Gastroscopy Research Articles

Relationship of different metabolic obesity phenotypes with reflux esophagitis: a propensity score matching analysis.

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of reflux esophagitis (RE). Metabolic abnormalities have been implicated in the pathogenesis of RE. However, the role of metabolic status in the risk of RE among individuals with varying degrees of obesity remains unclear. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the association between metabolic obesity phenotypes and the risk of RE. This study included a cohort of 24,368 participants aged 18 years and older who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University during health checkups between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2021. Among these participants, a total of 9,947 individuals were classified into four groups based on their obesity phenotype: metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW), metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW), and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO). To account for potential confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the association between metabolic obesity phenotypes and the risk of RE, with stratification by sex and age. Among all participants, the MUNW, MHO, and MUO groups demonstrated a higher risk of RE when compared to the MHNW group. After controlling for all confounding factors, the MUO group exhibited the highest risk, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.723 (95% CI: 2.751-5.040) in males and 5.482 (95% CI: 4.080-7.367) in females. The prevalence of RE increased in proportion to the number of metabolic risk factors. Subgroup analyses, which accounted for all confounders, revealed that the MHO, MUNW, and MUO phenotypes were associated with an elevated risk of RE in individuals under 60 years old as well as those over 60 years old. Interestingly, a more comprehensive analysis indicated that obesity may have a greater effect on the risk of RE than metabolic disorders. Both metabolic disorders and obesity were associated with an increased risk of RE. The effect of obesity on RE prevalence may be stronger than that of metabolic disorders, emphasizing the significance of obesity regardless of metabolic health status. Clinical interventions should address not only obesity but also metabolic disorders in order to reduce the risk of RE.

The impact of relaxing the requirements for dyspeptic Symptom Onset frequency or duration in Rome IV Criteria on the Symptom Pattern and diagnosis of functional dyspepsia

BackgroundThe Rome IV criteria for functional dyspepsia (FD) has strict requirements for symptom frequency and onset duration, making it difficult for patients to meet these criteria in clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the impact of relaxing the Rome IV criteria on the diagnosis and symptom pattern of FD.MethodsA cross-sectional, multi-center study was conducted involving 2935 consecutive broadly defined FD patients without positive findings on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy or routine examinations. Questionnaires were used to collect demographic and upper gastrointestinal symptom data. Symptom pattern was compared between Rome IV criteria defined FD patients and those defined by relaxed Rome IV criteria.ResultsOnly 22.2% of broadly defined FD patients rigorously fulfilled Rome IV criteria. No significant difference was found for proportion of patients with dyspeptic symptoms, dysmotility-like symptoms, reflux-like symptoms, as well as severity and onset frequency of dyspeptic symptoms (all P > 0.05), between patients who didn’t fulfill Rome IV criteria for FD solely due to a duration of 3–6 months and Rome IV criteria defined FD patients. Patients with broadly defined postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) who didn’t fulfill Rome IV criteria solely due to a symptom frequency of 1–2 days per week had significantly lower symptom severity (P < 0.001), but similar postprandial symptom characteristics compared to those defined by the Rome IV criteria.ConclusionsA symptom duration criterion of 3 months may be sufficient for diagnosing FD. Reducing the symptom onset frequency to no less than 1 day per week in the Rome IV criteria for PDS does not affect its postprandial symptom characteristics.

Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy and MELD-Na Score Predict Recurrent Gastrointestinal Bleeding After TIPSS: An ALTA Group Study.

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) is highly effective for treatment of variceal bleeding; however, factors contributing to rebleeding complications remain unclear. In this study, we aim to determine risk factors for recurrent portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding following TIPSS. Utilising the Advancing Liver Therapeutic Approaches multicentre database, we retrospectively identified adult patients who underwent TIPSS for secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding and had a gastrointestinal rebleeding event within 1 year. We developed multivariable logistic regression models to identify clinical/procedural characteristics associated with rebleeding. We identified 476 patients, predominately middle-aged (mean age 57), male (62%) and White (65%), with mean MELD-Na 16. 16% (n = 77) had a rebleeding event; these patients were more likely to be male (p = 0.016), with higher serum creatinine (p = 0.005), MELD-Na (p = 0.0002), portal hypertensive gastropathy on pre-TIPSS upper endoscopy (p = 0.000) and with higher incidence of TIPSS revision (p = 0.000). There were no significant differences in type of TIPSS endoprosthesis, concurrent embolotherapy, and post-TIPSS pressure gradients between those who experienced rebleeding and those who did not. After adjusting for TIPSS revision, multivariable analysis revealed MELD-Na and presence of portal hypertensive gastropathy on pre-TIPSS endoscopy were independently associated with rebleeding. In this retrospective analysis of a multicentre, nationally representative database, we found that apart from TIPSS-related factors, high MELD-Na and portal hypertensive gastropathy on pre-TIPSS endoscopy were independent predictors of rebleeding within 1 year following TIPSS. These variables may be used to identify high-risk patients who may require additional monitoring following TIPSS.

