ISRN Gastroenterology

Background. Utilization of colonoscopy for routine colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the elderly (patients over 75) is controversial. This study was designed to evaluate if using fecal occult blood test (FOBT) to select patients for colonoscopy can improve yield and be a cost- effective approach for the elderly. Methods. Records of 10,908 subjects who had colonoscopy during the study period were reviewed. 1496 (13.7%) were ≥75 years. In 118 of these subjects, a colonoscopy was performed to evaluate a positive FOBT...

Background. CT angiogram is frequently obtained after diagnosis of ischemic colitis (IC). Aims. To investigate the vascular findings of CT angiogram as compared to contrast-enhanced CT scan and whether this modality changes the management or prognosis of IC. Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with IC from 2007 to 2013. Results. CT angiogram was performed in 34 patients (28.81%), whereas contrast-enhanced CT scan was performed in 54 patients (45.76%). In CT angiogram group, 8 patients (23...

Background. Understanding the predictors of mortality in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV) coinfection can be useful in management of these patients. Methods. We used the Electronically Retrieved Cohort of HCV Infected Veterans (ERCHIVES) for these analyses. Multivariate Cox-regression models were used to determine predictors of mortality. Results. Among 8,039 HIV infected veterans, 5251 (65.3%) had HCV coinfection. The all-cause mortality rate was 74.1 (70.4-77.9) per 1000 person-years (PY) among veterans with HIV/HCV coinfection and 39...

Background. The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing in the paediatric population. Since 2007, a single surgeon whose main practice is in the treatment of adults has performed surgery for IBD in adults and children within two dedicated multidisciplinary teams. Our aim was to assess and compare outcomes for adults and children following surgery for IBD. Methods. Analysis of a prospectively collected database was carried out to include all patients who had undergone resectional surgery for IBD between 2007 and 2012...

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features of Meckel's diverticula at different ages, genders, and pathology in order to serve as a reminder to clinicians when evaluating potential cases and to help obtain an early diagnosis. Methods. We collected information of patients with Meckel's diverticulum diagnosed at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan from 1984 to 2009. After performing a thorough review of their charts, the clinical features of the Meckel's diverticula were analyzed according to age groups, gender, and pathology...

Background. To detect the changes of biological characteristics in gastric cancer cells interfered by CD133-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA). Methods. First to select the siRNA which has the strongest interference effect among 3 siRNAs (i.e., siRNA1, siRNA2, and siRNA3) in KATO-III cells by RT-PCR and Western blotting assays. Then, CD133(+) cells were sorted out from KATO-III cells using an immunomagnetic bead sorting method and transfected with the selected siRNA. Furthermore, the proliferating characteristics, the antichemotherapeutic assessment, Transwell invasion assay, monoclonal sphere formation assay, and subcutaneous transplanted tumor formation assay in nude mice were investigated...

Objective. Guidelines on antiplatelet medication use during endoscopy are based on limited evidence. We investigate the risk of bleeding and ischemic events in patients undergoing endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) of esophageal lesions in the setting of scheduled cessation and prompt resumption of clopidogrel. Design. Single centre retrospective review. Patients. Patients undergoing EMR of esophageal lesions. Interventions. Use of clopidogrel before EMR and resumption after EMR. Patients cease antiplatelets and anticoagulants 7 days before EMR and resume clopidogrel 2 days after EMR in average risk patients...

Objective. Symptoms and laboratory data between acute cholangitis (AC) patients treated with and AC patients treated without immunosuppressive drugs (corticosteroids or methotrexate) were compared to identify factors that can be meaningful to the diagnosis of AC. Methods. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for comparison of baseline variables between the patients with AC treated with immunosuppressive drugs and those without it. The chi-squared test was used in the analysis of the symptoms. Results. In total, 69 patients with AC were enrolled...

The actual prevalence of hydatid disease in northern part of India is found more than usually interpreted. The present study has been done on 25 patients suffering from hydatid disease of various sites and treated during June 2009 to November 2011 at JLN Medical College and Hospital, Ajmer, with the aim of studying the clinical manifestations of hydatid disease of different sites and/or organ system and of analysing the morbidity and mortality of hydatid disease. The age, sex, h/o dog contact, duration of hospital stay, clinical presentation, treatment advised, findings and difficulties encountered during operation, and postoperative management of patients as well as morbidity and mortality were recorded and analysed...

Purpose. Bowel preparation for surveillance endoscopy following surgery can be impaired by suboptimal bowel function. Our study compares two groups of patients in order to evaluate the influence of colorectal resection on bowel preparation. Methods. From April 2010 to December 2011, 351 patients were enrolled in our retrospective study and divided into two homogeneous arms: resection group (RG) and control group. Surgical methods were classified as left hemicolectomy, right hemicolectomy, anterior rectal resection, and double colonic resection...

