A prospective randomized trial of lafutidine vs rabeprazole on post-ESD gastric ulcers

Crohn disease: magnetic resonance enterocolonography features of endoscopic ulcer stages reclassified with the healing process and the relationships to prognoses

PURPOSE

This study aimed to compare magnetic resonance enterocolonography (MREC) features among the endoscopic ulcer stages reclassified to include healing ulcers and to assess the prognoses in Crohn disease (CD).

METHODS

Altogether, 89 consecutive patients with CD who had undergone MREC and ileocolonoscopy or balloon-assisted enteroscopy were retrospectively studied. Patients were reclassified into 38 patients with no deep ulcer, seven with healing deep ulcer, and 44 with active deep ulcer stage. MREC score derived from a 5-point MR classification and MR index of activity (MaRIA) were evaluated, and patients were followed-up. The primary endpoint was hospitalization.

RESULTS

Healing deep ulcers had higher values in MREC score and MaRIA than no deep ulcers (p < 0.001), and lower values than active deep ulcers (p < 0.001). The 5-year cumulative rates of hospitalization for no deep ulcer, healing deep ulcer, and active deep ulcers were 24.9, 0, and 52.4% (p < 0.05), respectively. MREC score or MaRIA-positive patients had a higher 5-year cumulative rate of hospitalization than the negative patients (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSION

MREC could reflect the healing stages, and the identification was revealed to be important because of the good prognosis. MREC might be useful to predict prognosis of CD.

Comparison of efficacy of pharmacological therapies for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection-induced ulcers: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of various anti-ulcer medications in preventing delayed bleeding and promoting ulcer healing after ESD.Methods: Asystematic search was conducted for articles up to August2019. The treatments of iatrogenic ulcer were analyzed by Bayesian network meta-analysis.Results: The analysis included 28 studies. Six treatments were compared. For the prevention of delayed bleeding, potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) alone was superior to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) alone [RR = 1.02, 95%CI (1.00, 1.05)]. Treatments based on P-CAB tended to be better than the non-P-CAB groups [RR = 1.05, 95%CI (1.03, 1.07)]. Concerning the ulcer healing rate at 4 weeks, the combined treatment of PPI and mucoprotective agent (MP) was superior to PPI alone [RR = 1.81, 95%CI (1.19, 2.76)] and P-CAB alone [RR = 2.75, 95%CI (1.02, 7.44)]. At 8 weeks, PPI+MP and P-CAB+MP tend to be superior to than the other four groups. The healing effect of MP-based therapies was better than that of non-MP groups at 4 weeks [RR = 1.63, 95%CI (1.32, 2.01)] and 8 weeks [RR = 1.06, 95%CI (1.02, 1.11)].Conclusion: P-CAB may prevent delayed bleeding, but not significantly. MP agents have the potential to heal post-ESD ulcers.

The optimal timing of additional surgery after non-curative endoscopic resection to treat early gastric cancer: long-term follow-up study

Patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) who undergo non-curative endoscopic resection (ER) require additional surgery. The aim of the study was to validate surgical and oncological outcomes according to the timing of additional surgery after non-curative endoscopic resection. We retrospectively analyzed long-term follow-up data on the 302 patients enrolled between January 2007 and December 2014. We validated our earlier suggestion that the optimal time interval from non-curative ER to additional surgery was 29 days. All patients were divided into two groups by reference to time intervals from ER to additional surgery of ≤29days (n = 133; group A) and >29 days (n = 169; group B). The median follow-up duration was 41.98 ± 21.23 months. As in our previous study, group B exhibited better surgical outcomes. A total of 10 patients developed locoregional or distant recurrences during the follow-up period, but no significant difference was evident between the two groups. Interestingly, the survival rate was better in group B. Group B (>29 days) exhibited better surgical and oncological outcomes. Thus, additional gastrectomy after non-curative ER should be delayed for 1 month to ensure optimal surgical and oncological outcomes.

Histamine2-Receptor Antagonists, Proton Pump Inhibitors, or Potassium-Competitive Acid Blockers Preventing Delayed Bleeding After Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was commonly used for en bloc resection in gastric cancer and adenoma with the risk of delayed bleeding after ESD. We conducted a direct and indirect comparison meta-analysis to evaluate the best choice in preventing post-ESD bleeding among proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), histamine₂-receptor antagonists (H₂RAs), and the most widely used potassium-competitive acid blocker, vonoprazan.

