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F Perri

Publications and source records attributed to F Perri.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Ranitidine bismuth citrate-based triple therapies after failure of the standard 'Maastricht triple therapy': a promising alternative to the quadruple therapy?

BACKGROUND: Triple therapy with proton pump inhibitor, clarythromycin, and amoxicillin has been proposed in Maastricht as the first-line treatment of H. pylori infection. AIM: To determine whether ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) based regimens may be used as second-line treatments after 'Maastricht therapy' failure. METHODS: A total of 285 patients with H. pylori infection were given a 7-day treatment with pantoprazole 40 mg b.d., clarythromycin 500 mg b.d., and amoxicillin 1 g b.d. Patients who were still infected were randomly given one of the following 14-day treatments: RBC 400 mg b.d. plus amoxicillin 1 g b.d. and tinidazole 500 mg b.d. (RAT group), RBC 400 mg b.d. plus amoxicillin 1 g b.d. and clarythromycin 500 mg b.d. (RAC group), and RBC 400 mg b.d. plus clarythromycin 500 mg b.d. and tinidazole 500 mg b.d. (RCT group). RESULTS: The 'Maastricht therapy' achieved an eradication rate of 59% (95% CI: 54-65) on intention-to-treat analysis. The RAT, RAC, and RCT regimens achieved eradication rates of 81% (95% CI: 67-94), 43% (95% CI: 26-60), and 62% (95% CI: 44-80), respectively, on intention-to-treat analysis. Patient compliance was optimal in RAT and RAC groups. CONCLUSION: RBC plus tinidazole and either amoxicillin or clarythromycin can be used as second-line therapies after failure of the Maastricht triple therapy.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
PubMed2001

Predictors of failure of Helicobacter pylori eradication with the standard 'Maastricht triple therapy'.

BACKGROUND: Triple therapy with proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin and amoxicillin has recently been proposed in Maastricht as first-line treatment for H. pylori infection. AIM: To determine predictors of unsuccessful eradication. METHODS: Two hundred and forty-eight patients underwent endoscopy with biopsies for rapid urease test, histology and culture with antibiotic susceptibility tests, and 13C-UBT. All infected patients were given pantoprazole (40 mg b.d.), clarithromycin (500 mg b.d.) and amoxicillin (1 g b.d.) for 1 week. Eradication was assessed by UBT at 4-6 weeks after therapy. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-two of 248 patients (65%) were infected. Culture was positive in 144 (89%). Prevalence rates of metronidazole, clarithromycin and amoxicillin resistance were 14, 8 and 3%, respectively. Eradication rates (95% CI) were 63% (54.7-70.6) by intention-to-treat analysis and 67% (59.4-75.4) by per protocol analysis. Drug compliance was excellent and side-effects were mild. Age > or = 45 years (OR: 2.35, CI: 1.30-4.25), smoking (OR: 1.37, CI 1.01-1.87) and high pre-treatment UBT results (OR: 1.36, CI: 1.08-1.72) were independent predictors of eradication failure. Gender, endoscopic findings, alcohol intake, and clarithromycin and amoxicillin resistance did not predict treatment failure. CONCLUSION: Despite the low prevalence of primary antibiotic resistance in our geographical area, triple therapy with pantoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin achieves low eradication rates. Smoking, age and pre-treatment UBT results are predictors of potential eradication failure.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
PubMed2001

Cerebellar metastasis as a unique presenting feature of gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is often diagnosed in middle-aged patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for abdominal complaints or constitutional symptoms, such as dyspepsia, vomiting or anorexia, weight loss, anemia, jaundice, and ascites. Sometimes, all of these symptoms may be absent, and gastric cancer is diagnosed after detection of metastases to target organs, such as the liver or lung. In a few rare cases, however, even these metastatic localizations may be absent, and clinical signs are only represented by atypical symptoms caused by neurologic metastatic involvement. We report an exceptionally rare case of gastric cancer in which the only presenting symptoms were headache and dizziness caused by a single cerebellar metastasis.

Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell↗
PubMed2001

Randomized study of two "rescue" therapies for Helicobacter pylori-infected patients after failure of standard triple therapies.

