Role of esophageal brushing cytology in monitoring patients treated with sclerotherapy for esophageal varices.

Recent reports claim that there might be a relationship between sclerotherapy for esophageal varices and cancer of the esophagus. The discovery of a squamous cell cancer of the lower esophagus in a patient treated three years previously with sclerotherapy led us to set up a follow-up protocol. In order to assess this relationship and to monitor the evolution of such lesions, 68 patients treated with sclerotherapy with polidocanol because of esophageal varices were examined endoscopically at six-month intervals, and brushing samples were taken. The ages of the patients ranged between 35 and 81 years, and all had portal hypertension due to cirrhosis; 10 patients with the same disease but without bleeding varices were also examined. The interval between sclerotherapy and the first cytologic follow-up examination averaged 34 months, while the interval to the last follow-up examination averaged 40 months. One patient was examined four times (1.4%), 10 three times (14.7%), 39 twice (57.4%) and 18 only once (26.5%). Two cases were interpreted as nuclear hyperplasia associated with inflammation and were found to have regressed at a subsequent examination; all the other cases were reported as negative although sometimes associated with inflammation. None of the controls showed any abnormalities. While the occurrence of esophageal cancer after sclerotherapy might be associated with other risk factors, such as alcohol intake and smoking, esophageal brushing cytology can successfully monitor these patients and detect early stages of neoplasia.     

内镜下硬化剂和套扎治疗食管静脉曲张术后对门脉高压性胃病和胃底静脉曲张的影响

目的:探讨食管静脉曲张(EV)采用内镜下套扎术(EVL)和硬化剂(EVS)治疗对患者近远期并发胃底静脉曲张(GV)以及门脉高压性胃病(PHG)并发症的影响。方法:抽选我院肝硬化上消化道出血后接受内镜下治疗的患者97例为研究对象,其中19例予以内镜下EVS治疗,78例行内镜下EVL治疗,随访1年,观察治疗3个月、6个月、1年后并发GV、PHG的近远期概率。结果:治疗3个月后,本组患者GV、PHG等并发症的发生率为17.5%(17/97)、39.2%(38/97),与治疗前比较差异无显著性(P0.05);治疗6个月后,本组患者GV、PHG等并发症的发生率为32%(31/97)、70.1%(68/97),与治疗前相比,并发人数显著增加(P0.05);治疗1年后,GV、PHG的发生率为42.3%(41/97)、88.7%(86/97),并发人数显著高于治疗前(P0.05)。结论:内镜下EVS、EVL治疗在消退食管曲张静脉和良好地控制出血的同时,还可增加PHG、GV的并发几率,值得临床重视预防。     

左侧门脉高压症并上消化道出血的诊断与治疗（附14 例临床分析）

目的:探讨左侧门脉高压症合并上消化道出血的诊断和治疗方法。方法:回顾分析我院近10年来收治的14例左侧门脉高压症合并上消化道出血患者的诊治措施和随访结果。结果:14例患者均有呕血或(和)黑便史,无肝硬化、腹水及肝功能异常等表现。14例患者中胰体尾占位6例,胰腺假性囊肿4例,慢性胰腺炎4例。14例患者均采用手术治疗。9例患者获得随访,定期内镜复查,曲张静脉明显改善或消失,随访5月～8年均无再出血。结论:胰腺疾病病史、无肝硬化和肝功能正常、孤立性胃底静脉曲张和脾肿大及脾亢是诊断左侧门脉高压症的基本要点。该疾病可通过脾切除术或联合胃底周围血管离断术结合原发胰腺疾病的治疗来获得治愈。     