Methods: The Pubmed, Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched for randomized trials. We pooled odds ratios (OR) for preventing post-ESD bleeding using meta-analysis.

Results: Sixteen randomized trials met the inclusion criteria including 2,062 patients. Direct comparisons showed slightly significant efficacy in PPIs rather than H₂RAs in preventing post-ESD bleeding [OR: 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10 to 3.05] and vonoprazan was better than PPIs (OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.86). The adjusted indirect comparison indicated vonoprazan was superior to H₂RAs (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.74). In subgroup analysis, PPIs had similar efficacy as H₂RAs in 4 weeks, while PPIs were better than H₂RAs in 8 weeks’ treatment (OR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.08 to 3.40). The superiority of vonoprazan than PPIs was more significant in combination therapy (OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.69). There was a significant difference in vonoprazan for 8 weeks of medication (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.92).

Conclusions: The effects of vonoprazan is better than PPIs than H₂RAs in preventing bleeding after ESD. When vonoprazan combined with mucosal protective antiulcer drug in treatment or used in 8 weeks of medication, the efficacy may be even better.

Comparative efficacy of various anti-ulcer medications after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The comparative efficacy of various anti-ulcer medications after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has not been fully evaluated. Recently, vonoprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, has also been used in ulcer treatment after ESD.

METHODS

We searched for all relevant randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of anti-ulcer medications after gastric ESD, published through October 2017. Healing of iatrogenic ulcers was investigated at 4-8 weeks after ESD. A network meta-analysis was performed to calculate the network estimates.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies with 2005 patients were included. Concerning the comparative efficacy for ulcer healing at 4 weeks after ESD, no network inconsistency was identified (Cochran's Q-test, df = 10, P = 0.13; I² = 34%). A combination therapy of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and muco-protective agent was superior to PPI alone [risk ratio (RR) (95% confidence interval, CI) 1.69 (1.20-2.39)]. The combination therapy of PPI and muco-protective agents tended to be superior to vonoprazan [RR (95% CI) 1.98 (0.99-3.94)]. There was no difference of ulcer healing effect between PPI and vonoprazan [RR (95% CI) PPI vs. vonoprazan, 1.17 (0.64-2.12)]. Concerning the ulcer healing rate at 8 weeks after ESD, however, vonoprazan was superior to PPI [RR (95% CI) 1.27 (1.03-1.56)]. Additionally, vonoprazan tended to be superior to the combination therapy of PPI and muco-protective agent [RR (95% CI) 1.20 (0.96-1.51)].

CONCLUSIONS

A combination therapy of PPI and muco-protective agent was superior to PPI alone for ulcer healing at 4 weeks after ESD. In the ulcer healing effect at 8 weeks after ESD, vonoprazan was superior to PPI.

Vonoprazan is superior to proton pump inhibitors in healing artificial ulcers of the stomach post-endoscopic submucosal dissection: A propensity score-matching analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are effective at healing artificial ulcers after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric neoplasms; however, the efficacy of vonoprazan is not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the healing effect of vonoprazan on artificial ulcers post-gastric ESD relative to PPI.

METHODS

Thirty-five patients who underwent gastric ESD between April and November 2015 were treated with vonoprazan 20 mg/day for 4 weeks and subsequently underwent endoscopy for evaluation of ulcer size (V group). Ulcer contraction rate was determined by the following formula: ([ESD specimen size] - [ulcer size at 4 weeks after ESD])/(ESD specimen size) × 100%. We compared the results with those of a historical control group treated with esomeprazole 20 mg/day for 4 weeks after gastric ESD and subsequently measured their ulcer size (33 patients, E group) by propensity score-matching methods.

RESULTS

Sixty-two subjects were enrolled after propensity score-matching. Ulcer contraction rate at 4 weeks after ESD in the V group was significantly higher than that of the E group (97.7 ± 3.2% vs 94.5 ± 6.7%, respectively, P = 0.025). Number of subjects with a scar-stage ulcer (100% contraction rate) tended to be higher in the V group relative to the E group (32% [10 of 31] vs 13% [4 of 31], respectively, P = 0.070, McNemar's chi-squared test).

