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Introduction: In the last few years, numerous new potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB)-based randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning the first-line regimens for Helicobacter pylori infection treatment from various countries have been published. However, no network meta-analysis (NWM) exists, which examines the comparative efficacy and safety of P-CAB-based dual, triple, and quadruple treatments, and, therefore, in this NWM, we examined this matter comparing efficacy and safety of these P-CAB-based regimens., Methods: Databases were searched for identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion of relevant RCTs. Extracted data were entered into a Bayesian NWM, and the ranking order for each regimen was evaluated by means of the surface under the cumulative ranking area values., Results: Twenty-five eligible RCTs were included with 7,605 patients randomized to 6 first-line regimens, i.e. P-CAB dual therapy, P-CAB triple therapy, P-CAB quadruple therapy, PPI dual therapy, PPI triple therapy, and PPI quadruple therapy. The surface under the cumulative ranking area values (%) for these 6 regimens were 92.7, 62.5, 33.9, 75.1, 19.4, and 16.3, respectively. The comparative effectiveness ranking showed that P-CAB dual therapy regimen ranked first for efficacy and last for adverse effects and had the best profile for integrated efficacy-safety., Discussion: In this NWM concerning the comparative efficacy and safety of P-CAB-based dual, triple, and quadruple regimens for the first-line H. pylori infection treatment, the overall results showed that P-CAB-based dual treatment ranked first for efficacy with the best-integrated efficacy-safety profile. This is of importance, since the dual regimens overcome the crucial issue of clarithromycin resistance. Consequently, these findings are expected to be useful in helping clinical decision making and future guidelines., (Copyright © 2024 by The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background and Aims: Βiologic agents and small molecules have expanded the therapeutic armamentarium of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC). However, their comparative efficacy and safety performance as maintenance treatments have not been sufficiently explored. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NWM) to assess the comparative efficacy and safety of all approved and emerging treatments for maintenance in moderate to severe UC., Methods: We searched Pubmed/Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant RCTs through April 2023. The primary endpoint was clinical remission at the end of the maintenance therapy. Data were analyzed by means of a Bayesian NWM. The ranking probability concerning efficacy and safety was evaluated by means of surfaces under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) values., Results: There were 20 eligible RCTs with 7660 patients randomized to 20 treatments. RCTs were grouped into two study designs, that is, re-randomization of patients after an induction period and treat-through patients. Concerning efficacy, in re-randomized patients, upadacitinib 30 mg/day was ranked first (SUCRA 94.9%) whereas in treat-through patients etrasimod 2 mg/day was ranked first (SUCRA 91.1%). The integrated efficacy-safety hierarchical analysis, showed that tofacitinib 10 mg had the best efficacy-safety therapeutic profile in re-randomized patients, whereas in treat-through patients infliximab 3.5 mg/Kg Q8W showed the best efficacy-safety profile., Conclusion: For maintenance treatment, in moderate to severe UC, this NWM showed that upadacitinib 30 mg/day and etrasimod 2 mg/day were ranked best for efficacy in re-randomized and treat-through patients respectively. Tofacitinib 10 mg/day and infliximab 3.5 mg/Kg Q8W showed the best efficacy-safety therapeutic profile in re-randomized and treat-through patients respectively., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: CoronaVirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively influenced the management of multiple conditions in regards to the gastroenterology patient. An equivalent change in the management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related diseases was reported, as practically no eradication treatment was offered during most of the pandemic. Given the scarcity of published data, we performed a literature review trying to elucidate the effect of COVID-19 on H. pylori treatment., Recent Findings: COVID-19 has produced more questions than answers as to the outcome of COVID-19 in H. Pylori infected patients, post-COVID-19 patients treated for H. pylori, acid suppression and COVID-19 incidence and outcomes, and H. pylori eradication treatment in patients having recovered from COVID-19. We strongly believe that this scientific uncertainty produced by the COVID-19 pandemic has set up the stage for an incremental change in H. pylori treatment as COVID-19 has offered us the chance to speed up how we will, in the near future, approach patients with a possible Η. pylori infection., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

