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Background/Aims@#Various endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) methods for gastric tumors have been tried. However, no studies have yet compared results according to the ESD method for gastric body tumors using a dual knife. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of two ESD methods for gastric body tumors: the pocket-creation method and conventional method. @*Methods@#Patients who underwent ESD for a gastric body tumor were retrospectively reviewed.Patients were divided into two groups according to the ESD method: the conventional method (group I) and pocket-creation method (group II). Characteristics of patients and tumors, hospitalization period, incidence of complications, resection margin status, incidence of surgical operation, procedure time, and laboratory findings were investigated. @*Results@#Of the total of 100 patients, 52 belonged to group I and 48 to group II. All tumors were successfully resected en bloc. Resection margin involvement was found in six (11.5%) of group I and six (12.5%) of group II. Complications were observed in seven (13.5%; major complication five, minor two) of group I and eight (16.7%; major two, minor six) of group II. There were no significant differences in ESD outcomes such as hospitalization period, incidence of complications, resection margin status, incidence of surgical operation, procedure time, or inflammatory response after ESD between the two groups. @*Conclusions@#Both methods are suitable for treating gastric body tumors with adequate treatment success rates and comparable complication rates.
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Background/Aims@#There have been little research on the cancer risks of patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) in Korea. We aimed to investigate the clinical features of PJS patients and their cancer incidence rate. @*Methods@#Patients with PJS from nine medical centers were enrolled. In those patients diagnosed with cancer, data obtained included the date of cancer diagnosis, the tumor location, and the cancer stage. The cumulative risks of gastrointestinal cancers and extra-gastrointestinal cancers were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. @*Results@#A total of 96 PJS patients were included. The median age at diagnosis of PJS was 23.4 years. Cancer developed in 21 of the 96 patients (21.9%). The age of PJS diagnosis was widely distributed (0.9 to 72.4 years). The most common cancers were gastrointestinal cancer (n = 12) followed by breast cancer (n = 6). The cumulative lifetime cancer risk was calculated to be 62.1% at age 60. The cumulative lifetime gastrointestinal cancer risk was 47.1% at age 70. The cumulative lifetime extra- gastrointestinal cancer risk was 40.3% at age 60. @*Conclusions@#PJS onset may occur at any age and the risks of gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal cancer are high. Thorough surveillance of PJS patients for malignancies is vital.
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Background/Aims@#The diagnosis of small bowel Crohn’s disease with negative ileocolonoscopic findings has been challenging. Fecal calprotectin (FC) has been used to detect colonic inflammation, but its efficacy for detecting small bowel inflammation is less established. We performed an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FC to detect active small bowel inflammation observed during capsule endoscopy. @*Methods@#We conducted a systematic literature search for studies that evaluated the correlation between small bowel inflammation and FC in patients with suspected/established Crohn’s disease. We calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) and constructed hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves for FC cutoffs of 50, 100, and 200 µg/g. @*Results@#Fourteen studies were eligible for the final analysis. The DORs of all FC cutoffs were significant. The highest DOR was observed at 100 µg/g (sensitivity, 0.73; specificity, 0.73; and DOR, 7.89) and was suggested as the optimal diagnostic cutoff. If we analyzed only studies that included patients with suspected Crohn’s disease, the DOR was 8.96. If we analyzed only studies that included patients with a Lewis score ≥135 as a diagnostic criterion for active disease, the DOR was 10.90. @*Conclusions@#FC has significant diagnostic accuracy for detecting small bowel inflammation, and an FC cutoff of 100 µg/g can be used as a tool to screen for small bowel Crohn’s disease.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Although balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) enables endoscopic visualization of small bowel (SB) involvement in Crohn’s disease (CD), there is no data on the changes in outcomes over time. We therefore investigated the changes in BAE use on CD patients over different time periods in terms of its role and clinical outcomes. @*Methods@#We used a multicenter enteroscopy database to identify CD patients with SB involvement who underwent BAE (131 procedures, 116 patients). We compared BAE-related factors and outcomes between the first period (70 procedures, 60 patients) and the second period (61procedures, 56 patients). The specific cutoff point for dividing the two periods was 2007, when BAE guidelines were introduced. @*Results@#Initial diagnosis of SB involvement in CD was the most common indication for BAE during each period (50.0% vs 31.1%, p=0.034). The largest change was in the number of BAE uses for stricture evaluation and/or treatment, which increased significantly in the latter period (2.9% vs 21.3%, p=0.002). The diagnostic yield in patients with suspected CD was 90.7% in the first period and 95.0% in the second (p=0.695). More endoscopic interventions were performed in the second period than in the first (5.1% vs 17.6%, p=0.041). Enteroscopic success rates were high throughout (100% in the first period vs 80.0% in the second period, p>0.999). In the first and second periods, therapeutic plans were adjusted in 62.7% and 61.4% of patients, respectively. @*Conclusions@#The overall clinical indications, outcomes, and effectiveness of BAE were constant over time in CD patients with SB involvement, with the exception that the frequency of enteroscopic intervention increased remarkably.
