Negative short-term impact of intraoperative biliary lavage in patients with hepatolithiasis

AIM: To evaluate short-term outcomes following intraoperative biliary lavage for hepatolithiasis.METHODS: A total of 932 patients who were admitted to the West China Medical Center of Sichuan University between January 2010 and January 2014 and underwent bile duct exploration and lithotomy were retrospectively included in our study. The patients were divided into the lavage group and the control group. Related pre-, intra-, and postoperative factors were recorded, analyzed, and compared between the two groups in order to verify the effects of biliary lavage on the short-term outcome of patients with hepatolithiasis. RESULTS: Amongst the patients who were included, 678 patients with hepatolithiasis were included in the lavage group, and the other 254 patients were enrolled in the control group. Data analyses revealed that preoperative baseline and related intraoperative variables were not significantly different. However, patients who underwent intraoperative biliary lavage had prolonged postoperative hospital stays(6.67 d vs 7.82 d, P = 0.024), higher hospitalization fees(RMB 28437.1 vs RMB 32264.2, P = 0.043), higher positive rates of bacterial cultures from blood(13.3% vs 25.8%, P = 0.001) and bile(23.6% vs 40.7%, P= 0.001) samples, and increased usage of advanced antibiotics(26.3% vs 38.2%, P = 0.001). In addition, in the lavage group, more patients had fever( 37.5℃, 81.4% vs 91.1%, P = 0.001) and hyperthermia( 38.5℃,39.7% vs 54.9%, P = 0.001), and higher white blood cell counts within 7 d after the operation compared to the control group.CONCLUSION: Intraoperative biliary lavage might increase the risk of postoperative infection, while not significantly increasing gallstone removal rate.     

Hepatic fat quantification magnetic resonance for monitoring treatment response in pediatric nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

AIM: To evaluate the possibility of treatment effect monitoring using hepatic fat quantification magnetic resonance(MR) in pediatric nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH).METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who received educational recommendations and vitamin E for NASH and underwent hepatic fat quantification MR from 2011 to 2013.Hepatic fat fraction(%) was measured using dual- and triple-echo gradient-recalled-echo sequences at 3T.The compliant and non-compliant groups were compared clinically,biochemically,and radiologically.RESULTS: Twenty seven patients(M:F = 24:3; mean age: 12 ± 2.3 years) were included(compliant group = 22,non-compliant = 5).None of the baseline findings differed between the 2 groups,except for triglyceride level(compliant vs non-compliant,167.7 mg/d L vs 74.2 mg/d L,P = 0.001).In the compliant group,high-density lipoprotein increased and all other parameters decreased after 1-year follow-up.However,there were various changes in the non-compliant group.Dualecho fat fraction(-19.2% vs 4.6,P 0.001),tripleecho fat fraction(-13.4% vs 3.5,P 0.001),alanine aminotransferase(-110.7 IU/L vs-10.6 IU/L,P = 0.047),total cholesterol(-18.1 mg/d L vs 3.8 mg/d L,P = 0.016),and triglyceride levels(-61.3 mg/d L vs 11.2 mg/d L,P = 0.013) were significantly decreased only in the compliant group.The change in body mass index and dual-echo fat fraction showed a positive correlation(ρ = 0.418,P = 0.030).CONCLUSION: Hepatic fat quantification MR can be a non-invasive,quantitative and useful tool for monitoring treatment effects in pediatric NASH.     

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with conscious sedation does not interfere with catheter-based 24-h pH monitoring

AIM:To investigate the impact of esophagogastroduodenoscopy with conscious sedation on the subsequent 24-h catheter-based pH monitoring.METHODS:Fifty patients with extra-esophageal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease undergoing ambulatory dual-probe 24-h pH monitoring were enrolled from March 2010 to August 2011.All of the data were collected prospectively and analyzed retrospectively.Thirty-six patients(72%,group A) underwent pH monitoring shortly after esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) with conscious sedation,and 14 patients(28%,group B) underwent pH monitoring without conscious sedation.The 24-h pH data from two time periods were analyzed:the first 4 h(Period Ⅰ) and the remaining time of the study(Period Ⅱ).RESULTS:The mean age of the patients was 49.6 ± 12.5 years;20 patients(40%) were men.The baseline data,including age,sex,body mass index,reflux esophagitis,the Reflux Symptom Index,and the Reflux Findings Score,were comparable between the two groups.The percentage of total time with a pH < 4 and the frequency of acid reflux during Period Ⅰ were not significantly different between the two groups,as measured using both pharyngeal(0.03% ± 0.10% vs 0.07% ± 0.16%,P = 0.32;and 0.07 ± 0.23 episodes/h vs 0.18 ± 0.47 episodes/h,P = 0.33,respectively) and esophageal probes(0.96% ± 1.89% vs 0.42% ± 0.81%,P = 0.59;and 0.74 ± 1.51 episodes/h vs 0.63 ± 0.97 episodes/h,P = 0.49,respectively).The percentage of total time with a pH < 4 and the frequency of acid reflux were also not significantly different between Periods I and Ⅱ in group A patients,as measured using both pharyngeal(0.03% ± 0.10% vs 0.23% ± 0.85%,P = 0.21;and 0.07 ± 0.23 episodes/h vs 0.29 ± 0.98 episodes/h,P = 0.22,respectively) and esophageal probes(0.96% ± 1.89% vs 1.11% ± 2.57%,P = 0.55;and 0.74 ± 1.51 episodes/h vs 0.81 ± 1.76 episodes/h,P = 0.55,respectively).CONCLUSION:EGD with conscious sedation does not interfere with the results of subsequent 24-h pH monitoring in patients with extra-esophageal symptoms of gast     

