Pylori Eradication Therapy Research Articles

Approaches to prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children

The incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, according to various authors, ranges from 5 to 39% and depends on the patient’s age and other contributing factors. Antibiotic-associated diarrhea can be caused by any antibiotic, regardless of dosage form or route of administration. In the pediatric population, the prevalence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea ranges from 6 to 70%. An urgent problem is the development of this disease against the background of a course of H. pylori eradication therapy, which significantly complicates tolerance and adherence to therapy. This article presents current data on the pathogenesis and risk factors of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children. The clinical picture ranges from idiopathic enteritis to antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Cl. difficile - pseudomembranous colitis.The main principle of antibiotic-associated diarrhea treatment is cancellation of the antibacterial medicine that caused the diarrhea, or reducing its dose (if the course of the disease allows it). In complex treatment sorbents are used, correction of water-electrolyte balance is carried out. The use of probiotics seems quite logical for the treatment and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in terms of the pathogenesis of this condition. To correct dysbiosis, drugs are used to maintain and restore the quantitative and qualitative composition of the intestinal microbiota.Taking into account modern recommendations the main groups of drugs (probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics) used for correction of intestinal microbiocenosis are presented. The mechanism of action of probiotics and mechanisms of their effect on intestinal microflora are considered. The basic requirements for bacterial strains that are part of the probiotic drugs are presented.The results of various randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses confirming the necessity of including probiotic complexes in antibiotic-associated diarrhea treatment regimens are presented from an evidence-based medicine perspective. The clinical effects of strains of Lactobacillusspp., Bifidobacterium spp.,Streptococcusspp. and Lactococcusspp. on the digestive tract microbiota are considered. The role of a synbiotic containing 9 probiotic strains of 4.5 * 109 CFU in one capsule and the prebiotic component fructooligosac-charides in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children is discussed separately. The results of microbiological studies confirmed the presence of microorganisms of genera Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus in the product, and the content of bacteria in one dose of the product was not less than 2 x 1010 CFU.

Effect of sequential eradication therapy on serum osteoprotegerin levels in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection and co-existing inflammatory bowel disease.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of sequential Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy on serum osteoprotegerin levels in patients with H. pylori infection and co-existing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).MethodsThree groups of patients were involved in this observational cross-sectional study: IBD (n = 83), H. pylori infection (HP, n = 68), and H. pylori infection with co-existing IBD (HP + IBD, n = 52). These groups were compared with a normal control group (NC, n = 50). Serum osteoprotegerin, serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), and fecal calprotectin (FC) levels were measured.ResultsSerum osteoprotegerin levels were significantly correlated with the simple endoscopic score for Crohn’s disease and Mayo score for ulcerative colitis. The receiver operating characteristic analysis of osteoprotegerin revealed high values for the area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Discriminant analysis illustrated that osteoprotegerin levels significantly differentiated patients with IBD from healthy controls. Osteoprotegerin and FC levels distinguished the IBD and HP + IBD groups from the NC and HP groups.ConclusionsSequential eradication therapy did not affect serum osteoprotegerin levels in patients with H. pylori infection and co-existing IBD. Serum osteoprotegerin elevation might be a marker for IBD development in patients with past or current H. pylori infection.

Evaluation of the relationship between preeclampsia and positive rectovaginal culture of group B Streptococcus and Helicobacter pylori positive serology

