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G Manes

Publications and source records attributed to G Manes.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric mucosal abnormalities in chronic pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic pancreatitis is often associated with abnormal gastric acid secretion. However, previous studies have taken into consideration neither the potential role of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection nor histological features of the gastric mucosa in this context. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of H. pylori infection as well as the pattern of gastritis in patients with chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: Forty patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis were included in the study: 40 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and normal exocrine pancreatic function and 40 asymptomatic nonalcoholic subjects matched for age and sex used as control subjects. Endoscopy was performed in all patients, and five biopsy specimens from the antrum (three from the gastric body and two from the cardia) were taken for histological grading of gastritis and H. pylori assessment. RESULTS: Prevalence of H. pylori infection was similar in subjects with chronic pancreatitis (38%), asymptomatic subjects (28%) and liver cirrhosis (30%). Topography and expression of H. pylori-associated chronic gastritis was also not different among the three groups of subjects. In H. pylori-negative subjects, the presence of moderate to severe chronic antral gastritis was significantly more common in patients with chronic pancreatitis (40%) than in subjects with liver cirrhosis (18%) and in asymptomatic subjects (14%) (p < 0.05). No difference was found among the three groups of patients with regard to gastritis activity, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia in the various gastric regions. The chronicity grade of gastritis did not correlate with the severity of pancreatic insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of H. pylori infection is not different in patients with chronic pancreatitis as compared with subjects alcoholic liver cirrhosis and asymptomatic subjects. A severe H. pylori-negative chronic gastritis is more common in patients with chronic pancreatitis. This chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa could contribute to determining the changes in gastric physiology described in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Intestinal metaplasia at the gastro-oesophageal junction: Helicobacter pylori gastritis or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease?

BACKGROUND: Intestinal metaplasia, whether in the cardia or the distal oesophagus, has been uniformly defined as specialised columnar epithelium, suggesting a relation with Barrett's oesophagus. It is, however, not clear whether the risk factors associated with intestinal metaplasia are identical at both sites. AIMS: To investigate biopsy specimens obtained below the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) in relation to endoscopic aspect, gastric histology, and clinical presentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 423 patients investigated the endoscopic aspect of the SCJ was classified as unremarkable (group I, n = 315) or suggestive of Barrett's oesophagus (group II, n = 108). Standardised biopsy specimens from the antrum, corpus, and directly below the SCJ were investigated. RESULTS: Intestinal metaplasia was detected at the SCJ in 13.4% of group I patients, where it was significantly associated with gastric intestinal metaplasia (odds ratio (OR) 6.96; confidence interval (CI) 2.48 to 19.54) and H pylori (OR 7.85; CI 2.82 to 21.85), and in 34.3% of group II patients where it was significantly associated with reflux symptoms (OR 19.98; CI 6.12 to 65.19), erosive oesophagitis (OR 12.16; CI 3.86 to 38.24), and male sex (OR 6.25, CI 2.16 to 18.14), but not with H pylori or gastric intestinal metaplasia. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the pathogenesis of intestinal metaplasia at the SCJ is not uniform: at an endoscopically unremarkable SCJ it is a sequela of H pylori gastritis, but coexisting with endoscopic features of Barrett's oesophagus it is associated with male sex and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Barrett Esophagus↗
PubMed1998

Increased risk for Helicobacter pylori recurrence by continuous acid suppression: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Acid hyposecretion may enhance Helicobacter pylori colonization. We tested the hypothesis that maintenance therapy with ranitidine after cure of Helicobacter pylori infection increases the risk of recurrence of infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients with duodenal ulcer and cured Helicobacter pylori infection were randomly assigned to 12 months maintenance treatment with ranitidine 150 mg daily (group A) or no treatment (group B). Follow-up consisted of clinical and endoscopic controls with biopsies for histology and rapid urease test every 4 months. RESULTS: Six patients, 3 in each group, were lost to follow up. Helicobacter pylori recurrence occurred in 9 patients in group A and in 2 patients in group B (30% versus 7%; p < 0.05). Duodenal ulcer recurred in one patient in group A and in 2 in group B, all three patients were reinfected with Helicobacter pylori. A corpus-predominant gastritis was observed in all reinfected patients in group A but in none in group B. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term inhibition of gastric acid secretion after eradication of Helicobacter pylori increases the risk of recurrence of infection. Our data imply that gastric acid not only influences the pattern of Helicobacter pylori localization in gastric mucosa, but also plays a key role in preventing recurrence of infection with Helicobacter pylori.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Endoscopic sphincterotomy and recurrence of acute pancreatitis in gallstone patients considered unfit for surgery.

