Background
Gastric microbiome, other than
Helicobacter pylori
, plays a role in the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer (GC). Patients who undergo endoscopic submucosal dissection for early GC have a ...high risk of developing metachronous GC even after successful eradication of
H. pylori
. Thus, we investigated the microbial profiles and associated changes in such patients after the eradication of
H. pylori
.
Methods
A total of 19
H. pylori
-infected patients with early GC who were or to be treated by endoscopic resection, with paired biopsy samples at pre- and post-eradication therapy, were retrospectively enrolled. Ten
H. pylori
-negative patients were enrolled as controls. Biopsy samples were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.
Results
H. pylori
-positive patients exhibited low richness and evenness of bacteria with the deletion of several genera, including
Blautia
,
Ralstonia
,
Faecalibacterium
,
Methylobacterium
, and
Megamonas
.
H. pylori
eradication partially restored microbial diversity, as assessed during a median follow-up at 13 months after eradication therapy. However, post-eradication patients had less diversity than that in the controls and possessed a lower abundance of the five genera mentioned above. The eradication of
H. pylori
also altered the bacterial composition, but not to the same extent as that in controls. The microbial communities could be clustered into three separate groups:
H. pylori
-negative, pre-eradication, and post-eradication.
Conclusion
Changes in dysbiosis may persist long after the eradication of
H. pylori
in patients with a history of GC. Dysbiosis may be involved in the development of both primary and metachronous GC after the eradication of
H. pylori
in such patients.
Background and Aims
Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has recently been applied to the treatment of superficial colorectal cancer. Clinical outcomes compared with conventional endoscopic mucosal ...resection (EMR) have not been determined so our aim was to compare the effectiveness of ESD with conventional EMR for colorectal tumors ≥20 mm.
Methods
This was a retrospective case-controlled study performed at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo, Japan involving 373 colorectal tumors ≥20 mm determined histologically to be curative resections. Data acquisition was from a prospectively completed database. We evaluated histology, tumor size, procedure time, en bloc resection rate, recurrence rate, and associated complications for both the ESD and EMR groups.
Results
A total of 145 colorectal tumors were treated by ESD and another 228 were treated by EMR. ESD was associated with a longer procedure time (108 ± 71 min/29 ± 25 min;
p
< 0.0001), higher en bloc resection rate (84%/33%;
p
< 0.0001) and larger resected specimens (37 ± 14 mm/28 ± 8 mm;
p
= 0.0006), but involved a similar percentage of cancers (69%/66%;
p
= NS). There were three (2%) recurrences in the ESD group and 33 (14%) in the EMR group requiring additional EMR (
p
< 0.0001). The perforation rate was 6.2% (9) in the ESD group and 1.3% (3) in the EMR group (
p
= NS) with delayed bleeding occurring in 1.4% (2) and 3.1% (7) of the procedures (
p
= NS), respectively, as all complications were effectively treated endoscopically.
Conclusions
Despite its longer procedure time and higher perforation rate, ESD resulted in higher en bloc resection and curative rates compared with EMR and all ESD perforations were successfully managed by conservative endoscopic treatment.
Background
Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is considered to be an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated allergic disorder. Our goal was to examine IgE-mediated allergic sensitization patterns in patients ...with esophageal eosinophilia (EE).
Methods
We enrolled subjects with EE who underwent evaluation with a diagnostic panel to document multiple allergen-specific IgEs. Statistically significant groups were identified by cluster analysis. We also defined allergens based on their characteristics including outdoor, indoor, plant, and animal allergens.
Results
We classified patients with EE into 3 distinct groups, including cluster 1 (
n
= 62) who were minimally sensitized to most allergens except pollen and house dust, cluster 2 (
n
= 30) who were hypersensitized to outdoor and plant allergens, and cluster 3 (
n
= 15) who were hypersensitized to most allergens, most notably to indoor and animal allergens. Dysphagia reported among those in clusters 1, 2, and 3 at 35.5%, 46.7%, and 73.3%, respectively, (
p
= 0.028) and EoE endoscopic reference scores (EREFS) at 3.0, 6.0, and 8.0, respectively, (
p
< 0.001) differed significantly between the 3 clusters. Those in cluster 3 had a significantly higher prevalence of dysphagia (35.5% vs
.
