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The discrepancy between Eastern and Western countries exists regarding the time trends of Barrett's esophagus (BE)/adenocarcinoma. We aimed to elucidate this issue through a retrospective review of the endoscopic and pathological diagnoses of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) over time in a Chinese population. All records were analyzed from 2000 to 2007. Records included demographic data, clinical indication for endoscopy, and endoscopic findings. The total number of endoscopic procedures increased over time. The indications for referral endoscopy secondary to GERD increased from 366 cases (4.9%) in the beginning of the study to 1439 cases (14.1%) at the end. Concomitant GERD symptoms did not significantly change (range, 13-15.1%) in screening endoscopic studies. Endoscopic detection of erosive esophagitis increased in referral populations from 1546 (20.7%) to 5207 cases (51%) and by screening endoscopy from 791 (14.5%) to 1983 cases (23.5%). The prevalence of nonerosive reflux disease and BE did not change over time. BE-associated dysplasia and adenocarcinoma were rare. The detection of Los Angeles class A disease increased with time in referral endoscopy cases with a focus on erosive esophagitis composition. The endoscopic demand for GERD investigation and the GERD endoscopic diagnosis increased in our population. The results were related to a higher prevalence of low-grade erosive disease diagnosed. The incidence of BE-associated dysplasia and adenocarcinoma has been the same and the increased screening did not detect more cancers.

Dysphagia is not uncommon after curative treatment for primary head and neck cancer. Local recurrences or second primary cancers in the upper digestive tract need to be excluded firstly before treatment for dysphagia. However, many patients have trismus or pharyngeal stenosis following treatment, both of which prevent rigid/flexible transoral laryngoscopy/esophagoscopy evaluating the entire upper digestive tract. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate the diagnostic value of unsedated transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in 36 primary head and neck cancer patients with post-treatment dysphagia. Except three patients with very narrow space or the presence of the tumor in the neopharynx, transnasal EGD could completely evaluate the upper digestive tract in 33 patients and found one patient with local recurrent hypopharyngeal cancer, seven patients with newly diagnosed hypopharyngeal cancer, four patients with esophageal cancer, and one patient with simultaneous hypopharyngeal and esophageal cancers, which were all successfully biopsied and proven microscopically. Five patients previously receiving total laryngectomy had various degrees of stenosis of the neopharynx without local recurrence or esophageal cancer. Thirteen patients had no significant organic or pathological lesions. One patient had a benign tumor on the epiglottis and the other NPC patient had extensive soft tissue necrosis in the pyriform sinus as a cause of dysphagia. The mean duration of the entire procedure was 16min. All patients tolerated the procedure well. No significant complications were noted during and after examination. The present study indicates that unsedated transnasal EGD is feasible to confidently distinguish between functionally/anatomically-related dysphagia and newly growing tumors in the upper digestive tract, and to obtain biopsy specimens for pathological diagnosis from the tumors in a single session.

Background/Purpose Although evidence suggests that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may interrupt sleep, the effects of symptomatic and endoscopically diagnosed GERD remain elusive because the patient population is heterogeneous. Accordingly, we designed a cross-sectional study to assess their association. Methods Consecutive participants in a routine health examination were enrolled. Definition and severity of erosive esophagitis were assessed using the Los Angeles classification system. Demographic data, reflux symptoms, sleep quality and duration, exercise amount, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits were recorded. Factors affecting sleep quality and sleep duration were revealed by a polytomous logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 3663 participants were recruited. Subjects with reflux symptoms, female gender, higher body mass index, and regular use of hypnotics had poorer sleep quality. Exercise was associated with better sleep quality. Either symptomatically or endoscopically, GERD did not disturb sleep duration. Among the 3158 asymptomatic patients, those with erosive esophagitis were more likely to have poor sleep quality. The risk increased with the severity of erosive changes ( p = 0.03). Conclusion The present study highlights the adverse effect of gastroesophageal reflux on sleep, even in the absence of reflux symptoms. This finding has therapeutic implications in patients with silent erosive disease, and future trials are warranted.

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing in Eastern and Western countries. Obesity is recognized as a risk factor of gastroesophageal reflux disease. However, little information is available on the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in morbidly obese Chinese patients. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of GERD in Chinese patients with morbid obesity and age- and sex-matched controls, and we also assessed the effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on reflux symptoms and erosive esophagitis. Between November 2006 and February 2008, 150 morbidly obese Chinese patients underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaires and esophagogastroduodenoscopy results were assessed in all cases before surgery. The prevalence of reflux symptoms and erosive esophagitis was compared with the prevalence in a database of 300 age- and sex-matched controls. We also compared baseline and postoperative characteristics at 12 months after operation. Patients with morbid obesity had higher frequencies of reflux symptoms (16% vs. 8%, P = 0.01) and erosive esophagitis (34% vs. 17%, P

Background and aims: The effect of metabolic risk factors on the natural course of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which remains elusive, was quantified. Methods: The population included 3669 subjects undergoing repeated upper endoscopy. Data were analysed using a three-state Markov model to estimate transition rates (according to the Los Angeles classification) regarding the natural course of the disease. Individual risk score together with the kinetic curve was derived by identifying significant factors responsible for the net force between progression and regression. Results: During three consecutive study periods, 12.2, 14.9 and 17.9% of subjects, respectively, progressed from non-erosive to erosive disease, whereas 42.5, 37.3 and 34.6%, respectively, regressed to the non-erosive stage. The annual transition rate from non-erosive to class A–B disease was 0.151 per person year (95% CI 0.136 to 0.165) and from class A–B to C–D was 0.079 per person year (95% CI 0.063 to 0.094). The regression rate from class A–B to non-erosive disease was 0.481 per person year (95% CI 0.425 to 0.536). Class C–D, however, appeared to be an absorbing state when not properly treated. Being male (relative risk (RR) 4.31; 95% CI 3.22 to 5.75), smoking (RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.39) or having metabolic syndrome (RR 1.75; 95% CI 1.29 to 2.38) independently increased the likelihood of progressing from a non-erosive to an erosive stage of disease and/or lowered the likelihood of disease regression. The short-term use of acid suppressants (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.39 to 0.75) raised the likelihood of regression from erosive to non-erosive disease. Conclusions: Intraoesophageal damage is a dynamic and migratory process in which the metabolic syndrome is associated with accelerated progression to or attenuated regression from erosive states. These findings have important implications for the design of effective prevention and screening strategies.

Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The presence of low-grade systemic inflammation, as determined by an elevation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. However, previous studies of CRP and CRC in cohorts that comprised different genders have yielded conflicting results and little is known about CRP levels in individuals with colorectal adenomas, the precursor lesion of CRC. This study aims to elucidate the association of CRP and colorectal neoplasia.Plasma CRP levels were examined using a cross-sectional design in 6,695 consecutive ethnic Chinese adults who had undergone a complete colonoscopy following a thorough routine health evaluation. Logistic regression analysis was used to correlate the risk of colorectal neoplasia with CRP levels.Plasma CRP levels were significantly higher in subjects with colorectal neoplasia than in those without neoplasia (1.85 mg/L vs 1.55 mg/L, P= 0.04). The presence of synchronous neoplasia, advanced neoplasia, and concurrent synchronous and advanced neoplasia were associated with elevated levels of plasma CRP, after adjustment for other risk factors. Gender stratification revealed a positive association between elevated CRP levels and the risk of colorectal neoplasia in men, but no such corresponding association existed in women.Elevated plasma CRP levels are independently associated with an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia in men, but not in women. These data support the association between chronic inflammation and colorectal neoplasia in men and provide new insights into the underlying mechanisms that warrant further investigation.

Background Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) involves a combination of both restrictive and mal-absorptive mechanisms and has become the procedure of choice for patients with morbid obesity in Western countries. However, its efficacy remains uncertain in Asian populations. We report our pilot experience with LRYGB in a Chinese population. Methods Between August 2005 and February 2007, 100 morbidly obese patients received LRYGB. We evaluated the learning curve for the operation, its efficacy in weight reduction, and its postoperative complications. Results Surgical time reached a plateau after about 50 cases, decreasing from 216 min for the initial 50 patients to 105 min for the final 50. The conversion rate from laparoscopic to open surgery was 2%. The mean percent body mass index loss was 33.9% after 12 months. Twentyfour complications occurred in 18 patients, but most resolved with conservative treatment without mortality. Patients with advanced age (P=0.04) or hypertension (P=0.03) were at increased risk for complications leading to prolonged surgical times and hospital stays. The complication rate declined as technical expertise increased. Conclusion In Chinese patients with morbid obesity, LRYGB is promising procedure because of its acceptable learning curve, good efficacy, and low complication rate.

Men are more susceptible to gastric cancer (GC) than women. However, the genetic factors associated with the sex difference are not well understood. Chemokines have been shown to modulate tumor behavior, and the sex-specific effect of the chemokine polymorphisms on the host susceptibility to several diseases has been reported. We aimed to determine the role of chemokine polymorphisms on host susceptibility to GC, with special interest on their sex-specific effect. A hospital-based case-control study, including 177 patients with GC and 217 age-matched unaffected healthy controls, was performed in three major tertiary care hospitals. Genotyping for regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) −403 A/G and −28 C/G, CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) deletion, and CCR2-V64I was performed using peripheral blood DNA. The RANTES −403 GA and AA genotypes were independently associated with a 2.3-fold reduced risk of developing GC (OR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.22–0.90, P = 0.025) compared with GG genotype in women, but not in men. The RANTES −28C/G and CCR2-V64I polymorphisms were not associated with different risk of developing GC. The tumor stage, histological features, and survival rate were not different when stratified by RANTES −403 and −28 and CCR2-V64I genotypes. Our data indicate that women who inherit A allele at RANTES −403 may be at reduced risk of GC.

Background Outreach (i.e., to invite those who do not use, or who under use screening services) and inreach (i.e., to invite an existing population who have already accessed the medical system) approaches may influence people to increase their use of screening test; however, whether their outcomes would be equivalent remains unclear. Methods A total of 3,363,896 subjects, 50–69 years of age, participated in a colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program using biennial fecal immunochemical tests; 34.5% participated during 2004–2009 when the outreach approach alone was used, and 65.5% participated from 2010–2013 when outreach was integrated with an inreach approach. We compared the outcomes of the two approaches in delivery of screening services. Results Coverage rates increased from 21.4% to 36.9% and the positivity rate increased from 4.0% to 7.9%, while referral for confirmatory diagnostic examinations declined from 80.0% to 53.3%. The first period detected CRC in 0.20% of subjects screened, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 6.1%, and the second detected CRC in 0.34% of subjects, with a PPV of 8.0%. After adjusting for confounders, differences were observed in the PPV for CRC (adjusted relative risk, 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41–1.60), cancer detection rate (1.20; 95% CI, 1.13–1.27), and interval cancer rate (0.72; 95% CI, 0.65–0.80). When we focused on the comparison between two approaches during the same study period of 2010–2013, the positivity rate of fecal testing (8.2% vs. 7.6%) and the PPV for CRC detection remained higher (1.07; 95% CI, 1.01–1.12) in subjects who were recruited from the inreach approach. Conclusions Outcomes of screening were equivalent or better after integration of outreach and inreach approaches. Impact The results will encourage makers of health-care policy to adopt the integration approach to deliver screening services.

The ghrelin and leptin levels have been reported to be correlated with weight loss after bariatric surgery. However, the serial changes of ghrelin and leptin levels after laparoscopic minigastric bypass surgery (LMGBP) have not been reported yet. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate their serial changes and to analyze their relations to weight reduction after LMGBP. Serial fasting serum leptin and ghrelin concentrations were measured in 68 morbidly obese patients before (M0) and 1 (M1), 3 (M3), 6 (M6), and 12 (M12) months after LMGBP surgery. The correlations between ghrelin, insulin, and leptin concentrations and weight reduction were analyzed. Leptin levels were significantly reduced at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, respectively (vs M0, p

The prevalence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) in Eastern countries is rising to match the prevalence in the West. However, a corresponding trend of BE-associated adenocarcinoma has yet to be observed in Asia. Historically, adenocarcinoma complicating BE has been considered a rare event in Taiwan. In the present report, we collected three Taiwanese cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma arising from BE. The first case was a 37-year-old man with an advanced cancer that developed on pre-existing BE after a 3-year interval without endoscopic surveillance. The second case was a 63-year-old man who presented with odynophagia and was found to have an ulcerative tumor centered on the characteristic Barrett's mucosa. The final case was a 44-year-old man who presented with gradual-onset dysphagia and weight loss, without typical reflux symptom. Our report emphasizes the need for an updated epidemiologic study to determine the incidence of BE-associated adenocarcinoma in Taiwan.

