Age at menarche and risk of colorectal adenoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Limited data are available regarding the association between age at menarche and the risk of colorectal adenoma. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between reproductive factors including age at menarche and the risk of colorectal adenoma. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on asymptomatic female subjects who underwent colonoscopy between 2010 and 2014 as part of a comprehensive health screening program in Korea. The association between reproductive factors including age at menarche and the presence of adenomas was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Among 32,620 asymptomatic female subjects, the proportion of patients with menarche at 10 to 11, 12 to 13, 14 to 15, 16 to 17, and 18 to 19 years of age was 4.1%, 31.7%, 45.4%, 14.9%, and 4.0%, respectively. Age at menarche was not significantly associated with the risk of any adenoma (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.97 to 1.02; p = 0.500) or advanced adenoma (AOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.91 to 1.04; p = 0.468) after adjusting for confounding factors. Age at menarche was not significantly associated with the risk of adenoma even among similar age groups. In addition, parity, use of female hormones, and menopause were not associated with the risk of adenoma. CONCLUSION: Age at menarche, parity, use of female hormones, and menopause were not significantly associated with the risk of colorectal adenoma. Our findings indicate that reproductive factors including age at menarche do not affect the development of colorectal adenoma.

Should asymptomatic young men with iron deficiency anemia necessarily undergo endoscopy?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: There has been no evidence for the necessity of endoscopy in asymptomatic young men with iron deficiency anemia (IDA). To determine whether endoscopy should be recommended in asymptomatic young men with IDA, we compared the prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) lesions between young men (< 50 years) with IDA and those without IDA. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study on asymptomatic young men aged < 50 years who underwent both esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy as part of a health checkup between 2010 and 2014. RESULTS: Of 77,864 participants, 128 (0.16%) had IDA and 512 subjects without IDA were matched for several variables including age. Young men with IDA had a significantly higher proportion of colorectal cancer (CRC) (0.8% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.045), villous adenoma (0.8% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.045), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; 2.3% vs. 0.4%, p = 0.025) than those without IDA. Additionally, the prevalence of advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN) tended to be higher in subjects with IDA than in those without IDA (3.1% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.084). The prevalence of significant lower GI lesions including ACRN and IBD was higher in subjects with IDA than in those without IDA (5.5% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.011). Regarding upper GI lesions, a positive association with IDA was observed only for gastric ulcer (4.7% vs. 1.0%, p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: GI lesions including CRC, villous adenoma, IBD, and gastric ulcer were more common in asymptomatic young men with IDA. Our results suggest that EGD and particularly colonoscopy should be recommended even in asymptomatic young men with IDA.

A Combination of Fecal Immunochemical Test Results and Iron Deficiency Anemia for Detection of Advanced Colorectal Neoplasia in Asymptomatic Men.

PURPOSE: A substantial proportion of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) present with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has proven to be an effective method for detecting the majority of CRC cases. A combination strategy of FIT results and IDA may be useful for risk stratification for detecting advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN). We compared the prevalence of ACRN among four groups stratified by FIT results and the presence of IDA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on asymptomatic male participants who underwent both FIT and colonoscopy between 2010 and 2014 as part of a comprehensive health screening program in Korea. RESULTS: Of 17236 participants, 522 (3.0%) showed positive FIT results and 26 (0.2%) had IDA. The mean age of the study participants was 40.8 years. The participants were classified into four groups: positive FIT result/IDA (G1, n=7), positive FIT result/no IDA (G2, n=515), negative FIT result/IDA (G3, n=19), and negative FIT result/no IDA (G4, n=16695). The prevalences of ACRN in G1, G2, G3, and G4 were 28.6, 13.4, 5.3, and 1.5%, respectively (p<0.001) and those of CRC were 28.6, 1.6, 0.0, and 0.01%, respectively (p<0.001). Subjects with positive FIT results and IDA had an increased risk of ACRN and CRC in both group aged <50 and ≥50 years. CONCLUSION: Subjects with positive FIT results and IDA had an increased risk of ACRN. Our results suggest that a combination strategy of FIT and IDA may be helpful in selecting and prioritizing asymptomatic men for colonoscopy.

Serum CEA and CA 19-9 Levels are Associated with the Presence and Severity of Colorectal Neoplasia.

