, especially in those with PEHC., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic causes a huge burden for affected countries. Several public health interventions were applied to contain the infection. However, the pandemic itself and the lockdown measure negatively influence people's lifestyles and psychological health. Purpose: To explore determinants of healthy dietary intake and depression, and examine the interaction between healthy dietary intake and COVID-19 lockdown on depression. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 18 hospitals and health centers from February 14 to May 31, 2020. Data of 8,291 outpatients were collected including patients' characteristics, clinical parameters, health literacy, healthy dietary intake (using the healthy eating score, HES), other health-related behaviors, and depression (using the patient health questionnaire, PHQ). Depression was defined as PHQ score ≥ 10. Results: Protective factors of healthy dietary intake and depression were higher education, better medication payment ability, higher social status, more physical activity, and higher health literacy, whereas older age, ever married, own business or other types of occupation, lockdown, suspected COVID-19 symptoms, and comorbidity were associated with lower HES scores and a higher depression likelihood. Besides, overweight/obesity and alcohol drinking were associated with lower HES scores. As compared with patients not under lockdown and with lowest HES score, those who were under lockdown and with lowest HES score had 10.6 times higher depression likelihood (odds ratio, OR, 10.60; 95% CI 6.88, 16.32; p < 0.001), whereas people with higher HES score had 15% lower depression likelihood (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.82, 0.89; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Healthy dietary intake and depression were determined by several sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors. Lockdown measure affects people's dietary intake behavior and depression. Importantly, healthy dietary intake potentially modifies the negative effect of lockdown on depression., (Copyright © 2020 Pham, Pham, Phan, Tran, Nguyen, Nguyen, Nguyen, Ha, Dao, Nguyen, Trinh, Do, Nguyen, Nguyen, Nguyen, Tran, Tran, Duong, Nguyen, Do, Vo, Do, Duong, Pham, Le, Do, Nguyen, Mai, Ha, Ngo, Nguyen, Yang, Chao and Duong.)

Omeprazole, a powerful and long-lasting gastric anti-secretory benziimidazole derivative has been used to treat a particularly severe case of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome with familial type I multiple endocrine involvement. Before treatment with omeprazole, the patient's basal acid secretion, ranging from 50 to 100 mmol/h, had been poorly controlled by cimetidine (doses of up to 2,400 mg/d), ranitidine (doses of up to 1,200 mg/d) and even by ranitidine (1,200 mg/d) combined with pirenzepine (150 mg/d). Upon oral administration of four 20-mg capsules of omeprazole twice daily, rapid healing of the diffuse mucosal ulcerations of the upper GI tract as well as control of diarrhea were achieved. Clinical benefit accompagnied dramatic and sustained reductions in gastric acid secretion as demonstrated by repeated basal output measurements and 24-hour intragastric pH recording. The biodisponibility of omeprazole improved as gastric intraluminal acidity was reduced. The effects of omeprazole on pepsin output appeared to be mainly related to the reduction of gastric secretory volume. After more than one year of treatment, neither clinical nor biological side-effects were noted. However, repeated ultrastructural studies of fundic gastric mucosa revealed two types of alterations: a) a pattern of hyper-stimulated parietal cells with turgescent intra-cellular micro-canalicus invested by numerous microvilli; b) in about a fourth of the parietal cells, cytoplasmic modifications resembling auto-phagosomia and mitochondrial reduction in number and morphological transformation. Poorly understood to date, these alterations call for regular histological control of the gastric mucosa in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome submitted to long-term administration of large doses of omeprazole.

The authors report on a 66-year-old man who presented with major undernutrition 3 1/2 years after total gastrectomy for gastric lymphosarcoma. This case shows that severe post-gastrectomy undernutrition can still be seen nowadays. It also provides an opportunity to discuss the complex pathophysiology of major deficiency syndromes and underlines the predominant role of inadequate food intake in the pathogenesis of the syndrome.

