Prevalence and predictive value of sarcopenia in hospitalized patients with ischemic colitis.

Ischemic colitis (IC) and sarcopenia are associated with aging and multiple comorbidities. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and predictive role of sarcopenia in patients with IC. We retrospectively analyzed 225 hospitalized patients (median age, 72 years; women, 67.1%; severe IC, 34.2%) who were diagnosed with IC between January 2007 and February 2022. Sarcopenia was defined as the skeletal muscle index at the third lumbar vertebra determined by computed tomography. It was present in 49.3% (n = 111) of the patients and was significantly associated with severe IC compared to those without sarcopenia (48.6% vs. 20.2%, P < 0.001). Sarcopenia was associated with extended hospitalization (median: 8 vs. 6 days, P < 0.001) and fasting periods (4 vs. 3 days, P = 0.004), as well as prolonged antibiotic use (9 vs. 7 days, P = 0.039). Sarcopenia was linked to a higher risk of surgery or mortality (9.0% vs. 0%, P = 0.001) and independently predicted this outcome (odds ratio [OR], 11.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24‒1467.65, P = 0.027). It was prevalent among hospitalized patients with IC, potentially indicating severe IC and a worse prognosis. This underscores the importance of meticulous monitoring, immediate medical intervention, and timely surgical consideration.

Surgical prevalence and outcomes in ischemic colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study reviews the literature to examine the proportion of patients requiring surgical management in ischemic colitis (IC) and identify surgical outcomes. METHOD: A systematic review of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted in accordance with the latest Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. English language studies and adult patients were included. Studies with fewer than 10 patients, and IC post aortic or cardiac surgery was excluded. We present our systematic review and meta-analysis with pooled proportions of right sided IC distribution and prevalence of surgical treatment. RESULTS: 23 studies with a total of 12,844 patients were included in the systematic review, with 19 studies and 12,420 patients included in the meta-analysis. Four studies were excluded from the meta-analysis due to only including specific cohorts of patients-two with cocaine induced colitis, one with phlebosclerotic colitis, and one with IC associated with acute myocardial infarction. The pooled proportion of right sided IC distribution was 15% (CI 14%-17%, p < 0.001), whilst the pooled proportion of surgical management of IC was 15% (CI 13%-16% p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of surgical management of IC is rare. Right sided IC is associated with higher mortality and higher rates of surgical management. Reporting of surgical outcomes is scant.

Surgical Outcomes in 62 Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: A Retrospective, Single-Center Study from Poland.

BACKGROUND Surgery continues to play an important role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), which is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the colon and rectum. This retrospective study from a single center in Poland aimed to evaluate surgical outcomes in 62 patients with ulcerative colitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study enrolled 62 patients (36 men [58.1%], 26 women [41.9%]), mean age 52.69±16.84 (range, 19-96) years who underwent surgical treatment of UC during the period 2001-2020. The mandatory inclusion criteria were patients with UC, who underwent total intra-abdominal colectomy (n=22, 46.8%), proctocolectomy (n=25, 53.2%), or left-sided hemicolectomy (n=8, 12.9%). The primary endpoint was postoperative death, and secondary endpoints were long hospitalization (>15 days), complications, and relaparotomy. RESULTS Postoperative mortality was observed in 8 (12.9%) patients. Older age and low albumin level were associated with longer hospitalization time (P=0.004 and P<0.001, respectively). High C-reactive protein (CRP) level (P=0.003), high CRP/albumin ratio (P=0.023), and malnourishment (P=0.026) were risk factors for complications. Malnutrition (P=0.026), older age (P=0.031), high CRP level (p<0.001), high CRP/albumin ratio (P=0.014), arterial hypertension (P=0.012), and urgent surgeries (P=0.021) were associated with higher risk of postoperative death. Patients who had undergone previous surgeries were more likely to need relaparotomy (P=0.022). CONCLUSIONS Preoperative nutritional status was an important factor associated with postoperative outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis. Correction of malnutrition seems to be a vital part of preoperative preparation.

Clinical features and risk factors for ischemic colitis in young and middle-aged patients.