Background and aims Gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) has been known as a premalignant condition, but estimates of its cancer risk vary widely. We aimed to analyze cancer risk of gastric IM by a long-term cohort study. Methods We conducted a hospital-based study that included all patients with gastric IM between 1992 and 2010, and the development of gastric adenocarcinoma was evaluated until July 2011. Patients developing gastric cancer ≤180 days after the index diagnosis of IM were excluded. The incidence rate, the cumulative incidence, and the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of gastric cancer were determined, and hazard ratios (HRs) of risk factors were calculated. Results We identified 7059 patients with a median follow-up duration of 5.1 years, and 81 patients developed gastric adenocarcinoma during the study period. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year cumulative incidences of gastric cancer were 0.9% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.6-1.1), 2.0% (95% CI, 1.5-2.6), and 3.0% (95% CI, 2.0-4.0), respectively. On multivariate analysis, older age (eg, 75 y and above; HR=7.4; 95% CI, 2.8-19.6), low-grade dysplasia (HR=4.0; 95% CI, 2.1-7.9), and high-grade dysplasia (HR=18.8; 95% CI, 9.0-39.5) were independent risk factors. As compared with the risk in the general population, the SIR of gastric cancer among patients with gastric IM was 2.5 (95% CI, 2.0-3.1). However, the SIR was only 2.0 (95% CI, 1.5-2.6) in the nondysplasia subgroup, but was up to 35.2 (95% CI, 15.2-69.4) in the high-grade dysplasia subgroup. Conclusions Gastric IM is an important risk factor for gastric cancer, but surveillance should be arranged only for those at an especially high risk.

Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) is independently associated with QT prolongation among patients with diabetes. It has not yet been determined whether this association remains valid in the general population. We designed an observational study to explore this association. Methods and Results We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of 31 116 consecutive participants in our health management program. Heart rate–corrected QT ( QT c) interval was derived from 12‐lead electrocardiography and by Bazett's formula. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography and classified as none, mild, moderate , or severe , according to the ultrasonographic criteria. A multivariable linear regression model was fitted for the association between QT c interval and potential predictors (including demographic, anthropometric, biochemical factors, and comorbidities). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were fitted to assess the association between the severity of NAFLD and QT c prolongation, with the adjustment of significant predictors derived from multivariable linear regression. The mean QT c interval was 421.3 ms ( SD 45.4 ms). In the multivariable linear regression analyses, mild, moderate, and severe NAFLD were associated with increases of 2.55, 6.59, and 12.13 ms, respectively, in QT c interval compared with no NAFLD (all P NAFLD were associated with an increased risk for QT c prolongation, with odds ratios of 1.11 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.21, P P P P P P QT c interval. The association remained significant among subgroups with or without diabetes. Conclusions The severity of NAFLD was associated with a higher risk for QT c prolongation in the general population with and without diabetes.

Objectives Interval colorectal cancer (CRC) after colonoscopy may affect effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening programmes. We aimed to investigate whether and how faecal haemoglobin concentration (FHbC) of faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) affected the risk prediction of interval cancer (IC) caused by inadequate colonoscopy quality in a FIT-based population screening programme. Design From 2004 to 2009, 29 969 subjects underwent complete colonoscopy after positive FIT in the Taiwanese Nationwide CRC Screening Program. The IC rate was traced until the end of 2012. The incidence of IC was calculated in relation to patient characteristics, endoscopy-related factors (such adenoma detection rate (ADR)) and FHbC. Poisson regression analysis was performed to assess the potential risk factors for colonoscopy IC. Results One hundred and sixty-two ICs developed after an index colonoscopy and the estimated incidence was 1.14 per 1000 person-years of observation for the entire cohort. Increased risk of IC was most remarkable in the uptake of colonoscopy in settings with ADR lower than 15% (adjusted relative risk (aRR)=3.09, 95% CI 1.55 to 6.18) and then higher FHbC (μg Hb/g faeces) (100–149: aRR=2.55, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.29, ≥150: aRR=2.74, 95% CI 1.84 to 4.09) with adjustment for older age and colorectal neoplasm detected at baseline colonoscopy. Similar findings were observed for subjects with negative index colonoscopy. Conclusions Colonoscopy ICs arising from FIT-based population screening programmes were mainly influenced by inadequate colonoscopy quality and independently predicted by FHbC that is associated with a priori chance of advanced neoplasm. This finding is helpful for future modification of screening logistics based on FHbC.

The aim of this study was to determine whether statin use exerts a protective effect against pancreatic cancer in Type 2 diabetic patients. A retrospective population-based cohort study was designed to analyze the National Health Insurance Research database (NHIRD) from 1997-2010 in Taiwan. A total of 1,140,617 patients with a first-time diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes were enrolled. The event was defined as newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer. A Cox proportional hazards regression model with time-dependent covariates was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of pancreatic cancer associated with statin use in the diabetic cohort. A total of 2,341 patients with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer were identified in the diabetic cohort during the follow-up period of 6,968,217.1 person-years. In this cohort, 450,282 patients were defined as statin users (statin use ≥ 28 cumulative defined daily dose [cDDD] in 1 year) and 0.14% had pancreatic cancer; 690,335 patients were statin nonusers (statin use28 cDDD in 1 year) and 0.25% had pancreatic cancer. Statin use significantly decreased the risk of pancreatic cancer (adjusted HRs: 0.78 in 28-83 cDDD per year; 0.48 in 84-180 cDDD per year; and 0.33 in180 cDDD per year) after adjusting for multiple confounders. There was a significant dose-effect of statin use for the risk of pancreatic cancer (p for trend:0.001). Statin use may be associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer in Type 2 diabetic patients. More research is needed to clarify this association.