Third generation sequencing analysis detects significant differences in duodenal microbiome composition between functional dyspepsia patients and control subjects.

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a multifactorial disorder as its development may be based on several different pathophysiological mechanisms. Interaction of gut microbiome with the host has been proposed as a potential mechanism involved in the disease's pathogenesis. We aimed to characterize microbiome profiling on duodenal luminal content (DLC) of FD patients and compare it to that of controls (CG) and patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Outpatients fulfilling Rome IV criteria for FD, IBS, and control group (CG) underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and 2 cc of duodenal aspirate (3rd - 4th part) was aspirated in sterile traps. Duodenal microbiome was assessed after DNA extraction and 16S gene-based sequencing on Oxford Nanopore MinION followed by EPI2ME analysis (ONT/Metrich-ore Ltd). Bioanalysis of the microbiome (alpha-, beta-diversity, comparisons of relative abundances for all taxonomic ranks) was implemented in Python. Multiple group means comparisons were performed with one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Kruskal-Wallis test with Tuckey's and Dunn's post hoc tests respectively, in case of significance (P-value <0.05). 20 subjects with FD (8 females; age 49.9 ± 13.5 yrs.), 20 with IBS (14 females; age 57.6 ± 14.8 yrs.) and 10 CG (6 females; age 49.2 ± 13.8 yrs.) had their DLC analyzed. The α-diversity index of subjects with FD was significantly lower compared to controls (Shannon's index, p = 0.0218) and similar to that of patients with IBS. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) generated from species relative abundances (beta-diversity) showed no difference in the DLC profile of subjects with FD and IBS when compared to controls (p = 0.513). Compared to controls, the relative abundance (RA) of Chloroflexota phylum was lower in subjects with FD (p = 0.017) and IBS (p = 0.026), respectively. Additionally, the RA of the Rhodothermota and Thermotogota phyla was lower in FD (p = 0.017 and p = 0.018, respectively) but not in IBS patients (p = 0.15 and p = 0.06, respectively) compared to controls. Interestingly, the RA of specific taxa from Chloroflexota, Rhodothermota and Thermotogota phyla were consistently lower in subjects with FD when compared to CG but similar to IBS, during analysis of all the subsequent major ranks of taxonomy. At the class level, there were significant differences in Syntrophobacteria, Acidithiobacillia, Cytophagia and Flavobacteriia between the FD and CG groups (p < 0.05), but no such difference between FD and IBS was found. Finally, multiple significant differences at the order, family, genus and species level between the FD and CG groups were also detected. A positive relationship between the RA of Streptococcus and those from genus Granulicatella was observed both in FD (p = 0.014) and IBS (p = 0.014) patients. The microbiome profiling from duodenal luminal content of FD patients is significantly different to that of controls, including lower microflora diversity, different microflora structure/composition and specific taxa. Similar differences in the DLC between FD and IBS patients were not evident.

The impact of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist on the gastric residue in upper endoscopy

AimWe aimed to investigate the association between Glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptors agonists (GLP1-RA) use and gastric residue on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). MethodsA multicenter, retrospective study included all EGDs conducted across seven gastroenterology. EGDs with the diagnosis of “poor preparation” or described as a poor preparation in the endoscopist’s report were considered as gastric residue. Results120,879 EGDs were included in the analysis. Of these, 1671 patients treated with GLP1-RA were compared to 119,208 without GLP1-RA treatment. Of the GLP1-RA group, 93 (5.6 %) had gastric residue compared to 2327 (2.0 %) among the non-GLP1-RA group (p < 0.001). Sup-group analysis: 71 (6.2 %) of the 1141 DM patients treated with GLP1-RA compared to 307 (3.0 %) of the 10,152 DM patients without GLP1-RA treatment (p < 0.001). Additionally, 22 (4.2 %) of 503 non-DM patients treated with GLP1-RA had gastric residue compared to 2065 (2.0 %) of the non-DM non-GLP1-RA group (n = 109,056) (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, DM and GLP1-RA were both found to be independent risk factors for excess gastric residue. ConclusionOur results may have important clinical relevance for EGD preparation among GLP1-RA treated patients, either requiring a longer fasting time prior to EGD or holding the medication prior to EGD according to the half-life of the drug.

