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Aim: To audit the results of a nurse-led dyspepsia clinic., Methods: Referrals to the Gastroenterology Department at Auckland Hospital for gastroscopy were assessed in a dyspepsia clinic. Initial evaluation included consultation and a urea breath test (UBT). Patients given eradication treatment prior to initial clinic assessment were excluded. Patients with a positive UBT were given eradication treatment and were reviewed two months later for symptom assessment and follow-up UBT. Patients with a negative UBT were usually referred back to the GP., Results: There were 173 patients; mean age 38 years; 73 had a positive UBT (42%). A positive UBT was significantly associated with place of birth (NZ 16%; other place of birth 60%; p = 0.001). If the dominant symptom was epigastric pain 54% had a positive UBT; if it was reflux or bloating 29% were positive, p = 0.005. Forty nine UBT-positive patients had follow-up data and of these 43 had successful eradication (88%). Of patients with successful eradication, 40% had an excellent response, 38% improved, and 22% were not improved. After a mean follow up of 3.3 years 42/173 (24%) patients had a gastroscopy. Of these, 30 were initially UBT negative and 12 were UBT positive (9 had been successfully eradicated). The endoscopic findings were normal in 27, reflux oesophagitis in 13, pyloric stenosis in one, and gastric ulcer (HP+ve) in one. Helicobacter pylori status by biopsy was consistent with the UBT result. One hundred and thirteen patients also had H. pylori serology (Cobas Core, Roche) performed. There were three false negatives (negative predictive value of 94% [51/54]) and seven false positives (positive predictive value of 88% [52/59])., Conclusions: The urea breath test was found to be useful as part of the initial assessment of selected patients who would otherwise have been referred for endoscopy. It is likely that the need for gastroscopy was reduced, but longer follow up will be required to determine whether or not this effect is simply due to delayed referral. This approach is likely to have value only in patients who have a relatively high chance of being H. pylori positive.

Background: Rotavirus illness is associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. We have examined trends in diarrheal disease in New Zealand children to determine the disease burden attributable to rotavirus and to estimate the proportion of hospitalizations preventable by vaccination., Methods: Hospital admissions data and laboratory records for 1994 to 1996, were obtained for children 0 to 4 years at four sites (serving -60% of the New Zealand population). Rotavirus disease burden was estimated using combined admissions and laboratory data. Severity of disease was estimated in a sample of 150 hospitalizations for rotavirus diarrhea, and the proportion of vaccine-preventable admissions was extrapolated. Mortality attributed to diarrheal causes was determined from national records for 1974 to 1993., Results: Between 1994 and 1996, 4436 children <5 years of age were hospitalized with diarrhea (1047/100000 children per year). Admissions associated with rotavirus were estimated at 1522 to 1535 (315 to 362/100000 annually). Infants between 6 and 17 months were most commonly affected (42% of all cases). More male children than female children were hospitalized (P < 0.001) and mean length of stay was calculated as 1.51 days (SD 2.35). Disease severity scoring revealed that 61.3 and 38.0% of admissions reviewed were severe and very severe, respectively. Deaths from diarrheal causes numbered 138 among children 0 to 4 years old for the 20-year period 1974 to 1993, with 18 deaths occurring between 1984 and 1993 (10 years)., Conclusion: Current vaccines control severe disease, suggesting that 72% of cases reviewed would be eligible for prevention. A full cost effectiveness analysis is required to demonstrate anticipated benefits of vaccination.