内镜下3种方法治疗食管静脉曲张破裂出血临床效果比较

目的:探讨治疗肝硬化导致的食管静脉曲张破裂出血的有效方法。方法:回顾性分析40例因肝硬化致食管静脉曲张破裂出血患者的临床资料,比较采用内镜下套扎、硬化及套扎序贯硬化3种治疗方法的止血率、静脉曲张消失率和再出血率。结果:EVL组、EVS组和EVL+EVS组治疗1个周期后止血率分别为86.67%、92.31%和91.67%,差异无统计学意义(X2=0.299,P=0.861);治疗3周期后静脉曲张消失率分别为80.00%、84.61%和91.67%,差异无统计学意义(X2=0.714,P=0.700)。治疗后3个月、6个月、12个月、24个月再出血率EVL+EVS组EVS组EVL组,差异有统计学意义(X2=13.198,P=0.040)。结论:3种方法治疗食管静脉曲张破裂出血均有很好的效果,可根据患者实际情况选择。无特殊适应症的情况下,优先选择EVS或EVL和EVS相配合的序贯疗法可取得较好的效果。     

Patterns of practice among older physicians in Ontario

BACKGROUND: Policy-makers interested in the supply of doctors in Canada have recently begun focusing attention on older physicians. This study informs the policy debate by analysing the practice patterns of Ontario physicians aged 65 years and over. METHODS: A cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of physician claims data for fiscal years 1989/90 through 1995/96 was conducted. The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) physicians by age category, urban or rural status, and specialty was calculated by means of an established method, and differences between older physicians, established physicians and recent graduates (in practice for 5 years or less), in terms of the types of services provided and patients seen, were examined. RESULTS: The proportion of FTE physicians aged 65 or more increased from 5.3% to 7.0% during the study period, whereas the proportion of recent graduates decreased from 19.6% to 16.3%. Of the older physicians, 61.4% practised part time (less than 1 FTE). Half of the physicians aged 75 in 1989/90 were still in practice 6 years later. Older physicians were less likely than those under age 65 to practice obstetrics (4.6% v. 16.9%), provide emergency department services (1.1% v. 14.8%) or house calls (38.7% v. 60.4%), or perform many minor procedures (38.7% v. 62.3%) (p < or = 0.001 for all comparisons). Older physicians tended to be male and had older patients in their practices than did younger physicians. Rural regions had higher proportions of older specialists. INTERPRETATION: Ontario''s physician corps is aging. This may result in decreasing availability of obstetrics and emergency department coverage in the future. Encouraging retirement may create more openings for recent graduates, but if such policies are enacted, special attention should be paid to ensure that rural communities and older patients continue to be served.     

Simplified oesophageal transection for bleeding varices.

Thirty patients with bleeding oesophageal varices were treated by oesophageal transection using the SPTU gun. Any form of shunt was contraindicated in all the patients. Twelve operations were done as urgent procedures within 36 hours of haemorrhage. The overall operative mortality rate was 10%, and there were two late deaths during follow-up, which has so far extended from two months to two years. Three of the patients had recurrent bleeding, and residual varices were probably the source in two. There were no cases of portal systemic encephalopathy. Although the follow-up is too short to allow any definite conclusions, these early results suggest that oesophageal transection with the SPTU gun may be useful in the large proportion of patients in whom injection sclerotherapy, shunt surgery, or conservative treatment is inappropriate.     

Prognosis following Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Background

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is one of the most common, high risk emergency disorders in the western world. Almost nothing has been reported on longer term prognosis following upper GI bleeding. The aim of this study was to establish mortality up to three years following hospital admission with upper GI bleeding and its relationship with aetiology, co-morbidities and socio-demographic factors.

Methods

Systematic record linkage of hospital inpatient and mortality data for 14 212 people in Wales, UK, hospitalised with upper GI bleeding between 1999 and 2004 with three year follow-up to 2007. The main outcome measures were mortality rates, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and relative survival.

