Ocular motor and vestibular dysfunction in central nervous system lymphoma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diagnosis of lymphoma involving the central nervous system (CNS) is challenging. This study aimed to explore the abnormal vestibular and ocular motor findings in CNS lymphoma. METHODS: A retrospective search of the medical records identified 30 patients with CNS lymphoma presenting ocular motor and vestibular abnormalities from four neurology clinics of university hospitals in South Korea (22 men, age range 14-81 years, mean 60.6 ± 15.2). The demographic and clinical features and the results of laboratory, radiological and pathological evaluation were analyzed. RESULTS: Patients presented with diplopia (13/30, 43%), vestibular symptoms (15/30, 50%) or both (2/30, 7%). In 15 patients with diplopia, abnormal ocular motor findings included ocular motor nerve palsy (n = 10, 67%), internuclear ophthalmoplegia (n = 2, 13%), external ophthalmoplegia (n = 2, 13%) and exophoria (n = 1, 7%). The vestibular abnormalities were isolated in 14 (82%) of 17 patients with vestibular symptoms and included combined unilateral peripheral and central vestibulopathy in three from lesions involving the vestibular nuclei. CNS lymphoma involved the brainstem (53%), cerebellum (33%), leptomeninges (30%), deep gray nuclei (23%) or cranial nerves (17%). Two patients showed the "double-panda" sign by involving the midbrain. CONCLUSIONS: This study expands the clinical and radiological spectra of CNS lymphoma. Neuro-ophthalmological and neuro-otological evaluation may guide the early diagnosis of CNS lymphoma.

Risk of Metachronous Colorectal Advanced Neoplasia and Cancer in Patients With 3-4 Nonadvanced Adenomas at Index Colonoscopy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the available evidence on the risk of metachronous advanced neoplasia (AN) and colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with 3-4 nonadvanced adenomas (NAAs). METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases up to January 2021 for studies evaluating metachronous AN and CRC risk by comparing 3 groups (1-2 vs 3-4 vs ≥5 NAAs) at index colonoscopy. The estimates for risk of metachronous AN and CRC were evaluated using random-effects models. RESULTS: Fifteen studies (n = 36,375) were included. The risk of metachronous AN was significantly higher in the 3-4 NAAs group than in the 1-2 NAAs group (relative risk [RR] 1.264, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.053-1.518, P = 0.012; I2 = 0%); there was no difference between the ≥ 5 NAAs and 3-4 NAAs groups (RR 1.962, 95% CI 0.972-3.958, P = 0.060; I2 = 68%). The risks of metachronous CRC between the 1-2 NAAs and 3-4 NAAs groups (RR 2.663, 95% CI 0.391-18.128, P = 0.317; I2 = 0%) or the 3-4 NAAs and ≥ 5 NAAs groups (RR 1.148, 95% CI 0.142-9.290, P = 0.897; I2 = 0%) were not significantly different. DISCUSSION: Although the risk of metachronous AN was greater in the 3-4 NAAs group than in the 1-2 NAAs group, the risk of metachronous AN and CRC between the 3-4 NAAs and ≥ 5 NAAs groups was not different. This suggests that further studies on metachronous AN and CRC risk in the 3-4 NAAs group are warranted to confirm a firm ≥5-year interval surveillance colonoscopy.