Correlation between serum free fatty acids levels and Gensini score in elderly patients with coronary heart disease

Objectives To investigate the relationship between serum fxee fatty acids （FFAs） levels and the severity of coronary artery lesions in elderly patients with coronary heart disease （CAD）. Methods A total of 172 elderly patients who underwent coronary angiography were divided into CAD group （n = 128） and non-CAD group （n = 44） according to the results of coronary angiography. Serum FFAs and lipid levels were measured and the Gensini score were calculated. Results No matter the differences between age, gender and the usage of stat- ins or not, there was no statistical significance in FFAs levels （P 〉 0.05）. In terms of the Gensini score, it was higher in patients aged 70-79 years than in patients 60-69 years old [15.00 （5.00, 34.00） vs. 10.00 （2.00, 24.00）, P 〈 0.05], higher in men than women [14.00 （4.00, 34.00） vs. 7.00 （2.50, 19.75）, P 〈 0.05], and higher in patients on statins [13.50 （4.25, 33.50）vs. 6.50 （2.00, 18.00）, P 〈 0.05]. The serum FFAs lev- els [449.50 （299.00, 624.75） mEq/L vs. 388.00 （258.50, 495.25） mEq/L, P 〈 0.05J and Gensini score [17.50 （8.00, 41.75） vs. 1.00 （0, 5.00）, P 〈 0.05] were higher in the CAD group than in the non-CAD group. In the CAD group, there was no statistical significance in FFAs levels among patients with different numbers of diseased coronary vessels （P 〉 0.05）. Furthermore, the FFAs levels were positively correlated with the Gensini score （r = 0.394, P = 0.005）. Regression analysis showed that the FFAs levels were related to the Gensini score independently after adjusting for the other risk factors. Conclusions The serum FFAs levels were associated with the Gensini score in elderly patients with CAD. It might indicate FFAs as a biomarker predicting the severity of coronary artery lesions.     

Vitamin D supplementation improves sustained virologic response in chronic hepatitis C （genotype 1）-nave patients

AIM: To determine whether adding vitamin D, a potent immunomodulator, improves the hepatitis C virus (HCV) response to antiviral therapy.METHODS: Seventy-two consecutive patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 were randomized into two groups: the treatment group (n = 36, 50% male, mean age 47 ± 11 years) received Peg-α-2b interferon (1.5 μg/kg per week) plus ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/d) together with vitamin D3 (2000 IU/d, target serum level > 32 ng/mL), and the control group (n = 36, 60% male, mean age 49 ± 7 years) received identical therapy without vitamin D. HCV-RNA was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (sensitivity, 10 IU/mL). The sustained virologic response (SVR) was defined as undetectable HCV-RNA at 24 wk post-treatment.RESULTS: Clinical characteristics were similar in both groups. The treatment group had a higher mean body mass index (27 ± 4 kg/m² vs 24 ± 3 kg/m²; P < 0.01), viral load (50% vs 42%, P < 0.01), and fibrosis score (> F2: 42% vs 19%, P < 0.001) than the controls. At week 4, 16 (44%) treated patients and 6 (17%) controls were HCV-RNA negative (P < 0.001). At week 12, 34 (94%) treated patients and 17 (48%) controls were HCV-RNA negative (P < 0.001). At 24 wk post-treatment (SVR), 31 (86%) treated patients and 15 (42%) controls were HCV-RNA negative (P < 0.001). Viral load, advanced fibrosis and vitamin D supplementation were strongly and independently associated with SVR (multivariate analysis). Adverse events were mild and typical of Peg-α-2b/ribavirin.CONCLUSION: Adding vitamin D to conventional Peg-α-2b/ribavirin therapy for treatment-naïve patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection significantly improves the viral response.     