Results

Mortality at three years was 36.7% overall, based on 5215 fatalities. It was highest for upper GI malignancy (95% died within three years) and varices (52%). Compared with the general population, mortality was increased 27-fold during the first month after admission. It fell to 4.3 by month four, but remained significantly elevated during every month throughout the three years following admission.The most important independent prognostic predictors of mortality at three years were older age (mortality increased 53 fold for people aged 85 years and over compared with those under 40 years); oesophageal and gastric/duodenal malignancy (48 and 32 respectively) and gastric varices aetiologies (2.8) when compared with other bleeds; non-upper GI malignancy, liver disease and renal failure co-morbidities (15, 7.9 and 3.9); social deprivation (29% increase for quintile V vs I); incident bleeds as an inpatient (31% vs admitted with bleeding) and male patients (25% vs female).

Conclusion

Our study shows a high late as well as early mortality for upper GI bleeding, with very poor longer term prognosis following bleeding due to malignancies and varices. Aetiologies with the worst prognosis were often associated with high levels of social deprivation.     

Management of variceal haemorrhage.

Fig 2 gives an algorithm for the treatment of bleeding oesophageal varices. Initial resuscitation of the patient is of paramount importance, ideally followed by early interventional endoscopy. Recent advances in available endoscopic techniques enable the endoscopist to suit the therapeutic approach to the clinical situation. Injection sclerotherapy remains the initial treatment of choice in bleeding patients. Endoscopic banding ligation is an alternative, best used in patients who have spontaneously stopped bleeding or as a complementary treatment a few days after the initial session of injection sclerotherapy. The tissue adhesives and thrombin can be used to treat bleeding gastric varices. [table: see text] Should the endoscopic expertise not be available, drug treatment (with somatostatin or octreotide) or balloon tamponade are the treatments of choice. Transjugular intrahepatic portal-systemic stent shunt is a new effective technique, not yet widely available, which has a documented complication rate that has yet to be fully defined. It is a good alternative to surgery as a "rescue" procedure for patients who continue to bleed despite two sessions of endoscopic intervention.     

Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with Hepatitis C Virus positive chronic liver diseases

BACKGROUND AND GOALS: One-third of patients with liver cirrhosis suffers from acute peptic ulcer, a disease strongly correlated with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. We report the seroprevalence of antibodies to H. pylori in 179 patients with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-related chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among patients, 135 (86 males and 49 females, mean age 51.2 +/- 13.28, range 27-77 years) had chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and 44 cirrhosis (28 males and 16 females, mean age 62.4 +/- 9.2, range 37-77 years). Serum antibodies to H. pylori were tested using a commercial enzyme immunosorbent assay. The control population consisted of 619 consecutive blood donors (523 males, 96 females, mean age 47 +/- 5.3 years, range 18-65). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of antibodies to H. pylori was 73.1% (131/179) among patients and 47% (291/619) among blood donors (p<0.0001; OR 3.08 [95%CI, 2.10-4.51]). 70.5% (24/34) of patients aged less than 40 years were seropositive for H. pylori versus 34.2% (90/263) of controls (p<0.0001; OR 4.61[95%CI, 2.0-10.85]). Among cirrhosis patients, the prevalence of antibodies to H. pylori was 79.5% (35/44) versus 47% (291/619) of controls (p<0.0001; OR 4.38 [95%CI, 1.98-9.98]). Overall seroprevalence among CAH patients was 71.1% (96/135) versus 47% (291/619) of blood donors (p<0.0001; OR 2.77 [95%CI, 1.82-4.24]). CONCLUSIONS: The high seroprevalence of antibodies to H. pylori in patients with HCV-positive liver diseases explains the elevated incidence of peptic ulcer, and warrants studies on the pathogenic role in human liver diseases of Helicobacter spp which is known to cause chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.     

Periodontal conditions in individuals with Down's syndrome

Periodontal disease in Down's syndrome (DS) population seems to be a more common and serious problem than caries. The aim of this study was to assess the state of periodontal structures in patients with DS. The Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs was used for periodontal status assessment in 71 DS subjects aged 9-34 years. A control group consisted of 71 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Both groups were divided into three age groups: 9-15 (n = 24); 16-25 (n = 32); and 26-34 (n = 15) years. The results showed a similar percentage of subjects with bleeding and calculus. The intact periodontium was significantly higher in control than in DS (16.9% vs. none; p < 0.01). Deep pockets were more frequent in DS group than in the control group (14.1% vs. 1.4%; p < 0.01). The mean number of sextants with healthy tissue was lower, and of those with bleeding, calculus and shallow pockets significantly higher in DS patients than in controls (p < 0.01), so all DS subjects required some periodontal treatment (p < 0.01). It can be concluded that the severity of periodontal disease and the treatment needs seem to be significantly greater in DS than in healthy subjects.     