The aim of the present prospective study was to investigate whether endoscopic sphincterotomy may be useful in preventing recurrence of acute pancreatitis in patients with gallstones and a high anesthesiological risk of cholecystectomy. Twenty-six elderly patients with severe cardiopulmonary, hepatic, and renal diseases were considered. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was successful in 19 cases (group A: mean age, 78.4 years; range, 71-87) and failed in 7 patients (group B: mean age, 79.8 years; range 73-85). In the follow-up period biliary pain without an increase in pancreatic serum enzymes occurred in six patients in group A and in all patients in group B (p = 0.002); recurrence of acute biliary pancreatitis with a need for hospitalization occurred in one patient in group A and in four patients in group B (p = 0.01). These results suggest that endoscopic sphincterotomy may be considered a very useful option in reducing the recurrence of acute biliary pancreatitis in elderly patients with gallstones and a high anesthesiological risk of cholecystectomy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Serum interleukin-6 in acute pancreatitis due to common bile duct stones. A reliable marker of necrosis.

In a prospective clinical study we have assessed the value of serum interleukin-6 in comparison with C-reactive protein in discriminating necrotizing from oedematous acute pancreatitis due to common bile duct stones in the first hours of disease. The study comprised 36 patients with acute biliary pancreatitis; inclusion criteria were admission in hospital within 48 hours from the onset of symptoms, availability of contrast enhanced CT scan within 72 hours from admission and presence of common bile duct stones at early ERCP. A sample of serum was taken at hospitalization and interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein were measured. Interleukin-6 levels were significantly higher in necrotizing pancreatitis, being closely related to the extension of necrosis. C-reactive protein showed low efficacy in detecting necrotizing forms, although its levels were higher than in oedematous. We conclude that serum interleukin-6 is a very reliable marker of necrosis in the first 48 hours of acute biliary pancreatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Nonsurgical treatment of acute necrotizing pancreatitis.

Our objective was to analyze conservative management in a large series of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) patients in a specialized center for pancreatic disease in the Internal Medicine and Emergency Department of a 1,500-bed hospital. One hundred ninety-nine patients with ANP were considered (mean age, 55.4 +/- 18.2 years; biliary etiology, 60.3%). Identification of necrotizing forms of acute pancreatitis was obtained by ultrasonography, computed tomography scan, and surgery (53 cases). Exclusion of infection of the necrosis was based on clinical findings and percutaneous aspiration with bacteriological sampling. Medical treatment was started in all cases; 37 patients required ICU treatment; 87 patients underwent early endoscopic cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed in 61 cases; and percutaneous guided aspiration of necrosis and fluid collections was performed in 78 cases and in 9 patients with acute pseudocysts. Fifty-three patients (26.6%) underwent surgery; all patients (n = 30) with infected necrosis were in this group. One hundred forty-six patients were unoperated (73.3%): clinical resolution of ANP and biochemical normalization was achieved in 132 cases (66.3%) at discharge. Ultrasonographic follow-up documented morphological resolution of necrosis and fluid collections in 84 cases (57.5%) at different periods from the onset of ANP (range, 2.2-63.5 weeks); 16 patients dropped out and seven patients are still being followed. Spontaneous regression of acute pseudocysts was observed in 59.2%; percutaneous/endoscopic aspiration was successful in 33.3%. Mortality was 9.5%, significantly lower than the mortality observed in operated patients (28.3%; p = 0.002). Conservative treatment of ANP with sterile necrosis may allow healing in most cases, independent of the extent of necrosis or its association with major complications.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Neopterin in acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Activation of the cellular immune system may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP); it has recently been proposed that excessive leukocyte stimulation may lead to the most severe forms of AP. The aim of this study was to investigate serum neopterin, a useful in vivo marker of macrophage activation, in mild and severe AP and its relationship with other markers of leukocyte activation, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). METHODS: Serum levels of neopterin (mmol/ml), IL-6 (pg/ml), and TNF (pg/ml) were measured on the 1st and 7th day of hospitalization in 17 patients with severe AP and 24 with mild AP. Severe AP was defined in accordance with the Atlanta criteria: all patients have necrosis at contrast-enhanced computerized tomography scan. RESULTS: Day 1: Neopterin and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in severe than in mild AP and normal controls; mild AP values were also significantly higher than in normal controls. The best neopterin cutoff level we obtained (30 mmol/ml) reached a specificity of 76% and a sensitivity of 46% in distinguishing severe from mild AP. Day 7: Neopterin was significantly higher in severe AP than in mild AP and in normal controls; no difference was seen between mild AP values and normal controls; neopterin serum levels were significantly higher on day 7 than on day 1 in severe AP but not in mild AP; in both groups of patients IL-6 was significantly higher on day 1 than on day 7. Using a neopterin cutoff level of 40 mmol/ml, we found specificity and sensitivity value of 92% in differentiating severe from mild AP. With regard to TNF values, no difference was seen on day 1 and 7 in the two groups of patients in comparison with normal controls. Neopterin serum values did not correlate with IL-6 and TNF on either day. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the activation of the cellular immune system in AP. Initially enhanced NEOP and IL-6 serum levels reflect the severity of the disease; neopterin may be considered a reliable prognostic indicator also at a distance from AP onset because its levels increase during the 1st week of AP in patients with severe forms only.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Periampullary extraluminal duodenal diverticula and acute pancreatitis: an underestimated etiological association.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the etiological role of periampullary extraluminal duodenal diverticula (PEDD) in acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: The study included 433 consecutive patients who underwent successful ERCP during the period 1992-1994; PEDD were discovered in 58 cases (13.4%); patients without PEDD (n = 375) were considered the control group. Indication for ERCP and final diagnosis were recorded in each case. RESULTS: The age of patients with PEDD was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than that of controls. The incidence of biliary lithiasis was 65.5% in PEDD and 40.8% in controls (p = 0.0001). A recent episode or acute phase of AP constituted the indication for ERCP in 62% of PEDD and 24.8% of controls (p < 0.0001); idiopathic AP was found more often (p = 0.04) in PEDD patients (13.7%) than in controls (1.8%). CONCLUSIONS: PEDD should be included in the list of possible etiological factors of AP. The presence of PEDD should be verified, mainly in elderly patients, before defining an AP episode as idiopathic.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