Esophageal achalasia presenting as recurrent pneumonia in children: A case series.

Esophageal achalasia (EA) is a rare primary esophageal motility disorder that is considered a rare etiology of dysphagia among infants and children. The proposed primary pathophysiology is related to the loss of ganglion cells in the distal esophageal sphincters, particularly in the Auerbachian muscle layer, which then leads to the dysmotility and failure of lower esophageal sphincter relaxation. Dysphagia, vomiting, poor weight gain, cough, and recurrent aspiration pneumonia are the most common presenting complaints. Herein, we report 3 cases of EA who presented with chronic cough and recurrent aspiration pneumonia. This study reviewed 3 pediatric patients with typical symptoms of EA. All the patients were admitted and referred to the pediatric pulmonology service for evaluation of recurrent pneumonia and suspected aspiration syndrome. All patients underwent a barium esophagogram as a part of the aerodigestive workup of recurrent vomiting, dysphagia, and aspiration pneumonia. Additionally, all the patients underwent workup for other associated congenital anomalies, which included echocardiography, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and an abdominal ultrasound. All patients had EA and presented with recurrent pneumonia. All patients had isolated EA, and none had any evidence of Allgrove syndrome. Pneumatic balloon dilatation was performed for all patients at the same time as the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Later, all the patients underwent a laparoscopic Heller myotomy and had no postoperative complications, and their symptoms resolved. EA is a rare condition in children, yet it can be a serious and life-threatening condition if left untreated. Our cases emphasize the significance of considering achalasia in children who experience esophageal dysphagia and recurrent pneumonia. Several pediatric cases have been reported in which respiratory involvement was the primary manifestation of achalasia. These cases highlight the importance of considering gastrointestinal disorders, particularly EA, in the differential diagnosis of children who experience recurrent pneumonia. Early diagnosis and treatment with laparoscopic Heller myotomy can lead to good outcomes for children with achalasia.

Prospective study on comparison of simulation-based mastery learning versus conventional apprentice-based learning for basic endoscopy training.

The simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) method holds promise for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of endoscopy training. However, further study is required to establish its advantages over the traditional method. We aim to prospectively compare outcomes between gastrointestinal endoscopy trainees taught using SBML and those trained using conventional apprenticeship methods for upper endoscopy. We performed a blinded, stepwise, comparative study with SBML participants deliberately practicing deconstructed steps of upper endoscopy and apprenticeship participants observing procedures. Three blinded trainers assessed trainees' skills using a validated esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) tool pre-and post-training. The minimum pass standard (MPS) was set at a score>2. We compared MPS of the groups using standard statistics and paired t-test. Six trainees were enrolled in the SBML group, and six in the conventional group. All trainees in the SBML group passed the minimum standard compared with the conventional group (P=0.06). All trainees in the SBML group obtained significantly higher scores in overall basic GI endoscopic skills, esophageal, stomach, and duodenal observation skills than those of the conventional apprenticeship group (P<0.05). The SBML curriculum led to three times more learning (Cohen's d=6.5) than the conventional method (Cohen's d=1.8). This prospective study supports SBML for upper endoscopy training compared with the traditional apprentice-based method. SBML resulted in a steeper learning curve, as trainees learned three times more during the same period. Furthermore, trainees developed a uniform competency level at the end of training.

FIT-positive individuals: is timely upper GI endoscopy necessary?

FIT-positive individuals: is timely upper GI endoscopy necessary?

