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Biomedical subjects

Paul Moayyedi

Publications and source records attributed to Paul Moayyedi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Helicobacter pylori eradication has the potential to prevent gastric cancer: a state-of-the-art critique.

Helicobacter pylori infection continues to play a key role in gastric diseases. Colonization of the gastric mucosa with the bacterium invariably results in the development of chronic gastritis and subsets of patients have a progression of the chronic gastritis to either ulcer or cancer. Epidemiological evidence indicates that the proportion of all gastric cancers attributable to H. pylori infection, and hence potentially preventable upon elimination of this risk factor, is somewhere in the range of 60% to 90%. This portends significant benefit in terms of morbidity and mortality, not least in populations with high prevalence of H. pylori infection coupled with high incidence of gastric cancer. The effect of prophylactic H. pylori eradication on gastric cancer incidence in humans remains unknown, however. Results from randomized trials are eagerly awaited, but availability of strong conclusive results may take many years. A growing number of studies show considerable variation in risk for gastric cancer development, depending on H. pylori strain type and the genetic predisposition of the host. There is also a remote possibility that elimination of the infection may have adverse health implications (e.g., antibiotic resistance), and therefore "simple" risk stratification and targeted chemoprevention is required. Based on "in depth" evidence presented at this workshop, the majority of the scientific task force favored a search-and-treat strategy in first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients and an overwhelming majority felt that a more general screen-and-treat strategy should be focused in the first instance on a population with a high incidence of H. pylori-associated diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Gambling with gastroesophageal reflux disease: should we worry about the QALY?

Gastroenterologists mainly deal with chronic organic and functional illnesses that are not life threatening but can be expensive to treat. How this compares with the management of other diseases that cause significant mortality is an important question to answer if health-care resources are to be allocated appropriately. Comparing health care in terms of cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained is one approach to this problem although there are concerns about whose values should be elicited and how QALYs are measured.

Gastroesophageal Reflux↗
PubMed2005

Should we test for Helicobacter pylori before treating gastroesophageal reflux disease?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common problem in childhood. The cause is uncertain but because the incidence of GERD is increasing in developed countries and the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is decreasing, it has been suggested that this infection protects against GERD. Observational data from 95 children, however, suggest that H. pylori eradication does not have a deleterious effect on GERD and this is supported by randomized controlled trials in adults. H. pylori eradication may also reduce the efficacy of proton pump inhibitor therapy in infected patients. There are no data from children but inferences from randomized controlled trials in adults suggest this effect is likely to be modest and of uncertain clinical significance. H. pylori is an important risk factor for distal gastric adenocarcinoma. It is likely that treating the infection in childhood will prevent pre-malignant changes associated with H. pylori from developing in the future. A meta-analysis of four randomized controlled trials suggest that there is a statistically significant impact on healing of chronic gastritis after one year compared with placebo (RR of chronic gastritis: 0.27; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.32). H. pylori eradication is therefore recommended in children with GERD that are having an endoscopy. However, when the diagnosis of GERD is being made clinically or by pH monitoring, it is not necessary to screen for H. pylori.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Canadian Consensus Conference on the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease in adults - update 2004.

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most prevalent acid-related disorder in Canada and is associated with significant impairment of health-related quality of life. Since the last Canadian Consensus Conference in 1996, GERD management has evolved substantially. OBJECTIVE: To develop up-to-date evidence-based recommendations relevant to the needs of Canadian health care providers for the management of the esophageal manifestations of GERD. CONSENSUS PROCESS: A multidisciplinary group of 23 voting participants developed recommendation statements using a Delphi approach; after presentation of relevant data at the meeting, the quality of the evidence, strength of recommendation and level of consensus were graded by participants according to accepted principles. OUTCOMES: GERD applies to individuals who reflux gastric contents into the esophagus causing symptoms sufficient to reduce quality of life, injury or both; endoscopy-negative reflux disease applies to individuals who have GERD and a normal endoscopy. Uninvestigated heartburn-dominant dyspepsia - characterised by heartburn or acid regurgitation - includes erosive esophagitis or endoscopy-negative reflux disease, and may be treated empirically as GERD without further investigation provided there are no alarm features. Lifestyle modifications are ineffective for frequent or severe GERD symptoms; over-the-counter antacids or histamine H2-receptor antagonists are effective for some patients with mild or infrequent GERD symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors are more effective for healing and symptom relief than histamine H2-receptor antagonists; their efficacy is proportional to their ability to reduce intragastric acidity. Response to initial therapy - a once-daily proton pump inhibitor unless symptoms are mild and infrequent (fewer than three times per week) - should be assessed at four to eight weeks. Maintenance medical therapy should be at the lowest dose and frequency necessary to maintain symptom relief; antireflux surgery is an alternative for a small proportion of selected patients. Routine testing for Helicobacter pylori infection is unnecessary before starting GERD therapy. GERD is associated with Barrett's epithelium and esophageal adenocarcinoma but the risk of malignancy is very low. Endoscopic screening for Barrett's epithelium may be considered in adults with GERD symptoms for more than 10 years; Barrett's epithelium and low-grade dysplasia generally warrant surveillance; endoscopic or surgical management should be considered for confirmed high-grade dysplasia or malignancy. CONCLUSION: Prospective studies are needed to investigate clinically relevant risk factors for the development of GERD and its complications; GERD progression, on and off therapy; optimal management strategies for typical GERD symptoms in primary care patients; and optimal management strategies for atypical GERD symptoms, Barrett's epithelium and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Canadian Helicobacter Study Group Consensus Conference: Update on the approach to Helicobacter pylori infection in children and adolescents--an evidence-based evaluation.