Introduction: Identifying the incidence of pathogen colonizations in pregnant women with preeclampsia can be effective in providing proper treatment and reducing complications. Objectives: We evaluated the frequency and association between positive rectovaginal culture of group B Streptococcus (GBS) and positive Helicobacter pylori serology with preeclampsia in two groups of pregnant women (with and without preeclampsia). Patients and Methods: The present case-control study included pregnant women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant controls during 2019-2020. Blood and rectovaginal samples were obtained and the data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Fifty-four people were included in the study. The mean gestational age was 36 ± 3.4 months in the preeclampsia group and 37 ± 2.9 months in the control group. There was no significant relationship between preeclampsia and H. pylori-positive serology (P=0.84). Additionally, the association between positive H. pylori serology and the severity of preeclampsia was not significant (P=0.15). However, there was a significant relationship between positive H. pylori tests with early- and late-onset preeclampsia (P=0.04). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between the positive rectovaginal culture of GBS and preeclampsia, the severity of preeclampsia, the onset time, or the weight of newborns. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between H. pylori infection and late-onset preeclampsia in preeclamptic mothers. H. pylori screening and eradication therapy before pregnancy can prevent preeclampsia and its serious consequences in both the mother and the fetus.

The Application of High-Dose Proton Pump Inhibitor Induction Treatment before Dual Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication: An Open-Label Random Trial.

This was a prospective, randomized, open-label trial. Patients without previous Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy were randomly assigned to either a high-dose dual therapy (HDDT) group or a traditional clarithromycin/amoxicillin triple therapy (CATT) group. In the HDDT group, patients took rabeprazole, 20 mg, four times per day for three days and then dual therapy with rabeprazole, 20 mg, and amoxicillin, 500 mg, four times per day during the patient’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime for 14 days. In the CATT group, patients received conventional triple therapy for 14 days (rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice per day). In the HDDT group, the success rates of H. pylori eradication were 91.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78–0.97) by intention-to-treat (ITT) and 94.3% (95% CI: 0.79–0.99) by per-protocol (PP) analysis. In the CATT group, the eradication rates were 77.1% (95% CI: 0.61–0.87) by ITT and 84.3% (95% CI: 0.66–0.94) by PP analysis. The study completion rates were 97.2% (35/36) in the HDDT group. Three-day high-dose rabeprazole induction treatment before dual therapy and a schedule of taking the drug at meal and bed times could achieve an acceptable H. pylori eradication rate (>90%) and good drug compliance.

Predictors and timing for the development of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease after successful Helicobactor pylori eradication therapy

Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication success increases the incidence of erosive esophagitis by normalization of gastric acid secretion. The aim of this study is to clarify predictors and timing for the development of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after successful H. pylori eradication based on long-term follow-up. Methods From April 2014 to October 2020, 330 patients with H. pylori infections treated with a standard triple-drug regimen were enrolled, and their records retrospectively reviewed. Development of symptomatic GERD was defined as requiring proton pump inhibitor or vonoprazan therapy to treat symptoms. Results The mean follow-up period was 2.8 years, and symptomatic GERD developed in 41 (12%) patients during the study period. Overall rates of GERD-symptom free patients at 6 months, 1, and 2 years after eradication were 97%, 93%, and 89%, respectively. We evaluated predictors for the development of symptomatic GERD using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. In multivariate analysis, being a current smoker, having functional dyspepsia, hiatal hernia, and severe gastric atrophy were identified as significant predictive factors. The GERD domain score in the Izumo scale was significantly decreased 1 month after vonoprazan therapy consistent with effective treatment of symptomatic GERD. Conclusions The rate of development of symptomatic GERD after successful H. pylori eradication is low over long-term follow-up and is easily controlled by vonoprazan therapy. However, patients with smoking habits, functional dyspepsia, hiatal hernia, or severe gastric atrophy should be followed carefully after eradication.

Selective Targeting of Human and Animal Pathogens of the Helicobacter Genus by Flavodoxin Inhibitors: Efficacy, Synergy, Resistance and Mechanistic Studies.

Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria constitute a global health concern. Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects about half of the human population and is a major cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Increasing resistance to triple and quadruple H. pylori eradication therapies poses great challenges and urges the development of novel, ideally narrow spectrum, antimicrobials targeting H. pylori. Here, we describe the antimicrobial spectrum of a family of nitrobenzoxadiazol-based antimicrobials initially discovered as inhibitors of flavodoxin: an essential H. pylori protein. Two groups of inhibitors are described. One group is formed by narrow-spectrum compounds, highly specific for H. pylori, but ineffective against enterohepatic Helicobacter species and other Gram-negative or Gram-positive bacteria. The second group includes extended-spectrum antimicrobials additionally targeting Gram-positive bacteria, the Gram-negative Campylobacter jejuni, and most Helicobacter species, but not affecting other Gram-negative pathogens. To identify the binding site of the inhibitors in the flavodoxin structure, several H. pylori-flavodoxin variants have been engineered and tested using isothermal titration calorimetry. An initial study of the inhibitors capacity to generate resistances and of their synergism with antimicrobials commonly used in H. pylori eradication therapies is described. The narrow-spectrum inhibitors, which are expected to affect the microbiota less dramatically than current antimicrobial drugs, offer an opportunity to develop new and specific H. pylori eradication combinations to deal with AMR in H. pylori. On the other hand, the extended-spectrum inhibitors constitute a new family of promising antimicrobials, with a potential use against AMR Gram-positive bacterial pathogens.

The recurrence rate of Helicobacter pylori in recent 10years: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To update and evaluate the recurrence rate of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) eradication therapy in recent 10years. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and Web of science was performed to identify the studies of recurrence rate of H.pylori published from 2010 to 2019. Stata 15.0 was used for analysis. A total of 31studies (16,797 participants) were analyzed. The recurrence rate of H.pylori was 9% (95% CI, 8-11%), and it showed an upward trend with the time elapsed after eradication. The annual recurrence rate was 4%, and there was a stable trend with the time elapsed after eradication. Subgroup analyses showed that the recurrence rate of H.pylori eradication by triple therapy was higher than that of quadruple therapy (14% [95% CI, 9-19] vs 12% [95% CI, 7-17]); urban was higher than that of rural (8% [95% CI, 1-14] vs 5% [95% CI, 1-9]); males were higher than that of females (11% [95% CI, 8-14] vs 10% [95% CI, 7-14]); Europe had the highest recurrence rate (16% [95% CI, -1 to 42]), and Africa had the lowest (1% [95% CI, 0-2]). The recurrence rate ofH.pylori was inversely related to the human development index. The recurrence rate of H.pylori showed an increasing trend in recent 10years, and it is still a knotty public health problem worldwide. The recurrence rate of H.pylori showed an upward trend with the time elapsed after eradication, and the recurrence rate of H.pylori varies by area, gender, and eradication methods.

A Randomised, Controlled Trial: Effect of a Multi-Strain Fermented Milk on the Gut Microbiota Recovery after Helicobacter pylori Therapy.

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication therapy alters gut microbiota, provoking gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms that could be improved by probiotics. The study aim was to assess the effect in Hp patients of a Test fermented milk containing yogurt and Lacticaseibacillus (L. paracasei CNCM I-1518 and I-3689, L. rhamnosus CNCM I-3690) strains on antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) (primary aim), GI-symptoms, gut microbiota, and metabolites. A randomised, double-blind, controlled trial was performed on 136 adults under 14-day Hp treatment, receiving the Test or Control product for 28 days. AAD and GI-symptoms were reported and feces analysed for relative and quantitative gut microbiome composition, short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and calprotectin concentrations, and viability of ingested strains. No effect of Test product was observed on AAD or GI-symptoms. Hp treatment induced a significant alteration in bacterial and fungal composition, a decrease of bacterial count and alpha-diversity, an increase of Candida and calprotectin, and a decrease of SCFA concentrations. Following Hp treatment, in the Test as compared to Control group, intra-subject beta-diversity distance from baseline was lower (padj = 0.02), some Enterobacteriaceae, including Escherichia-Shigella (padj = 0.0082) and Klebsiella (padj = 0.013), were less abundant, and concentrations of major SCFA (p = 0.035) and valerate (p = 0.045) were higher. Viable Lacticaseibacillus strains were detected during product consumption in feces. Results suggest that, in patients under Hp treatment, the consumption of a multi-strain fermented milk can induce a modest but significant faster recovery of the microbiota composition (beta-diversity) and of SCFA production and limit the increase of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy-associated Diarrhea