Background and study aims: Ischemic colitis (IC) is thought to occur more frequently in the elderly, but the incidence in young and middle-aged adults is increasing. This study determined the clinical characteristics of and risk factors for young and middle-aged IC patients. Patients and methods: The medical records of 190 IC patients from 2010-2020 were reviewed. The clinical features of the young and middle-aged IC group (group A, < 60 years [n=70]) were compared to the elderly IC (group B, ≥60 years [n=120]) and age- and gender-matched colon polyp groups (group C, <60 years [n=272]). Independent risk factors for IC in group A were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: There were no significant differences in groups A and B with respect to season of onset, symptoms, signs, treatment, or recurrences. The main symptoms of group A were abdominal pain (98.6%) and hematochezia (98.6%). Lesions commonly involved the left half of the colon (87.1%) and the clinical conditions were generally not severe. The percentage of patients with constipation (11.4% vs. 4.0%, P=0.034) and using a calcium channel antagonist (21.4% vs. 11.4%, P=0.028) was significantly higher in group A than group C. Regression analysis demonstrated that constipation (OR 2.831, P=0.037) and taking a calcium channel antagonist (OR 2.486, P=0.012) were closely associated with the occurrence of IC in group A. Conclusions: Constipation and taking a calcium channel antagonist were independent risk factors for the onset of IC in young and middle-aged adults. Among young and middle-aged adults with abdominal pain and bloody stools who also have constipation or are taking a calcium channel antagonist to treat hypertension, the diagnosis of IC should be considered.

Factors influencing hospital stay duration for patients with mild ischemic colitis: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic colitis is the most prevalent ischemic injury of the gastrointestinal tract. The majority of patients with mild ischemic colitis usually achieve complete clinical recovery shortly. However, the predictors of longer hospital stay duration are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the predictors of hospital stay duration for patients with mild ischemic colitis. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 100 patients with mild ischemic colitis between January 2010 and December 2020 at Xiangya Hospital (a tertiary care center). The clinical characteristics and therapeutic drugs of patients who were hospitalized for ≤ 8 days and ≥ 12 days were compared. RESULTS: Of the 100 patients included, 63 (63%) were hospitalized for ≤ 8 days and 37 (37%) were hospitalized for ≥ 12 days. Patients with cerebrovascular disease (29.7% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.019) and abdominal surgical history (29.7% vs. 7.9%, p = 0.004) were more likely to be hospitalized for ≥ 12 days than for ≤ 8 days. The D-dimer levels [0.78 (0.41-1.82) vs. 0.28 (0.16-0.73), p = 0.001] and positive fecal occult blood test results (86.5% vs. 60.3%, p = 0.006) were higher in patients who were hospitalized for ≥ 12 days than in those who were hospitalized for ≤ 8 days. Probiotic use was greater in patients hospitalized for ≤ 8 days (76.2% vs. 54.1%, p = 0.022). Multivariate analysis indicated that cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio [OR] = 4.585; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.129-18.624; p = 0.033), abdominal surgical history (OR = 4.551; 95% CI 1.060-19.546; p = 0.042), higher D-dimer levels (OR = 1.928; 95% CI 1.024-3.632; p = 0.042), and higher positive fecal occult blood test results (OR = 7.211; 95% CI 1.929-26.953; p = 0.003) were associated with longer hospital stays. CONCLUSION: Cerebrovascular disease, abdominal surgical history, higher D-dimer levels, and higher positive fecal occult blood test results are independent and significant factors that influence longer hospital stays for patients with mild ischemic colitis. Probiotics helped reduce hospital stay in these patients.

Population-Based Study of the Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of Ischemic Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic colitis (IC) is a common ischemic disorder of the colon caused by insufficient blood supply to the colonic mucosa. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and risk factors in patients with IC. METHODS: We performed a retrospective population-based study using electron video-colonoscopy imaging and pathological biopsies from 168 patients diagnosed with IC. A retrospective controlled study was used to analyze differences between a young to middle-aged patient group (78 cases) and an elderly patient group (90 cases) on the basis of clinical characteristics and risk factors. RESULTS: The primary symptoms in the 168 patients with IC were abdominal pain, diarrhea, and hematochezia. White blood cells (WBC), neutrophilic granulocyte percentage (NEUT%), C-reactive protein (CRP), and D-dimer were significantly elevated in elderly patients. The sigmoid colon and descending colon were the most common lesion locations (57.1% and 33.9%, respectively). Hypertension, cerebral infarction, and coronary heart disease were the most common comorbidities in elderly patients, while smoking history was the most common risk factor in young to middle-aged patients. CONCLUSION: The sigmoid colon and descending colon are the most affected locations in IC. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cerebral infarction are the most common risk factors and comorbidities.