CONCLUSION

Vonoprazan has a faster post-gastric ESD artificial ulcer contraction rate than esomeprazole. Vonoprazan may supersede PPI in treating post-ESD artificial ulcers of the stomach.

Guidelines for endoscopic management of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (JGES) has compiled a set of guidelines for endoscopic management of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding using evidence-based methods. The major cause of non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding is peptic gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding. As a result, these guidelines mainly focus on peptic gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding, although bleeding from other causes is also overviewed. From the epidemiological aspect, in recent years in Japan, bleeding from drug-related ulcers has become predominant in comparison with bleeding from Helicobacter pylori (HP)-related ulcers, owing to an increase in the aging population and coverage of HP eradication therapy by national health insurance. As for treatment, endoscopic hemostasis, in which there are a variety of methods, is considered to be the first-line treatment for bleeding from almost all causes. It is very important to precisely evaluate the severity of the patient's condition and stabilize the patient's vital signs with intensive care for successful endoscopic hemostasis. Additionally, use of antisecretory agents is recommended to prevent rebleeding after endoscopic hemostasis, especially for gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding. Eighteen statements with evidence and recommendation levels have been made by the JGES committee of these guidelines according to evidence obtained from clinical research studies. However, some of the statements that are supported by a low level of evidence must be confirmed by further clinical research.

Second-look endoscopy and factors associated with delayed bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a widely used procedure as curative treatment for superficial gastric neoplasms, including early gastric cancer without lymph node metastasis. However, ESD requires advanced endoscopic skill and there is a major concern regarding complications from bleeding. So far, extensive efforts have been made to develop strategies to reduce post-ESD bleeding. Use of proton pump inhibitors and coagulating exposed vessels on the ulcer floor after ESD are strategies known to reduce the risk of delayed bleeding. Second-look endoscopy (SLE) is also carried out to reduce delayed bleeding following ESD in many institutions. However, the incidence of bleeding still remains around 5%, and further measures are needed to reduce delayed bleeding after gastric ESD. Recently, three randomized studies indicated that routine SLE was unnecessary. Although routine SLE may not be recommended for all patients after gastric ESD, SLE might be an important tool for the prevention of the delayed bleeding in selected high-risk patients. Thus, the identification of the risk factors, such as large size of resected specimen and treatment with multiple antiplatelet medications, may help to further guide clinicians in deciding whether to perform SLE. Studies carried out on larger cohorts are necessary to clarify the efficacy of SLE after ESD in the prevention of post-ESD bleeding in potentially high-risk patients.

Risk factors of delayed ulcer healing after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection

BACKGROUND

Although post-endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) iatrogenic ulcer is known to heal faster than peptic ulcer, some iatrogenic ulcers show delayed healing. The aim of this study was to clarify risk factors of delayed ulcer healing after gastric ESD.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all patients who had ESD for gastric neoplasms (866 adenomas and 814 early gastric cancers) between January 2005 and February 2011.

RESULTS

Of 1680 subjects, 95 had delayed ulcer healing in 3-month follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed that diabetes (OR 1.743; 95% CI 1.017-2.989, p = 0.043), coagulation abnormality (OR 3.195; 95% CI 1.535-6.650, p = 0.002), specimen size greater than 4 cm (OR 2.999; 95% CI 1.603-5.611, p = 0.001), and electrocoagulation (OR 7.149; 95% CI 1.738-29.411, p = 0.006) were revealed to be independent risk factors of delayed ulcer healing. Meanwhile, persistent Helicobacter pylori infection was not related to the delayed ulcer healing.

CONCLUSIONS

Large iatrogenic ulcer by ESD with massive hemostasis, especially in patients with diabetes mellitus or coagulation abnormalities, tends to take more than 3 months to heal. For such cases, initial dosage increment of PPI or addition of other anti-ulcer agents after ESD may be beneficial.

Is there an optimal surgery time after endoscopic resection in early gastric cancer?

BACKGROUND

The patients with early gastric cancer who have undergone incomplete endoscopic resection (ER) generally need additional surgery because of the possibility of lymph node metastasis. The aim of study was to evaluate the optimal time interval from ER to additive surgery by evaluating the effect of time interval on the surgical and oncological outcomes.