OA13 Trust your gut: it has the answer

Abstract Introduction We report the case of a 51-year-old man who presented over seven years to multiple specialities, including rheumatology on several occasions, with arthralgia, fevers and weight loss. He was found to have raised inflammatory markers, lymphadenopathy and pericardial and pleural effusions but despite extensive investigation over this time, the cause for his presentation remained elusive. After many years, he developed gastrointestinal symptoms, which led us to the unifying diagnosis of Whipple’s disease. Case description This patient initially presented to rheumatology in 2017 with left ankle pain. His only medical history was renal calculi. He was diagnosed with gout and osteoarthritis and was discharged. Two years later, he presented with fevers. Investigations revealed raised inflammatory markers, small pericardial and pleural effusions and small-volume upper abdominal lymphadenopathy. He was treated with colchicine for pericarditis with some improvement. He presented again in 2021 with chest and flank pain and breathlessness. CTPA revealed an ongoing small pericardial effusion and small-volume intrathoracic and intra-abdominal lymphadenopathy. Inflammatory markers remained raised (CRP 30-50, ESR 20-30). He had now begun to lose weight. He was referred to the cancer of unknown primary service, who monitored his lymphadenopathy. In January 2022, he underwent an open biopsy of a mesenteric lymph node, which revealed non-caseating granulomas and no evidence of malignancy. He was referred again to rheumatology due to ongoing migratory joint pains in his wrists, ankles and knees. Rheumatoid factor, anti-CCP, antinuclear antibody and serum ACE had been negative on several occasions. He underwent a PET scan that revealed persistent lymphadenopathy with low to moderate avidity, borderline splenomegaly and a slightly prominent marrow signal. He then had a bone marrow biopsy that showed no significant abnormality. In December 2023, we settled on a probable diagnosis of sarcoidosis. He was treated with a trial of steroid without much symptomatic improvement and there was a plan to initiate Methotrexate. However, he then developed nausea and vomiting and was noted to have a new iron deficiency anaemia. He was referred to gastroenterology and underwent an upper endoscopy, which was macroscopically normal, but microscopically showed findings in keeping with Whipple’s disease (WD) with PAS-positive staining. Duodenal biopsy PCR confirmed this. He is now awaiting input from the infectious diseases team and long-term antibiotic treatment. Discussion WD is caused by the bacterium Tropheryma whipplei. There are four commonly recognised manifestations of T. whipplei infections: 1) classic WD, 2) localised chronic infections, 3) acute infections and 4) asymptomatic carriage. Our patient has classic WD, and his case exemplifies the disease course and diagnostic challenges. Classic WD is a rare, chronic, multisystem infectious disease. It is reported as most often affecting middle-aged white males of European ancestry. It can be divided into an early phase with intermittent arthralgias or arthritis and fever, a middle phase with gastrointestinal symptoms and weight loss, and a late phase with predominant neurological symptoms. Arthritis is the presenting symptom in 60-70% of cases and occurs in 90% of all cases. Given this, around half of patients are initially misdiagnosed as having an inflammatory rheumatic disease. As in the case of our patient, joint manifestations do not correlate with intestinal symptoms and can precede intestinal manifestations by a mean interval of six years. Joint involvement in WD is typically a migratory oligo- or polyarthritis or arthralgia primarily involving large and medium joints, most commonly the knees, ankles and wrists. Less commonly affected joints are elbows, hips and shoulders. WD should be considered in all patients with the four cardinal symptoms of arthralgias, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and weight loss after more common differentials have been excluded. In patients without gastrointestinal symptoms, having suspicion of the disease is more difficult; however, consideration should be made in patients with seronegative arthritis, who do not respond to immunosuppressive treatment. Other clinical syndromes in which WD should be considered include fever of unknown origin, chronic serositis, generalised lymphadenopathy, progressive central nervous system disease or early onset cognitive deficits. Although histology revealing non-caseating granulomas is the hallmark of sarcoidosis, they are non-specific and can be found in many other diseases. Key learning points • WD has a reputation as a great mimicker of many diseases and there is still often a considerable delay to diagnosis, even in typical cases, given the natural history of the disease and its rarity. WD should be considered in patients with seronegative arthritis not following a typical disease course, particularly if they develop gastrointestinal symptoms. WD is also a pertinent differential in patients with persistent constitutional upset with unexplained lymphadenopathy or serositis. It should be remembered that non-caseating granulomas can be found in many diseases and that sarcoidosis remains a diagnosis of exclusion among granulomatous disorders.

Crohn's disease confined to the esophagus, with no involvement of the small or large bowel

Crohn's disease (CD) is a transmural inflammatory process that can affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. CD has a predilection for the colon and the small bowel, specifically the terminal ileum. Esophageal involvement of CD is exceedingly rare and there is a paucity of data regarding the disease phenotypes, course, complications and treatment. We report a case of an 18-year-old male patient presenting for intermittent dysphagia and epigastric pain. Upper endoscopy revealed esophageal ulcers in the middle esophagus surrounded by normal esophageal mucosa. Biopsies were taken from the ulcerated lesions. Histology revealed granulomatous esophagitis. The stomach and duodenum were unremarkable. An ileo-colonoscopy was performed and showed unremarkable mucosa with normal biopsies. The patient was started on proton pump inhibitors and prednisolone as induction therapy with significant symptomatic improvement within 15 days of therapy. The patient was then started on azathioprine 150 mg once daily as maintenance therapy with complete resolution of symptoms. Esophageal CD is an overlooked entity. This article underscores the need to rule out CD when physicians are confronted by esophageal ulcers on upper endoscopy.