40～60岁饮酒史男性慢性萎缩性胃炎患病率和幽门螺杆菌感染率及肠道菌群分析

分析40～60岁饮酒史男性慢性萎缩性胃炎（CAG）患病率、幽门螺杆菌（H. pylori）感染率及肠道菌群,为该类患者的治疗提供参考。

采取整群抽样方法选取2020年2月至2022年2月于我院行胃镜检查的1 500例体检者,统计CAG患病率,根据CAG患病情况分为CAG组（n = 428）和无CAG组（n = 1 072）,分析两组对象临床资料（性别、年龄、饮酒史等）,观察其中40～60岁饮酒史男性患者CAG患病率、H. pylori感染情况及肠道菌群,并通过多因素Logistic回归分析CAG的相关影响因素。

CAG组患者性别、年龄、饮酒史、H. pylori感染情况与无CAG组对比差异均有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,年龄40～60岁、男性、有饮酒史及H. pylori阳性均为影响CAG患病的独立危险因素（均P＜0.05）。40～60岁饮酒史男性CAG患病率为68.68%（296/431）,其中伴有肠上皮化生者103例（34.80%）,伴有活动性炎症者83例（28.04%）,伴有不典型增生者45例（15.20%）,H. pylori阳性率为63.51%（188/296）。伴有肠上皮化生、活动性炎症及不典型增生的CAG患者H. pylori阳性率均高于无上述情况者（均P＜0.05）。40～60岁饮酒史男性CAG患者肠道菌群数量与无CAG的体检者相比,差异均有统计学意义（均P＜0.05）。

40～60岁饮酒史男性CAG患病率和H. pylori阳性率较高,肠道菌群失衡更严重,其中伴有肠上皮化生、活动性炎症及不典型增生的CAG患者H. pylori阳性率更高。年龄40～60岁、男性、存在饮酒史及H. pylori阳性均为影响CAG患病的独立危险因素。

     

Comparison of the results of sclerotherapy of esophageal varices using a rigid esophagoscope and fiber-optics esophagoscope

The authors compared the results of 20 emergency and 100 elective varicosclerotisations with rigid esophagoscope and the same number of obliterations with the use of esophagofiberoscope. Haemorrhage was stopped in 90% of patients injected through the rigid esophagoscope and in 80% of patients in whom esophagofiberoscope was used. Hospital mortality rate in patients with bleeding esophageal warices was 25% in both groups. Complications were seen in 4.2% of procedures carried out with the rigid esophagoscope, and 5.8% of obliterations with esophagofiberoscope. The authors recommend rigid esophagoscope for emergency sclerotherapy and for the initial 2-3 series of injections in patients with large varices. Esophagofiberoscope is prefered in case of repeated, elective varicosclerotisations, first injections and recurrence of esophageal varices following obliterative therapy.     

