Background
The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been increasing. This study aimed to assess the recent prevalence of NAFLD and to predict the prevalence of nonalcoholic ...steatohepatitis (NASH) with liver fibrosis using established scoring systems in the general population.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 8352 subjects who received health checkups from 2009 to 2010 in three health centers in Japan. Subjects with an intake over 20 g of alcohol/day or with other chronic liver diseases were excluded. Fatty liver was detected by ultrasonography. The probability of NASH with advanced fibrosis was calculated according to the body mass index, age, ALT, and triglyceride (BAAT) and FIB-4 (based on age, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, and platelet counts) indices.
Results
A total of 5075 subjects were enrolled. The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 29.7%. There was a significant threefold difference in the mean prevalence between males (41.0%) and females (17.7%). This prevalence showed a linear increase with body mass index, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol regardless of threshold values, even without obesity. The estimated prevalence of NASH according to the BAAT index ≥3 was 2.7%, and according to the FIB-4 index it was 1.9%.
Conclusions
The prevalence of NAFLD has increased in the general population, especially in males. There is a linear relationship between the prevalence of NAFLD and various metabolic parameters, even in nonobese subjects. The prevalence of NASH with advanced fibrosis is estimated to be considerably high in subjects with NAFLD.
In response to the rapid and wide acceptance and use of endoscopic treatments for early gastric cancer, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society, in collaboration with the Japanese Gastric ...Cancer Association, produced “Guidelines for Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection and Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Early Gastric Cancer” in 2014, as a set of basic guidelines in accordance with the principles of evidence‐based medicine. At the time, a number of statements had to be established by consensus (the lowest evidence level), as evidence levels remained low for many specific areas in this field. However, in recent years, the number of well‐designed clinical studies has been increasing. Based on new findings, we have issued the revised second edition of the above guidelines that cover the present state of knowledge. These guidelines are divided into the following seven categories: indications, preoperative diagnosis, techniques, evaluation of curability, complications, long‐term postoperative surveillance, and histology.
The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society has developed endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection guidelines. These guidelines present recommendations in response to 18 ...clinical questions concerning the preoperative diagnosis, indications, resection methods, curability assessment, and surveillance of patients undergoing endoscopic resection for esophageal cancers based on a systematic review of the scientific literature.
In 2012, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society published “Guidelines for Gastroenterological Endoscopy in Patients Undergoing Antithrombotic Treatment” concerning thromboembolism associated ...with antithrombotic therapy withdrawal. Since then, physicians have started prescribing oral anticoagulants, creating a need for standards reflecting their use in clinical practice. Therefore, new findings regarding anticoagulants are included in this appendix. However, the evidence levels are low for many statements contained herein and these appended guidelines still need to be verified in clinical settings.
Background and Aim
Smart Gene™ was developed based on the concept of point‐of‐care genetic testing. We evaluated the detection performance of a reagent for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) ...clarithromycin (CAM)‐resistant mutation assessment and determined the association between the results of Smart Gene™ and those of eradication therapy for H. pylori.
Methods
In 2020, the present study was conducted on participants of the H. pylori test and treat project in Saga Prefecture. The submitted stool samples were measured for H. pylori gene and CAM‐resistant mutation by Smart Gene™, and the results were compared with real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis. Finally, the results of the eradication therapy were examined for each result of Smart Gene™.
Results
Stool samples were obtained from 139 patients who were tested positive by stool antigen test and were analyzed. The H. pylori detection rate was 95.7% by Smart Gene™, 92.8% by real‐time PCR (P < 0.01), and 89.2% by sequencing analysis (P = 0.06). The overall concordance rate for CAM‐resistant mutation between Smart Gene™ and sequencing analysis was 96.7%. Moreover, 35 of 48 students with CAM‐resistant mutation and 33 of the 35 students with a mutation without CAM resistance succeeded in CAM‐containing triple therapy, and the success rate was significantly higher for the mutation without CAM resistance (P = 0.012).
Conclusions
The detection performance of Smart Gene™ was comparable with that of real‐time PCR and sequencing analysis. It is expected that the success rate of eradication would be further improved by using the reagent.
Suitable lesions for endoscopic treatment include not only early colorectal carcinomas but also several types of precarcinomatous adenomas. It is important to establish practical guidelines wherein ...preoperative diagnosis of colorectal neoplasia and selection of endoscopic treatment procedures are appropriately outlined and to ensure that actual endoscopic treatment is useful and safe in general hospitals when carried out in accordance with guidelines. In cooperation with the Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum, the Japanese Society of Coloproctology, and the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society compiled colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection/endoscopic mucosal resection guidelines by using evidence‐based methods in 2014. The first edition of these guidelines was published 5 years ago. Accordingly, we have published the second edition of these guidelines based on recent new knowledge and evidence.
