Giovanni Gasbarrini (Padua, 30 August 1936) is an Italian physician whose work in the field of internal medicine, hepatology and gastroenterology earned him the 2013 lifetime achievement award of the United European Gastroenterology (UEG) association. [1]
Giovanni Gasbarrini was born in Padua in 1936 to Elisabetta Tinozzi and Antonio Gasbarrini. The father Antonio - professor of internal medicine at the University of Padua and Bologna - was a famous Italian physician that laid the groundwork for modern internal medicine and gastroenterology, and was the founder of the Italian society of gastroenterology. During his childhood, Giovanni Gasbarrini developed a strong scientific interest for the medical subjects studied by his father Antonio, and after high school graduation in 1954 at the Luigi Galvani 'Liceo Classico' in Bologna, decided to continue his studies at the faculty of medicine in the same city. In 1960 he married Maria Luisa Di Paola, and they have three sons Antonio, Elisabetta and Alessandro.
In 1960 Gasbarrini graduated from the University of Bologna with summa cum laude as medical doctor. He specialized in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine at the same institution and started his academic career as assistant professor at the University of Bologna in 1964. Then, in 1970, he moved to the D'Annunzio University of Chieti–Pescara. Finally, he was appointed as Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Bologna in 1977 and at the Catholic University of Rome in 1993. He was the Chairman of the "Specialization School in Geriatrics and Gerontology at the University of Bologna, School of Medicine between 1980 and 1993, and of the Specialization School in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy at the Catholic University of Rome from 1993 onwards. [1]
Gasbarrini's contributions to the field of contemporary internal medicine and gastroenterology are remarkable. [1] He is a pioneer of pathophysiological research in a variety of gastric, intestinal and liver disorders at an international level. He is an active clinical researcher with a broad interest in gastrointestinal diseases such as peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease and malabsorption, liver diseases, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, gastrointestinal oncology, pancreatic disease, alcohol-related disorders and genetic syndromes of the gastrointestinal tract, to name a few. [1]
Gasbarrini has contributed much to scientific literature. He published more than 1000 peer-reviewed articles in international journals, which were cited over 36800 times, and he has h-index 96 as of December 2015, which is high considering that a significant part of his scientific articles were published before the internet era. He is in the list of the top Italian scientists of the VIA academy. [2] He has been a member of many editorial boards and has served as editor of several gastroenterological journals. [1] Among his scientific contributions are: the first electron microscopic studies of intestinal mucosa in coeliac disease [3] and other malabsorption syndromes; studies of the role of Helicobacter pylori in autoimmune thrombocytopenia; [4] research on the pathogenesis of biliary tract stones; [1] studies of drug-induced and viral hepatitis and studies on small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. [1]
Gasbarrini also made equally important contributions to education in gastroenterology, and to several European gastroenterology societies and organisations. [1] He mentored and trained many clinicians, academic clinicians and basic researchers who are active in patient care and research in gastroenterology all over the world. [1] He organized national and international scientific conferences and postgraduate and teaching courses, with a special focus on educational value for young people at the beginning of their careers. [1] Besides being active in many national and international societies, he served as President of the European Association for Gastroenterology, Endoscopy and Nutrition (EAGEN), and as President of the European Helicobacter and Microbiota Study Group (EHMSG). [1]
Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. The digestive system consists of the gastrointestinal tract, sometimes referred to as the GI tract, which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine as well as the accessory organs of digestion which includes the pancreas, gallbladder, and liver. The digestive system functions to move material through the GI tract via peristalsis, break down that material via digestion, absorb nutrients for use throughout the body, and remove waste from the body via defecation. Physicians who specialize in the medical specialty of gastroenterology are called gastroenterologists or sometimes GI doctors. Some of the most common conditions managed by gastroenterologists include gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bowel disease which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, peptic ulcer disease, gallbladder and biliary tract disease, hepatitis, pancreatitis, colitis, colon polyps and cancer, nutritional problems, and many more.
Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a class of medications that cause a profound and prolonged reduction of stomach acid production. They do so by irreversibly inhibiting the stomach's H+/K+ ATPase proton pump.
Coeliac disease or celiac disease is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine, where individuals develop intolerance to gluten, present in foods such as wheat, rye and barley. Classic symptoms include gastrointestinal problems such as chronic diarrhoea, abdominal distention, malabsorption, loss of appetite, and among children failure to grow normally. This often begins between six months and two years of age. Non-classic symptoms are more common, especially in people older than two years. There may be mild or absent gastrointestinal symptoms, a wide number of symptoms involving any part of the body, or no obvious symptoms. Coeliac disease was first described in childhood; however, it may develop at any age. It is associated with other autoimmune diseases, such as Type 1 diabetes mellitus and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, among others.
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines is a duodenal ulcer. The most common symptoms of a duodenal ulcer are waking at night with upper abdominal pain and upper abdominal pain that improves with eating. With a gastric ulcer, the pain may worsen with eating. The pain is often described as a burning or dull ache. Other symptoms include belching, vomiting, weight loss, or poor appetite. About a third of older people have no symptoms. Complications may include bleeding, perforation, and blockage of the stomach. Bleeding occurs in as many as 15% of cases.