Impact of Age on Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Outcomes: Comparison Between Patients Aged ≤80 Years versus Patients >80 Years

Objective To investigate the procedural outcomes and the long-term survival of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) and compare study results of patients ≤ 80 years and patients > 80 years old. Methods A total of 240 patients treated with TAVI were divided into two groups according to age ≤ 80 years (n = 105; 43.8%) and > 80 years (n = 135; 56.2%). The baseline characteristics and the procedural outcomes were compared between these two groups of patients. Results With the exception of peripheral artery disease and hypercholesterolemia, which were more frequently observed in the older age group, baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Complication rates did not differ significantly between patients ≤ 80 years and patients > 80 years. There were no differences in 30-day mortality rates between patients aged ≤ 80 years and patients > 80 years old (9.5% vs. 7.4%, respectively; P = 0.557). After a median follow-up of 28 months (interquartile range: 16–42 months), 50 (47.6%) patients aged ≤ 80 years died compared to 57 (42%) deaths in the group of patients > 80 years old (P = 0.404). Conclusion The results of the present single center study showed that age didn't significantly impact the outcomes of TAVI.     

Myofibroblastic cell activation and neovascularization predict native liver survival and development of esophageal varices in biliary atresia

AIM:To study the relation between collagen 1,α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and CD34 expression and the most essential portoenterostomy(PE)outcomes.METHODS:Liver specimens were obtained at PE from33 biliary atresia(BA)patients for immunohistochemical analysis of collagen 1,α-SMA and CD34.Liver biopsies from 35 organ donors were used as controls.Expression patterns were related to clinical data including age at PE,serum total and conjugated bilirubin concentration at the time of PE and during follow-up,incidence of esophageal varices in follow-up upper gastrointestinal endoscopies,and native liver survival as well as to detailed histopathological findings.RESULTS:Collagen 1(16.4%vs 4.5%,P<0.0001),α-SMA(17.9%vs 4.6%,P<0.0001)and CD34(4.9%vs 3.8%,P=0.017)were markedly overexpressed in BA patients compared with controls.Patients who underwent liver transplantation by age of two years had significantly higher expression of collagen 1(18.6%vs 13.7%,P=0.024),α-SMA(20.4%vs 15.4%,P=0.009)and CD34(5.9%vs 4.0%,P=0.029)at PE compared with native liver survivors.CD34-positive microvessels were identified in the centrizonal region close to central vein in every BA patient.In majority of BA cases(56%)neovascularization was frequent as CD34-positive microvessels were observed in over half of the hepatic lobules.In controls,the CD34-positive microvessels were rare as they were completely absent in 40%and were found in less than 5%of the hepatic lobules in the rest.The difference between BA patients and controls was significant(P<0.0001).Patients who developed esophageal varices by two years had significantly higher expression of CD34 at PE compared with patients without varices(5.6%vs 4.0%,P=0.019).Expression ofα-SMA(r=0.758,P<0.0001)and collagen 1(r=0.474,P=0.016),and the amount of CD34-positive microvessels(r=0.356,P=0.047)were related to patient age at PE.CONCLUSION:Hepatic myofibroblastic cell activation,fibrogenesis and neovascularization are enhanced in BA,progress with increasing PE age and relate to native liver survival and development of esophageal varices.     

Clinical features of coronary artery ectasia in the elderly

Objective To investigate the incidence, imaging and clinical characteristics in elderly patients with coronary artery ectasia （CAE）. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with CAE who underwent coronary angiography between January 2006 and December 2012. According to age, the enrolled patients were divided into two groups （elderly group, age≥ 65 years; non-elderly group, age 〈 65 years）. The clinical feature, imaging characteristics and the 5-year survival rate of the two groups were compared.Results The preva-lence of CAE in elderly patients was 0.33%. Patients in elderly group were found to have significantly higher proportion of female （30.1%vs. 10.1%,P〈 0.001）, three-vessel disease （60.5%vs. 45.2%,P = 0.003） and localized ectasia （55.0%vs. 40.2%,P = 0.003）. In addition, body mass index （20.90 ± 2.71 kg/m2vs. 22.31 ± 2.98 kg/m2,P 〈 0.001） and percentage of current smokers （45.0%vs. 64.6%,P 〈 0.001） were significantly lower in elderly group. Cumulative survival curves demonstrated reduced 5-year cumulative survival at the follow-up in the elderly group compared with the non-elderly group （88.0%vs. 96.0%,P = 0.002）. But the 5-year event free survival rate failed to show a significant difference between the two groups （31.0%vs. 35.0%,P= 0.311）.ConclusionThe prevalence of CAE in elderly patients was 0.33%, which was about 1/3 of the entire numbers of CAE patients. There were significant differences between the elderly and the non-elderly patients with CAE in terms of coronary artery disease risk factors and coronary artery ectatic characteristics. CAE might be asso-ciated with increased mortality risk in the elderly.     