(1) Background: Iron is an essential metal for the proper growth and neurodevelopment of infants. To prevent and treat iron deficiency, iron supplementation or fortification is often required. It has been shown, though, that it affects the synthesis of gut microbiota. (2) Methods: This paper is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of oral iron supplementation/fortification on the gut microbiota in infancy. Studies in healthy neonates and infants who received per os iron with existing data on gut microbiota were included. Three databases were searched: PUBMED, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Quality appraisal was assessed using the ROB2Tool. (3) Results: A total of six RCTs met inclusion criteria for a systematic review, and four of them were included in the meta-analysis using both the fixed and random effects methods. Our results showed that there is very good heterogeneity in the iron group (I 2 = 62%), and excellent heterogeneity in the non-iron group (I 2 = 98%). According to the meta-analysis outcomes, there is a 10.3% (95% CI: -15.0--5.55%) reduction in the bifidobacteria population in the iron group and a -2.96% reduction for the non-iron group. There is a confirmed difference ( p = 0.02) in the aggregated outcomes between iron and non-iron supplement, indicative that the bifidobacteria population is reduced when iron supplementation is given (total reduction 6.37%, 95%CI: 10.16-25.8%). (4) Conclusions: The abundance of bifidobacteria decreases when iron supplementation or fortification is given to infants.

Introduction: Antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) hampers the success of eradication and in recent years multidrug resistance (MDR) shows an increase worldwide., Areas Covered: This review covers current aspects of pharmacological and regulatory management of MDR-resistant H. pylori infection., Expert Opinion: MDR H. pylori is increasing worldwide and its prevalence varies both between continents and countries. High consumption and misuse of antibiotics, H. pylori treatment failures and bacterial factors such as mutations, efflux pumps and biofilms are among the factors associated with MDR. Important steps for confronting the rise of MDR H. pylori strains should follow the principles of antibiotic stewardship, i.e. eradication regimens should be optimized with regard to all aspects of therapy, including drugs, doses, formulation, frequency of administration, administration in relation to meals and duration of therapy that reliably achieve at least 90% (preferably >95%) cure rates in adherent patients with susceptible infections.

Background: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a valuable diagnostic tool but often requires sedation to complete, especially in children. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an a2 agonist, for which there are experimental findings that support its potential neuroprotective effects. Given the potential risks of anesthetic drugs, we ran this study to examine DEX's effectiveness and cardiopulmonary safety as a sedative drug for children undergoing MRI., Material and Methods: Systematic research was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and Cochrane databases for randomized controlled trials published between 2010 and 6th/2022 and involving children undergoing MRI who received DEX as sedative medication. The records which met the including criteria, after indexing via the PRISMA chart and assessing for bias, were processed, and a meta-analysis was carried out with the random effects method., Results: Thirteen studies were included. Out of 6204 measurements obtained, in 4626, it was planned for the participants to only receive DEX (measure group) as an anesthetic drug throughout the procedure. The participants' mean age was 57 months (Ι 2 = 4%, τ 2 = 0.5317, p = 0.40). A total of 5.6% (95% CI: 0.6-14.1%, I 2 = 98%, p < 0.01) of the patients needed a second dose of DEX. In total, 6% (95% CI: 1-15%, I 2 = 93%, τ 2 = 0.0454, p < 0.01) required the administration of another drug, besides DEX, to complete the imaging (sedation failure). The effectiveness of the only-DEX method was 99% (95% CI: 97.5-100%, I 2 = 81%, τ 2 = 0.0107, p < 0.01). The whole rate of adverse events was 15% (95% CI: 9.3-21.5%, I 2 = 92%, p < 0.01). Hypotension was reported in 8.7% of the cases (95% CI: 3.1-16.4%, I 2 = 84%, p < 0.01), hypertension in 1.1% (95% CI: 0-5.4%, I 2 = 89%, p < 0.01), bradycardia in 10% (95% CI: 4-18%, I 2 = 95%, p < 0.01) and desaturation in 1.2% (95% CI: 0-4%, I 2 = 68%, p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant incidence in respiratory rate decrease (comparing the children who received DEX to their baseline). Five cases of vomiting and one of apnea were recorded., Conclusions: Given that DEX seems to be an effective as well as respiratory and hemodynamically safe drug, it may be a future spotlight in (pediatric) sedation for imaging procedures such as MRI.

