Endoscopic Versus Conservative Therapy for Bleeding Peptic Ulcer with Adherent Clot: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Peptic ulcers with adherent clots are associated with a high-risk of rebleeding and mortality. However, the optimal management of bleeding ulcers with adherent clots remains unclear. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to compare endoscopic therapy and conservative therapy to manage bleeding ulcers with adherent clots. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases through October 2022 to include all studies comparing the endoscopic and conservative therapeutic approaches for bleeding ulcers with adherent clots. Our primary outcome was rebleeding (overall and 30-day). The secondary outcomes were mortality (overall and 30-day), need for surgery, and length of hospital stay (LOS). The random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios (OR) and mean differences (MD) with the corresponding confidence intervals (CI) for proportional and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS: Eleven studies (9 RCTs) with 833 patients (431 received endoscopic therapy vs. 402 received conservative therapy) were included. Overall, endoscopic therapy was associated with lower overall rebleeding (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.79, P = 0.007), 30-day rebleeding (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.89, P = 0.002), overall mortality (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.95, P = 0.04), 30-day mortality (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21-0.89, P = 0.002), need for surgery (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21-0.95, P = 0.04), and LOS (MD - 3.17 days, 95% CI - 4.14, - 2.19, P < 0.00001). However, subgroup analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed no significant difference in overall mortality (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.24-2.52, P = 0.68) between the two strategies, with numerically lower but statistically non-significant rates of overall rebleeding (7.2% vs. 18.5%, respectively; OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.17-1.05, P = 0.06), statistically lower rate of need for surgery (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.08-0.96, P = 0.04) with endoscopic therapy compared to conservative therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrates that endoscopic therapy was overall associated with lower rates of rebleeding (overall and 30-day), mortality (overall and 30-day), need for surgery, and LOS, compared to conservative therapy for the management of bleeding ulcers with adherent clots. However, subgroup analysis of RCTs showed that endoscopic therapy was associated with numerically lower but statistically non-significant rates of overall rebleeding and a statistically lower rate of need for surgery compared to conservative therapy with similar overall mortality rates. Combined treatment with thermal therapy and injection therapy was the most effective treatment modality in reducing rebleeding risk. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to validate our findings.

Prognostic Factors for Non-anastomotic Biliary Strictures Following Adult Liver Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The development of non-anastomotic biliary strictures (NAS) following orthotopic adult liver transplantation (OLT) is associated with significant morbidity. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify all prognostic factors for the development of NAS. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and the meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines. We used the Newcastle-Ottawa scale to assess the quality of the included studies. Using the random-effects model, we calculated the weighted pooled odds ratios (OR), mean differences (MD), hazard ratios (HR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the risk factors. RESULTS: Based on 19 international studies that included a total of 8269 adult LT patients, we calculated an 8% overall incidence of NAS. In this study, 7 potential prognostic factors were associated with a statistically significant hazard ratio for NAS in pooled analyses including (1) DCD donors compared to DBD donors (2) PSC as an indication for a liver transplant (3) Roux-en-Y bile duct reconstruction compared to duct-to-duct reconstruction (4) hepatic artery thrombosis (5) longer cold ischemia time (6) longer warm ischemia time (7) and total operative times. CONCLUSION: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we identified 7 prognostic factors for the development of NAS following OLT. These findings might lay the groundwork for development of diagnostic algorithms to better risk stratify patients at risk for development of NAS.

Predictors of Fecal Microbiota Transplant Failure in Clostridioides difficile Infection : An Updated Meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment for recurrent/refractory Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) with a 10% to 20% risk of recurrence after a single FMT. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the predictors of FMT failure. METHODS: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases through July 2021 was performed. All studies that evaluated risk factors associated with FMT failure in a multivariate model were included. We calculated pooled odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for risk factors reported in ≥3 studies using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Twenty studies involving 4327 patients (63.6% females) with recurrent/refractory CDI who underwent FMT were included. FMT failed in 705 patients (16.3%) with 2 to 3 months of follow-up in most studies. A total of 12 different risk factors were reported in a multivariate model in ≥3 studies. Meta-analysis showed that advanced age, severe CDI, inflammatory bowel disease, peri-FMT use of non-CDI antibiotics, prior CDI-related hospitalizations, inpatient status, and poor quality of bowel preparation were significant predictors of FMT failure. Charlson Comorbidity Index, female gender, immunosuppressed status, patient-directed donor, and number of CDI recurrences were not associated with FMT failure. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate bowel preparation at the time of FMT and optimizing antibiotic stewardship practices in the peri-FMT period can improve the success of FMT. Patients with nonmodifiable risk factors should be counseled about the risk of FMT failure. Our results may help develop a risk stratification model to predict FMT failure in CDI patients.

