ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Colonic volvulus (CV), a common cause of bowel obstruction, often requires intervention. We aimed to identify hospitalization trends and CV outcomes in the United States. @*Methods@#We used the National Inpatient Sample to identify all adult CV hospitalizations in the United States from 2007 to 2017. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient outcomes were highlighted. Outcomes of endoscopic and surgical management were compared. @*Results@#From 2007 to 2017, there were 220,666 CV hospitalizations. CV-related hospitalizations increased from 17,888 in 2007 to 21,715 in 2017 (p=0.001). However, inpatient mortality decreased from 7.6% in 2007 to 6.2% in 2017 (p<0.001). Of all CV-related hospitalizations, 13,745 underwent endoscopic intervention, and 77,157 underwent surgery. Although the endoscopic cohort had patients with a higher Charlson comorbidity index, we noted lower inpatient mortality (6.1% vs. 7.0%, p<0.001), mean length of stay (8.3 vs. 11.8 days, p<0.001), and mean total healthcare charge ($68,126 vs. $106,703, p<0.001) compared to the surgical cohort. Male sex, increased Charlson comorbidity index scores, acute kidney injury, and malnutrition were associated with higher odds of inpatient mortality in patients with CV who underwent endoscopic management. @*Conclusions@#Endoscopic intervention has lower inpatient mortality and is an excellent alternative to surgery for appropriately selected CV hospitalizations.
ABSTRACT
Radiotherapy (RT) is a treatment modality that uses high-energy rays or radioactive agents to generate ionizing radiation against rapidly dividing cells. The main objective of using radiation in cancer therapy is to impair or halt the division of the tumor cells. Over the past few decades, advancements in technology, the introduction of newer methods of RT, and a better understanding of the pathophysiology of cancers have enabled physicians to deliver doses of radiation that match the exact dimensions of the tumor for greater efficacy, with minimal exposure of the surrounding tissues. However, RT has numerous complications, the most common being radiation proctitis (RP). It is characterized by damage to the rectal epithelium by secondary ionizing radiation. Based on the onset of signs and symptoms, post-radiotherapy RP can be classified as acute or chronic, each with varying levels of severity and complication rates. The treatment options available for RP are limited, with most of the data on treatment available from case reports or small studies. Here, we describe the types of RT used in modern-day medicine and radiation-mediated tissue injury. We have primarily focused on the classification, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, treatment strategies, complications, and prognosis of RP.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Proinflammatory cytokines released from adipocytes can influence the development, progression, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and may be associated with worse clinical outcomes. @*Methods@#For 2016–2018, we analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify adult (≥18 years) hospitalizations with a primary discharge diagnosis of IBD. The study sample was divided based on the presence or absence of obesity. The primary outcomes included inpatient mortality, while the secondary outcomes consisted of system-based complications and disease implications on the United States healthcare system. @*Results@#We identified 282,005 hospitalizations of IBD from 2016 to 2018. Of these hospitalizations, 26,465 (9.4%) had a secondary diagnosis of obesity while 255,540 (90.6%) served as controls. IBD hospitalizations with obesity had a higher mean age (47.9 years vs. 45.2 years, P<0.001), middle age (range, 40–65 years) predominance (37.7% vs. 28.9%, P<0.001), female predominance (64.1% vs. 52.5%, P<0.001) and higher proportion of patients with comorbidities compared to the non-obese cohort. White predominance was observed in both subgroups. No difference in the odds of inpatient mortality was noted between the 2 subgroups; however, IBD hospitalizations with obesity had higher mean total hospital charge ($50,126 vs. $45,001, P<0.001), longer length of stay (5.5 days vs. 4.9 days, P<0.001) and higher proportion of complications compared to the non-obese cohort. @*Conclusions@#Obese IBD hospitalizations had higher length of stay, total hospital charge, and complications compared to the non-obese cohort.