Background: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) can be missed by random gastric biopsies taken during white light endoscopy. Narrow band imaging (NBI) may potentially improve the detection of GIM. However, pooled estimates from prospective studies are lacking and the diagnostic accuracy of NBI in detecting GIM needs to be more precisely defined. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to study the diagnostic performance of NBI in detecting GIM., Methods: PubMed/Medline and EMBASE were screened for studies examining GIM in relation to NBI. Data from each study were extracted and calculations of pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratios (DORs), and areas under the curve (AUCs) were performed. Fixed or random effects models, were used as appropriate, depending on the presence of significant heterogeneity., Results: We included 11 eligible studies in the meta-analysis, comprising 1672 patients. NBI showed a pooled sensitivity of 80% (95% confidence interval [CI] 69-87), specificity of 93% (95%CI 85-97), DOR 48 (95%CI 20-121), and AUC of 0.93 (95%CI 0.91-0.95) in detecting GIM., Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that NBI is a reliable endoscopic means of detecting GIM. NBI with magnification performed better than NBI without magnification. However, better designed prospective studies are needed to precisely determine the diagnostic role of NBI, especially in high-risk populations where early detection of GIM can impact gastric cancer prevention and survival., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None, (Copyright: © Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology.)

Background and Aims: Recent guidelines dictate that all Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infected subjects should receive curative therapy. The efficacy of empirical regimens for H. pylori eradication might decline with bacterial, drug, and host factors. The necessity of a tailored therapy still remains controversial. Here we provide a meta-analysis of the current status of susceptibility-based (tailored) therapy in which susceptibility-based therapies were compared to the currently accepted choice of empiric therapy. In this rapidly closing era, neither the susceptibility nor empiric therapies were routinely optimized, such that we report the outcome of comparisons on the efficacy of unoptimized tailored vs. locally preferred empiric treatments., Methods: PubMed, Medline, and Embase databases were searched using suitable keywords. Individual and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the fixed- or random-effects model as appropriate. Heterogeneity was calculated employing the Cochrane Q test and I 2 values, whereas the possibility of publication bias was examined by constructing funnel plots. Additionally, subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed., Results: Thirty-four studies were included with a total of 9613 patients. Tailored therapy proved superior to empiric treatment [OR 2.07 (95% CI 1.53-2.79)]. However, tailored therapy achieved eradication rates >90% in only 15 (44%) studies and >95% in only 6 (17.6%)., Conclusions: Although tailored therapy performed better than empiric treatment, the lack of optimization of therapies failed to reliably achieve high cure rates (>90%). These results emphasize that H. pylori infection, like other infectious diseases, should utilize the principles of antimicrobial stewardship in relation to treatment guidance., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of non-typical symptoms in ambulatory patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection and their potential association with disease progression., Materials and Methods: Data on the symptomatology of COVID-19 patients presenting to the fast-track emergency department were collected between March 2020 and March 2021. Fever, cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue-weakness were defined as "typical" symptoms, whereas all other symptoms such as nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, gastrointestinal symptoms, etc., were defined as "non-typical"., Results: A total of 570 COVID-19 patients with a mean age of 42.25 years were included, the majority of whom were male (61.3%; N = 349), and were divided according to their symptoms into two groups. The mean length of hospital stay was found to be 9.5 days. A higher proportion of patients without non-typical symptoms were admitted to the hospital ( p = 0.001) and the ICU ( p = 0.048) as well. No significant differences were observed between non-typical symptoms and outcome ( p = 0.685). Patients who did not demonstrate at least one non-typical symptom had an extended length of stay ( p = 0.041). No statistically significant differences in length of hospital stay were associated with individual symptoms., Conclusion: With the possible exception of gastrointestinal symptoms, non-typical symptoms of COVID-19 at baseline appear to predispose to a milder disease.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to unprecedented disruptions in fellowship training programs worldwide. In gastroenterology, the strain in healthcare service provision and the emphasis on preventing viral transmission has adversely impacted hands-on training opportunities, with trainees facing the constant pressure to meet training requirements under the continuous threat of viral transmission. Emerging evidence highlight the scale of the problem, specifically with regard to endoscopy competence due to cancellation of elective endoscopic procedures, provision of inpatient and outpatient consultative care as well as academic education and the mental well-being of trainees. As such, it has been necessary for trainees, trainers and training programs collectively to adapt to these challenges and incorporate novel and adaptive solutions to circumvent these training barriers. This review aims to summarise data on the global impact of COVID-19 on gastroenterology training and the practical interventions that could be implemented., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest, (© Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica.)

