In "What should be known prior to performing EUS exams, Part I," the authors discussed the need for clinical information and whether other imaging modalities are required before embarking EUS ...examinations. Herewith, we present part II which addresses some (technical) controversies how EUS is performed and discuss from different points of view providing the relevant evidence as available. (1) Does equipment design influence the complication rate? (2) Should we have a standardized screen orientation? (3) Radial EUS versus longitudinal (linear) EUS. (4) Should we search for incidental findings using EUS?
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESEarly-onset colorectal cancer (eoCRC), defined as colorectal cancer (CRC) before the age of 50 is increasing in incidence. We evaluated exogenous and endogenous risk factors, ...and clinical features of eoCRC, compared to late-onset CRC (loCRC).
METHODSIn this retrospective case-case study, patients were prospectively enrolled from 2015 to 2018. We collected clinical features (age, sex, time from symptom onset to diagnosis, symptoms, family history, smoking and alcohol habits, diabetes, BMI, and genetic analysis) and tumor characteristics. Independent risk factors for eoCRC and odds ratios (ORs) were identified.
RESULTSFifty-four eoCRCs and 494 loCRCs were enrolled. Patients with eoCRC experienced longer delay time from symptom onset to diagnosis40.7% were diagnosed within 6 months from symptoms onset, compared to 85.6% of patients with loCRC (P < 0.0001). They differed for sex, presence of symptoms, family history, smoking habit, alcohol intake, and BMI. Rectal localization was more closely associated with eoCRC (64.8%) than loCRC (34.5%, P < 0.0001). Family history of CRC was associated with eoCRC (OR = 8.8). When family history occurred with hereditary cancer syndromes, the OR for eoCRC increased to 21.
CONCLUSIONIn young adults with alarming symptoms, CRC must be suspected to avoid delay time from symptom onset to diagnosis and genetic risk assessment has to be evaluated. Smoking habits, alcohol intake, and BMI are not associated with eoCRC.
An oral formulation of methylene blue with colonic delivery (MB-MMX) has been developed to increase detection of colorectal polys during colonoscopy. Traditionally, there have been safety concerns ...regarding DNA damage when methylene blue is exposed to white light. The aim of this study was to evaluate DNA damage in colonic mucosa after MB-MMX chromoendoscopy.
This was an open-label phase II safety study to assess for genotoxicity on colorectal biopsies of patients undergoing two sequential colonoscopies before and after an oral dose of 200 mg MB-MMX added to their bowel prep. Analysis of a biomarker of double-stranded DNA breaks, γH2AX, was performed on biopsy specimens.
Ten patients were included in the study. The mean expression of γH2AX ± 95 % confidence intervals of the 50 biopsies before and after MB-MMX administration were 0.58 ± 0.08 and 0.62 ± 0.09, respectively (
= 0.24). None of the analyzed samples showed excess positive γH2AX expression, confirming the absence of DNA damage on biopsies after methylene blue exposure. No deaths or serious adverse events occurred.
An oral dose of 200 mg of MB-MMX did not result in any detectable DNA damage.
Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes require timely endoscopic surveillance.
This study evaluated the approach of Italian gastroenterologists to the management of such patients. It then assessed ...the impact of SARS-CoV-2. All members affiliated with the leading Italian gastroenterology societies (AIGO, SIED, and SIGE) received an online questionnaire.
One hundred and twenty-one clinicians from 96 centers answered, not necessarily experts in the field (mean age 50.26 ± 11.22 years). Many collected family history for genetic risk assessment (74.4%), but only 14.0% used an online predictive software. 65.6% discussed cases in multidisciplinary units. Genetic analysis was available to most centers, but only a few hospitals offered dedicated endoscopy (19.0%), outpatient clinics (33.9%), or surgeries (23.1%). Since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the number of clinicians with a high volume of patients decreased (from 38.8% to 28.1%). Almost half of the responders (45.5%) reported a delay in the surveillance (median: 4-12 months). Ultimately, 30.6% detected one interval colorectal cancer in at least one of their patients.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic directly affected the surveillance of hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes in Italy. Endoscopic surveillance should resume in all centers to avoid the possible long-term consequences of its interruption, especially for inherited colorectal cancer syndromes.
Background and Objective: Pediatric guidelines on celiac disease (CD) state that children with anti-transglutaminase antibodies (TGAs) >×10 upper limit of normal (ULN) may avoid endoscopy and biopsy. ...We aimed to evaluate whether these criteria may be suitable for villous atrophy diagnosis in CD adults. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients with CD aged >18 years. TGAs were expressed as xULN. Duodenal lesions were classified as atrophic or non-atrophic according to Marsh-Oberhuber. Fisher’s exact and t-test were used for variables comparison. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was performed with estimation of area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value (PPV/NPV). Results: One hundred and twenty-one patients were recruited. Sixty patients (49.6%) had TGA >×10 ULN, and 93 (76.8%) had villous atrophy. The cut-off of >×10 ULN had sensitivity = 53.7%, specificity = 64.3%, PPV = 83.3%, and NPV = 29.5% to predict atrophy. Therefore, considering pediatric criteria, in 50 (41.3%) patients, biopsy could have been avoided. Patient subgroup with atrophy had higher TGA levels despite being not significant (37.2 ± 15.3 vs. 8.0 ± 1.3 ULN, p = 0.06). In adults, a slightly better diagnostic performance was obtained using a cut-off of TGA >×6.2 ULN (sensitivity = 57.1%, specificity = 65.6%, and AUC = 0.62). Conclusions: Despite our confirmation that villous atrophy is linked to high TGA levels, CD and atrophy diagnosis based only on serology is not reliable in adults.
