Min Kyu Jung

Randomised clinical trial: comparative study of 10-day sequential therapy with 7-day standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in naïve patients

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2012; 35: 56–65

Factors predictive of risk for complications in patients with oesophageal foreign bodies.

BACKGROUND Reports on predictive risk factors associated with complications of ingested oesophageal foreign bodies are rare. AIMS The aim of this study was to determine the predictive risk factors associated with the complications of oesophageal foreign bodies. METHODS Three hundred sixteen cases with foreign bodies in the oesophagus were retrospectively investigated. The predictive risk factors for complications after foreign body ingestion were analysed by multivariate logistic regression, and included age, size and type of foreign body ingested, duration of impaction, and the level of foreign body impaction. RESULTS The types of oesophageal foreign bodies included fish bones (37.0%), food (19.0%), and metals (18.4%). The complications associated with foreign bodies were ulcers (21.2%), lacerations (14.9%), erosions (12.0%), and perforation (1.9%). Multivariate analysis showed that the duration of impaction (p<0.001), and the type (p<0.001) and size of the foreign bodies (p<0.001) were significant independent risk factors associated with the development of complications in patients with oesophageal foreign bodies. CONCLUSION In patients with oesophageal foreign bodies, the risk of complications was increased with a longer duration of impaction, bone type, and larger size.

Long-term follow-up study of gastric intraepithelial neoplasias: progression from low-grade dysplasia to invasive carcinoma.

Background and study aims A gastric intraepithelial neoplasia (IEN) is usually regarded as a precancerous lesion; however, the natural history of the gastric IEN has not been clarified. We aimed to evaluate the progression of dysplasia in gastric IENs. Patients and methods As a retrospective study, we reviewed 26 gastric adenomas with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) and one with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) from 18 patients. The patients were followed up for a median of 66 months from 1996 to 2004 (mean 58 months, 20–112 months) in Kyungpook National University Hospital. The histological diagnosis was classified according to the Vienna classification. We reviewed clinical (age and sex), morphological (size, color, shape, location in stomach, surface nodularity, and presence of the erosion), and histological (histological diagnosis, infection with Helicobacter pylori, infiltration of inflammatory cells, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia, microscopic erosions, and glandular appearance) characteristics with regard to progression of dysplasia. Results We found eight IENs of progressive dysplasia (29.6%). One IEN with HGD and three IENs with LGD progressed to invasive adenocarcinoma (category 5). Four gastric IENs with LGD progressed to HGD (category 4). The clinical, morphological, and histological characteristics did not reveal any distinguishable features for progressive dysplasia. Conclusion For the potential risk of progressive dysplasia, gastric IENs should be treated actively using the recently advanced therapeutic endoscopic techniques, regardless of the degrees of dysplasia.

Influence of obesity on the severity and clinical outcome of acute pancreatitis.

Background/Aims Obesity tends to be associated with increased mortality and morbidity in acute pancreatitis. However, in Asian populations, higher morbidity and mortality have been reported in patients with low body mass indexes (BMIs). This study was undertaken to evaluate the relation between obesity and outcome, and to investigate the occurrence of complications by overweightedness in acute pancreatitis. Methods The medical records of 403 patients with acute pancreatitis were reviewed retrospectively, and Ransons scores, modified Glasgow scores, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores and computed tomography severity indexes were calculated. Patients were categorized by BMI for the analysis. Results When compared with normal patients (BMI 18.5 to 22.9), all categories with a BMI ≥23 had an increased risk of developing a severe form of acute pancreatitis (p=0.003) and all categories with a BMI ≥25 significantly predicted severity (p<0.001). Patients with class 1 obesity (BMI 25 to 29.9) developed significantly more systemic and metabolic complications. Conclusions Overweightedness and obesity were found to be associated with a higher risk of developing severe pancreatitis. Further studies are needed to establish the precise prognostic value of obesity in members of the population with low BMIs.

Clinical outcomes for perforations during endoscopic submucosal dissection in patients with gastric lesions.

BackgroundThe endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) technique has been gaining popularity, with continued advances in this treatment approach. However, ESD still is associated with potential complications such as severe bleeding and perforation.MethodsThis study was performed to compare the clinical outcomes for macro- and microperforations with ESD procedures and to determine the short-term prognosis after ESD. A macroperforation was defined as a gross perforation that occurred during an ESD procedure, and a microperforation was defined by free air observed on simple radiography after the procedure. Immediate closure of macroperforations was performed using endoclips. From July 2003 through May 2008, 1,711 patients underwent ESD for gastric lesions such as dysplasia, early cancer, and subepithelial lesions.ResultsAmong 39 perforation cases (2.3%), macroperforations occurred for 26 patients (67%) and microperforations for 13 patients (33%). All the patients except one who underwent emergency surgery because of severe bleeding and perforation during ESD were managed successfully by intravenous antibiotics and no oral intake. The clinical prognosis and endoscopic characteristics of the patients with macroperforations did not differ from those of the patients with microperforations.ConclusionsPerforations associated with ESD could be managed safely and successfully by nonsurgical methods. The clinical prognoses for macro- and microperforations were favorable and comparable.