Background: Although eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection can decrease the risk of gastric cancer, the optimal regimen for treating the general population remains unclear. We report the eradication rate (intention-to-treat and per protocol) of a community-based H. pylori therapy using the strategy of test, treat, retest, and re-treat initial treatment failures. Materials and methods: In 2004, a total of 2658 residents were recruited for 13 C-urea breath testing. Participants with positive results for infection received a standard 7-day triple therapy (esomeprazole 40 mg once daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily), and a 10-day re-treatment (esomeprazole 40 mg once daily, amoxicillin 1 g twice daily, and levofloxacin 500 mg once daily) if the follow-up tests remained positive. Both H. pylori status and side-effects were assessed 6 weeks after treatment. Results: Among 886 valid reporters, eradication rates with initial therapy were 86.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 84.7-89.1%) and 88.7% (95%CI: 86.5-90.9%) by intention-to-treat and per protocol analysis, respectively. Re-treatment eradicated infection in 91.4% (95%CI: 86-96.8%) of 105 nonresponders. Adequate compliance was achieved in 798 (90.1 %) of 886 subjects receiving the initial treatment and in all 105 re-treated subjects. Mild side-effects occurred in 24% of subjects. Overall intention-to-treat and per protocol eradication rates were 97.7% (95%CI: 96.7-98.7%) and 98.8% (95%CI: 98.5-99.3%), respectively, which were only affected by poor compliance (odds ratio, 3.3; 95%CI, 1.99-5.48; p

Background: Factors determining post-colonoscopy abdominal pain remain poorly understood. Accordingly, a prospective study was conducted to reveal the key determinants. Methods: One thousand consecutive and asymptomatic patients (569 men, 431 women; mean age 51 years, range 19–84 years) undergoing total colonoscopy were evaluated to assess their abdominal pain. Their demographic data, psychological profiles (determined on the Brief Symptom Rating Scale and Maudsley Personality Inventory), and endoscopic findings were treated as independent variables in polytomous logistic regression in which pain severities were treated as outcome variables. Factors affecting the duration of pain were evaluated on multivariate linear regression. Results: Colonoscopy duration (s; odds ratio [OR]: 1.001, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1–1.002, P

To investigate the sources of hemorrhage and use of endoscopic hemostasis in patients with clinically significant upper gastrointestinal (UGI) hemorrhage after admission to the intensive care unit (ICU).Prospective study, 123 beds of ICU in a 1,629-bed medical center.Of the 9,512 consecutive admissions over a 2-year period 105 UGI hemorrhage patients underwent urgent bedside UGI endoscopy. We compared two groups of these patients, one receiving and the other not receiving endoscopic hemostasis. Ulcers with profusely bleeding stigmata occurred in 31 patients (29.5%), ulcers with clean bases or firmly adherent blood clots in 27 (25.7%), stress-related mucosal diseases in 23 (21.9%), esophageal varices in 5 (4.8%), malignancy in 4 (3.8%), and no detectable bleeding site in 15 (14.3%). Endoscopic hemostasis was attempted in 34 patients (32.4%). Primary hemostasis for them was achieved in 67.6% and the rebleeding rate was 30.4%. In-hospital mortality rate was 77.1% and death related to hemorrhage 6.2%. Length of ICU stay before endoscopic diagnosis was significantly shorter in those who underwent endoscopic hemostasis than those who did not (28.2+/-26.3 vs. 41.2+/-57.5 days).Endoscopic hemostasis may be more beneficial when the period between ICU admission and development of hemorrhage is shorter. Bleeders can be more readily identified and controlled endoscopically in such patients. A significant proportion of bleeding sites cannot be identified by UGI endoscopy. It may indicate higher risk of small bowel hemorrhage in these critically ill patients.

In this letter, electroplated Ni-CNT nanocomposite is synthesized and utilized as a structural material for micromechanical resonator fabrication. Pretreated by sulfate sodium dodecyl, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) disperse well in electrolyte and can be incorporated in an electroplated Ni film. Clamped-clamped beam resonators fabricated using the nanocomposite show 27% resonant frequency enhancement (from 498.75 to 634.72 kHz). Meanwhile, the Q factors of 781 and 760 for Ni and Ni-CNT nanocomposite resonators, which are comparable with the prior art, indicate that the anchor loss could dominate the Q performance of the beam resonators.

Image-enhanced endoscopy is helpful for screening of a second primary neoplasm in patients with esophageal and head and neck cancer. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the diagnostic efficacy of white-light imaging (WLI), narrow band imaging (NBI), and Lugol chromoendoscopy for second primary neoplasm detection. A review of the PubMed/Cochrane databases up to May 2014 was performed. Meta-analysis was done by Meta-DiSc software and the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. A total of 4918 patients from 16 prospective and randomized trials were enrolled. For WLI, NBI, and Lugol chromoendoscopy, the pooled sensitivities were 53% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 48% to 59%), 87% (95% CI = 83% to 90%), and 88% (95% CI = 85% to 91%), respectively; the pooled specificities were 99% (95% CI = 98% to 99%), 95% (95% CI = 94% to 96%), and 63% (95% CI = 61% to 66%), respectively; and the areas under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve were 66%, 97%, and 82%, respectively. NBI endoscopy has the most highly accurate diagnostic performance for detection of second primary neoplasms in high-risk patients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2343-E2349, 2016.

Background Following a negative test, the performance of fecal immunochemical testing in the subsequent screening round is rarely reported. It is crucial to allocate resources to participants who are more likely to test positive subsequently following an initial negative result. Objective To identify risk factors associated with a positive result in subsequent screening. Methods Dataset was composed of consecutive participants who voluntarily underwent fecal tests and colonoscopy in a routine medical examination at the National Taiwan University Hospital between January 2007 and December 2011. Risk factor assessment of positive fecal test in subsequent screening was performed by using the Cox proportional hazards models. Results Our cohort consisted of 3783 participants during a 5-year period. In three rounds of subsequent testing, 3783, 1537, and 624 participants underwent fecal tests, respectively; 5.7%, 5.1%, and 3.9% tested positive, respectively, and the positive predictive values were 40.2%, 20.3%, and 20.8%, respectively. Age ≥60 years (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.21–1.93) and male gender (1.32, 95% CI: 1.02–1.69) were risk factors; however, an interaction between age and gender was noted. Men had higher risk than women when they were

