Summary
Background
In patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is performed by many centres, ...particularly for the early detection of biliary malignancies and strictures. Clinically meaningful MRI‐based definitions of primary sclerosing cholangitis related complications are, however, lacking.
Aim
To investigate how primary sclerosing cholangitis experts interpret follow‐up MRI/MRCP with a focus on conclusions that may impact clinical decision‐making in primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Methods
Within the International Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Study Group, an online survey on 16 real‐life primary sclerosing cholangitis cases including clinical and biochemical information as well as a T2‐weighted liver MRI/3D‐MRCP was conducted. The interpretation of images and subsequent recommendations were assessed using a multiple‐choice questionnaire. An inter‐rater reliability calculation (Fleiss′ kappa) was performed and factors potentially affecting the interpretation of magnetic resonance images were analysed using generalised linear mixed‐effect models.
Results
Forty‐four members/associates of the International Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Study Group (median experience in the care of primary sclerosing cholangitis patients: 14 years) completed the survey. The MRI interpretation significantly varied among the participants. The lowest agreement was found with respect to the indication to perform subsequent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP; Κ = 0.12, 95%CI 0.11‐0.14). Elevated total bilirubin was the variable with the strongest effect on the rate of suspected dominant strictures, cholangiocarcinoma or ERCP recommendations. Liver cirrhosis did not prevent participants from recommending ERCP. Overall, the survey participants′ recommendations contrasted the real‐life management and outcome.
Conclusions
In primary sclerosing cholangitis, the interpretation of follow‐up MRI/3D‐MRCP significantly varies even among experts and seems to be primarily affected by bilirubin levels. Generally accepted MRI‐based definitions of primary sclerosing cholangitis‐related complications are urgently needed.
Linked ContentThis article is linked to Stratton and Williams paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14898.
Background and aims : Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are at increased risk for hepatobiliary malignancies, especially cholangiocarcinoma. Although many recommend surveillance for ...malignancy in PSC, different strategies are used by various centers and countries. We aimed to evaluate different surveillance strategies and their effectiveness in PSC with the hypothesis that surveillance imaging improves survival.
Method : We queried centers about surveillance practices and retrospectively collected imaging surveillance data for hepatobiliary cancer in 2, 975 patients with PSC from 28 centers within the International PSC Study Group (IPSCSG). Surveillance strategies were grouped in (i) non-surveillance (no imaging in asymptomatic patients), (ii) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or ultrasound (US) surveillance (regular imaging regardless of symptoms/labs) and (iii) surveillance including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-based (imaging and/or ERCP regardless of symptoms/labs). The primary end point was all-cause mortality. Cox-proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs).
Results : 65.6% (1953/2975) of patients were male, mean age (SD) at diagnosis of PSC was 35.6 (14.2) years, with concomitant IBD in 71.5% (2127/2973). Hepatobiliary malignancy was found in 175 (5.9%) patients at 7.9 years of follow-up (Figure). Surveillance strategies differed significantly between centers. Of patients undergoing surveillance, 83% were subjected to MRI/MRCP, 49% to US and 28% to ERCP. Deaths were more frequent in the non-surveillance group 23.4% (82/350) than in the surveillance group 8.3% (218/2625). Mortality rate (95% CI) per 1000 person-years was 23.1 (18.1–28.1) inthe non-surveillance group (n = 350), 12.5 (10.6–14.5) in imaging surveillance with MRI and/or US (n = 1897) and 8.4 (6.3–10.5) in surveillance that included ERCP (n = 728). The risk of dying wasr educed in patients undergoing any type of surveillance (HR 0.53; 95% CI: 0.41–0.68) and the reduced risk remained after adjusting for sex, age and start year of follow-up (HR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.47–0.80).
Conclusion : A broad variety of surveillance strategies across centers are used. Regular sur veillance for hepatobiliary malignancy in patients with PSC is associated with improved survival.