PURPOSE: Limited data are available regarding the association between circulating serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) concentrations and colorectal adenoma. We aimed to investigate whether elevated serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels are correlated with the presence of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) and whether the levels of these antigens vary according to CRN severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on asymptomatic subjects who underwent colonoscopy between 2010 and 2014 as part of a comprehensive health screening program in Korea. RESULTS: A total of 124509 participants with measured serum CEA levels and 115833 participants with measured serum CA 19-9 levels were analyzed. Elevated CEA concentrations were associated with a higher rate of any adenoma, advanced adenoma, high-risk adenoma, advanced CRN (ACRN), overall CRN, and colorectal cancer (CRC). Elevated CA 19-9 concentrations were also associated with a higher rate of advanced adenoma, high-risk adenoma, ACRN, and CRC. Both elevated levels of CEA and CA 19-9 were identified as independent predictors of ACRN. Among patients with CRN, the proportions of elevated CEA/CA 19-9 levels were significantly higher in patients with ACRN than in those with non-ACRN, and these levels were correlated with larger lesion size and multiplicity of adenomas. CONCLUSION: Both elevated serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels were associated with the presence of ACRN, as well as CRC. Elevated CEA levels were also associated with the presence of overall CRN. Moreover, both CEA and CA 19-9 levels were correlated with the severity of CRN.

Miss rate of colorectal neoplastic polyps and risk factors for missed polyps in consecutive colonoscopies.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colonoscopic polypectomy is the best diagnostic and therapeutic tool to detect and prevent colorectal neoplasms. However, previous studies have reported that 17% to 28% of colorectal polyps are missed during colonoscopy. We investigated the miss rate of neoplastic polyps and the factors associated with missed polyps from quality-adjusted consecutive colonoscopies. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients who were found to have colorectal polyps at a medical examination center of the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital between March 2012 and February 2013. Patients who were referred to a single tertiary academic medical center and underwent colonoscopic polypectomy on the same day were enrolled in our study. The odds ratios (ORs) associated with polyp-related and patient-related factors were evaluated using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 463 patients and 1,294 neoplastic polyps were analyzed. The miss rates for adenomas, advanced adenomas, and carcinomas were 24.1% (312/1,294), 1.2% (15/1,294), and 0% (0/1,294), respectively. Flat/sessile-shaped adenomas (adjusted OR, 3.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.40-5.46) and smaller adenomas (adjusted OR, 5.63; 95% CI, 2.84- 11.15 for ≤5 mm; adjusted OR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.60-6.30 for 6-9 mm, respectively) were more frequently missed than pedunculated/sub-pedunculated adenomas and larger adenomas. In patients with 2 or more polyps compared with only one detected (adjusted OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.55-3.61 for 2-4 polyps; adjusted OR, 11.52; 95% CI, 4.61-28.79 for ≥5 polyps, respectively) during the first endoscopy, the risk of missing an additional polyp was significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: One-quarter of neoplastic polyps was missed during colonoscopy. We encourage endoscopists to detect smaller and flat or sessile polyps by using the optimal withdrawal technique.

Parameters of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Affect the Occurrence of Colorectal Adenomas Detected by Surveillance Colonoscopies.

PURPOSE: Limited data are available regarding the associations between parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism and the occurrence of metachronous adenomas. We investigated whether these parameters affect the occurrence of adenomas detected on surveillance colonoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This longitudinal study was performed on 5289 subjects who underwent follow-up colonoscopy between 2012 and 2013 among 62171 asymptomatic subjects who underwent an initial colonoscopy for a health check-up between 2010 and 2011. The risk of adenoma occurrence was assessed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. RESULTS: The mean interval between the initial and follow-up colonoscopy was 2.2±0.6 years. The occurrence of adenomas detected by the follow-up colonoscopy increased linearly with the increasing quartiles of fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and triglycerides measured at the initial colonoscopy. These associations persisted after adjusting for confounding factors. The adjusted hazard ratios for adenoma occurrence comparing the fourth with the first quartiles of fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin, HOMA-IR, and triglycerides were 1.50 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.26-1.77; p(trend)<0.001], 1.22 (95% CI, 1.04-1.43; p(trend)=0.024), 1.22 (95% CI, 1.02-1.46; p(trend)=0.046), 1.36 (95% CI, 1.14-1.63; p(trend)=0.004), and 1.19 (95% CI, 0.99-1.42; p(trend)=0.041), respectively. In addition, increasing quartiles of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were associated with an increasing occurrence of adenomas. CONCLUSION: The levels of parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism were significantly associated with the occurrence of adenomas detected on surveillance colonoscopy. Improving the parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism through lifestyle changes or medications may be helpful in preventing metachronous adenomas.

