Med Clin (Barc)

[new one-week triple therapies with metronidazole for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori: clarithromycin or amoxycillin as the second antibiotic]

Year 1998
Gisbert JP. Boixeda D. Martin de Argila C. Redondo C. Moreno L. Abraira V. Garcia Plaza A.
Servicio de Gastroenterologia, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid.
BACKGROUND: To compare the efficacy of two "new" one-week triple therapies (with omeprazole, metronidazole and clarithromycin or amoxycillin) for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori and healing duodenal ulcer. METHODS: Randomised therapeutic trial. Eighty-eight consecutive duodenal ulcer patients with H. pylori infection were studied. At endoscopy, biopsies from both gastric antrum and body were obtained for histologic study (H&E). Two different therapies were administered for one week: omeprazole (O) (20 mg b.i.d.) and metronidazole (M) (500 mg b.i.d.) associated with clarithromycin (C) (500 mg b.i.d.) (group OMC, n = 44) or amoxycillin (A) (1 g b.i.d.) (group OMA, n = 44). Endoscopy with biopsies was repeated one month after completing therapy, and a 13C-urea breath test was also performed. Compliance was evaluated by tablet count. Analysis of data: multiple logistic regression, intention-to-treat. Eradication was defined as the absence of H. pylori by all diagnostic methods. RESULTS: Mean age (standard deviation) was 45(14) years, 75% males. Distribution of variables was similar in both therapeutic groups. Forty-two patients in each group completed the protocol. Eradication was achieved in 90.5% (95% CI = 78-96%) in group OMC and in 57% (42-71%) in group OMA (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis the type of therapy was the only variable which influenced on H. pylori eradication (OR = 7.1; CI = 2.2-24; p = 0.001). Ulcer healing was demonstrated in 88% (75-95%) of patients in group OMC and in 71% (56-83%) in group OMA (p = 0.1). Ulcer healing was higher when eradication was achieved (90%; 80-95%) than in H. pylori-positive patients (50%; 31-69%) (p < 0.001). Eradication of H. pylori was the only variable which influenced on ulcer healing (OR = 9.3; CI = 2.8-31; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The "new" triple therapy with omeprazole, metronidazole and clarithromycin (administered in a twice-a-day basis and only for one week) had an excellent efficacy for the eradication of H. pylori, significantly higher than that obtained with amoxycillin instead of clarithromycin. Both therapies achieved a high ulcer healing rate when H. pylori was eradicated, even with omeprazole administered only for one week.

[antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies in inflammatory bowel disease]

Year 1998
Papo M. Quer JC. Pastor RM. Garcia-Pardo G. Olona M. Prats E. Mirapeix E. Rodriguez R. Richart C.
Seccion de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario de Tarragona Joan XXIII, Universitat Rovira i Virgill.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and diagnostic usefulness of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) in a Spanish population of patients with inflammatory bowel disease from the province of Tarragona. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and fifty-six sera obtained from 116 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (75 ulcerative colitis and 41 Crohn's disease) and 40 healthy controls were tested using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: ANCA were detected in 65% of patients with ulcerative colitis but in only 12% of patients with Crohn's disease (p < 0.01), and 2.5% of control subjects (p < 0.01). The overall sensitivity of the test for the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was 65% with a specificity of 88% and a positive predictive value of 91%. Among patients with ulcerative colitis there was no relationship between the presence or titre of ANCA and the duration, the clinical course, the extent, the disease activity or the need for medical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In the population studied, ANCA occur more commonly in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn's disease, as reported in other populations. Their determination in patients with inflammatory bowel disease may be useful to differentiate ulcerative colitis from Crohn's disease.

[Treatment of low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma with Helicobacter pylori eradication. Follow-up of the histological and molecular response]