Chronic methadone use, poor bowel visualization and failed colonoscopy: A preliminary study

AIM: To examine effects of chronic methadone usage on bowel visualization, preparation, and repeat colonoscopy.METHODS: In-patient colonoscopy reports from October, 2004 to May, 2009 for methadone dependent (MD) patients were retrospectively evaluated and compared to matched opioid naive controls (C). Strict criteria were applied to exclude patients with risk factors known to cause constipation or gastric dysmotility. Colonoscopy reports of all eligible patients were analyzed for degree of bowel visualization, assessment of bowel preparation (good, fair, or poor), and whether a repeat colonoscopy was required. Bowel visualization was scored on a 4 point scale based on multiple prior studies: excellent = 1, good = 2, fair = 3, or poor = 4. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson χ² test were used for data analyses. Subgroup analysis included correlation between methadone dose and colonoscopy outcomes. All variables significantly differing between MD and C groups were included in both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. P values were two sided, and < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.RESULTS: After applying exclusionary criteria, a total of 178 MD patients and 115 C patients underwent a colonoscopy during the designated study period. A total of 67 colonoscopy reports for MD patients and 72 for C were included for data analysis. Age and gender matched controls were randomly selected from this population to serve as controls in a numerically comparable group. The average age for MD patients was 52.2 ± 9.2 years (range: 32-72 years) years compared to 54.6 ± 15.5 years (range: 20-81 years) for C (P = 0.27). Sixty nine percent of patients in MD and 65% in C group were males (P = 0.67). When evaluating colonoscopy reports for bowel visualization, MD patients had significantly greater percentage of solid stool (i.e., poor visualization) compared to C (40.3% vs 6.9%, P < 0.001). Poor bowel preparation (35.8% vs 9.7%, P < 0.001) and need for repeat colonoscopy (32.8% vs 12.5%, P = 0.004) were significantly higher in MD group compared to C, respectively. Under univariate analysis, factors significantly associated with MD group were presence of fecal particulate [odds ratio (OR), 3.89, 95% CI: 1.33-11.36, P = 0.01] and solid stool (OR, 13.5, 95% CI: 4.21-43.31, P < 0.001). Fair (OR, 3.82, 95% CI: 1.63-8.96, P = 0.002) and poor (OR, 8.10, 95% CI: 3.05-21.56, P < 0.001) assessment of bowel preparation were more likely to be associated with MD patients. Requirement for repeat colonoscopy was also significant higher in MD group (OR, 3.42, 95% CI: 1.44-8.13, P = 0.01). In the multivariate analyses, the only variable independently associated with MD group was presence of solid stool (OR, 7.77, 95% CI: 1.66-36.47, P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis demonstrated a general trend towards poorer bowel visualization with higher methadone dosage. ANOVA analysis demonstrated that mean methadone dose associated with presence of solid stool (poor visualization) was significantly higher compared to mean dosage for clean colon (excellent visualization, P = 0.02) or for those with liquid stool only (good visualization, P = 0.01).CONCLUSION: Methadone dependence is a risk factor for poor bowel visualization and leads to more repeat colonoscopies. More aggressive bowel preparation may be needed in MD patients.     

Roux-en-Y reconstruction does not require gastric decompression after radical distal gastrectomy

AIM: To determine whether routine nasogastric (NG) decompression benefitted patients undergoing radical gastric surgery.METHODS: Between January 1998 and December 2008, 519 patients who underwent distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer were retrospectively divided into 2 time-period cohorts; those treated with Billroth II (BII) reconstruction in the first 6 years and those with Roux-en-Y (RY) reconstruction in the last 5 years. In the latter group, the patients were further divided into 2 subgroups; with and without nasogastric decompression.RESULTS: Postoperatively, there were no significant differences in the number of anastomotic leaks between the 3 groups. In the tubeless RY group, time to semi-liquid diet was significantly shorter than in the other 2 groups (4.4 d ± 1.4 d vs 7.2 d ± 1.3 d and 5.9 d ± 1.2 d, P = 0.005). The length of postoperative stay was significantly increased in patients with BII reconstruction compared with patients with RY reconstruction with/without NG decompression (15.4 d ± 4.3 d in BIIgroup vs 12.6 d ± 3.1 d in decompressed RY and 11.4 d ± 3.4 d in the tubeless RY group, P = 0.035). The postoperative pneumonia rate was lowest in the tubeless group and highest in the BII group (1.4% vs 4.6%, P = 0.01). Severe sore throat was noted in 59 (20.7%) members of the BII group, 18 (17.4%) members of the decompressed RY group and 6 (4.2%) members of the tubeless RY group. Fewer patients in the tubeless group complained of severe sore throat (P = 0.001).CONCLUSION: This study provides support for abandoning routine NG decompression in patients undergoing subtotal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy.     