Transient Vestibular Symptoms Preceding Posterior Circulation Stroke: A Prospective Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The recognition of clinical features of transient vestibular symptoms (TVSs) preceding posterior circulation stroke (PCOS) would be informative to discriminate dizziness/vertigo due to vertebrobasilar transient ischemic attack from the acute transient vestibular syndrome. We sought to determine the prevalence and characteristics of TVSs preceding PCOS. METHODS: We performed a prospective multicenter observational study that had recruited 447 patients with PCOS from referral-based 4 university hospitals in Korea. We investigated the timing, pattern, frequency, duration, and accompanying neurological symptoms of TVSs during the 3 months preceding PCOS. RESULTS: The prevalence of TVSs preceding PCOS was 12% (55/447) during the previous 3 months. The TVSs preceding PCOS occurred within 1 week (33%), between 1 week and 1 month (16%), or between 1 and 3 months (51%). The TVSs were mostly dizziness/vertigo with (36%) or without (60%) imbalance, while the remaining 4% had an isolated imbalance. The dizziness/vertigo was spinning in 38% and was aggravated during head position in 45%. The duration of TVSs was mostly a few seconds (55%) or minutes (38%). Approximately 72% of the patients with PCOS had TVSs 1 to 5 times, while 16% had >10 times. Accompanying neurological symptoms, including headache, tinnitus, limb weakness, sensory change, dysarthria, visual field defect, and diplopia, were reported in 11%. CONCLUSIONS: Preceding TVSs can occur in 12% of PCOS during the previous 3 months. Isolated dizziness/vertigo of unknown cause needs to be considered as a vertebrobasilar transient ischemic attack symptom, especially in patients with vascular risk factors. The characteristics of isolated vestibular symptom in vertebrobasilar transient ischemic attacks is highly variable and atypical compared with other transient ischemic symptoms.

Episodic Vestibular Syndrome with Hyperventilation-Induced Downbeat Nystagmus.

Hyperventilation-induced downbeat nystagmus (HV-DBN) has been reported in cerebellar disorders and explained by a loss of the inhibitory cerebellar output via a metabolic effect on cerebellar Ca2+ channels. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics and underlying pathogenesis of episodic vestibular syndrome (EVS) with HV-DBN. Of 667 patients with EVS, we recruited 22 with HV-DBN and assessed their clinical characteristics, video-oculographic findings, and the results of molecular genetic analyses. The age at symptom onset was 47.5 ± 13.0 years (mean ± SD), and there was a female preponderance (n = 15, 68%). The duration of vertigo/dizziness attacks ranged from minutes to a few days, and 11 patients (50%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for vestibular migraine. HV-induced new-onset DBN in 8 patients, while the remaining 14 showed augmentation of spontaneous DBN by HV. The maximum slow-phase velocity of HV-DBN ranged from 2.2 to 11.9°/s, which showed a statistical difference with that of spontaneous DBN (median = 4.95, IQR = 3.68-6.55 vs. median = 1.25, IQR = 0.20-2.15, p < 0.001). HV-DBN was either purely downbeat (n = 11) or accompanied with small horizontal components (n = 11). Other neuro-otologic findings included perverted head-shaking nystagmus (n = 11), central positional nystagmus (n = 7), saccadic pursuit (n = 3), and horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus (n = 1). Gene expression profiling with a bioinformatics analysis identified 43 upregulated and 49 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with EVS and HV-DBN and revealed that the downregulated DEGs were significantly enriched in terms related to the ribosome pathway. Our results suggest that the underlying cerebellar dysfunction would be responsible for paroxysmal attacks of vertigo in patients with EVS and HV-DBN.

Comparison of long-term recurrence-free survival between primary surgery and endoscopic resection followed by secondary surgery in T1 colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to investigate whether endoscopic resection of T1 colorectal cancer (CRC) before surgery (secondary surgery) unfavorably affects long-term recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared with surgery without prior endoscopic resection (primary surgery). METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent radical surgery for T1 CRC with high-risk histologic features at a tertiary referral hospital in Korea between 2011 and 2016. The primary outcome was RFS. We performed 2 types of propensity score (PS) analyses to control for confounders. RESULTS: Of 852 patients, 388 underwent primary surgery and 464 secondary surgery. During the median follow-up period of 57.0 months (range, 41.0-63.0), cancer recurred in 18 patients (2.1%). The 5-year RFS rates did not differ between the primary and secondary surgery groups (97.0 vs 98.5%, P = .194). Further analyses of RFS rates according to nodal stages and number of high-risk histologic features showed no difference between groups. Moreover, RFS rates were not different between the groups after PS matching. In multivariable Cox proportional regression analysis, baseline serum carcinoembryonic antigen level was an independent risk factor for cancer recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.464; 95% confidence interval, 1.242-1.725; P < .001) but prior endoscopic resection of T1 CRC was not (P = .201). Both PS analyses consistently showed no increase in cancer recurrence risk in the secondary surgery group. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed no additional cancer recurrence risk by endoscopic resection before surgery of T1 CRC with high-risk histologic features.

