To investigate the rate of first-line eradication and the rate of second-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) from 2001 to 2010 in a single institute in Seoul.

Among the 2,717 patients who received H. pylori eradication treatment from 2001 to 2010 at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, the medical records of 1,466 patients who satisfied the condition of execution of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, positive H. pylori eradication results at 6~8 weeks after eradication therapy were reviewed retrospectively. Then the first-line and second-line eradication rates and the eradication rates according to endoscopy findings were also compared.

The first-line eradication rate was 77% H. pylori eradication rate for the last 5 years was continuously increasing and no sign of decline was observed even for the whole 10 years. The rates of eradication related to endoscopic findings showed statistical significance (P<0.001) of 79.8% and 70.1% each for peptic ulcer and non-ulcerative gastric diseases, respectively.

In this study, no decrease in tendency of first-line eradication rate could be found. In addition, the patients with the non-ulcerative gastric disease seemed to show significantly lower eradication rate. This finding suggests eradication treatment may be affected by the category of gastric diseases, and careful considerations should be taken assessing the effects and needs for the H. pylori eradication treatment.

Although Helicobacter pylori exists worldwide, no large population studies has been conducted on the epidemiology of the infection in South Korea. The purpose of this study is to examine the seroprevalence and determinants of H. pylori infection in an urban community in Korea.

From 22,803 residents, 1000 were randomly recruited from the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th clusters of Mokdong apartment complex by multi-stage sampling. In 742 subjects(74.2% of the initial sample) H. pylori specific IgG antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A questionnaire asking about monthly income, number of family members, education, and other social background was distributed to all subjects. In addition, each subject was measured for height and weight.

The overall seroprevalence of H. pylori infection was 48.0%. H. pylori prevalence significantly increased with age from 41.9% to 54.9%. The prevalence of infection seemed to increase with males, more family members and smoking. However, the occupation, body mass index, education, generation, alcohol consumption and monthly income of the patient were not significantly related to H. pylori seroprevalence.

This study is a large cross-sectional, randomly sampled epidemiologic study of H. pylori infection in an urban community in Korea. The seroprevalence of H. pylori infection was 48.0%. Age was discovered to be the primary risk factor with no other determinants such as the sex and sociodemography being associated to the infection of H. pylori.

Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis, which progress to peptic ulcer, gastric atrophy, or gastric cancer. However, little is known about the role of Helicobacter pylori in reflux esophagitis. Corpus gastritis reduces the parietal cell mass and decreased peak acid output as a known risk factor for reflux esophagitis. So the relationship among reflux esophagitis and corpus gastritis and Helicobacter pylori needs to be clarified.

In prospective, controlled study of patients with reflux esophagitis without other gastrointestinal disease, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori was assessed. Antral and corpus biopsy were performed and rapid urease test and Giemsa staining were taken for Helicobacter pylori status.

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori was 43.8%(21/48) in reflux esophagitis and 67.5%(27/40) in reference group. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori was significantly lower in patients compared with the reference group(p<O.O5). The corpus gastritis was no significant relationship with reflux esophagitis and Helicobacter pylory.

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with reflux esophagitis is significantly lower than in the reference group, irrespective of corpus gastritis. It is suggested that Helicobacter pylori infection have a preventive role to reflux esophagitis, so we may be aware of balance between 'deleterious' and 'beneficial' effects of Helicobacter pylori eradication.

The apparent acute hepatitis A was occuring among adolescene and young adults during last several years. So here we present the clinical manifestations and laboratory finding and risk factors of 72 patients with acute hepatitis A who were referred to our community hospital.

Seventy-two Patients, 6 to 40 years of age(mean ; 22±8 years) with hepatitis A identified by testing their sera for IgM anti-HAV antibody. Medical records for patients with HAV infection were retrospectively reviewed for symptoms, signs, and laboratory values.

The prevalence of hepatitis A have been increased recently, especially during last 2 years. The probable exposures to HAV included food- or waterborne source, household, foreign travel, day care centers. The clinical symptoms are not distinguishable from hepatitis due to other agents. The mean laboratory tests included total bilirubin 6.0mg/dl, AST/ALT 1064.0±1123.4mIU/mL, 1561.7±1203.0mIU/ml, respectively. All 72 patients experienced complete clinical and biochemical recovery within 6 months after onset of illness.

Abrupt increase of hepatitis A was occuring among the adolescents and young adults recently. Improved sanitation has brought our countries shifting a nearly universal asymptomatic infection in children to a less common but more significant disease expression in adults.

The adult polycystic kidney disease(APCK) is inheritant disease in which cysts aredistributed throught the cortex and medulla of both kidneys. The disease process is usually notclinically apparent until the third or fourh decade of life. Mild persistent proteinuria(> 200mg/d) can be developed in 20% to 40% of cases, but nephrotic-range proteinuria is rare and whenfound, should prompt a search for the other concomitant renal disorder, such as IgA nephropathy, rapidly progressive glomerulonephropathy, focal glomerulosclerosis.

We report a case of APCK presented with nephrotic syndrome. A 76-year-old man was admitted due to generalized edema with weakness. The blood pressure was120/80mmHg. The BUN/creatinine were 15/1.2mg/dl, serum albumin 2.9g/dl, cholesterol / triglyceride 432/273mg/dl, total urinary protein excretion 8.41g/day.

The serum level of IgG, IgAS, IgM, C₃, C₄ were within normal range and anti-nuclear antibody and anti-double strand DNA antibody were also negative. The abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography revealed multiple large cysts in both kidneys.The patient was treated with Enalapril®, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, 5mg forcontrol of proteinuria.

The APCK presented with nephrotic syndrome is rare and to our knowledge,this is a first report in Korea.