Validation of prognostic scores for clinical outcomes in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding.

Background. The Rockall, Glasgow-Blatchford, and AIMS65 are useful and validated scoring systems for predicting the outcomes of patients with nonvariceal gastrointestinal bleeding. However, there are no validated evidence for using them to predict outcomes on variceal bleeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the prognostic accuracy of different nonvariceal bleeding scores with other liver-specific scoring systems in cirrhotic patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study that included 160 cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding. The AUROC's to predict in-hospital mortality, and rebleeding, were analyzed for each scoring system. RESULTS: Overall in-hospital mortality occurred in 13% and in-hospital rebleeding in 12% of patients. The systems with the best AUROC value for predicting mortality were MELD (0.828; 95% CI 0.748-0.909), and AIMS65 (0.817; 95% CI 0.724-0.909). The best score systems for predicting rebleeding were Glasgow-Blatchford (0.756; 95% CI 0.640- 0.827), and Rockall (0.691; 95% CI 0.580-0.802). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to liver-specific scores, the AIMS65 score is accurate for predicting in-hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding. Other scoring systems might be useful for predicting significant clinical outcomes in these patients.

Correlation between the gastrojejunostomosis area, documented endoscopically, and the loss of weight in laparoscopic gastric bypass postoperative patients: results of 1 year after surgery.

Laparoscopic Y Roux gastric bypass (YRGB) is the most performed bariatric surgery. There are 3 main techniques in the construction of the gastrojejunostomosis (GJA). The size of the GJA and its relation to the reduction of excess weight has been previously debated. The aim of our study was to determine whether the GJA area in YRGB correlates with the loss of excess weight at 1 year postoperatively. Patients who complied 1 year after YRGB underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Images of the GJA were obtained and the area of the GJA was calculated. A statistical analysis, adjusting for age and body mass index preoperatively obtained an r of -0474 and P=0.032, demonstrating a significant negative correlation between the GJA area and the percentage of excess weight loss. A statistically significant negative correlation between the GJA area and the percentage of the excess weight loss was shown. The number of patients evaluated should be increased for a higher statistical significance to corroborate whether the stoma size influences the loss of weight in YRGB patients.

Correlación de los hallazgos endoscópicos pre y postoperatorios en pacientes sometidos a cirugía bariátrica / Correlation of pre and postoperative endoscopic findings in patients subjected to bariatric surgery

Objetivo: Establecer una correlación de los hallazgos endoscópicos preoperatorios con los síntomas gastrointestinales y hallazgos endoscópicos en el seguimiento de los pacientes sometidos a algún tipo de cirugía bariátrica. Sede: Hospital General ''Dr. Manuel Gea González''. Tercer Nivel de Atención Médica. Diseño: Estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo, transversal y comparativo. Análisis estadístico: Porcentajes como medida de resumen para variables cualitativas y χ². Pacientes y método: Pacientes que se operaron en la clínica de obesidad, de junio 2006 a junio 2010, a los cuales se les realizó endoscopia preoperatoria con un seguimiento mínimo de un año. Se identificaron las patologías gastrointestinales con mayor incidencia, hallazgos histopatológicos y la correlación de la endoscopia postoperatoria en el seguimiento de pacientes que por sus síntomas requirieron control endoscópico. Resultados: De un total de 137 pacientes que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión (111 mujeres, 26 hombres), con edad promedio de 36.41, IMC promedio de 42.04, la patología con mayor incidencia fue gastritis inespecífica no erosiva (45.25%), el resultado histopatológico más frecuente fue gastritis asociada a Helicobacter pylori (HP) (38.6%). A un seguimiento promedio de tres años (DE ± 1.31) a 35 pacientes (25.5%) se les realizó endoscopia de seguimiento por síntomas gastrointestinales; los hallazgos endoscópicos fueron: gastritis inespecífica no erosiva (54.28%), sin alteraciones (31.42%) y estenosis de anastomosis (14.7%). Conclusión: La endoscopia preoperatoria es de gran utilidad, ya que permite identificar patologías que se pueden asociar a otras complicaciones y tomar todas las medidas para prevenirlas.