The role of fecal matrix metalloprotease-9 as a non-invasive marker in diagnosis and assessment of clinical activity in inflammatory bowel disease patients

BackgroundInflammatory bowel disease is characterized by chronic and relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, including two prominent forms: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Determining diagnostic biomarkers for predicting disease activity and treatment response remains a challenging aspect.Aim of the workThe purpose of our research was to compare fecal CP and fecal MMP-9, two non-invasive biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and to find out how fecal MMP-9 levels relate to disease activity by looking at how they relate to clinical, endoscopic, and histologic scores of disease activity.Patients and methodsThis study was performed on 80 subjects divided into 3 groups: group A: 30 patients with Crohn’s disease evidenced by endoscopy ileocolonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, and tissue biopsy (15 patients with active disease and 15 patients in remission). Group B: 30 patients with ulcerative colitis disease evidenced by colonoscopy and tissue biopsy (15 patients with active disease and 15 patients in remission). Group C: 20 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls. All participants underwent a thorough history review, comprehensive physical examination, complete laboratory tests, and C-reactive protein measurements. A quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of fecal matrix metalloproteinase MMP 9 for both the patients and the controls. Ulcerative colitis was evaluated using the Mayo score, Montreal classification, and the Riley histological score. Additionally, Crohn’s disease was assessed with the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index, the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease, and the D’Haens histological score.ResultsComparing fecal MMP-9 with fecal calprotectin (FC), we found that fecal MMP-9 was superior to FC in differentiating active Crohn’s disease from inactive Crohn’s disease, although there was no significant difference between FC and MMP-9 (P-value = 0.561). However, in ulcerative colitis, FC was superior to MMP-9 in distinguishing active UC from inactive UC, but again, there was no significant difference between FC and MMP-9 (P-value = 0.0731).In both the ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease groups, fecal MMP-9 could discriminate between patients in remission and those with active disease. Fecal matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was discovered to be a significant marker for assessing the clinical activity of both Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), with an AUC of 0.998 for CD and 0.991 for UC. Fecal MMP-9 demonstrated great sensitivity (93.33%), specificity (100%), positive predictive value (PPV) of 100%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 93.7% (with a P-value < 0.001) using cutoff values of > 0.34 ng/mL for CD and > 0.36 ng/mL for UC. There was a strong positive correlation between fecal MMP-9 and endoscopic and clinical scores of disease activity.ConclusionFecal MMP-9 has emerged as a promising biomarker for evaluating the clinical activity of both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. It demonstrated superior diagnostic performance compared to fecal calprotectin in distinguishing active from inactive disease, especially in Crohn’s disease. Although fecal calprotectin outperformed MMP-9 in identifying active ulcerative colitis, the differences between the two markers were not statistically significant, suggesting that they may complement each other in clinical practice. Furthermore, fecal MMP-9 is capable of assessing the activity of endoscopically visible inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which could help reduce the need for invasive endoscopic procedures.

A case of primary duodenal Brunner's gland hamartoma that gradually underwent morphological changes over a period of 10 years.

Brunner's gland hamartoma (BGH) is a benign tumor occurring in the duodenal bulb. BGH is typically asymptomatic, but it has been shown to occasionally cause anemia. The patient was a 76-year-old male. In October 2011, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer with multiple bone metastases and was referred to us for the treatment and examination of anemia. Hormonal therapy with androgen receptor antagonists and bisphosphonate administration following orchiectomy improved his symptoms. In August 2012, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) was performed due to stomach discomfort, revealing a 5 mm semi-pedunculated polyp in the duodenal bulb, Yamada-Fukutomi classification type II. Over the next 5 years, the prostate cancer treatment proceeded smoothly, and no endoscopic follow-up was conducted. In January 2017, during a health checkup, EGD revealed that the polyp in the duodenum bulb had changed morphologically with a distinct stalk measuring 10 mm. As there were no symptoms and only minimal tumor growth, a watchful waiting approach was adopted. In April 2022, due to the rapid progression of anemia, EGD was performed again, showing that the pedunculated polyp had enlarged to 20 mm in maximum diameter with an eroded surface and a stalk extending to 40 mm. Given the tumor enlargement and further examination of anemia, an endoscopic polypectomy was performed in May 2022. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of BGH. We observed a case of primary duodenal BGH during treatment for advanced prostate cancer, with endoscopic monitoring over 10 years. The morphological changes of BGH were clearly documented via EGD.

