Atsuo Sekine

Niigata Prefectural Shibata Hospital, Shibata, Niigata-ken, Japan

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Publications (19)42.05 Total impact

  • Article: Clinical course of drug-induced collagenous colitis and histological changes after drug withdrawal in a Japanese case series.
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    ABSTRACT: Although the incidence of drug-induced collagenous colitis has been increasing, details of its clinical course and histological changes after withdrawal of the suspected causative drugs remain unclear. To shed light on this issue, we studied 15 patients with collagenous colitis diagnosed between 1999 and 2011 in our hospital. Clinical cure was achieved in 14 patients after withdrawal of the suspected causative drugs and in one patient after the administration of prednisolone. Six patients underwent a second colorectal endoscopic examination after clinical cure, and the histological features were compared with those in patients during the clinically active phase. Four of these six patients showed disappearance of the collagen band and a decrease in inflammatory cells, but the collagen band remained in the other two despite a decrease in inflammatory cells. Cell proliferation as shown by Ki-67 immunostaining was restored to normal, irrespective of whether the collagen band was retained. The surface-absorptive epithelia became mature in all patients. Histological improvement in collagenous colitis is believed to involve normalization of cell proliferation and maturation of the absorptive epithelium, and not necessarily disappearance of the collagen band.
    European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology 05/2012; 24(9):1105-9. · 1.66 Impact Factor
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    Article: Features of the atrophic corpus mucosa in three cases of autoimmune gastritis revealed by magnifying endoscopy.
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    ABSTRACT: Atrophic gastritis, whether caused by Helicobacter pylori infection or as a result of an autoimmune process, is associated with corpus atrophy. However, whereas atrophic gastritis caused by H. pylori involves the antrum, the antrum is spared in autoimmune gastritis. Here, we report the use of magnifying endoscopy to identify and distinguish atrophic gastritis caused by H. pylori from autoimmune gastritis. The mucosal pattern in autoimmune gastritis is that of closely arranged small round and oval pits, thus differing from the pattern seen in atrophic mucosa due to H. pylori infection. We speculate that this reflects differences in inflammation between the two types of gastritis. In autoimmune gastritis the inflammation is directed primarily against gastric glands, whereas in H. pylori infection the inflammation is directed against the bacteria on or near the surface and the damage initially affects the surface epithelium. During repair, the normal regular round pits are destroyed, whereas they remain largely intact in mucosa with autoimmune-associated atrophy. Confirmation of the features of autoimmune gastritis revealed by magnifying endoscopy would not only make the endoscopic diagnosis of autoimmune gastritis more accurate, but also help to elucidate changes in the surface epithelial structure of gastritis due to various causes.
    Case Reports in Medicine 01/2012; 2012:368160.
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    Article: MAGNIFYING ENDOSCOPY WITH NARROW BAND IMAGING FOR EARLY DIFFERENTIATED GASTRIC ADENOCARCINOMA
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    ABSTRACT: We have been using magnifying endoscopy with narrow band imaging (NBI) to study early differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas and to assess the relationship between microvessel pattern, pit pattern and histological pattern. The magnified view of the cancerous area showed three types of pattern: (i) a mesh pattern, consisting of mesh-like connected microvessels; (ii) a loop pattern, consisting of loop-like microvessels that were not connected and had tubule-like or villus-like mucosal structures along them; and (iii) an interrupted pattern, consisting of interrupted thick or thin vessels without mucosal structures. The mesh type of microvascular pattern showed a round pit pattern in 88.9% of cases (32/36) and the loop type of microvascular pattern showed a non-round pit pattern in 100% of cases. Among lesions that showed a mesh pattern or a loop pattern, 94.9% (56/59) were mucosal cancer and 5.1% (3/59) were submucosal cancer. However, 92.3% (12/13) of lesions that showed an interrupted pattern were submucosal differentiated adenocarcinoma and 7.7% (1/13) were mucosal differentiated adenocarcinoma. The present findings provide basic data on the characteristics of mucosal differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma revealed by magnifying endoscopy with NBI, as well as invasive changes such as submucosal invasion.
    Digestive Endoscopy 06/2008; 20(3):115 - 122. · 1.19 Impact Factor
  • Article: Collagenous gastritis: endoscopic and pathologic evaluation of the nodularity of gastric mucosa.
    Digestive Diseases and Sciences 05/2007; 52(4):995-1000. · 2.12 Impact Factor
  • Article: [How to handle Barrett's esophagus].
    Nippon Shokakibyo Gakkai zasshi The Japanese journal of gastro-enterology 12/2006; 103(11):1238-44.
