http://www.hindawi.comThe latest articles from Hindawi Publishing Corporation© 2008, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.http://www.hindawi.com/GetArticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/2008/742146Various gastrointestinal infiltrations have been described in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Here, we report a 69-year-old man with CLL and anaemia in whom the macroscopic finding of colonoscopy was normal, but the histological specimens revealed lymphocytic leukemia in ileum and in colon. If a CLL patient has any symptoms suggesting a possible GI manifestation of the haematologic disease or anaemia not explained by bone marrow infiltration or hemolysis, the diagnostic evaluation should include endoscopies with adequate biopsies.P. E. T. Arkkila, H. Nuutinen, F. Ebeling, E. Elonen, P. Kärkkäinen, and M.-L. Karjalainen-Lindsberg© 2008, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.http://www.hindawi.com/GetArticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/2008/584929Objective. Gastric acid plays an important part in the prevention of bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. If these bacteria have an ability of hydrogen (H2) fermentation, intraluminal H2 gas might be detected. We attempted to measure the intraluminal H2 concentrations to determine the bacterial overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract. Patients and methods. Studies were performed in 647 consecutive patients undergoing upper endoscopy. At the time of endoscopic examination, we intubated the stomach and the descending part of the duodenum without inflation by air, and 20 mL of intraluminal gas samples of both sites was collected through the biopsy channel. Intraluminal H2 concentrations were measured by gas chromatography. Results. Intragastric and intraduodenal H2 gas was detected in 566 (87.5%) and 524 (81.0%) patients, respectively. The mean values of intragastric and intraduodenal H2 gas were 8.5±15.9 and 13.2±58.0 ppm, respectively. The intraduodenal H2 level was increased with the progression of atrophic gastritis, whereas the intragastric H2 level was the highest in patients without atrophic gastritis. Conclusions. The intraduodenal hydrogen levels were increased with the progression of atrophic gastritis. It is likely that the influence of hypochlorhydria on bacterial overgrowth in the proximal small intestine is more pronounced, compared to that in the stomach.Yoshihisa Urita, Toshiyasu Watanabe, Tadashi Maeda, Tomohiro Arita, Yosuke Sasaki, Takamasa Ishii, Tatsuhiro Yamamoto, Akiro Kugahara, Asuka Nakayama, Makie Nanami, Kaoru Domon, Susumu Ishihara, Hirohito Kato, Kazuo Hike, Norikok Hara, Shuji Watanabe, Kazushige Nakanishi, Motonobu Sugimoto, and Kazumasa Miki© 2008, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.http://www.hindawi.com/GetArticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/2008/580341There is an obvious, significant, and diachronic reduction of the prevalence of HBV infection in Greece, concerning the general population as well as some traditionally high-risk groups, mainly as a result of constant informing and the widespread initiation of preventive and prophylactic measures, as well as the improvement of health care services. Nevertheless, there are special groups and populations (economical refugees, religious minorities, HIV-positive patients, abroad pregnant women, prostitutes, etc.) who represent sacs of high HBV endemicity and need epidemiological supervision and intervention, in order to limit the spread of the infection and to further improve the existing epidemiological data.Konstantinos D. Pantazis, Ioannis S. Elefsiniotis, and Hero Brokalaki© 2008, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.http://www.hindawi.com/GetArticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/2008/237185Background. Smoking has a detrimental effect in Crohn's disease (CD), but this may be due to factors in smoking other than nicotine. Given that transdermal nicotine benefits ulcerative colitis (UC), and there is a considerable overlap in the treatment of UC and CD, the possible beneficial effect of nicotine has been examined in patients with Crohn's colitis. Aims. To assess the efficacy and safety of nicotine enemas in active Crohn's colitis. Patients. Thirteen patients with active rectosigmoid CD; 3 patients were excluded because they received antibiotics. Methods. Subjects were given 6 mg nicotine enemas, each day for 4 weeks, in an open pilot study. At the beginning and end of the trial, a Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) score was calculated, sigmoidoscopy was performed, and haematological inflammatory markers measured. Results. Mean CDAI decreased from 202 to 153—the score was reduced in 6 patients, unchanged in 3, and increased in one. Frequency of bowel movements decreased in 8 patients and the sigmoidoscopy grade was reduced in 7. Mean C-reactive protein decreased from 22.0 to 12.3 mg/L. There were no withdrawals due to adverse events. Conclusions. In this relatively small study of patients with active Crohn's colitis, 6 mg nicotine enemas appeared to be of clinical benefit in most patients. They were well tolerated and safe.J. R. Ingram, J. Rhodes, B. K. Evans, and G. A. O. Thomas© 2008, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.http://www.hindawi.com/GetArticle.aspx?doi=10.1155/2008/637517Konstantinos D. Pantazis, Ioannis S. Elefsiniotis, Dimitrios Papaioannou, Hero Brokalaki, Gerasimos Bonatsos, and Christos Mavrogiannis© 2008, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.