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori has contributed to the treatment of peptic ulcers and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Moreover, it has possibly decreased the prevalence of gastric cancer. However, eradication therapy is associated with various adverse effects, of which diarrhea is the most common. The incidence of diarrhea after eradication treatment varies from 8% to 48%. In particular, the incidence is higher in patients who receive first-line standard triple therapy compared with those who receive second-line therapy. Both antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors, components of eradication therapy, have short-term and long-term impacts on gut microbiota. The alterations of gut microbiota may not recover until 1 year after eradication therapy. Most cases of diarrhea that occur after eradication therapy are antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by the destruction of the normal gut microbiota. In some cases, Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhea occurs after eradication therapy. If bloody diarrhea occurs after eradication therapy and the Clostridioides difficile toxin is not detected, antibiotic-associated hemorrhagic colitis associated with Klebsiella oxytoca infection should be suspected. It is crucial to explain the possibility of diarrhea before initiating eradication therapy to increase compliance. Furthermore, probiotics may be administered to reduce diarrhea. If severe diarrhea or symptoms other than the usual antibiotic-associated diarrhea occur during or after eradication therapy, antibiotics should be discontinued. In addition, appropriate tests to determine the cause of diarrhea should be performed. This review summarizes the alteration of the gut microbiota, the causes of diarrhea after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy, and its management.

H. pylori eradication therapy: impact of gastric mucosa atrophy on transport of amoxicillin to H. pylori colonization area

AIM: The aim was to assess systemic transport of amoxicillin, the most common antibiotic in H. pylori eradication regimens to the gastric in atrophic gastritis.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systemic transport of amoxicillin to the gastric lumen of rats was evaluated in washes from the gastric mucosa in the model of atrophic gastritis after intravenous drug infusion. Transport of amoxicillin from bloodstream to the gastric lumen was also assessed in patients with atrophic and non-atrophic gastritis in aspirated via nasogastric probe gastric juice after oral drug administration. Amoxicillin concentration was measured in samples using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
 RESULTS: In rats with induced atrophic gastritis, hyperemia and acute erosions of the gastric mucosa, as well as microscopic signs of non-active chronic body gastritis and non-active antral atrophic gastritis were found. Amoxicillin concentration in washes from the gastric mucosa was significantly (p 0.01) higher in rats of experimental group than in control group at all time points (30, 60, 120, 240 min after drug infusion). The lowest mean amoxicillin concentration in gastric juice was observed in patients with antral atrophy (p 0.01). The maximum amoxicillin concentration in gastric secretion was found at the 180th min of aspiration in patients with atrophy of gastric mucosa, while in patients of the group of comparison it was found at 30-120th min of aspiration.
 CONCLUSIONS: Acute gastric mucosa erosions enhance amoxicillin delivery to gastric lumen in rats. Atrophy of antral mucosa more than in the corpus is characterized by decreased amoxicillin transfer from systemic bloodstream to gastric lumen in patients after oral amoxicillin intake. The gastric mucosa atrophy should be taken into consideration while predicting the efficacy of H. pylori eradication therapy in patients with chronic gastritis.

Gastric intestinal metaplasia: when to treat? How to treat?

Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is an attractive target for surveillance and treatment as it can progress to gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Yet, GIM remains a challenging area for clinicians as most patients do not progress to cancer, and there are conflicting data regarding the benefits of surveillance and therapy. This review aims to summarize recently published GIM surveillance guidelines, to discuss, which patients with GIM may benefit from treatment, and to review pivotal and recent literature on GIM therapy. Guidelines published by American, British, and European gastroenterology societies do not recommend universal surveillance, but do suggest endoscopic surveillance in patients with risk factors for progression to GAC. Although light examination for at least 7 min and mapping biopsies may increase yield for dysplasia and GAC. In randomized trials, Helicobacter pylori eradication reduced risk of dysplasia and cancer. In GIM with visible dysplasia and early-stage GAC, endoscopic resection improves quality of life without reducing survival compared with surgery. Endoscopic ablation therapies have shown promise for invisible or extensive dysplasia. Endoscopic resection is appropriate for visible dysplasia and early-stage GAC without high-risk features that persists despite H. pylori eradication therapy. Prospective studies are needed to assess the utility of endoscopic ablation in GIM.

EFFICACY OF PROBIOTICS IN HELICOBACTER PYLORI ERADICATION THERAPY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacillus that selectively colonizes the gastric epithelium. In most people, the infection is asymptomatic. However, it is considered the main cause of active chronic gastritis and plays an important role in peptic ulcer, as well as in the genesis of gastric adenocarcinoma and Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (MALT) lymphoma. The aim of this systematic review study is to check the efcacy of probiotics in the H. pylori eradication therapy and a decrease in the treatment adverse effects. The most relevant studies in the MedLine databases via PubMed were reviewed, and only clinical trials in English were considered. The search strategy used the following combinations of keywords: (“Helicobacter pylori” OR “H. pylori”) AND probiotics. The following terms were used to identify the study designs: Clinical Trial, English. Ten articles were included in the scope of this review, showing controversies in the outcomes regarding the use of probiotics in the H. pylori eradication therapy, but with good efcacy in decreasing adverse symptoms. It can be concluded that there is still a lack of consistent scientic evidence for the use of probiotics in the H. pylori eradication therapy. However, the reviewed studies showed an improvement in the eradication rate when probiotics were combined with the therapy and a decrease in the treatment adverse effects

The Role of Statins on Helicobacter pylori Eradication: Results from the European Registry on the Management of H. pylori (Hp-EuReg).

Statins could increase the effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapies due to their anti-inflammatory effect. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of this therapeutic association in real life. This is a multicenter, prospective, non-interventional study aimed at evaluating the management of H. pylori by European gastroenterologists. Patients were registered in an e-CRF by AEG-REDCap from 2013 to 2020. The association between statin use and H. pylori eradication effectiveness was evaluated through multivariate analysis. Overall, 9988 and 705 patients received empirical and culture-guided treatment, respectively. Overall, statin use was associated with higher effectiveness in the empirical group (OR = 1.3; 95%CI = 1.1–1.5), but no association was found with first-line treatment effectiveness (N = 7738); as an exception, statin use was specifically associated with lower effectiveness of standard triple therapy (OR = 0.76; 95%CI = 0.59–0.99). In the rescue therapy empirical group (N = 2228), statins were associated with higher overall effectiveness (OR = 1.9; 95%CI = 1.4–2.6). However, sub-analyses by treatment schemes only confirmed this association for the single-capsule bismuth quadruple therapy (OR = 2.8; 95%CI = 1.3–5.7). No consistent association was found between statin use and H. pylori therapy effectiveness. Therefore, the addition of statins to the usual H. pylori treatment cannot be currently recommended to improve cure rates.

Bismuth containing quadruple therapy versus tailored therapy as first-line treatments for Helicobacter pylori infection in a high clarithromycin resistance area

