Abstract Background The efficacy of Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens may depend on the country where the studies were performed because of the difference in antibiotic resistance. We aimed to analyze the efficacy of H. pylori eradication regimens in Korea where clarithromycin resistance rate is high. Methods We searched for all relevant randomized controlled trials published until November 2016 that investigated the efficacy of H. pylori eradication therapies in Korea. A network meta‐analysis was performed to calculate the direct and indirect estimates of efficacy among the eradication regimens. Results Forty‐three studies were identified through a systematic review, of which 34 studies, published since 2005, were included in the meta‐analysis. Among 21 included regimens, quinolone‐containing sequential therapy for 14 days ( ST ‐Q‐14) showed the highest eradication rate (91.4% [95% confidence interval [ CI ], 86.9%‐94.4%] in the intention‐to‐treat [ ITT ] analysis). The eradication rate of the conventional triple therapy for 7 days, standard sequential therapy for 10 days, hybrid therapy for 10‐14 days, and concomitant therapy for 10‐14 days was 71.1% (95% CI , 68.3%‐73.7%), 76.2% (95% CI , 72.8%‐79.3%), 79.4% (95% CI , 75.5%‐82.8%), and 78.3% (95% CI , 75.3%‐80.9%), respectively, in the ITT analysis. In the network meta‐analysis, ST ‐Q‐14 showed a better comparative efficacy than the conventional triple therapy, standard sequential therapy, hybrid therapy, and concomitant therapy. In addition, tolerability of ST ‐Q‐14 was comparable to those regimens. Conclusion In Korea, ST ‐Q‐14 showed the highest efficacy in terms of eradication and a comparable tolerability, compared to the results reported for the conventional triple therapy, standard sequential therapy, hybrid therapy, and concomitant therapy.
Background The development of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can be a concern in the management of Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP). We aimed to evaluate whether the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is associated with the prognosis of adult patients with HSP. Methods Clinical data including the NLR of adult patients with HSP were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were classified into three groups as follows: (a) simple recovery, (b) wax & wane without GI bleeding, and (c) development of GI bleeding. The optimal cut-off value was determined using a receiver operating characteristics curve and the Youden index. Results A total of 66 adult patients were enrolled. The NLR was higher in the GI bleeding group than in the simple recovery or wax & wane group (simple recovery vs. wax & wane vs. GI bleeding; median [IQR], 2.32 [1.61–3.11] vs. 3.18 [2.16–3.71] vs. 7.52 [4.91–10.23], P<0.001). For the purpose of predicting simple recovery, the optimal cut-off value of NLR was 3.18, and the sensitivity and specificity were 74.1% and 75.0%, respectively. For predicting development of GI bleeding, the optimal cut-off value was 3.90 and the sensitivity and specificity were 87.5% and 88.6%, respectively. Conclusions The NLR is useful for predicting development of GI bleeding as well as simple recovery without symptom relapse. Two different cut-off values of NLR, 3.18 for predicting an easy recovery without symptom relapse and 3.90 for predicting GI bleeding can be used in adult patients with HSP.
OBJECTIVES: Helicobacter pylori may reportedly be associated with extragastric malignancy beyond gastric cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between H. pylori infection and colorectal neoplasia through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The literature search aimed to retrieve all relevant studies published up to September 2019 that examined the risk for colorectal neoplasia including colorectal adenoma, advanced adenoma, and cancer in patients with H. pylori infection. Meta-analysis was performed to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). If publication bias was observed, the pooled OR was adjusted using the trim-and-fill method. RESULTS: Forty-eight studies including 171,045 patients were evaluated, of which 24, 8, and 31 reported H. pylori -associated risk for adenoma, advanced adenoma, and cancer, respectively. H. pylori infection was associated with a significantly higher risk for colorectal adenoma (pooled OR 1.49 [95% CI 1.37–1.62]). H. pylori infection was also associated with a higher risk for advanced colorectal adenoma (pooled OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.28–1.75]). The risk for colorectal cancer in patients with H. pylori infection was also identified (pooled OR 1.44 [95% 1.26–1.65]). Although publication bias was identified in the analysis for colorectal adenoma, the pooled estimate was not significantly changed after adjustment (pooled OR 1.39 [95% CI 1.27–1.52]). DISCUSSION: Although this meta-analysis based on the observational studies could not show causality, it demonstrated that colorectal adenoma, advanced adenoma, and cancer were all associated with H. pylori infection.
