Endoscopic Versus Conservative Therapy for Bleeding Peptic Ulcer with Adherent Clot: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Peptic ulcers with adherent clots are associated with a high-risk of rebleeding and mortality. However, the optimal management of bleeding ulcers with adherent clots remains unclear. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to compare endoscopic therapy and conservative therapy to manage bleeding ulcers with adherent clots. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases through October 2022 to include all studies comparing the endoscopic and conservative therapeutic approaches for bleeding ulcers with adherent clots. Our primary outcome was rebleeding (overall and 30-day). The secondary outcomes were mortality (overall and 30-day), need for surgery, and length of hospital stay (LOS). The random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios (OR) and mean differences (MD) with the corresponding confidence intervals (CI) for proportional and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS: Eleven studies (9 RCTs) with 833 patients (431 received endoscopic therapy vs. 402 received conservative therapy) were included. Overall, endoscopic therapy was associated with lower overall rebleeding (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.79, P = 0.007), 30-day rebleeding (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.89, P = 0.002), overall mortality (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95, P = 0.04), 30-day mortality (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.89, P = 0.002), need for surgery (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.95, P = 0.04), and LOS (MD - 3.17 days, 95% CI - 4.14, - 2.19, P < 0.00001). However, subgroup analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed no significant difference in overall mortality (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.24-2.52, P = 0.68) between the two strategies, with numerically lower but statistically non-significant rates of overall rebleeding (7.2% vs. 18.5%, respectively; OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.17-1.05, P = 0.06), statistically lower rate of need for surgery (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08-0.96, P = 0.04) with endoscopic therapy compared to conservative therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that endoscopic therapy was overall associated with lower rates of rebleeding (overall and 30-day), mortality (overall and 30-day), need for surgery, and LOS, compared to conservative therapy for the management of bleeding ulcers with adherent clots. However, subgroup analysis of RCTs showed that endoscopic therapy was associated with numerically lower but statistically non-significant rates of overall rebleeding and a statistically lower rate of need for surgery compared to conservative therapy with similar overall mortality rates. Combined treatment with thermal therapy and injection therapy was the most effective treatment modality in reducing rebleeding risk. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to validate our findings.

Real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in liver cirrhosis: a systematic review with meta-analysis of 51,834 patients.

SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations were found to be highly effective in phase 3 clinical trials. However, these trials have not reported data regarding the subgroup of liver disease or excluded patients with liver disease. The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among liver cirrhosis (LC) patients is unclear. We conducted this meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in LC patients. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to include all the relevant studies that compared the outcomes of LC patients who received SARS-CoV-2 vaccines vs. unvaccinated patients. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by the Mantel-Haenszel method within a random-effect model. Four studies with 51,834 LC patients (20,689 patients received at least one dose vs 31,145 were unvaccinated) were included. COVID-19-related complications, including hospitalization (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59-0.91, P = 0.004), mortality (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.16-0.55, P = 0.0001), and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.11-0.77, P = 0.01), were significantly lower in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in LC patients reduced COVID-19-related mortality, intubation, and hospitalization. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is highly effective in LC. Further prospective studies, preferably randomized controlled trials, are necessary to validate our findings and determine which vaccine is superior in patients with LC.

Bleeding Risk With Cold Snare Polypectomy of ≤10 mm Pedunculated Colon Polyps.

OBJECTIVES: Pedunculated polyps (PPs) in the colon are usually resected with hot snare polypectomy to prevent immediate postpolypectomy bleeding (IPPB). This study aimed to evaluate the safety of CSP of <10 mm PPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing colonoscopy from February 18, 2019, to April 24, 2020, and were found to have at least 1 ≤10 mm PP resected with CSP were included prospectively in a continuous quality improvement project to assess the risk of IPPB and delayed postpolypectomy bleeding. Polyp location, size, and pathology, as well as the method of resection, were recorded. In addition, we assessed the occurrence and severity of IPPB and the need for intervention. RESULTS: We found 239 eligible polyps in 182 patients. The mean (SD) age was 58.8 (8.3) years, and 61% were males. IPPB occurred in 72 of 239 polyps, corresponding to a per-polyp bleeding percentage of 30.1% and in 65 of 182 patients, equating to a per-patient bleeding rate of 35.7%. We successfully treated bleeding by endoscopic hemostasis in 57%; the remaining 31 polyps (43%) did not require endoscopic intervention. There was no association between IPPB with age, gender, or use of aspirin or antithrombotic agents. In the bivariate model, polyp size and pathology were not associated with the risk of IPPB. Right-sided polyps were associated with a reduced risk of IPPB in the bivariate model by 61% (odds ratio=0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.74; P =0.0057). In the multivariate model, choking the polyp base decreased the likelihood of IPPB by 97% (odds ratio=0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.00-0.86; P =0.0459). There were no instances of delayed bleeding, perforation, or postpolypectomy syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: CSP can be used for resection of ≤10 mm PPs. It is associated with a lower risk of immediate bleeding than the common perception among gastroenterologists.