1 Ranitidine oral kinetics and plasma concentration-effect relationships upon meal-induced gastric secretion were investigated in normal subjects. Four oral doses of ranitidine (50, 100, 150 or 200 mg) and placebo were tested. 2 Oral ranitidine showed a terminal half-life of about 2 h 25 min. Maximal plasma level was about 240 ng/ml for a 100 mg dose, and occurred about 1 h after dose. From the range of 50 to 200 mg dose, no indication of non-linearity was observed in the drug kinetics. 3 Ranitidine administration resulted in a dose-related reduction in meal-stimulated acid secretion reaching, 46, 70, 82 and 92%, respectively. Mean ranitidine plasma concentrations producing 50 and 80% inhibition of acid secretion were 73 and 180 ng/ml, respectively, with great inter-individual variability. 150 and 200 mg ranitidine oral doses maintained IC50 for at least 4.5 and 5.5 h, respectively. Upon oral administration, ranitidine exerted no effect on gastric emptying of the meal but slightly decreased the gastrin response to the meal.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of 24 h of ranitidine treatment on gastric bacterial flora and N-nitroso compound formation. Nitrate, nitrite levels, N-nitroso compound concentration were measured and bacterial flora was studied in the fasting and postprandial gastric juice of four healthy men under placebo and ranitidine treatment (150 mg. bid). The pH of seventy-five per cent of the gastric juice samples was over 4 when the patients received their ranitidine treatment. While the mean intragastric concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, N-nitroso compounds and counts of nitrate-reducing organisms were not significantly altered by ranitidine, there was a statistically significant rise in the number of total bacteria. During ranitidine treatment, the nitrite/nitrate ratio was positively correlated with intragastric pH and with the nitrate-reducing organism count of the placebo period. These results suggest that the reduction of nitrate to nitrite required the combination of two factors: a high count of nitrate-reducing organisms before treatment and a high intragastric pH.

The authors describe the case of a 16-year-old African woman presenting with a cystic dilatation of the common bile duct associated with a dilatation of the left intrahepatic bile duct, hepatic fibrosis and portal hypertension. The disease was revealed by a non-infectious cholestatic syndrome. The diagnosis was made before the intervention by abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography. A choledococyst-jejunostomy was performed which led to progressive normalisation of liver function. This report emphasizes the possibility of simultaneous lesions at different levels of the biliary tree in patients with choledocal cysts. The prognosis depends upon the state of the liver. A liver biopsy is therefore mandatory when an operation is performed. In the present case, the follow-up is too short to assess the regression of the biliary cirrhosis as described in the literature.

Gastric acid secretion, whole blood histamine concentration and serum gastrin were measured in dogs, equipped with Heidenhain pouch, in response to feeding alone and in combination with antral histamine (AH)--Antramine--or with somatostatin. Feeding stimulated acid secretion, histamine and gastrin responses in a dose-related manner. Addition of antramine to feeding resulted in a potentiated acid and gastrin responses while histamine response corresponded to sum of individual responses to antramine and to feeding. Somatostatin reduced markedly acid and histamine responses, while gastrin response was unchanged. Serum gastrin and whole blood histamine appear to be agonistic factors responsible together for acid secretion. Somatostatin suppresses histamine response and would inhibit gastrin activity on acid secreting cells by this mean. Somatostatin and histamine might act antagonistically on gastrin which would be their common substrate, and thus they could intervene in a regulation process of acid secretion. In regard to synthetic histamine, native antral histamine--antramine--appears to be a better candidate for a physiological histamine regulation of acid secretion.

Two high-performance liquid chromatographic procedures were proposed to measure histamine. The first, with UV detection and a strong acid cation exchanger (Partisil 10, SCX Whatman), made it possible to isolate histamine and some methylated derivatives. The second, with a C18 sorbent (mu Bondapak, Waters, 10 microns particle size) eluted with ion-pairing phases, made it possible to isolate the histamine-o-phthaldialdehyde complexes. This last procedure allied with a chromatographic purification step gave lower or identical amounts of histamine than those described in human urine (16 +/- 7 micrograms per 24 h), canine whole blood (1.5 +/- 1 ng/ml) and human gastric juice (2.3 +/- 1.4 ng/ml). The two procedures gave the concentration of a histamine-like compound isolated from the antral mucosa.