OBJECTIVES: A novel rifabutin-based therapy is able to cure Helicobacter pylori infection in most patients who have failed eradication after standard proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based triple therapy. We compared this regimen with the quadruple therapy. METHODS: A total of 135 patients were randomized into three groups who were treated for 10 days with pantoprazole 40 mg b.i.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.i.d., and rifabutin 150 mg o.d. (RAP50150 group), or 300 mg o.d. (RAP300 group), and pantoprazole 40 mg b.i.d., metronidazole 250 mg t.i.d., bismuth citrate 240 mg b.i.d., and tetracycline 500 mg q.i.d. (QT group). Before therapy, patients underwent endoscopy with biopsies for histology, culture and antibiotic susceptibility tests. H. pylori eradication was assessed by the 13C-urea breath test. RESULTS: On intention-to-treat analysis, eradication rates (with 95% confidence intervals [CI]) were 66.6% (53-80%) in the RAP150 and QT groups, respectively, and 86.6% (76-96%) in RAP300 group (p < 0.025). Most patients harboring metronidazole- and clarithromycin-resistant strains were eradicated at an equal rate by each of the three regimens. Side effects were observed in 9% and 11% of rifabutin-treated patients, and in 47% of those on quadruple therapy (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients who failed standard eradicating treatments, a 10-day course of rifabutin with pantoprazole and amoxycillin is more effective and well tolerated than the quadruple therapy.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
PubMed2000

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in inflammatory bowel disease: clinical role and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies have been found consistently in patients with ulcerative colitis; however, their pathogenetic and clinical role is still uncertain. In this study we tested the prevalence of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in a large population of patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, with particular attention to the possible correlation with clinical features. METHODS: Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody reactivity was investigated with indirect immunofluorescence in 279 patients with ulcerative colitis, 110 patients with Crohn's disease, and 252 unrelated healthy subjects. RESULTS: Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were found in 84 of 279 patients with ulcerative colitis (30 percent), 10 of 110 patients with Crohn's disease (9 percent), and 2 of 252 healthy subjects (<1 percent; P < 0.001), respectively. Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were significantly more frequent in patients with ulcerative colitis with higher relapse rate (43 vs. 27 percent; P < 0.002), and patients with Crohn's disease with colitis (27 vs. 2.5 percent; P < 0.0003). Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were also significantly less frequent in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission (18 vs. 34 percent; P < 0.0025). CONCLUSIONS: In this study we confirm the relative specificity of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, either for ulcerative colitis or for Crohn's disease involving the colon. Perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were more frequently found in patients with ulcerative colitis with a more aggressive clinical behavior; however, their presence had a limited value in identifying homogeneous subgroups of patients in our population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Rifabutin-based 'rescue therapy' for Helicobacter pylori infected patients after failure of standard regimens.

BACKGROUND: The ideal treatment for patients who have failed eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection after standard proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies has still to be determined. Although either a second course of triple therapy or a quadruple therapy (proton pump inhibitor plus bismuth-based triple therapy) has been proposed, the efficacy of these second-line therapies is relatively unknown. Therefore, alternative strategies are needed. AIM: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of rifabutin, a derivative of rifamycin-S, in patients who were still H. pylori infected after two or more courses of 1-week triple therapies. METHODS: Patients were given a 1-week regimen of pantoprazole 40 mg b.d. + amoxycillin 1 g b.d. + rifabutin 300 mg daily. Side-effects and compliance were determined at the end of therapy. Eradication rate was assessed with a 13C-urea breath test performed at 4 and 12 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Forty-one patients (mean age 47 +/- 15 years) were studied. All patients took medications according to the proposed schedule. Side-effects were infrequent and mild. The eradication rates were 71% (95% CI: 57-85%) on intention-to-treat analysis and 74% (95% CI: 61-88%) on per protocol analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Rifabutin, in combination with pantoprazole and amoxycillin, is an effective and well tolerated regimen in patients who failed standard eradication treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Gastric emptying of solids is delayed in celiac disease and normalizes after gluten withdrawal.