  • Article: ENDOSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS OF MUCOSAL ADENOCARCINOMAS AND INTESTINAL METAPLASIA OF COLUMNAR‐LINED ESOPHAGUS USING ENHANCED‐MAGNIFICATION ENDOSCOPY
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    ABSTRACT: The present study assessed whether or not acetic acid-enhanced-magnification endoscopy was practical for the detection of mucosal cancer as well as intestinal metaplasia. Fifty-three patients (40 men, 13 women; median age 60.8 years) with columnar-lined esophagus were enrolled in a prospective trial of enhanced-magnification endoscopy after instillation of 1.5% acetic acid. Each enhanced-magnification endoscopic mucosal pattern was classified as one of six types: type I, small round pits of uniform size and shape; II, slit-reticular pattern; IIIa, gyrus pattern; IIIb, villous pattern; IV, irregular granular pattern and V, minute grain-like pattern. Two adenocarcinomas were found in two patients and intestinal metaplasia was found in 26 of the 52 patients (50.0%); 12 of 25 (48.0%) were < 1 cm, seven of 18 (38.9%) were 1–2 cm, three of five (60.0%) were 2–3 cm and four of four (100%) were > 3 cm. A total of 115 biopsy specimens were obtained from enhanced-magnified areas. Three of three areas (100%) showing type V and two of two areas (100%) showing type IV were adenocarcinoma. Twenty-four (71%) of 34 areas indicating type IIIa were intestinal metaplasias and 10 (29%) showed cardiac mucosa. Nine of 10 (90%) of type IIIb were intestinal metaplasias; 45 (82%) of 55 type II specimens showed cardiac mucosa and eight (15%) were intestinal metaplasias. Eleven of 11 (100%) type I specimens showed fundic mucosa. Acetic acid-enhanced-magnification endoscopy was effective for the diagnosis of adenocarcinomas as well as intestinal metaplasia in Barrett’s esophagus.
    Digestive Endoscopy 07/2006; 18(s1):S21 - S26. · 1.19 Impact Factor
  • Article: The study of dynamic chemical magnifying endoscopy in gastric neoplasia.
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    ABSTRACT: We assessed the usefulness of acetic acid-enhanced magnifying endoscopy in the diagnosis of gastric neoplasia. Forty-five patients (27 men, 18 women; median age 61.6 years) with gastric carcinoma or adenoma were enrolled in a prospective trial of enhanced magnifying endoscopy after instillation of 1.5% acetic acid. Acetic acid-enhanced magnified views of carcinoma or adenoma and the surrounding non-neoplastic mucosa were observed, and the duration of whitening time of each lesion was recorded. Magnified views of carcinoma showed a minute, grain-like pattern that differed from the surrounding noncancerous mucosa. The histopathologic diagnostic criteria were based on the Vienna classification of GI epithelial neoplasia. The mean duration of whitening differed with each histologic type: low-grade adenoma, 94 seconds; high-grade adenoma, 24.3 seconds; noninvasive carcinoma, 20.1 seconds; invasive intramucosal carcinoma, 3.5 seconds; and submucosal carcinoma or beyond, 2.5 seconds. The duration in the non-neoplastic surrounding mucosa was 90 seconds. After the disappearance of whitening in the carcinoma, the irregular pattern of the carcinoma reappeared, and the contrast between carcinomatous microvessels and the whitened non-neoplastic tissue became very clear on magnifying endoscopy. In accordance with the duration of whitening, more than 1 minute was termed "continuous whitening," from 31 to 60 seconds was "delayed disappearance of whitening," from 30 to 6 seconds was "early disappearance of whitening," and 0 to 5 seconds was "no response." Acetic acid-enhanced magnifying endoscopy was useful for the diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma. The duration of whitening differed among grades of neoplasia, and it was possible to observe changes in the whitening with time. Acetic acid-enhanced magnifying endoscopy, therefore, can be termed "dynamic chemical magnifying endoscopy."
    Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 01/2006; 62(6):963-9. · 4.88 Impact Factor
  • Article: [Magnification endoscopy diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus with methylene blue and acetic acid].
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    ABSTRACT: Intestinal metaplasia of Barrett's esophagus is pre-cancerous lesion and it is important to diagnose intestinal metaplasia by endoscopic examination. Predefined 4 quadrant sampling technique is popular in western countries. However, chromoendoscopy or magnification endoscopy have been tried to diagnose intestinal metaplasia. We have carried out magnification endoscopy with methylene blue and magnification endoscopy with acetic acid. In magnification endoscopy with methylene blue, intestinal metaplasia showed blue-staining area with tubulaous or cavernous pattern. In magnification endoscopy with acetic acid, all of epithelium of Barrett's esophagus changed to whitening surface and it was easy to observe the structure of each epithelium. Intestinal metaplasia showed tubulaous or villous, although fundic type showed pits of small round and cardiac type showed oval pattern with central-slit pits.