Prevalence and risk factors of bowel symptoms in Korean patients with ulcerative colitis in endoscopic remission: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission frequently complain of bowel symptoms such as increased stool frequency (SF) and rectal bleeding (RB). However, studies on these patient-reported outcomes in patients with inactive UC are limited, especially in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of bowel symptoms in Korean patients with inactive UC. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of bowel symptoms in patients with endoscopically quiescent UC between June 1989 and December 2016 using a well-characterized referral center-based cohort. The Mayo clinic score (MCS) was used to evaluate bowel symptoms at the most recent visit near the date of endoscopy. Clinical characteristics of the patients were compared based on the presence or absence of bowel symptoms. RESULTS: Overall, 741 patients with endoscopically quiescent UC were identified, of whom 222 (30%) and 48 (6.5%) had an SF and RB subscore of ≥ 1, respectively. Patients with bowel symptoms (SF + RB ≥ 1; n = 244 [32.9%]) had higher rates of left-sided colitis (E2) or extensive colitis (E3) than patients without bowel symptoms (SF + RB = 0; n = 497 [67.1%]; P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis revealed that female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.568; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.023-2.402; P = 0.039) and E2 or E3 (OR 1.411; 95% CI 1.020-1.951; P = 0.038) were the significant risk factors for increased SF. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that one-third of patients with endoscopically quiescent UC reported increased SF. Female sex and disease extent may be associated with bowel symptoms.

Comparison of outcomes of cyclosporine A and infliximab for steroid-refractory acute severe ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Data comparing the outcomes of cyclosporin A (CsA) and infliximab (IFX) as rescue therapy for steroid-refractory acute severe ulcerative colitis (SR-ASUC) among Asians are scarce. METHODS: In this single-center study, we retrospectively reviewed 121 patients with SR-ASUC according to the Truelove and Witts' criteria who received CsA or IFX as rescue therapy between 1995 and 2015. The cumulative rates of treatment failure and colectomy at 3 months were compared. Treatment failure was defined as colectomy, switch to other medications, acute flare-up events requiring steroid treatment, or adverse events leading to drug interruption. RESULTS: Among 121 patients with SR-ASUC (male, 55.6%; median disease duration, 47.1 months; extensive colitis, 61.2%), 23 received CsA as rescue therapy. Baseline characteristics (e.g. age at diagnosis, sex, disease duration, disease extent at rescue therapy, and Mayo score at treatment initiation) were comparable between the two groups. During follow-up (median, 45 months; interquartile range 29.3-61.8), 84 patients (69.4%) experienced treatment failure, and 25 patients (20.7%) underwent colectomy. The CsA group and the IFX group did not show significant differences in the cumulative rates of treatment failure (39.1% vs 34.7%, P = 0.714) and colectomy (26.1% vs 13.3%, P = 0.198) at 3 months. Previous use of azathioprine (odds ratio [OR] = 2.309, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.076-4.951, P = 0.032) was associated with treatment failure at 3 months. Mayo score > 10 at the time of rescue therapy was significantly associated with colectomy at 3 months (OR = 8.444, 95% CI = 2.592-27.506, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Among Korean patients with SR-ASUC, the rates of treatment failure and colectomy at 3 months were not significantly different between the CSA and the IFX treatment groups.

Clinical outcomes and long-term prognosis of perianal Crohn's disease in an Asian population.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The clinical impact of perianal Crohn's disease (CD) (pCD), a well-known poor prognostic factor of CD, has not been fully evaluated in Asian patients. We investigated the outcomes of CD in Korean patients according to the presence of pCD at CD diagnosis. METHODS: Using 2010-2014 data from the national health insurance claims database, we evaluated the disease course of CD according to the presence of pCD at CD diagnosis. The results were verified in a hospital-based cohort of 2923 patients. RESULTS: The cumulative risk of intestinal resection was lower in patients with pCD at diagnosis than in those without, in the population-based cohort (9.1% vs 14.7% at 5 years after diagnosis, P < 0.001), but it was similar between the two groups in the hospital-based cohort (36.8% vs 36.8% at 10 years after diagnosis, P = 0.950). Moreover, the cumulative risk of behavioral progression was not significantly different between the two groups in the hospital-based cohort (43.4% vs 41.6% at 10 years after diagnosis, P = 0.366). On multivariable analysis, pCD at CD diagnosis was not a predictor of intestinal resection, behavioral progression, CD-related hospital admission, or diverting surgery; however, it was an independent predictor of proctectomy (hazard ratio [HR] 3.210, P < 0.001) and anorectal cancer (HR 3.104, P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Although the presence of pCD increased the risk of proctectomy and anorectal cancer in Asian patients, the clinical impact of pCD on the overall outcomes of patients with CD may be less significant in Asian patients compared with Western patients.