Clinical, biochemical, and pathological characteristics of clevudine-associated myopathy

BACKGROUND & AIMS The aim of this study was to define the clinical, biochemical, and pathological characteristics of myopathy developed during clevudine therapy. METHODS We prospectively enrolled 36 consecutive myopathy patients who were receiving clevudine therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We evaluated patients with a complete medical history, neurologic examination with a questionnaire on neuromuscular diseases, laboratory tests, electrophysiology studies, and muscle biopsies. RESULTS The median duration of clevudine therapy was 18.0 months (ranging from 9 to 24 months). The chief complaint was weakness of the lower extremities in 30 patients (83.3%) and asthenia in five patients (13.9%). One patient (2.8%) had only persistently elevated serum muscle enzyme without any symptoms. Weakness of the lower extremity mainly involved proximal muscle group of the lower extremity, characterized by difficulty in climbing stairs (83.3%), a decrease in exercise capacity (75.0%) and difficulty in walking (55.6%). All patients showed an elevation of more than two of serum creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and lactate levels. Muscle biopsies performed in 23 patients revealed myopathic features with abnormal mitochondria in 21 patients, and nonspecific myositis in two patients. Motor weakness gradually improved after discontinuation of clevudine. CONCLUSIONS Myopathy associated with clevudine is characterized by a weakness in proximal muscles of the lower extremities with elevated muscle enzymes and presumably caused by mitochondrial toxicities. Careful medical and serologic examinations are essential for the early detection and management of this potential adverse reaction in CHB patients under clevudine therapy.

Symptomatic-enlarging hepatic hemangiomas are effectively treated by percutaneous ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation

BACKGROUND & AIMS We aimed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of percutaneous ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation for the management of symptomatic-enlarging hepatic hemangiomas. METHODS Twenty-four patients (5 male and 19 female, with mean age of 49.5±2.2) with 25 hemangiomas over 4 cm underwent percutaneous RFA due to either the presence of symptoms or the enlargement of hemangioma compared with previous imaging studies. RESULTS The mean diameter of hemangioma was 7.2±0.7 cm (4.0-15.0 cm) with 16 hemangiomas in right and 9 hemangiomas in left lobe. Twenty-three hemangiomas (92.0%) were successfully treated by radiofrequency ablation. The mean diameter of hemangiomas was decreased to 4.5±2.4 cm (p<0.001) in serial follow-up CT scans over mean period of 23±3.8 months (23-114 months). Symptoms related to hemangioma disappeared without enlargement of hemangiomas in all successfully treated patients. There were 14 adverse events in 10 patients including abdominal pain, indirect hyperbilirubinemia (>3.0 mg/dl), fever (38.3°C), anemia (<10 g/dl), and ascites, which were successfully managed by conservative treatment. CONCLUSIONS Percutaneous ultrasonography-guided radiofrequency ablation is an effective, minimally invasive, and safe procedure for the management of symptomatic-enlarging hepatic hemangioma.

Gastric schwannomas: endosonographic characteristics

Gastric schwannomas are rare benign neurogenic mesenchymal tumors that are usually asymptomatic but can present with variable symptoms. We retrospectively reviewed the endosonographic features of four patients with gastric schwannomas. A marginal hypoechoic halo was found in three patients with the schwannomas. The histopathological examination showed that the marginal halo on endosonography observed in the schwannomas corresponded to the lymphoid cuff. In addition, the schwannomas had lower echogenicity than the normal surrounding muscle layers. Therefore, these results suggest that gastric schwannomas can be differentiated from gastrointestinal stromal tumors by the marginal halo and the homogeneous hypoechoic endosonographic findings. These distinctions may be useful for the preoperative evaluation of gastric submucosal tumors.

Bispectral index monitoring as an adjunct to nurse-administered combined sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

AIM To determine whether bispectral index (BIS) monitoring is useful for propofol administration for deep sedation during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). METHODS Fifty-nine consecutive patients with a variety of reasons for ERCP who underwent the procedure at least twice between 1 July 2010 and 30 November 2010. This was a randomized cross-over study, in which each patient underwent ERCP twice, once with BIS monitoring and once with control monitoring. Whether BIS monitoring was done during the first or second ERCP procedure was random. Patients were intermittently administered a mixed regimen including midazolam, pethidine, and propofol by trained nurses. The nurse used a routine practice to monitor sedation using the Modified Observers Assessment of Alertness/Sedation (MOAA/S) scale or the BIS monitoring. The total amount of midazolam and propofol used and serious side effects were compared between the BIS and control groups. RESULTS The mean total propofol dose administered was 53.1 ± 32.2 mg in the BIS group and 54.9 ± 30.8 mg in the control group (P = 0.673). The individual propofol dose received per minute during the ERCP procedure was 2.90 ± 1.83 mg/min in the BIS group and 3.44 ± 2.04 mg in the control group (P = 0.103). The median value of the MOAA/S score during the maintenance phase of sedation was comparable for the two groups. The mean BIS values throughout the procedure (from insertion to removal of the endoscope) were 76.5 ± 8.7 for all 59 patients in using the BIS monitor. No significant differences in the frequency of < 80% oxygen saturation, hypotension (< 80 mmHg), or bradycardia (< 50 beats/min) were observed between the two study groups. Four cases of poor cooperation occurred, in which the procedure should be stopped to add the propofol dose. After adding the propofol, the procedure could be conducted successfully (one case in the BIS group, three cases in the control group). The endoscopist rated patient sedation as excellent for all patients in both groups. All patients in both groups rated their level of satisfaction as high (no discomfort). During the post-procedural follow-up in the recovery area, no cases of clinically significant hypoxic episodes were recorded in either group. No other postoperative side effects related to sedation were observed in either group. CONCLUSION BIS monitoring trend to slighlty reduce the mean propofol dose. Nurse-administered propofol sedation under the supervision of a gastroenterologist may be considered an alternative under anesthesiologist.

Mitochondrial myopathy caused by clevudine therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients

As a pyrimidine analog with potent and sustained antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus, clevudine has been known to have no effect on mitochondrial structure, DNA content, or function. There is little information on the side effects of clevudine, which has not been approved for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B outside of South Korea. We report here two cases of chronic hepatitis B patients who experienced mitochondrial myopathy after clevudine medication. These cases raise concerns about the safety profile of clevudine for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.