Fecal calprotectin levels in patients with non-celiac wheat sensitivity: a proof of concept.

Some data suggest the existence of intestinal inflammation in patients with non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS). We aimed to verify whether fecal calprotectin (FCP), a marker of intestinal inflammation, could be used to confirm this inflammatory status and to test its diagnostic performance in differentiating NCWS from irritable bowel syndrome/functional dyspepsia (IBS/FD). We conducted a multicenter study, comparing NCWS patients, diagnosed by a double-blind placebo-controlled wheat challenge, with IBS/FD subjects. In the retrospective phase, FCP values were analyzed to define the prevalence of its positivity and its role as a NCWS diagnostic biomarker. In the prospective phase we tested the effects of a strict 6-month wheat-free diet (WFD) on FCP values. 31.3% (n = 63/201) of NCWS patients had above normal FCP values (NCWS FCP +), whereas all IBS/FD patients proved negative (P = 0.0001). FCP using a cut-off value > 41 µg/g showed a 58.6% sensitivity and a 98.0% specificity (AUC 0.755, 95% C.I. 0.702-0.837) in distinguishing NCWS from IBS/FD patients. Of the 63 NCWS FCP+, 65.1% had negative FCP values after ≥ 6 months of WFD, with a significant reduction in FCP values (P < 0.0001). All NCWS FCP- subjects still preserved negative FCP values after ≥ 6 months of WFD. Our study showed that FCP can be a useful but supplementary diagnostic marker for differentiating between NCWS and IBS/FD. Strict WFD adherence reduced FCP values, normalizing them in 65.1% of NCWS FCP + subjects. These data suggest the existence of two NCWS subgroups: NCWS FCP + characterized by a probable predominantly inflammatory/immunologic pattern and NCWS FCP- featuring non-immuno-mediated etiopathogenetic mechanisms. (Registration number NCT01762579).

Difficult biliary cannulation in patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction: An underestimated problem?

BACKGROUND: Failed biliary cannulation still poses a major challenge in patients undergoing Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). To date, there is a lack of data on rates of Difficult Biliary Cannulation (DBC) in patients with distal malignant biliary obstruction (DMBO). MATERIALS: This was a retrospective study (09/2015 to 02/2019) of consecutive patients with DMBO that underwent ERCP in four Italian centers. The primary outcome was to evaluate the rate of DBC. Secondary outcomes were: cannulation failure, rate of adverse events (AEs), the predictive factors for DBC as well as for AEs. RESULTS: A total of 622 patients with DMBO, were included in the study, with 351(56,4%) matching the definition of DBC. One-hundred and two ERCP-related AEs occurred in 97 of 622 patients (15,6%). Subjects with DBC showed a higher risk for AEs (p = 0.02). The lack of pancreatitis prophylaxis (p = 0.03), diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma (p = 0.02), the use of papillotomy (OR=1.98; 95%CI = 1.14-3.45) and the combination of two or more techniques for cannulation (OR = 2.88; 95%CI = 1.04-7.97) were associated with the occurrence of AEs. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of this study, patients with DMBO carries a higher rate of DBC thus requiring alternative techniques for biliary drainage. Furthermore, DBC carries a high risk for AEs. Further prospective multicentric studies are needed to confirm these data in this specific subgroup of patients.

Haematemesis and acute dysphagia: oesophagogastroduodenoscopy or CT-which one first?

We present an uncommon case of a patient presenting at the emergency department for severe vomiting, persisting for at least 12 hours, without nausea or abdominal pain. She initially referred vomiting food eaten several hours earlier and eventually a single episode of haematemesis with emission of a small amount of red blood and clots. She also reported the occurrence of acute dysphagia for solid food. The patient underwent oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD), which showed that the lumen was almost completely narrowed by a submucosal bluish bulging from midoesophagus (19 cm from the incisors) to the cardia (located at 35 cm from the incisors). She therefore underwent chest CT showing a 15 cm long intramural oesophageal haematoma. Although the combination of vomiting and haematemesis is usually associated with Mallory-Weiss syndrome, in which a prompt OGD has a key role in the patient management, when these symptoms are associated with acute dysphagia, a possible intramural haematoma might be suspected. In this case, chest CT should take precedence, because it allows a quick and complete diagnostic appraisal. However, in this setting, although OGD can directly show typical findings (bluish swelling mucosa with or without a superficial tears), it might increase the risk of oesophageal haematoma rupture and intraluminal bleeding.