Background and Aims: Endoscopic hemoclipping and dual therapy with epinephrine injection and heater probe thermocoagulation have been proven effective in the hemostasis of bleeding peptic ulcers. However, the hemostatic efficacy has not been investigated in bleeding marginal ulcers. The aim of this study is to investigate the hemostatic efficacy of endoscopic hemoclipping and dual therapy with epinephrine injection and heater probe thermocoagulation in bleeding marginal ulcers. Methods: From November 1997 to July 2000, 50 patients with active marginal ulcer bleeding underwent either hemoclipping (20 patients) or dual therapy (30 patients) for hemostasis. The demographic data, clinicopathological characteristics, endoscopic findings, initial hemostatic rates, rebleeding rates, amount of blood transfusion, the need of surgery, and mortality rates were collected and analyzed. Results: Marginal ulcers were located at the anastomotic site (64%), saddle portion (22%), efferent loop (10%), or at the afferent loop (4%). The bleeding stigmata were classified into spurting artery (32%), oozing vessel (38%), visible vessel (20%), and blood clot adhesion (10%). The overall therapeutic results in 50 patients were initial hemostasis (100%), rebleeding rate (22%), need for surgery (4%), and hospital mortality rate (4%). There was no significant difference in demographic data and clinicopathological characteristics between the two modes of treatments, whereas recurrent bleeding developed in 5% in the hemoclipping group and 33% in the dual therapy group. No complication related to the procedure occurred in either mode of therapy. The hospital mortality rates were 0 and 6.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Endoscopy is effective in achieving initial hemostasis from bleeding marginal ulcers. However, the rebleeding rate remains high and repeated endoscopy may be needed to arrest the hemorrhage. © 2002 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd

Aneurysms of the superior mesenteric artery are uncommon, and aneurysms of its branches occur even less frequently. We report the case of a 60-year-old man with an aneurysm of the ileal branch of the superior mesenteric artery whose initial symptom was abdominal pain. Gray-scale and color Doppler sonography provided noninvasive, accurate preoperative identification of the aneurysm despite its uncommon location, a small branch of the superior mesenteric artery. CT and conventional and magnetic resonance angiography confirmed the sonographic diagnosis. The aneurysm was resected successfully, and the patient's postoperative course was uneventful. Although angiography is required for a definitive diagnosis and for surgical planning, sonography is a useful tool for preoperative evaluation and diagnosis of such aneurysms.

Background Combined esophageal high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) measures multiple pressures and bolus transit simultaneously, facilitating detailed assessment of esophageal motility. Currently, normative values for water-perfused HRIM systems for Chinese populations are lacking. Methods Healthy volunteers were enrolled for comprehensive anthropometric measures, blood biochemistry tests, and an HRIM study using 22 water-perfused pressure sensors and 12 impedance channels. Ten 5-mL liquid swallows of saline at 30-second intervals were conducted. The following parameters were calculated: distal contractile integral (DCI), distal latency (DL), lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal pressure, 4-second integrated relaxation pressure (IRP-4s), and complete bolus transit percentage. Normal values were established based on the 5th and 95th percentiles. Key results All 66 participants (34 male, 32 female, aged 21-64 years) completed the study and tolerated the HRIM procedure well. The upper normal limit (95th percentile) of IRP-4 second was 20 mmHg. The 5th-95th percentile range for DCI, DL, and complete bolus transit was 99-2186 mmHg●s●cm, 6.2-11.3 second, and 50%-100%, respectively. Age was negatively correlated with DL. Females had significantly higher upper limits for IRP-4s and median DCI than males. Multivariate analyses confirmed that IRP-4s was higher in females, and that higher body mass index and waist circumference were associated with reduced DL and better bolus transit, respectively. Conclusions and inferences We established normative values for the water-perfused HRIM system for a Chinese population. Gender and anthropometric factors may affect various major HRIM parameters and should be taken into account when interpreting HRIM results in clinical practice.

Objectives: Accelerometer (Q-CPR) has been developed and promoted to monitor the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Although the device registers the occurrence of no-flow intervals, it does not provide comprehensive information on the causes leading to these no-flow intervals. This study is aimed to analyze causes leading to CPR interruptions registered by Q-CPR by reviewing corresponding video recordings of the resuscitation sessions. Methods: Accelerometer recordings (Q-CPR, Philips) of 20 CPR episodes from December 2010 to April 2014 in a tertiary university ED were obtained. Frequency, timing, duration, and types of no-flow intervals, defined as no-flow duration >= 1.5 seconds, were reviewed. Video recordings of the corresponding CPR sessions were reviewed. Causes leading no flow intervals registered by Q-CPR were categorized and analyzed. Results: The duration of CPR reviewed for the cases averaged 8.59 minutes (range 2.23 - 19.04 minutes). No-flow intervals (pauses >= 1.5 seconds) occurred 122 times (averaged one interruption every 1.27 minutes of CPR) with an average no-flow intervals of 6.45 seconds (range 1.54 - 51.50 seconds). Through detail review of the video-recordings corresponding to the no-flow intervals registered by Q-CPR, the leading causes of no-flow intervals are associated with pulse checks for pulseless electric activity- PEA (19.5%), pre-shock pauses (13.9%), ultrasound exam (11.6%) and intubation (9.6%), as displayed in the following chart. Conclusion: Video recording and time-motion analysis provide detailed information on the causes leading to no-flow intervals registered by QCPR, and could complement information acquired by Q-CPR. Measures should be taken to address leading causes of CPR interruption, especially pulse checks for PEA and pre-shock pauses, to promote quality of CPR.

Background: Prehospital resuscitation for patients with major trauma emphasized load-and-go principle. However, for those with traumatic cardiopulmonary arrest (TCPA), the role of prehospital intravenous epinephrine (PIE) remained unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of PIE in patients with TCPA. Method: We analyzed data from an Utstein registry for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Taipei to test the association between PIE and outcomes of TCPAs. Enrollees were adult patients (≧18 year-old) with TCPA. Patients with signs of obvious death like decapitation or rigor mortis, or with existing do-not-resuscitation order were excluded. Primary outcome was survival to admission, and secondary outcome was survival to discharge. A subgroup analysis was performed by stratified total prehospital time. Result: From Jun 1, 2010 to May 31, 2013 there were total 514 cases enrolled. PIE was administrated in 43 (8.4%) cases. Patients who received PIE were more likely with witnessed collapse, initial shockable rhythm, placement of advanced airway, longer total prehospital time and less blunt injury. Patient number with survival to admission and survival to discharge was 101 (19.6%) and 20 (3.9%), respectively. In parsimonious models, the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of PIE was 2.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-5.31) on primary outcome (Figure 1), and 3.53 (95%CI 0.84-15.47) on secondary outcome. Subgroup analysis showed increased ORs of PIE in cases with longer prehospital time (Figure 2). Conclusion: Among patients with TCPA, PIE was associated with increased survival to admission in an Asian metropolitan area, especially for those with longer prehospital time.

