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Biomedical subjects

M Sorghi

Publications and source records attributed to M Sorghi.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Saccharomyces boulardii in maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease.

The possible role of Saccharomyces boulardii, a nonpathogenic yeast with beneficial effects on the human intestine, in the maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease has been evaluated. Thirty-two patients with Crohn's disease in clinical remission (CDAI < 150) were randomly treated for six months with either mesalamine 1 g three times a day or mesalamine 1 g two times a day plus a preparation of Saccharomyces boulardii 1 g daily. Clinical relapses as assessed by CDAI values were observed in 37.5% of patients receiving mesalamine alone and in 6.25% of patients in the group treated with mesalamine plus the probiotic agent. Our results suggest that Saccharomyces boulardii may represent a useful tool in the maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease. However, in view of the product's cost, further controlled studies are needed to confirm these preliminary data.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Brief communication: smoking and duodenal blood flow.

Smoking promotes an increase in both the incidence and the recurrence of duodenal ulcers, but the mechanisms responsible for its adverse effects on the duodenal mucosa are still poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of chronic cigarette smoking on duodenal blood flow. In 20 dyspeptic patients (10 non-smokers and 10 smokers) with endoscopically normal duodenum, mucosal blood flow was measured in the duodenal bulb by laser Doppler flowmetry during endoscopy. Basal bulbar perfusion was found to be significantly lower (P < 0.05) in smokers. Our results suggest that duodenal blood flow is reduced in heavy smokers. This may promote duodenal damage because of both local ischaemia and the reduced secretion of protective bicarbonate.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Gastric microcirculation and bicarbonate production in heavy smokers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of chronic cigarette smoking on gastric mucosal blood flow and bicarbonate secretion. METHODS: Three groups, each consisting of eight dyspeptic patients with normal endoscopic features, were studied: group A contained non-smokers, group B light smokers (< 10 cigarettes/day) and group C heavy smokers (> 10 cigarettes/day). Blood flow was measured in the gastric antrum by laser-Doppler flowmetry, and basal bicarbonate secretion was determined in fasting gastric juice by the method of Feldman. RESULTS: Both mucosal blood flow and bicarbonate secretion were significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in group C. CONCLUSION: In heavy smokers, gastric mucosal perfusion and alkali production are impaired. This can contribute to the noxious effects of smoking on the gastric mucosa. It remains to be determined whether these effects of smoking are causally related.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Rectal blood flow in ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the state of local blood flow in ulcerative colitis. METHODS: Rectal blood flow was measured by means of laser Doppler flowmetry during endoscopy in 20 patients with active or inactive ulcerative colitis and in 20 healthy controls. RESULTS: A significant (p < 0.01) reduction in the values of rectal perfusion was observed in ulcerative colitis patients both in active phase and in clinical and endoscopic remission. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired local blood flow may have a pathogenetic role in ulcerative colitis. Remission of the disease is not accompanied by normalization of local microcirculation, which may predispose to relapses.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Mucosal blood flow in erosive duodenitis.

Erosive duodenitis is a clinical entity whose pathogenesis is still obscure. Acid secretion is mostly normal, while the possible role of vascular factors has been suggested. We measured mucosal blood flow by means of laser Doppler velocimetry during endoscopy in the duodenal bulb of 10 subjects with erosive duodenitis, 10 duodenal ulcer patients, and 10 healthy controls. Duodenal blood flow in erosive duodenitis was significantly reduced (p < 0.001) compared with controls, whereas no changes were detected in duodenal ulcer. Reassessment of mucosal blood flow after a 6-week treatment with ranitidine failed to show any increase in the perfusion values even in patients with endoscopic healing. Our results suggest that impaired mucosal blood flow is a primary factor in the pathogenesis of chronic duodenal erosions.

Duodenal Ulcer↗
PubMed1993

Congestive gastropathy versus chronic gastritis: a comparison of some pathophysiological aspects.

In order to investigate some pathophysiological aspects of the two diseases, 15 patients with congestive gastropathy and 15 with chronic gastritis have been studied and compared with 15 healthy controls. Gastric blood flow as determined during endoscopy by means of laser Doppler flowmetry was found to be significantly increased (p < 0.001) in congestive gastropathy, whereas a significant reduction (p < 0.001) was noted in chronic gastritis. On the other hand, Helicobacter pylori was detected in 80% of cases in chronic gastritis, while the prevalence of the microorganism in congestive gastritis was similar to that in healthy controls. It is concluded that chronic gastritis and congestive gastropathy are related to different pathogenetic factors and require different therapeutic approaches.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1992

Breakdown of mucosal defences in congestive gastropathy in cirrhotics.

The gastric mucus-bicarbonate barrier, the first line of mucosal defence, has been evaluated in patients with congestive gastropathy and cirrhosis of the liver. Fourteen cirrhotic patients of both sexes (Child's class A or B), with or without oesophageal varices, but with endoscopic signs of congestive gastropathy, and a matched group of healthy controls were studied. The amount of luminal mucoproteins, a Mucoprotective Index as a qualitative assessment of mucus secretion and the output of gastric bicarbonate were determined in basal conditions. In patients with congestive gastropathy a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in all the above parameters was observed, suggesting a substantial impairment of the gastric mucus-bicarbonate barrier. Whether this is an independent phenomenon or a consequence of altered local microcirculation remains to be determined.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Follow-up of endoscopic gastritis after healing with sucralfate or an H2-receptor antagonist.