The Risk of Esophageal Food Impaction in Eosinophilic Esophagitis Patients: The Role of Clinical and Socioeconomic Factors.

Background: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) patients present with dysphagia and often suffer from esophageal food impaction (EFI). EFI can lead to life-threatening perforation, and requires emergent endoscopic intervention. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk factors for EFI in EoE patients. Methods: This is a retrospective study performed at a tertiary health-care system. Medical records and endoscopy images of EoE cases were reviewed. Clinical characteristics and outcomes including EFIs were documented. We used Zip-code median household income as a surrogate for patients' socioeconomic status. Results: A total of 291 EoE cases were included, mean age was 42 years. Most patients (65%) had classic EoE endoscopic findings including linear furrows and/or concentric rings; however, a significant proportion (47%) had findings suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), such as the presence of erosive-esophagitis, a hiatal hernia or Schatzki's ring. Forty-eight patients (16%) developed one or more esophageal food impaction (EFI). The risk of EFI was less likely in the absence of furrows and/or rings; odds ratio (OR) = 0.28, 95% CI (0.11, 0.72) [P = 0.008]. Females had less EFI risk; OR = 0.42, 95% CI (0.19, 0.95) [P = 0.04]. The type of medical insurance and socioeconomic status was not associated with EFI risk. Conclusion: EFI risk is higher in EoE patients with esophageal furrows and/or rings and in men. Aggressive treatment might be required in this population. GERD and EoE can coexist in many patients. Further studies are required to examine the role of the socioeconomic status in EoE complications.

Predictors of remission in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with biologics: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Biologics have emerged as an effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is a significant proportion of patients who fail to respond to biologics. Identifying the predictors that affect the response to biologics remains challenging. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases was conducted through May 1, 2022. We included all studies that used a multivariate model to assess for the predictors of remission in RA patients treated with biologics. We calculated pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk factors reported in ≥ 3 studies using a random-effects model. A total of 16,934 patients with RA who were treated with biologics were included in twenty-one studies. Our study showed that old age (OR 0.98 (0.97, 0.99), P < 0.00001), female gender (OR 0.66 (0.56, 0.77), P < 0.00001), smoking history (OR 0.86 (0.75, 0.99), P 0.04), obesity (OR 0.95 (0.91, 0.99), P 0.02), poor functional status (OR 0.62 (0.48, 1.27), P < 0.00001), high disease activity (OR 0.90 (0.85, 0.96), P 0.0005), and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (OR 0.99 (0.98, 1.00), P 0.009) were poor predictors of remission. On the other hand, positive anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (OR 2.52 (1.53, 4.12), P 0.0003) was associated with high remission rate. Old age, female gender, obesity, smoking history, poor functional status, high disease activity, and elevated ESR at the time of diagnosis have been associated with poor response to biologics. Our findings could help establish a risk stratification model for predicting the remission rate in RA patients receiving biologics.

Triglyceride-Glucose Index for Early Prediction of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis of 121,975 Individuals.

Insulin resistance (IR) is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has recently gained popularity for the assessment of IR and NAFLD due to its ease of acquisition and calculation. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the existing studies in the literature and provide a quantitative assessment of the significance of the TyG index in predicting the incidence of NAFLD. A comprehensive literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from inception until 25 March 2022 was conducted. Published observational studies that evaluated the association between TyG index and NAFLD among the adult population and reported the hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) for this association after multivariate analysis were included. The random-effects model was used as the primary statistical analysis model in the estimation of pooled ORs and HRs with the corresponding confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 17 observational studies, including 121,975 participants, were included. For studies analyzing the TyG index as a categorical variable, both pooled OR (6.00, CI 4.12-8.74) and HR (1.70, CI 1.28-2.27) were significant for the association between TyG index and incident NAFLD. For studies analyzing the TyG index as a continuous variable, pooled OR (2.25, CI 1.66-3.04) showed similar results. Consistent results were obtained in subgroup analyses according to the study design, sample size, ethnicity, and diabetic status. In conclusion, our meta-analysis demonstrates that a higher TyG index is associated with higher odds of NAFLD. TyG index may serve as an independent predictive tool to screen patients at high risk of NAFLD in clinical practice, especially in primary care settings. Patients with a high TyG index should be referred for a liver ultrasound and start intense lifestyle modifications. However, further large-scale prospective cohort studies are necessary to validate our findings.

