AIM:To establish the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection in patients with a bleeding peptic ulcer after consumption of non-steroidal antiinflamma- tory drugs (NSAIDs). METHODS:A very early upper e...AIM:To establish the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection in patients with a bleeding peptic ulcer after consumption of non-steroidal antiinflamma- tory drugs (NSAIDs). METHODS:A very early upper endoscopy was performed to find the source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and to take biopsy specimens for analysis of H. pylori infection by the rapid urease (CLO) test, histological examination, and bacterial culture. IgG anti-CagA were also sought. The gold standard for identifying H. pylori infection was positive culture of biopsy specimens or contemporary positivity of the CLO test and the presence of H. pylori on tissue sections. RESULTS:Eighty patients, 61 males (76.3%), mean age 61.2 ± 15.9 years, were consecutively enrolled. Forty-seven (58.8%) patients occasionally consumed NSAIDs, while 33 (41.3%) were on chronic treatment with low-dose aspirin (LD ASA). Forty-four (55.0%) patients were considered infected by H. pylori . The infection rate was not different between patients who occasionally or chronically consumed NSAIDs. The culture of biopsy specimens had a sensitivity of 86.4% and a specificity of 100%; corresponding figures for histological analysis were 65.9% and 77.8%, for the CLO test were 68.2% and 75%, for the combined use of histology and the CLO test were 56.8% and 100%, and for IgG anti-CagA were 90% and 98%. The highest accuracy (92.5%) was obtained with the culture of biopsy specimens.CONCLUSION:Patients with a bleeding peptic ulcer after NSAID/LD ASA consumption frequently have H. pylori infection. Biopsy specimen culture after an early upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy seems the most efficient test to detect this infection.展开更多
AIM: To evaluate cortisolemia by using conventional electrochemiluminescence immunoassay(ECLIA) method compared to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) method in active ulcerative colitis(UC) patie...AIM: To evaluate cortisolemia by using conventional electrochemiluminescence immunoassay(ECLIA) method compared to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) method in active ulcerative colitis(UC) patients treated with oral prednisone(PD). METHODS: Twenty patients(12 males) with acute relapse of UC started oral PD at a dose of 40 mg once a day, tapered of 10 mg every 2 wk. When a stable 2-wk daily dose of 30 mg was reached, blood samples for cortisol levels' measurement were drawn in the morning in fasting conditions to determine circulating cortisol by LC-MS/MS and ECLIA assay. RESULTS: Median interquartile range cortisolemia with ECLIA and LC-MS/MS method was 54.1(185.8) nmol/L and 32.1(124.0) nmol/L, respectively(P < 0.001). The within-patient median differences between the two methods was 23.2(40.6) nmol/L, with higher cortisol levels for the ECLIA method. The estimated geomet-ric mean ratio between methods was 1.85(95%CI: 2.39-1.43) considering all data or 1.58(95%CI: 2.30-1.09) considering only data above the limit of quantification(n = 12). The 95%CIs of the geometric mean ratio between methods confirm a statistically significant difference.CONCLUSION: Blood cortisol levels detected with ECLIA method seems to be higher than the ones measured by LC-MS/MS, indicating a possible overestimation of them in patients treated with PD. Therefore, the cortisol suppression in patients under treatment with oral PD should not be measured using ECLIA method.展开更多
文摘AIM:To establish the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection in patients with a bleeding peptic ulcer after consumption of non-steroidal antiinflamma- tory drugs (NSAIDs). METHODS:A very early upper endoscopy was performed to find the source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and to take biopsy specimens for analysis of H. pylori infection by the rapid urease (CLO) test, histological examination, and bacterial culture. IgG anti-CagA were also sought. The gold standard for identifying H. pylori infection was positive culture of biopsy specimens or contemporary positivity of the CLO test and the presence of H. pylori on tissue sections. RESULTS:Eighty patients, 61 males (76.3%), mean age 61.2 ± 15.9 years, were consecutively enrolled. Forty-seven (58.8%) patients occasionally consumed NSAIDs, while 33 (41.3%) were on chronic treatment with low-dose aspirin (LD ASA). Forty-four (55.0%) patients were considered infected by H. pylori . The infection rate was not different between patients who occasionally or chronically consumed NSAIDs. The culture of biopsy specimens had a sensitivity of 86.4% and a specificity of 100%; corresponding figures for histological analysis were 65.9% and 77.8%, for the CLO test were 68.2% and 75%, for the combined use of histology and the CLO test were 56.8% and 100%, and for IgG anti-CagA were 90% and 98%. The highest accuracy (92.5%) was obtained with the culture of biopsy specimens.CONCLUSION:Patients with a bleeding peptic ulcer after NSAID/LD ASA consumption frequently have H. pylori infection. Biopsy specimen culture after an early upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy seems the most efficient test to detect this infection.
文摘AIM: To evaluate cortisolemia by using conventional electrochemiluminescence immunoassay(ECLIA) method compared to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) method in active ulcerative colitis(UC) patients treated with oral prednisone(PD). METHODS: Twenty patients(12 males) with acute relapse of UC started oral PD at a dose of 40 mg once a day, tapered of 10 mg every 2 wk. When a stable 2-wk daily dose of 30 mg was reached, blood samples for cortisol levels' measurement were drawn in the morning in fasting conditions to determine circulating cortisol by LC-MS/MS and ECLIA assay. RESULTS: Median interquartile range cortisolemia with ECLIA and LC-MS/MS method was 54.1(185.8) nmol/L and 32.1(124.0) nmol/L, respectively(P < 0.001). The within-patient median differences between the two methods was 23.2(40.6) nmol/L, with higher cortisol levels for the ECLIA method. The estimated geomet-ric mean ratio between methods was 1.85(95%CI: 2.39-1.43) considering all data or 1.58(95%CI: 2.30-1.09) considering only data above the limit of quantification(n = 12). The 95%CIs of the geometric mean ratio between methods confirm a statistically significant difference.CONCLUSION: Blood cortisol levels detected with ECLIA method seems to be higher than the ones measured by LC-MS/MS, indicating a possible overestimation of them in patients treated with PD. Therefore, the cortisol suppression in patients under treatment with oral PD should not be measured using ECLIA method.