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Background/Aims@#PPARγ, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and CYP7A1 are associated with solubility of bile. This study was performed to understand a mechanism and interactions of statin-induced PPARγ, PGC-1α and HNF-4α related to the statin-induced activation of FXR and CYP7A1, and verify whether the mevalonate pathway is involved in the mechanism. @*Methods@#MTT assays were performed using cultured human Hep3B cells to determine the effect of atorvastatin on the cell proliferation. Expression levels of indicated proteins were measured using Western blotting assays by inhibiting the protein expression or not. @*Results@#Atorvastatin increased expression of PPARγ, PGC-1α, HNF-4α, FXR, and CYP7A1 in Hep3B cells. PPARγ ligand of troglitazone upregulated the expression of PGC-1α, HNF-4α, FXR, and CYP7A1 in Hep3B cells. Silencing of PPARγ, PGC1α, and HNF4α using respective siRNA demonstrated that atorvastatin-induced FXR and CYP7A1 activation required sequential action of PPARγ /PGC-1α/HNF-4α. The silencing of PPARγ completely inhibited atorvastatin-induced PGC-1α expression, and the PGC1α silencing partially inhibited atorvastatin-induced PPARγ expression. The inhibition of HNF4α did not affect atorvastatin-induced PPARγ expression, but partially inhibited atorvastatin-induced PGC-1α expression. Besides, mevalonate completely reversed the effect of atorvastatin on PPARγ, PGC-1α, HNF-4α, FXR, and CYP7A1. @*Conclusions@#Atorvastatin induces FXR and CYP7A1 activation as a result of sequential action of PPARγ/PGC-1α/HNF-4α in human hepatocytes. We propose that atorvastatin enhances solubility of cholesterol in bile by simultaneously activating of FXR and CYP7A1.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#The diagnosis of small bowel Crohn’s disease with negative ileocolonoscopic findings has been challenging. Fecal calprotectin (FC) has been used to detect colonic inflammation, but its efficacy for detecting small bowel inflammation is less established. We performed an updated meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FC to detect active small bowel inflammation observed during capsule endoscopy. @*Methods@#We conducted a systematic literature search for studies that evaluated the correlation between small bowel inflammation and FC in patients with suspected/established Crohn’s disease. We calculated the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (DORs) and constructed hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves for FC cutoffs of 50, 100, and 200 µg/g. @*Results@#Fourteen studies were eligible for the final analysis. The DORs of all FC cutoffs were significant. The highest DOR was observed at 100 µg/g (sensitivity, 0.73; specificity, 0.73; and DOR, 7.89) and was suggested as the optimal diagnostic cutoff. If we analyzed only studies that included patients with suspected Crohn’s disease, the DOR was 8.96. If we analyzed only studies that included patients with a Lewis score ≥135 as a diagnostic criterion for active disease, the DOR was 10.90. @*Conclusions@#FC has significant diagnostic accuracy for detecting small bowel inflammation, and an FC cutoff of 100 µg/g can be used as a tool to screen for small bowel Crohn’s disease.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Although balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) enables endoscopic visualization of small bowel (SB) involvement in Crohn’s disease (CD), there is no data on the changes in outcomes over time. We therefore investigated the changes in BAE use on CD patients over different time periods in terms of its role and clinical outcomes. @*Methods@#We used a multicenter enteroscopy database to identify CD patients with SB involvement who underwent BAE (131 procedures, 116 patients). We compared BAE-related factors and outcomes between the first period (70 procedures, 60 patients) and the second period (61procedures, 56 patients). The specific cutoff point for dividing the two periods was 2007, when BAE guidelines were introduced. @*Results@#Initial diagnosis of SB involvement in CD was the most common indication for BAE during each period (50.0% vs 31.1%, p=0.034). The largest change was in the number of BAE uses for stricture evaluation and/or treatment, which increased significantly in the latter period (2.9% vs 21.3%, p=0.002). The diagnostic yield in patients with suspected CD was 90.7% in the first period and 95.0% in the second (p=0.695). More endoscopic interventions were performed in the second period than in the first (5.1% vs 17.6%, p=0.041). Enteroscopic success rates were high throughout (100% in the first period vs 80.0% in the second period, p>0.999). In the first and second periods, therapeutic plans were adjusted in 62.7% and 61.4% of patients, respectively. @*Conclusions@#The overall clinical indications, outcomes, and effectiveness of BAE were constant over time in CD patients with SB involvement, with the exception that the frequency of enteroscopic intervention increased remarkably.
