Co-existing regeneration mechanisms in severe alcohol-related steatohepatitis.

Background: Keratin 7 positive (K7) cells are considered to be activated in case of impaired hepatocyte replication. Their exact role and their interaction with hepatocytes and macrophages also implicated in liver regeneration remain poorly characterized in humans. The aim of this study is to evaluate hepatocyte, K7 cells and macrophage populations in severe alcohol-related steatohepatitis (sASH) and to link them with liver injury and patients' outcomes.

Intravenous Hemin, a potential heme oxygenase-1 activator, does not protect from post-ERCP acute pancreatitis in humans: Results of a randomized multicentric multinational placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: Hemin, a heme oxygenase 1 activator has shown efficacy in the prevention and treatment of acute pancreatitis in mouse models. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the protective effect of Hemin administration to prevent post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) in patients at risk.

Methods: In this multicenter, multinational, placebo-controlled, double-blind RCT, we assigned patients at risk for PEP to receive a single intravenous dose of Hemin (4 mg/kg) or placebo immediately after ERCP.

Intensive Enteral Nutrition Is Ineffective for Patients With Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis Treated With Corticosteroids.

Background & Aims: Severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a life-threatening disease for which adequate oral nutritional support is recommended. We performed a randomized controlled trial to determine whether the combination of corticosteroid and intensive enteral nutrition therapy is more effective than corticosteroid therapy alone in patients with severe AH.

Methods: We enrolled 136 heavy consumers of alcohol (age, 18-75 y) with recent onset of jaundice and biopsy-proven severe AH in our study, performed at 18 hospitals in Belgium and 2 in France, from February 2010 through February 2013.

Enteral nutrition with or without N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of severe acute alcoholic hepatitis: a randomized multicenter controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Severe acute alcoholic hepatitis is associated with a high mortality rate. Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of acute alcoholic hepatitis. Previous findings had also suggested that enteral nutritional support might increase survival in patients with severe acute alcoholic hepatitis.

Single vs repeated treatment with the intragastric balloon: a 5-year weight loss study.

Background: Saline-filled intragastric balloons (IB) may be inserted for 6 months to promote weight loss. We aimed to assess potential benefits of repeating IB therapy.

Methods: One hundred eighteen consecutive subjects (median body mass index, 34.

EUS-guided pancreatogastrostomy and pancreatobulbostomy for the treatment of pain in patients with pancreatic ductal dilatation inaccessible for transpapillary endoscopic therapy.

Background: EUS-guided pancreatogastrostomy (EPG) is described as an alternative to surgery for ductal decompression in symptomatic patients when endoscopic transpapillary access of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) is impossible.

Objective: To present the midterm clinical response and follow-up of a larger group of patients treated with EPG and a new transbulbar approach, EUS-guided pancreatobulbostomy (EPB).

Design: Retrospective case review.

Treatment for painful calcified chronic pancreatitis: extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy versus endoscopic treatment: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: In chronic pancreatitis, obstruction of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) may contribute to the pathogenesis of pain. Pilot studies suggest that extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) alone relieves pain in calcified chronic pancreatitis.

Aim: To compare ESWL alone with ESWL and endoscopic drainage of the MPD for treatment of pain in chronic pancreatitis.

A prospective comparative study of push and wireless-capsule enteroscopy in patients with obscure digestive bleeding.

Objectives: To prospectively compare the global and specific diagnostic yields of push and wireless videocapsule enteroscopy for small bowel lesions in patients with obscure digestive bleeding after esogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy.

Methods: The patients studied had unexplained chronic iron-deficient anemia or digestive blood loss after routine investigations. Small bowel investigation was performed first with the wireless-capsule (M2A, Given Imaging) and then with the push-enteroscope (Olympus SIF100).

Binding sites for Lewis antigens are expressed by human colon cancer cells and negatively affect their migration.

In colon cancer, endothelial cell selectins can promote tumor cell attachment via interactions with sialylated Lewis antigens present at the surface of tumor cells, thereby facilitating tumor cell arrest and transmigration into the extravascular space. However, it is not known whether Lewis antigens interact with colon tumor cells and modify their migration. Our aim was to detect the presence of binding sites on human tumor cells for Lewis(a/x) antigens and their sialylated derivatives in vitro and in vivo and to analyze their influence on migration of colon cancer cells.

Management of anticoagulants before and after endoscopy.

The risk of procedure-related bleeding while taking anticoagulants needs to be weighed against the risk of thromboembolism from discontinuing these drugs. It is not necessary to adjust anticoagulation for low-risk procedures, such as upper endoscopy with biopsy, colonoscopy with biopsy or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with stent insertion (but without sphincterotomy). Procedures that incur a high risk of bleeding include polypectomy, endoscopic sphincterotomy, laser therapy, mucosal ablation and treatment of varices.

Upregulation of galectins-1 and -3 in human colon cancer and their role in regulating cell migration.

To probe the potential contribution of beta-galactoside-contributing epitopes and receptor proteins (gal-1 and gal-3) to colon malignancy, we first examined the expression of galectins and binding sites in clinical specimens by lectin and immunohistochemistry. Sixty-seven colonic surgical resections were studied, including 10 normal, 10 mild dysplasias, 10 severe dysplasias and 37 cancers. gal-1 and gal-3 were expressed in variable amounts in the epithelial cells and the connective tissue of normal colon.