[Predictive evaluation of acute necrotizing pancreatitis: results of a prospective study].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study has been to evaluate the prognostic efficiency of some indexes based on biochemical and clinical criteria and computed tomography (CT) findings in the early phase of necrotizing acute pancreatitis. METHODS: Prospective evaluation of 53 patients selected in two groups: a) 21 cases with severe prognosis (11 deaths and 10 patients with a complicated clinical outcome of more than 3 months) and b) 32 cases with lighter prognosis (clinical recovery within 3 months and no deaths). The prognostic indexes we considered were: CT-scan score, simplified prognostic criteria, modified Glasgow criteria, Hong-Kong criteria and C-reactive Protein serum value. RESULTS: The best values of sensitivity were obtained by C-reactive protein (100%) and CT findings (90.4%), the best values of specificity by Hong-Kong criteria (87.5%) and of efficiency by CT (85.1%). As concerns sensitivity, the statistical comparison (McNemar test) showed a significantly lower Hong-Kong level versus all the other indexes and a significantly greater level C-reactive protein versus simplified prognostic criteria and modified Glasgow score. The comparison of the specificity results showed a significantly greater level of CT, Hong-Kong and simplified prognostic criteria versus C-reactive protein and versus modified Glasgow score. Associating CT-score with Hong-Kong improved the value of specificity (90.3%) and efficiency (90.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Contrast enhancement CT-scan score showed the most valuable prognostic efficiency early during a severe form of necrotizing acute pancreatitis: the association with a simple biochemical index like Hong-Kong criteria (based on blood urea and glucose) yields an even greater accuracy in prognostic evaluation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Fusion and duplication variants of pancreatic duct system. Clinical and pancreatographic evaluation.

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of fusion and duplication variants of the pancreatic duct system and their clinical significance. A total of 650 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography were reviewed; 485 cases with satisfactory imaging of the pancreatic ducts were included in the study. Anatomic variants were observed in 48 patients (9.9%), fusion variants were 54.1% of the cases (22 pancreas divisum and 4 functional divisum), and duplication variants were 45.8% (13 bifurcations of the main pancreatic duct, 4 loop, 2N-shape, 3 ring). Clinical indications to endoscopic cholangiopancreatography were idiopathic acute pancreatitis (33.3%), suspected chronic pancreatitis (18.7%), unexplained abdominal pain (14.5%), suspected pancreatic mass (10.4%), chronic hyperamylasemia (6.2%), and acute biliary pancreatitis (16.6%). Except for acute biliary pancreatitis (significantly more frequent in duplication variants), no statistical difference was observed between the groups with anatomical variants concerning clinical features.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Recurrence of acute fatty liver of pregnancy.

We report this rare recurrence of biopsy-proven acute fatty liver of pregnancy. In two successive pregnancies, an emergency cesarean section was performed with delivery of healthy babies and rapid maternal recovery with complete normalization of liver function. This is the third such report.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Effect of pancreatic ductal and parenchymal changes on exocrine function in chronic pancreatitis.

