Italian journal of gastroenterology and hepatology最新文献

A 69-year-old male chronic alcohol abuser suffering from diarrhoea and with a number of discrete pruriginous and erythematous lesions of the trunk was referred to our Unit with a diagnosis of idiopathic eosinophilic colitis in order that we might determine corticosteroid treatment. Diagnosis was based on the presence of marked peripheral eosinophilia and massive eosinophilic infiltration at colonic biopsy, and the exclusion of parasitic infection by means of two different microscopic stool examinations of five samples. However, repeated stool examinations of ten samples collected on separate days and evidence of impaired cell-mediated immunity allowed a definite diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis autoinfection or hyperinfection. Due to the poor sensitivity of stool examination in the diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection, a careful search for this parasite should be made in all patients with comparable clinical findings before formulating a diagnosis of idiopathic eosinophilic colitis, because consequent steroid treatment may have a fatal outcome by inducing widespread dissemination of the parasite.

An ad hoc Committee appointed by the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver prepared these Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Cirrhotic Patients with Ascites. The initial evaluation of a patient with ascites should include a history, physical evaluation, paracentesis with ascitic fluid analysis, abdominal ultrasonography and biochemistry to assess the severity of liver disease and renal functionality. To improve the efficiency of the choice between the different opportunities available in the treatment of ascites, patients can be classified into two subgroups: patients with uncomplicated ascites and patients with complicated ascites, including refractory ascites, bacterial peritonitis, hyponatraemia and renal failure. Based upon evidence emerging from controlled clinical trials or case-control studies, satisfactory treatment for uncomplicated ascites is represented by paracentesis, sodium-restricted diet and diuretics, whereas the treatment of patients with complicated ascites requires other specific approaches. As the prognosis for most patients with ascites is poor, the last part of the paper offers simple criteria in the selection of patients candidates for liver transplantation. The aim of these guidelines is to reduce inappropriate practice and to improve efficiency in the management of patients with ascites. The Committee holds that a periodic update will be necessary to conform to future scientific developments.

Neuroendocrine tumours are seen on arteriography as diffusely enhancing masses without tumour vessels and without arteriovenous shunting. In 70 patients with surgically proven tumours, the sensitivity of angiography was 68% for extrapancreatic and 86% for hepatic lesions. Hepatic metastases have always been easier to demonstrate arteriographically than the primary tumour because of the absence of overlying bowel. Portal venous sampling is a sensitive technique for detecting functioning gastroenteropancreatic tumours. Sampling the small veins about the pancreatic head yielded a sensitivity of 62% but this is an invasive procedure in which considerable experience is required. Intra-arterial secretagogue, secretin for gastrinomas and calcium for insulinomas, selectively injected into the pancreatic and the hepatic arteries produce a diagnostic gastrin or insulin gradient respectively. The localization sensitivity of arterial stimulation with venous sampling is 77-89% for gastrinoma and 92% for pancreatic insulinoma. Recently, spiral CT in conjunction with selective intra-arterial rather than intravenous injection of contrast may increase the detection sensitivity of duodenal and pancreatic gastrinomas.

Carcinoid tumours are the most commonly occurring gut endocrine tumours; they are characterized by relatively slow rate of growth, local spread and distant metastases as compared with other malignant neoplasms. The carcinoid syndrome occurs in less than 10% of patients with carcinoid tumours when liver metastases are present. The combination of symptoms, humoral markers and imaging techniques provide an optimal means for the identification of carcinoid tumours and their metastases.

Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy is the best imaging method to identify the presence of neuroendocrine gastroenteropancreatic tumours. Nevertheless, a well structured surgical approach incorporating specific intra-operative methods can localize those tumours that cannot be readily detected by this imaging technique. In the case of gastrinoma, standard palpation allows duodenal tumour detection in approximately 60% of cases, endoscopic transillumination, in more than 80%. Furthermore, adding duodenotomy, 95-97% duodenal tumours can be localized. Intraoperative ultrasound, instead, does not add much to standard palpation in duodenal gastrinoma localization. For insulinoma detection, among the intra-operative methods, inspection gives the poorest results, identifying the lesion in only 20% of cases. Palpation offers better results, localizing 60-80% of insulinomas. The introduction of intra-operative ultrasound has revolutionized the ability to find pancreatic insulinoma, allowing the surgeon to identify the insulinoma in nearly every patient.

Liver metastases, in patients with gastroenteropancreatic endocrine tumours, are present in 25-90%, depending on the nature of the primary tumour. Surgical resection is indicated only for localised liver metastasis, whereas in most cases with diffuse liver involvement other therapeutic modalities such as intravenous chemotherapy, embolization or hepatic arterial chemoembolization, ligation or intra-arterial chemotherapy are currently available. Hepatic arterial chemoembolization is specifically indicated for progressive tumours (mainly carcinoids) confined to the liver especially after unsuccessful systemic chemotherapy. A mixture of cytotoxic drug and iodised oil followed by gelatine sponge particles are injected in the branches of the hepatic artery supplying the tumours. 66-100% positive results of this treatment have been reported in the carcinoid syndrome with a 50-91% decrease in 5-HIAA secretion. Variation of tumour size (WHO criteria) has been reported in 33-80% of the cases, even if no direct comparison between chemoembolization and other therapeutic modalities are currently available. Extensive follow-up of the treated patients and additional studies will clarify the role of chemoembolisation in advanced digestive neuroendocrine tumours.