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Background/Aims@#Capsule endoscopy (CE) is recommended as the primary method for the evaluation of unexplained anemia. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic yield of CE in patients with unexplained iron deficiency anemia (IDA) without overt bleeding, and to evaluate their long-term outcomes and related clinical factors. @*Methods@#Data of patients who underwent CE for the evaluation of IDA were reviewed from a CE registry in Korea. Additional clinical data were collected by the involved investigators of each hospital through a review of medical records. @*Results@#Among a total of 144 patients, the diagnostic yield of CE was 34%. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was found in 6.3% (n=9) of the patients (occult bleeding in four patients and overt bleeding in five patients) during a mean follow-up of 17.8 months. Patients with a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) result at the initial diagnosis had a higher rate of GI bleeding after CE (p=0.004). In addition, a positive FOBT result was the only independent predictive factor for GI bleeding (hazard ratio, 5.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.41–19.85; p=0.013). @*Conclusions@#Positive FOBT is a predictive factor for GI bleeding during follow-up after CE in patients with unexplained IDA without overt bleeding. Thus, patients with positive FOBT need to be more closely followed up.
ABSTRACT
Background/Aims@#Capsule endoscopy (CE) is recommended as the primary method for the evaluation of unexplained anemia. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic yield of CE in patients with unexplained iron deficiency anemia (IDA) without overt bleeding, and to evaluate their long-term outcomes and related clinical factors. @*Methods@#Data of patients who underwent CE for the evaluation of IDA were reviewed from a CE registry in Korea. Additional clinical data were collected by the involved investigators of each hospital through a review of medical records. @*Results@#Among a total of 144 patients, the diagnostic yield of CE was 34%. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was found in 6.3% (n=9) of the patients (occult bleeding in four patients and overt bleeding in five patients) during a mean follow-up of 17.8 months. Patients with a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) result at the initial diagnosis had a higher rate of GI bleeding after CE (p=0.004). In addition, a positive FOBT result was the only independent predictive factor for GI bleeding (hazard ratio, 5.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.41–19.85; p=0.013). @*Conclusions@#Positive FOBT is a predictive factor for GI bleeding during follow-up after CE in patients with unexplained IDA without overt bleeding. Thus, patients with positive FOBT need to be more closely followed up.
ABSTRACT
No abstract available.
Subject(s)
Humans , Colorectal Neoplasms , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors , Inflammatory Bowel DiseasesABSTRACT
Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) is a relatively new diagnostic procedure for patients with suspected colonic diseases. This convenient, noninvasive method enables the physician to explore the entire colon without significant discomfort to the patient. However, while CCE can be performed painlessly without bowel air insufflation, the need for vigorous bowel preparation and other technical limitations exist. Due to such limitations, CCE has not replaced conventional colonoscopy. In this review, we discuss historical and recent advances in CCE including technical issues, ideal bowel preparation, indications and contraindications and highlight further technical advancements and clinical studies which are needed to develop CCE as a potential diagnostic tool.