The fecal immunochemical test has high accuracy for detecting advanced colorectal neoplasia before age 50.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to the decreasing incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in adults ≥50 years, the CRC incidence in young adults <50 years is increasing. The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) may be useful for advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN) screening in a young population. AIMS: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of FIT in a young population. METHODS: The diagnostic performance of FIT for detecting ACRN was compared among the following age groups who underwent FIT and colonoscopy as part of a comprehensive health screening program: 30-39, 40-49, and ≥50 years. RESULTS: Of 26,316 participants, 464 (1.8%) had ACRN and 805 (3.1%) showed positive FIT results. No significant differences in the sensitivity (22.1%, 17.2%, and 22.0%; p=0.435) and specificity (97.2%, 97.4%, and 96.9%; p=0.344) of FIT for detecting ACRN were observed among the groups. However, 30-39 age group had a significantly higher accuracy of FIT for ACRN (96.7%) than 40-49 and ≥50 age groups (95.9% and 93.8%; p<0.001). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of FIT for ACRN of three age groups were not significantly different (67.2, 66.2, and 61.7; p=0.952). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic performance of FIT for ACRN in a young population (<50 years) was not inferior to that in the current screening-age population (≥50 years). The FIT may be a good choice for detecting ACRN in a young population.

Risk Factors for False Fecal Immunochemical Test Results in Colorectal Cancer Screening.

GOALS: We investigated the factors associated with false fecal immunochemical test (FIT) results for advanced colorectal neoplasm (ACRN). BACKGROUND: Data on whether certain subgroups of patients have an increased risk of inaccurate FIT results are extremely limited. STUDY: This was a retrospective study conducted in a university hospital in Korea from June 2013 to May 2015. Out of 34,547 participants who had an FIT completed, we analyzed a total of 3990 subjects aged 50 years and above who underwent colonoscopy. RESULTS: The rates of false-negative and false-positive results were 58.0% and 15.7%, respectively. Elevated fasting blood glucose [adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.36-0.97], the presence of high-grade dysplasia (AOR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.95), 3 or more adenomas (AOR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35-0.89), cancer (AOR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.11-0.38), and distal ACRN (AOR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39-0.96) were associated with a lower risk of false-negative FIT results. The presence of proximal ACRN (AOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.01-2.51) and adenoma ≥10 mm (AOR, 4.38; 95% CI, 2.17-8.87) were associated with a higher risk of false-negative results. Older age (70 y and above; AOR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.29-2.17), diverticulum (AOR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.45-2.58), and hemorrhoid (AOR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.32-2.01) were associated with false-positive results. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with a higher risk of false-negative results should be prioritized for earlier colonoscopy and subjects with inaccurate results should be more cautiously considered for screening by using modalities other than FIT. Our findings will contribute to individualization of screening programs.

Are Hemorrhoids Associated with False-Positive Fecal Immunochemical Test Results?

PURPOSE: False-positive (FP) results of fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) conducted in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening could lead to performing unnecessary colonoscopies. Hemorrhoids are a possible cause of FP FIT results; however, studies on this topic are extremely rare. We investigated whether hemorrhoids are associated with FP FIT results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at a university hospital in Korea from June 2013 to May 2015. Of the 34547 individuals who underwent FITs, 3946 aged ≥50 years who underwent colonoscopies were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with FP FIT results. RESULTS: Among 3946 participants, 704 (17.8%) showed positive FIT results and 1303 (33.0%) had hemorrhoids. Of the 704 participants with positive FIT results, 165 had advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN) and 539 had no ACRN (FP results). Of the 1303 participants with hemorrhoids, 291 showed FP results, of whom 81 showed FP results because of hemorrhoids only. Participants with hemorrhoids had a higher rate of FP results than those without hemorrhoids (291/1176, 24.7% vs. 248/2361, 10.5%; p<0.001). Additionally, the participants with hemorrhoids as the only abnormality had a higher rate of FP results than those experiencing no such abnormalities (81/531, 15.3% vs. 38/1173, 3.2%; p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the presence of hemorrhoids was identified as an independent predictor of FP results (adjusted odds ratio, 2.76; 95% confidence interval, 2.24-3.40; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Hemorrhoids are significantly associated with FP FIT results. Their presence seemed to be a non-negligible contributor of FP results in FIT-based CRC screening programs.

Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for adenoma occurrence at surveillance colonoscopy: A single-center experience in Korea.

We investigated the risk factors for adenoma occurrence at surveillance colonoscopy, especially focusing on patient characteristics, including metabolic factors.Surveillance colonoscopy intervals depend on baseline adenoma characteristics. However, patients' characteristics may also influence the occurrence of adenomas.Of 62,171 asymptomatic subjects who underwent colonoscopy for a health check-up between 2010 and 2011, 4869 subjects who underwent follow-up colonoscopy between 2012 and 2013 were included in this longitudinal study. The risk of adenoma occurrence was assessed using Cox proportional hazards modeling.Of 4869 subjects, 2827 (58.1%), 1619 (33.3%), and 423 (8.7%) were assigned to the normal, low-risk, and high-risk groups, respectively, according to baseline adenoma characteristics. The mean interval between initial and follow-up colonoscopy was 2.2 ±â€Š0.6 years. Certain patient factors, including older age (≥50 years; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.08; 95% CI, 1.73-2.49), male sex (aHR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.30-2.19), metabolic syndrome (MetS) (aHR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.09-1.51), obesity (aHR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02-1.34), elevated fasting blood glucose levels (aHR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.19-1.58), and elevated triglyceride levels (aHR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03-1.37), as well as baseline adenoma characteristics, were associated with a higher risk of adenoma occurrence at follow-up colonoscopy. The cumulative incidence of adenoma occurrence in the high-risk group was higher than that in the low-risk group, whereas the incidence in the high-risk group without MetS was comparable with that in the low-risk group with MetS.Patient characteristics, such as MetS, obesity, older age, and male sex, in addition to adenoma characteristics, were independent risk factors for adenoma occurrence at surveillance colonoscopy. These patient characteristics may be considered in surveillance colonoscopy intervals.

Weight Change and Obesity Are Associated with a Risk of Adenoma Recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is reportedly a risk factor for colorectal adenoma. However, the influence of weight change and obesity on colorectal adenoma recurrence is unclear. AIM: To investigate whether weight change and obesity are associated with recurrence and development of colorectal adenoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 62,171 asymptomatic subjects who underwent a colonoscopy for a heath checkup between 2010 and 2011, this longitudinal study was performed with the 5297 subjects who underwent another colonoscopy between 2012 and 2013. The risk of recurrence or development of adenoma according to quartiles of weight change (<-1.6, -1.6 to 0.1, 0.2-1.8, and ≥1.9 kg) and baseline BMI categories (<25, 25-29, and ≥30 kg/m(2)) was assessed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. RESULTS: The average period between visits 1 and 2 was 2.2 ± 0.6 years. Among the 2176 subjects with adenomas, the risk of recurrence of any adenoma increased with increasing weight change quartiles (p for trend = 0.030), whereas the risk of recurrence of advanced adenoma was not associated with weight change (p for trend = 0.852). The risk of recurrence of advanced adenoma increased with increasing baseline BMI categories (p for trend = 0.029). Among 3121 subjects with no adenoma, the risk of developing any adenoma increased with increasing baseline BMI categories (p for trend <0.001). However, the risk of developing any or advanced adenoma was not associated with weight change. CONCLUSIONS: Weight change over 2.2 years affected adenoma recurrence and obesity was related to advanced adenoma recurrence and adenoma development.

Does Low Threshold Value Use Improve Proximal Neoplasia Detection by Fecal Immunochemical Test?