73.3%,
p
= 0.030), and higher EREFS with respect to rings (0.3 vs
.
0.9,
p
= 0.003) and strictures (0.0 vs
.
0.13,
p
= 0.011) compared to those in cluster 1.
Conclusions
IgE-mediated allergic sensitization patterns are associated with clinical features of patients with EE. Use of a diagnostic panel that detects multiple allergen-specific IgEs can help to explain the heterogeneous phenotype of this patient cohort.
Endoscopic mucosal healing (MH) is an important treatment goal for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) reflects systemic inflammation and has been reported ...to be a useful predictive marker for UC. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of the NLR for predicting clinical relapse in UC patients with MH. We retrospectively enrolled patients with UC who underwent colonoscopy at the Osaka City University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2010, whose Mayo Endoscopic Subscore was 0 or 1. The correlation between the incidence of relapse and demographic factors, including the NLR, was analyzed. We included 129 patients in the present study. The median NLR at the time of endoscopy was 1.98, and differences in the high NLR group and the low NLR group were compared. During a median follow-up period of 46.4 months, 58 patients (45.0%) experienced relapse. The cumulative relapse-free rate was significantly higher in the low NLR group than in the high NLR group (P = 0.03, log-rank test). Multivariate analysis identified high NLR as an independent prognostic factor for clinical relapse (hazard ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.98; P = 0.04). NLR is a novel and useful predictor of clinical relapse in UC patients with MH, and it can potentially be a strong indicator to determine the appropriate treatment strategy and decision-making in clinical practice.
It is believed that preoperative biopsy sampling for superficial-type colorectal tumors should be avoided because submucosal fibrosis caused by biopsy sampling makes EMR impossible. However, few ...studies have reported the influence of biopsy sampling on colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). This study aimed to examine the effect of biopsy sampling on submucosal fibrosis and treatment outcomes of ESD for laterally spreading tumors (LSTs).
Between April 2005 and September 2015, 441 consecutive patients underwent colorectal ESD in Osaka City University Hospital. Using propensity score matching and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), we retrospectively evaluated risk factors for severe submucosal fibrosis and treatment outcomes for patients with LSTs, with or without preoperative biopsy sampling.
A total of 428 LSTs resected using ESD were enrolled. After matching, there were 136 matched pairs of lesions that did or did not undergo biopsy sampling. Preoperative biopsy sampling increased severe fibrosis compared with that in the non–biopsy sampling group (20.6% vs 11.0%; P = .03) and was significantly associated with severe fibrosis after matching (odds ratio OR, 2.09; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.07-4.10; P = .03). After adjustment with IPTW, biopsy sampling also increased the risk of severe fibrosis (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.17-4.63; P = .02). However, no significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in treatment outcomes.
Preoperative biopsy sampling for colorectal LSTs might cause severe submucosal fibrosis but has no adverse influence on clinical outcomes of ESD.
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Objective To examine the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown on lifestyle factors and psychological stress in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods A ...retrospective study was conducted on patients with IBD in Japan 2 months after the initiation of the first state of emergency (June 16 to August 21, 2020). A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data, and lifestyle factors and psychological stress levels before and after the state of emergency were compared. Patients Patients with IBD who were followed up regularly at Osaka City University Hospital from June 16 to August 21, 2020, were included and were classified into elderly (≥65 years old) and non-elderly groups (<65 years old). Results The study sample comprised 451 responders (241, ulcerative colitis; 210, Crohn's disease; 0, COVID-19). The sleep duration increased, whereas the exercise, working, and walking durations decreased during the COVID-19 lockdown. The proportion of patients with psychological stress due to COVID-19, those with an inability to exercise, and those staying indoors increased significantly during COVID-19 lockdown. Lifestyle factors changed more markedly in non-elderly patients, those who were more stressed due to COVID-19, those with the inability to exercise, and those staying indoors during COVID-19 lockdown. Among elderly patients, no significant changes were identified in stress-causing factors. Conclusion The COVID-19 lockdown affected lifestyle factors and psychological stress in patients with IBD, particularly non-elderly patients. These findings may be helpful in suggesting favorable lifestyle changes for patients with IBD.