Subject(s)
Humans , Capsule Endoscopy , Colon , Colonic Diseases , Colonoscopy , Insufflation , MethodsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical features and outcomes of ulcerative colitis (UC) according to the age of onset in Korea. METHODS: A total of 1,141 patients who were diagnosed with UC between July 1987 and November 2013 at 11 tertiary hospitals were enrolled. The baseline disease characteristic and disease state at onset, treatment during the disease course were retrospectively reviewed among patients with young-onset (YO, < 20 years) and adult-onset (AO, ≥ 20 years). Severe outcome was defined as use of intravenous (IV) steroids, infliximab, immunosuppressant, or UC-related operation. RESULTS: There were 55 YO patients (mean age, 17.8 ± 2.4) and 1,086 AO patients (mean age, 43.0 ± 13.6). High Mayo scores (7.7 ± 3.0 vs. 5.6 ± 2.7, p = 0.000), extensive UC (52.7% vs. 25.8%, p = 0.000) and IV steroid (41.8% vs. 18.0%, p = 0.000), immunosuppressant (47.3% vs. 26.9%, p = 0.002), and infliximab (20.0% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.001) use were more frequent in the YO than in the AO group. According to multivariate analysis, severe outcomes were related to YO disease (hazard ratio [HR], 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27 to 3.71), body mass index < 23 kg/m² (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.00), severe (HR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.36 to 3.38), and moderate (HR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.67 to 3.67) disease, extensive UC (HR, 2.90; 95% CI, 1.79 to 4.69), UC-related admission (HR, 63.89; 95% CI, 20.41 to 200.02), and oral steroid use (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: UC with YO presented with more advanced clinical features at onset and more severe outcomes than the AO. YO cases require careful management and intense treatment strategies.
Subject(s)
Humans , Age of Onset , Body Mass Index , Colitis, Ulcerative , Infliximab , Intestinal Diseases , Korea , Multivariate Analysis , Retrospective Studies , Steroids , Tertiary Care Centers , UlcerABSTRACT
Colonoscopy is effective in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Interval cancers or post-colonoscopy CRCs, are cancers detected within the surveillance interval, or between 6–36 months after a clearing colonoscopy. The incidence of interval cancers is 3.4%–9.2% of all detected CRCs, as reported in population-based studies. Colonoscopy is a technically difficult procedure that is challenging to learn, and needs time and effort to gain competency. Therefore, trainee competence is a critical component of CRC screening and surveillance. Herein, we review the colonoscopy training methods and quality assessment metrics for colonoscopy competency.
Subject(s)
Colonoscopy , Colorectal Neoplasms , Education , Endoscopy , Incidence , Mass Screening , Mental Competency , MortalityABSTRACT
Capsule endoscopy (CE) enables evaluation of the entire mucosal surface of the small bowel (SB), which is one of the most important steps for evaluating obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. Although the diagnostic yield of SB CE depends on many clinical factors, there are no reports on quality indicators. Thus, the Korean Gut Image Study Group (KGISG) publishes an article titled, “Quality Indicators for Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy” under approval from the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE). Herein, we initially identified process quality indicators, while the structural and outcome indicators are reserved until sufficient clinical data are accumulated. We believe that outcomes of SB CE can be improved by trying to meet our proposed quality indicators.
Subject(s)
Capsule Endoscopy , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal , HemorrhageABSTRACT
Acute extensive ischemic gastritis is an extremely rare disease because the stomach has an abundant submucosal vascular plexus with a dual blood supply from the pancreaticoduodenal and gastroduodenal arteries. Smoking, hypertension, and atherosclerotic vascular diseases can be major risk factors for ischemic gastritis. Acute gastric ischemia presents as an acute abdomen with diarrhea or hematemesis that rapidly progresses to acute peritonitis, irreversible septic shock, and death if untreated. We report a case of acute extensive ischemic gastritis combined with tetraplegia due to cervical myelopathy and extensive atherosclerotic changes of the celiac trunk and abdominal aorta.
