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Background: Endoscopic treatment of precancerous lesions and early gastric cancer has been widely accepted in recent years. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), following established indication criteria, can lead to cure of the disease in more than 90% of cases. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the use of ESD in patients with early gastric cancer and precancerous lesions, as well as the results of the procedure, its complications and effectiveness in controlling the disease. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study composed of 41 patients aged from 53 to 87 years (mean age: 65 years; 58.53% male) who were analyzed from 2008 to 2019. The variables collected from the medical records were: comorbidities, classification of the lesion regarding resection criteria, type of resection, histology, degree of invasion, resection margin, complications, disease recurrence. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, the McNemar’s test, and the Mann-Whitney test, with 5% statistical significance (P

We present the case of a 45-year-old man with watery diarrhea for 2 years, leading to marked weight loss (52 kg). On admission, the patient presented with pallor, dehydration and cachexia. Abdominal examination revealed increased bowel sounds, painful and visible intestinal peristalsis, suggesting intestinal obstruction. There was no response to a gluten-free diet and nutritional support. Finally, the patient developed pulmonary infection, septic shock and died 3 months after admission. The diagnosis of CD4+/CD8+ indolent T-cell lymphoma of the GI tract was made post-mortem.

A síndrome do intestino irritável (SII) é uma desordem gastrointestinal funcional causando dor e desconforto abdominal, inchaço e alteração do hábito intestinal. Sendo assim, o objetivo do estudo foi comparar o perfil de adiposidade corporal, os hábitos de vida e a qualidade de vida de indivíduos portadores da SII com um grupo controle saudável. Estudo caso-controle com 30 mulheres portadoras da SII e 32 mulheres saudáveis, de 20 a 59 anos, sem doenças que afetam o estado nutricional e ingestão alimentar. A adiposidade corporal foi avaliada a partir do IMC, circunferências da cintura e quadril e relação cintura-quadril. A prática de atividade física foi analisada pelo IPAQ versão curta. Para avaliação dos hábitos de vida observou-se etilismo, tabagismo e sonolência diurna pela Escala de Sonolência de Epworth. O Questionário de Qualidade de Vida para portadores da SII foi aplicado. Nos resultados observamos maior acúmulo de adiposidade central e periférica no grupo caso em comparação ao grupo controle (p < 0,05). A frequência de não fumantes no controle foi de 86,9% e nos casos 79,4%. O consumo de 1 a mais de 7 doses de bebida alcoólica no grupo controle foi de 52,8%, nos casos 82,4% consomem menos que 1 dose ao mês. Não houve diferença na sonolência diurna e atividade física entre os grupos. Casos apresentaram pior qualidade de vida (58,7±21,7) e em todos os domínios no grupo (p

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been associated with iron deficiency anemia. However, results reported in the literature are contradictory. The goal of the present study was to study the possible association between H. pylori infection and iron deficiency in a sample of adults. Methods: One hundred and fifty individuals were studied (H. pylori-positive n=75; H. pylori-negative n=50). The presence of anemia was determined using red cell indices and reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr). Iron status was assessed based on serum iron and ferritin levels. Possible involvement of inflammatory activity in erythropoiesis was investigated by measuring the correlation between C-reactive protein (CRP) and red cell indices and iron status. Results: There were no significant differences in the hematological or biochemical parameters for the two groups. Iron deficiency was diagnosed in six individuals, but no difference in prevalence was found between the H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative groups. A weak but significant inverse correlation was observed between CRP and CHr concentrations and between serum gastrin and CHr in the H. pylori-positive group. These results suggest a reduction in iron availability for reticulocyte hemoglobinization, but insufficient to cause anemia. Conclusions: H. pylori infection was not a determining factor for development of iron deficiency in our study population. Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:1809–12.

