Colonoscopy Insertion in Patients with Gastrectomy: Does Position Impact Cecal Intubation Time?

BACKGROUND: A history of abdominal surgery is associated with difficulty in colonoscopy insertion. Few studies have reported effective colonoscopy insertion for patients who underwent abdominal surgery due to stomach cancer. AIM: We aimed to compare the impact of supine position (SP) and left lateral position (LLP) as the starting position of colonoscopy insertion in patients who underwent abdominal surgery due to stomach cancer. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial. Patients undergoing colonoscopy for screening or post-polypectomy surveillance after gastrectomy due to stomach cancer were enrolled and randomized to the SP or LLP group as the starting position of colonoscopy insertion. All colonoscopic examinations were performed with a transparent cap. The primary outcome was to compare the cecal intubation time between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 224 patients were enrolled. The mean cecal intubation time was not significantly different between the SP and LLP groups (364.5 s versus 306.9 s; p = 0.105). In patients with a lower body mass index (< 21 kg/m2) or who underwent gastrectomy within three years, the mean cecal intubation time of the LLP group was shorter than the SP group. In the multivariate analysis for the factors affecting to increase in the cecal intubation time (> 5 min), the starting position was not an independent factor. CONCLUSION: Either the SP or LLP could serve as a possible starting position of colonoscopy insertion for patients who underwent abdominal surgery due to stomach cancer.

Effect of gut microbiome on minor complications after a colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Minor complications that might occur after colonoscopy, including abdominal discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation, could a barrier for patients to undergo a screening colonoscopy. In this study, we aimed to identify the effect of gut microbial diversity and composition on minor complications after colonoscopy. METHODS: A total of 24 healthy subjects provided their stools before bowel preparation and on the 7th and 28th day after colonoscopy. On the 7th day after colonoscopy, the presence of minor complications was investigated using a questionnaire. We divided patients into 2 groups, the no complication group and complications group. The fecal microbial diversity, distribution, and composition were then compared between the groups. RESULTS: Five of the 24 subjects reported that they had undergone minor complications after colonoscopy. Most of the symptoms were mild and self-limited, but 1 patient needed medication. Interestingly, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio of the initial stool samples before bowel preparation in the complication group was significantly higher than that in no complication group. After bowel preparation, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio of the complication group decreased, but not in the no complication group. The microbial diversity of the no complication group decreased after bowel preparation, but not in the complication group. CONCLUSIONS: The gut microbial composition and diversity before and after bowel preparation could be considered as one of the causes of minor complications after colonoscopy. Further studies are needed to delineate the role of gut microbiota in the occurrence of minor complications after colonoscopy.

Mosapride Improves Lower Esophageal Sphincter and Esophageal Body Function in Patients With Minor Disorders of Esophageal Peristalsis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: High-resolution manometry (HRM) has broadened the awareness of minor esophageal peristaltic disorders. However, the treatments for these minor disorders are limited and the role of prokinetics has been controversial. This study evaluates the effect of mosapride in patients with minor peristaltic disorders. METHODS: This study prospectively enrolled 21 patients with esophageal symptoms who were diagnosed with minor peristaltic disorders by gastroscopy and HRM using the Chicago classification version 3.0. Patients received mosapride 30 mg daily for 2 weeks. Symptoms were assessed using the abbreviated World Health Organization quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and a HRM study was performed before and after 2 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: HRM metrics of lower esophageal sphincter (LES) respiratory mean pressure (median 14.6 mmHg vs 17.3 mmHg; interquartile range [IQR] 8.7-22.5 mmHg vs 12.5-25.9 mmHg; P = 0.004) and distal contractile integral (median 343.8 mmHg·sec·cm vs 698.1 mmHg·sec·cm; IQR 286.5-795.9 mmHg·sec·cm vs 361.0-1127.6 mmHg·sec·cm; P = 0.048) were significantly increased after treatment. Complete response (≥ 80.0%), satisfactory response (≥ 50.0%), partial response (< 50.0%), and refractory response rates were 19.0%, 52.4%, 14.3%, and 14.3%, respectively. However, there was no statistical difference in all WHOQOL-BREF scores before and after treatment. Univariate analysis showed LES respiratory mean pressure (P = 0.036) was associated with symptom improvement (complete + satisfactory group). However, no statistical difference was found in other factors after multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Mosapride improved esophageal symptoms and significantly increased LES respiratory mean pressure and distal contractile integral. Therefore, mosapride could enhance LES and esophageal body contraction pressures in patients with minor peristaltic disorders.