Year 1998
Montalban C. Manzanal A. Boixeda D. Redondo C. Alvarez I. Frutos B. Calleja JL. Sanchez-Godoy P. Bellas C.
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, Madrid.
BACKGROUND: Low grade gastric MALT lymphoma is associated to infection with Helicobacter pylori. Also, H. pylori eradication can produce histologic regression of the lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study reports the follow-up of a prospective series of 11 patients with low grade gastric MALT lymphoma, stage I, treated with eradicative therapy for H. pylori. After treatment, patients were followed up with sequential endoscopies to asses the histological and molecular regression of the lymphoma, using a score of the histological lesions and the amplification of the IgH gene with PCR analysis. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori was eradicated in all patients. In 10(90.9%) histological regression of the lymphoma was demonstrated, in 6 of them in the first control after treatment. In the 10 patients with histological response, PCR analysis demonstrated a polyclonal rearrangement of the IgH gene in 6 (60%) and a clonal band in 4 (40%), that eventually disappeared at 12 (SD 4) months after treatment. In 4 patients with a previous polyclonal rearrangement, a clonal band was occasionally detected in any sequential controls; in 2 of these cases the clonal band disappeared 5 and 7 months after treatment and in the remaining 2 its evolution is not yet known. Nine patients have been followed up and are in remission 18 (SD 8) months after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Eradication of H. pylori can produce histologic regression in stage I low grade gastric MALT lymphoma, and should be the first therapeutic option. Despite histological regression of the lymphoma, PCR analysis can detect a clonal rearrangement of the IgH gene in 40% of the cases, but its significance remains unknown. Sequential and prolonged follow-up is essential to assess whether this lymphoma can be actually cured with eradication therapy for H. pylori.

[Mortality inequalities according to education in the city of Barcelona]

Year 1998
Arias LC. Borrell C.
Servicio de Informacion Sanitaria, Institut Municipal de la Salut de Barcelona.
BACKGROUND: In Spain, individual-based studies on inequalities in mortality are scarce by the fact that death certificate often do not complete information on occupation. This study describes socio-economic inequalities in mortality using as social indicator the level of education, because in Barcelona the mortality registry is linked with the municipal census. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 28,046 residents in Barcelona, Spain, 24 years and older who died in 1992 and 1993 were studied. The level of education of the deceased people was obtained from the municipal census. Age standardized mortality rates were calculated by each educational level by sex. The most important causes of death were studied. Poisson regression models were adjusted to obtain the mortality ratio among the educational levels (being the more educated the reference group). RESULTS: The mortality ratio by all causes in illiterate was 2.05 times higher in males (p < 0.001) and 1.62 in females (p < 0.001). The higher was the education level, the lower were the rates. This mortality pattern was observed in the majority of causes of death studied and mainly in AIDS, cirrhosis and drug overdose, also in lung cancer in males and coronary disease in females. Breast and lung cancer in females were higher in the more educated. Educational inequalities by age group were more important in the youngest people and diminished with increasing age. CONCLUSION: This results show the existence in Barcelona, Spain, of inequalities in mortality by education level in the main causes of death in males and females and in the majority of age groups.

[Primary gastrointestinal lymphomas: response to eradicative therapy and prognostic factors in 52 patients]

Year 1998
Hernandez JA. Ribera JM. Oriol A. Batlle M. Vaquero M. Flores A. Fernandez-Llamazares J. Pinol M. Milla F. Feliu E.
Servicio de Hematologia-Hemoterapia, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona.
BACKGROUND: To analyze the response to eradicative therapy and prognostic factors in 52 patients with primary gastrointestinal lymphoma (PGIL) diagnosed at a single institution in a 13 year period. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The main clinical, biological and evolutive data were recorded. Pathologic diagnosis of PGIL was made according to the Working Formulation. Clinical stage was determined by the Ann Arbor system modified by Mushoff. The results of therapy as well as the influence of such characteristics on complete remission (CR), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were studied. RESULTS: Mean age of the series was 53 years (SD 15). Thirty patients were males. HIV infection preceded PGIL diagnosis in 10 cases. Seventeen had bad performance status (ECOG 2-4) and 30 B symptoms. The PGIL localization was gastric in 31 cases and 29 had a low grade malignant lymphoma. B phenotype was demonstrated in 98% and 22 patients presented advanced stages (IIE2-IV). Treatment was radical surgery followed by intensive chemotherapy in 32 cases, intensive chemotherapy alone in 17, and surgical resection in 3. CR was obtained in 34 patients and 6 of them relapsed. The projected DFS from CR at 9 years was 72% and OS was 26%. CR and survival were not influenced by PGIL localization and treatment type. The main unfavourable prognostic factors were advanced stage (CR and OS), B symptoms (DFS and OS) and advanced ECOG score (CR, DFS and OS). Previous HIV infection had an independent prognostic influence on both CR and OS. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PGIL, the achievement of CR, DFS and survival have been independent of the type of eradicative treatment used. Performance status, B symptoms and clinical stage have been the main prognostic factors. HIV infection carried an independent prognostic significance.