Influence of Severe Vitamin D Deficiency on the Clinical Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown vitamin D status to be associated with disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but its influence on the clinical course of IBD has not been established. AIMS: We aimed to analyze whether the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D] status is associated with clinical characteristics and affects the risk of surgery in patients with IBD. METHODS: From the IBD registry of the Asan Medical Center, we identified all patients who had at least one 25(OH)D measurement; we then analyzed the association between clinical factors and 25(OH)D status. 25(OH)D was considered borderline deficient, deficient, and severely deficient at levels of < 30, < 20, and < 10 ng/mL, respectively. RESULTS: We included 711 Crohn's disease (CD) and 764 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who had not undergone surgery before 25(OH)D was measured. Both in CD and in UC patients, reduced 25(OH)D was associated with higher disease activity scores and CRP levels (p < 0.001). Severe 25(OH)D deficiency was associated with ileocolonic disease and complicated behavior in CD (p < 0.05) and was relevant to the disease extent in UC (p < 0.001). Additionally, severe 25(OH)D deficiency was associated with CMV colitis in patients with UC (p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, severe deficiency of 25(OH)D was an independent risk factor for surgery in both CD (HR 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38-2.70) and UC (HR 2.77, 95% CI 1.14-6.74). CONCLUSION: Severe 25(OH)D deficiency may be a marker of a more aggressive clinical course of IBD.

The Clinical Significance of Anastomotic Ulcers After Ileocolic Resection to Predict Postoperative Recurrence of Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The Rutgeerts score is used to predict postoperative recurrence in CD patients after ileocolic resection and is primarily based on endoscopic findings at the neoterminal ileum. However, the optimal assessment of anastomotic ulcers (AUs) remains subject to debate. AIMS: We aimed to investigate the association between anastomotic ulcers (AUs) and endoscopic recurrence in postoperative Crohn's disease (CD) patients. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study, conducted between 2000 and 2016, evaluated postoperative CD patients with endoscopic remission at the first ileocolonoscopy within 1 year after ileocolic resection and those who underwent subsequent ileocolonoscopic follow-up. The study outcome was the clinical significance of AUs in predicting endoscopic recurrence. RESULTS: Among 116 patients who were in endoscopic remission defined as the RS of i0 to i1 at the index postoperative ileocolonoscopy, 84.5% (98/116) underwent subsequent ileocolonoscopies. During the median 30.0 months (interquartile range, 21.3-53.3) of follow-up after the first ileocolonoscopy, 56.1% (55/98) of patients showed endoscopic recurrence. Furthermore, 65.8% (48/73) with AUs and 75.5% (40/53) with major AUs, defined as either an ulcer occupying ≥ 1/4 of the circumference, ≥ 3 ulcers confined to anastomotic ring, or any ulcers extending to the ileocolonic mucosa, showed endoscopic recurrence. On multivariable analysis, AUs (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 4.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.87-10.0; P < 0.001) and major AUs (aHR, 3.64; 95% CI, 1.95-79; P < 0.001) were associated with endoscopic recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: AUs are associated with a significantly high risk of endoscopic recurrence in postoperative CD patients who are in endoscopic remission.

Tip-in versus conventional endoscopic mucosal resection for flat colorectal neoplasia 10 mm or larger in size.

