[Prevention of high digestive hemorrhage on NSAID]. / Prévention des saignements digestifs hauts sur AINS.

Peptic ulcer induced upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage is a frequent digestive emergency and is one of the most common cause of hospitalization. There are several intrinsic risk factors for peptic ulcer bleed such as advanced age, previous gastro-intestinal hemorrhage, male sex and the presence of Helicobacter pylori. In high risk patients for peptic ulcer disease, gastric protection measures should be considered, most often by treatment with proton pump inhibitors. The eradication of Helicobacter pylori should also be discussed for long-term treatments.

L'hémorragie digestive haute sur ulcère peptique est l'une des principales urgences digestives et compte parmi les causes les plus fréquentes d'hospitalisation. Certains facteurs de risque sont intrinsèques, tels que l'âge avancé, le sexe masculin, les antécédents de saignement digestif et la présence d'Helicobacter pylori, alors que d'autres sont extrinsèques comme la prise de médicaments anticoagulants ou d'anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens. Dans les situations à risque, des mesures de protection gastrique devraient être envisagées, le plus souvent par un traitement d'inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons. L'éradication d'Helicobacter pylori doit également être discutée pour les traitements au long cours.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage: A change in paradigm?

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has been developed as an alternative means of biliary drainage for malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). Compared to percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, EUS-BD offers effective internal drainage in a single session in the event of failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and has fewer adverse events (AE). In choosing which technique to use for EUS-BD, a combination of factors appears to be important in decision-making; technical expertise, the risk of AE, and anatomy. With the advent of novel all-in-one EUS-BD specific devices enabling simpler and safer techniques, as well as the growing experience and training of endosonographers, EUS-BD may potentially become a first-line technique in biliary drainage for MBO.

Macroscopic onsite evaluation using endoscopic ultrasound fine needle biopsy as an alternative to rapid onsite evaluation.

Background and aims This study aimed to evaluate the performance of Macroscopic On-site Evaluation (MOSE) using a novel endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) fine needle biopsy (FNB) needle (22-G Franseen-tip needle, Acquire, Boston Scientific Incorporated, Boston, Massachusetts, United States), and without using Rapid On-Site Evaluation (ROSE). Method Between May 2016 and August 2016, all consecutive patients referred to our center for EUS tissue acquisition (TA) for solid lesions underwent EUS-FNB with the 22-G Franseen-tip needle unless contra-indicated. The operator performed MOSE. If no macroscopic core was visualized, a second pass was performed. The final diagnosis was defined as unequivocal histology from EUS-TA with compatible 18 months follow-up, surgical resection, or both. We retrospectively analyzed the performance of MOSE. Results A total of 46 consecutive patients was included, and 54 solid lesions were biopsied. The endosonographer visualized core tissue in 93 % (50/54) of targets with a single pass, of which the pathologist confirmed histologic core fragments in 94 % (47/50). Four lesions required two passes, and the overall correlation between MOSE and histologic core fragments was 94 % (48/51). Diagnostic adequacy was 98 % (53/54) with one biliary target biopsied without significant material. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 94 %. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for malignancy were 92 %, 100 %, 100 %, and 81 %, respectively. No adverse events were reported. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that MOSE using the 22-G Franseen-tip needle could limit needle passes by accurately estimating histologic core fragments. It also demonstrated that high diagnostic adequacy and accuracy of > 90 % could be achieved without ROSE.

Risks of Bleeding Recurrence and Cardiovascular Events With Continued Aspirin Use After Lower Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: It is not clear whether use of low-dose aspirin should be resumed after an episode of lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. We assessed the long-term risks of recurrent lower GI bleeding and serious cardiovascular outcomes after aspirin-associated lower GI bleeding. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with lower GI bleeding (documented melena or hematochezia and absence of upper GI bleeding) from January 1, 2000 through December 31, 2007 at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. Using the hospital registry, we analyzed data from 295 patients on aspirin and determined their outcomes during a 5-year period. Outcomes included recurrent lower GI bleeding, serious cardiovascular events, and death from other causes, as determined by an independent, blinded adjudication committee. Outcomes were compared between patients assigned to the following groups based on cumulative duration of aspirin use: <20% of the follow-up period (121 nonusers) vs ≥50% of the observation period (174 aspirin users). RESULTS: Within 5 years, lower GI bleeding recurred in 18.9% of aspirin users (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.3%-25.3%) vs 6.9% of nonusers (95% CI, 3.2%-12.5%; P = .007). However, serious cardiovascular events occurred in 22.8% of aspirin users (95% CI, 16.6%-29.6%) vs 36.5% of nonusers (95% CI, 27.4%-45.6%; P = .017), and 8.2% of aspirin users died from other causes (95% CI, 4.6%-13.2%) vs 26.7% of nonusers (95% CI, 18.7%-35.4%; P = .001). Multivariable analysis showed that aspirin use was an independent predictor of rebleeding, but protected against cardiovascular events and death. CONCLUSIONS: Among aspirin users with a history of lower GI bleeding, continuation of aspirin is associated with an increased risk of recurrent lower GI bleeding, but reduced risk of serious cardiovascular events and death.