Excisional hemorrhoidal surgery and its effect on anal continence

AIM: To investigate the role of anal cushions in hemorrhoidectomy and its effect on anal continence of the patients.METHODS: Seventy-six consecutive patients (33 men and 43 women) with a mean age of 44 years were included. They underwent Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy because of symptomatic third- and fourth-degree hemorrhoids and failure in conservative treatment for years. Wexner score was recorded and liquid continence test was performed for each patient before and two months after operation using the techniques described in our previous work. The speed-constant rectal lavage apparatus was prepared in our laboratory. The device could output a pulsed and speed-constant saline stream with a high pressure, which is capable of overcoming any rectal resistance change. The patients were divided into three groups, group A (< 900 mL), group B (900-1200 mL) and group C (> 1200 mL) according to the results of the preoperative liquid continence test.RESULTS: All the patients completed the study. The average number of hemorrhoidal masses excised was 2.4. Most patients presented with hemorrhoidal symptoms for more than one year, including a mean duration of incontinence of 5.2 years. The most common symptoms before surgery were anal bleeding (n = 55), prolapsed lesion (n = 34), anal pain (n = 12) and constipation (n = 17). There were grade III hemorrhoids in 39 (51.3%) patients, and grade IV in 37 (48.7%) patients according to Goligher classification. Five patients had experienced hemorrhoid surgery at least once. Compared with postoperative results, the retained volume in the preoperative liquid continence test was higher in 40 patients, lower in 27 patients, and similar in the other 9 patients. The overall preoperative retained volume in the liquid continence test was 1130.61 ± 78.35 mL, and postoperative volume was slightly decreased (991.27 ± 42.77 mL), but there was no significant difference (P = 0.057). Difference was significant in the test value before and after hemorrhoidectomy in group A (858.24 ± 32.01 mL vs 574.18 ± 60.28 mL, P = 0.011), but no obvious difference was noted in group B or group C. There was no significant difference in Wexner score before and after operation (1.68 ± 0.13 vs 2.10 ± 0.17, P = 0.064). By further stratified analysis, there was significant difference before and 2 months after operation in group A (2.71 ± 0.30 vs 3.58 ± 0.40, P = 0.003). In contrast, there were no significant differences in group B or group C (1.89 ± 0.15 vs 2.11 ± 0.19, P = 0.179; 0.98 ± 0.11 vs 1.34 ± 0.19, P = 0.123).CONCLUSION: There is no difference in the continence status of patients before and after Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy. However, patients with preoperative compromised continence may have further deterioration of their continence, hence Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy should be avoided in such patients.     

Acute diverticulitis in younger patients：Any rationale for a different approach？

AIM: To compare the natural history and course of acute diverticulitis in a younger age group with an older population and to evaluate whether younger patients should be managed differently.METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of 157 patients treated with acute diverticulitis between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2007. Diverticulitis was stratified according to the Hinchey classification. Patients were divided into 2 populations: group A ≤ 50 years (n = 31); group B > 50 years (n = 126). Mean patient follow-up was 15 mo.RESULTS: The median age was 60 years. A significantly higher proportion of patients in group B presented with complicated diverticulitis (36.5% vs 12.9%, P = 0.01). Recurrence was more frequent in group A (25.8% vs 11.1%, P = 0.03) and the mean time-to-recurrence was shorter (12 mo vs 28 mo, P = 0.26). The most severe recurrent episodes of acute diverticulitis were classified as Hinchey stage I and none of the patients required emergency surgery. In multivariate analysis, only age (P = 0.024) was identified as an independent prognostic factor for recurrence.CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, the authors recommend that diverticulitis management should be based on the severity of the disease and not on the age of the patient.     

Preoperative biliary drainage in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma undergoing major hepatectomy

AIM:To investigate the effect of preoperative biliary drainage(PBD)in jaundiced patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma(HCCA)undergoing major liver resections.METHODS:An observational study was carried out by reviewing a prospectively maintained database of HCCA patients who underwent major liver resection for curative therapy from January 2002 to December 2012.Patients were divided into two groups based on whether PBD was performed:a drained group and an undrained group.Patient baseline characteristics,preoperative factors,perioperative and short-term postoperative outcomes were compared between the two groups.Risk factors for postoperative complications were also analyzed by logistic regression test with calculating OR and 95%CI.RESULTS:In total,78 jaundiced patients with HCCA underwent major liver resection:32 had PBD prior to operation while 46 did not have PBD.The two groups were comparable with respect to age,sex,body mass index and co-morbidities.Furthermore,there was no significant difference in the total bilirubin(TBIL)levels between the drained group and the undrained group at admission(294.2±135.7 vs 254.0±63.5,P=0.126).PBD significantly improved liver function,reducing not only the bilirubin levels but also other liver enzymes.The preoperative TBIL level was significantly lower in the drained group as compared to the undrained group(108.1±60.6 vs 265.7±69.1,P=0.000).The rate of overall postoperative complications(53.1%vs 58.7%,P=0.626),reoperation rate(6.3%vs 6.5%,P=1.000),postoperative hospital stay(16.5 vs 15.0,P=0.221)and mortality(9.4%vs 4.3%,P=0.673)were similar between the two groups.In addition,there was no significant difference in infectious complications(40.6%vs 23.9%,P=0.116)and noninfectious complications(31.3%vs 47.8%,P=0.143)between the two groups.Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that preoperative TBIL>170μmol/L(OR=13.690,95%CI:1.275-147.028,P=0.031),Bismuth-Corlette classification(OR=0.013,95%CI:0.001-0.166,P=0.001)and extended liver resection(OR=14.010,95%CI:1.130-     