Risk factors and characteristics associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with ischemic colitis.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic colitis (IC) was investigated to be associated with dyslipidemia and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with ischemic diseases such as coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke. But there is a paucity of data regarding the association between NAFLD and IC. NAFLD may be associated with the treatment and prognosis of IC. We investigated risk factors and characteristics associated with NAFLD in patients with IC. METHODS: Patients with IC (NAFLD: 34 and controls: 81) from Zhongnan Hospital were investigated retrospectively from January 2012 to December 2018. Clinical data were compared by chi-square tests or independent samples T-tests. Binary logistic regressions and Kaplan-Meier analysis were performed to evaluate risk factors and prognosis, respectively. RESULTS: NAFLD was diagnosed in 28.19% patients with IC. In the logistic regression analysis, hypertension [odds ratio (OR) 3.523; P = 0.019], elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (OR 6.278; P = 0.048), elevated triglyceride (OR 4.667; P = 0.003) and increased weight (OR 1.055; P = 0.039) were risk factors of NAFLD in patients with IC. Patients with NAFLD were more likely to require the vasodilators (P = 0.011) and get a relapse of IC (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: NAFLD was found in 28.19% of patients with IC. Hypertension, increased weight, elevated ALT and triglyceride are independent predictors of NAFLD in patients with IC. NAFLD in patients with IC is associated with a greater probability of requiring for the vasodilators. NAFLD in IC and period of bowel rest are risk factors for the recurrence of IC.

Ischemic colitis after enema administration: Incidence, timing, and clinical features.

BACKGROUND: Enema administration is a common procedure in the emergency department (ED). However, several published case reports on enema-related ischemic colitis (IC) have raised the concerns regarding the safety of enema agents. Nevertheless, information on its true incidence and characteristics are still lacking. AIM: To investigate the incidence, timing, and risk factors of IC in patients receiving enema. METHODS: We consecutively collected the data of all adult patients receiving various enema administrations in the ED from January 2010 to December 2018 and identified patients confirmed with IC following enema. Of 8320 patients receiving glycerin enema, 19 diagnosed of IC were compared with an age-matched control group without IC. RESULTS: The incidence of IC was 0.23% among 8320 patients receiving glycerin enema; however, there was no occurrence of IC among those who used other enema agents. The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of patients with glycerin enema-related IC was 70.2 ± 11.7. The mean time interval ± SD from glycerin enema administration to IC occurrence was 5.5 h ± 3.9 h (range 1-15 h). Of the 19 glycerin enema-related IC cases, 15 (79.0%) were diagnosed within 8 h. The independent risk factors for glycerin-related IC were the constipation score [Odds ratio (OR), 2.0; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-3.5, P = 0.017] and leukocytosis (OR, 4.5; 95%CI: 1.4-14.7, P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: The incidence of glycerin enema-related IC was 0.23% and occurred mostly in the elderly in the early period following enema administration. Glycerin enema-related IC was associated with the constipation score and leukocytosis.

Quantifying risk factors for ischemic colitis: A nationwide, retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Despite identifying numerous factors associated with colonic ischemia, the relative risk has been variable and not thoroughly evaluated. Hence, we aimed to quantify the risk of diseases and medications associated with ischemic colitis (IC). METHODS: A population-based retrospective analysis in International Business Machines (IBM) Explorys (1999-2018), a pooled, de-identified database of 57 million patients in the USA, was performed. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated between IC and other diseases/medications. IC patients were also stratified by age to assess trends of IC in different age groups. RESULTS: A total of 1560 patients had IC in the database. Hyperlipidemia had the highest association with IC (OR 15.3), consistent with prior reports of atherosclerosis being a major risk factor for IC. Hypertension, congestive heart failure, constipation, prior abdominal surgery, and atrial fibrillation all conferred odds greater than 10, which is consistent with prior reports. Novel findings of our study include that beta blockers (OR 9.6) and pro-inflammatory disease states such as vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and malignancy all increase the risk of IC. CONCLUSION: Early identification of IC is critical for minimizing morbidity and mortality. Epidemiologic information could be integrated with current clinical algorithms to more rapidly identify patients at risk.

Nintedanib and ischemic colitis: Signal assessment with the integrated use of two types of real-world evidence, spontaneous reports of suspected adverse drug reactions, and observational data from large health-care databases.

