A pilot study on the endoscopic surveillance of colorectal dysplasia and cancer in long-standing ulcerative colitis.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) when compared to the general population. Epithelial dysplasia comes before this neoplasm, and thus endoscopic surveillance is recommended to these patients. This pilot study aims at establishing the incidence of dysplasia and CRC in patients with long-standing UC in our hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a prospective observational study performed in patients with a definite diagnosis of UC for more than 8 years. These patients were encouraged to enroll in an endoscopic surveillance program for CRC. All patients underwent colonoscopy and multiple biopsies every 18 to 24 months in order to detect epithelial dysplasia. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were included from January 1994 to December 2003. Half of them were males. Mean age was 52 +/- 13 years. Mean duration of UC was 15 +/- 8 years. Thirteen (35%) patients had left colitis, and 26 (65%) had pancolitis or extensive colitis. The presence of mild dysplasia was detected in four patients, on two occasions in one of them (13%; 95% CI: 6.1-33.5); the incidence of mild dysplasia was 1.3% patients per surveillance year. No severe dysplasia or CRCs were identified. CONCLUSION: The incidence of dysplasia in our area is lower than expected, and does not support surveillance programs for these patients. However, no definite conclusions may be drawn from such a small number of patients.

Estudio piloto sobre la vigilancia endoscópica de la displasia y del cáncer colorrectal en la colitis ulcerosa de larga evolución / A pilot study on the endoscopic surveillance of colorectal dysplasia and cancer in long-standing ulcerative colitis

Introducción: los pacientes con colitis ulcerosa (CU) tienen un mayor riesgo de desarrollar cáncer colorrectal (CCR) que la población general. La displasia epitelial precede a esta neoplasia por lo que se recomienda la vigilancia endoscópica de estos pacientes Este estudio piloto pretende determinar la incidencia de la displasia y del CCR en pacientes con CU de larga evolución en nuestro hospital. Material y métodos: estudio prospectivo y observacional en pacientes con el diagnóstico firme de CU de más de 8 años de evolución a los que se propuso entrar en un programa de vigilancia endoscópica del CCR. A todos los enfermos se les sometió cada 18/24 meses a una colonoscopia con múltiples biopsias para detectar displasias epiteliales. Resultados: se incluyeron 39 pacientes desde enero de 1994 hasta diciembre de 2003. La mitad de ellos eran varones. La edad media fue de 52 años (±13 años). La duración media de la CU fue de 15 ± 8 años. Trece (35%) enfermos sufrían una colitis izquierda y 26 (65%) una pancolitis o colitis extensa. Se detectó la presencia de displasia leve en 4 pacientes, en uno de ellos en dos ocasiones (13%, IC 95%: 6,1-33,5), la incidencia de displasia leve fue de 1,3% pacientes por año de vigilancia. No se detectaron displasiasgraves ni CCRs. Conclusión: la incidencia de displasia en nuestra área es menor que la esperada y no sustenta los programas de vigilancia en estos enfermos. Aunque por el pequeño número de pacientes no se pueden sacar conclusiones firmes

Introduction: patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have a greater risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) when comparedto the general population. Epithelial dysplasia comes before this neoplasm, and thus endoscopic surveillance is recommendedto these patients. This pilot study aims at establishing the incidence of dysplasia and CRC in patients with long-standing UC inour hospital. Material and methods: this is a prospective observational study performed in patients with a definite diagnosis of UC for more than 8 years. These patients were encouraged to enroll in an endoscopic surveillance program for CRC. All patients underwent colonoscopy and multiple biopsies every 18 to 24 months in order to detect epithelial dysplasia. Results: thirty-nine patients were included from January 1994 to December 2003. Half of them were males. Mean age was 52 ± 13 years. Mean duration of UC was 15 ± 8 years. Thirteen (35%) patients had left colitis, and 26 (65%) had pancolitis or extensive colitis. The presence of mild dysplasia was detected in four patients, on two occasions in one of them (13%; 95% CI: 6.1-33.5); the incidence of mild dysplasia was 1.3% patients per surveillance year. No severe dysplasia or CRCs were identified. Conclusion: the incidence of dysplasia in our area is lower than expected, and does not support surveillance programs for these patients. However, no definite conclusions may be drawn from such a small number of patients