As an update to previously published recommendations for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection, an evidence-based appraisal of 14 topics was undertaken in a consensus conference sponsored by the Canadian Helicobacter Study Group. The goal was to update guidelines based on the best available evidence using an established and uniform methodology to address and formulate recommendations for each topic. The degree of consensus for each recommendation is also presented. The clinical issues addressed and recommendations made were: population-based screening for H. pylori in asymptomatic children to prevent gastric cancer is not warranted; testing for H. pylori in children should be considered if there is a family history of gastric cancer; the goal of diagnostic interventions should be to determine the cause of presenting gastrointestinal symptoms and not the presence of H. pylori infection; recurrent abdominal pain of childhood is not an indication to test for H. pylori infection; H. pylori testing is not required in patients with newly diagnosed gastroesophageal reflux disease; H. pylori testing may be considered before the use of long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy; testing for H. pylori infection should be considered in children with refractory iron deficiency anemia when no other cause has been found; when investigation of pediatric patients with persistent or severe upper abdominal symptoms is indicated, upper endoscopy with biopsy is the investigation of choice; the 13C-urea breath test is currently the best noninvasive diagnostic test for H. pylori infection in children; there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend stool antigen tests as acceptable diagnostic tools for H. pylori infection; serological antibody tests are not recommended as diagnostic tools for H. pylori infection in children; first-line therapy for H. pylori infection in children is a twice-daily, triple-drug regimen comprised of a proton pump inhibitor plus two antibiotics (clarithromycin plus amoxicillin or metronidazole); the optimal treatment period for H. pylori infection in children is 14 days; and H. pylori culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing should be made available to monitor population antibiotic resistance and manage treatment failures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

The efficacy of proton pump inhibitors in nonulcer dyspepsia: a systematic review and economic analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The evidence that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy affects symptoms of nonulcer dyspepsia is conflicting. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate whether PPI therapy had any effect in nonulcer dyspepsia and constructed a health economic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of this approach. METHODS: Electronic searches were performed using the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and SIGLE until September 2002. Dyspepsia outcomes were dichotomized into cured/improved versus same/worse. Results were incorporated into a Markov model comparing health service costs and benefits of PPI with antacid therapy over 1 year. RESULTS: Eight trials were identified that compared PPI therapy with placebo in 3293 patients. The relative risk of remaining dyspeptic with PPI therapy versus placebo was .86 (95% confidence interval, .78-.95; P = .003, random-effects model) with a number needed to treat of 9 (95% confidence interval, 5-25). There was statistically significant heterogeneity between trials (heterogeneity chi(2) = 30.05; df = 7; P < .001). The PPI strategy would cost an extra US dollar 278/month free from dyspepsia if the drug cost US dollar 90/month. If a generic price of US dollar 19.99 is used, then a PPI strategy costs an extra US dollar 57/month free from dyspepsia. A third-party payer would be 95% certain that PPI therapy would be cost-effective, provided they were willing to pay US dollar 94/month free from dyspepsia. CONCLUSIONS: PPI therapy may be a cost-effective therapy in nonulcer dyspepsia, provided generic prices are used.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed2004

Cost-utility and cost-benefit analyses: how did we get here and where are we going?

Cost-utility and cost-benefit analyses are currently the only tools available for evaluating whether the cost of an intervention is a good use of resources when compared with other ways that money could be spent on health care (allocative efficiency). Cost-utility analyses assess health in terms of length and quality of life using the quality adjusted life year whilst cost-benefit analyses measure health in monetary terms. The measurement of health gain with either approach has a number of problems and the accuracy of these measures is uncertain. Cost-benefit analysis has certain advantages when measuring improvements in mild diseases such as irritable bowel disease and dyspepsia, which are common problems in gastroenterology. The results of cost-benefit analysis may provide more transparent guidance for policy makers, doctors and patients.

Cost Allocation↗
PubMed2004

Cost-effectiveness and long-term impact of Helicobacter pylori 'test and treat' service in reducing open access endoscopy referrals.