Efficacy and Safety of Etomidate in Comparison with Propofol or Midazolam as Sedative for Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In this study, we compared the efficacy and safety of etomidate with those of propofol or midazolam for the maintenance of sedation during endoscopy. METHODS: The study enrolled patients who underwent sedative endoscopy in our hospital and divided them into three groups. Patients in each group were administered midazolam as induction therapy and were subsequently administered either midazolam (M + M group), propofol (M + P group), or etomidate (M + E group) as maintenance medication. The primary outcome was overall cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events. RESULTS: In total, 105 patients who underwent sedative endoscopic examination were enrolled. The outcomes related to the procedure and sedation were not significantly different among the groups. Overall cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events were observed in 9 patients (25.7%) in the M + M group, 8 patients (23.5%) in the M + P group, and 10 patients (27.8%) in the M + E group. The logistic regression analysis revealed that etomidate use was not an independent risk factor for overall cardiovascular and respiratory adverse events. CONCLUSION: The outcomes following the use of etomidate for maintenance after induction with midazolam for sedation in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were not inferior to those following midazolam or propofol use from the perspectives of safety and efficacy.

Risk of Delayed Bleeding after a Colorectal Endoscopic Mucosal Resection without Prophylactic Clipping: Single Center, Observational Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bleeding is one of the major complications of a colorectal polypectomy. The aim of this study was to identify the risk of delayed bleeding, particularly after a colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) without prophylactic clipping. METHODS: Between April 2014 and August 2014, patients who underwent colorectal EMR (≥6 mm and <2 cm) without prophylactic clipping were included. This study evaluated the incidence of delayed bleeding and the associated factors after colorectal EMR without prophylactic clipping. RESULTS: A total of 717 colorectal polyps (≥6 mm and <2 cm) of 243 patients resected by colorectal EMR in the study period were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 63 years; 165 patients were men and 78 patients were women. The mean polyp size removed by colorectal EMR was 9.0 mm (range 6.0-19.0), and the number of polyps larger than 1 cm was 212 (29.6%). Delayed bleeding after colorectal EMR occurred in 12 polyps (1.7%) in eight patients (3.3%), and there were no significant risk factors affecting delayed bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified that the incidence of delayed bleeding on colorectal polyps (≥6 mm and <2 cm) after EMR without prophylactic clipping was 3.3%, but no significant risk factors affecting delayed bleeding were found.

Is stool frequency associated with the richness and community composition of gut microbiota?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recently, a number of studies have reported that the gut microbiota could contribute to human conditions, including obesity, inflammation, cancer development, and behavior. We hypothesized that the composition and distribution of gut microbiota are different according to stool frequency, and attempted to identify the association between gut microbiota and stool frequency. METHODS: We collected fecal samples from healthy individuals divided into 3 groups according to stool frequency: group 1, a small number of defecation (≤2 times/wk); group 2, normal defecation (1 time/day or 1 time/2 day); and group 3, a large number of defecation (≥2-3 times/day). We evaluated the composition and distribution of the gut microbiota in each group via 16S rRNA-based taxonomic profiling of the fecal samples. RESULTS: Fecal samples were collected from a total of 60 individuals (31 men and 29 women, aged 34.1±5.88 years), and each group comprised 20 individuals. The microbial richness of group 1 was significantly higher than that of group 3 and tended to decrease with increasing number of defecation (P<0.05). The biological community composition was fairly different according to the number of defecation, and Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio was higher in group 1 than in the other groups. Moreover, we found specific strains at the family and genus levels in groups 1 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes ratio and the abundance of Bifidobacterium were different according to the stool frequency, and specific bacteria were identified in the subjects with large and small numbers of defecation, respectively. These findings suggest that stool frequency might be associated with the richness and community composition of the gut microbiota.