Antimicrobial potentials of natural products against multidrug resistance pathogens: a comprehensive review.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the critical issues, describing a significant social health complication globally. Hence, the discovery of novel antibiotics has acquired an increased attention particularly against drug-resistant pathogens. Natural products have served as potent therapeutics against pathogenic bacteria since the glorious age of antibiotics of the mid 20th century. This review outlines the various mechanistic candidates for dealing with multi-drug resistant pathogens and explores the terrestrial phytochemicals isolated from plants, lichens, insects, animals, fungi, bacteria, mushrooms, and minerals with reported antimicrobial activity, either alone or in combination with conventional antibiotics. Moreover, newly established tools are presented, including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, bacteriophages, nanoparticles, and bacteriocins, supporting the progress of effective antibiotics to address the emergence of antibiotic-resistant infectious bacteria. Therefore, the current article may uncover promising drug candidates that can be used in drug discovery in the future.

Low Prevalence of Clinically Significant Endoscopic Findings in Outpatients with Dyspepsia.

Background. The value of endoscopy in dyspeptic patients is questionable. Aims. To examine the prevalence of significant endoscopic findings (SEFs) and the utility of alarm features and age in predicting SEFs in outpatients with dyspepsia. Methods. A retrospective analysis of outpatient adults who had endoscopy for dyspepsia. Demographic variables, alarm features, and endoscopic findings were recorded. We defined SEFs as peptic ulcer disease, erosive esophagitis, malignancy, stricture, or findings requiring specific therapy. Results. Of 650 patients included in the analysis, 51% had a normal endoscopy. The most common endoscopic abnormality was nonerosive gastritis (29.7%) followed by nonerosive duodenitis (7.2%) and LA-class A esophagitis (5.4%). Only 10.2% had a SEF. Five patients (0.8%) had malignancy. SEFs were more likely present in patients with alarm features (12.6% versus 5.4%, p = 0.004). Age ≥ 55 and presence of any alarm feature were associated with SEFs (aOR 1.8 and 2.3, resp.). Conclusion. Dyspeptic patients have low prevalence of SEF. The presence of any alarm feature and age ≥ 55 are associated with higher risk of SEF. Endoscopy in young patients with no alarm features has a low yield; these patients can be considered for nonendoscopic approach for diagnosis and management.

Sessile serrated polyp prevalence determined by a colonoscopist with a high lesion detection rate and an experienced pathologist.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of sessile serrated adenomas and/or polyps (SSA/Ps) is uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of SSA/Ps and SSA/Ps with cytologic dysplasia (SSA/P-CD) by using a colonoscopist with a high lesion detection rate and an expert in serrated lesion pathology. DESIGN: Retrospective screening colonoscopy study. SETTING: Academic endoscopy unit. PATIENTS: A total of 1910 average risk, asymptomatic patients aged ≥50 years underwent screening colonoscopy between August 2005 and April 2012 by a single colonoscopist with a high lesion detection rate. INTERVENTIONS: Slides of all lesions in the serrated class proximal to the sigmoid colon and all rectal and sigmoid colon serrated lesions >5 mm in size were reviewed by an experienced GI pathologist. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Prevalence of SSA/Ps, defined as the proportion of patients with ≥1 SSA/P. RESULTS: There were 1910 patients, of whom 389 had 656 lesions in the serrated class. Review by the experienced GI pathologist determined a prevalence of SSA/Ps without cytologic dysplasia of 7.4% and SSA/Ps-CD of 0.6% (total SSA/P prevalence 8.1%). SSA/Ps and SSA/Ps-CD comprised 5.6% and 0.3%, respectively, of all resected polyps. The mean size of SSA/Ps was 7.13 mm (standard deviation [SD] 4.66), and 51 of 77 (66.2%) polyps ≥10 mm in the serrated class were SSA/Ps. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective design. CONCLUSION: A colonoscopist with a high lesion detection rate and an experienced pathologist identified a high prevalence (8.1%) of SSA/Ps in a screening population. SSA/Ps are more common than previously believed.

Prevalence of malignancy in patients with pure main duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Risk of malignancy in main duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (MD-IPMN) ranges from 36% to 100% in the literature. Although surgical resection is recommended for all MD-IPMNs, the risk of malignancy based on main pancreatic duct (MPD) size alone remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of malignancy in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with pure MD-IPMN based on MPD size. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective study of prospectively collected data. SETTINGS: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Fifty-two patients with pure low-risk MD-IPMN. Clinical, endoscopic, radiographic, and pathologic data were reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Prevalence of malignancy in patients with pure MD-IPMN based on histopathology of resected lesions. RESULTS: Sixteen asymptomatic patients had pure MD-IPMN on surgical pathology, 4 (25%) with malignant disease, compared with 25 of 36 symptomatic patients (69%) with pure MD-IPMN. Logistic regression identified symptoms and MPD size as predictors of malignancy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that MPD size (optimal cutoff of 8 mm) produced the greatest area under the curve to discriminate between benign and malignant MD-IPMN (.83; 95% CI, .72-.94). MPD size greater than 8 mm has a relative risk of 2.8 for malignancy (95% CI, 1.6-4.9). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective, single-center study at a tertiary referral hospital. Study population included only patients who underwent surgical resection. CONCLUSION: Asymptomatic MD-IPMN patients with a duct size of no more than 8 mm have a lower prevalence of malignancy and may represent a distinct group of patients with less aggressive biologic behavior. Further studies are needed to confirm our observations.