Abstract
Background
Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) has become an important tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of Crohn’s disease (CD). MRE findings are used in the calculation of the Lémann ...index (LI), a score that quantifies accumulated bowel damage. However, calculating the score is demanding; thus, serum biomarkers reflecting tissue damage and fibrosis are warranted for monitoring purposes. Increased extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling and collagen tissue deposition is the result of accumulated bowel damage, eventually leading to intestinal fibrosis; particularly, the basement membrane and interstitial matrix are affected. We aimed to investigate ECM serum biomarkers of type III collagen formation (PRO-C3), type IV collagen degradation (C4M), degradation of citrullinated vimentin (VICM) and their association with LI and the degree of bowel wall fibrosis assessed by contrast-enhanced MRE in CD patients.
Methods
Serum from CD patients was analysed (n = 85, part of IBSEN population). Competitive ELISA was applied for the quantification of PRO-C3, C4M and VICM in the serum samples. The LI score was calculated based on the surgical history, MRE findings and the endoscopy findings. The suggested cut-off for substantial bowel damage is LI >/= 2. Increased contrast enhancement of the bowel wall at 5 min and the presence of stenosis on MRE was considered severe fibrosis. Student’s t-test, Spearman’s r correlation and one-way-ANOVA with FDR correction was applied for statistical analysis.
Results
Serum levels of C4M were elevated in patients with confirmed fibrosis by contrast MRE compared with patients without fibrosis (p = 0.031, AUC: 0.61) (Figure 1A). VICM correlated to the LI score in CD patients (r = 0.26, p = 0.015) and serum VICM levels were elevated in patients with an LI score >2 (p = 0.005, AUC: 0.67) (Figure 1B). VICM was significantly associated with intestinal damage for LI > 20 (LI 0 vs. >20: p = 0.005, AUC: 0.72). PRO-C3 was not associated with intestinal damage or intestinal fibrosis.
Conclusion
Our results indicate that the accumulated intestinal damage and the bowel wall fibrosis in CD are associated with elevated serum levels of VICM and C4M, respectively. Thus, serological biomarkers of basement membrane degradation and inflammation may be a useful tool to monitor intestinal tissue damage and fibrosis development.
We sought to identify factors that are predictive of liver transplantation or death in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and to develop and validate a contemporaneous risk score for ...use in a real‐world clinical setting. Analyzing data from 1,001 patients recruited to the UK‐PSC research cohort, we evaluated clinical variables for their association with 2‐year and 10‐year outcome through Cox‐proportional hazards and C‐statistic analyses. We generated risk scores for short‐term and long‐term outcome prediction, validating their use in two independent cohorts totaling 451 patients. Thirty‐six percent of the derivation cohort were transplanted or died over a cumulative follow‐up of 7,904 years. Serum alkaline phosphatase of at least 2.4 × upper limit of normal at 1 year after diagnosis was predictive of 10‐year outcome (hazard ratio HR = 3.05; C = 0.63; median transplant‐free survival 63 versus 108 months; P < 0.0001), as was the presence of extrahepatic biliary disease (HR = 1.45; P = 0.01). We developed two risk scoring systems based on age, values of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, platelets, presence of extrahepatic biliary disease, and variceal hemorrhage, which predicted 2‐year and 10‐year outcomes with good discrimination (C statistic = 0.81 and 0.80, respectively). Both UK‐PSC risk scores were well‐validated in our external cohort and outperformed the Mayo Clinic and aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index (APRI) scores (C statistic = 0.75 and 0.63, respectively). Although heterozygosity for the previously validated human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐DR*03:01 risk allele predicted increased risk of adverse outcome (HR = 1.33; P = 0.001), its addition did not improve the predictive accuracy of the UK‐PSC risk scores. Conclusion: Our analyses, based on a detailed clinical evaluation of a large representative cohort of participants with PSC, furthers our understanding of clinical risk markers and reports the development and validation of a real‐world scoring system to identify those patients most likely to die or require liver transplantation.
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