Insulin Resistance Is Associated with Early Gastric Cancer: A Prospective Multicenter Case Control Study.

Background/Aims: Recently, increased body weight has been found to be associated with an increasing risk of several cancers, including gastric cancer. The true pathogenic role of hyperglycemia in the development of gastric cancer remains unclear as hyperglycemia and its associated conditions may work as carcinogenic factors. The goal of this study was to clarify the factors associated with early gastric cancer and evaluate a homeostasis model assessment of the insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, fasting glucose, and lipid profile as predictors of early gastric cancer. Methods: A total of 63 patients with early gastric cancer between November 2012 and March 2013 were included. Preoperative serum lipid profile levels and serum fasting glucose were examined prospectively in patients with early gastric cancer. The same number of controls were evaluated and matched to the early gastric cancer group for age and gender. We performed multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify independent risk factors for early gastric cancer. Results: Univariate analysis showed that risk for early gastric cancer was associated with diastolic blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol, fasting glucose, and HOMA-IR. In the multivariate-adjusted model, higher total cholesterol, fasting glucose, body mass index, and diastolic BP were strongly associated with an increased risk of early gastric cancer. Conclusions: Hyperglycemia, a lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, and a low HOMA-IR level appear to be associated with early gastric cancer risk.

Effect of Sending Educational Video Clips via Smartphone Mobile Messenger on Bowel Preparation before Colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of sending educational video clips via smartphone mobile messenger (SMM) on enhancing bowel preparation before colonoscopy. METHODS: This was a prospective, endoscopist-blinded, randomized controlled study. Patients in the SMM group received two video clips sent via SMM that explained the diet and regimen for bowel preparation, whereas those in the control group did not receive any video clips. We compared the quality of bowel preparation between the two groups, which was assessed by an endoscopist using the Ottawa scale. RESULTS: Between August and November 2014, 140 patients in the SMM group and 141 patients in the control group underwent colonoscopic examination. The total Ottawa score of the SMM group was significantly lower than that of the control group (5.47±1.74 vs. 5.97±1.78, p=0.018). These results were particularly prominent in the younger age group; the total Ottawa score of patents in the SMM group aged <40 years was significantly lower than that of patients in the control group aged <40 years (5.10±1.55 vs. 6.22±2.33, p=0.034). CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that sending educational video clips via SMM could result in better bowel preparation, especially in the younger age group.

[Gastric Cancer Recurrence in 12 Years after Surgical Resection].

Recurrence of gastric cancer after 10 years of surgical resection is highly rare. There are limited data on the surveillance of patients with gastric cancer after 10 years from gastrectomy. A 50-year-old man presented to the gastroenterology clinic at our hospital for the management of abnormal findings on a routine colonoscopic exam. He had undergone gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer 12 years ago. At presentation, colonoscopic examination revealed asymmetrically edematous and hyperemic mucosal change with luminal narrowing on transverse colon. Abdominal computed tomography showed no evidence of distant metastasis, except for focal bowel wall thickening on transverse colon. He underwent a laparoscopic right-hemicolectomy, and the resected specimen revealed a recurrent and metastatic lesion. We report a case of recurrence of gastric cancer after 10 years from surgical resection with relevant literature review.

Assessment of colon polyp morphology: Is education effective?