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) less sensitively detects proximal advanced neoplasia (AN) compared to distal AN. Low threshold value use may improve proximal AN detection. AIM: To investigate whether FIT diagnostic accuracy for AN is different according to AN location and to compare FIT accuracy in proximal AN detection using different threshold values. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted in a university hospital in Korea from June 2013 to May 2015. Out of 34,547 participants who underwent FITs, 3990 subjects aged ≥50 years who also underwent colonoscopies were analyzed. The FIT diagnostic accuracy for AN with differing locations (proximal vs. distal) and threshold values (20, 15, and 10 mcg Hb/g feces) were assessed. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of FIT in AN detection were 42.2, 84.3, 24.1, and 92.5 %, respectively. The FIT sensitivity for proximal AN detection was significantly lower than that for distal AN detection (32.7 and 49.0 %, respectively; P = 0.001). Lowering FIT threshold values tended to increase the sensitivity for proximal AN, whereas it significantly decreased the specificity for proximal AN. As a result, there was no significant difference in the accuracy for proximal AN detection (80.1, 79.3, and 78.1 % for 20, 15, and 10 mcg Hb/g feces, respectively; P = 0.107). CONCLUSIONS: FIT was less sensitive in proximal AN detection than distal AN detection. Lowering the FIT cutoff threshold did not increase the accuracy for proximal AN detection. New biomarker development for colorectal cancer screening is required to improve proximal ACRN diagnostic accuracy.

Fecal hemoglobin concentration is useful for risk stratification of advanced colorectal neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: Although a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) allows quantitation of fecal hemoglobin (f-Hb), it is typically used as a binary result to identify subjects above a predetermined cut-off concentration. AIMS: To investigate whether f-Hb concentration is useful for risk stratification of advanced colorectal neoplasia (CRN). METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted in a university hospital in Korea. Of 34,547 participants who underwent FIT from June 2013 to May 2015, 1532 (4.4%) showed positive results (≥100ng Hb/ml). Of participants with positive results, 738 subjects aged ≥50 years who underwent colonoscopy were analyzed. RESULTS: Increasing quartile of f-Hb concentration (Q4 vs. Q1; odds ratio, 3.87; 95% confidence interval, 2.36-6.34), as well as older age, male sex, smoking, and metabolic syndrome (MetS), was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of advanced CRN. Risk for advanced CRN increased 5.13-, 4.27-, 5.12-, and 7.15-fold, respectively, among individuals with f-Hb in the fourth quartile who had risk factors such as age ≥70 years, male sex, smoking, and MetS compared with individuals with first quartile levels of f-Hb who did not have those risk factors. CONCLUSION: In addition to age, sex, smoking status, and MetS, f-Hb concentration in individuals with positive results from FIT can be used to stratify the probability of detection of advanced CRN.

Associations between amount of smoking and alcohol intake and risk of colorectal neoplasm.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Although smoking and alcohol has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm (CRN), large-scale studies to identify dose-dependent relationship between amount of smoking and alcohol consumption and risk of CRN are rare. We aimed to investigate the risk for CRN according to the amount of smoking and alcohol intake in a large sample of Korean adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 31,714 examinees aged ≥30 years undergoing their first colonoscopy as part of routine preventive health care between 2010 and 2011. Never smokers were compared with six groups of smokers according to smoking amount, and individuals with alcohol intake of ≤ 6.25 g ethanol per day were compared with three groups according to alcohol amount. RESULTS: In adjusted models, the risk of overall CRN increased with increasing amount of smoking (P for trend < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratios for overall CRN comparing never smokers with six smoker groups according to smoking amount (≤2.50, 2.51-5.60, 5.61-9.00, 9.01-13.00, 13.01-19.50, and ≥19.51 pack-years) were 1.02, 1.19, 1.35, 1.53, 1.63, and 2.03, respectively. In addition, the risk of both non-advanced and advanced CRN increased with increasing amount of smoking (both P for trend < 0.001). However, the amount of alcohol consumption was not correlated with the risk of CRN. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CRN was associated with increasing amount of smoking in a dose-response manner, whereas it was not associated with the amount of alcohol consumption. Our study suggests that smoking amount as well as smoking status should be considered for CRN risk stratification.

Risk of Colorectal Neoplasia According to Fatty Liver Severity and Presence of Gall Bladder Polyps.