Background Increasing clarithromycin resistance has led to the need for an alternative first-line therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in Korea, and bismuth containing quadruple therapy (BQT) and tailored therapy (TT) have been proposed as alternative regimens. The aim of this study was to compare the eradication rates of BQT and TT as first-line H. pylori eradication therapies. Methods H. pylori infection was diagnosed using the rapid urease test or dual-priming oligonucleotide-based multiplex polymerase chain reaction (DPO-PCR) during endoscopy. Patients positive for H. pylori were divided into two groups; those tested using the rapid urease test received empirical BQT (the BQT group) whereas those tested by DPO-PCR received TT (the TT group). Eradication rates, adverse events, and overall medical costs, which included diagnostic test and eradication regimen costs, were compared. Results Three hundred and sixty patients were included in the study (TT group 178, BQT group 182). The modified intention-to-treat eradication rates of BQT and TT were 88.2% (142/161) and 80.3% (118/147), respectively (p = .055), and corresponding eradication rates in the per-protocol population were 88.8% (142/160) and 81.4% (118/145) (p = .07). Compliance and adverse event rates were similar in the two groups. Average medical costs were $90.3 per patient in the TT group and $75.5 in the BQT group (p = .000). Conclusions Empirical BQT and tailored therapy were similar in terms of H. pylori eradication rate, safety, and tolerability, but BQT was more cost-effective.

Impact of Different Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapies on Gastrointestinal Symptoms.

Background and Objectives: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection impairs quality of life. However, whether eradication therapy ameliorates gastrointestinal symptoms remains questionable. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of H. pylori eradication therapy on gastrointestinal symptoms. Materials and Methods: A total of 140 patients, 59 women and 81 men, with a mean age of 61 and suffering from H. pylori infection in the University Hospital of Split, Croatia, were enrolled in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to either concomitant or hybrid therapies. The Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) questionnaire was completed by patients prior to and after the eradication therapy. Results: In both groups, the total GSRS score improved significantly after therapy. In the concomitant group, the abdominal pain score, reflux symptoms score and indigestion score decreased significantly after therapy. In the group with hybrid therapy, all five groups of symptoms (abdominal pain, reflux symptoms, indigestion, diarrhea and constipation) significantly decreased after therapy. Patients with adverse events had significantly higher total GSRS scores after eradication therapy. Conclusions: H. pylori eradication therapy could alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms regardless of the treatment used, but the favorable effect seemed to be more pronounced after hybrid therapy.

Differences in C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Value Before and After Eradication Therapy of Helicobacter Pilory Gastritis in Children

This study aimed to determine the difference CRP values before and after eradication therapy of Helicobacter pylori gastritis in children. A quasi-experimental study with a separate sample pretest-posttest design was carried out by collecting medical records of children aged 2-18 years diagnosed with H. pylori gastritis from October-December 2020. Data on serum CRP levels before and after H. pylori gastritis eradication therapy were collected from patient medical records. Comparison between groups of H. Pylori gastritis before and after eradication therapy was performed using T-dependent/Wilcoxon test. Test the normality using the Saphiro-Wilk test. There were 37 data that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The CRP value in children with H. pylori infection (+) before eradication therapy was 19.31 mg/dL (10.05-128). After giving eradication therapy, the value of CRP decreased to 11.2 mg/dL (6.8-30.4). Using the Wilcoxon test showed that there was a significant difference in CRP values between before and after eradication therapy (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference in CRP values between before and after H. pylori eradication therapy in children

Associations of seasonal variations and meteorological parameters with incidences of upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

Previous studies have demonstrated the seasonal variations of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB), but there is scanty data on lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) and the association with other meteorological parameters. We included all patients hospitalized for UGIB and LGIB between 2009 and 2018 in Hong Kong. The monthly age-standardized and sex-standardized GIB incidences were fitted to meteorological data including average temperature (AT), maximum temperature (MaxT), minimum temperature (MinT), temperature range (TR), average precipitation, average atmospheric pressure (AtomP), and average relative humidity after adjusting for prescriptions of aspirin, proton pump inhibitors, and Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy using the autoregressive integrated moving average model. Despite a gradual decline in UGIB incidences, the incidences of UGIB were still higher in winter months. The incidence and fluctuation of both UGIB and LGIB were higher in the older age groups, especially those ≥80years. The seasonality was only identified in those ≥60years for UGIB, and only in those ≥80years for LGIB. UGIB incidence was inversely associated with AT, MaxT, and MinT, but positively associated with TR and AtomP. LGIB was also significantly associated with AT, MaxT, MinT, and AtomP. Despite the changes in GIB incidences, the seasonal patterns of GIB were still marked in the elderly. With the aging population, the impacts of seasonal variations on GIB incidences could be considerable.