This study was directed to evaluate the role of sparfloxacin and pentoxifylline in the prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhotic patients. Forty cirrhotic patients with ascites were included in the study. Patients were randomized into four groups in a blind fashion; each group consists of ten patients. Group one received ciprofloxacin (control group), group two received sparfloxacin, group three received pentoxifylline, and group four received a combination of sparfloxacin and pentoxifylline...

Genetics and epigenetics coregulate the cancer initiation and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and noncoding RNAs. Aberrant epigenetic modifications play a fundamental role in the formation of gastrointestinal cancers. Advances in epigenetics offer a better understanding of the carcinogenesis and provide new insights into the discovery of biomarkers for diagnosis, and prognosis prediction of human cancers. This review aims to overview the epigenetic aberrance and the clinical applications as biomarkers in gastrointestinal cancers mainly gastric cancer and colorectal cancer...

Background. Adenomas are missed during colonoscopy. Aim. Assess the occurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and polyps in patients with a negative index colonoscopy (IC). Patients and Methods. All patients with a IC in 1992-1994, aged 40 and 60 years, were included. Exclusion criterion was presence of abnormalities, a family history, or surveillance. At the end of 2013 all records were studied in order to gather follow-up information. Results. 394 patients were included in four groups: group 1 patients who died, group 2 patients who were not in the hospital systems anymore, group 3 patients still visiting the hospital but not the department of gastroenterology, and group 4 patients undergoing new colonoscopies...

Background. Several studies were reported on the prevalence, and relationship between the existence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in oral cavity and in stomach of patients. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the existing literature on the presence of H. pylori in the oral cavity and its link to gastric infection, the existence of coinfection, and the impact of anti-H. pylori therapy on the dental plaque and vice versa. Method. Two authors independently searched the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases for relevant studies...

Background. Significances of CD133 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of gastric adenocarcinoma (GC) patients were investigated. Methods. Correlations of CD133 mRNA expression in PBMCs on clinicopathological parameters or CD133 protein expression were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic curve according to bright scale value (BSV) of CD133 mRNA was used to group patients for prognosis analysis. Results. BSV of preoperative CD133 mRNA in PBMCs in GC was significantly higher than that in volunteers or in GU...

Background. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and obesity are known risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is often found in patients with endocrine disorders, such as thyroid dysfunction and hypopituitarism. To clarify the relationship of endocrine disease with GERD, we investigated the symptoms of GERD in patients with various endocrine diseases. Methods. Patients with various endocrine disorders who visited Kyushu University Hospital were included. GERD symptoms were examined using a self-administered questionnaire, the frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD (FSSG)...

This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with significant liver histological changes. Liver biopsies from 157 CHB patients were retrospectively analyzed. Only ALB was significantly correlated with advanced liver necroinflammatory (P = 0.001). Age, ALB, GLOB, AST, PLT, and PT were independent predictors of significant fibrosis (P = 0.002, P < 0.001, P = 0.001, P = 0.048, P < 0.001, and P = 0.001, resp.). AST, WBC, and HBV DNA were significantly correlated with advanced fibrosis in normal ALT patients (P < 0...

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. After proper diagnosis, treatment decisions must be made on precise clinical judgment. During the course of the disease there are variable clinical features, so each case must be managed individually. Physicians who care for patients with Crohn's disease should be prepared for treatment options in different states of the disease and possible complications of both the disease and medications. This paper will focus on the management of Crohn's disease...

There is marked geographical variation in the distribution and incidence of stomach cancer. We tried here to describe the pattern of relationships of age, sex, religion distribution, symptom profile, histological subtypes and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection with gastric cancer in Gangetic West Bengal. This study was done over a period of five years (2006-2010). The patients residing in the Gangetic areas of West Bengal presenting with upper gastrointestinal symptoms underwent UGI endoscopy. Among gastric cancer patients, demographic characteristics, symptomatology, macroscopic and histologic lesions and H...

Background and Aims. Villin is a highly specialised protein and is expressed in intestinal and renal proximal tubular epithelium. It was detected in colorectal carcinomas (CRC) and other nongastrointestinal tumours. The aim of the current study is to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of villin in a subset of primary CRC and determine its relation to tumour differentiation, invasion, nodal metastasis, recurrence, and disease-free survival. Patients and Methods. Paraffin blocks of 93 cases of CRC were retrieved constituting 93 primary CRC and 58 adjacent normal mucosa...