48 patients in whom previous endoscopic signs of chronic gastritis had been abolished by treatment with either 1 g sucralfate three times daily or 40 mg famotidine at night were followed up for 3 months without further therapy. Cumulative endoscopic relapse rates at 3 months were 21.7% in the sucralfate group and 57.1% in the famotidine group (p = 0.017). All patients with endoscopic recurrence of gastritis also reported recurrence of dyspeptic symptoms of various degrees. Most patients with endoscopic relapse had persisting histologic gastritis, but up to 67% of subjects with histologic gastritis at the time of initial endoscopic healing did not have subsequent endoscopic or clinical recurrence. It is concluded that gastritis, especially if histologically active, tends to recur quickly after endoscopic healing and that early relapses are significantly more frequent after treatment with an H2 blocker than after sucralfate.

Famotidine↗
PubMed1989

Motor effects of locally administered pinaverium bromide in the sigmoid tract of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

The effects of pinaverium bromide, a non-absorbable antispasmodic agent, administered locally, on sigmoid-rectal motility was investigated in 20 patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The influence of either pinaverium (10 subjects) or placebo (10 subjects) on a neostigmine-induced increase of sigmoid pressure was assessed and compared by means of computerized electromanometry. The drug was found to counteract significantly the motor effects of neostigmine, thus appearing to be an effective compound for the treatment of functional disorders of the colon.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Effect of nifedipine on gastric acid secretion and gastrin release in healthy man.

Nifedipine, a calcium-channel antagonist widely used in cardiovascular disease, has recently been reported to be effective in the treatment of oesophageal motor disorders. The effect of a single therapeutic dose of nifedipine (20 mg p.o.) has been evaluated on basal and submaximal pentagastrin-stimulated gastric secretion and meal-stimulated gastrin release in healthy man. In comparison with placebo, nifedipine significantly decreased both basal and stimulated gastric acidity and juice volume, whereas only a slight but insignificant reduction in meal-stimulated gastrin levels was observed after drug administration. The results are in agreement with previous reports that calcium is involved in stimulus-secretion coupling in the human parietal cell. They do not confirm the effect of calcium on G-cells, although it is likely that doses of nifedipine higher than those commonly used might be effective in the reduction of gastrin secretion.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gastric mucosal defences in the elderly.

BACKGROUND: Elderly subjects are more prone to develop gastric injury, but human data on the state of mucosal protective mechanisms are scarce. The aim of the study was to assess gastric mucus and bicarbonate secretion as well as local microcirculation in elderly patients. METHODS: Fasting gastric juice was collected in 45 elderly patients and in 45 control subjects devoid of endoscopic gastric abnormalities. Total mucoproteins, 'mucoprotective index' (as qualitative expression of mucus secretion) and gastric bicarbonate (Feldman's method) were measured. In addition in 24 elderly patients, and in a matching group of younger subjects, gastric mucosal blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry. RESULTS: Mucus and bicarbonate production was significantly reduced (p < 0.01) in elderly patients, the quality of mucus secretion being unaltered. Gastric mucosal perfusion was also significantly decreased (p < 0. 01) in aged subjects. CONCLUSION: In the elderly gastric mucosal defences are impaired. This is in keeping with a reduced gastric prostaglandin biosynthesis and may account for the higher susceptibility of the mucosa to damaging agents. The possible role of atrophic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection as independent confounding factors remains to be determined.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of a gel formulation of sucralfate on gastric microcirculation.

Dyspeptic patients (n = 12) with endoscopic signs of chronic gastritis were treated orally for 28 days with a new gel formulation of sucralfate at a dose of 1 g twice daily. Before and after treatment, gastric blood flow was assessed during endoscopy by means of laser Doppler flowmetry. The sucralfate gel promoted a significant increase (P < 0.001) in blood perfusion in all patients, restoring normal levels of gastric microcirculation. The results are consistent with observations in animals, suggesting that the mechanisms responsible for the gastroprotective and therapeutic properties of sucralfate include enhancement of mucosal blood flow.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Does Helicobacter pylori affect gastric microcirculation?

Chronic gastritis is frequently accompanied by Helicobacter pylori infection and associated with a reduced gastric blood flow. To investigate the possible relationship between the two phenomena, 20 outpatients with histological antral gastritis with or without concomitant duodenal ulcer, 10 of them Hp positive and 10 negative, were selected and compared with a matched group of ten healthy controls. Mucosal blood flow was measured in the gastric antrum by laser Doppler flowmetry during endoscopy. In both groups of patients with chronic gastritis the values were significantly lower than normal (p < 0.01), the difference between Hp+ and Hp- cases being statistically not significant. In six of the Hp+ patients, eradication therapy with omeprazole+amoxycillin was carried out because of concomitant duodenal ulcer. At 6 weeks eradication was successful in four patients, but perfusion values remained unchanged. Mucosal blood flow in chronic gastritis is reduced regardless of concomitant H. pylori infection and eradication has no influence on gastric perfusion. Therefore H. pylori appears to have no direct effects on gastric microcirculation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Enhancement of gastric mucosal blood flow with sulglycotide.

Twelve patients with dyspepsia whose gastric abnormalities ranged from diffuse reddening of the mucosa to multiple erosions were treated for 4 weeks with oral sulglycotide, a sulphated glycopeptide with known gastroprotective and ulcer-healing properties. Before and after treatment, gastric mucosal blood flow was assessed by means of laser Doppler flowmetry. A significant (P < 0.01) increase in mucosal perfusion was observed after sulglycotide treatment, suggesting that enhancement of mucosal blood flow may contribute to the therapeutic properties of the drug.

Administration, Oral↗