Children with celiac disease and high tTGA are genetically and phenotypically different

AIM:To investigate whether celiac disease(CD)patients with tissue-transglutaminase antibody(tTGA)≥100 U/mL are different from patients with lower tTGA levels.METHODS:Biopsy-proven(MarshⅢ)pediatric CD patients(n=116)were prospectively included between March 2009 and October 2012.The biopsies were evaluated by a single pathologist who was blinded to all of the patients’clinical data.The patients were distributed into 2 groups according to their tTGA level,which was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay:tTGA≥100 U/mL and Ttga<100 U/mL.The patients’characteristics,symptoms,human leukocyte antigen(HLA)genotype and degree of histological involvement were compared between the 2 groups.RESULTS:A total of 34(29.3%)children had tTGA values<100 U/mL and 82(70.7%)tTGA levels of≥100 U/mL.Patients with high tTGA levels had lower average body weight-for-height standard deviation scores(SDS)than did patients with tTGA<100 U/mL(-0.20±1.19 SDS vs 0.23±1.03 SDS,P=0.025).In the low tTGA group,gastrointestinal symptoms were more common(97.1%vs 75.6%,P=0.006).More specifically,abdominal pain(76.5%vs 51.2%;P=0.012)and nausea(17.6%vs 3.7%,P=0.018)were more frequent among patients with low tTGA.In contrast,patients with solely extraintestinal manifestations were only present in the high tTGA group(18.3%,P=0.005).These patients more commonly presented with aphthous stomatitis(15.9%vs 0.0%,P=0.010)and anemia(32.9%vs 11.8%,P=0.019).In addition,when evaluating the number of CD-associated HLA-DQ heterodimers(HLA-DQ2.5,HLA-DQ2.2 and HLA-DQ8),patients with low tTGA levels more commonly had only1 disease-associated heterodimer(61.8%vs 31.7%,P=0.005),while patients with high tTGA more commonly had multiple heterodimers.Finally,patients with tTGA≥100 U/mL more often had a MarshⅢc lesion(73.2%vs 20.6%,P≤0.001)while in patients with low tTGA patchy lesions were more common(42.4%vs6.8%,P≤0.001).CONCLUSION:Patients with tTGA≥100 U/mL show several signs of more advanced disease.They also carry a larger number of CD     

Correlations between skin lesions induced by anti-tumor necrosis factor-α and selected cytokines in Crohn’s disease patients

AIM:To investigate the correlation between the appearance of skin lesions and concentration of interleukin(IL)-17A,IL-23 and interferon-γ(IFN-γ)in Crohn’s disease(CD)patients during anti-tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)therapy METHODS:A prospective study included 30 adult patients with CD of Caucasian origin(19 men and 11women;mean age±SD 32.0±8.6 years)during biological therapy with anti-TNF-αantibodies from January2012 to March 2013.Eighteen patients were treated with infliximab,seven with adalimumab and five withcertolizumab.Inclusion criteria were exacerbation of the underlying disease,Crohn’s Disease Activity Index over 300 and the ineffectiveness of previously used non-biological therapies.Patients with a history of psoriasis,atopic dermatitis and other autoimmune skin lesions were excluded from the study.The control group consisted of 12 healthy subjects.A diagnostic survey was carried out,blood tests and careful skin examination were performed,and the serum levels of IL-17,IL-23 and IFN-γwere measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays technique.Dermatoses that have developed in the course of biological therapy in patients who had no pre-existing skin lesions of similar character were qualified as skin lesions induced by antiTNF-αtherapy.RESULTS:Skin manifestations occurred in 18 of CD patients during the anti-TNF-αtherapy(60%),in the average time of 10.16±3.42 mo following the beginning of the 52-wk treatment cycle.Skin lesions observed in CD patients during biological therapy included psoriasiform lesions(44.4%),and eczema forms lesions(22.2%).In CD patients with drug induced skin lesions significantly higher levels of hemoglobin(13.3±1.5 g/dL vs 10.8±1.9 g/dL,P=0.018)and hematocrit(39.9%±4.5%vs 34.3%±5.4%,P=0.01),as well as a significantly lower level of platelets(268±62×103/μL vs 408±239×103/μL,P=0.046)was observed compared with CD patients without skin manifestations.The concentrations of IL-17A and IL-23in CD patients with skin lesions developed under antiTNF-αtherapy were significantly higher compared to those in patients without lesions(IL-17A:39.01±7.03pg/mL vs 25.71±4.90 pg/mL,P=0.00004;IL-23:408.78±94.13 pg/mL vs 312.15±76.24 pg/mL,P=0.00556).CONCLUSION:Skin lesions in CD patients during bio-logical therapy may result from significantly increased concentrations of IL-17A and IL-23,which are strongly associated with TNF-α/Th1 immune pathways.     