Randomised trial of octreotide for long term management of cirrhosis after variceal haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of long term octreotide as adjuvant treatment to programmed endoscopic sclerotherapy after acute variceal haemorrhage in cirrhotic portal hypertension. DESIGN: Randomised clinical trial. SETTING: University hospital. SUBJECTS: 32 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension. INTERVENTIONS: Programmed injection sclerotherapy with subcutaneous octreotide 50 micrograms twice daily for 6 months, or programmed injection sclerotherapy alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Episodes of recurrent variceal bleeding and survival. RESULTS: Significantly fewer patients receiving combined octreotide and sclerotherapy had episodes of recurrent variceal bleeding compared with patients given sclerotherapy alone (1/16 v 7/16; P = 0.037, Fisher''s exact test), and their survival was significantly improved (P < 0.02, log rank test); this improvement was maintained for 12 months after the end of the study. Combined treatment also resulted in a sustained decrease in portal pressure (median decrease -6.0 mm Hg, interquartile range -10 to -4.75 mm Hg, P = 0.0002) compared with sclerotherapy alone (median increase 1.5 mm Hg, interquartile range 0.25 to 3.25 mm Hg), as well as a significant improvement in liver function as assessed by plasma concentrations of bilirubin, albumin, and alanine aminotransferase and by hepatocyte metabolism of aminopyrine labelled with carbon-14. CONCLUSION: Long term octreotide may be a valuable adjuvant to endoscopic sclerotherapy for acute variceal haemorrhage in cirrhotic portal hypertension.     

心得安预防门脉高压引起初次消化道出血的疗效观察

目的:观察心得安预防门脉高压症消化道出血的疗效、不良反应及临床应用的注意事项。方法选择本院102例肝硬化食道胃底静脉曲张患者,随机分为心得安组(52例)和安慰剂组(25例)。对出血发作的病情、持续的时间、输血量的多少、对止血药物的反应、生存期以及副反应进行观察。结果随访12个月,治疗组出血发生率为19.2%,安慰剂组为28%,两组差异无显著意义。随访20个月,治疗组出血发生率28.8%,安慰剂组48%,两组比较有显著性差异(P<0.05),但生存时间无显著差异。结论心得安对预防门脉高压症消化道初次出血有明显疗效,但不能延长肝硬化病人的生存期。     

Bleeding varices: 1. Emergency management.

The aim of the emergency management of bleeding varices is to stop the hemorrhage nonoperatively if possible, avoiding emergency shunt surgery, an operation that has a higher mortality than elective shunt surgery. Patients with an upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage should undergo endoscopy immediately to verify the diagnosis of bleeding varices. They can then be categorized according to whether they stop bleeding spontaneously (group 1), continue to bleed slowly (group 2) or continue to bleed rapidly (group 3). Group 1 patients are discussed in the second part of this two-part series. Group 2 patients are initially treated with vasopressin given intravenously; those who fail to respond should undergo emergency angiography and receive vasopressin intra-arterially. If this fails, patients at low surgical risk should undergo urgent shunt surgery; those at high risk do better with endoscopic sclerotherapy. Group 3 patients are also given an intravenous infusion of vasopressin. Patients at low surgical risk who continue to bleed then receive tamponade with a Sengstaken--Blakemore tube. If this fails, they undergo emergency creation of an H-shaped mesocaval shunt. Patients at high surgical risk who fail to respond to vasopressin given intravenously are next treated intra-arterially. If this fails they are given either endoscopic or transhepatic sclerotherapy.     

Long-term survival of patients with prostate cancer in Martinique: Results of a population-based study

BackgroundMartinique has one of the highest incidences of prostate cancer (PCa) worldwide. We analysed overall survival (OS) among patients with PCa in Martinique, using data from a population-based cancer registry between 2005 and 2014.MethodsThe log-rank test was used to assess the statistical differences between survival curves according to age at diagnosis, risk of disease progression including Gleason score, stage at diagnosis and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). A multivariable Cox model was constructed to identify independent prognostic factors for OS.ResultsA total of 5045 patients were included with a mean age at diagnosis of 68.1±9.0 years [36.0 – 98.0 years]. Clinical stage was analysed in 4999 (99.1% of overall), 19.5% were at low risk, 34.7% intermediate and 36.9% at high risk. In our study, 8.9% of patients with available stage at diagnosis, were regional/metastatic cancers. Median PSA level at diagnosis was 10.4 ng/mL. High-risk PCa was more frequent in patients aged 65-74 and ≥75 years as compared to those aged <65 years (36.6% and 48.8% versus 28.7% respectively; p<0.0001). One-year OS was 96.3%, 5-year OS was 83.4 and 10-year OS was 65.0%. Median survival was not reached in the whole cohort. High-risk PCa (HR=2.32; p<0.0001), regional/metastatic stage (HR= 9.51; p<0.0001) and older age (65-74 and ≥75 years - respectively HR=1.70; and HR=3.38), were independent prognostic factors for OS (p<0.0001).ConclusionThis study provides long term data that may be useful in making cancer management decisions for patients with PCa in Martinique.     