Background and Aims: A number of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors (tofacitinib, filgotinib, upadacitinib) have been tested for moderate and severe Crohn's disease (CD) in randomized control trials (RCTs). However, data on their comparative efficacy and tolerability is lacking. We aimed to study their performance comparatively, by means of network meta-analysis (NWM)., Methods: We searched the Pubmed/Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant RCTs through March 2021 and data was extracted. A bayesian NWM was performed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of the above JAK inhibitors and to explore their rank order in treating moderate and severe CD patients. The cumulative ranking probability for each intervention at the end of treatment period, was evaluated by means of surfaces under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) values., Results: Four RCTs were entered into this NWM. They included 811 patients totally, randomized to 11 interventions, i.e. placebo, tofacitinib (1mg BID, 5mg BID, 10mg BID, 15mg BID), filgotinib 200 OD and upadacitinib (3 mg BID, 6 mg BID, 12 mg BID, 24 mg BID and 24mg OD). Two upadacitinib doses (6 mg BID and 24 mg BID) and filgotinib 200 OD, performed best as judged by the relevant forest plots, league matrixes, rankograms, SUCRA values (96.7%, 84,6 %and 78,7%, respectively) and the clustered ranking plots for efficacy and tolerability., Conclusions: Upadacitinib 6 mg BID, upadacitinib 24 mg BID and filgotinib 200 OD performed better as induction therapies in comparison to control therapies. Consequently, these regimens may play a therapeutic role in CD and therefore they merit further evaluation with well-designed RCTs.

Background: There is evidence demonstrating the beneficial effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists (5-HT 3 ) for the treatment of non-constipated irritable bowel syndrome (NC-IBS). We aimed to determine the comparative effectiveness of 5-HT 3 antagonists in NC-IBS, as evidenced by the results of a network meta-analysis (NWM) of published relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs)., Methods: We searched the PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant RCTs through September 2020 and data from each selected RCT were extracted. A Bayesian NWM was then performed to investigate the efficacy of 5-HT 3 antagonists and to explore the effectiveness rank order in treating NC-IBS patients., Results: Twenty-one eligible RCTs were identified and entered into this NWM. They included a total of 10,421 NC-IBS patients, randomized to alosetron, cilansetron, ondansetron, ramosetron, placebo, and mebeverine. The cumulative ranking probability for each intervention at the end of treatment period, was evaluated by means of surfaces under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) values. These results showed that alosetron had the best performance for global symptom improvement (SUCRA 0.82), cilansetron showed the best performance (SUCRA 0.90) for abdominal pain/discomfort improvement, while ondansetron (SUCRA 0.98) was by far the best choice concerning bowel habits/consistency improvement. The control regimens (mebeverine and placebo) represented the least efficacious interventions., Conclusions: This NWM showed that 5-HT 3 receptor antagonists performed better in comparison to control drugs. Consequently, this class of drugs may play an important role in improving the debilitating symptoms in NC-IBS patients, in particular those with diarrhea., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None, (Copyright: © Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology.)