Long-term follow-up of distal intestinal obstruction syndrome in cystic fibrosis

AIM: To investigate the long-term follow-up of distal intestinal obstruction syndrome(DIOS) in Israeli cystic fibrosis(CF) patients.METHODS: This is a multi-center,comparative,retrospective study in which we reviewed the medical records of all CF patients from three major CF centers in Israel who were treated in the period from 1980 to 2012.Patients diagnosed with DIOS were defined as the study group.The patients were diagnosed with DIOS based on their clinical presentation and typical findings on either abdominal X-ray or computerized tomography scan.For the control group,CF patients with no DIOS were matched to the patients in the study group for age,sex,and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator(CFTR) mutations.For both groups,the collected data included age,sex,CFTR genotype,weight,height,and body mass index.Clinical data included respiratory function tests in the last five years prior to the study,respiratory function test immediately before and after the DIOS event,number of hospitalizations,sputum culture results,and CFrelated conditions diagnosed according to the CF clinical practice guidelines.In the study group,data on the DIOS treatment and tendency for DIOS recurrence were also analyzed.RESULTS: The medical charts for a total of 350 CF patients were reviewed.Of the 350 CF patients,26(7.4%) were diagnosed with DIOS.The control group included 31 CF patients with no DIOS diagnosis.The mean follow-up period was 21.6 ± 8.2 years.The total of DIOS episodes in the follow-up period was 60.The distribution of DIOS episodes was as follows: 6/26(23.1%) study patients had one episode of DIOS intheir lifetime,7/26(26.9%) had two episodes,7/26(26.9%) had three episodes,and 6/26(23.1%) had four or more episodes.Compared to the control group,DIOS patients had a significantly higher incidence of meconium ileus in the past(65.4% vs 0%,respectively,P 0.02),more Aspergillus spp.colonization(34.6% vs 3.2%,respectively,P 0.02),and a higher number of hospitalizations due to respiratory exacerbations(8.6 vs 6.2 mean total hospitalizations per follow-up period,respectively,P 0.02).No other significant differences were found between the control and study groups.The conservative treatment of DIOS,which mainly includes hydration and stool softeners,was successful in 82% of the episodes.The survival rate was similar for both groups.CONCLUSION: CF patients with DIOS suffer from recurrent hospitalizations and airway pathogen acquisition.Although recurrence of DIOS is common,conservative treatment is successful in most patients.     

Prognostic value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T in patients with en-domyocardial-biopsy proven cardiac amyloidosis

Objective To investigate prognostic predictors of long-term survival of patients with cardiac amyloidosis （CA）, and to determine predictive value of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T （hs-cTnT） in CA patients. Methods We recruited 102 consecutive CA cases and followed these patients for 5 years. We described their clinical characteristics at presentation and used a new, high-sensitivity assay to determine the concentration of cTnT in plasma samples from these patients. Results The patients with poor prognosis showed older age （56 ±12 years vs. 50 ±15 years, P=0.022）, higher incidences of heart failure （36.92%vs. 16.22%, P=0.041）, pericardial effusion （60.00%vs. 35.14%, P=0.023）, greater thickness of interventricular septum （IVS） （15 ±4 mm vs. 13 ±4 mm, P=0.034）, higher level of hs-cTnT （0.186 ±0.249 ng/mL vs. 0.044 ±0.055 ng/mL, P=0.001） and higher NT-proBNP （N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic pep-tide） levels （11,742 ± 10,464 pg/mL vs. 6,031 ± 7,458 pg/mL, P=0.006）. At multivariate Cox regression analysis, heart failure （HR：1.78, 95%CI：1.09-2.92, P=0.021）, greater wall thickness of IVS （HR：1.44, 95%CI：1.04-3.01, P=0.0375） and higher hs-cTnT level （HR：6.16, 95%CI：2.20-17.24, P=0.001） at enrollment emerged as independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Conclusions We showed that hs-cTnT is associated with a very ominous prognosis, and it is also the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality in multivariate analysis. Examination of hs-cTnT concentrations provides valuable prognostic information concerning long-term outcomes.     