Goal To investigate the development of fundic gland polyp (FGP) and gastric hyperplastic polyp (HPP) during long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and risk factors of each polyp via patient ...status in a multicenter prospective study. Background The risk of developing FGP may increase during long-term PPI therapy. However, the association with PPI-induced hypergastrinemia is unclear. Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection (which there is a high rate of in Japan) may influence the development of HPP. Methods Reflux esophagitis patients on PPI maintenance therapy were enrolled. At baseline, the presence of protruding lesion (gastric polyps) and mucosal atrophy was examined endoscopically. The serum gastrin level (SGL) and Hp infection status were noted. The patients took rabeprazole 10 mg/day for 104 weeks and endoscopy was performed at weeks 24, 52, 76, and 104 to check for newly developed FGPs and HPPs. The hazard ratios (HRs) of risk factors were calculated. Results 191 patients were analyzed. The distribution of patients with baseline SGLs (pg/mL) of <200, ≥200 to <400, and ≥400 was 118 (61.8%), 51 (26.7%), and 22 (11.5%), respectively. 78 (40.8%) patients were Hp-positive, and gastric polyps were found in 70 (36.6%) patients. By the end of rabeprazole therapy, 26 (13.6%) and 17 (8.9%) patients had developed new FGPs and HPPs. In terms of risk factors, Hp-positive was significantly lower (HR = 0.288; 95% CI, 0.108-0.764) for FGP while SGL ≥400 pg/mL was significantly higher (HR = 4.923; 95% CI, 1.486-16.31) for HPP. Conclusion During long-term PPI therapy, FGP development was associated with absence of Hp infection. Meanwhile, Hp infection and high SGL may influence HPP development.
The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society developed the Guideline for Endoscopic Diagnosis of Early Gastric Cancer based on scientific methods. Endoscopy for the diagnosis of early gastric ...cancer has been acknowledged as a useful and highly precise examination, and its use has become increasingly more common in recent years. However, the level of evidence in this field is low, and it is often necessary to determine recommendations based on expert consensus only. This clinical practice guideline consists of the following sections to provide the current guideline: I Risk stratification of gastric cancer before endoscopic examination, II Detection of early gastric cancer, III Qualitative diagnosis of early gastric cancer, IV Diagnosis to choose the therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer, V Risk stratification after endoscopic examination, and VI Surveillance of early gastric cancer.
As an increase in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been reported in Japan, and public interest in GERD has been increasing, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology published the ...Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for GERD (1st edition) in 2009. Six years have passed since its publication, and there have been a large number of reports in Japan concerning the epidemiology, pathophysiology, treatment, and Barrett’s esophagus during this period. By incorporating the contents of these reports, the guidelines were completely revised, and a new edition was published in October 2015. The revised edition consists of eight items: epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, internal treatment, surgical treatment, esophagitis after surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract, extraesophageal symptoms, and Barrett’s esophagus. This paper summarizes these guidelines, particularly the parts related to the treatment for GERD. In the present revision, aggressive proton pump inhibitor (PPI) maintenance therapy is recommended for severe erosive GERD, and on-demand therapy or continuous maintenance therapy is recommended for mild erosive GERD or PPI-responsive non-erosive GERD. Moreover, PPI-resistant GERD (insufficient symptomatic improvement and/or esophageal mucosal break persisting despite the administration of PPI at a standard dose for 8 weeks) is defined, and a standard-dose PPI twice a day, change in PPI, change in the PPI timing of dosing, addition of a prokinetic drug, addition of
rikkunshito
(traditional Japanese herbal medicine), and addition of histamine H2-receptor antagonist are recommended for its treatment. If no improvement is observed even after these treatments, pathophysiological evaluation with esophageal impedance-pH monitoring or esophageal manometry at an expert facility for diseases of the esophagus is recommended.
Managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has attracted international attention because single-agent therapy rarely relieves bothersome symptoms for all patients. The Japanese Society of ...Gastroenterology (JSGE) published the first edition of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for IBS in 2015. Much more evidence has accumulated since then, and new pharmacological agents and non-pharmacological methods have been developed. Here, we report the second edition of the JSGE-IBS guidelines comprising 41 questions including 12 background questions on epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnostic criteria, 26 clinical questions on diagnosis and treatment, and 3 questions on future research. For each question, statements with or without recommendations and/or evidence level are given and updated diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms are provided based on new evidence. Algorithms for diagnosis are requisite for patients with chronic abdominal pain or associated symptoms and/or abnormal bowel movement. Colonoscopy is indicated for patients with one or more alarm symptoms/signs, risk factors, and/or abnormal routine examination results. The diagnosis is based on the Rome IV criteria. Step 1 therapy consists of diet therapy, behavioral modification, and gut-targeted pharmacotherapy for 4 weeks. For non-responders, management proceeds to step 2 therapy, which includes a combination of different mechanistic gut-targeted agents and/or psychopharmacological agents and basic psychotherapy for 4 weeks. Step 3 therapy is for non-responders to step 2 and comprises a combination of gut-targeted pharmacotherapy, psychopharmacological treatments, and/or specific psychotherapy. These updated JSGE-IBS guidelines present best practice strategies for IBS patients in Japan and we believe these core strategies can be useful for IBS diagnosis and treatment globally.
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