Predictors of response to infliximab in patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of infliximab for the treatment of fistulizing Crohn's disease. METHODS: Consecutive patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease receiving infliximab were prospectively enrolled. Partial response was defined as a reduction of 50% or more from base-line in the number of draining fistulae. Complete response was defined as the closure of all fistulae. The influence of different variables on the efficacy of infliximab was evaluated. RESULTS: 108 patients were included. The disease was inflammatory plus fistulizing in 18% and only fistulizing in 82%. After the third infusion of infliximab the response was partial in 26% and complete in 57%. Response (%) rates (partial/complete) depending on fistula location were: enterocutaneous (25/68%), perianal (35/60%), rectovaginal (36/64%), and enterovesical (20/40%). None of the studied variables (including concomitant immunosuppressive therapy) correlated with efficacy of infliximab in the multivariate analysis. Incidence of adverse effects (21%) depending on the dose of infliximab was: first dose (5.6%), second (7.4%), and third (11.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab is an efficacious treatment for fistulizing Crohn's disease. Partial response was achieved in approximately one third of the patients, and complete response in more than half. No studied variable was predictive of response. Adverse effects were relatively infrequent and mild.

Factores predictivos de respuesta a infliximab en pacientes con enfermedad de Crohn fistulizante / Predictors of response to infliximab in patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease

Objetivo: evaluar la eficacia e identificar los factores predictivos de respuesta al tratamiento con infliximab en la enfermedad de Crohn fistulizante. Métodos: se realizó un estudio prospectivo en pacientes con enfermedad de Crohn fistulizante que recibían tratamiento con infliximab. La respuesta parcial se definió como una reducción del 50 por ciento o más de la línea base en el número de fístulas que drenan. La respuesta completa se definió como el cierre de todas las fístulas. Se evaluó la influencia de diferentes variables sobre la eficacia de infliximab. Resultados: se estudiaron 108 pacientes. La enfermedad era inflamatoria y fistulizante en el 18 por ciento y sólo fistulizante en el 82 por ciento. Después de la tercera infusión de infliximab la respuesta fue parcial en el 26 por ciento y completa en el 57 por ciento. Las tasas de respuesta ( por ciento) (parcial/completa) dependiendo de la localización de la fístula fueron: enterocutánea (25/68 por ciento), perianal (35/60 por ciento), rectovaginal (36/64 por ciento), y enterovesical (20/40 por ciento). Ninguna de las variables estudiadas (edad, sexo, tabaco, tratamiento inmunosupresor, antigüedad, origen y localización de la fístula) presentó correlación con la eficacia de infliximab en el análisis de multivariante. La incidencia de efectos adversos (21 por ciento) fue: 5,6,7,4 y 11,1 por ciento durante la primera, segunda y tercera dosis respectivamente. Conclusiones: infliximab es un tratamiento eficaz para la enfermedad de Crohn fistulizante. Aproximadamente un tercio de los pacientes alcanzaron respuesta parcial y alrededor de la mitad, respuesta completa. Ninguna variable estudiada fue predictiva de respuesta. Los efectos adversos fueron relativamente infrecuentes y leves (AU)

Infliximab en el tratamiento de la colitis ulcerosa grave / Infliximab in the treatment of severe ulcerative colitis

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[Complexity index and analysis of digestive endoscopies at a university hospital]. / Indice de complejidad y análisis de los costes de las endoscopias digestivas en un hospital universitario.

BACKGROUND: In Spain neither the cost of digestive endoscopies nor the complexity index (CI) have been objectively estimated. Consequently, the profitability of an endoscopy unit cannot be evaluated. OBJECTIVES: 1: To classify endoscopies according to the time taken to accomplish them in order to estimate the CI and determine the relative value unit (RVU). 2: To evaluate the cost of each examination in order to determine the profitability of endoscopy as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. 3: To measure unnecessary delays in examinations and to determine whether there are differences in the time an examination takes according to the endoscopist's experience and the patient's age or sex. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cost per hour of an endoscopy room was estimated by dividing the cost per year of employees, equipment, maintenance and the hospital's general costs between the hours of work per year of the endoscopy team. The time taken to perform endoscopies was estimated and the result was used to calculate the RVI, the CI and the cost of 500 consecutive endoscopies. RESULTS: The annual cost amounted to 349,617.69 E. Staffing costs represented 65.5%, of which 56.3% were direct costs. Gastroscopy was taken as the RVU (cost = 27.52 E). Anoscopy was the simplest procedure (RVU = 0.61, cost = 15.08 E) and colonoscopy plus polypectomy was the most complex procedure (RVU = 4.41, cost = 74.28 E). The greater the experience of the member of staff performing the procedure, the less time it took (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: CI was lowest for anoscopy (URV = 0.61) and highest for total colonoscopy plus polypectomy (URV = 4.41). Cost and exploration time depended on the endoscopist's experience. Staff represented the highest percentage of cost.