Subject(s)
Abdomen, Acute , Aorta, Abdominal , Arteries , Diarrhea , Gastritis , Hematemesis , Hypertension , Ischemia , Peritonitis , Quadriplegia , Rare Diseases , Risk Factors , Shock, Septic , Smoke , Smoking , Spinal Cord Diseases , Stomach , Vascular DiseasesABSTRACT
Endoscopy has a crucial role in the diagnosis, management, and surveillance of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It contributes in supporting the diagnosis of IBD with the clinical history, physical examination, laboratory findings, and targeted biopsies. Furthermore, endoscopy has a significant role in assessing disease activity and distribution in treatment efficacy evaluation, post-surgical recurrence risk, and cancer surveillance in patients with long-lasting illness. Endoscopy also provides therapeutic potential for the treatment of IBD, especially with stricture dilatation and treatment of bleeding. Small bowel (SB) endoscopy (capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy) and cross-sectional radiologic imaging (computed tomography enterography and magnetic resonance enterography) have become important diagnostic options to diagnose and treat patients with SB Crohn's disease. We reviewed the present role of SB endoscopy in patients with SB Crohn's disease.
Subject(s)
Humans , Biopsy , Capsule Endoscopy , Constriction, Pathologic , Crohn Disease , Diagnosis , Dilatation , Endoscopy , Hemorrhage , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases , Physical Examination , Recurrence , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an easily measured index of disease activity, but its ability to predict clinical course is controversial. We therefore designed a study to determine whether the CRP level at Crohn's disease (CD) diagnosis is a valuable indicator of the disease phenotype, activity, and clinical course. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 705 CD patients from 32 institutions. The patients were classified into two groups according to CRP level. The patients' demographic and clinical characteristics and their use of immunosuppressive or biological agents were recorded. Disease location and behavior, hospitalization, and surgery were analyzed. RESULTS: A high CRP was associated with younger age, steroid use, colonic or ileocolonic location, high CD activity index, and active inflammation at colonoscopy (p<0.001). As the disease progressed, patients with high CRP were more likely to exhibit strictures (p=0.027). There were significant differences in the use of 5-aminosalicylic acid, antibiotics, corticosteroids, azathioprine, and infliximab (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, and p=0.023, respectively). Hospitalization was also more frequent in patients with high CRP. CONCLUSIONS: The CRP level at diagnosis is useful for evaluating the phenotype, activity, and clinical course of CD. Closer follow-up strategies, with early aggressive treatment, could be considered for patients with high CRP.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adrenal Cortex Hormones , Anti-Bacterial Agents , Azathioprine , Biological Factors , C-Reactive Protein , Colon , Colonoscopy , Constriction, Pathologic , Crohn Disease , Diagnosis , Follow-Up Studies , Hospitalization , Inflammation , Infliximab , Mesalamine , Phenotype , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Statins act as antineoplastic agents through the inhibition of cell proliferation. This study sought to demonstrate the effects of statins on extrahepatic bile duct cancer cell apoptosis and to document the changes in protein expression involved in tumor growth and suppression. METHODS: Human extrahepatic bile duct cancer cells were cultured. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were performed to determine the effect of statins on cell proliferation. Apoptosis was measured by a cell death detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and caspase-3 activity assay, and flow cytometry was used to determine the percentage of cells in each phase of the cell cycle. The protein expression of Bax, Bcl-2, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and Akt was measured by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Simvastatin suppressed cell proliferation by inducing G1 phase cell cycle arrest in bile duct cancer cells. Furthermore, it induced apoptosis via caspase-3 activation, downregulated the expression of the Bcl-2 protein, and enhanced the expression of the Bax protein. Moreover, simvastatin suppressed the expression of the IGF-1 receptor and IGF-1-induced ERK/Akt activation. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin induces apoptosis in bile duct cancer cells, which suggests that it could be an antineoplastic agent for bile duct cancer.