METHODS

We analyzed 154 patients who underwent additive gastrectomy after incomplete ER at Severance and Gangnam Severance Hospitals. The time interval point, at which operative time and estimated intraoperative blood loss (EBL) of the earlier operation group and the later operation group showed the greatest disparities, was evaluated. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the time interval point, as the earlier operation group (group A) and the later operation group (group B). We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical and oncological outcomes.

RESULTS

The greatest difference between operative time and EBL was in the groups who underwent operation before and after 29 days. Of the 154 patients, 78 were in group A (≤29 days) and 76 in group B (>29 days). There were no differences in the clinicopathological characteristics and oncological outcomes except for tumor size. The operative time and EBL were significantly longer and more in group A compared with group B.

CONCLUSIONS

The time interval between ER and additive surgery is associated with surgical outcomes. Additive surgery at about 1 month after ER may be optimal for better surgical outcomes without affecting the oncological outcomes.

Half-dose rabeprazole has an equal efficacy to standard-dose rabeprazole on endoscopic submucosal dissection-induced ulcer

BACKGROUND

Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-induced ulcers heal faster and recur less often than non-iatrogenic gastric ulcers, the optimal dosage and duration of proton pump inhibitor treatment for ESD-induced ulcers remain unclear.

AIMS

To evaluate the efficacy of half-dose rabeprazole on endoscopic submucosal dissection-induced ulcer compared with standard dose rabeprazole.

METHODS

The study was a prospective randomized controlled double-blind trial at a single tertiary hospital. A total of 80 patients who underwent ESD for gastric neoplasia were enrolled. Of these patients, 10 were not followed to completion. Final analysis included the remaining 70 patients. Rabeprazole 20 or 10 mg, depending on randomization, was given orally for 4 weeks after ESD.

RESULTS

Of the 70 patients, 45 (64 %) were men, and the median age was 65.2 ± 9.7 years. The mean ESD-induced ulcer area was 673 mm(2). No significant differences in ulcer area reduction ratio (p = 0.49) or ulcer-related symptoms (p = 0.91) were observed between the two groups at 4 weeks after ESD.

CONCLUSION

For ESD-induced ulcers, treatment with 10 mg of rabeprazole daily produces a similar outcome as 20 mg of rabeprazole with regard to healing efficacy and symptom resolution.

A Case-Control Study of Esomeprazole Plus Rebamipide vs. Omeprazole Plus Rebamipide on Post-ESD Gastric Ulcers

Objectives

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is useful for treating gastric tumors. Several trials have shown the efficacy of 4 or 8 weeks of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) administration for post-ESD ulcers. However, if the size of the post-ESD ulcer is larger than predicted, PPI administration alone might not be sufficient for the ulcer to heal within 4 weeks. There is no report about the efficacy of post-ESD gastric ulcers by esomeprazole. We examined retrospectively the efficacy of a combination therapy of esomeprazole plus rebamipide, a mucosal-protective antiulcer drug, on the acceleration of post-ESD ulcer healing comparing with omeprazole plus rebamipide.

Methods:

We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ESD for gastric neoplasia. We conducted a case-control study to compare the healing rates within 4 weeks effected by esomeprazole plus rebamipide (group E) and omeprazole plus rebamipide (group O). The sizes of the artificial ulcers were divided into normal-sized or large-sized.

Results:

The baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between the two groups except age and sex. Stage S1 disease was observed in 27.6% and 38.7% of patients after 4 weeks of treatment in the group E and O, respectively. In large-sized artificial ulcers, the healing rate of stage S1 in group E is significantly higher than that in group O in 4 weeks.(25% VS 0%:P = 0.02)

Conclusions:

The safety and efficacy profiles of esomeprazole plus rebamipide and omeprazole and rebamipide are similar for the treatment of ESD-induced ulcers. In large-sized ulcers, esomeprazole plus rebamipide promotes ulcer healing.

Role of antisecretory agents for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection

Gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) causes artificial gastric ulcers and there is no consensus regarding the optimal perioperative management in terms of prevention of intra- or postoperative bleeding and promotion of healing. Traditionally, 8-week administration of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) and mucosal protective agents were used in the same way as for peptic ulcer management. However, recent studies have revealed that prior use of PPI might reduce intraoperative bleeding or early-phase postoperative bleeding, and combination of histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA), and second-look endoscopy might have a similar effect on postoperative bleeding to PPI. Additionally, the advantage of PPI over H2RA is not proven and the optimal duration of PPI may be shortened until 2 weeks when the deteriorating factors for ESD ulcer are excluded. Furthermore, mucosal protective agents may facilitate ulcer healing. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment protocol before and after ESD for both prevention of bleeding complication and promotion of ulcer healing, by using available antisecretory agents and mucosal protective agents.