AIM: To determine the inter-observer variability for colon polyp morphology and to identify whether education can improve agreement among observers. METHODS: For purposes of the tests, we recorded colonoscopy video clips that included scenes visualizing the polyps. A total of 15 endoscopists and 15 nurses participated in the study. Participants watched 60 video clips of the polyp morphology scenes and then estimated polyp morphology (pre-test). After education for 20 min, participants performed a second test in which the order of 60 video clips was changed (post-test). To determine if the effectiveness of education was sustained, four months later, a third, follow-up test was performed with the same participants. RESULTS: The overall Fleiss' kappa value of the inter-observer agreement was 0.510 in the pre-test, 0.618 in the post-test, and 0.580 in the follow-up test. The overall diagnostic accuracy of the estimation for polyp morphology in the pre-, post-, and follow-up tests was 0.662, 0.797, and 0.761, respectively. After education, the inter-observer agreement and diagnostic accuracy of all participants improved. However, after four months, the inter-observer agreement and diagnostic accuracy of expert groups were markedly decreased, and those of beginner and nurse groups remained similar to pre-test levels. CONCLUSION: The education program used in this study can improve inter-observer agreement and diagnostic accuracy in assessing the morphology of colon polyps; it is especially effective when first learning endoscopy.

Evidence for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor signaling to activate ATP-sensitive potassium channels in pancreatic beta cells.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a gut peptide that promotes insulin release from pancreatic beta cells. GLP-1 has been shown to confer glucose-insensitive beta cells with glucose sensitivity by modulation of the activity of the ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel. The channel closing effect of GLP-1, interacting with corresponding G-protein-coupled receptors, has been well established; however, to our knowledge, no study has shown whether GLP-1 directly induces activation of beta-cell KATP channels. Here, we aimed to evaluate whether the activation of beta-cell KATP channels by GLP-1 exists and affects intracellular Ca(2+) levels ([Ca(2+)]i). KATP channel activity was measured in isolated rat pancreatic beta cells by whole-cell perforated patch-clamp recordings with a diazoxide-containing pipette solution. Changes in [Ca(2+)]i and the subcellular localization of KATP channels were observed using the calcium-sensitive dye fura-4/AM and anti-Kir6.2 antibodies in INS-1 beta cells, respectively. To eliminate the well-known inhibitory effects of GLP-1 on KATP channel activity, channels were fully inhibited by pretreatment with methyl pyruvate and epigallocatechin-3-gallate. In the pretreated beta cells, GLP-1 and exendin-4 promptly activated the channels, reducing [Ca(2+)]i. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002 blocked the effects of GLP-1 on channel activity. Moreover, phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate mimicked the effects of GLP-1. These results suggested that beta-cell GLP-1 receptor signaling involved activation of KATP channels via a PI3K-dependent pathway. This alternative mechanism of GLP-1 function may act as a negative feedback pathway, modulating the glucose-dependent GLP-1 inhibition on KATP channel activity.

Trends in Helicobacter pylori eradication rates by first-line triple therapy and related factors in eradication therapy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Trends in successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori using first-line triple therapy, consisting of a proton pump inhibitor, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin, have been understudied. We evaluated H. pylori eradication rates at a single center over the last 10 years and identified risk factors related to eradication failure. METHODS: This study included 1,413 patients who were diagnosed with H. pylori infection and received 7 days of triple therapy between January 2003 and December 2012. We investigated H. pylori eradication rates retrospectively with respect to the year of therapy, as well as demographic and clinical factors. H. pylori eradication was confirmed by a (13)C-urea breath test or a rapid urease test at least 4 weeks after the completion of triple therapy. RESULTS: The overall H. pylori eradication rate was 84.9%. Annual eradication rates from 2003 to 2012 were 93.5%, 80.0%, 87.2%, 88.5%, 92.0%, 88.3%, 85.7%, 84.1%, 83.7%, and 78.8%, respectively, by per-protocol analysis. The eradication rate with first-line triple therapy decreased during the last 10 years (p = 0.015). Multivariate analysis showed that female gender (odds ratio [OR], 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 2.55) and smoking (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.05 to 2.47) were associated with the failure of H. pylori eradication therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of first-line triple therapy for H. pylori infection has decreased over the last 10 years, suggesting an increase in antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains. Thus, other first-line therapies may be necessary for H. pylori eradication in the near future.

Simple colonoscopy reporting system checking the detection rate of colon polyps.