Gastric neoplasm detection of computer-aided detection-assisted esophagogastroduodenoscopy changes with implement scenarios: a real-world study.

The implementation of computer-aided detection (CAD) devices in esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) could autonomously identify gastric precancerous lesions and neoplasms and reduce the miss rate of gastric neoplasms in prospective trials. However, there is still insufficient evidence of their use in real-life clinical practice. A real-world, two-center study was conducted at Wenzhou Central Hospital (WCH) and Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University (RHWU). High biopsy rate and low biopsy rate strategies were adopted, and CAD devices were applied in 2019 and 2021 at WCH and RHWU, respectively. We compared differences in gastric precancerous and neoplasm detection of EGD before and after the use of CAD devices in the first half of the year. A total of 33 885 patients were included and 32 886 patients were ultimately analyzed. In WCH of which biopsy rate >95%, with the implementation of CAD, more the number of early gastric cancer divided by all gastric neoplasm (EGC/GN) (0.35% vs 0.59%, P=0.028, OR [95% CI]=1.65 [1.0-2.60]) was found, while gastric neoplasm detection rate (1.39% vs 1.36%, P=0.897, OR [95% CI]=0.98 [0.76-1.26]) remained stable. In RHWU of which biopsy rate <20%, the gastric neoplasm detection rate (1.78% vs 3.23%, P<0.001, OR [95% CI]=1.84 [1.33-2.54]) nearly doubled after the implementation of CAD, while there was no significant change in the EGC/GN. The application of CAD devices devoted to distinct increases in gastric neoplasm detection according to different biopsy strategies, which implied that CAD devices demonstrated assistance on gastric neoplasm detection while varied effectiveness according to different implementation scenarios.

The algorithm and choice of the optimal tool for endoscopic removal of a foreign body from the gastrointestinal tract in children.

BACKGROUND: Suspicion of a foreign body (FB) is one of the most common reasons for performing an upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy in children. In our opinion, the development of a new algorithm and the choice of optimal equipment will ensure timely diagnosis and success of endoscopic FB removal from the GI tract in children. AIMS: to develop an algorithm and select the optimal equipment to ensure timely diagnosis and safety of endoscopic FB removal from the GI tract in children. METHODS: a retrospective three-center study of children’s medical histories with suspected GI FB’s from 2017 to 2020. The analysis included: the patient's age, presence, localization, type of FB, visibility on X-ray, the time elapsed before its removal, the type and effectiveness of the endoscopic instrument (EI), duration, success and complications of the procedure. RESULTS: 1,173 children were examined (boys n=676, 57.6%; girls n=497, 42.4%) average age 3.5 years (±3.3, 0-17 years). The diagnosis of GI FB was confirmed in 1008 (86.1%) patients, and endoscopic examination was performed in 756 (75%) cases. The majority of FB were radiopaque (n=844, 83.7%) and had inorganic nature (n=941, 93.4%). According to the pathological effect: inert FB (n=637, 63.2%), chemical (disk batteries, n=166, 16.5%), mechanical (pointed, food bolus, bezaors, hydrogel balls, n=143, 14%), physical (magnets, n=62, 6.2%) effects on the child's body. According to localization, in 273 (27%) children, FB was located in the esophagus, 471(46.8%) in the stomach, 23 (2.2%) in the duodenum, 250 (24%) migrated from the upper GI tract. FB’s were endoscopically removed in 751 (99.3%) cases out of 756 conducted intraluminal examinations. The most in-demand EI turned out to be a gripping device of the "net" type (n=283, 37.6%), rat tooth forceps and a loop (both n=278, 37%), to a lesser extent biopsy forceps (n=86, 11.5%), a basket (n=50, 6.5%), forceps “alligator" (n=43, 5.7%) and in 10 (1.3%) free-lying FB’s were gently pushed down by an endoscope from the esophagus to the stomach. Net, “rat tooth” forceps, loop and basket turned out to be the most versatile EI’s for removing four types of FB’s, with the best average time of the procedure. There were no complications related to the FB’s endoscopic removal. Adverse events related to FB – 52 (5.1%) cases: 51 chemical burns of the esophagus(n=17) and stomach (n=34) with disc batteries, 1 perforation of the stomach due to prolonged exposure to magnets. CONCLUSIONS: the proposed modification of the algorithm for FB removal from the GI tract, the optimal choice of endoscopic equipment and manipulation accessories depending on the age of the child, localization, type and harmful effects of the swallowed object are the key to its successful and effective extraction in children.