Prospective randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of omeprazole and famotidine in preventing delayed bleeding and promoting ulcer healing after endoscopic submucosal dissection

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are generally used to prevent delayed bleeding after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and to heal the artificial ulcers. However, it remains controversial whether PPIs or histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H(2) RAs) are more effective in preventing delayed bleeding after ESD. We prospectively compared the effects of omeprazole and famotidine in preventing delayed bleeding and promoting artificial ulcer healing after ESD.

METHODS

A total of 158 patients (155 early gastric cancers and three adenomas) were randomly assigned to the PPI group (omeprazole 20 mg/day) or H(2) RA group (famotidine 40 mg/day) in a prospective randomized controlled trial. The primary end point was the incidence of hematemesis, melena, and/or a decrease in hemoglobin level of 2 g/dL or more requiring endoscopic hemostatic treatment. ESD-induced ulcer healing and changes in ulcer size were also compared at 6 weeks after ESD as a secondary end point.

RESULTS

Of the 158 patients, two were excluded from analysis because they had been treated with a PPI before the present study. Accordingly, data from 77 PPI and 79 H(2) RA subjects were included for analysis. Delayed bleeding after ESD occurred in 6.5% of subjects (PPI group) and in 6.3% (H(2) RA group); there was no significant difference between the two groups. Likewise, the two groups were not significantly different with respect to ulcer stage or ulcer size reduction rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Proton pump inhibitors are not superior to H(2) RAs for the prevention of delayed bleeding or the healing of artificially induced ulcers after ESD.

An open-label, randomized, cross-over bioequivalence study of lafutidine 10 mg under fasting condition

AIM: To assess the relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties of two formulations (test and reference) of Lafutidine 10 mg.

METHODS: The study was performed as an open label, randomized, two-way, two-period, two-treatment, single dose cross-over bioequivalence study, under non-fed condition to compare the pharmacokinetic profiles of the lafutidine formulation manufactured by Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd., India using an indigenously developed active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and the commercially available Stogra^® formulation, of UCB Japan Co., Ltd., Japan. The two treatments were separated by a wash-out period of 5 d. After an overnight fasting period of 10 h, the subjects were administered either the test or the reference medication as per the randomization schedule. Blood samples were collected at intervals up to 24 h, as per the approved protocol. Concentrations of lafutidine in plasma were analyzed by a validated liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method, and a non-compartmental model was used for pharmacokinetic analysis. The pharmacokinetic parameters were subjected to a 4-way ANOVA accounting for sequence, subjects, period and treatment. Statistical significance was evaluated at 95% confidence level (P ≥ 0.05).

RESULTS: The mean (± SD) values of the pharmacokinetic parameters (test vs reference) were C_max (265.15 ± 49.84 ng/mL vs 246.79 ± 29.30 ng/mL, P < 0.05), Area under the curve (AUC)_(0-t) (1033.13 ± 298.74 ng.h/mL vs 952.93 ± 244.07 ng.h/mL, P < 0.05), AUC_(0-∞) (1047.61 ± 301.22 ng.h/mL vs 964.21 ± 246.45 ng.h/mL, P < 0.05), and t_½(1.92 ± 0.94 h vs 2.05 ± 1.01 h, P < 0.05). The 90% confidence intervals (CI) for the test/reference ratio of mean C_max, AUC_(0-t), and AUC_(0-∞) were within the acceptable range of 80.00 to 125.00. The mean times (± SD) to attain maximal plasma concentration (t_max) of lafutidine were 0.95 ± 0.24 h vs 1.01 ± 0.29 h (P < 0.05) for the test and the reference formulations respectively. Both the formulations were well tolerated.

CONCLUSION: In summary, this study has demonstrated the bioequivalence of the two formulations of lafutidine 10 mg. Hence it can be concluded that the two formulations can be used interchangeably in clinical settings.