Introduction: Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most common arrhythmia causing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) and defibrillation remains the mainstay of its treatment. Successful defibrillation is linked to VF morphology characteristics, and is affected by VF duration, quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency medical service (EMS) responsiveness. This study aimed at comparing VF morphology characteristics and their relationships with patients and EMS characteristics, as well as outcomes, in an Asian community. Method: Electrocardiographic recordings of VF signals from automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in 2008 to 2012 were obtained from OOHCA subjects in Taipei city, a metropolitan with 2.65 million residents in 272km2. Amplitude spectrum analysis (AMSA) and DFAα2 were calculated and compared year by year in the study period. Results: A total of 612 OOHCA subjects with VF were included for analysis. Both DFA and AMSA changed significantly over time (χ 2 for trend: -0.128 for DFA, p2 hr) return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and neurological outcomes (CPC 1&2). The time trend for DFAα2 (OR 0.98, CI 0.96-0.99, p=0.003), but not for AMSA (OR 1.07, CI 0.99-1.14), remained after adjustment for confounders. Both DFAα2 and AMSA were associated with sustained ROSC (DFA OR 0.08, CI 0.04-0.18, p Conclusions: DFAα2 and AMSA, two important VF characteristics, changed significantly over time in an Asian community, and were associated with improved outcomes. This might reflect improvement in community chain of survival especially among EMS responses and community quality of CPR.

Metabolic syndrome is associated with increased risk of colorectal neoplasm, but little is known about its effects on the occurrence of neoplasm after colonoscopy. We investigated the effects of metabolic syndrome on the risk of advanced neoplasm after colonoscopy.We performed a prospective study of 4483 subjects age 50 years and older who underwent screening and surveillance colonoscopies as part of an annual health check-up at National Taiwan University Hospital. Baseline demographic data and colonoscopic findings were recorded. Subjects with either advanced adenoma or 3 or more adenomas detected at baseline were classified as high risk; those with fewer than 3 nonadvanced adenomas were classified as low risk; and those without any neoplastic lesions were classified as normal. The cumulative risk of detecting an advanced neoplasm during surveillance colonoscopies (3 and 5 years later) was correlated with risk group and metabolic syndrome. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for occurrence of neoplasm according to baseline colonoscopic findings and clinical risk factors, including metabolic syndrome.Advanced neoplasms were detected during the surveillance colonoscopies in 1.3% of subjects in the normal group and in 2.4% of those in the low-risk group at 5 years, and in 8.5% of subjects in the high-risk group at 3 years. Subjects with metabolic syndrome had a significantly higher risk for subsequent advanced neoplasms (P.0001). After stratification based on findings from baseline colonoscopies, the risk for neoplasm was significant in the normal (P .001) and low-risk groups (P = .04), but not in the high-risk group (P = .48). In Cox regression analysis, metabolic syndrome had significant effects on the risk for advanced neoplasms in the normal (HR, 2.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-3.81) and low-risk groups (HR, 2.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-5.41), but not in the high-risk group.Metabolic syndrome is a significant risk factor for occurrence of an advanced adenoma after a negative or low-risk finding from a baseline colonoscopy. Metabolic syndrome should be considered in risk stratification for surveillance intervals.

Background Investigations of genetic alterations and correlations with histology or morphology could provide further insights into colorectal carcinogenesis. Nevertheless, such genetic changes were less investigated in adenoma stage and a comprehensive survey of oncogenic mutations in EGFR signaling pathway according to different morphologic subtypes has not been performed. Methods A total of 94 neoplasms, including 34 polypoid adenoma, 16 lateral spreading tumors-granular (LST-G), 20 non-granular LST (LST-NG), and 24 depressed tumors, were subjected for mutational analysis of KRAS (exon 2), BRAF (exon 11 and 15), PIK3CA (exon 9 and 20), AKT (exon 4), EGFR (exon 18–24) and HER2 (exon18-24). Results KRAS mutation was noted more frequently in LST (13/36, 36.1%) than polypoid neoplasms (5/34, 14.7%, p = 0.041). When comparing with LST-NG, LST-G had a significantly higher frequency of KRAS mutation. (9/16, 56.3% vs. 4/20, 20.0%, p = 0.024). BRAF mutation (V600E) was found in 2 of 36 (5.6%)LSTs and 1 of 34 (2.9%) polypoid lesions. The two LST lesions with BRAF mutation were pathologically proven to be serrated adenoma. PIK3CA mutation (exon 9 E545K) was identified only in LST (5/36, 13.9%). Mutations in KRAS, BRAF or PIK3CA occurred in a mutually exclusive manner. All mutations were absent in the specimens obtained from depressed type neoplasms. Conclusions Three different macroscopic subtypes of colorectal neoplasms display distinct carcinogenetic pathways in EGFR networking. Further molecular studies of CRCs should take macroscopic subtypes into consideration and highlight the importance of consensus and communication between endoscopic and pathologic diagnosis.

Instant oatmeal has been proposed as a good alternative to the standardized low-fat egg white test meal for gastric emptying studies. We aim to establish normal values of oatmeal-based gastric emptying scintigraphy and test its correlation with gastroparesis symptoms in the Chinese population.This study prospectively enrolled 60 healthy volunteers, 30 functional dyspepsia and 30 diabetes patients with gastroparesis symptoms. All participants were evaluated using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index. Each participant ingested instant oatmeal mixed with 1 mCi of (99m) Tc diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid, and serial imaging was immediately acquired for 3 h in the supine position using a left anterior oblique projection. Time-activity curves were generated and quantitative parameters were determined. Normal values were established from healthy volunteers and further applied in the symptomatic patients.All participants finished the test meal and tolerated the procedure well. All gastric emptying parameters were not significantly affected by age or gender. Values above the 95th percentile of T1/2 , gastric retention at 1, 2, and 3 h (85 min, 65%, 28%, and 8%, respectively) were indicative of delayed gastric emptying. Values below the 5th percentile of gastric retention at 0.5 and 1 h (40% and 15%, respectively) were indicative of rapid gastric emptying. The lower gastric retention limit at 0.5 and 1 h were 40% and 15%, respectively. Four (13.3%) diabetes and four (13.3%) functional dyspepsia patients had delayed emptying while three diabetes patients (10%) had rapid emptying. Gastric emptying parameters correlated best with vomiting (r = 0.621) and nausea (r = 0.566) in diabetes patients.We established normal values of oatmeal-based gastric emptying scintigraphy and observed good correlation with cardinal gastroparesis symptoms in the Chinese population.

