Clinical Significance of Fecal Lactoferrin and Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction in Patients with Acute Diarrhea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The diagnostic yield of fecal leukocyte and stool cultures is unsatisfactory in patients with acute diarrhea. This study was performed to evaluate the clinical significance of the fecal lactoferrin test and fecal multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with acute diarrhea. METHODS: Clinical parameters and laboratory findings, including fecal leukocytes, fecal lactoferrin, stool cultures and stool multiplex PCR for bacteria and viruses, were evaluated prospectively for patients who were hospitalized due to acute diarrhea. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were included (male, 23; median age, 42.5 years). Fecal leukocytes and fecal lactoferrin were positive in 33 (61.1%) and 14 (25.4%) patients, respectively. Among the 31 patients who were available for fecal pathogen evaluation, fecal multiplex PCR detected bacterial pathogens in 21 patients, whereas conventional stool cultures were positive in only one patient (67.7% vs 3.2%, p=0.000). Positive fecal lactoferrin was associated with presence of moderate to severe dehydration and detection of bacterial pathogens by multiplex PCR (21.4% vs 2.5%, p=0.049; 100% vs 56.5%, p=0.032, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Fecal lactoferrin is a useful marker for more severe dehydration and bacterial etiology in patients with acute diarrhea. Fecal multiplex PCR can detect more causative organisms than conventional stool cultures in patients with acute diarrhea.

Ultrathin endoscope-assisted method for the management of upper gastrointestinal obstruction to avoid technical failure.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Endoscopic management of upper gastrointestinal obstruction is safe and feasible. However, its technical and clinical success rate is about 90%, which is primarily due to inability to pass a guide-wire through the stricture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an ultrathin endoscope for correct placement of guide wire to avoid technical failure in upper gastrointestinal obstruction. METHODS: Retrospective assessment of ultrathin endoscope to traverse the stenosis of the upper gastrointestinal tract in technically difficult cases was performed. Technical and clinical success rates and immediate complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Nine cases were included in this study (eight cases of stent insertion and one case of balloon dilatation). Technical success was achieved in all of the patients (100%) and oral feeding was feasible in all of the cases (100%). Immediate complications, such as migration, perforation, and hemorrhage, did not develop in any of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrathin endoscope-assisted method for upper gastrointestinal obstruction is potentially safe and useful to avoid technical failure.

Diagnostic accuracy and interobserver agreement in predicting the submucosal invasion of colorectal tumors using gross findings, pit patterns, and microvasculatures.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Depth of invasion is one of the most important factors for establishing treatment strategy for colorectal tumors. METHODS: Three blinded experts reviewed electronic photos and video clips of 33 early colorectal cancer-like lesions. They estimated the depth of invasion based on conventional white light endoscopy (CWE), magnifying chromoendoscopy (MCE), and magnifying narrow band imaging endoscopy (MNE). RESULTS: The lesions included nine mucosal low-grade neoplasias, 16 mucosal high grade neoplasias, and eight carcinomas with invasion to the submucosal layer or beyond. The diagnostic accuracy for submucosal invasion by CWE ranged from 67% to 82%, while those by MCE and MNE ranged from 85% to 88% and 85% to 88%, respectively. The diagnostic accuracy significantly differed between CWE and MCE (p=0.034) and between CWE and MNE (p=0.039). The kappa values for CWE, MCE, and MNE among the endoscopists were 0.564, 0.673, and 0.673, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The estimation of submucosal invasion for early colorectal cancer-like lesions based on MCE or MNE is more accurate than CWE. MCE and MNE were demonstrated to have substantial agreement for predicting submucosal invasion.

The temporary placement of covered self-expandable metal stents to seal various gastrointestinal leaks after surgery.

Gastrointestinal leakage is one of the most serious post surgical complications and is a major source of mortality and morbidity. The insertion of a covered self-expandable metal stent could be a treatment option in selected cases. However, it is unclear how long the stent should be retained to achieve complete sealing, and membrane-covered stents have the problem of a high migration rate. We observed four cases of postsurgical leakage following the primary closure of a duodenal perforation, esophagojejunostomy, and esophagogastrostomy, each of which was successfully managed by the temporary placement of covered stents. In all cases, the optimal time of stent removal could be estimated by the markedly decreased amount of drainage, the lack of leakage observed on radiocontrast images, and the endoscopic findings. In this case series, all of the stents could be removed within 7 weeks. For those cases with a high risk of migration, stents with temporary fixations to earlobes and/or partially uncovered proximal flanges were used. These results suggest that the application of a covered stent could be a treatment option for various gastrointestinal leaks after surgery, particularly when the defect cannot be sealed by conservative care and the leakage has good external drainage.

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.