Background and Aim
Esophageal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to resect widespread lesions has increased the incidence of strictures, and some patients develop strictures despite receiving ...prophylactic locoregional triamcinolone injections. The present study evaluated the predictive factors for esophageal stricture formation in patients given prophylactic triamcinolone injections after ESD.
Methods
This was a retrospective observational study. Of 552 consecutive patients who underwent ESD, those who received prophylactic triamcinolone injections immediately after ESD were enrolled. Primary outcome was predictive factors for esophageal stricture formation in patients given prophylactic triamcinolone injections.
Results
We evaluated 101 en bloc resections involving 144 lesions in 96 patients. Strictures occurred following 17 (16.8%) resections. Wider circumferential mucosal defect (odds ratio OR 2.42, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.01–5.80; P = 0.048) was an independent predictive factor for stricture development. Cut‐off value associated with stricture formation was five‐sixths of the circumferential mucosal defect. Propensity analysis determined that frequency of esophageal strictures increased in patients with circumferential mucosal defects of more than five‐sixths compared with those less than five‐sixths (OR = 5.70, 95% CI: 1.61–20.18; P = 0.007).
Conclusion
Resections involving circumferential mucosal defects of more than five‐sixths increased the likelihood of stricture formation in patients given prophylactic locoregional triamcinolone injections after esophageal ESD.
Resolvin D1, a specialized pro-resolving lipid mediator produced from docosahexaenoic acid by 15- and 5-lipoxygenase, exerts anti-inflammatory effects driving to the resolution of inflammation. The ...present study aimed to elucidate its role in small intestinal damage induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Indomethacin was administered orally to C57BL/6J male mice, which were sacrificed 24 h later to collect small intestine specimens. Before administration of indomethacin, mice were subjected to intraperitoneal treatment with resolvin D1 or oral administration of baicalein, a 15-lipoxygenase inhibitor. Small intestinal damage induced by indomethacin was attenuated by pretreatment with resolvin D1. Furthermore, resolvin D1 reduced the gene expression levels of interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and CXCL1/keratinocyte chemoattractant. Conversely, the inhibition of 15-lipoxygenase activity by baicalein increased the expression of genes coding for these inflammatory cytokines and chemokine, leading to exacerbated small intestinal damage, and reduced the concentration of resolvin D1 in the small intestinal tissue. Exogenous treatment with resolvin D1 negated the deleterious effect of baicalein. 15-lipoxygenase was mainly expressed in the epithelium and inflammatory cells of the small intestine, and its gene and protein expression was not affected by the administration of indomethacin. Inhibition of the resolvin D1 receptor, lipoxin A4 receptor /formyl peptide receptor 2, by its specific inhibitors Boc-1 and WRW4 aggravated indomethacin-induced small intestinal damage. Collectively, these results indicate that resolvin D1 produced by 15-lipoxygenase contributes to mucoprotection against NSAID-induced small intestinal damage through its anti-inflammatory effect.
Background
Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is accepted as the standard treatment for early-stage esophageal neoplasia. However, esophageal perforation may occur, leading to mediastinitis and ...pneumothorax, which occasionally require emergency surgery. Moreover, failure of en bloc resection causes local recurrence. However, studies on the predictors of such difficulties during ESD are limited. Hence, we evaluated the predictors associated with the difficulty of ESD for esophageal neoplasia including failure of en bloc resection or perforation.
Methods
Data of 549 consecutive patients who were treated with ESD between May 2004 and March 2016 at a single institution were retrospectively studied. Exclusion criteria were the presence of metachronous esophageal neoplasia or missing data. The primary outcome was determining the predictors associated with the difficulty of ESD for esophageal neoplasia including failure of en bloc resection or perforation.
Results
Altogether, 543 patients with 736 lesions were evaluated. Failure of en bloc resection occurred in 6 patients (1.1%) with 6 lesions, and perforation occurred in 11 patients (2.0%) with 11 lesions (1.5%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that large lesion diameter (odds ratio OR 1.49; 95% confidence interval CI 1.21–1.84;
p
< 0.001) and previous chemoradiotherapy (OR 5.24; 95% CI 1.52–18.06;
p
= 0.009) were independent predictive factors.
Conclusions
Larger lesions and previous chemoradiotherapy for esophageal cancer increased the risk for failure of en bloc resection or perforation in patients who underwent esophageal ESD.