Molten LiI/AlCl3 with different molar ratios of LiI to AlCl3 were prepared and characterized by Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and impedance measurements. The LiI/AlCl3 adducts melt at 70–80 °C and the Raman spectrum indicates that a variety of haloaluminates exist in the system. The 1:1 adduct has the highest ionic conductivity, 2×10−6 S/cm at 25 °C, and the conductivity increases dramatically as the temperature is increased. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggest that several haloaluminates are present in the adducts. Ab initio calculations were carried out on the species that were predicted by MD simulations and these results were compared with Raman spectra, and good agreement was obtained. Several-ns-long MD simulations allowed us to study the conductivity and relaxation processes in the 1:1 and 1:2 melts at higher temperatures.

A series of polymer salt complexes based on poly(ethylene malonate) and lithium triflate were prepared with polymer repeat unit to cation ratios of 8, 4, 2, 1. These were characterized and then mixed with lithium triflate. The CO stretching peaks in the IR spectra of these polymers became broad when salt was introduced, indicating complex formation between the polymer and the lithium cation. Pure poly(ethylene malonate) has a glass transition at 258 K and the glass transition temperature increases with increasing salt concentration. The maximum room temperature ionic conductivity for this polymer/salt complex is 1.6×10−6 S/cm for a polymer repeat unit to cation ratio of 8, and the temperature dependence of the conductivity follows the Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) equation.

Ambient temperature alkali glassy salt mixtures, x[AlCl3]/(1 − x)[NaN(CN)2] (x = 0.4−0.75), were prepared. A large increase in the C⋮N stretching frequencies for these materials indicate complex formation between the anion [N(CN)2]- and AlCl3 molecule. Ab initio calculations confirm the assignments of the vibrational frequencies. The 1:1 adduct has a glass transition at 27 °C, and the glassy state persists for 4 weeks at room temperature. The room temperature ionic conductivity of this glass is 6.6 × 10-6 S/cm, and it increases as the AlCl3 content increases. The temperature dependence of the conductivity follows the Vogel−Tamman−Fulcher equation, suggesting that ion transport is coupled to local motion in the glassy salt mixture system.

In this Letter, we report optimized structures and lithium affinities of a series of anionic zeolitic fragments [H 3 Al(OCH 3 ) x (OSiH 3 ) 1– x − 2T, H 2 Al(OCH 3 ) x (OSiH 3 ) 2– x − 3T, Al(OCH 3 ) x (OSiH 3 ) 4– x − 5T] that mimic the charge sites in polyelectrolytes. Ab initio molecular orbital methods at different levels of theory are used. The lithium affinities are much larger than the corresponding sodium affinities, indicating stronger interactions between lithium cations and these zeolitic fragments. The substitution of silicon by carbon increases the lithium affinity and the effect is generally larger than in the sodium systems.

The structures and sodium affinities of a series of zeolitic fragments [H{sub 3}Al(OCH{sub 3}){sub x}(OSiH{sub 3}){sub 1{minus}x}{sup {minus}}, 2T, H{sub 2}Al(OCH{sub 3}){sub x}(OSiH{sub 3}){sub 2{minus}x}{sup {minus}}, Al(OCH{sub 3}){sub x}(OSiH{sub 3}){sub 4{minus}x}{sup {minus}}, 5T], that mimic the charge sites in polyelectrolytes are calculated by ab initio molecular orbital methods at different levels of theory. At the HF/6-31G{sup *} level, the decrease in the sodium affinity due to the substitution of an OCH{sub 3} group by an OSiH{sub 3} group is about 8 kcal/mol in the 2T and 3T systems. In the 5T systems, the replacement of a sodium-coordinated OCH{sub 3} group by an OSiH{sub 3} group causes a decrease of 7 kcal/mol in the sodium affinity, while the substitution for a non-sodium-coordinated OCH{sub 3} group results in a 2.7 kcal/mol decrease. The lower sodium affinity indicates a weaker Coulombic interaction, suggesting an enhanced ionic conductivity with the substitution of carbon by silicon, consistent with experimental results. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses show that silicon-bonded oxygen atoms have smaller lone-pair dipole moments, resulting in a lower sodium affinity. The substitution of aluminum by boron leads to a higher sodium affinity, although the effect of replacing an OCH{sub 3} group by an OSiH{submore » 3} group still reduces the sodium affinity. The effect of the sodium cation on the bond angles in these systems is also investigated.« less

ObjectiveGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is associated with bothersome symptoms and neoplastic progression into Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. We aim to determine the correlation between GERD, esophageal inflammation and obesity with 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).MethodsWe studied 458 subjects who underwent a comprehensive health check-up, which included an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, FDG PET/CT and complete anthropometric measures. GERD symptoms were evaluated with Reflux Disease Questionnaire. Endoscopically erosive esophagitis was scored using the Los Angeles classification system. Inflammatory activity, represented by standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of FDG at pre-determined locations of esophagus, stomach and duodenum, were compared. Association between erosive esophagitis, FDG activity and anthropometric evaluation, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes were analyzed.ResultsSubjects with erosive esophagitis (n = 178, 38.9%) had significantly higher SUVmax at middle esophagus (2.69±0.74 vs. 2.41±0.57, PConclusionsEsophageal inflammation demonstrated by FDG PET/CT correlates with endoscopic findings and symptomatology of GERD. Obesity markers, both visceral and general, are independent determinants of esophageal inflammation.

The current study is a cross‐cultural replication of a study that investigated infants’ and toddlers’ social interactions with a baby in a group setting. The focus was to determine if Chinese (Taiwanese) infants and toddlers exhibit similar interactional behaviors toward an infant in group care as did their American counterparts and to compare mediating factors of age, gender, sibling issues, and birth order. Data were recorded by video and a behavioral checklist. The sample consisted of 18 children, ages 11 to 41 months, who were attending a private daycare in Taipei. Taiwanese toddlers demonstrated significantly higher numbers of interactions toward the baby in child‐initiated, teacher‐initiated, and cooperating behaviors than American toddlers. Children with siblings exhibited more interactions with the baby than children without siblings. Cooperating behaviors increased with age for both males and females. However, females consistently had higher means. This information can aid caregivers/teachers in ...