BACKGROUND: Fatty liver is the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and is a known risk factor for colorectal neoplasia (CRN). Gallbladder (GB) polyps share many common risk factors with CRN. However, studies evaluating CRN risk according to fatty liver severity and the presence of GB polyps are rare. AIM: To investigate CRN risk according to the fatty liver severity and the presence of GB polyps. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 44,220 participants undergoing colonoscopy and abdominal ultrasonography (US) as part of a health-screening program. RESULTS: Of the participants, fatty liver was diagnosed as mild in 27.7 %, moderate in 5.1 %, and severe in 0.4 % and 13.4 % were diagnosed with GB polyps. Mean age of participants was 42.7 years. In adjusted models, risk of overall CRN and non-advanced CRN increased with worsening fatty liver severity (P for trend = 0.007 and 0.020, respectively). Adjusted odd ratios for overall CRN and non-advanced CRN comparing participants with mild, moderate, and severe fatty liver to participants without fatty liver were 1.13 and 1.12 for mild, 1.12 and 1.10 for moderate, and 1.56 and 1.65 for severe. The presence of GB polyps did not correlate with CRN risk after adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSIONS: CRN risk increased with worsening fatty liver severity. However the association between GB polyp and CRN was not significant in the presence of other variables. Considering that many people undergo noninvasive abdominal US as a health screen, our study will contribute to colonoscopy screening strategies in people undergoing abdominal US.

Associations Between Parameters of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism and Risk of Colorectal Neoplasm.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes and dyslipidemia have been linked to an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm (CRN). However, previous studies evaluating these associations have shown inconsistent results, and large-scale studies are few in number. AIM: To investigate the associations between the parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism and the presence of CRN. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed on 38,490 Korean adults aged ≥30 years undergoing their first colonoscopy as part of routine preventive health care between 2010 and 2011. RESULTS: The prevalence of overall CRN increased with increasing levels of glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) and with decreasing level of apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1). The adjusted prevalence ratios for overall CRN comparing the fourth with the first quartiles of fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, ApoB, and ApoA-1 were 1.83 (95% CI 1.62-2.06), 1.17 (95% CI 1.03-1.33), 1.09 (95% CI 0.97-1.23), 1.22 (95% CI 1.08-1.37), 1.31 (95% CI 1.16-1.48), 1.19 (95 % CI 1.07-1.33), 1.38 (95% CI 1.23-1.54), 1.30 (95% CI 1.14-1.47), and 0.85 (95% CI 0.76-0.95), respectively. There was also a significant association between higher levels of glucose, LDL-C, and ApoB with a higher prevalence of advanced CRN. Moreover, the risk of CRN increased further in cases in which the parameters of glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism worsened simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS: The levels of parameters of glucose and lipid metabolism are significantly associated with the prevalence of CRN. Altered glucose and lipid metabolism may contribute to the development of CRN.

The value of early wireless esophageal pH monitoring in diagnosing functional heartburn in refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: It is difficult to differentiate functional heartburn from proton pump inhibitor (PPI) failure. The aims of this study were to assess the role of early wireless esophageal pH monitoring in patients referred with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to identify differences in the clinical spectrum among GERD subtypes. METHODS: We enrolled consecutive referred patients with suspected GERD. After endoscopy on the first visit, all underwent wireless esophageal pH monitoring when off the PPI. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty patients were enrolled. These patients were classified into a reflux esophagitis group (20, 8.7 %) and a normal endoscopic findings group (210, 91.3 %). Among the 210 patients in the normal endoscopic findings group, 63 (27.4 %) were diagnosed with pathological reflux, 35 (15.2 %) with hypersensitive esophagus, 87 (37.8 %) with normal acid exposure with negative symptom association, and 25 (10.9 %) with test failure. These groups did not differ in age, body mass index, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, symptom severity, quality of life, presence of atypical symptoms, overlap with irritable bowel syndrome, and the frequency of somatization, depression, and anxiety. PPI responses were evaluated in 135 patients. Fifty patients (37.0 %) were not responsive to the 4-week treatment; 26 (19.3 %) were diagnosed with refractory non-erosive gastroesophageal disease, and 24 (17.8 %) with functional heartburn. The demographics and clinical and psychological characteristics did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Demographic characteristics and symptom patterns alone cannot differentiate functional heartburn from various subtypes of GERD. Wireless esophageal pH monitoring should be considered for the initial evaluation of GERD in the tertiary referral setting.