Risk of Advanced Adenomas in Siblings of Individuals With Advanced Adenomas: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The risk of colorectal neoplasms among siblings of patients with advanced adenomas is not clear. We determined the prevalence of advanced adenomas in the siblings of patients with advanced adenomas and compared it with that of siblings of individuals without these lesions. METHODS: In a blinded, cross-sectional study, colonoscopies were performed (from 2010 through 2014), at 2 hospitals in Hong Kong on 200 asymptomatic siblings of patients with advanced adenomas (exposed; mean age, 58.2 ± 6.3 years; adenomas ≥10 mm, high-grade dysplasia, villous, or tubulovillous) and 400 age- and sex-matched siblings of subjects with normal findings from colonoscopies and no family history of colorectal cancer (unexposed; mean age, 58.1 ± 6 years). We recruited 1 sibling per family. The primary outcome was prevalence of advanced adenomas. RESULTS: Baseline demographics (ie, aspirin use, smoking, body mass index, and metabolic diseases) did not differ significantly between exposed and unexposed individuals. The prevalence of advanced adenoma was 11.5% among the exposed subjects and 2.5% among the unexposed subjects (matched odds ratio [mOR] = 6.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.74-13.36; P < .001). The prevalence of adenomas ≥10 mm was higher among exposed than unexposed siblings (10.5% vs 1.8%; mOR = 8.59; 95% CI: 3.44-21.45; P < .001), as was the prevalence of villous adenomas (5.5% vs 1.3% in unexposed; mOR = 6.28; 95% CI: 2.02-19.53; P = .001) and all colorectal adenomas (39.0% vs 19.0% in unexposed; mOR = 3.29; 95% CI: 2.16-5.03; P < .001). Two cancers were detected in exposed siblings and none in unexposed siblings. CONCLUSIONS: In a cross-sectional study of subjects undergoing colonoscopy in Hong Kong, siblings of individuals with at least 1 advanced adenoma had a 6-fold increased odds of advanced adenoma compared with subjects who had a sibling with a screening colonoscopy with no identified neoplasia. ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT01593098.

Stress ulcer prophylaxis in non-critically ill patients: a prospective evaluation of current practice in a general surgery department.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: There is little evidence regarding the benefit of stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) outside a critical care setting. Overprescription of SUP is not devoid of risks. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for SUP in a general surgery department. METHOD: Data collection was performed prospectively during an 8-week period on patients hospitalized in a general surgery department (58 beds) by pharmacists. Patients with a PPI prescription for the treatment of ulcers, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, oesophagitis or epigastric pain were excluded. Patients admitted twice during the study period were not reincluded. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists guidelines on SUP were used to assess the appropriateness of de novo PPI prescriptions. RESULTS: Among 255 patients in the study, 138 (54%) received a prophylaxis with PPI, of which 86 (62%) were de novo PPI prescriptions. A total of 129 patients (94%) received esomeprazole (according to the hospital drug policy). The most frequent dosage was at 40 mg once daily. Use of PPI for SUP was evaluated in 67 patients. A total of 53 patients (79%) had no risk factors for SUP. Twelve and two patients had one or two risk factors, respectively. At discharge, PPI prophylaxis was continued in 33% of patients with a de novo PPI prescription. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the overuse of PPIs in non-intensive care unit patients and the inappropriate continuation of PPI prescriptions at discharge. Treatment recommendations for SUP are needed to restrict PPI use for justified indications.

New endoscopic hemostasis methods.

Endoscopic treatment for non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding has evolved over decades. Injection with diluted epinephrine is considered as a less than adequate treatment, and the current standard therapy should include second modality if epinephrine injection is used initially. Definitive hemostasis rate following mono-therapy with either thermo-coagulation or hemo-clipping compares favorably with dual therapies. The use of adsorptive powder (Hemo-spray) is a promising treatment although it needs comparative studies between hemospray and other modalities. Stronger hemo-clips with better torque control and wider span are now available. Over-the-scope clips capture a large amount of tissue and may prove useful in refractory bleeding. Experimental treatments include an endoscopic stitch device to over-sew the bleeding lesion and targeted therapy to the sub-serosal bleeding artery as guided by echo-endoscopy. Angiographic embolization of bleeding artery should be considered in chronic ulcers that fail endoscopic treatment especially in elderly patients with a major bleed manifested in hypotension.

Interaction of Helicobacter pylori infection and low-dose aspirin in the upper gastrointestinal tract: implications for clinical practice.

Low-dose aspirin has been shown to increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal tract injury. Risk factors in upper gastrointestinal complications in low-dose aspirin users are less well defined than in other NSAID users, and there are enough intrinsic differences in the two agents to discuss them separately. In particularly, the role of Helicobacter pylori and the benefit of its eradication in decreasing the risk of upper gastrointestinal tract injury in low-dose ASA users remains controversial. Various consensus groups have recommended H. pylori testing and eradication in low-dose ASA users with a prior history of peptic ulcer or ulcer bleeding. The basis of this recommendation is derived from a limited, albeit expanding evidence on the role of H. pylori in upper gastrointestinal tract injury in low-dose ASA users and on the effectiveness of H. pylori eradication in reducing the risk of complications such as rebleeding in high-risk patients.

Cytomegalovirus infection and new-onset post-transplant diabetes mellitus.

We analyzed data from all consecutive kidney transplant patients at our institution between April 2003 and October 2006. We found 15 cases of late-onset cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, two of which developed concurrent post-transplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM). In these two cases, PTDM was transient and normal glucose tolerance was achieved after an eight-wk therapeutic course of oral valganciclovir. These findings suggest that CMV infection after organ transplantation may be associated with concurrent PTDM. The distinct causative relationship is yet to be determined.

A case of recurrent transient left ventricular apical ballooning associated with atrial fibrillation.

We report the case of a post-menopausal female who presented two episodes of transient left ventricular apical ballooning associated with rapid atrial fibrillation within a four-month period. The clinical features of this phenomenon also known as Tako-tsubo mimic acute myocardial infarction and may be a form of catecholamine-induced neurogenic stunning. The case illustrates that typical ECG features could be masked by atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response.