Air embolism (a result of direct communication with the vasculature and an external pressure gradient from the gastrointestinal or the biliary tract), although rare, is a potentially devastating adverse event seen in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures. Whether venous, arterial, or paradoxical, the clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic patients to cardiorespiratory arrest. This is of particular importance because it makes the diagnosis of air embolism even more difficult in an already sedated patient. Since early recognition increases the chances of patients' survival, endoscopists should be highly motivated and trained to recognize this complication as early as possible. With only 60 cases of air embolism reported (and even fewer related to paradoxical air embolism), we aimed to report a case of paradoxical cerebral air embolism in a patient undergoing ERCP due to a common bile duct stricture and to provide a mini-review of this clinical entity that can serve as a bedside quick reference guide for endoscopists worldwide., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2021 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy is a severe and life-threatening complication. Gastric ischemic preconditioning is a strategy for the improvement of anastomotic healing. Aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the impact of gastric ischemic preconditioning on postoperative morbidity. A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies comparing patients undergoing gastric ischemic preconditioning before esophagectomy with nonpreconditioned patients. Meta-analysis was conducted for the overall incidence of anastomotic leakage, severe anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture, postoperative morbidity, and mortality. Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed concerning preconditioning technique, the interval between preconditioning and surgery and the extent of preconditioning. Fifteen cohort studies were identified. Gastric preconditioning was associated with reduced overall incidence of anastomotic leakage (OR 0.73; 95% CI, 0.53-1.0; P = 0.050) and severe anastomotic leakage (OR 0.27; 95% CI, 0.14-0.50; P < 0.010), but not with anastomotic stricture (OR 1.18; 95% CI 0.38 to 3.66; P = 0.780), major postoperative morbidity (OR 1.03; 95% CI 0.45 to 2.36; P = 0.940) or mortality (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.39 to 1,23; P = 0.210). Subgroup analyses did not identify any differences between embolization and ligation while increasing the interval between preconditioning and esophagectomy as well as the extent of preconditioning might be beneficial. Gastric ischemic preconditioning may be associated with a reduced incidence of overall and severe anastomotic leakage. Randomized studies are necessary to further evaluate its impact on leakage, refine the technique and define patient populations that will benefit the most., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Much attention has been paid to the study and reporting of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, an increasing number of COVID-19 patients have been noted to experience hepatic and pancreatic injury. In this study, we retrospectively investigated symptoms and laboratory findings related to the GI system in a single center in Athens, Greece, and assessed the role of these parameters in relation to survival and disease severity., Method: We retrospectively studied 61 adult COVID-19 patients admitted to the Army Share Fund Hospital (NIMTS) in Athens, Greece, from April 6th to May 6 th , 2020., Results: Sixty-one COVID-19 cases were assessed in the study period. Regarding both survival and disease severity, diarrhea was the most common finding. The multivariate analysis revealed that elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase levels and low serum albumin levels were associated with worse patient survival (odds ratio [OR] 1.029, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.007-1.05, P=0.0088; and OR 0.219, 95%CI 0.066-0.723, P=0.0127, respectively). As far as disease severity is concerned, only a low serum albumin level (measured at hospital admission) was correlated with more severe disease (OR 0.025, 95%CI 0.004-0.161, P=0.0001)., Conclusions: Outpatients with new-onset GI symptoms should be considered for COVID-19 testing in a high COVID-19 prevalence setting, as these symptoms are observed more and more in clinical settings. As prospective studies begin to emerge, clinicians will have more robust research data to diagnose COVID-19 patients earlier and identify patients in need of more intensive treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: None, (Copyright: © Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology.)

Goals: The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of a 14-day quadruple nonbismuth concomitant regimen, as proposed by recent Guidelines and Consensus Statements., Background: In Greece, a region with >20% clarithromycin resistance where bismuth is unavailable, the 10-day quadruple concomitant scheme has already been adopted as the accepted first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment., Study: Our prospective randomized study included 364 patients with newly diagnosed H. pylori infection, randomized to receive a 10-day or a 14-day nonbismuth quadruple concomitant scheme. Treatment outcome was assessed by C-urea breath test and/or histology at least 4 weeks after therapy. Intention to treat and per protocol analyses of the eradication rates were performed. Secondary endpoints included patient adherence, safety, and the impact of prior antibiotic exposure in treatment efficacy., Results: The overall eradication rates of the 2 treatments were 87.9% versus 87.4% in the intention to treat analysis, P=1.000, and 93% versus 94.1%, P=0.859, in the per protocol analysis for the 10-day and the 14-day treatment group, respectively. Both groups displayed excellent compliance rates (99.5% for the 10-day vs. 96.2% for the 14-day treatment duration, P=0.067). As regards treatment safety, serious adverse events that led to the discontinuation of both regimens were few, with no statistical difference between the 2 groups (0.5% in the 10-day group and 2.2% in the 14-day group, P>0.05). Previous antibiotic exposure was not significant with regard to treatment efficacy., Conclusion: In Greece, the 10-day concomitant nonbismuth quadruple regimen for first-line treatment remains the most efficient strategy for H. pylori eradication.

