ASGE guideline on the role of endoscopy in the management of benign and malignant gastroduodenal obstruction

This American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for the endoscopic management of gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). We applied the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology to address key clinical questions. These include the comparison of (1) surgical gastrojejunostomy to the placement of self-expandable metallic stents (SEMS) for malignant GOO, (2) covered versus uncovered SEMS for malignant GOO, and (3) endoscopic and surgical interventions for the management of benign GOO. Recommendations provided in this document were founded on the certainty of the evidence, balance of benefits and harms, considerations of patient and caregiver preferences, resource utilization, and cost-effectiveness.

Adenomas with high-grade dysplasia and early adenocarcinoma are more likely to be sessile in the proximal colon.

AIM: Size and the sessile morphology of an adenoma may explain why colonoscopy is less effective in preventing proximal colonic cancer than distal cancers. We wanted to determine if advanced polypoid neoplasms (APNs, i.e. adenoma with high-grade dysplasia or early adenocarcinoma) are more likely to be sessile and/or smaller in the proximal colon. METHOD: We searched our institution's pathology database from 2004 to 2012 and identified patients with APNs. Polyps were categorized by size, morphology and location in the colon. Average polyp size and morphology were determined for each location. RESULTS: During the study period, 564 patients with APNs were identified. Of these, adenocarcinoma was noted in 21.6% and high-grade dysplasia in 78.4%. The average patient age was 64.4 years and 54.9% were men. The proportion of APNs that were ≤ 5 mm was 1.7%, ≤ 10 mm 19.3% and ≤ 15 mm 39%. APNs in the proximal colon were larger than those in the distal colon, but the difference was not statistically significant (27 vs 24 mm; P = 0.06). Eighty-three per cent of APNs in the proximal colon were sessile vs 57% in the distal colon (P = 0.001). APNs in the proximal colon were almost four times more likely to be sessile than in the distal colon (OR = 3.7). A similar association was noted for polyps ≤ 20 mm or polyps with high-grade dysplasia. CONCLUSION: APNs in the proximal colon were almost four-times more likely to be sessile than those in the distal colon. No difference in the size of polyps was noted.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of the outer membrane cytochrome OmcA from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

The outer membrane cytochrome OmcA functions as a terminal metal reductase in the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The ten-heme centers shuttle electrons from the transmembrane donor complex to extracellular electron acceptors. Here, the crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of OmcA are reported. Crystals of OmcA were grown by the sitting-drop vapor-diffusion method using PEG 20,000 as a precipitant. The OmcA crystals belonged to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 93.0, b = 246.0, c = 136.6 Å, α = 90, ß = 97.8, γ = 90°. X-ray diffraction data were collected to a maximum resolution of 3.25 Å.

Risk factors for severe delayed postpolypectomy bleeding.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Postpolypectomy bleeding is a rare but serious adverse event. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with the risk of severe delayed postpolypectomy bleeding. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a case-control study, comparing cases who developed hematochezia and required medical evaluation 6 hours to 14 days after colonoscopic polypectomy, and control patients who underwent polypectomy without delayed bleeding, and who were selected in approximately a 3 : 1 ratio. The following risk factors were specified a priori: resuming anticoagulation (within 1 week following polypectomy), aspirin use, hypertension, and polyp diameter. RESULTS: Of the 4592 patients who underwent colonoscopy with polypectomy, 41 patients (0.9 %) developed delayed postpolypectomy bleeding (cases), and 132 patients were selected as controls. The mean age was 64.3 years for cases and 65.4 years for controls. Cases presented on average 6 days after polypectomy (range 1 - 14 days), and 48 % required blood transfusion (average 4.2 units, range 0 - 17). Two patients required surgery. Anticoagulation was resumed following polypectomy in 34 % of cases compared with 9 % of controls (OR 5.2; 95 % CI 2.2 - 12.5; P < 0.001). For every 1 mm increase in polyp diameter, the risk of hemorrhage increased by 9 % (OR 1.09; 95 % CI 1.0 - 1.2; P = 0.008). Hypertension (OR 1.1) and aspirin use (OR 1.1) did not increase the risk of postpolypectomy bleeding. In exploratory analysis, diabetes (OR 2.5) and coronary artery disease (OR 3.0) were associated with postpolypectomy hemorrhage, but the association was no longer statistically significant once adjusted for the use of anticoagulation. CONCLUSIONS: Resuming anticoagulation following polypectomy and polyp diameter were strongly associated with increased risk of severe delayed postpolypectomy bleeding.

Efficacy of lactulose in cirrhotic patients with subclinical hepatic encephalopathy.

To investigate the role of lactulose in the treatment of cirrhotic patients with subclinical hepatic encephalopathy (SHE), 40 cirrhotic patients, 33 males and 7 females, were included in the study. The diagnosis of SHE was made by quantitative psychometric tests including the number connection test (NCT), figure connection test (FCT) parts A and B, and two performance subtests of Wechsler adult intelligence scale, ie, picture completion (PC) and block design (BD) tests. SHE was diagnosed in 26 (65%) of 40 patients. Of these 26 patients, 14 patients were randomized to treatment group (lactulose 30-60 ml/day for three months, SHE-L) and 12 patients to no treatment group (no lactulose, SHE-NL). Psychometric tests were repeated in all patients in both groups and in six patients with no SHE (group NSHE, N = 14) after three months. The mean scores and number of the abnormal psychometric tests at entry were significantly higher in patients in groups SHE-L and SHE-NL than in patients in group NSHE; however, there was no significant difference between SHE-L and SHE-NL. The mean number of the abnormal psychometric tests decreased in patients in group SHE-L after three months of treatment with lactulose (2.9 +/- 0.9 vs 0.8 +/- 1.2; P = 0.004); however, there was no change in patients in group SHE-NL after three months (3.7 +/- 1.5 vs 3.5 +/- 1.3; P = NS). While SHE improved in 8 of 10 patients in group SHE-L, none of the patients in group SHE-NL improved after three months of follow-up (P < 0.001). Two patients in group SHE-NL also developed overt encephalopathy during the study period. We conclude that lactulose treatment in cirrhotic patients with SHE is effective.