Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

BACKGROUND: Fully covered self-expandable metallic stent (FCSEMS) may be an effective modality for managing anastomotic biliary stricture (ABS) after liver transplantation. However, stent migration and stent-induced ductal injury are main limitations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an unflared, intraductal FCSEMS that was designed to minimize migration and ductal injury for refractory ABS after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: A total of 32 consecutive patients with symptomatic ABS after LDLT unresolved by plastic stents with or without balloon dilation at four tertiary medical centers were prospectively enrolled...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication via the use of antivirals ameliorates metabolic profiles. The changes in serum uric acid (SUA) levels in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who receive antivirals are not well understood. We aimed to address this issue by comparing the SUA changes before and after the achievement of a sustained virological response (SVR, which is defined as HCV RNA seronegativity at 12 weeks after the end of treatment) METHODS: Two hundred and thirteen SVR patients who were treated by directly acting antivirals (DAAs) were consecutively enrolled...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Little is known whether routine prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is needed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on immunosuppression, especially in Asian populations. We, therefore, sought to investigate the incidence and risk factors of PJP in patients with IBD in Korea. METHODS: We investigated the incidence of PJP in patients with IBD and compared the characteristics of IBD patients with PJP episodes (IBD-PJP group) with those of matched controls (IBD-only group) using a large, well-characterized referral center-based cohort...

BACKGROUND: A diverse range of treatments are available for the treatment of functional gastro-intestinal disorders (FGIDs). Individual treatments, including drug therapies, behavioural therapy ("biofeedback"), psychological therapies, and dietary therapies have been well validated in controlled, randomised trials and real-life case series. However, few studies have evaluated models of delivery of care for the whole population of referred patients with a FGID. This review evaluates models of specialist outpatient care for the management of FGIDs...

BACKGROUND: Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) targets gut microbiome dysbiosis and is an emerging therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC). Though initial results with FMT in patients with active UC are encouraging, data regarding its acceptability, tolerability and safety are scant. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with active UC (Mayo clinic score ≥4), who received multisession FMT (at weeks 0, 2, 6, 10, 14, 18 and 22) via colonoscopy between June 2016 and June 2018, was done...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The reported prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in Taiwan was 54.4% in 1992. An updated prevalence of H. pylori infection in asymptomatic adults is lacking in Taiwan. We aimed to assess the updated age-standardized prevalence of H. pylori infection in asymptomatic subjects and in patients with dyspepsia and to assess the accuracy of H. pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test for screening of H. pylori in Chinese population. METHODS: Asymptomatic adult subjects(N=189) were screened for H...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: It is unclear how adding an anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) agent to immunomodulator treatment, as a step-up strategy, affects long-term outcomes in ulcerative colitis. This retrospective study investigated persistence associated with biologic anti-TNFα agents combined with immunomodulators versus biologic monotherapy in patients with ulcerative colitis. METHODS: This was a longitudinal cohort study of patients in the Japan Medical Data Center claims database who had been newly prescribed infliximab or adalimumab as induction (completed) and maintenance (2010-2016)...

AIMS: To clarify the endoscopic features and clinicopathological differences in superficial Barret's esophageal adenocarcinoma (s-BEA) derived from short-segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE) and long-segment Barrett's esophagus (LSBE). METHODS: We reviewed data of 130 patients (141 lesions) with pathologically confirmed s-BEA (SSBE: 95 patients, 95 lesions; LSBE: 35 patients, 46 lesions). We analyzed endoscopic and clinicopathological features of s-BEA in patients with SSBE and LSBE...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: PBK-1701TC is a novel sulfate tablet-based that contains 320 mg of simethicone and delivers 90% of the salt and water delivered by oral sulfate solution (OSS) preparation. This study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of PBK-1701TC compared to OSS in bowel preparation for colonoscopy. METHODS: This randomized, multicenter, phase 3 non-inferiority trial included adults aged 19 years or older with a body mass index of 19-30 kg/m2 undergoing colonoscopy at five university hospitals in Korea...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Indigo naturalis (IN) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine reported to be effective in inducing remission in ulcerative colitis (UC). We conducted a retrospective observational study to investigate the efficacy and safety of IN for induction and maintenance therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Data were collected from the electric medical records of patients with IBD who had started IN treatment between March 2015 and April 2017 at Kyushu University hospital...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The true incidence of incomplete muscularis mucosa resection with cold snare polypectomy (CSP) is unknown. We examined the incidence of incomplete muscularis mucosa resection both with and without cold snare defect protrusion (CSDP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients undergoing polypectomy for 4-9-mm nonpedunculated polyps. We evaluated the presence of CSDP immediately following CSP, and biopsied the CSDP or the center of the mucosal defect without CSDP...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Patients with cirrhosis usually experience muscle cramps of varying severity. Although diuretics have been reported to cause muscle cramps, clinical evidence is limited. Also, it has been pointed out that the use of diuretics is associated with the progression of sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis. We conducted a questionnaire survey to clarify the effects of diuretics and skeletal muscle loss on muscle cramps. METHODS: Overall, we enrolled 152 adults with cirrhosis in this study...

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of literature comparing linear endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and radial EUS for the prediction of the depth of invasion in early gastric cancer (EGC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of linear EUS for the diagnosis of submucosal (SM) invasion and compare linear EUS with radial EUS in suspected EGC patients. METHODS: Seventy-two consecutive patients with suspected EGC who underwent a preoperative assessment using linear EUS or radial EUS were prospectively enrolled...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Standardizing evaluative outcomes and their assessment facilitates comparisons between clinical studies and provides a basis for comparing direct effects of different treatment options. The aim of this study was to systematically review types of outcomes and measurement instruments used in studies regarding treatment options for slow-transit constipation (STC) in adults. METHODS: In this systematic review of the literature we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO from inception through February 2018, for papers assessing any STC-treatment in adult patients...

BACKGROUND AND AIM: One of the main concerns related to peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is postoperative gastroesophageal reflux (GER). The two penetrating vessels (TPVs) that are found at the boundary between the circular and oblique muscles in the posterior cardia wall have been suggested to be a good indicator of the optimal distal extent of POEM. However, the effect of performing myotomy using the TPVs as an anatomical reference on the frequency of post-POEM GER has not been studied...

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Ribavirin (RBV) remains crucial in difficult-to-cure chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients receiving directly-acting antivirals (DAAs). The current study aimed to address whether RBV enhanced early viral kinetics in patients with DAAs. METHODS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype-1b patients were allocated to daclatasvir/asunaprevir +weight-based ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day) for 12-24 weeks. HCV RNA levels were compared at day 1, week 1, week 2, and week 4 of treatment...

INTRODUCTION: To assess the influence of pre-treatment Tumour Growth Rate (TGR) on mRECIST objective response (OR) after a first session of selective trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: 115 patients (101 men [88%], mean 65.1±10.5 years [range 26-87]) with 169 tumours (mean 34.2±29.3mm [10-160]), undergoing a first session of selective TACE for the treatment of HCC between 2011 and 2016, were included...