PURPOSE: Statistical screening of Vigibase, the global database of individual case safety reports, highlighted an association between the MedDRA Preferred Term (PT) "colitis" and nintedanib. Nintedanib is a protein kinase inhibitor authorized in accelerated regulatory procedures for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The aim of this report is to describe the integration of two types of real-world evidence, spontaneous reports of adverse drug reactions (ADR), and observational health data (OHD) in the assessment of a post-authorization safety signal of ischemic colitis. METHODS: Assessment of the statistical signal of "nintedanib - colitis" was undertaken using data from VigiBase, OHD from the Observational Heath Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) collaborative, published literature, and openly available regulatory documents. Evidence synthesis was performed to support Bradford Hill criteria in causality assessment. RESULTS: Evidence for strength of association, specificity, consistency, and analogy was found upon review of the case series. OHD was used to calculate incidence rates of colitis in new users of nintedanib across multiple populations, supportive of consistency, and further evidence for strength of association. Literature review identified support for biological plausibility and analogy. Signal assessment was supplemented with characterization of real-world users and exploration of potential risk factors using OHD. CONCLUSIONS: An integrated approach using two forms of real-world data, spontaneous reports of ADRs and data from observational databases allowed a comprehensive and efficient signal assessment of nintedanib and colitis. Further exploration of the complementary use of real-time OHD in signal assessment could inform more efficient approaches to current signal management practices.

Acute vascular insufficiency of intestine: incidence highest in summer, outcomes worst in winter.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of acute vascular insufficiency of intestine (AVII) is on the rise in the USA and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Seasonal variations have been observed in the onset of several gastrointestinal diseases. It is thus far unknown whether the incidence, in-hospital mortality rates, and length of hospital stay (LOS) of AVII vary in different seasons. AIMS: The aims of this study were to study the seasonal variations in the (1) incidence, (2) in-hospital mortality, and (3) LOS of AVII in the USA. METHODS: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify patients aged ≥ 18 years hospitalized from the years 2000-2014. We used the Edwards recognition with estimation of cyclic trend method to study the seasonal variation of AVII hospitalizations and z test to compare the seasonal incidences (peak-to-low ratio), mortalities, and LOS. RESULTS: A total of 1,441,447 patients were hospitalized with AVII (0.3% of all hospitalizations). Patients with AVII were older (69.0 ± 0.1 vs 56.9 ± 0.1) and more commonly females (65.4% vs 35.5%) than patients without AVII (p < 0.001). The incidence of AVII increased through the summer to peak in September (peak/low ratio 1.028, 95% CI 1.024-1.033, p < 0.001). Patients with AVII hospitalized in winter had the highest mortality (17.3%, p < 0.001) and LOS (9.2 ± 0.7 days, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of AVII in the USA peaks in late summer. The in-hospital mortality rates and LOS associated with AVII are the highest in winter. Physicians could be cognizant of the seasonal variations in the incidence, in-hospital mortality, and LOS of AVII.

Ischaemic colitis: uncertainty in diagnosis, pathophysiology and management.

Ischaemic colitis is the most common form of gastrointestinal ischaemia, but may be confused with acute mesenteric ischaemia, inflammatory bowel disease or infectious colitis. This review article outlines the current classification, epidemiology and risk factors, as well as approaches about diagnosis and management to guide clinical practice. It also identifies areas for further research.

The Incidence of Ischemic Colitis after Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Is Decreasing in the Endovascular Era.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic colitis (IC) is a well-described complication of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs). The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of IC in patients with rAAA undergoing open repair (OR) versus endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) at a single institution. In addition, we analyzed the incidence of IC before and after the implementation of a formal rupture AAA protocol (rEVAR protocol). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on all patients presenting with rAAA to our institution between January 2002 and October 2013 was performed. Variables were analyzed for association with IC. Comparisons were made using Pearson's chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, Student's t-test for continuous variables, and logistic regression for multivariate analysis. Significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Three hundred three patients with rAAA presented over the 10-year study period. One hundred ninety-one patients underwent OR and 89 patients underwent endovascular repair. Twenty-three patients died either in the emergency department, en route to the operating room, or after choosing comfort care. Predictive factors of IC included estimated blood loss, corresponding need for resuscitation, and duration of procedure. Of patients who underwent OR, the rate of IC was 21% (40/191). This was significantly higher than patients who underwent EVAR, 7% (6/89), P < 0.05. The type of intervention did not influence 30-day mortality in patients with IC. However, only 17% (1/6) of patients who had IC following EVAR required colectomy versus 48% (19/40) of patients with IC following OR (P = 0.21). Implementation of our formal rEVAR protocol decreased the incidence of IC significantly from 37.1% (36/97) to 6.4% (10/157), P < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of IC has decreased significantly in the endovascular era but continues to portend a poor prognosis. Implementation of a formal, multidisciplinary rEVAR protocol in our institution decreased the incidence of IC.

