Helicobacter pylori infection is positively associated with gallstones: a large-scale cross-sectional study in Japan

Background

Our aim is to elucidate causative factors for gallstones, especially focusing on Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection.

Methods

We analyzed 15,551 Japanese adults who had no history of gastrectomy, cholecystectomy, HP eradication, and didn’t use proton pump inhibitors, anti-diabetic drugs, or anti-cholesterol drugs. 1,057 subjects who previously had HP eradication were analyzed separately.

Results

Gallstones were detected in 409 of 8,625 men (4.74 %) and 285 of 6,926 women (4.11 %) by ultrasonography. Among the 25 factors univariately analyzed, age, HP infection, alcohol intake, weight, body mass index (BMI), and 14 blood test values (AST, ALT, ALP, γ-GTP, T-Chol, HDL-Chol, LDL-Chol, TG, TP, Hb, HbA1c, pepsinogen I, pepsinogen II, and pepsinogen I/II ratio) displayed significant association with gallstones (p < 0.05), whereas gender, smoking, height, and three blood test values (Alb, T-Bil, MCV) did not. Multivariate analysis showed that age, gender, alcohol intake, BMI, γ-GTP, LDL-Chol, TP, and HP infection had significant association (p < 0.05). Successive multiple logistic regression analysis calculating odds ratio (OR) and standardized coefficients (β) showed that age (OR/β = 1.57/0.450), BMI (OR/β = 1.30/0.264), HP infection (OR/β = 1.51/0.206), lower alcohol intake (OR/β = 1.33/0.144), γ-GTP (OR/β = 1.15/0.139), and pepsinogen I/II ratio (OR/β = 1.08/0.038) have significant positive association with gallstones, whereas gender does not. The gallstone prevalence among HP-negative, HP-eradicated, and HP-positive subjects was 3.81, 4.73 and 6.08 %, respectively. The matched analysis controlling age, BMI, γ-GTP, alcohol intake, pepsinogen I/II ratio and gender also demonstrated that gallstone prevalence among HP-eradicated subjects was significantly lower compared with HP-positive subjects (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

HP infection is positively associated with gallstones. HP eradication may lead to prevention of gallstones.     

Principles and practice to facilitate complete photodocumentation of the upper gastrointestinal tract: World Endoscopy Organization position statement

Although esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is the most commonly used procedure in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the method of esophageal, gastric and duodenal mucosa photodocumentation varies considerably worldwide. One probable explanation is that for generations, EGD has primarily been taught by GI faculty and instructors based on their perceptions and experience, which has resulted in EGD being a non-standardized procedure. Currently, the procedure is facing a challenging scenario as endoscopy societies are implementing procedure-associated quality indicators aiming for best practice among practitioners and evidence-based care for patients. Contrary to colonoscopy where cecum landmarks photodocumentation is considered proof of completeness, there are currently no reliable performance measures to gauge the completeness of an upper endoscopy nor guidance for complete photodocumentation. This World Endoscopy Organization (WEO) position statement aims to provide practical guidance to practitioners to carry out complete EGD photodocumentation. Hence, an international group of experts from the WEO Upper GI Cancer Committee formulated the following document using the body of evidence established through literature reviews, expert opinions, and other scientific sources. The group acknowledged that although the procedure should be feasible in any facility, what is needed to achieve a global shift on the concept of completeness is a common written statement of agreement on its potential impact and added value. This best practice statement offers endoscopists principles and practical guidance in order to carry out complete photodocumentation from the hypopharynx to the second duodenal portion.     