An ESPGHAN Position Paper on the Use of Breath Testing in Paediatric Gastroenterology.

Given a lack of a systematic approach to the use of breath testing in paediatric patients, the aim of this position paper is to provide expert guidance regarding the indications for its use and practical considerations to optimise its utility and safety. Nine clinical questions regarding methodology, interpretation, and specific indications of breath testing and treatment of carbohydrate malabsorption were addressed by members of the Gastroenterology Committee (GIC) of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).A systematic literature search was performed from 1983 to 2020 using PubMed, the MEDLINE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation was applied to evaluate the outcomes.During a consensus meeting, all recommendations were discussed and finalised. In the absence of evidence from randomised controlled trials, recommendations reflect the expert opinion of the authors. A total of 22 recommendations were voted on using the nominal voting technique. At first, recommendations on prerequisites and preparation for as well as on interpretation of breath tests are given. Then, recommendations on the usefulness of H2-lactose breath testing, H2-fructose breath testing as well as of breath tests for other types of carbohydrate malabsorption are provided. Furthermore, breath testing is recommended to diagnose small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), to control for success of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy and to diagnose and monitor therapy of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, but not to estimate oro-caecal transit time (OCTT) or to diagnose and follow-up on celiac disease. Breath tests are frequently used in paediatric gastroenterology mainly assessing carbohydrate malabsorption, but also in the diagnosis of small intestinal overgrowth, fat malabsorption, H. pylori infection as well as for measuring gastrointestinal transit times. Interpretation of the results can be challenging and in addition, pertinent symptoms should be considered to evaluate clinical tolerance.

Endoscopic screening for gastric cancer in Japan: Current status and future perspectives.

The revised 2014 Japanese Guidelines for Gastric Cancer Screening approved gastric endoscopy for use in population-based screening. Thus, it is expected that gastric cancer will be detected earlier, and gastric cancer mortality further decreased, with the widespread use of endoscopy and Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. However, due to an increasingly aging population and relatively low gastric cancer screening rates, gastric cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in Japan. While the era of endoscopic gastric cancer screening has begun, it does present challenges, such as limited/varying regional availability of endoscopists. This review describes the history of gastric cancer screening in Japan, achievements in endoscopic gastric cancer screening in Japan and Korea, efforts underway to improve screening by stratifying individuals according to gastric cancer risk, and initiatives by the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society aimed at improving screening, including the implementation of a board certification program for screening endoscopists.

Research Trends on Clinical Helicobacter pylori Eradication: A Bibliometric Analysis from 1983 to 2020.

Numerous studies related to Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication have been published since the discovery of H. pylori. This study aimed to use a quantitative method to assess the development of this field. We performed a search of related articles from Web of Science published in 1983-2020 using a combination of the search terms "H. pylori" and "eradication". Eligible studies were included after a two-stage screening process, and the following data were extracted: title, author, institution, country, study type, sample size, eradication regimen, publication year, number of citations, journal, and H-index. A total of 1402 studies were finally identified. The results showed that the period from 1994-2003 was the most influential period in this field. Italy and the USA were dominant countries in this field, while China's publication number increased sharply in the last ten years. Baylor College of Medicine was the most influential institution. Alimentary Pharmacology Therapeutics was the most productive journal. The effects of H. pylori eradication on peptic ulcers and gastric cancer and H. pylori eradication therapy were the most cited topics in this field. After the publish of Maastricht/Florence Ⅳ guideline, the research of quadruple therapy was more than triple therapy. Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy became the most focused regimen after Maastricht/Florence Ⅴ guideline. In this study, we summarized the characteristics of the publications; identified the most influential countries, institutions, journals; identified the popular research topics and eradication regimen of clinical H. pylori eradication.