The effect of pancreatic ductal and parenchymal changes on exocrine pancreatic function was analyzed prospectively in 75 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP), computed tomography (CT), and serum pancreolauryl test (PLT) were performed to evaluate the degree of ductal, parenchymal, and functional changes, respectively. Results were evaluated by stepwise multivariate logistic regression and are expressed as the odds ratio (OR). A strong association was found between the degree of ductal changes in ERP and the degree of exocrine functional impairment (OR = 5.8). However, the association between the degree of parenchymal changes in CT and the degree of pancreatic dysfunction was weaker and was clearly confounded by the degree of ductal changes. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that the development of exocrine pancreatic functional impairment in patients with CP depends primarily on the degree of ductal changes, while parenchymal abnormalities play a less important role.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Early prediction of aetiology and severity of acute pancreatitis by serum amylase and lipase assays.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether simple pancreatic enzyme assays are useful in the early assessment of aetiology and prognosis of acute pancreatitis. DESIGN: A retrospective clinical study. SETTING: Department of Internal Medicine with a Pancreatic Disease Centre. PATIENTS: The study included 246 patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to our Unit within the first 24 hours from the onset of disease. Amylase and lipase serum levels and lipase/amylase ratio were evaluated. RESULTS: Serum amylase was higher in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis than oedematous and biliary pancreatitis than alcoholic (p < 0.009 and p < 0.05 respectively), but a high degree of overlap between values was found. No differences were noted in lipase serum levels. Lipase/amylase ratio was not different between patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of serum amylase and lipase is not useful for assessing aetiology and severity of acute pancreatitis, although amylase may be higher in severe and biliary forms.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Rare presentation of endocrine pancreatic tumour: a case of glucagonoma without necrolytic migratory erythema?

The case of a 61-year-old woman with a probable pancreatic glucagonoma in reported. The clinical peculiarity of this case is the lack of the characteristic necrolytic migratory erythema (NME); the patient presented asthenia, weight loss and hyperglycemia. Ultrasonography, CT-scan and arterography showed a irregular pancreatic mass and secondary diffuse hepatic lesions. Fine needle aspiration cytology with immunohistochemistry and glucagon serum levels yielded to the diagnosis. Surgical treatment was not proposed because of the advanced stage of the disease; therefore, chemotherapy (streptozotocin, 5-fluorouracil) was performed. During a 16-month follow-up period the patient did not develop NME.

Female↗
PubMed1994

Is increased pancreatic pressure related to pain in chronic pancreatitis?

In this study, we investigated the relationship between pain and pancreatic pressure in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). We studied 12 patients with CP undergoing surgery and five controls with cancer of the pancreatic tail. CP was staged on the basis of morphological (ERP) and functional (serum-pancreolauryl test) criteria. Patients kept daily records of the intensity of pain on a linear analog scale. Intraoperatively, pressure within the pancreas was assessed by the introduction of a fine needle into the pancreatic parenchyma connected to a pressure transducer. In controls, pressure was determined in macroscopically normal tissue in the head of the pancreas. Pancreatic pressure was significantly higher in CP than in controls (29.9 +/- 3.1 vs 7.2 +/- 1.1 mmHg, p < 0.001). No relationship was found between the pain score and the pancreatic pressure. Pressure was positively correlated with ductal changes (r = 0.831; p < 0.001), but not with exocrine function of the pancreas. Postoperatively, pancreatic pressure fell by 15.3% in four patients with CP in whom pressure assessment was repeated after surgical decompression. We conclude that pancreatic parenchyma pressure is not closely related to pain in CP.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Serum pancreatic enzymes in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis and in transplant patients].

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate which of serum pancreatic enzymes was less influenced by chronic renal failure (CRF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 patients with CRF undergoing hemodialysis (A group) and 24 renal transplant patients (B group) were considered. None of these patients showed clinical and instrumental findings of exocrine pancreas disease. Total amylase (T Amy), pancreatic isoamylase (P Amy), lipase (L) and Elastase-1 (E-1) were measured (in A group immediately before hemodialysis). RESULTS: In A group T Amy and P Amy showed a significant correlation with serum creatinine level. In A group T Amy serum levels were increased in 65% of cases, P Amy in 72.5%, L in 47.5%, E-1 in 10%; in B group T Amy serum levels were increased in 41.6%, P Amy in 20.1%, L in 8.3% and E-1 in 4.1%. Statistical comparison showed a significantly lower percentages in B group considering P Amy (p < 0.001) and L (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that E-1 is the only pancreatic enzyme whose specificity is not limited by CRF and thereby may be of value in the diagnosis of the exocrine pancreatic disease in patients with CRF on hemodialysis.

Adolescent↗