Effects of gabapentin enacarbil on restless legs syndrome and leg pain in dementia with Lewy bodies

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder. Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common form of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Both RLS and DLB can be effectively treated by dopaminergic medications, suggesting the role of dopamine dysfunction in the pathogenesis of both diseases. Here, I report on a Japanese woman with probable DLB and RLS who was treated with gabapentin enacarbil, a non‐dopaminergic agent. Because a dopamine agonist, a first‐line therapy for moderate to severe RLS, caused the occurrence of metamorphopsia, an alternative treatment of gabapentin enacarbil was used; this treatment improved the patient's RLS without worsening her psychiatric symptoms. An alternative treatment is desirable for DLB patients with RLS because they often experience intolerable side‐effects with a dopamine agonist, especially visual hallucinations. Administering gabapentin enacarbil also improved the continuous leg pain that occurred in conjunction with the development of RLS. Although the neurobiological mechanism in the development of pain remains unclear, a range of non‐dopaminergic structures likely mediated pain processing in DLB in the present case based on neuropharmacological results. This is the first report reporting the effects of gabapentin enacarbil for RLS and leg pain in a DLB patient with psychiatric symptoms.     

Three presenile patients in which neuropsychological and neuroimaging examinations suggest possible progression to dementia with Lewy bodies

We report three presenile patients who were initially suspected of having Alzheimer's disease (AD) or being in the prodromal stage of AD, regardless of visuoperceptual dysfunctions in daily living, because they lacked the core features and prodromal non‐motor symptoms of dementia with Lewy bodies. Subsequently, progression to dementia with Lewy bodies was suspected based on neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings; additionally, one of the three patients suffered from visual hallucinations. Neuropsychological examinations such as subjective contours, cube copying and block design in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale‐III revealed visuoperceptual dysfunction in all three patients even when other cognitive functions were rather preserved. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed no significant brain atrophy, including in the parieto‐occipital area and the hippocampus, while brain ¹⁸F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography demonstrated right dominant metabolic reductions in the occipital lobe, including the primary visual cortex, in all three patients. We suggest the possibility of progression to dementia with Lewy bodies, but not AD or posterior cortical atrophy. Regardless of the presence of core features and prodromal non‐motor symptoms, this progression is suggested when there are difficulties only in higher‐level visual processing such as subjective contours and block design in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale‐III, no significant atrophy of the parieto‐occipital area and hippocampus on brain magnetic resonance imaging, and hypometabolism in the occipital lobe including the primary visual cortex on brain ¹⁸F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography.     

Immunologic benefits of longer graft in rat allogenic small bowel transplantation

BACKGROUND: The effect of graft length on rejection reaction in small bowel transplantation (SBT), which is poorly understood, is tested using rat allogenic SBT models with a short course of tacrolimus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inbred Brown Norway rats (major histocompatibility complex: RT1) and Lewis rats (RT1) were used as donors and recipients, respectively. The intestinal tract of the recipient was partially or totally replaced by segmental (15 cm) or whole (70 cm) donor intestine, using two different SBT models. With tacrolimus treatment (0.64 mg/kg per day, 0-13 postoperative days, intramuscularly), recipients' body weights and their survival were evaluated. To compare the extent of peripheral chimerism, donor passenger leukocytes were followed using flow cytometry with a donor-specific monoclonal antibody, OX-27. For the periodical histologic analysis, heterotopic SBT and protocol biopsies of the graft were also performed with short or long intestinal grafts. RESULTS: In a classical Monchik and Russell orthotopic SBT model, whole SBT recipients survived more than 60 days. However, all of the allogenic segmental SBT recipients died within 14 days without histologic sign of graft rejection. In the modified orthotopic SBT model using a cuff technique without systemic clamping, all recipients with segmental allograft survived longer than 29 days. However, recipients with whole graft tended to survive longer than those with segmental graft. The suffering period, lasting from the onset of rejection to death, was significantly shorter in the segmental group than in the whole group. Flow cytometric analysis showed that recipients with whole intestinal grafts had significantly higher ratio of donor passenger leukocytes in peripheral blood. Histologic studies of the protocol biopsies showed that the shorter graft tended to be more severely rejected than the longer graft. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated experimentally that long intestinal grafts have immunologic advantage over short grafts.