Secretion of biliary cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine is a complex process essentially involving lipid supply to the canalicular membrane from either preformed or neosynthetic hepatic sources, and the detergent action of bile salts. Previous research has shown that an altered secretion of biliary lipids and/or bile salts firmly disposes to gallstone formation, and may also be involved in the pathogenesis of cholestasis. Recently, attention has been turned to the molecular and genetic factors underlying biliary lipid secretion, and this approach has provided a significant body of new data among which: 1. The biochemical and genetic characterization of glycoproteins sP-gp and mdr2-Pgp functioning in the canalicular transport of bile salts and phosphatidylcholine, and the evaluation of their role in experimental and human cholestasis; 2. The identification of genetic patterns determining susceptibility to gallstone formation via an increased secretion of biliary lipids. It is likely that an expansion of these research lines and methodology will contribute to a better biochemical characterization of bile lipid secretion with expected benefits upon the diagnosis and treatment of related diseases; 3. A more defined appreciation of the coordinate roles played by the hepatocyte lipid synthesis and canalicular transport in the activation of the biliary lipid secretion pathway.

Gastric carcinoids are classified into three types mostly on the basis of their pathological associations: 1) type I, associated with atrophic corporal gastritis; 2) types II, associated with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1; 3) type III, sporadic. Type I and II carcinoids develop through a histologically recognizable sequence: hyperplasia-dysplasia-neoplasia. Their pathogenesis depends on the combined action of promoting agents, mostly hypergastrinaemia, and of transforming agents, the role of which is currently under investigation. Their prognosis is generally favourable. In contrast, type III tumours are often malignant and their pathogenesis has not been clarified yet.

The recent recognition of the nature of gastric carcinoids and the elucidation of the biological events associated with enterochromaffin-like cell transformation has provided an opportunity to advance the understanding of this particular type of neuroendocrine tumour. The relationship between hypergastrinaemia present in low acid disease states and the development of gastric carcinoids has led to an appreciation of the role of gastrin as a growth mediator in the evolution of this type of neoplasia. In addition, evidence exists to support a genetic predisposition to this tumour type in individuals with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 syndrome, and in an experimental model--the African rodent species, Mastomys. The recent development of an isolated pure enterochromaffin-like cell preparation has facilitated the elucidation of the molecular physiology of the naive enterochromaffin-like cell and, in addition, allowed the evaluation of the cellular events associated with enterochromaffin-like cell transformation from the naive state to the neoplastic phenotype. This synopsis seeks to present information relevant to both the animal model and the human disease state. The aim is to facilitate an appreciation of the regulatory mechanisms of the enterochromaffin-like cell and delineate the changes consequent to the development of the neoplastic phenotype.

Aim: Purpose of this study was to assess prognostic value of endoscopic ultrasound in patients with inoperable squamous cell carcinoma of oesophagus treated by radio-chemotherapy.

Patients and methods: Between January 1993 and March 1996, 89 patients (77 males and 12 females, mean age 60.3 years) with squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus were treated exclusively by radio-chemotherapy consisting of 3 courses of chemotherapy using 5FU-Cis-platyl and 3 courses of radiation therapy (3 x 15 Gy). Endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound (Pentax FG 32 UA) were performed before beginning treatment and two weeks after last cycle of radio-chemotherapy. Classical criteria for endoscopic ultrasound lymph node metastases were used after irradiation; response was considered as complete only if endoscopic ultrasound indicated that integrity of oesophageal wall was fully restored.

Results: Complete endoscopic ultrasound assessment was achieved in 73 cases (84.9%). Tumours were classified as T1N1 in 1 case, T2N1 in 7, T3N0 in 4, T3N1 in 24, T4N0 in 1 and T4N1 in 49. For patients with a non-invasive tumour (usT1 or T2), malignancy of lymph nodes was proved by endoscopic ultrasound guided biopsy. Eighty-two patients presented one or more suspicious lymph nodes. Metastatic lymph nodes were located in posterior mediastinum in 43 cases, at distant sites in 27 (laterotracheal in 16 and coeliac in 11) and in 16 lymph nodes were located simultaneously in mediastinum and at distant sites. Median overall survival in these 89 patients was 16 months. There was no significant difference in median survival between patients in stage T3 and T4. Conversely, there was a significant difference between patients with more or less than 4 metastatic lymph nodes (9 vs 36 months, respectively, p = 0.005). Site of lymph node metastasis was also a prognostic factor with better survival in patients presenting mediastinal nodes than those presenting coeliac nodes (30 vs 9 months, respectively, p < 0.0001). Median survival was also significantly better in patients considered as having achieved a complete response by both gastroduodenal fibrescopy and endoscopic ultrasound than in those considered to have a complete response by gastroduodenal fibrescopy but not by endoscopic ultrasound (49 vs 10 months). Conversely, there was no difference in survival in function of treatment response assessment by thoracic chemotherapy-scan.

Conclusion: Endoscopic ultrasound findings regarding number and site of suspicious lymph nodes and degree of treatment response are significant prognostic factors in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oesophagus treated exclusively by radio-chemotherapy.