The combination of endoscopic band ligation (EBL) with either endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) or thermal therapy has been shown to reduce recurrence of esophageal varices compared to EBL alone. The aim of this prospective trial was twofold: 1) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EBL used in association with microwave coagulation (MC), a thermal endoscopic therapy method, for treating esophageal varices and preventing recurrence; and 2) to compare these results to the joint application of EBL and EIS.Seventy cirrhotic patients with bleeding esophageal varices were treated with EBL until only thin vessels remained. Thirty-six randomly selected patients received EIS (group A) and 34 received MC (group B) until complete eradication had been achieved. Endoscopic follow-up was performed to detect recurrence. The effectiveness of the treatment was measured using variceal recurrence, rebleeding, intervention complications, and recurrence factors.During follow-up evaluations averaging 34.9 +/- 11.4 months, no significant differences were found between groups A and B in variceal recurrence (27.7 vs. 17.6%, P = 0.31) or rebleeding (8.3 vs. 0%, P = 0.23). Complications were rare, with no difference detected between groups. The presence of gastric varices influenced recurrence with an odds ratio of 3.9 (95% CI 1.14-13.1, P = 0.029).Application of MC to esophageal varices after band ligation is safe. The post-MC recurrence rate may be comparable to that observed following the combined treatment of EBL and EIS. The presence of gastric varices increases the risk of esophageal variceal recurrence.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes according to bowel habit. Objective: To investigate whether there are differences in clinical features, comorbidities, anxiety, depression and body mass index (BMI) among IBS subtypes. Methods: The study group included 113 consecutive patients (mean age: 48 ± 11 years; females: 94) with the diagnosis of IBS. All of them answered a structured questionnaire for demographic and clinical data and underwent upper endoscopy. Anxiety and depression were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD). Results: The distribution of subtypes was: IBS-diarrhea (IBS-D), 46%; IBS-constipation (IBS-C), 32%, and mixed IBS (IBS-M), 22%. IBS overlap with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), functional dyspepsia, chronic headache and fibromyalgia occurred in 65.5%, 48.7%, 40.7% and 22.1% of patients, respectively. Anxiety and/or depression were found in 81.5%. Comparisons among subgroups showed that bloating was significantly associated with IBS-M compared to IBS-D (odds ratio-OR-5.6). Straining was more likely to be reported by IBS-M (OR 15.3) and IBS-C (OR 12.0) compared to IBS-D patients, while urgency was associated with both IBS-M (OR 19.7) and IBS-D (OR 14.2) compared to IBS-C. In addition, IBS-M patients were more likely to present GERD than IBS-D (OR 6.7) and higher scores for anxiety than IBS-C patients (OR 1.2). BMI values did not differ between IBS-D and IBS-C. Conclusion: IBS-M is characterized by symptoms frequently reported by both IBS-C (straining) and IBS-D (urgency), higher levels of anxiety, and high prevalence of comorbidities. These features should be considered in the clinical management of this subgroup

Os tumores localizados em região de cabeça e pescoço apresentam alta incidência em nosso meio, principalmente se associados com fatores etiológicos ligados aos hábitos de etilismo e tabagismo. Estes mesmos hábitos relacionam-se também com a incidência de câncer em esôfago. Assim sendo, é de se esperar que estes pacientes venham a apresentar outra neoplasia primária neste último órgão. Foi realizado estudo prospectivo com 60 pacientes portadores de câncer em mucosa da região de cabeça e pescoço na Disciplina de Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço e no Serviço de Endoscopia Digestiva do Gastrocentro - UNICAMP, com o objetivo de diagnosticar neoplasias malignas superficiais no esôfago, caracterizadas como segundo tumor primário, e displasias. A endoscopia digestiva alta foi indicada utilizando-se a solução de lugol a 2%, para coloração do epitélio esofagiano, evidenciando-se em 33 pacientes (55%), 42 áreas iodo-claras (suspeitas de neoplasias), que foram submetidas a biopsias para estudo anatomopatológico. Foram diagnosticados cinco carcinomas superficiais de esôfago (8,3%), sendo que três deles eram intra-epiteliais -- in situ (5,0%) e cinco áreas de displasia (8,3%). Concluiu-se que o método de coloração da mucosa esofagiana com a solução de lugol a 2%, através da endoscopia digestiva alta, apresenta alta sensibilidade e baixa especificidade para o diagnóstico de um segundo tumor primário e de displasia, em pacientes portadores de carcinoma em mucosa de região de cabeça e pescoço.

