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Objective: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of a triple vs dual pantoprazole based therapy to eradicate Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in mexican patients with florid duodenal ulcer., Background: The treatment of peptic ulcer disease was revolutionized by the fact that H. pylori generally induces chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease and that the cure of the infection prevents ulcer relapses., Material and Methods: 74 H. pylori positive patients with florid duodenal ulcer were randomized to receive either pantoprazole 40 mg bid in combination with clarithromycin 500 mg tid and amoxicillin 1 g bid (triple regimen PAC) or pantoprazole in combination with clarithromycin and placebo (dual regimen PC) during 14 days. To ensure complete ulcer healing all patients received an additional 2 weeks treatment with pantoprazole 40 mg od. 14C Urea Breath test (UBT) was the main criteria used to determine eradication rate with < 150 disintegrations per minute (DPM) to consider a patient eradicated. In all patients culture, antibiotic susceptibility (E-test) and histology were performed., Results: In the per protocol analysis (n = 66) the eradication rate was: PAC 93.5% vs PC 54.3% (p < 0.001). 76% of H. pylori strains were resistant to metronidazole. Tolerance and compliance were excellent in both groups., Conclusions: Triple therapy (PAC) was shown to be superior to dual therapy (PC) for H. pylori eradication in mexican patients with florid duodenal ulcer.

Nearly 30% of the obese patients treated with hypoenergetic diets for weight reduction develop gallstone disease (GD). Until the present time, the use of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDA) is the only available therapeutic measure to avoid the development of GD. Dietary fiber induce a bile acid synthesis. A double-blind clinical trial was conducted to compare the effect of rational diet plus UDA vs a rational diet supplemented with Psyllium plantago (Pp) for the prevention of GD in obese subjects undergoing a weight-reduction diet. Patients with a body mass index (BMI = weight in Kg/square height in m) of 30 Kg/m2 or more and with normal gallbladder and biliary tree ultrasound (GBUS) were included. Weight-reduction diets were individually calculated for each patient according to their energy expenditure (EE). Patients were randomly and blindly assigned either to group I (diet + 750 mg UDA + fiber placebo) or group II (diet + 15 g Pp+ UDA placebo). An anthropometric evaluation was performed to each patient before and after the two-month treatment, as well as resting EE by indirect calorimetry, GBUS and endoscopy for the determination of cholesterol crystals in duodenal bile. Weight reduction was similar in both groups (group I = 6 +/- 2 Kg vs group II = 6 +/- 3 Kg). GD development was observed in one patient of group I (5.5%) and two patients of group II (p > 0.05). All patients with GD lost a minimum of 4 Kg during the study period. GD development did not correlate with the presence of crystals in the duodenal bile at the beginning of the study. Our results suggest a beneficial effect of a rational diet with fiber supplementation to prevent GD development in obese patients included in a weight reduction program.

Recently it has been described in the literature a subpopulation of PBC patients with negative AMA that might represent patients with ANA positive autoimmune cholangitis. We review 25 cases of PBC (23 females) with AMA negative. Our aim was to determine the frequency of ANA(+) in this group. We studied serum transaminases, total bilirubin, AMA and ANA by indirect immunofluorescence considering positive dilutions of 1:40. All patients had elevated alkaline phosphatase (641 +/- 389 U/l). Total bilirubin was below 2.5 in 59%. Thirteen patients had esophageal varices. The histologic stage was I-II in eleven and III-IV in 14 cases. Fourteen patients (56%) has ANA(+) (dilution 1:40), 44% had lower dilutions. We confirm the presence of a subpopulation of PBC AMA negative, ANA positive patients and the observations of different and diverse immune alterations in PBC patients.

We informed four cases of primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with chronic ulcerative colitis, diagnosed in the Gastroenterology Department, Hospital de Especialidades del CM Siglo XXI Mexico City, during 1987 to 1988. The mean age was 30.2 years and the evolution of colitis was 6.6 years. Two patients were females and two males, all presented active colitis and three presented hepatic symptoms. The laboratory abnormalities were hypertransaminasemia, increased alkaline phosphatase and hyperbilirubinemia. In three patients endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was done, in all cases diagnosis was established by histology. The frequency of primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with chronic ulcerative colitis was 13.3%.