    Nippon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine 09/2005; 63(8):1411-5.
  • Article: AN ENDOSCOPIC AND MAGNIFYING ENDOSCOPIC STUDY OF ESOPHAGEAL CARDIAC GLAND: WHAT ROLE DOES ESOPHAGEAL CARDIAC GLAND PLAY AT THE ESOPHAGO‐GASTRIC JUNCTION?
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    ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether areas of yellow elevated change in the distal squamous epithelium represent esophageal cardiac gland and to further assess the features of the exposed esophageal cardiac gland in the magnified view. In addition, the relationship between the columnar-lined esophagus, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), reflux esophagitis, and H. pylori infection was also assessed. Fifty patients (28 men, 22 women; median age 61 years) underwent elective upper GI endoscopy. The distal margin of the squamo-columnar junction was observed to ascertain whether a yellow elevated lesion was present. When such a lesion was observed, this area was studied using magnifying endoscopy with acetic acid and a biopsy specimen was taken. Furthermore, biopsy specimens of the cardia, antrum, and body were taken for biopsy specimen to check for the presence of carditis, gastritis, and H. pylori. Of 38 patients showing the yellow elevated change, all showed exposed columnar epithelium and 30 patients proved to have esophageal cardiac gland tissue in biopsy specimens. Of 31 patients with H. pylori infection, all had carditis and the yellow elevated lesion. Of 19 patients with a H. pylori-negative normal stomach, none had carditis and seven patients had the yellow elevated change which was ascertained to be esophageal cardia by biopsy. The yellow elevated change at the distal squamo-columnar junction was revealed to be esophageal cardiac gland and exposed esophageal cardiac gland was visible in all cases by magnifying endoscopy with acetic acid.
    Digestive Endoscopy 07/2005; 17(s1):S11 - S16. · 1.19 Impact Factor
  • Article: Cytokeratin immunoreactivity patterns in short-segment Barrett's esophagus in Japanese patients.
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    ABSTRACT: The origin of intestinal metaplasia at the esophagogastric junction has clinical importance. However, it can be difficult to differentiate between intestinal metaplasia of short-segment Barrett's esophagus and cardiac intestinal metaplasia due to Helicobacter pylori infection. Specific patterns of cytokeratin (CK)7 and CK20 have been detected in long-segment Barrett's esophagus. The aim of the present study was to assess the immunostaining patterns associated with short-segment Barrett's esophagus. Paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens were prepared from 128 patients with intestinal metaplasia of long-segment Barrett's esophagus (n = 3), short-segment Barrett's esophagus without H. pylori infection (n = 22), short-segment Barrett's esophagus with H. pylori infection (n = 22), and cardiac mucosa (n = 49) and gastric mucosa from antrum and fundus (n = 44) with H. pylori infection. Sections were prepared and immunostained for CK7 and CK20. A Barrett's CK7/20 pattern was present in all three patients (100%) with long-segment Barrett's esophagus, 21 of 22 patients (95%) with short-segment Barrett's esophagus without H. pylori infection, and six of 22 patients (27%) with short-segment Barrett's esophagus with H. pylori infection (P < 0.05). Intestinal metaplasia of short-segment Barrett's esophagus in patients without H. pylori infection is thought to be similar to that seen in long-segment Barrett's esophagus.
    Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 07/2005; 20(6):929-34. · 2.87 Impact Factor
  • Article: Regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC): a characteristic endoscopic feature of Helicobacter pylori-negative normal stomach and its relationship with esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma.
    Journal of Gastroenterology 06/2005; 40(5):443-52. · 4.16 Impact Factor
  • Article: Endoscopic findings of adenocarcinoma arising from short-segment Barrett's esophagus.
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    ABSTRACT: Adenocarcinoma arising from short-segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE) is rare in Japan, although the incidence of this condition is increasing in Western countries. Four cases of early adenocarcinoma arising from SSBE were diagnosed and treated at Niigata-prefectural Yoshida Hospital. All patients were male, variously 55, 71, 73 and 79 years of age. All four patients had long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease, although one patient had erosive esophagitis and three patients did not have erosive esophagitis. Three patients were diagnosed as having Helicobacter pylori-free stomach. All adenocarcinomas occurred close to the squamocolumnar junction. Patients with SSBE should undergo detailed endoscopic examination of the squamocolumnar junction in order to detect early adenocarcinoma arising from SSBE.
    Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 09/2004; 19(8):940-3. · 2.87 Impact Factor
  • Article: IS IT DIFFICULT FOR ENDOSCOPISTS WHO HAVE DONE CONVENTIONAL ENDOSCOPIC MUCOSAL RESECTION TO PERFORM SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION?
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    ABSTRACT: Submucosal resection is a very useful method of endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for en bloc resection. We began using this method in March 2003 and have resected lesions in 16 patients with gastric cancer. We describe the procedure times and complications associated with submucosal resection from a beginner's point of view. Our first five patients experienced bleeding and perforation. With the aid of a range of instruments and the advice of expert endoscopists, our complication rate became very low and the procedure time much shorter. Endoscopists who seek to perform submucosal dissections easily and safely should avail themselves of training and education from experts in the method. A program for training endoscopists in submucosal dissection is essential.
    Digestive Endoscopy 07/2004; 16(s1):S76 - S79. · 1.19 Impact Factor
  • Article: Intestinal metaplasia of gastric cardia and carditis in Japanese patients with Helicobacter pylori infection.
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    ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia of the gastric cardia in Japanese patients with Helicobacter pylori infection. One hundred and fifty-seven patients with H. pylori infection participated in this study. Four biopsy specimens were taken from antrum, lesser and greater curvatures of stomach, and cardia for histological examination. The patients were divided into three groups: those < or = 39 years of age (group A), those 40-59 years old (group B), and those > or = 60 years of age (group C). The proportions of the patients with intestinal metaplasia of the gastric cardia in the three groups were 12, 39, and 65%, respectively. Their intestinal metaplasia of gastric cardia scores were 0.2, 0.54, and 0.81, respectively (significant difference among groups A, B, and C: p < 0.05), according to the updated Sydney classification. The prevalence of intestinal metaplasia of the gastric cardia and carditis in Japanese patients with H. pylori infection was similar to that of metaplasia of antrum and lesser curvature of the stomach.
    Digestion 02/2004; 70(2):103-8. · 2.05 Impact Factor
  • Article: Accuracy of magnifying endoscopy with methylene blue in the diagnosis of specialized intestinal metaplasia and short-segment Barrett's esophagus in Japanese patients without Helicobacter pylori infection.
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    ABSTRACT: The use of methylene blue chromoendoscopy in the diagnosis of specialized intestinal metaplasia in short-segment Barrett's esophagus is controversial. This study evaluated the use of magnifying endoscopy with methylene blue for this purpose. A total of 30 patients (21 men, 9 women; median age 61 years, range 32-79 years) with short lengths of columnar-lined esophagus were enrolled in a prospective trial of magnifying endoscopy with methylene blue in which the appearance after methylene blue staining was used to target biopsy specimens. Patients were screened for Helicobacter pylori infection, and only those without infection were enrolled (because many Japanese patients have pan-gastritis caused by H pylori infection, and intestinal metaplasia distal to the squamocolumnar junction may be secondary to H pylori-induced gastritis). All biopsy specimens were stained with H and E; MUC2 immunostaining was used to identify specialized intestinal metaplasia. Thirty patients with short-segment columnar-lined esophagus underwent magnifying endoscopy with methylene blue. Ninety-three biopsy specimens were obtained, 33 from methylene blue-stained areas and 60 from unstained areas, each about 7 mm from the marginal edge of stained areas. Specialized intestinal metaplasia was confirmed in biopsy specimens from 28 of the 33 stained areas (sensitivity 84.8%); in biopsy specimens from 55 of the 60 unstained areas, specialized intestinal metaplasia was not found (specificity 91.7%). In magnified views of methylene blue-positive areas, a tubular, cavernous, or elliptical pattern was seen. Sixteen of 21 men (76.2%) and 3 of 9 women had specialized intestinal metaplasia, and short-segment Barrett's esophagus was diagnosed in these patients. Even in patients with less than 1 cm of columnar-lined esophagus, 8 of 10 stained areas contained specialized intestinal metaplasia (sensitivity 80%) and 23 of 24 unstained areas did not (specificity 95.8%). Six of 12 patients (50%) with less than 1 cm of columnar-lined esophagus had specialized intestinal metaplasia. In total, 19 of 30 patients had specialized intestinal metaplasia. Magnifying endoscopy with methylene blue selectively detects specialized intestinal metaplasia within short-segment columnar-lined esophagus.
    Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 09/2003; 58(2):189-95. · 4.88 Impact Factor
  • Article: An early cancer of the gastric cardia arising from carditis after long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease in the absence of Helicobacter pylori infection.
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    ABSTRACT: We describe an early gastric cardiac cancer in a patient who had suffered long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) but showed no evidence of infection with Helicobacter pylori. Proximal gastrectomy and partial resection of the lower esophagus was performed. Histological examination revealed the lesion to be a gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma, which had partially invaded the submucosal layer. Intestinal metaplasia was also found in some areas. Inflammation, however, appeared to be limited to the gastric cardia. This cancer may have arisen via a sequence of carditis and cardiac intestinal metaplasia, due primarily to the GERD and not to H. pylori infection.
    Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 12/2002; 17(11):1236-8. · 2.87 Impact Factor
  • Article: MAGNIFYING ENDOSCOPY OF THE GASTRIC BODY: A COMPARISON OF THE FINDINGS BEFORE and AFTER ERADICATION OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI
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    ABSTRACT: Gastric mucosal changes observed by magnifying endoscopy before and after eradication of Helicobacter pylori have not been investigated, although histological changes have been reported. In a previous paper, we described the principal features of the gastric body of the H. pylori-negative normal stomach observed by magnifying endoscopy. In this report, we describe the magnified features of the gastric body before and after successful eradication of H. pylori. On the basis of these magnified features, we tried to determine whether eradication had been successful in 54 patients by examining their magnified views. We also observed the lesser curvatures of patients over 1 year after successful eradication and evaluated the correlations between the magnified features and histological grade of atrophy.1. The following three features of magnified views after successful eradication were observed: (i) erythema and/or swelling of the areas between the gastric pits disappeared; (ii) white pits became pinhole-like; and (iii) collecting venules became visible.2. Successful eradication was diagnosed in 50 patients according to their magnified features and culture and histological examination proved that eradication had been successful in them all. Unsuccessful eradication was diagnosed in four patients, because they either had white, not pinhole-like, pits or erythema of the areas between the pits. Culture and histological studies revealed that eradication had been unsuccessful in three of them, but culture, histological examination and the urea breath test proved it had been successful in the other.3. Magnified views of the lesser curvature of the lower body of patients over 1 year after successful eradication were classified into two types; one comprised pinhole-like pits and a network of capillaries and the other comprised tubular structures. The atrophic grade of biopsy specimens from patients with the former type was significantly lower than that of patients with the latter features.Magnifying endoscopy was developed in order to observe the gastric mucosa in more detail than is possible with standard endoscopy, in the hope that the views obtained would enable diagnosis of certain conditions to be made without the need for biopsy. Examination of the magnified views produced by this technique enables H. pylori eradication to be diagnosed and the grade of histological atrophy to be estimated.
    Digestive Endoscopy 07/2002; 14(s1):S76 - S82. · 1.19 Impact Factor
  • Article: Magnified view of adenocarcinoma in short segment Barrett's esophagus treated by endoscopic mucosal resection.
    Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 03/2002; 55(2):278-81. · 4.88 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characteristic endoscopic and magnified endoscopic findings in the normal stomach without Helicobacter pylori infection.
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    ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to clarify the endoscopic features of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-free stomach by examining the arrangement of minute points visible on the corpus. Since these points were clarified by magnifying endoscopy as collecting venules, this finding was termed 'regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC)'. The findings from more endoscopic studies are presented and the differences between magnified views of the normal and H. pylori-infected corpus and antrum are described in particular. The study group consisted of 557 patients who were subjected to endoscopy and checked for H. pylori. The RAC in each patient was assessed. Magnifying endoscopy in 301 patients was used to examine the corpus and in 94 patients to examine the antrum. One hundred and fifty-eight patients had normal stomachs without H. pylori. We diagnosed 389 patients with H. pylori gastritis. In 10 patients H. pylori was not detected, but inflammation was present. Of the 158 patients with H. pylori-negative normal stomachs, 151 had RAC. As a determinant of the normal stomach without H. pylori infection, the presence of RAC had 93.8% sensitivity and 96.2% specificity. All 30 patients with H. pylori-negative normal stomachs had a well-defined ridge pattern (wDRP) on the antrum as observed under magnifying endoscopy. As a determinant of the normal stomach without H. pylori infection, wDRP had a specificity of 100%, but a sensitivity of only 54.5%. The presence of RAC is characteristic of a normal stomach without H. pylori. Magnified views of the normal antrum were different from that of the normal corpus.
    Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 02/2002; 17(1):39-45. · 2.87 Impact Factor