Background/Aims: This prospective study investigated the performance of pre-endoscopy and the complete Rockall scores in predicting the occurrence of adverse outcomes and the need for endoscopic or surgical intervention in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: All 656 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopy due to nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding between 2007 and 2011 were included. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for the outcomes of therapeutic intervention, rebleeding and death. The discriminative accuracy of the risk scores was assessed by the area under the ROC curve. Results: Endoscopic treatment was performed in 55.2% of the patients. Rebleeding and mortality rates were 7.6 and 3.8%, respectively. The pre-endoscopy Rockall scores showed unsatisfactory accuracy in predicting the need for intervention, rebleeding or death, as shown by the respective area under the ROC curve values of 0.52, 0.52 and 0.65. The accuracy of the complete Rockall score in predicting rebleeding was poor (area under ROC: 0.52), but it was higher for mortality (area under ROC: 0.69). Conclusions: The pre-endoscopy Rockall score was not useful for predicting the need for therapeutic intervention or adverse outcomes. The complete Rockall score showed an acceptable performance in predicting mortality, but was unable to predict rebleeding.

Purpose The study aimed to evaluate whether ranitidine and pantoprazole are able to maintain gastric pH ≥4 in septic patients. Materials and methods Twenty intensive care unit patients from a university teaching hospital with sepsis were included in this study. Ten patients received ranitidine (50 mg as an intermittent bolus 3 times a day) and 10 received pantoprazole (40 mg as an intermittent bolus twice a day). Gastric pH was measured continuously for 48 hours. Endoscopy of the upper digestive tract, gastric biopsy, and investigation for Helicobacter pylori were carried out before and at the end of the study. Results pH values ≥4 were maintained for 46.27% ± 38.21% and 81.57% ± 19.65% of study time in the ranitidine and pantoprazole groups, respectively (P = .04). Conclusions Intravenous ranitidine was unable to maintain gastric pH above 4 in septic patients. All cases in the ranitidine group in whom pH remained above 4 had gastric hypotrophy or atrophy. Pantoprazole successfully maintained pH levels above 4.

Background: Eosinophils have been identified in tissues from patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) but whether they contribute to IBD pathogenesis is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the functional activity and morphological aspects of peripheral-blood eosinophils from IBD patients compared to those from healthy volunteers (HVs). Methods: Eosinophils from HVs and CD and UC patients were purified using a Percoll gradient and then a immunomagnetic cell separator. Functional activity in inactivated and previously activated cells was investigated by measuring adhesion to fibronectin and chemotaxis to fMLP, and degranulation was measured by release of eosinophil peroxidase (EPO). Cell morphology was investigated using electron microscopy. Results: Eosinophil adhesion to human fibronectin in both inactivated and PAF-stimulated and PMA-stimulated eosinophils was markedly higher in patients with CD than in either patients with UC or HVs. Similarly, the chemotactic response was markedly higher in eosinophils isolated from CD patients than in those isolated from UC patients or HVs. Baseline EPO release was higher in eosinophils isolated from UC patients than in those isolated from HVs or CD patients. Stimulation with fMLP or PMA did not further increase EPO release in cells from UC or CD patients. Comparable expression of MAC-1 and VLA-4 adhesion molecules was observed on the surfaces of eosinophils from all groups, and an greater number of granules was noted in the eosinophils from UC patients than in those from CD patients. Conclusions: Our results indicate that peripheral-blood eosinophils are potentially primed and activated in IBD patients. Whether the differences in the morphology and functional responses of eosinophil from UC and CD patients reflect differences in disease phenotype remains to be elucidated. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007)

The authors report a case of a 13-year-old girl with Barrett's esophagus who underwent antireflux surgery and was subsequently treated with endoscopic thermal coagulation using bipolar electrocoagulation. Follow-up endoscopy 15 months after completion of the endoscopic therapy showed normal esophageal mucosa without intestinal metaplasia. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the long-term effects of endoscopic treatment of the Barrett's mucosa with thermal coagulation, and this procedure should still be considered under investigation.