PURPOSE: A modified endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) technique, Tip-in EMR, was recently introduced to enhance the complete resection of colorectal neoplasia (CRN). We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of Tip-in EMR for flat CRNs. METHODS: From January to September 2018, conventional or Tip-in EMR was consecutively performed for 112 flat CRNs ≥ 10 mm in diameter. Tip-in EMR was performed when en bloc snaring was impossible with conventional EMR or when a lesion was inadequately lifted owing to a previous forceps biopsy. We retrospectively collected the clinical, procedural, and histologic data of the conventional and Tip-in EMR groups and compared the en bloc resection rate, complete resection rate, and complications between the two groups. RESULTS: Among 112 flat CRNs of 80 patients, conventional EMR and Tip-in EMR were performed for 74 and 38 lesions, respectively. The median lesion size was 12 (10-27) mm. Tip-in EMR was superior to conventional EMR in terms of en bloc resection (94.7% vs. 77.0%, p = 0.018) and histologic complete resection (76.3% vs. 54.1%, p = 0.022). There was no difference in postprocedural bleeding between the two groups; however, overall adverse events, including bleeding and postpolypectomy electrocoagulation syndrome, were more frequent in the Tip-in EMR group. CONCLUSIONS: Tip-in EMR is a feasible technique for flat colorectal lesions ≥ 10 mm and is superior to conventional EMR with respect to en bloc and complete resection rates. The safety profiles of Tip-in EMR and conventional EMR should be compared via large-scale prospective studies.

Incidence and risk factors of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

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. RESULTS: Among the 6803 IBD patients (3171 with Crohn's disease and 3632 with ulcerative colitis) enrolled in the Asan IBD Registry between June 1989 and December 2016, six patients (0.09%) were diagnosed with PJP. During the 57 776.0 patient-years of follow-up (median 7.2 years per patient), the incidence of PJP was 10.4 cases per 100 000 person-years, and none of these patients had received PJP prophylaxis. In case-control analysis, the IBD-PJP group (n = 6) showed significantly higher C-reactive protein level at diagnosis of IBD (P = 0.006), as well as higher exposure to corticosteroids (P = 0.017), than did controls (n = 24). In addition, the IBD-PJP group showed higher rates of double (50% vs 12.5%) or triple (33.3% vs 4.2%) immunosuppression than did controls, although these are not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of PJP in Korean patients with IBD is low, careful monitoring is necessary for the early detection of PJP. In addition to the patients receiving double or triple immunosuppression, PJP prophylaxis should be considered especially in patients with severe disease activities requiring corticosteroids.

Association of FUT2 and ABO with Crohn's disease in Koreans.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Fucosyltransferase 2 (FUT2) at 19q13 is a well-established susceptibility locus for Crohn's disease (CD) in Caucasians. FUT2 encodes α-1,2-fucosyltransferase that regulates the secretion of the α-1-2-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase and α-1-3-galactosyltransferase (ABO) antigens in both the gastrointestinal mucosa and secretory glands. Given that CD is thought to arise from dysregulated mucosal immune responses to the gut flora and both the ABO blood group and the FUT2 secretor status affect the composition of the gut microbiota, the goal of this study was to evaluate the associations of variants of FUT2 and ABO with CD in Koreans. METHODS: Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms from the FUT2 and ABO genes were genotyped in 1735 patients with CD and 8074 healthy controls. RESULTS: The FUT2 non-secretor allele showed genome-wide significant association with CD in Koreans (rs1047781, odds ratio [OR] = 1.30, Pcombined  = 3.52 × 10-12 ). The ABO locus showed genome-wide significant association with CD in Asians (Pmeta  = 2.35 × 10-8 ). A moderate association was observed with the A and B groups (OR = 1.40, P = 2.26 × 10-6 ; and OR = 1.32, P = 1.92 × 10-4 , respectively) compared with the O group. Following stratification on the basis of FUT2 genotype, carriers of the secretor O blood group were significantly protective against CD than were those of the secretor non-O blood group (OR = 0.63, 95% confidence interval = 0.54-0.73, P = 2.86 × 10-9 ). CONCLUSIONS: These are the first results indicating that the O blood group and FUT2 secretor status are protective factors against CD in Asians.