Clinical impact of performing esophagogastroduodenoscopy before percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome patients and anaemia

Abstract Background In patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and anaemia, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is commonly performed to exclude an upper gastrointestinal source of bleeding prior to perform percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the diagnostic yield and clinical impact of EGD in this setting is uncertain. Purpose We aimed to investigate the clinical yield and impacts of EGD on the 1-year clinical outcomes in ACS patients with concomitant anaemia who underwent PCI. Methods We retrospectively analysed electronic health records of ACS patients who underwent PCI at 16 public hospitals from 2014-2018. Patients with anaemia (defined as haemoglobin (Hb) &amp;lt;11dl/L) and EGD before PCI during the same admission were identified. The primary outcomes were bleeding events including clinical GIB (as diagnosed by EGD), need for urgent EGD, need for transfusion, Hb drop of &amp;gt;3 dl/L and Hb &amp;lt;8 dl/L. Secondary outcomes were 12-month 4-point MACE including myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, subsequent PCI or CABG, or cardiovascular-related death. Propensity-score models with inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) against EGD were developed for the comparisons. A weighted Cox Proportional Hazard Model was performed to estimate adjusted hazards ratio (aHR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Of 13,793 patients, 3625 (25%) had anaemia on admission and 12.8% (n=466/3625) underwent EGD. Most EGD findings were not accountable for overt GIB, with gastritis, gastric polyps and gastric erosion being the 3 most common EGD diagnoses. After IPTW, clinical outcomes of 466 patients with EGD were compared with 3159 patients without EGD. 12-month bleeding event rates were higher among EGD patients compared to non-EGD patients (59.7% vs. 27.6%, p&amp;lt; 0.01; aHR = 3.01, 95% CI 2.58-3.52, p&amp;lt;0.005). Overall, 12-month GIB rate was low 1.0%, with 4.1% in EGD patients and 0.57% in non-EGD patients (aHR=7.99, 95% CI 4.13-15.45, p&amp;lt;0.005). The 12-month cumulative MACE rate overall was 39.9% and no significant difference between EGD and non-EGD patients. Conclusion Our real-world data demonstrated that the presence of anaemia is common among ACS patients. The yield of EGD in identifying sources of upper GI bleeding was low and there was no difference in 12-month clinical outcome among EGD patients. Although EGD was associated with higher rates of 12-month bleeding events, the cause was unclear with very low incidence of upper GI bleeding events. Therefore, the benefits of routine EGD prior to PCI in ACS patients with anaemic is unclear.

How preoperative upper gastrointestinal investigations affect the management of bariatric patients: results of a cohort study of 897 patients.

Preoperative diagnostic protocols vary worldwide, some prioritizing safety while others question routine procedures. Building on prior research, this study explores the impact of diverse preoperative findings on bariatric management and procedure selection. In a retrospective analysis of prospective data of over 1000 bariatric surgery patients from January 2017 to December 2022 undergoing primary laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) were analyzed. Preoperative assessment included upper endoscopy, upper GI series, and esophageal manometry. Sonography data were excluded. The primary endpoint examined the influence of preoperative exams on procedure selection, the secondary endpoint evaluated their therapeutic impact. 897 patients (741 RYGB, 156 SG) were included. All underwent upper endoscopy, revealing common findings such as type C gastritis and reflux esophagitis. Upper endoscopy prompted a therapeutic consequence in 216 patients (24.3%), resulting in a number needed to screen (NNS) of 4.1. Upper GI series and manometry were more frequently performed before LSG. Upper GI series detected hiatal hernias and motility disorders but did not result in any change of procedures. Esophageal manometry found pathologies in 37 (25.3%) patients rising to 41.5% if symptoms were present. Overall, 16 (1.8%) patients experienced a change in the planned procedure, with 14 changes prompted by preoperative findings and two by technical difficulties. We advise routine upper endoscopies for all patients undergoing LRYGB or LSG, while reserving upper GI series only for selected cases. Manometry should be exclusively performed on symptomatic patients undergoing LSG, ensuring a balanced and individualized preoperative assessment.

Endo-hepatology: Why should we do endoscopic ultrasound-guided interventions to the liver that we could do through the skin?

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided interventions on the liver such as diffuse biopsy and portal pressure gradient measurement are emerging as potential alternatives to percutaneous procedures. The purpose of this editorial was to address all the indications that could potentially make an EUS-guided approach a possible alternative to the percutaneous procedures with respect to the proce-dures that could join the EUS examination such as upper endoscopy for gastro-esophageal varices, pancreaticobiliary investigation with EUS, and other potential advantages in terms of patient safety. The issue of a holistic gastroenterologist approach was also discussed along with the potential for developing clinical research.