Association between lower air pressure and the onset of ischemic colitis: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Ischemic colitis (IC) often affects the elderly. Proarteriosclerotic factors, such as hypertension and smoking, and cardiovascular disease are considered major contributors to IC. Although a possible link between certain cerebrocardiovascular disorders and meteorological phenomena has been reported, the relationship between IC onset and weather changes remains uninvestigated. This study examined whether specific meteorological factors were associated with the occurrence of IC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 303 patients who had been diagnosed with IC between January 2003 and June 2010 at Suwa Red Cross Hospital in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. The meteorological data of the days on which IC patients visited the hospital (IC+ days) were compared with those of the days on which IC patients did not (IC- days). RESULTS: Univariate analysis indicated that IC+ days had significantly lower air pressure (P<0.001), depressed air pressure from the previous day (P<0.001), and fewer daylight hours (P<0.001), as well as higher air temperature (P=0.017), air humidity (P=0.004), wind velocity (P<0.001), and rainfall (P=0.012) compared with IC- days. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the meteorological data showed that air pressure (odds ratio: 0.935, P<0.001) and change in air pressure from the previous day (odds ratio: 0.934, P<0.001) were related to onset of IC. CONCLUSION: Lower air pressure and decrease in air pressure from the previous day are possible novel factors associated with the development of IC.

The incidence and outcome of ischemic colitis in a population-based setting.

OBJECTIVE: Population-based studies on patients with ischemic colitis (IC) are limited. We aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors and outcome of patients with IC. METHODS: A retrospective nationwide study was conducted on adult patients with histologically confirmed IC in 2009-2013 in Iceland. IC patients were matched for age and gender with patients hospitalized with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Data were collected on clinical presentation, comorbidities, smoking habits, management and outcome. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients, 61 (69%) females and mean age of 65 years (±17), fulfilled the predetermined criteria. Females were older than males, 68 years (±14) vs. 59 years (±20) (p = .0170). The mean cumulative incidence was 7.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. A total of 57 (64%) patients presented with abdominal pain, hematochezia and diarrhea. IC was localized in the left colon in 78 (88%) patients. Overall, 62 (70%) patients had cardiovascular disease vs. 53 (60%) of control group (NS) and 55 (62%) had a history of smoking vs. 53 (60%) in control group (NS). Ten (11%) patients required surgery and/or died within 30-days from hospital admission. At the end of follow-up, 7 (9%) patients had experienced recurrence of IC with an estimated 3-year recurrence rate of 15%. CONCLUSIONS: IC is a common clinical phenomenon that affects a wide range of age groups, but is most prominent among elderly women. It typically presents with a clinical triad of abdominal pain, hematochezia and diarrhea. Most cases are mild and self-limiting with a good prognosis.

Seasonal variation in occurrence of ischemic colitis: a retrospective study.

Objectives We aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of ischemic colitis (IC) and to investigate the occurrence of seasonal variation. Methods From January 2008 to December 2014, 368 had IC as the reason for their admission. A total of 364 patients were enrolled in this study. We investigated patient characteristics and seasonal variations in incidence. Results The mean age (±standard deviation) of patients with IC at diagnosis was 66.8 (±16.9) years. Most patients had abdominal pain (341 cases), hematochezia (337 cases), and diarrhea (199 cases) as their chief complaints. The clinical courses of the disease were classified as transient (294 cases), stricture (17 cases), gangrenous (2 cases), and indeterminate types (51 cases). Although IC tended to occur less frequently in winter, the seasonal difference was not significant. Conclusion There is currently no evidence for seasonal variation in hospital admissions for IC.

Colonic ischemia: usual and unusual presentations and their management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an update on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of colonic ischemia. RECENT FINDINGS: Formerly regarded as a rare cause of lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage, colonic ischemia is now recognized to be the most common manifestation of intestinal vascular compromise. In contrast to ischemic events in the small intestine wherein thrombotic and embolic events predominate, colonic ischemia typically results from a global reduction in blood flow to the colon and no occlusive lesion(s) are evident. Several risk factors for colonic ischemia have been identified and, together with an appropriate clinical presentation and patient demographics, create a context in which the clinician should have a high level of suspicion for its presence. Imaging with computerized tomography, in particular, may be highly supportive of the diagnosis, which where appropriate can be confirmed by colonoscopy and colonic biopsy. For most patients, management is supportive and noninterventional, and the prognosis for recurrence and survival are excellent. SUMMARY: Colonic ischemia is a common cause of lower abdominal pain and hemorrhage among the elderly typically occurring in the aftermath of an event which led to hypoperfusion of the colon. For most affected individuals the ischemia is reversible and clinical course benign.