Concordance regarding disease type and phenotypic characteristics among patients with familial inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The phenotypic concordance among familial cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been rarely reported. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the concordance regarding disease type and phenotypic features in a large cohort of Korean patients with IBD. METHODS: A total of 6647 patients with IBD who visited the Asan Medical Center between June 1989 and September 2016 were enrolled in the study. When at least two familial cases existed in our cohort, they were included in the concordance analysis (κ index). The concordance between younger and older members for IBD type [Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)] and phenotypic characteristics such as disease extent and location, disease behavior, the use of medication, and need for surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: A positive family history of IBD was noted in 216 patients with CD (7.0%) and in 238 patients with UC (6.7%). Of all patients, 167 consanguineous pairs in 146 families were identified. The crude concordance rate for IBD type was 82.6% with a κ index of 0.656 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.545-0.768, good concordance]. There was mild concordance for disease location in CD (κ = 0.256; 95% CI: 0.007-0.505) and for the use of antitumor necrosis factor agents in UC (κ = 0.354; 95% CI: -0.049-0.757). The concordance for IBD type and several phenotypes in first-degree relative pairs was better than that in the entire pairs. CONCLUSIONS: Disease type and phenotypic characteristics of patients with familial IBD may be anticipated.

Cost of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Versus Endoscopic Piecemeal Mucosal Resection in the Colorectum.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have compared the costs of colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and endoscopic piecemeal mucosal resection (EPMR). AIMS: Here, we aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of these approaches by analyzing clinical outcomes and costs. METHODS: Data from patients undergoing colorectal ESD and EPMR were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcomes (procedure time, complete resection, and recurrence) were compared, and total direct costs (procedural and follow-up) were assessed. RESULTS: Data from 429 ESD and 115 EPMR patients were included in the analysis. The complete resection rate was significantly higher (83.9% vs. 32.2%, p < 0.001), recurrence rate was lower (0.5% vs. 7.1%, p < 0.001), procedure time was longer (55.4 ± 47.0 vs. 25.6 ± 32.7 min, p < 0.001), and total direct procedural costs at the initial resection were higher (1480.0 ± 728.0 vs. 729.8 ± 299.7 USD, p < 0.001) in the ESD group than in the EPMR group. The total number of surveillance endoscopies was higher in the EPMR group (1.7 ± 1.5 vs. 1.3 ± 1.1, p = 0.003). The cumulative total costs of ESD and EPMR were comparable at 3 and 2 years' follow-up in the adenoma and mucosal/superficial submucosal cancer subgroups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal ESD was associated with higher complete resection and lower recurrence rates. EPMR showed shorter procedure times and similar cumulative total direct costs. ESD or EPMR should be chosen based on both clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Association Between Carotid Ultrasonography Findings and Colorectal Adenoma in Asymptomatic Adults.

BACKGROUND: Coexistence of colorectal neoplasia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has been reported. Subclinical atherosclerosis can be evaluated noninvasively and easily by assessing carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaque using ultrasonography. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the association between carotid ultrasonography findings and colorectal conventional adenoma (AD) in health checkup examinees. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of health checkup examinees ≥ 40 years old who had undergone both carotid ultrasonography and colonoscopies at a single hospital between January 2012 and December 2016. RESULTS: The median age of 4871 eligible participants was 54 years (range, 40-89). AD was found in 2009 individuals (41.2%), with a mean number of 1.9 ± 1.7 lesions. Abnormal CIMT (≥ 1 mm) and carotid plaque were found in 1366 (28.0%) and 1255 (25.8%) individuals, respectively. AD and high-risk adenoma (HRA) were observed more frequently in those with abnormal CIMT or plaque. Moreover, abnormal CIMT and plaque were independent risk factors for the presence of AD (odds ratio [OR]: 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.39, P = 0.006; OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08-1.43, P = 0.002) and HRA (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.05-1.52, P = 0.034; OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10-1.65, P = 0.004), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal CIMT and the presence of carotid plaque were significantly associated with AD and HRA, and each was an independent risk factor for AD and HRA. More careful observation might be needed during colonoscopies in individuals with abnormal carotid ultrasonographic findings.