Prevalence of appendectomy among ulcerative colitis patients and their relatives.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that appendectomy may protect against ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the incidences of appendectomy and UC in developed countries have diverged over the last 50 years, possibly as a consequence of environmental factors. AIM: To determine whether the incidence of appendectomy is lower in patients with UC than in the general population. METHODS: Patients with UC (153), their relatives (116) and members of the general population (306) that had been matched for age, sex and educational status were studied. RESULTS: Six per cent of UC patients had undergone appendectomy. The corresponding figure for non-family controls was 20% (P < 0.0001; OR = 0.27; 95% CI = 0.15-0.45). The rate of appendectomy within families (cases plus siblings) was 17/269 (6.3%) and was similar to that for UC patients alone(P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A negative association between appendectomy and UC exists in our patients with UC. In addition, the appendectomy rate in families of UC patients was lower than that in the general population, possibly implying that common environmental and genetic factors could play an important role in the divergent incidences of appendicitis and UC over the last 50 years.

Association of MALTectomy (appendectomy and tonsillectomy) and inflammatory bowel disease: a familial case-control study.

UNLABELLED: There is some controversy regarding the prevalence of tonsillectomy and appendectomy among patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and a lower rate of appendectomy among patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). However, some environmental and familial factors that could alter those figures have not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence of MALTectomy (appendectomy and tonsillectomy) among patients with IBD, stressing those factors that may be significantly associated to it. METHOD: Age-and-sex matched case-control study in patients with IBD, their relatives and the general population. Two hundred and eighty seven cases were IBD patients (153 UC, and 134 CD), the "family control" group included 203 siblings and the population-based control group included 570 individuals. Potential confounding factors, such as smoking, educational level, oral contraceptive use, place of birth and residence up to the age of 15 years, were ruled out. RESULTS: Appendectomy and UC: 7% of UC patients had undergone appendectomy versus 20% (OR: 0.23; 95% CI: 0.11-0.5; p < 0.0001) of controls. Appendectomy rates in families with at least one case of UC were 17/153 (6.3%) and 61/306 (20%) in the control group (p < 0.001). Appendectomy and CD: Twelve per cent of CD patients had undergone appendectomy six months before the onset of the disease versus 17% among the control population (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.29-0.95; p < 0.01). The frequency of appendectomy in families with at least one case of CD was 22/221 (10%), which was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than among the control group 45/264 (17%). No differences were found between IBD patients and familial controls. Tonsillectomy and CD: Forty six per cent of CD patients had undergone tonsillectomy versus 39% of control patients (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 0.92-2.05; p = ns). Tonsillectomy and UC: Twenty eight per cent of UC patients had undergone tonsillectomy versus 39% of the population control group (OR: 1.07; 95 CI: 0.57-1.25: p = ns). In fact, no differences were found regarding the prevalence of tonsillectomies within families with IBD cases as compared to population controls. CONCLUSIONS: Appendectomy is not only less frequent among CD and UC patients, but also among their relatives, thus suggesting the existence of environmental and genetic factors with opposed etiological roles in IBD and appendicitis.

Asociación de MALTectomía (apendicectomía y amigdalectomía) con la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal: estudio familiar / Association of MALTectomy (appendectomy and tonsillectomy) and inflammatory bowel disease: a familial case-control study