Helicobacter pylori, previously known as Campylobacter pylori, is a gram-negative, microaerophilic, spiral (helical) bacterium usually found in the stomach. Its helical shape is thought to have evolved in order to penetrate the mucoid lining of the stomach and thereby establish infection. The bacterium was first identified in 1982 by the Australian doctors Barry Marshall and Robin Warren. H. pylori has been associated with cancer of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the stomach, esophagus, colon, rectum, or tissues around the eye, and of lymphoid tissue in the stomach.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a "disorder of gut-brain interaction" characterized by a group of symptoms that commonly include abdominal pain and or abdominal bloating and changes in the consistency of bowel movements. These symptoms may occur over a long time, sometimes for years. IBS can negatively affect quality of life and may result in missed school or work or reduced productivity at work. Disorders such as anxiety, major depression, and chronic fatigue syndrome are common among people with IBS.
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, is a cancer that develops from the lining of the stomach. Most cases of stomach cancers are gastric carcinomas, which can be divided into a number of subtypes, including gastric adenocarcinomas. Lymphomas and mesenchymal tumors may also develop in the stomach. Early symptoms may include heartburn, upper abdominal pain, nausea, and loss of appetite. Later signs and symptoms may include weight loss, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and blood in the stool, among others. The cancer may spread from the stomach to other parts of the body, particularly the liver, lungs, bones, lining of the abdomen, and lymph nodes.
Barry James Marshall is an Australian physician, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Professor of Clinical Microbiology and Co-Director of the Marshall Centre at the University of Western Australia. Marshall and Robin Warren showed that the bacterium Helicobacter pylori plays a major role in causing many peptic ulcers, challenging decades of medical doctrine holding that ulcers were caused primarily by stress, spicy foods, and too much acid. This discovery has allowed for a breakthrough in understanding a causative link between Helicobacter pylori infection and stomach cancer.
Tomica Milosavljević is a Serbian doctor and politician. He served as Minister of Health in the Government of Serbia under four Prime Ministers with the total span of seven years. He is also employed as a full professor at the University of Belgrade and works in the Clinical Centre of Serbia in Belgrade.
Malabsorption is a state arising from abnormality in absorption of food nutrients across the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Impairment can be of single or multiple nutrients depending on the abnormality. This may lead to malnutrition and a variety of anaemias.
Gastritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It may occur as a short episode or may be of a long duration. There may be no symptoms but, when symptoms are present, the most common is upper abdominal pain. Other possible symptoms include nausea and vomiting, bloating, loss of appetite and heartburn. Complications may include stomach bleeding, stomach ulcers, and stomach tumors. When due to autoimmune problems, low red blood cells due to not enough vitamin B12 may occur, a condition known as pernicious anemia.
Achlorhydria and hypochlorhydria refer to states where the production of hydrochloric acid in gastric secretions of the stomach and other digestive organs is absent or low, respectively. It is associated with various other medical problems.
Gastrointestinal diseases refer to diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract, namely the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum, and the accessory organs of digestion, the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
Atrophic gastritis is a process of chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa of the stomach, leading to a loss of gastric glandular cells and their eventual replacement by intestinal and fibrous tissues. As a result, the stomach's secretion of essential substances such as hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and intrinsic factor is impaired, leading to digestive problems. The most common are vitamin B12 deficiency possibly leading to pernicious anemia; and malabsorption of iron, leading to iron deficiency anaemia. It can be caused by persistent infection with Helicobacter pylori, or can be autoimmune in origin. Those with autoimmune atrophic gastritis (Type A gastritis) are statistically more likely to develop gastric carcinoma, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and achlorhydria.
Dermot P. Kelleher FMedSci is the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Vice-President, Health at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.
Helicobacter pylori eradication protocols is a standard name for all treatment protocols for peptic ulcers and gastritis in the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection. The primary goal of the treatment is not only temporary relief of symptoms but also total elimination of H. pylori infection. Patients with active duodenal or gastric ulcers and those with a prior ulcer history should be tested for H. pylori. Appropriate therapy should be given for eradication. Patients with MALT lymphoma should also be tested and treated for H. pylori since eradication of this infection can induce remission in many patients when the tumor is limited to the stomach. Several consensus conferences, including the Maastricht Consensus Report, recommend testing and treating several other groups of patients but there is limited evidence of benefit. This includes patients diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma, patients found to have atrophic gastritis or intestinal metaplasia, as well as first-degree relatives of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma since the relatives themselves are at increased risk of gastric cancer partly due to the intrafamilial transmission of H. pylori. To date, it remains controversial whether to test and treat all patients with functional dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or other non-GI disorders as well as asymptomatic individuals.
Zeynel Mungan is a Turkish citizen and Professor of Medicine, recognized for his academic achievements in the field of gastroenterology.
Costantino De Giacomo Graduated with honors in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Pavia in 1980.
Detlef Schuppan is a German biochemist and physician. He focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of coeliac disease and wheat sensitivity, fibrotic liver diseases and the immunology of chronic diseases and cancer. He is the director of the Institute of Translational Immunology and a professor of internal medicine, gastroenterology, and hepatology at the Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz in Germany. He directs the outpatient clinic for coeliac disease and small intestinal diseases. He is also a professor of medicine and a senior visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School.
Duodenal lymphocytosis, sometimes called lymphocytic duodenitis, lymphocytic duodenosis, or duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytosis, is a condition where an increased number of intra-epithelial lymphocytes is seen in biopsies of the duodenal mucosa when these are examined microscopically. This form of lymphocytosis is often a feature of coeliac disease but may be found in other disorders.
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