Objective: To establish a correlation between the pre-operative endoscopic findings with the gastrointestinal syndrome and endoscopic findings during follow-up of patients subjected to bariatric surgery. Setting: General Hospital ''Dr. Manuel Gea González'' (third level health care center). Design: A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, comparative study. Statistical analysis: Percentages as summary measures for qualitative variables and χ². Patients and method: Patients operated in the obesity clinic from June 2006 to June 2010, in whom a preoperative endoscopy was performed with a follow-up of at least 1 years. We identified the gastrointestinal pathologies with the highest incidence, histopathological findings, and the correlation with the postoperative endoscopy during the follow-up of patients, who, due to their symptoms, required endoscopic control. Results: In a total of 137 patients that complied with the inclusion criteria (111 women and 26 men), average age of 36.41 years, average BMI of 42.04, the pathology with the highest incidence was non-specific non-erosive gastritis (45.25%), the most frequent histopathological result was gastritis associated to Helicobacter pylori (HP) (38.6%). At an average follow-up of three years (SD ± 1.31), 35 patients (25.5%) were subjected to follow-up endoscopy due to gastrointestinal symptoms. Endoscopic findings were: non-specific, non-erosive gastritis (54.28%), without alterations (31.42%), and stenosis of the anastomoses (14.7%). Conclusion: Preoperative endoscopy is very useful as it allows identifying pathologies that can be associated to other complications and taking the necessary measures to prevent them.

Parasites in Mexican patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a case-control study.

One hundred and fifteen patients with symptoms suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) according to Rome III criteria and 209 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms different from IBS (control) were identified through medical records from the Gastroenterology Clinic of the "Dr. Manuel Gea Gonzalez General Hospital" from January 2008 to March 2010. No statistical differences in IBS data as compared with control groups were observed except in bloating, that was more frequent in the IBS group (P = 0.043). Although the pathogenicity of specific intestinal protozoa could not be demonstrated due to lack of association with the development of gastrointestinal symptoms, Blastocystis spp, in the IBS group, exhibited a trend of association to diarrhoea (odds ratio = 2.73, 95% confidence interval = 0.84-8.80, P = 0.053), while having any parasite and diarrhoea was significant (odds ratio = 3.38, 95% confidence interval = 1.33-8.57, P = 0.008). The association between Blastocystis and diarrhoea in IBS patients although not conclusive is an interesting finding; nonetheless more extensive case-controlled studies are required to clearly define the role of some "non-pathogenic" parasites in intestinal disease and IBS.

Predicting 6-week mortality after acute variceal bleeding: role of Classification and Regression Tree analysis.

BACKGROUND: Available prognostic scores for mortality after acute variceal bleeding are mainly based on logistic regression analysis but may have some limitations that can restrict their clinical value. AIMS: To assess the efficacy of a novel prognostic approach based on Classification and Regression Tree -CART- analysis to common easy-to-use models (MELD and Child-Pugh) for predicting 6-week mortality in patients with variceal bleeding. METHODS: Sixty consecutive cirrhotic patients with acute variceal bleeding. CART analysis, MELD and Child-Pugh scores were performed to assess 6-week mortality. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the predictive performance of the models. RESULTS: Six-week rebleeding and mortality were 30% and 22%, respectively. Child-Pugh and MELD scores were clinically relevant for predicting 6 weeks mortality. CART analysis provided a simple algorithm based on just three bedside-available variables (albumin, bilirubin and in-hospital rebleeding), allowing accurate discrimination of two distinct prognostic subgroups with 3% and 80% mortality rates. All MELD, Child-Pugh and CART models showed excellent and comparable predictive accuracy, with areas under the ROC curves (AUROC) of 0.88, 0.84 and 0.91, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A simple CART algorithm combining albumin, bilirubin and in-hospital rebleeding allows an accurate predictive assessment of 6-week mortality after acute variceal bleeding.

Carcinoma esofágico: Experiencia clínica en el Hospital Español de México de 1979 a 1999 / Esophageal carcinoma: Clinical experience at Hospital Español de Mexico

El carcinoma esofágico ha incrementado su incidencia en los últimos años. El método diagnóstico de elección es endoscopia. Presentamos nuestra experiencia en el Hospital Español de México de enero de 1979 a julio de 1999. Se revisaron los expedientes clínicos, encontrando 61 casos de carcinoma esofágico. En los primeros 14 años se presentaron 34 casos 855.7 por ciento), de 1993 a 1999, se presentaron 27 casos (44.26 por ciento), con edad media de 71 años. Predominó el sexo masculino (81.96 por ciento). Antecedente de alcoholismo se presentó en 55.7 por ciento, tabaquismo y enfermedad gastrointestinal en 63.9 por ciento. La sintomatología inicial fue disfagia (59 por ciento). Adenocarcinoma se diagnosticó en 82 por ciento, afectando más el tercio distal (75.4 por ciento); y carcinoma epidermoide en 16.4 por ciento, afectando a tercio superior y medio. Al momento del diagnóstico, 33 pacientes tenían metástasis. Fueron sometidos a algún tratamiento 50 pacientes. Nuestros resultados confirman otras publicaciones sobre el aumento en la incidencia del carcinoma esofágico