Efficacy of endoscopic mucosal resection using a dual-channel endoscope compared with endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of rectal neuroendocrine tumors.

BACKGROUND: Conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for removing rectal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has a high risk of incomplete removal because of submucosal tumor involvement. EMR using a dual-channel endoscope (EMR-D) may be a safe and effective method for resection of polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. The efficacy of EMR-D in the treatment of rectal NET has not been evaluated thoroughly. METHODS: From January 2005 to September 2011, a total of 70 consecutive patients who received EMR-D or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to treat a rectal NET <16 mm in diameter were included to compare EMR-D with ESD for the treatment of rectal NETs. RESULTS: The EMR-D group contained 44 patients and the ESD group contained 26 patients. The endoscopic complete resection rate did not differ significantly between the EMR-D and ESD groups (100 % for each). The histological complete resection rate also did not differ significantly between groups (86.3 vs. 88.4 %). The procedure time was shorter for the EMR-D group than for the ESD group (9.75 ± 7.11 vs. 22.38 ± 7.56 min, P < 0.001). Minor bleeding occurred in 1 EMR-D patient and in 3 ESD patients (2.3 vs. 7.6 %). There was no perforation after EMR-D or ESD. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with ESD, EMR-D is technically simple, minimally invasive, and safe for treating small rectal NETs contained within the submucosa. EMR-D can be considered an effective and safe resection method for rectal NETs <16 mm in diameter without metastasis.

Impaired esophageal bolus transit in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and abnormal esophageal Acid exposure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We assessed the bolus transit and motility characteristics in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients with abnormal esophageal pH monitoring. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the combined impedance-esophageal manometry data from consecutive patients who had abnormal acid exposure during 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. We compared these data to the results from functional heartburn (FH) and asymptomatic volunteers. RESULTS: The data from 33 GERD patients (mean age of 51 years, 18 males), 14 FH patients (mean age of 51 years, one male), and 20 asymptomatic volunteers (mean age of 27 years, nine males) were analyzed. Ineffective esophageal motility was diagnosed in 10% of the volunteers, 21% of the FH patients, and 15% of the GERD patients. Ineffective contraction was more frequent in GERD and FH patients than in volunteers (16% and 20% vs 6%, respectively; p<0.05). Additionally, 10% of the volunteers, 21% of the FH patients and 36% of the GERD patients had an abnormal bolus transit. Complete bolus transit was less frequent, and bolus transit was slower in GERD patients than in volunteers for liquid (70% vs 85%) and viscous swallows (57% vs 73%). A longer acid clearance time was associated with abnormal bolus transit in the GERD group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with GERD have mild peristaltic dysfunction and incomplete and slower esophageal bolus transit. These conditions predispose them to prolonged acid contact with the esophagus.

Expression of MUC5AC and Trefoil Peptide 1 (TFF1) in the Subtypes of Intestinal Metaplasia.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Alterations of the expression pattern of mucins and trefoil peptides have been described in gastric adenocarcinomas and in their precursor lesions. The aim of this study was to determine the progression patterns of intestinal metaplasia (IM) subtypes by analyzing the expression patterns of TFF1 and MUC5AC in different subtypes of IM of the stomach. METHODS: Endoscopic gastric biopsies of the antrum and body were obtained from patients with dyspepsia and endoscopic IM. Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff staining and the high iron diamine technique were used to classify the subtypes of IM. Immunoreactivity for MUC5AC and TFF1 was estimated in different types of IM. RESULTS: IM was detected in 128 samples from 80 patients; type I was found in 48 samples, type II was found in 37 samples, and type III was found in 43 samples. There was a gradual decrease in MUC5AC and TFF1 expression during the progression of IM from type I to type III via the type II intermediate. CONCLUSIONS: This downregulation of MUC5AC and TFF1 expression may challenge the sequential progression of IM from type I to type III via the type II intermediate, and it might be associated with gastric carcinogenesis.