Sequential therapy for first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication: 10- or 14-day regimen?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Standard 10-day sequential therapy is advised as first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication by current Italian guidelines. Some data suggested that a 14-day regimen may achieve higher eradication rates. This study compared the efficacy of sequential therapy administered for either 10- or 14-days. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter, open-label study enrolled patients with H. pylori infection without previous treatment. Patients were receiving a sequential therapy for either 10 or 14 days with esomeprazole 40 mg and amoxicillin 1 g (5 or 7 days) followed by esomeprazole 40 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and tinidazole 500 mg (5 or 7 days), all given twice daily. Bacterial eradication was checked using 13C-urea breath test. Eradication cure rates were calculated at both Intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. RESULTS: A total of 291 patients were enrolled, including 146 patients in 10-day and 145 in the 14-day regimen. The eradication rates were 87% (95% CI = 81.5-92.4) and 90.3% (95% CI = 85.5-95.1) at ITT analysis with the 10- and 14-day regimen, respectively, and 92.7% (95% CI = 88.3-97) and 97% (95% CI = 94.2-99.9) at PP analysis (p =0.37). Among patients, who earlier had interrupted therapy, bacterial eradication was achieved in 8 out of 9 who completed the first therapy phase and performed at least >/=3 days of triple therapy in the second phase. CONCLUSION: This study found that both 10- and 14-day sequential therapies achieved a high eradication rate for first-line H. pylori therapy in clinical practice.

Blue-light imaging compared with high-definition white light for real-time histology prediction of colorectal polyps less than 1 centimeter: a prospective randomized study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Blue-light imaging (BLI) is a new chromoendoscopy technique, potentially useful for differentiating neoplastic from nonneoplastic lesions. The present study was aimed at comparing BLI with high-definition white light (HDWL) in the real-time histology prediction of colon polyps <10 mm. METHODS: Consecutive outpatients undergoing colonoscopy with the ELUXEO 7000 endoscopy platform and 760 series video colonoscopes (Fujifilm Co, Tokyo, Japan) who had at least 1 polyp <10 mm were randomized to BLI or HDWL for polyp characterization. The accuracy of high-confidence real-time histology prediction (adenoma vs not adenoma) by either BLI or HDWL for polyps <10 mm (primary end-point) and diminutive (≤5 mm) polyps was calculated, along with sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values, with histopathology as the reference standard. RESULTS: A total of 483 polyps were detected in 245 randomized patients (125 and 120 in the BLI and HDWL arms, respectively). A total of 358 were diminutive, and 283 were adenomas. Overall, 222 (85.7%) and 193 (86.1%) polyps were characterized with high confidence by BLI and HDWL, respectively (P = .887), with an overall accuracy of 92% and 84%, respectively (P = .011). The accuracy was significantly higher by BLI than HDWL, also for diminutive polyps (92% vs 83%; P = .008). When BLI was used, the negative predictive value for diminutive rectosigmoid polyps was 88%, and the post-polypectomy surveillance interval was correctly attributed in 85.7% and 93.7% of patients, respectively, according to U.S. and European guidelines. CONCLUSION: BLI was superior to HDWL for the real-time prediction of histology in polyps <10 mm. A BLI-dedicated classification might further improve the endoscopist performance. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03274115.).

Linked color imaging reduces the miss rate of neoplastic lesions in the right colon: a randomized tandem colonoscopy study.

BACKGROUND: Linked color imaging (LCI) is a newly developed image-enhancing endoscopy technology that provides bright endoscopic images and increases color contrast. We investigated whether LCI improves the detection of neoplastic lesions in the right colon when compared with high definition white-light imaging (WLI). METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing colonoscopy were randomized (1:1) after cecal intubation into right colon inspection at first pass by LCI or by WLI. At the hepatic flexure, the scope was reintroduced to the cecum under LCI and a second right colon inspection was performed under WLI in previously LCI-scoped patients (LCI-WLI group) and vice versa (WLI-LCI group). Lesions detected on first- and second-pass examinations were used to calculate detection and miss rates, respectively. The primary outcome was the right colon adenoma miss rate. RESULTS: Of the 600 patients enrolled, 142 had at least one adenoma in the right colon, with similar right colon adenoma detection rates (r-ADR) in the two groups (22.7 % in LCI-WLI and 24.7 % in WLI-LCI). At per-polyp analysis, double inspection of the right colon in the LCI-WLI and WLI-LCI groups resulted in an 11.8 % and 30.6 % adenoma miss rate, respectively (P < 0.001). No significant difference in miss rate was found for advanced adenomas or sessile serrated lesions. At per-patient analysis, at least one adenoma was identified in the second pass only (incremental ADR) in 2 of 300 patients (0.7 %) in the LCI - WLI group and in 13 of 300 patients (4.3 %) in the WLI - LCI group (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: LCI could reduce the miss rate of neoplastic lesions in the right colon.