Amyloidosis of the gastrointestinal tract is usually a systemic disease. Localized gastrointestinal amyloidosis without evidence of extraintestinal involvement or an associated plasma cell dyscrasia is uncommon and does not usually cause death. We report a case of a patient with localized gastrointestinal amyloidosis who presented with protein-losing enteropathy and a fatal upper gastrointestinal bleed.

Introdução: O sucesso da cateterização da via biliar é de importância para o diagnóstico e terapêutica nas afecções biliopancreáticas nos procedimentos de colangiopancreatografia retrógrada endoscópica (CPRE) e está associado a complicações graves e mortalidade. O objetivo do estudo foi comparar o sucesso, perfil laboratorial e as complicações da técnica de fistulotomia papilar direta com o acesso cateter e fio-guia. Métodos: No período de julho de 2010 a maio de 2017 foram selecionados e randomizados para CPRE em dois grupos: cateterização com cateter e fioguia (Grupo I) e a fistulotomia papilar (Grupo II). As curvas de amilase, lipase e proteína C reativa (T0, 12 e 24 horas) e as complicações (pancreatite, sangramento e perfuração) foram avaliadas após CPRE. Resultados: Foram incluídos 102 pacientes (66 do sexo feminino e 36 do masculino, com idade média de 59,11±18,7 anos) e divididos em 51 pacientes para Grupo I e 51 no Grupo II. Os sucessos das cateterizações dos Grupos I e II foram de 76,47% e 100%, respectivamente (p=0,0002). Doze pacientes (23,53%) do Grupo I foram considerados pacientes de cateterização difícil e submetidos à fistulotomia papilar com sucesso no acesso biliar. Foram observadas 13,7% (2 perfurações e 5 pancreatites leves) e 2 % (1 paciente com perfuração e pancreatite) complicações nos Grupos I e II, respectivamente (p=0,062). Conclusão: A fistulotomia papilar demonstrou maior eficácia na cateterização da via biliar e com menor índice de amilasemia e lipasemia em comparação a cateterização com papilótomo e fio guia. As complicações foram semelhantes entre as duas técnicas Background: The success of biliary tract cannulation is important for the diagnosis and treatment of biliopancreatic diseases in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures. ERCP is associated with severe complications and mortality. The aim of the study was to compare the success, laboratory profile and complications of the direct papillary fistulotomy technique with standard catheter and guidewire access. Methods: In the period from July 2010 to May 2017, two groups were selected and randomized for ERCP: cannulation with catheter and guidewire (Group I) and papillary fistulotomy (Group II). The curves of amylase, lipase and C-reactive protein (T0, 12 and 24 hours) and complications (pancreatitis, bleeding and perforation) were evaluated after ERCP. Results: A total of 102 patients (66 females and 36 males, mean age 59.11 ± 18.7 years) were divided into 51 patients for Group I and 51 for Group II. The success of cannulation was 76.47% and 100%, in Groups I and II, respectively (p = 0.0002). Twelve patients (23.53%) of Group I were considered to have difficult cannulation and were submitted to fistulotomy with successful biliary access. There were 13.73% (2 perforations and 5 mild pancreatitis) and 2% (1 patient with perforation and pancreatitis) complications in Groups I and II, respectively (p=0,062). Conclusion: Papillary fistulotomy demonstrated greater efficacy in the bile duct cannulation and presented lower serum amylase and lipase compared with standard catheter and guidewire cannulation. Complications were similar in the two techniques