Contamination of normal cells is almost always present in tumor samples and affects their molecular analyses. DNA methylation, a stable epigenetic modification, is cell type-dependent, and different between cancer and normal cells. Here, we aimed to demonstrate that DNA methylation can be used to estimate the fraction of cancer cells in a tumor DNA sample, using esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) as an example. First, by an Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array, we isolated three genomic regions (TFAP2B, ARHGEF4, and RAPGEFL1) i) highly methylated in four ESCC cell lines, ii) hardly methylated in a pooled sample of non-cancerous mucosae, a pooled sample of normal esophageal mucosae, and peripheral leukocytes, and iii) frequently methylated in 28 ESCCs (TFAP2B, 24/28; ARHGEF4, 20/28; and RAPGEFL1, 19/28). Second, using eight pairs of cancer and non-cancer cell samples prepared by laser capture microdissection, we confirmed that at least one of the three regions was almost completely methylated in ESCC cells, and all the three regions were almost completely unmethylated in non-cancer cells. We also confirmed that DNA copy number alterations of the three regions in 15 ESCC samples were rare, and did not affect the estimation of the fraction of cancer cells. Then, the fraction of cancer cells in a tumor DNA sample was defined as the highest methylation level of the three regions, and we confirmed a high correlation between the fraction assessed by the DNA methylation fraction marker and the fraction assessed by a pathologist (r=0.85; p

Objective Highly sensitive guaiac-based faecal occult blood (Hemoccult SENSA) and Helicobacter pylori stool antigen testing might help detect upper gastrointestinal lesions when appended to a colorectal cancer screening programme with faecal immunochemical testing. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracies of two stool tests in detecting upper gastrointestinal lesions. Design Cross-sectional design. Setting Hospital-based and community-based screening settings. Participants A hospital-based deviation cohort of 3172 participants to evaluate test performance and a community-based validation cohort of 3621 to verify the findings. Interventions Three types of stool tests with bidirectional endoscopy as the reference standard. Outcomes Sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios. Results For detecting upper gastrointestinal lesions in cases with negative immunochemical tests, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of the guaiac-based and H pylori antigen tests were 16.3% (95% CI 13.3% to 19.8%), 90.1% (88.9% to 91.2%), 1.64 (1.31 to 2.07), and 0.93 (0.89 to 0.97), respectively, and 52.5% (48.1% to 56.9%), 80.6% (79.0% to 82.1%), 2.71 (2.41 to 3.04) and 0.59 (0.54 to 0.65), respectively. For detecting upper gastrointestinal lesions in cases with normal colonoscopy, the results of the guaiac-based and H pylori antigen tests were 17.9% (14.8% to 21.5%), 90.1% (88.9% to 91.2%), 1.81 (1.45 to 2.26) and 0.91 (0.87 to 0.95), respectively, and 53.1% (48.6% to 57.4%), 80.7% (79.1% to 82.2%), 2.75 (2.45 to 3.08) and 0.58 (0.53 to 0.64), respectively. Within the community, positive predictive values of the immunochemical and H pylori antigen tests were 36.0% (26.0% to 46.0%) and 31.9% (28.3% to 35.5%), respectively, for detecting lower and upper gastrointestinal lesions, which were similar to expected values. Conclusions The H pylori stool antigen test is more accurate than the guaiac-based test in the screening of upper gastrointestinal lesions in a population with high prevalence of H pylori infection and upper gastrointestinal lesions. It is applicable to add the H pylori antigen test to the immunochemical test for pan detection. Trial registration NCT01341197 (ClinicalTrial.gov).

In order to improve arterial oxygenation and venous admixture during one lung ventilation, the effect of selective infusion of prostaglandin E 1 into the pulmonary, artery of the ventilated lung was investigated in 12 adult patients undergoing thoracotomy. Patients' bronchi were intubated with a Mallinckrodt bronchial tube and ventilated with 66% oxygen in air. Cardiopulmonary factors such as systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures, pulmonary vascular resistance, blood gas analyses, cardiac output and airway pressure were measured before and during one lung ventilation ; venous admixture (Qs/Qt) was calculated. Serial blood samples were taken from the pulmonary artery of the ventilated lung for endothelin-1 estimation. One lung ventilation reduced the mean PaO 2 from 42.1 (2.3)kPa to 11.8 (1.4)kPa (p < 0.001) and increased Qs/Qt from 10.8 (3.2)% to 39.2(4.7)% (p < 0.001). Pulmonary vascular resistance also increased from 167 (24) dyne.s.cm -5 to 262 (38) dyne.s.cm -5 (p < 0.05) with a corresponding increase of plasma endothelin-1 (p < 0.05). After 30 min alone lung ventilation, PGE 1 was infused continuously into the pulmonary artery of the ventilated lung at a rate which increased incrementally from 0.04-0.10 μg.kg -1 .min -1 . PaO 2 increased to 20.7 (2.6) kPa (p < 0.01) and Qs/Qt decreased to 30.6 (3.5)% (p < 0.05). During the infusion, pulmonary vascular resistance reduced to 173 (30) dyne.s.cm -5 (p < 0.01). The plasma endothelin-1 concentration reached a plateau between the end of one lung ventilation (before closing the thorax) and 6 h postoperatively. This correlated inversely with the pre-operative forced expiratory volume in one second (r = - 0.68, p < 0.005), declining to normal values 72 after operation. The selective infusion of PGE 1 into the pulmonary artery of the ventilated lung corrected pulmonary vasconstriction and improved both arterial oxygenation and venous admixture during one lung ventilation for thoracotomy.

Objective Biphasic defibrillation is more effective than monophasic one in controlled in-hospital conditions. The present review evaluated the performance of both waveforms in the defibrillation of patients of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with initial ventricular fibrillation (Vf) rhythm under the context of current recommendations for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods From inception to June 2012, Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched systemically for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational cohort studies that compared the effects of biphasic and monophasic shocks on Vf termination, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and survival to hospital discharge in OHCA patients with initial Vf rhythm. No restrictions were applied regarding language, population, or publication year. Results Four RCTs including 572 patients were identified from 131 potentially relevant references for meta-analysis. The synthesis of these RCTs yielded fixed-effect pooled risk ratios (RRs) for biphasic and monophasic waveforms on Vf termination survival to hospital discharge (RR, 1.14; 95% CI, [0.84-1.54]). Conclusion Biphasic waveforms did not seem superior to monophasic ones with respect to Vf termination, ROSC, or survival to hospital discharge in OHCA patients with initial Vf rhythm under the context of current guidelines. However, most trials were conducted in accordance with previous guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Therefore, further trials are needed to clarify this issue.