Narrow band imaging (NBI) endoscopy is an optical image enhancing technology that allows a detailed inspection of vascular and mucosal patterns, providing the ability to predict histology during real-time endoscopy. By combining NBI with magnification endoscopy (NBI-ME), the accurate assessment of lesions in the gastrointestinal tract can be achieved, as well as the early detection of neoplasia by emphasizing neovascularization. Promising results of the method in the diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of gastrointestinal tract have been reported in clinical studies. The usefulness of NBI-ME as an adjunct to endoscopic therapy in clinical practice, the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, surveillance strategies and cost-saving strategies based on this method are summarized in this review. Various classification systems of mucosal and vascular patterns used to differentiate preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions have been reviewed. We concluded that the clinical applicability of NBI-ME has increased, but standardization of endoscopic criteria and classification systems, validation in randomized multicenter trials and training programs to improve the diagnostic performance are all needed before the widespread acceptance of the method in routine practice. However, published data regarding the usefulness of NBI endoscopy are relevant in order to recommend the method as a reliable tool in diagnostic and therapy, even for less experienced endoscopists.

Non-invasive biomarkers, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios, may predict inflammation in various disorders, including gastritis, according to recent data. Nevertheless, various studies reported an association between Helicobacter pylori ( H pylori ) and immune thrombocytopenia in both adults and pediatric patients. The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of pediatric gastritis, caused or not by H pylori infection on erythrocytes, their parameters, thrombocytes, mean platelet volume, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). We performed a prospective, case–control study on 151 patients aged between 1 and 17 years who presented with chronic dyspeptic symptoms. An upper digestive endoscopy with gastric biopsies and a complete blood count was performed in each case. Control group consisted of 67 patients with normal histological findings, while the two study groups were divided into group 1— H pylori -induced gastritis (31 patients) and group 2—non- H pylori- induced gastritis (53 patients). Children from the rural area were more likely to develop both types of gastritis ( P < .01). No significant difference was found between either of the study groups and control group in terms of platelets, mean platelet volume, NLR and PLR ( P > .05). However, significantly higher values of lymphocytes were associated with non- H pylori -induced gastritis ( P < .01). Comparison of the two study groups did not reflect any significant differences in terms of hematological parameters. When assessing these constants in relation to gastritis severity, severe gastritis led to a compelling decrease in hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Htc) levels. The comparison of parameters between severe, moderate, and mild gastritis did not reveal any significant results. Childhood and adolescent gastritis does not produce a significant effect upon platelet counts, their mean volume, PLR or NLR, according to our study. An important increase in lymphocyte count might predict non- H pylori pediatric gastritis. Moreover, severe gastritis might result in an important decrease in Hb and Htc levels.

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a simple, noninvasive, inexpensive inflammatory marker that can useful in the assessment of inflammatory activity, especially in pediatric ages. The aim of our study was to establish correlations between the presence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) proved histologically and NLR in children. A prospective, case–control study was performed on 137 pediatric patients aged between 1 and 18 years, admitted in a Pediatric Tertiary Hospital from Romania, between April 2016 and January 2018. According to the histologic examination, the children were divided into 2 groups: group 1: 50 children with HP infection, and group 2: 87 children without any pathologic findings. The mean age for the study group was 12.86 ± 3.796 years, whereas for control group, it was 12.10 ± 3.879 years ( P = .3001). HP infection was significantly more frequent among children from rural area ( P = .0089). Epigastric pain and loss of appetite were significantly associated with HP infection ( P = .0350 / P = .0281). We noticed that the leukocyte and neutrophil counts were significantly higher in group 1 ( P = .0076/ P = .0306). We did not find any significant statistical differences between the 2 groups in terms of lymphocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and NLR or other assessed laboratory parameters. Regarding the IgA antibodies anti-HP and rapid urease test, they were both significantly associated with histologically confirmed HP infection ( P < .0001). Even though, we did not identify significant differences in term of NLR between HP-induced gastritis children and healthy controls, the mean NLR values were higher HP-positive patients.

Background & Aims: Over the past few decades, the incidence of adenocarcinomas of the gastroesophageal junction has rapidly increased. Barrett's esophagus is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the role of intestinal metaplasia of the gastric cardia as a precursor in cardia-related cancer is controversial. The aims of the present study were to examine the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia in the gastroesophageal junction and to evaluate the clinical, endoscopical and histological features of patients with intestinal metaplasia in the gastric cardia and patients with Barrett's esophagus.Methods: 286 consecutive patients undergoing gastroduodenoscopy were enrolled in a prospective study. Biopsy specimens were performed in the distal esophagus, squamocolumnar junction, gastric cardia, gastric corpus and antrum.Results: We identified 44 patients (15.3%) with intestinal metaplasia in biopsies from gastric cardia and 24 patients (8.3%) with Barrett's esophagus. Cardia intestinal metaplasia was significantly associated with older age (p=0.03), with intestinal metaplasia in the antrum (p=0.017) and H. pylori infection (p<0.0001). Severe chronic cardia inflammation increased the presence of cardia intestinal metaplasia 6.2 fold (OR=6.288; p<0.0001). Patients with Barrett's esophagus were predominantly men. Barrett's esophagus presence significantly correlated with reflux symptoms(p<0.0001), endoscopic esophagitis (p<0.0001) and hiatal hernia >2 cm (p=0.002). No patient had dysplasia in the gastroesophageal region.Conclusions: Presence of intestinal metaplasia at the gastroesophageal region correlated with reflux symptoms and endoscopic signs of reflux disease in patients with Barrett's esophagus and with H.pylori infection and distal intestinal metaplasia in patients with cardia intestinal metaplasia.Abbreviations: BE- Barrett_s esophagus; CIM- cardia intestinal metaplasia; CLE- columnar lined esophagus; GEJ- gastroesophageal junction; GERD - gastroesophageal reflux disease; IM- intestinal metaplasia; LSBE- long segment Barrett's esophagus; SCJ - squamocolumnar junction; SSBE- short segment Barrett's esophagus; USSBE- ultrashort segment Barrett's esophagus.

Background. Aspirin use for cardiovascular or cancer prevention is limited due to its gastrointestinal side effects. Objective. Our prospective, observational case-control study aims to identify the predictive factors for ulcers in low-dose aspirin consumers (75–325 mg/day). Methods. The study included patients who underwent an upper digestive endoscopy and took low-dose aspirin treatment. Results. We recruited 51 patients with ulcer (ulcer group) and 108 patients with no mucosal lesions (control group). In univariate analysis, factors significantly associated with ulcers were male gender (p = 0.001), anticoagulants (p = 0.029), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (p = 0.013), heart failure (p = 0.007), liver (p = 0.011) or cerebrovascular disease (p = 0.004), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.043), ulcer history (p = 0.044), and alcohol consumption (p = 0.018), but not Helicobacter pylori infection (p = 0.2). According to our multivariate regression analysis results, history of peptic ulcer (OR 3.07, 95% CI 1.06–8.86), cotreatment with NSAIDs (OR 8, 95% CI 2.09–30.58) or anticoagulants (OR 4.85, 95% CI 1.33–17.68), male gender (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.77–15.34), and stroke (OR 7.27, 95% CI 1.40–37.74) remained predictors for ulcer on endoscopy. Conclusions. Concomitant use of NSAIDs or anticoagulants, comorbidities (cerebrovascular disease), and male gender are the most important independent risk factors for ulcer on endoscopy in low-dose aspirin consumers, in a population with a high prevalence of H. pylori infection.