Incidence and Outcomes of Perianal Disease in an Asian Population with Crohn's Disease: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the natural history of perianal fistulas in Asian populations with Crohn's disease (CD). AIMS: We investigated the incidence and outcomes of perianal CD (pCD) in Korean CD patients. METHODS: A nationwide population-based cohort of 6265 CD patients diagnosed in 2010-2014 was analyzed to investigate the incidence and outcomes of pCD. The results were validated in a hospital-based cohort of 2923 CD patients diagnosed in 1981-2015. Factors associated with pCD development were analyzed. The incidence and outcomes of pCD were compared between the prebiologic and biologic eras. RESULTS: pCD occurred in 39.2% of the population-based cohort and 56.1% of the hospital-based cohort during the median follow-up of 4.2 and 8.5 years, respectively. The cumulative incidence of pCD was 40.0% at 5 years after CD diagnosis in the population-based cohort and 62.5% at 20 years in the hospital-based cohort. In multivariate analysis, pCD development was positively associated with male sex, younger age and colonic involvement at diagnosis, early diagnosis, and CD diagnosis in the prebiologic era. The cumulative probability of proctectomy at 10, 20, and 30 years after pCD diagnosis was 2.9%, 12.2%, and 16.2%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of pCD occurring after CD diagnosis and the cumulative probability of proctectomy were significantly lower in the biologic era than in the prebiologic era (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with Western patients with CD, Korean patients show a high incidence of pCD but have a low probability of proctectomy, suggesting the favorable course of pCD.

Incidence and clinical impact of perianal disease in patients with ulcerative colitis: A nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The risk and clinical impact of perianal disease (PAD) in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients have not been fully evaluated. We investigated the incidence of PAD in UC patients and compared clinical characteristics and outcomes of UC according to the presence of PAD. METHODS: We performed a nationwide population-based cohort study and a hospital-based cohort study. Using the 2010-2014 data from the Korean National Health Insurance claims database, we calculated incidence rates and standardized incidence ratios of PAD in UC patients compared with the general population. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of UC patients with PAD in both population-based and hospital-based cohorts. To reduce clinically meaningful confounding factors, we also conducted matched analyses. RESULTS: In the population-based cohort, the incidence rate and standardized incidence ratio of PAD in UC patients were 3.74/1000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 3.25-4.31) and 2.88 (95% confidence interval, 2.50-3.32), respectively. In the hospital-based cohort, the cumulative probabilities of PAD at 1, 5, 10, and 20 years after diagnosis were 1.0%, 2.3%, 4.0%, and 6.3%, respectively. In both population-based and hospital-based cohorts, UC patients with PAD showed higher proportions of corticosteroid use and extensive colitis at diagnosis. The requirements for anti-tumor necrosis factor agents and colectomy were significantly higher in UC patients with PAD before and after matched analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of PAD is higher in UC patients than in the general population. UC patients with PAD have distinct clinical features and poor outcomes, as indicated by the greater need for UC-related medications and colectomy.

Atypical clinical manifestations of Miller Fisher syndrome.

Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is characterized by a clinical triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia, and is closely associated with serum anti-GQ1b antibody. Although the clinical triad is the cardinal diagnostic clue, a variety of other symptoms and signs beyond the triad have been reported. To elucidate the frequency and characteristics of atypical clinical manifestations of MFS, we recruited 38 patients with MFS and evaluated the symptoms or signs beyond the classic triad. Eleven (29%) of 38 patients had atypical clinical manifestations of MFS such as headache (n = 6), delayed facial palsy (n = 3), divergence insufficiency (n = 2), and taste impairment (n = 2). Headache was localized to the periorbital (n = 3), temporal (n = 2), or whole (n = 1) area. Only one of them showed bilateral papilledema and an elevated opening pressure in cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Delayed facial palsy developed after the other signs have reached nadir (n = 1) or started to improve (n = 2), and did not follow a pattern of descending paralysis with other cranial neuropathies. Two patients showed divergence insufficiency without external ophthalmoplegia, and another two had taste impairment over the entire tongue without the other signs of facial and glossopharyngeal nerve involvements. Our study shows that approximately 30% of MFS patients can have atypical clinical manifestations beyond the classic triad. These results reflect the broad clinical spectrum of MFS, and might be associated with the presence of additional antiganglioside antibodies besides anti-GQ1b in patients with MFS.