Acute Gastropathy Associated with Bowel Preparation According to Age: Oral Sulfate Tablets versus 1-L Polyethylene Glycol with Ascorbic Acid.

The use of 1-L polyethylene glycol with ascorbate (PEG/Asc) and oral sulfate tablets (OST) as low-volume bowel preparation agents has gradually increased. However, these agents may induce acute gastropathy during bowel preparation, particularly in elderly populations. This study aimed to compare the incidence of acute gastropathy of 1-L PEG/Asc and OST according to age, as well as efficacy and safety. This retrospective study included patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy for screening on the same day and underwent bowel preparation using OST or 1-L PEG/Asc. We collected EGD findings related to acute gastropathy, bowel-cleansing score using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), polyp or adenoma detection rate (ADR), and laboratory parameters. Of 4,711 patients, 1,758, 2,241, and 712 were in the younger (18-49 years), middle-aged (50-64 years), and older (≥65 years) groups, respectively. In all age groups, the OST group had higher rates of acute gastropathy than the 1-L PEG/Asc group. The younger-, middle-, and older-aged groups had OST and 1-L PEG/Asc usage rates of 42.9% and 11.6%, 41.2% and 16.0%, and 41.5% and 16.4%, respectively. Notably, in the younger group, the total BBPS and ADR scores were significantly higher in the OST group than in the 1-L PEG/Asc group; however, these did not differ in the other age groups. Acute gastropathy was more strongly associated with OST than with 1-L PEG/Asc in all age groups. Therefore, physicians should consider acute gastropathy associated with low-volume agents in all age groups when performing bowel preparation.

Disorders of secondary peristalsis are associated with the development of esophagitis.

Disorders of primary peristalsis are associated with a higher percent time pH <4 in the esophagus suggesting poor acid clearance. However, there are no studies of secondary peristalsis and its relationship to microscopic or erosive esophagitis. The goal of this study was to determine the relationship between secondary peristalsis using functional luminal imaging probes (EndoFLIP) and the presence or absence of esophagitis. We reviewed the endoscopic and EndoFLIP 2.0 tracings for 103 consecutive patients including those with a history of upper gastrointestinal surgery undergoing upper endoscopy. Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) distensibility and diameter, repetitive antegrade contraction (RACs) presence and frequency, and occlusive diameters were measured. Measurements were then compared between patients with and without microscopic and/or erosive esophagitis. Means were compared using t-tests. Proportions were compared using Chi-Squared analyses. One hundred and three patients were included (mean age: 14.4 + 6.4 years). Ten patients had erosive esophagitis and 28 patients had microscopic esophagitis. Erosive and microscopic esophagitis were associated with abnormal or absent of RACs (p < 0.001). Occlusive diameters were higher in patients with esophagitis compared to those without (p < 0.001). There was no relationship between EGJ distensibility and the presence of erosive or microscopic esophagitis (p = 0.4). The absence of RACs was the only independent predictor of esophagitis (erosive and microscopic), after controlling for age, proton pump inhibitors (PPI) use and EGJ distensibility (p < 0.001). Abnormal secondary peristalsis is associated with microscopic and gross esophagitis, suggesting that EndoFLIP should be part of the diagnostic algorithm for esophagitis.

Unusual partners: a rare cause of small bowel bulges and a common cause of anemia.

A 67-year-old female, without prior medical history, presented to the emergency department due to dizziness and asthenia, where iron deficiency anemia, without visible blood loss, was identified. A previous abdominal computed tomography revealed intestinal pneumatosis of the proximal jejunum and right colon. The upper endoscopy showed non-atrophic gastritis associated with H.pylori infection, which was treated, and the colonoscopy revealed right colic pneumatosis, without other alterations. A small bowel capsule endoscopy was performed, revealing bulging areas of the intestinal wall, lymphangiectasias and angioectasias, in the proximal small bowel. A single balloon assisted anterograde enteroscopy reached the proximal jejunum, showing several areas of bulging with endoscopically normal mucosa, compatible with intestinal pneumatosis. In 3 bulging areas, there were multiple lymphangiectasias and friable punctate angioectasias, which were treated with argon-plasma coagulation and through-the-scope clip with haemostatic success. The procedure was uneventful. After 6 months of follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic, without anemia or iron deficiency.