Emergency Endoscopy after Gastrointestinal Haemorrhage in 50 Patients with Portal Hypertension

Endoscopy was carried out in 50 patients with oesophageal varices within 24 hours of a major haematemesis or melaena. Sources of bleeding were identified in 42 of the cases and in only 19 patients was bleeding due to oesophageal varices. Bleeding from gastric varices was present in 11 patients, and a variety of acute and chronic lesions made up the remainder. In contrast with previous series haemorrhage from erosive gastric lesions was seen in only five patients and was no more common in 23 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis than in the group as a whole.     

Age-dependent methylation of ESR1 gene in prostate cancer

The incidence of prostate cancer increases dramatically with age and the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. Age-dependent methylation of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) gene has been previously implicated in other cancerous and benign diseases. We evaluated the age-dependent methylation of ESR1 in prostate cancer. The methylation status of ESR1 in 83 prostate cancer samples from patients aged 49 to 77 years (mean age at 67.4 years) was examined using the bisulfite genomic sequencing technique. The samples were divided into three age groups: men aged 60 years and under (n = 14), men aged 61-70 years (n = 40), and men aged over 70 years (n = 29). Overall, ESR1 promoter methylation was detected in 54 out of 83 (65.1%) prostate samples. The methylation rate of ESR1 increased dramatically with age from 50.0% in patients aged 60 years and under to 89.7% for patients aged 70 years and over. Logistic regression analyses revealed that age and Gleason score were the only variables that affect incidence of ESR1 methylation; other clinical factors such as prostate-specific antigen level and clinical stage did not. We also calculated ESR1 methylation density (the percentage of methylated CpGs among all CpGs within the analyzed region) and severity (the percentage of methylated CpG alleles) for each sample analyzed. Multiple regression analyses showed a positive correlation between age and methylation density (beta, 0.35; P, 0.012; 95% CI, 0.26-2.01); while Gleason score was positively associated with methylation severity (beta, 0.45; P, 0.018; 95% CI, 1.04-4.26). These findings suggest that methylation of ESR1 is both age-dependent and tumor differentiation-dependent and age-dependent methylation of ESR1 may represent a mechanism linking aging and prostate cancer.     

A 20-year prospective study of cirrhosis.

A total of 512 people from a defined population in west Birmingham served by a district general hospital were found to have cirrhosis in the period 1959-76. The annual incidence rose from 5.6 per 100 000 to a peak of 15.3 per 100 000 in 1974. This was due to an increase in the incidence of alcoholic cirrhosis, which in the last six years accounted for two-thirds of cases. The proportion of patients with decompensated cirrhosis when first seen (65%) did not alter during the 18 years. This was reflected in a death rate of 78% among the 468 patients traced up to the end of 1978. Liver failure, hepatoma, and gastrointestinal haemorrhage accounted for almost three-quarters of the deaths. The proportion of patients who survived for five years was 36% for alcoholic cirrhosis, 14% for cryptogenic cirrhosis, and 60% for chronic active hepatitis, and these figures too remained constant throughout the 18 years. Modern methods of treatment for decompensated cirrhosis did not improve prognosis and only abstention in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis had a beneficial effect on survival. Since alcoholic cirrhosis is now the most common form of the disease it is important to recognise those at risk and to encourage abstinence; also, more efforts are needed to identify the causes of cryptogenic cirrhosis. Whatever the cause, cirrhosis needs to be diagnosed before decompensation occurs, if treatment is to have any effect.