Background/Aims: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to clarify the effect of obesity on the occurrence of and mortality from primary liver cancer.Methods: This study was conducted using a systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library until November 2018 using the primary keywords “obesity,” “overweight,” “body mass index (BMI),” “body weight,” “liver,” “cancer,” “hepatocellular carcinoma,” “liver cancer,” “risk,” and “mortality.” Studies assessing the relationship between BMI and occurrence of or mortality from primary liver cancer in prospective cohorts and those reporting hazard ratios (HRs) or data that allow HR estimation were included.Results: A total of 28 prospective cohort studies with 8,135,906 subjects were included in the final analysis. These included 22 studies with 6,059,561 subjects for cancer occurrence and seven studies with 2,077,425 subjects for cancerrelated mortality. In the meta-analysis, an increase in BMI was associated with the occurrence of primary liver cancer (HR, 1.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.50–1.90, I<sup>2</sup>=56%). A BMI-dependent increase in the risk of occurrence of primary liver cancer was reported. HRs were 1.36 (95% CI, 1.02–1.81), 1.77 (95% CI, 1.56–2.01), and 3.08 (95% CI, 1.21–7.86) for BMI >25 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, >30 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, and >35 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, respectively. Furthermore, increased BMI resulted in enhanced liver cancer-related mortality (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.14–2.27, I<sup>2</sup>=80%).Conclusions: High BMI increases liver cancer mortality and occurrence of primary liver cancer. Obesity is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of and mortality from primary liver cancer.
Owing to advancements in next-generation sequencing and non-culture-based microbial research techniques, we have recognized that many bacterial taxa other than <i>Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)</i> are present in the human stomach. Gastric microbial composition depends on gastric diseases, including gastritis, atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia, and gastric cancer. Although <i>H. pylori</i> is a major factor associated with gastric cancer development, other bacterial taxa may affect gastric carcinogenesis. Because the risk of gastric cancer development can be reduced through <i>H. pylori</i> eradication, many investigators have studied the changes in the microbial composition in the stomach after <i>H. pylori</i> eradication. The gastric microbiome in patients with <i>H. pylori</i> infection typically shows abundance of <i>H. pylori</i> and a low microbial diversity index. If we treat <i>H. pylori</i>-infected patients with antibiotics, microbial diversity increases, and the relative abundance also increases in many bacterial taxa. Several studies suggested that the microbial composition in patients with <i>H. pylori</i> infection could be restored by <i>H. pylori</i> eradication therapy; however, there have been inconsistent findings of the abundant bacterial taxa after <i>H. pylori</i> eradication in patients with atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. More studies are required to reach a definitive conclusion on restoration of the microbial composition after <i>H. pylori</i> eradication according to the severity of gastric inflammation.
Abstract It is debatable which needle has clear superiority of diagnostic performance in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle biopsy (FNB) of solid pancreatic masses. This study aimed to compare the performance of three needles and determine the variables that affect diagnostic accuracy. From March 2014 to May 2020, 746 patients with solid pancreatic masses who underwent EUS-FNB using three types of needles (Franseen needle, Menghini-tip needle, and Reverse-bevel needle) were retrospectively reviewed. Multivariate analysis using a logistic regression model was used to identify factors related to diagnostic accuracy. There were significant differences between the groups regarding the procurement rate of the histologic and optimal quality cores (Franseen vs. Menghini-tip vs. Reverse-bevel: 98.0% [192/196] vs. 85.8% [97/113] vs. 91.9% [331/360], P < 0.001 and 95.4% [187/196] vs. 65.5% [74/113] vs. 88.3% [318/360], P < 0.001, respectively). The sensitivity and accuracy using histologic samples were 95.03% and 95.92% for Franseen, 82.67% and 88.50% for Menghini-tip, and 82.61% and 85.56% for Reverse-bevel needles, respectively. In direct comparison between the needles using histologic samples, the Franseen needle showed significantly superior accuracy than the Menghini-tip ( P = 0.018) and Reverse-bevel needles ( P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that tumor size ≥ 2 cm (odds ratio [OR] 5.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.40–8.47, P < 0.001) and fanning technique (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.00–2.86, P = 0.047) were significantly associated with an accurate diagnosis. EUS-FNB using the Franseen needle enables the acquisition of a larger and more adequate histologic core tissue and achieves an accurate histological diagnosis when using the fanning technique.