Effect of Prone Positioning on Clinical Outcomes of Non-Intubated Subjects With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Awake prone positioning (APP) has been recently proposed as an adjunctive treatment for non-intubated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients requiring oxygen therapy to improve oxygenation and reduce the risk of intubation. However, the magnitude of the effect of APP on clinical outcomes in these patients remains uncertain. We performed a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of APP to improve the clinical outcomes in non-intubated subjects with COVID-19. METHODS: The primary outcomes were the need for endotracheal intubation and mortality. The secondary outcome was hospital length of stay. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and mean difference with the corresponding 95% CI were obtained by the Mantel-Haenszel method within a random-effect model. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies (5 randomized controlled trials [RCTs] and 9 observational studies) involving 3,324 subjects (1,495 received APP and 1,829 did not) were included. There was a significant reduction in the mortality rate in APP group compared to control (RR 0.68 [95% CI 0.51-0.90]; P = .008, I2 = 52%) with no significant effect on intubation (RR 0.85 [95% CI 0.66-1.08]; P = .17, I2 = 63%) or hospital length of stay (mean difference -3.09 d [95% CI-10.14-3.96]; P = .39, I2 = 97%). Subgroup analysis of RCTs showed significant reduction in intubation rate (RR 0.83 [95% CI 0.72-0.97]; P = .02, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: APP has the potential to reduce the in-hospital mortality rate in COVID-19 subjects with hypoxemia without a significant effect on the need for intubation or length of hospital stay. However, there was a significant decrease in the need for intubation on subgroup analysis of RCTs. More large-scale trials with a standardized protocol for prone positioning are needed to better evaluate its effectiveness in this select population.

Short versus standard peroral endoscopic myotomy for esophageal achalasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is increasingly used to treat esophageal achalasia, but is associated with a high rate of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of our meta-analysis was to compare short and standard POEM in terms of clinical success and postoperative GERD. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that compared POEM using short myotomy with standard myotomy. The primary outcome was clinical success. Secondary outcomes were postoperative GERD, perioperative complications, operation time, and length of hospital stay. A random-effects model was used to calculate the risk ratios (RR), mean differences (MD), and confidence intervals (CI). A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: We included 5 studies involving 474 esophageal achalasia patients. Short and standard myotomies were similar in terms of clinical success (RR 1.02, 95%CI 0.97-1.09), perioperative complications (RR 0.68, 95%CI 0.26-1.75), and length of hospital stay (MD 0.25 days, 95%CI -0.14-0.63). Operation time was shorter for short myotomy (MD -15.01 mins, 95%CI -20.34 - -9.67). Although reflux symptoms were similar (RR 0.94, 95%CI 0.51-1.74), short myotomy had a lower risk of reflux esophagitis on endoscopy (RR 0.61, 95%CI 0.39-0.98), and pathologic acid exposure on pH monitoring (RR 0.58, 95%CI 0.36-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: POEM using a shorter myotomy is comparable with standard myotomy in terms of efficacy and safety in the short-term setting. A short myotomy requires a shorter operation time and might reduce the occurrence of postoperative GERD.

Lactated Ringer's vs normal saline for acute pancreatitis: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have evaluated and compared the efficacy of normal saline (NS) and lactated Ringer's (LR) in reducing the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP) and improving outcomes such as length of stay, the occurrence of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), ICU admission and mortality. We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the available studies to assess the impact of these fluids on outcomes secondary to AP. METHODS: We systematically searched the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science through February 8th, 2021 to include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies. Random effects model using DerSimonian-Laird approach was employed and risk ratios (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for binary and continuous outcomes, respectively. RESULTS: 6 studies (4 RCTs and 2 cohort studies) with 549 (230 in LR and 319 in NS) were included. The overall mortality (RR: 0.73, CI: 0.31-1.69) and SIRS at 24 h (RR: 0.69, CI: 0.32-1.51) was not significantly different. The overall ICU admission was lower in LR group compared to NS group (RR: 0.43, CI: 0.22-0.84). Subgroup analysis of RCTs demonstrated lower length of hospital stay for LR group compared to NS group (MD: 0.77 days, CI: 1.44 -0.09 days). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that LR improved outcomes (ICU admission and length of stay) in patients with AP compared to NS. There was no difference in rate of SIRS development and mortality between LR and NS treatments.