The beneficial effect of sinus bradycardia during targeted temperature management (TTM) in cardiac arrest patients remains doubtful. We aimed to investigate the impact of sinus bradycardia on survival and neurological outcome. MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched for studies reporting on comatose postcardiac arrest patients presenting sinus bradycardia during TTM. Outcomes were the 180-day survival and final neurologic function assessed by the Cerebral Performance Category scale. The effect size on study outcomes is presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Two studies with 681 patients were included. Compared to no-sinus bradycardia group, in patients with sinus bradycardia below 50 bpm, a significant effect of sinus bradycardia on reduction of 180-day mortality was reported (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.29-0.59). No heterogeneity was detected. Sinus bradycardia below 50 bpm during TTM may be protective and should be considered in comatose postcardiac arrest patients.

Duodenal perforations due to biliary stenting migration, although rare, can occur. We report a unique case of duodenal perforation due to a large in length plastic stent with no (or marginal) migration, which ended up in the root of the mesentery, explaining the normal laboratory values and minimal imaging findings observed. Any clinical symptom during the postprocedural period should raise the suspicion of a major complication and prompt quick management decisions.

Introduction: Recent developments in treatment have steadily raised the median predicted age of survival for people with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). We report the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in CF adult patients and correlate our findings with the patients' demographic characteristics., Material and Methods: The Cystic Fibrosis Quality of Life (CFQoL) questionnaire was answered by 77 CF adult patients. The questionnaire included questions pertaining to age, sex and level of education and covered eight sections of functioning., Results: The highest score was reported in the "Social Functioning" section, while the lowest in the "Concerns for the Future" section. When different age groups were compared, statistical significances were reported in "Physical Functioning", "Interpersonal Relationships", and the "Career Concerns" section, with older patients reporting statistically higher HRQoL scores than younger ones (p < 0.005). No statistically significant difference was reported amongst the scoring between male and female CF patients. When different educational levels were compared, patients that had received a higher educational training scored statistically higher in all but one sections of the questionnaire when compared with patients of a lower educational level (p < 0.005)., Conclusion: More than half Greek adult CF patients report that they are capable to participate in social activities but most of them are worried about the outcome of their disease and its effect on their lives.

Objective: The objective of this study is to compare, in Greece, a region with >20% local resistance to clarithromycin, the efficacy rates of the concomitant versus the sequential H. pylori eradication therapy., Materials and Methods: Our prospective randomized study included 364 patients with newly diagnosed H. pylori infection, randomized to receive a 10-day concomitant or 10-day sequential therapy. Treatment outcome was assessed by C(13)-urea breath test at least 4 weeks after therapy. Intention to treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analysis of the eradication rates were performed. Secondary end points included patient compliance and safety., Results: The concomitant therapy group achieved statistically significant higher eradication rates when compared with the sequential treatment group, both in the ITT and in the PP analysis (84.6% versus 70.9%, p = 0.002, and 90.6% versus 78.1%, p = 0.001, respectively), after adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, and the presence or not of ulcer and/or non-ulcer dyspepsia. Both groups displayed excellent compliance rates (99.5% for the concomitant therapy group and 96.2% for the sequential therapy group, p = 0.067). Regarding treatment safety, major adverse events that led to the discontinuation of both regimens were few, with no statistical difference between the two groups (7.0% for the concomitant therapy group and 2.9% for the sequential therapy group)., Conclusions: Concomitant therapy led to statistically significant higher eradication rates over sequential therapy. Both therapies showed excellent compliance and an acceptable safety profile. The 10-day quadruple concomitant scheme should be the adopted for first-line H. pylori eradication in Greece.

Overgrowth syndromes, although rare, are diagnosed more frequently lately. Major progress, such as the identification of genetic causes, has recently enhanced the delineation of the characteristic and noncharacteristic manifestations, phenotype-genotype correlations and knowledge of the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review provides a summary of the most important overgrowth syndromes aiming to familiarize the treating physician with the cardinal clinical features involved in these syndromes that encompass overgrowth, but also have a variety of other clinical manifestations (neurologic, musculoskeletal, skin, and accompanying tumors).