Existen controversias acerca de la prevalencia de amigdalectomía y apendicectomía entre los enfermos de EC y concordancia en una baja tasa de apendicectomía entre los de CU. Sin embargo no se han estudiado algunos sesgos ambientales y familiares que podrían alterar las cifras. Objetivo: investigar la prevalencia de MALTectomía (apendicectomía y amigdalectomía) entre enfermos de EII soslayando los posibles sesgos que pudieran influir en ella. Método: estudio caso-control de doscientos y ochenta siete pacientes (153 CU y 134 EC) diagnosticados de EII y enfrentados a un grupo control de familiares constituido por 203 hermanos y hermanas y otro de población general compuesto por 570 individuos. Casos y controles estaban equiparados en edad y sexo. Se descartó la existencia de potenciales factores de confusión tales como el hábito de fumar, nivel educativo, uso de anticonceptivos orales, lugar de nacimiento y residencia hasta los 15 años. Resultados: apendicectomía y CU; el 7 por ciento de los pacientes con CU habían sido apendicectomizados frente al 20 por ciento de los pacientes control (OR: 0,23; 95 por ciento IC: 0,11-0,5; p <0,0001). El valor de la apendicectomía dentro de las familias con algún miembro enfermo de CU era de 17/153 (6,3 por ciento) y 61/306 (20 por ciento) en el grupo control (p <0,001). Apendicectomía y EC; El 12 por ciento de los pacientes con EC tenían realizada una apendicectomía seis meses antes del inicio de los síntomas de enfermedad frente al 17 por ciento de los controles poblacionales (OR: 0,43; 95 por ciento IC: 0,29-0,95; p <0,01). La frecuencia de apendicectomía dentro de las familias con algún miembro enfermo de EC era 22/221 (10 por ciento) significativamente menor (p <0,05) que en el grupo control 45/264 (17 por ciento). No se encontraron diferencias entre los pacientes con EII y los controles familiares. Amigdalectomía y EC; el 46 por ciento de los pacientes con EC había sido amigdalectomizados frente al 39 por ciento de los pacientes control (OR: 1,77; 95 por ciento IC: 0,92-2,05; p=ns). Amigdalectomía y CU; el 28 por ciento de los pacientes con CU tenía realizada una amigdalectomía frente al 39 por ciento de los controles poblacionales (OR: 1,07; 95 por ciento IC: 0,57-1,25: p=ns). No existía ninguna diferencia en la prevalencia de amigdalectomías entre las familias de pacientes con EII y la población general. Conclusiones: la apendicectomía no sólo es menos frecuente entre enfermos CU y EC sino también entre sus familiares, lo que implica que existen factores ambientales o genéticos de efecto etiológico contrapuesto en la EII y en la apendicitis (AU)

Sobre la incidencia y la patogenia de la pancreatitis aguda en la enfermedad de Crohn / About the incidence and pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis in Crohn´s disease

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6-mercaptopurine or methotrexate added to prednisone induces and maintains remission in steroid-dependent inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: As treatment of steroid-dependent patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is controversial, we analysed the efficacy and tolerance of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and methotrexate (MTX) added to prednisone in increasing and maintaining the disease remission rate. METHODS: Seventy-two steroid-dependent IBD patients, 34 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 38 with Crohn's disease (CD), receiving treatment with prednisone were randomly assigned in a 2:2:1 ratio to additionally receive, orally, over a period of 30 weeks 1.5 mg/kg/day of 6-MP (group A) or 15 mg/week of MTX (group B), or 3 g/day of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) (group C). All patients who achieved remission were included in a maintaining remission study for 76 weeks. Remission was defined after stopping prednisone as a CD activity index of <150 and normal serum orosomucoid concentration for CD patients and a Mayo Clinic score <7 for UC patients. RESULTS: With regard to achieved remission, a significantly higher (P< 0.05) rate existed for UC patients in group A (78.6%) than in group C (25%), with no statistical differences in group B (58.3%) versus C. For CD patients, the rates were significantly higher (P< 0.001 and 0.01, respectively) in groups A (93.7%) and B (80%) versus C (14%). With regard to maintaining remission, UC patients in group A (63.6%) presented significantly higher rates (P < 0.0015 and P < 0.001, respectively) versus 14.3% in group B and none in group C. For CD patients, statistical differences (P < 0.001) existed when comparing rates in groups A (53.3%) and B (66.6%) versus none in group C. Noticeable side effects appeared in 13.3% of patients from group A and 11.5% from group B. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that 6-MP or MTX added to prednisone could be effective in steroid sparing, as well as in achieving and maintaining remission in steroid-dependent IBD patients. MTX was less effective in maintaining remission in UC patients.

Evaluación económica de un cribado del cáncer colorrectal mediante detección de sangre oculta en heces / Economic evaluation of colorectal cancer screening with fecal occult blood detection

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High-dose intravenous cyclosporine in steroid refractory attacks of inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determin whether cyclosporine is effective in inducing remission in patients with severe active inflammatory bowel disease, refractory to steroids. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-three patients with severe and steroid-refractory inflammatory bowel disease (15 ulcerative colitis and 8 Crohn's disease) were included. The Mayo Clinic Score and the CDAI were used to evaluate activity. Cyclosporine (4 mg/kg/day) was administered for a maximum of ten and a minimum of 7 days. RESULTS: Ten of the 15 ulcerative colitis patients achieved remission with a mean response lag time to onset improvement of 8 days. Seven of these patients remained stable with mesalazine 4 months after cyclosporine treatment. Two patients relapsed and underwent colectomy on the 50th and 200th day after treatment. Five patients presented no response and required urgent colectomy. Six of the 8 Crohn's disease patients achieved remission with a mean response lag time to onset improvement of 7 days. The 6 patients remained stable with mesalazine four months after cyclosporine treatment. The other 2 developed reversible renal failure and had to be released from the study. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous high dose cyclosporine is effective and can be used as a rapid onset treatment for acute steroid refractory IBD.