Gastric amyloidosis in a patient with dysphagia.

Dysphagia is a symptom with a broad differential diagnosis. Usually, the etiology of dysphagia is benign, but it is essential to rule out serious causes. It is also critical to think outside the box when the etiology is not obvious. Herein, we describe a case of multiple myeloma that initially presented with dysphagia. An 81-year-old male patient presented with dysphagia to solid food associated with anorexia and weight loss of 22 kg over the last 6 months. The patient looked chronically ill and cachectic. Upper endoscopy showed patchy erythema in the gastric antrum. Gastric biopsy was consistent with gastric amyloidosis. Although serum and urine protein electrophoresis did not show a monoclonal (M) band, immunofixation did show elevated free kappa light chains and elevated free Kappa/Lambda ratio. Bone marrow biopsy was consistent with multiple myeloma. Although gastrointestinal involvement is common in amyloidosis, it is unusual for amyloidosis to initially present in the gastrointestinal tract. Identification and treatment of the underlying condition, e.g., multiple myeloma, can lead to regression of gastrointestinal amyloidosis.

Esophagopericardial Fistula After Esophagectomy.

Esophagectomy is the mainstay surgical treatment for esophageal carcinoma. The operation can be complicated by an anastomotic stricture, anastomotic leak, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, conduit ischemia, and chylothorax. Rarely, esophagectomy can be complicated by fistula formation between the gastrointestinal tract and the nearby structures. We describe a case of esophagopericardial fistula after esophagectomy. A 50-year-old man presented to the emergency room with a chest pain of two-week duration associated with sweating, chills, and poor appetite. He was diagnosed with stage III esophageal adenocarcinoma four months ago. He had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by distal esophagectomy, partial gastrectomy, and placement of a jejunostomy tube one month before presentation. Cardiovascular examination was significant for jugular venous distention and distant heart sounds. Chest CT angiography showed pneumomediastinum concerning for anastomotic leak. Esophagram finally confirmed an esophagopericardial fistula. A drain was placed into the pericardial space followed by emergent esophageal stent placement. Eventually, he underwent a cervical esophagostomy and placement of a jejunostomy tube. The patient was later discharged home in a stable condition. In conclusion, esophagopericardial fistula is a rare adverse event of esophagectomy. Esophageal stenting could be useful as a temporary or definite treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Vitamin K Antagonists in the Treatment of Left Ventricular Thrombus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) may develop in systolic heart failure or after acute myocardial infarction. The current recommendations support the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for the treatment of LVT. Limited data exist regarding the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with LVT. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus VKAs for LVT. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive literature search using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases through November 2020 for all studies that evaluated the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus VKAs in patients with LVT. The primary outcomes were LVT resolution, overall thromboembolic events, and thromboembolic stroke. The secondary outcomes were major bleeding and all-cause mortality. Pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained by the Mantel-Haenszel method within a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by I2 statistic. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies including 2153 patients with LVT on anticoagulation (570 on DOACs vs. 1583 on VKAs) were included. LVT resolution was significantly higher in DOACs compared with VKAs [RR: 1.18 (95% CI: 1.04-1.35); P = 0.01, I2 = 25%]. However, no significant difference existed between DOACs and VKAs regarding overall thromboembolic events [RR: 1.10 (95% CI: 0.75-1.62); P = 0.61, I2 = 0%] and thromboembolic stroke [RR: 0.63 (95% CI: 0.39-1.02); P = 0.06, I2 = 0%]. Major bleeding [RR: 1.00 (95% CI: 0.66-1.51); P = 0.99, I2 = 4%] and all-cause mortality [RR: 0.84 (95% CI: 0.50-1.43); P = 0.53, I2 = 0%] were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: DOACs seem to be more efficacious in achieving LVT resolution compared with VKAs. However, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in thromboembolic events, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm our findings.