Purpose: To assess the overall survival (OS) of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC) patients when treated with zoledronic acid (ZOL) in combination with docetaxel-based chemotherapy (docetaxel combined with estramustine or oxaliplatin or gemcitabine)., Methods: A retrospective chart review of mHRPC patients in our clinic was performed. At the time of data collection, 23 patients with mHRPC were identified, of which 15 were still alive at data analysis. Survival data was analyzed through Kaplan-Meier methodology. OS stratification by prostatic specific antigen (PSA) response (50% and 80% decline) and multivariate analysis of prognostic variables were also conducted., Results: 182 cycles of chemotherapy (mean 8.27 cycles, range 1-23) were recorded. Median OS was 26 months (range 5-56; 95% CI: 4.0-48.0). No patient achieved complete response (CR), 5 (21.7%) showed partial response (PR), 2 (8.7%) minor response (MR), 7 (30.4%) stable disease (SD) and 9 (39.1%) progressive disease (PD). Twelve (52.2%) patients exhibited a decrease in PSA levels >50% (9 of 12 >80%). No association of age, PSA response, or tumor response with OS could be demonstrated. The most frequent toxicities were anaemia (52.1%) and neutropenia (26%)., Conclusion: In our clinical setting, ZOL and docetaxel- containing chemotherapy was a beneficial therapeutic scheme for the patients in terms of safety and survival.

Background/aims: Although research on new effective treatments against pancreatic cancer is intense, limited therapeutic schemes are currently approved. The aim of the present study was to record the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine-erlotinib plus docetaxel combination therapy in patients with advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic cancer., Methodology: Twenty-five chemotherapy naive patients with histologically confirmed unresectable pancreatic cancer and documented extrapancreatic metastases, received biweekly gemcitabine 1,500mg/m2 during a 28-day long cycle; daily erlotinib 100mg per os; and docetaxel 80mg/m2 as intravenous infusion administered every 15 days. Patients were monitored every 4 cycles for survival, adverse events and tumour response with Computed Tomography scans., Results: Patients received 153 cycles in total, with a median of 7.64 cycles (range, 1-24). The median overall survival was 10 months and 45% of the patients reached and surpassed 1-year survival. No grade IV toxicities were recorded. The only grade III recorded toxicities were thrombopenia (4 patients, 16%), anaemia (1 patient, 4%) and neutropenia (1 patient, 4%). Overall the most frequently experienced adverse events were grade I anaemia (18 patients, 72%) and grade II rash (13 patients, 52%)., Conclusions: Biweekly gemcitabine with erlotinib plus docetaxel administration is a practical alternative to pancreatic cancer treatment, presenting comparable results to weekly gemcitabine administration.

Melanoma, an aggressive, therapy-resistant malignancy of melanocytes, is the most serious type of skin cancer affecting young and middle-aged people. Therapy for early disease is predominantly surgical, with a minor benefit noted with the use of adjuvant therapy. Management of systemic melanoma is a challenge because of a paucity of active treatment modalities. The authors present the case of a patient with advanced-stage melanoma who underwent surgery for metastatic disease. He then received cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy, with disease stabilization. However, after different regimen modifications complete remission (CR) was finally achieved, until the disease progressed once more. Five years after surgery, the patient is still alive and continuing chemotherapy.

Aims: To review the clinical features of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs), the role of surgery and its principles and molecular targeted therapies., Methods: A Medline-based literature search on relevant topics was performed in PubMed for key articles concerning the clinical features, biology and the novel strategies in the management, whether surgical and/or pharmaceutical, of gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Some information was obtained from Proceedings of the American Society for Clinical Oncology published recently., Results: Surgical resection, the first-line intervention for operable GISTs, was historically the only effective treatment. For residual, metastatic and/or inoperable disease, treatment options remain under intense and continuous scrutiny. However, their molecular genetics, i.e. the mutations of the genes coding for KIT or platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha, two receptor tyrosine kinases, have been targeted for therapeutic intervention by imatinib mesylate -- a tyrosine kinase inhibitor., Conclusion: Treatment of GISTs with imatinib has led to dramatic improvements in progression-free and overall survival, thereby rendering its use in the preoperative and postoperative treatment under intense investigation. New investigational agents are being developed and participation in promising clinical trials remains a standard of care.