INTRODUCTION: We have shown that the introduction of a carbon urea breath test (13C-UBT) service for Helicobacter pylori screening and eradication is effective in reducing the rate of open access endoscopy referrals in patients aged < 40 years in the short term. This has been substantiated by several randomized controlled trials comparing a 'test and treat' strategy with early endoscopy in these patients. However, the long-term impact of such a strategy is not established. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the influence of 13C-UBT services on open access endoscopy referral rates in dyspeptic patients under the age of 40 years over a period of 5 years. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of open access endoscopy referral rates between August 1990 and July 2000. Cost minimization analysis was performed with a Decision Analysis Model using Treeage Data 3.5. RESULTS: The total number of open access referrals for endoscopy during 1990-1995 was between 765 and 1325 per year. The proportion of endoscopies performed in patients < 40 years ranged between 33.4% and 34.6%. The total number of endoscopy referrals during 1995-2000 after the introduction of the 13C-UBT services was between 1178 and 1321 per year. However, there was a sustained reduction in the proportion of patients aged < 40 years, ranging between 23.2% and 26.2% (Chi2 = 153.9, degrees of freedom = 9, P < 0.0001) during this period. CONCLUSIONS: The H. pylori screening and treatment strategy using the 13C-UBT service results in a sustained reduction of the number of endoscopy referrals and is cost effective in dyspeptic patients under the age of 40 years, enabling better utilization of available resources.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Helicobacter pylori public health implications.

Population Helicobacter pylori screening and treatment has the potential to dramatically reduce global gastric cancer mortality. There is overwhelming evidence that the infection is a major cause of distal gastric adenocarcinoma. There is also randomized controlled trial evidence that H. pylori eradication reverses or ameliorates histological changes in the gastric mucosa that are important in carcinogenesis. Preliminary randomized controlled trial data suggest that screening and treatment may reduce the risk of gastric cancer although the number of cancer cases was small. Population H. pylori screening and treatment will also reduce mortality from peptic ulcer complications and reduce the burden of dyspepsia in the community. The reduction in health service dyspepsia costs means that this could be the first programme to pay for itself. From a scientific perspective, we still have insufficient evidence to conclude the benefits of population H. pylori screening are greater than the possible harms and we need more randomized controlled trial data. From a public health perspective however, sometimes screening programmes are developed with imperfect information. The medical community should be consistent and if we are instituting other population screening programmes without randomized controlled trial evidence then H. pylori testing and treatment should also be considered.

Helicobacter Infections↗
PubMed2004

A systematic review of psychological therapies for nonulcer dyspepsia.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a systematic review to determine the effectiveness of psychological interventions including psychodrama, cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy, guided imagery, or hypnosis in the improvement of dyspepsia symptoms in patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD). DESIGN: Trials were identified through electronic searches of the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycLIT, using appropriate subject headings and text words and searching bibliographies of retrieved articles. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-randomized studies were eligible. RESULTS: The four eligible trials all used different psychological interventions including applied relaxation therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, and hypnotherapy. Trials did not present data in a form that could be synthesized. All reported an improvement in the dyspepsia symptom scores at the end of treatment and at 1 yr in the intervention arm compared with controls. All studies only achieved statistically significant results through adjusting for baseline differences between groups. This reflects the small sample sizes of the trials. There were also problems with assumptions made in the statistical analyses used to achieve statistical significance. The studies highlighted problems with recruitment and compliance. CONCLUSIONS: There was insufficient evidence on the efficacy of psychological therapies in NUD. This emphasizes the need for appropriately powered well-designed trials in this area.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed2004

Eradication therapy in Helicobacter pylori positive peptic ulcer disease: systematic review and economic analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We conducted a systematic review and economic analysis to ascertain the efficacy of eradication therapy in the treatment of H. pylori positive peptic ulcer disease. METHODS: Comprehensive search of electronic databases, bibliographies of retrieved articles, contact with pharmaceutical companies, and experts in the field to identify published and unpublished literature from 1966 to the present. The data were incorporated into a Monte Carlo simulation Markov model that incorporated all the uncertainty in the estimates to evaluate cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: Fifty-two trials were included in the final metaanalysis. In duodenal ulcer healing, H. pylori eradication therapy was superior to ulcer healing drug (relative risk (RR) of ulcer persisting = 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.58 to 0.76) and no treatment (RR = 0.37; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.53). In gastric ulcer healing, H. pylori eradication therapy was not statistically superior to ulcer healing drug (RR = 1.32; 95% CI = 0.92 to 1.90). In preventing duodenal ulcer recurrence, H. pylori eradication therapy was not statistically superior to maintenance therapy with ulcer healing drug (RR of ulcer recurring = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.42 to 1.25), but was superior to no treatment (RR = 0.19; 95% CI = 0.15 to 0.26). In preventing gastric ulcer recurrence, H. pylori eradication was superior to no treatment (RR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.48). The Markov model suggested H. pylori eradication is cost-effective for duodenal ulcer over 1 year and gastric ulcer over 2 years with over 95% confidence despite the uncertainty in the data. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori eradication therapy reduces the recurrence of peptic ulcer disease and is cost-effective.

Adult↗