No abstract

Global DNA hypomethylation is an early molecular event in Hp-related gastric carcinogenesis. Further studies with more cases and a longer follow-up are needed to establish the potential GC predictive role of DNA hypomethylation.

No abstract

Short-term administration of gabexate or somatostatin in patients at high risk for pancreatitis is ineffective for prevention of ERCP-induced pancreatitis. Pancreatic injury is related to maneuvers used to obtain biliary access rather than to any patient characteristic or endoscopist experience.

We report a case of gastric lipoma which manifested with an episode of acute gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Preoperative diagnosis was based on the US, CT, and MRI findings, as the results of gastrointestinal endoscopy were inconclusive. The role of current imaging methods, and particularly of MRI, is discussed.

Patients with GC, even when H pylori-negative at the time of the present study, may have been infected by H pylori before the onset of the disease, as confirmed by CagA and VacA seropositivity. These data reinforce the hypothesis that H pylori may be a direct carcinogenic agent of GC.

Our results showed the high rate of inappropriate procedures, according to ASGE guidelines, requested by surgeons, internists and primary care doctors for both outpatients and inpatients. The proportion of not indicated endoscopic procedures requested by gastroenterologists must be reduced through more carefully application of ASGE guidelines. Endoscopic findings were more stringent in appropriate C.

The 1-yr incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in a population of the Piedmont and Aosta Valley area of Italy was recorded. Anti-virus antibodies (e.g., Coxsackie B1-6, mumps, cytomegalovirus), islet cell antibodies (ICAs), and HLA-A, -B, -C, and -DR were determined in 74 IDDM patients (38 males, 36 females) and in controls. Total IDDM incidence was 5.0/100,000, and the incidence for those less than 20 yr of age was 11.6/100,000. Anti-virus antibody frequency was not different in IDDM patients and controls. ICAs were present in 58% of IDDM patients at onset and in 30% after 12 mo, and complement-fixing ICAs were found in 39 and 17%, respectively. IDDM was significantly and positively associated with DR3/DR4 and negatively associated with DR2 and DR5. ICA frequency was significantly higher in DR3/DR4 heterozygote patients than in patients without DR3 and DR4. These results suggest that in this IDDM population viral etiology is not evident, ICAs offer only a partial pathogenetic explanation, and genetic and immunologic heterogeneity is evident.