Although some authors believe that Helicobacter pylori is the etiologic agent in chronic nonspecific gastritis, it has also been suggested that the bacterium colonizes inflamed mucosa as a secondary event. This study documents the prevalence of H. pylori in 28 patients with pernicious anemia and compares the findings with those of a group of 28 age-, race-, and sex-matched asymptomatic control subjects. All subjects underwent endoscopy with biopsy of the gastric antrum and corpus. A sample of serum was obtained before endoscopy for determination of antibodies (immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G) to H. pylori. The prevalence of H. pylori (by biopsy) in patients with pernicious anemia was significantly less than that in controls (11% vs. 71%, P less than 0.0001). All patients with pernicious anemia had abnormalities of corpus histology (inflammation and/or atrophy). In addition, 50% of patients with pernicious anemia had a lymphocytic infiltration of the antrum. All controls with H. pylori had gastritis, 50% having active chronic gastritis. Atrophic changes of the corpus were more commonly found in patients with pernicious anemia (75% vs. 7%, P less than 0.0001). Serology and biopsy results correlated poorly in the patients with pernicious anemia: all 5 patients with positive serology results had negative biopsy results, whereas all 3 patients with positive cultures on biopsy had negative serological studies. In conclusion, patients with pernicious anemia are protected from infection with H. pylori, and H. pylori does not passively colonize mucosa inflamed by an unrelated process.

The determination of serum and urinary amylase are methods used in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, however there are many abdominal problems that can cause hyperamylasemia, in the absence of pancreatic disease, for this reason in 1969 Levitt and col. signaled the possible advantages of amylase/creatinine clearence ratio, in the clinical diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. This test was used in cases with acute pancreatitis, as in other diseases, in correlation with levels in normal subjects, with the objective of evaluating its clinica utility, in relation to the formentioned paragraph. Results concluded that the amylase/creatinine ratio is not of greater diagnostic utility than the determination of urinary amylase, in acute pancreatitis.

Radiological diagnosis of secondary sclerosing cholangits was made in a patient who presented changes in morphology of the biliary tree in two consecutive post-operatory T-tube cholangiograms. The main change was a diffuse narrowness of the intrahepatic branches. Anatomical changes in post mortem examination had a good correlation with radiological images. The importance of this entity and experience from other authors in the current literature are discussed.

A randomized, double-blind comparison of lactose enemas plus placebo tablets vs. starch enemas plus neomycin tablets was performed on 18 patients with acute portal systemic encephalopathy. Ten patients received starch enemas (10%; 1000 ml t.i.d.) plus neomycin tablets and 8 patients received lactose enemas (20%; 1000 ml t.i.d.) plus placebo tablets. A significant mental state improvement was demonstrated in the group of patients treated with starch enemas-neomycin tablets (p less than 0.05) and in the group of patients treated with lactose enemas-placebo tablets (p less than 0.025). Both treatments significantly improved the frequency of asterixis, ammonia blood levels, and electroencephalograms. In addition, patients treated with lactose enemas showed significant improvement in number-connection test times (p less than 0.02), and their stools showed a more acid pH (p less than 0.05). No side effects were evident with either treatment. Lactose enemas are a safe and effective treatment for acute portal systemic encephalopathy.

The authors employed this new technique of thin needle percutaneous cholangiography in 220 patients with the following results: 99.3% (146/147) success with previous biliary tract dilatation and 79.4% (53/73) success in patients with normal caliber bile ducts. The overall result of 92.7% (204/228) emphasizes that radiological opacification is the best way to study the icteric patient. Only 1.8% of patients with serious complications is less than in other instrumentation methods. By not requiring specialized equipment and being accessible in the majority of hospitals, study cost is reduced. In conclusion, this new technique of percutaneous cholangiography is preferable for accessibility, efficacy, cost and risk in the study of the icteric patient.