Prolonged QT dispersion in inflammatory bowel disease

AIM:To investigate the frequency and factors of prolonged QT dispersion that may lead to severe ventricular arrhythmias in patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).METHODS:This study included 63 ulcerative colitis(UC) and 41 Crohn’s disease(CD) patients.Forty-seven healthy patients were included as the control group.Heart rate was calculated using electrocardiography,corrected QT dispersion(QTcd) and the Bazett’s formula.Homeostasis model assessment(HOMA) was used to determine insulin resistance(IR).HOMA values < 1 were considered normal and values > 2.5 indicated a high probability of IR.RESULTS:Prolonged QTcd was found in 12.2% of UC patients,and in 14.5% of CD patients compared with the control group(P < 0.05).A significant difference was found between the insulin values(CD:10.95 ± 6.10 vs 6.44 ± 3.28,P < 0.05;UC:10.88 ± 7.19 vs 7.20 ± 4.54,P < 0.05) and HOMA(CD:2.56 ± 1.43 vs 1.42 ± 0.75,P < 0.05;UC:2.94 ± 1.88 vs 1.90 ± 1.09,P < 0.05) in UC and CD patients with and without prolonged QTcd.Disease behavior types were determined in CD patients with prolonged QTcd.Increased systolic arterial pressure(125 ± 13.81 vs 114.09 ± 8.73,P < 0.01) and age(48.67 ± 13.93 vs 39.57 ± 11.58,P < 0.05) in UC patients were significantly associated with prolonged QTcd.CONCLUSION:Our data show that IBD patients have prolonged QTcd in relation to controls.The routine followup of IBD patients should include determination of HOMA,insulin values and electrocardiogram examination.     

Graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation: A comprehensive literature review

AIM:To determine the factors affecting mortality in patients who developed graft-versus-host disease (GvH) after liver transplantation (LT) METHODS:We performed a review of studies of GvH following LT published in the English literature and accessed the PubMed, Medline, EBSCO, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases Using relevant search phrases, 88 articles were identified. Of these, 61 articles containing most of the study parameters were considered eligible for the study. Risk factors were first examined using a univariate Kaplan-Meier model, and variables with a significant association (P 0 05) were then subjected to multivariate analyses using a Cox proportional-hazards model RESULTS:The 61 articles reported 87 patients, 58 male and 29 female, mean age, 40.4 ± 15.5 years (range:8 mo to 74 years), who met the inclusion criteria for the present study. Deaths occurred in 59 (67.8%) patients, whereas 28 (32.2%) survived after a mean follow-up period of 280.8 ± 316.2 d (range:27-2285 d). Among the most frequent symptoms were rash (94.2%), fever (66.6%), diarrhea (54%), and pancytopenia (54%). Theaverage time period between LT and first symptom onset was 60.6 ± 190.1 d (range: 2-1865 d). The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that pancytopenia (42.8% vs 59.3%,P = 0.03), diarrhea (39.2%vs 61.0%,P = 0 04), age difference between the recipient and the donor (14.6 ± 3.1 yearsvs 22.6 ± 2.7 years,P 0.0001), and time from first symptom occurrence to diagnosis or treatment (13.3 ± 2.6 mo vs 15.0 ± 2.3 mo, P 0.0001) were significant factors affecting mortality, whereas age, sex, presence of rash and fever, use of immunosuppressive agents, acute rejection before GvH , etiological causes, time of onset, and donor type were not associated with mortality risk The Cox proportional-hazards model, determined that an age difference between the recipient and donor was an independent risk factor (P = 0 03; hazard ratio, 7.395, 95% confidence interval, 1.2-46.7). CONCLUSION:This study showed that an age difference between the recipient and donor is an independent risk factor for mortality in patients who develop GvH after LT.     

Techniques and feasibility of laparoscopic extended right hemicolectomy with D3 lymphadenectomy

AIM:To illustrate the critical techniques and feasibility of laparoscopic extended right hemicolectomy(LERH),according to our previous experience.METHODS:Anatomical relationship and operative techniques were demonstrated.One hundred and five consecutive patients who underwent extended right hemicolectomy with D3 lymphadenectomy between January 2008 and May 2011 were included in the present study[laparoscopic group(n=48)vs open group(n=57)].RESULTS:The right retrocolic space was the main surgical plan of the LERH.The superior mesenteric vein was the most important anatomical landmark for vascular dissection.The medial-to-lateral dissection approach made the LERH performed efficiently.Compared with the open group,the LERH group had less blood loss(111.7±127.8 mL vs 170.2±49.7 mL,P=0.023),faster return of flatus(3.0±1.6 d vs 3.7±1.3 d,P=0.019),and earlier diet(4.2±1.4 d vs 5.0±1.2 d,P=0.005).Five patients(10.4%)underwent conversion during laparoscopic surgery.The cancer recurrence rates between the two groups were comparable(laparoscopic vs open,8.6%vs 9.1%,P=0.335).CONCLUSION:For an advanced tumor located at the hepatic flexure or proximal transverse colon,LERH with D3 lymphadenectomy using a medial-to-lateral approach seems to be safe and feasible when the superior mesenteric vein serves as the main anatomical landmark and the right retrocolic space severed as the surgical plan.