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J Gastroenterol 2020 Oct 17;55(10):1000-1009. Epub 2020 Jul 17.

Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Room 401.4, 3708 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.

Background: Pain is the most debilitating symptom of recurrent acute pancreatitis (RAP) and chronic pancreatitis (CP) and often requires chronic opioids or total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation to manage. Pain is a complex experience that can be exacerbated by depression and vice versa. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that depression-associated genes are associated with a constant-severe pain experience in RAP/CP patients. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2020 Aug 3;55(8):775-788. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Room 12.085 A, Level 12, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.

Background: New-onset diabetes is the most common sequela of acute pancreatitis (AP). Yet, prospective changes in glycaemia over time have never been investigated comprehensively in this study population. The primary aim was to determine the cumulative incidence of new-onset prediabetes and new-onset diabetes after AP over 24 months of follow-up in a prospective cohort study. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2016 Aug 10;51(8):779-87. Epub 2015 Dec 10.

Department of Surgery, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Japan Society of Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.

Background: High body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for colorectal cancer. However, the prognostic impact of BMI and other factors may differ between elderly and younger colorectal cancer patients. We analyze here prognostic factors in the surgical management of octogenarians with colorectal cancer and clarify the prognostic impact of BMI. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2015 Oct 5;50(10):1069-77. Epub 2015 Mar 5.

Department of Hepatic Diseases, The Research Center for Hepatitis and Immunology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-7-1 Kohonodi, Ichikawa, 272-8516, Chiba, Japan.

Background: Genome-wide association studies have revealed several single-nucleotide polymorphisms around interleukin 28B (IL28B) that are strongly associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) clearance. However, their predictive value is not perfect, which suggests that other genetic factors may also be involved in HCV clearance. We previously reported a wide variation in the length of a thymine-adenine (TA) dinucleotide repeat in the promoter region of IL28B and that the transcriptional activity of the promoter increased gradually in a TA repeat length-dependent manner. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2014 Jul 16;49(7):1145-51. Epub 2014 Jan 16.

Department of Family Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, 138, Sheng Li Road, Tainan, 70403, Taiwan, ROC.

Background: While diabetes is considered as a risk factor for colorectal cancer, there are few studies that address the association between glycemic statuses and different colon polyps, ranging from non-neoplastic polyps to advanced adenomatous polyps.

Methods: A total of 6,348 participants, consisting of 3,777 men and 2,571 women, with a mean age of 50.5 years, were included for final analysis after excluding subjects with a past history of colorectal cancer, colon polyps/polypectomy, familial adenomatous polyposis, and colorectomy, or missing data. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2014 Oct 8;49(10):1414-20. Epub 2013 Dec 8.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.

Background: Biochemical response to ursodeoxycholic acid among patients with primary biliary cirrhosis remains variable, and there is no agreement of an ideal model. Novel assessment of response coupled to histologic progression was recently defined by the Toronto criteria. We retrospectively assessed transplant-free survival and clinical outcomes associated with ursodeoxycholic acid response to evaluate the Toronto criteria using a large North American cohort of PBC patients. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2014 Sep 5;49(9):1333-41. Epub 2013 Oct 5.

Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 7558505, Japan,

Background: Liver cirrhosis (LC) is often complicated by hyperinsulinemia due to insulin resistance (IR), which is considered to be closely related to shunt formation and impaired liver function. This study evaluates whether balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) can affect glucose and insulin metabolism in patients with LC.

Methods: Twenty-five cirrhotic patients (mean age = 69. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2009 9;44(8):842-6. Epub 2009 Jun 9.

Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Background And Aim: The endoscopic landmark of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) for diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus (BE) differs between Japan and Western countries. Japanese endoscopists use the distal end of the lower esophageal palisade vessels to localize EGJ. In the West, endoscopists use the proximal gastric folds because of concerns that palisade vessels may be difficult to recognize. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2009 13;44(3):197-203. Epub 2009 Feb 13.

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine (Kashiwa Hospital), 163-1 Kashiwa-shita, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8567, Japan.

Background: The main cause of azathioprine (AZA)/6-mercaptopurine (6MP)-induced adverse reactions is a reduction in the activities of the metabolizing enzymes thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) and inosine triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase (ITPA). Adverse reactions develop at a high frequency in Japanese patients at half the dose required for European and American patients; however, the association with TPMT and ITPA gene polymorphisms in Japanese has not been fully investigated.

Methods: Gene mutations of TPMT and ITPA, the major AZA/6-MP -metabolizing enzymes, were investigated retrospectively in 16 Japanese patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in whom AZA/6MP treatment induced adverse reactions. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2000 Dec;35(12):890-7

R and D Center, BML, Matoba, Kawagoe, Japan.

We analyzed cagA genes from Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from Japanese and non-Japanese individuals for differences that could be associated with variations in virulence. The cagA genes from Japanese isolates (n = 12) and non-Japanese American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) strains (n = 4) were sequenced and compared with three published sequences. Phylogenetic analysis resolved two distinct clusters with a genetic distance of 0. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2001 Mar;36(3):166-72

First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.

Preoperative serum levels of sialyl Lewis(a) (CA 19-9), sialyl Lewis(x) (SLX), and sialyl Tn (STN) antigens in colorectal cancer patients were examined to establish predictive factors for serum levels of these antigens compared with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). A total of 308 patients who underwent resection for a colorectal cancer were divided into low and high antigen groups (higher or lower than a selected diagnostic-based cutoff value). The cutoff values were 37 U/ml for CA19-9, 38 U/ml for SLX, 45 U/ml for STN, and 2. Read More

J Gastroenterol 2000 ;35 Suppl 12:102-10

Department of Internal Medicine, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Japan.

Large differences have been found between Western and Japanese pathologists' diagnosis of adenoma/dysplasia versus early carcinoma for gastric, esophageal. and colorectal epithelial neoplastic lesions. In this study we examined whether differences in experience in gastrointestinal pathology can to some extent explain these differences in diagnostic practice. Read More

J Gastroenterol 1999 Feb;34(1):119-22

Department of Traumatology and Critical Care Medicine, Kyorin University, Tokyo, Japan.

A 21-year-old man was admitted with vomiting and abdominal pain 3 days after sustaining blunt abdominal trauma by being tackled in a game of American football. A diagnosis of intramural hematoma of the duodenum was made using computed tomography and upper gastrointestinal tract contrast radiography. The hematoma caused obstructive jaundice by compressing the common bile duct. Read More

J Gastroenterol 1998 Jun;33(3):428-33

Department of Internal Medicine, Kurashiki Central Hospital, Japan.

We describe an extremely rare case of granulocytic sarcoma of the porta hepatis causing obstructive jaundice. The patient was an 84-year-old man admitted because of obstructive jaundice. Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) scanning of the abdomen disclosed a mass about 2. Read More