Autoimmune diseases are often associated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotypes, indicating that changes in major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-dependent self-peptide or antigen ...presentation contribute to autoimmunity. In our study, we aimed to investigate HLA alleles in a large European cohort of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) patients.
Hundred patients with AIP, diagnosed and classified according to the International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria (ICDC), were prospectively enrolled in the study. Forty-four patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and 254 healthy subjects served as control groups. DNA was isolated from blood samples and two-digit HLA typing was performed with sequence-specific primer (SSP-) PCR. HLA allele association strength to AIP was calculated as odds ratio.
We uncovered a strong enrichment of HLA-DQB1 homozygosity in type 1 and type 2 AIP patients. Moreover, a significantly increased incidence of the HLA-DRB1∗16 and HLA-DQB1∗05 alleles and a concomitant lack of the HLA-DRB1∗13 allele was detected in AIP type 1 and type 2 patients. In contrast, the HLA-DQB1∗02 allele was underrepresented in the ‘not otherwise specified’ (NOS) AIP subtype. We detected no significant difference in the HLA-DRB3, HLA-DRB4 and HLA-DRB5 allele frequency in our cohort.
Although AIP type 1 and type 2 are characterized by distinct histopathological characteristics, both subtypes are associated with the same HLA alleles, indicating that the disease might rely on similar immunogenic mechanisms. However, AIP NOS represented another subclass of AIP.
AIM:To assess the rate of relapses of acute pancreatitis(AP),recurrent AP(RAP)and the evolution of endosonographic signs of chronic pancreatitis(CP)in patients with pancreas divisum(PDiv)and ...RAP.METHODS:Over a five-year period,patients with PDiv and RAP prospectively enrolled were divided into two groups:(1)those with relapses of AP in the year before enrollment were assigned to have endoscopic therapy(recent RAP group);and(2)those free of recurrences were conservatively managed,unless they relapsed during follow-up(previous RAP group).All patients in both groups entered a follow-up protocol that includedclinical and biochemical evaluation,pancreatic endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)every year and after every recurrence of AP,at the same time as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP).RESULTS:Twenty-two were treated by ERCP and 14were conservatively managed during a mean follow-up of 4.5±1.2 years.In the recent RAP group in whom dorsal duct drainage was achieved,AP still recurred in11(57.9%)after the first ERCP,in 6 after the second ERCP(31.6%)and in 5 after the third ERCP(26.3%).Overall,endotherapy was successful 73.7%.There were no cases of recurrences in the previous RAP group.EUS signs of CP developed in 57.9%of treated and 64.3%of untreated patients.EUS signs of CP occurred in 42.8%of patients whose ERCPs were successful and in all those in whom it was unsuccessful(P=0.04).There were no significant differences in the rate of AP recurrences after endotherapy and in the prevalence of EUS signs suggesting CP when comparing patients with dilated and non-dilated dorsal pancreatic ducts within each group.CONCLUSION:Patients with PDiv and recent episodes of AP can benefit from endoscopic therapy.Effective endotherapy may reduce the risk of developing EUS signs of CP at a rate similar to that seen in patients of previous RAP group,managed conservatively.However,in a subset of patients,endotherapy,although successful,did not prevent the evolution of endosonographic signs of CP.
Abstract
Background and study aims
The standard method for obtaining samples during endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is fine-needle aspiration (FNA), the accuracy of which can be affected by the ...presence of a cytopathologist in endoscopy room (rapid on-site evaluation ROSE). With the introduction of fine-needle biopsy (FNB), macroscopic on-site evaluation (MOSE) of a acquired specimen has been proposed. Only a few studies have evaluated the role of MOSE and in all except one, a 19G needle was used. Our primary aim was to evaluate the diagnostic yield and accuracy of MOSE with different needle sizes and the secondary aim was to identify factors influencing the yield of MOSE.
Patients and methods
Data from patients who underwent EUS-FNB for solid lesions, with MOSE evaluation of the specimen, were collected in six endoscopic referral centers.
Results
A total of 378 patients (145 F and 233 M) were enrolled. Needles sizes used during the procedures were 20G (42 %), 22G (45 %), and 25G (13 %). The median number of needle passes was two (IQR 2–3). The overall diagnostic yield of MOSE was of 90 % (confidence interval CI 86 %–92 %). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, variables independently associated with the diagnostic yield of MOSE were a larger needle diameter (20G vs. 25G, OR 11.64, 95 %CI 3.5–38.71; 22G vs. 25G, OR 6.20, 95 %CI 2.41–15.90) and three of more needle passes (OR 3.39, 95 %CI 1.38–8.31).
Conclusions
MOSE showed high diagnostic yield and accuracy. Its yield was further increased if performed with a large size FNB needles and more than two passes.
The effect of fetal radiation during endoscopic retro-grade cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) on pregnant women is a very interesting topic. Smith et al recently estimated the fetal radiation exposure ...in pregnant women undergoing ERCPs using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). The authors concluded that TLDs are unnecessary during ERCP with modified techniques. We believe that an extreme caution is needed in clinical practice before drawing such conclusions when they are not strongly supported by enough experimental evidence. Therefore, we recommend that fetal radiation exposure be monitored in clinical practice by using dosimeters, bearing in mind that all relevant techniques to control and minimize the exposure must be applied.
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