Estimated incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Argentina and Panama (1987-1993).

AIM: to estimate the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in two areas from Panama and Argentina. METHOD: during a 7-year period from 1987 to 1993 we surveyed IBD in two well-defined communities from Panama (District of Colón) and Argentina (Partido General Pueyrredón). The mean annual incidence of IBD was estimated from hospital-based registries. Records from the General Records Department and the endoscopy, radiology and pathology services were reviewed at the Hospital MA Guerrero in Colón and at two other hospitals in Partido General Pueyrredón to identify suspected cases of IBD. Cases were confirmed using standard criteria, and disease incidence rates were calculated by dividing the number of cases in which a positive diagnosis could be established by the population served by each hospital. RESULTS: mean annual incidence of ulcerative colitis in Panama was 1.2/100 000 inhabitants/year, and no cases of Crohn's disease (CD) could be diagnosed. Mean annual incidence of IBD in Partido General Pueyrredón was 2.2/100 000 inhabitants/year, with only a single case of CD being identified. We argue that such figures could represent a good estimate of the incidence of IBD in each area, given the wide coverage of the population by the hospitals surveyed in each region. CONCLUSION: according to these results, the incidence rates of IBD seem to be much lower than those published for other "Hispanic" communities outside Latin America. Factors such as population structure, environment or genetic determinants might account for these differences.

Tonsillectomy and inflammatory bowel disease location.

OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies have found an increased frequency of childhood infections and tonsillectomies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of our study was to test whether particular clinical patterns of IBD could be associated with previous tonsillectomy. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty consecutive IBD patients (100 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 120 with ulcerative colitis (UC)) were prospectively assessed and classified into groups according to disease location. In those with a positive history of tonsillectomy, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) examination was carried out to confirm the diagnosis. RESULTS: Eighty-two IBD patients (37%) underwent tonsillectomy in childhood: 47 out of 100 CD patients (47%), and 35 out of 120 UC patients (29%). Disease location in CD patients affected the ileum in 28, and 21 of them were tonsillectomized (tonsillectomy rate of 75%). Thirty-six patients had an ileocolonic location, and 14 of them had had a tonsillectomy (39%). With disease confined to the colon, only 9 out of 29 patients (31%) had undergone previous tonsillectomy. The higher prevalence of tonsillectomy in patients with CD ileitis was statistically significant (P = 0.0034). No significant differences between groups of UC patients according to the extent of the disease were found. CONCLUSION: The ileum is the most prevalent location of disease in CD patients with previous tonsillectomy.

Effect of fiber supplements on internal bleeding hemorrhoids.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study is to assess prospectively the effect of fiber additions on internal bleeding hemorrhoids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients with bleeding internal hemorrhoids are studied and randomized in two groups. Patients in the study group were treated with a commercially available preparation of Plantago Ovata and those in the control group were treated with a placebo. Endoscopy was performed on every patient before and after treatment to establish: a) the degree of hemorrhoidal prolapse, b) the number of congested hemorrhoidal cushions and c) contact bleeding hemorrhoids. RESULTS: During the 15 days of treatment, the average number of bleeding episodes was 4.8 +/- 3.8 for the study group versus 6.4 +/- 3 for the control group (n.s.). During the following 15 days, it decreased to 3.1 +/- 2.7 in the study group versus 5.5 +/- 3.2 (p < 0.05) in the control group and in the last 10 days of treatment a further reduction to 1.1 +/- 1.4 was found in the study group versus 5.5 +/- 2.9 (p < 0.001). The number of congested hemorrhoidal cushions diminished from 2.6 +/- 1 to 1.6 +/- 2.2 after fiber treatment (p < 0.01) and no differences were found in the control group. In the fiber group, hemorrhoids bled on contact in 5 out of 22 patients before treatment and in none after treatment; no differences were found in the control group. No modification of the degree of prolapse was observed after treatment. CONCLUSION: Addition of dietary fiber may improve internal bleeding hemorrhoids although with no immediate effect. Fiber addition should be ensured in patients who refuse invasive treatment, waiting for a more defined form of treatment, or with contraindications.