UNLABELLED: Several gastrointestinal motor abnormalities have been detected in patients with celiac disease, but it is unclear whether they are able to influence the gastric emptying rate. The aim of this work was to evaluate the gastric emptying rate of solids in children with celiac disease before and after a gluten-free diet. Nine children with celiac disease and nine healthy controls (age range 4-16 y) underwent a 13C-octanoic acid breath test to measure gastric emptying. Half emptying time (t1/2) and lag phase (t(lag)) were calculated. After 6 mo of a gluten-free diet, all celiac children underwent a repeat 13C-octanoic acid breath test. The gastric motility parameters, t1/2 and t(lag), were significantly longer in patients than in controls. No significant correlation between abnormal gastric emptying and specific symptom patterns or severity of histological damage was found. On a gluten-free diet, the gastric emptying rate normalized in all celiac patients. This finding supports the hypothesis that gluten-driven mucosal inflammation might determine motor abnormalities by affecting smooth muscle contractility or impairing the release of neurotransmitters. Alternatively, nutrient malabsorption might determine significant changes in intraluminal milieu, which, in turn, may affect intestinal motor functions. CONCLUSION: patients affected by celiac disease have a markedly delayed gastric emptying of solids, which returns to normal after gluten withdrawal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

13C-octanoic acid breath test for gastric emptying measurement.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this multicentre study was to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of the 13C-octanoic acid breath test compared to scintigraphy for measurement of gastric emptying. METHODS: Sixty-nine healthy subjects (40 men, 29 women; mean age 30 years, range 21-61) were studied at least once by using the 13C-octanoic breath test. In 34 healthy subjects, gastric emptying was simultaneously measured by gastric scintigraphy, and the 13C-octanoic breath test was then repeated in 18 of these cases. Fifty-four patients (30 men, 24 women; mean age 46 years, range 13-74) with dyspeptic or reflux symptoms were studied according to the same procedure. RESULTS: The correlation between breath test and scintigraphic values was highly significant (r = 0.744, P<0.001). The concordance of results of scintigraphy and breath test (normal versus abnormal) and the reproducibility (Bland and Altman method) of the breath test were good (CVinter = 24%, CVintra = 15%). As compared to scintigraphy, breath test detected an abnormal gastric emptying with 67% sensitivity and 80% specificity (ROC analysis). CONCLUSION: These results confirm the value of breath test as an accurate measurement of gastric emptying. Its excellent reproducibility makes it a method of choice for pharmacological studies. However, at least when scintigraphy is considered the gold standard, breath test sensitivity may be insufficient for the detection of gastroparesis in an individual patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Evaluation of a commercial serological kit for detection of salivary immunoglobulin G to Helicobacter pylori: a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of a commercial serological enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for detecting salivary immunoglobulin (Ig) G to Helicobacter pylori. DESIGN: Prospective, multicentre study. SETTING: The study was conducted at 11 gastroenterology hospital centres throughout Italy. PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Two hundred and thirteen dyspeptic patients underwent gastroscopy with antral biopsies. At each centre, two of the following three tests for H. pylori diagnosis were performed: urease quick test, histology, and 13C-urea breath test. Samples of unstimulated saliva and venous blood were collected from each patient. Salivary and serum H. pylori IgG were determined with the EIA Helori-test IgG (Eurospital, Trieste, Italy). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of the salivary and serum EIAs. RESULTS: By using a receiver operating characteristic curve, salivary EIA yielded 81% (95% confidence interval 73-87%) sensitivity, 73% (62-83%) specificity, 84% (76-90%) positive predictive value, 69% (58-79%) negative predictive value, and 78% (72-84%) accuracy. At the cut-off suggested by the manufacturer, serum EIA had 90% (84-95%) sensitivity, 78% (67-86%) specificity, 88% (81-93%) positive predictive value, 82% (71-90%) negative predictive value, and 86% (81-91%) accuracy. CONCLUSION: In this large multicentre study, detection of salivary H. pylori IgG with a commercial serological EIA was a fairly accurate diagnostic method. Data confirm that saliva testing does not compare favourably with serology in the assessment of H. pylori status.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis delta virus: molecular evidence.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Epidemiologic studies have suggested that transmission of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) occurs by intrafamilial routes in some populations in southern Italy, where HDV infection is endemic. To further evaluate intrafamilial transmission of HDV, we obtained the partial sequence of the viral genome from HDV-RNA positive members of families in which two or more immediate family members were positive for HDV-RNA. METHODS: The region analyzed was the semi-conserved region from nucleotides 908 to 1265. Sequences obtained from family members were compared with those obtained from a control group of 20 unrelated patients. RESULTS: The mean genetic divergence among HDV isolates was 2.8 +/- 1.7% within the 9 families analyzed, and 7.6 +/- 2.2% among the control group of unrelated individuals (p < 0.0001). A Receiver Operating Characteristic curve and Youden Index were used to define a cut-off value of 3.5% to discriminate sequence variations calculated within families and in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that in most family units, HDV-infected members harbored nearly identical strains of HDV, and provide molecular support that HDV infection can be transmitted within the family. Such spreading among family members highlights the role of inapparent transmission through personal contacts.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1999

Serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha is increased in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection and CagA antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori causes gastric inflammation secondary to the mucosal release of cytokines and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. AIMS: To investigate whether serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha correlate with Helicobacter pylori infection, CagA antibodies, 13C-urea breath test results, endoscopic, and histological findings. METHODS: Endoscopy (with gastric biopsies), 13C-urea breath test, and serological assay of CagA antibodies and tumour necrosis factor-alpha were performed in 172 dyspeptic patients. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients (73.2%) were infected; of the 126 patients, 84 with CagA antibodies (66.7%) showed a higher prevalence rate of duodenal ulcer (p = 0.03), more severe neutrophil infiltration (p = 0.03) and higher bacterial colonization (p = 0.03) than those without antibodies. CagA+ and CagA- groups differed also in 13C-urea breath test results (p = 0.03). A significant difference in serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels was observed between infected and uninfected individuals (p = 0.03) as well as between CagA+ and CagA- patients (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with increased serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Subjects who harbour CagA positive strains have more severe mucosal damage, higher bacterial colonization, higher probability of developing duodenal ulcer and higher serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha than those infected with CagA- strains.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Meta-analysis of somatostatin, octreotide and gabexate mesilate in the therapy of acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Autodigestion of the pancreas, secondary to the activation of digestive enzymes, is the pathogenetic mechanism of acute pancreatitis (AP). AIM: Clinical trials in which somatostatin (SS), octreotide (OCT) and gabexate mesilate (FOY) were used to treat patients with AP, were submitted to a meta-analytical evaluation. Five end-points were evaluated: early and overall mortality, patients with complications, complication rate, and patients who needed surgery. RESULTS: In mild AP, no agent proved of value. In severe AP, both SS and OCT were beneficial in improving the overall mortality: the odds ratios (OR) were, respectively, 0.36 (95% CI: 0.20-0.64, P = 0.001) and 0.57 (95% CI: 0.35-0.88, P = 0.006). FOY had no effect on either early or overall mortality, but was effective in improving complication rate (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.88, P = 0.02), number of patients with complications (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.41-0.91, P = 0.01), and number of cases submitted to surgery (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39-0.92, P = 0.01). SS and OCT had no effect on these latter outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Antisecretory agents, such as SS and OCT, are able to reduce mortality without affecting complications, whereas antiproteases, such as FOY, have no effect on mortality but do reduce complications. A trial exploring the efficacy of combining antisecretory agents with antiproteases would be of great benefit in patients with severe AP.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

The 13C-urea breath test as a predictor of intragastric bacterial load and severity of Helicobacter pylori gastritis.

BACKGROUND: The urea breath test (UBT) has been proposed as the most accurate test for diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection. The aim of this work was to evaluate the accuracy of the UBT and to compare the results with histologic and endoscopic findings in H. pylori infected patients. METHODS: One-hundred-and-seventy-two consecutive dyspeptic outpatients were studied by means of endoscopy (with histology and culture), UBT (75 mg 13C-urea), and serology. Gastritis was classified in accordance with the Sydney criteria. In H. pylori positive patients, the bacterial load was assessed semiquantitatively, the number of bacteria in histologic specimens being counted. UBT results were expressed either as percentage cumulative dose of 13CO2 excreted at 1 h (CD60) or delta over baseline at 30' (DOB30). RESULTS: Of 172 patients, 126 (73%) were H. pylori positive on histology or culture. Using a cut-off value of 3.3/1000 for DOB30, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the UBT were 96%, 93.5%, and 95.3%, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between DOB30 values and intragastric bacterial load (r = 0.32). Moreover, a significant difference in DOB30 values was found between patients sorted by the depth of inflammation (chi(2) = 4.36, p = 0.036). No correlation was observed between DOB30 and endoscopic findings in H. pylori positive subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The UBT is an accurate non-invasive diagnostic tool and can be used to predict both the intragastric bacterial load and the severity of related gastritis.

Adult↗