AIM: To present a simple colonoscopy reporting system that can be checked easily the detection rate of colon polyps. METHODS: A simple colonoscopy reporting system Kosin Gastroenterology (KG quality reporting system) was developed. The polyp detection rate (PDR), adenoma detection rate (ADR), serrated polyp detection rate (SDR), and advanced adenoma detection rate (AADR) are easily calculated to use this system. RESULTS: In our gastroenterology center, the PDR, ADR, SDR, and AADR test results from each gastroenterologist were updated, every month. Between June 2014, when the program was started, and December 2014, the overall PDR and ADR in our center were 62.5% and 41.4%, respectively. And the overall SDR and AADR were 7.5% and 12.1%, respectively. CONCLUSION: We envision that KG quality reporting system can be applied to develop a comprehensive system to check colon polyp detection rates in other gastroenterology centers.

[Efficacy and Safety of FOLFIRI after Failure of FOLFOX-4 in Advanced Gastric Cancer].

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of irinotecan based FOLFIRI chemotherapy as a second-line treatment after failure of FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: Fifty-two patients who were pathologically diagnosed with unresectable gastric cancer and received FOLFIRI chemotherapy after failure of FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy between September 2005 and February 2012 were enrolled in this study. Data were collected by retrospectively reviewing the medical records. The response to chemotherapy was assessed every 3 cycles by World Health Organization criteria and long term survival was analyzed. The toxicities were evaluated for every course of chemotherapy according to National Cancer Institution (NCI) toxicity criteria version 3.0. RESULTS: Median age of the patients was 57 years. Median overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) were 7.8 and 5 months, respectively. The number of patients showing complete remission, partial remission, stable disease, and progressive disease were 0 (0.0%), 9 (17.3%), 30 (57.7%), and 13 (25.0%), respectively. The overall response rate was 17.3%. During a total of 345 cycles, anemia worse than NCI toxicity grade 3 occurred in 2.9%, leukopenia in 20.3%, neutropenia in 12.2%, and thrombocytopenia in 1.5%. Patients with less organ involvement by metastasis, less than 34 U/mL of CA 19-9 and good responsiveness to third cycle of second line chemotherapy were associated with longer OS and TTP. CONCLUSIONS: FOLFIRI chemotherapy has a modest efficacy with acceptable toxicities in patients with advanced gastric cancer as a second-line treatment. Further well-controlled studies are needed to elucidate the efficacy of FOLFIRI chemotherapy as second-line treatment in patients with advanced stomach cancer.

[A case of intestinal tuberculosis with perianal fistula diagnosed after 30 years].

Tuberculosis can occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract. However, anorectal tuberculosis has rarely been reported. A 46-years-old male presented with abdominal pain and perianal discharge of 30 years' duration. The patient had received operations for anal fistula and inflammation three times. Although he had been taking mesalazine for the past three years after being diagnosed with Crohn's disease, his symptoms persisted. Colonoscopy performed at our hospital revealed cicatricial change of ileocecal valve and diffuse ulcer scar with mild luminal narrowing of the ascending, transverse, and descending colon without active lesions. Multiple large irregular active ulcers were observed in the distal sigmoid and proximal rectum. An anal fistula opening with much yellowish discharge and background ulcer scar was observed in the anal canal. However, cobble-stone appearance and pseudopolyposis were not present. Therefore, we clinically diagnosed him as having intestinal tuberculosis with anal fistula and prescribed antituberculosis medications. Follow-up colonoscopy performed 3 months later showed much improved multiple large irregular ulcers in the distal sigmoid colon and proximal rectum along with completely resolved anal fistula without evidence of pus discharge.

A Case of medullary thyroid carcinoma with de novo V804M RET germline mutation.

Many cases of RET proto-oncogene mutations of hereditary medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) have been reported in Korea. However, MTC with V804M RET proto-oncogene germline mutations have not been reported in Korea. A 33-yr-old man was diagnosed with a 0.7-cm sized thyroid nodule. Laboratory testing revealed serum calcitonin was elevated. The patient underwent total thyroidectomy with central compartment neck dissection for the thyroid tumor. RET gene analysis was performed in both the index patient and his family. There were no V804M RET mutation and abnormal laboratory findings within his family except the index patient. Therefore, this patient was a de novo V804M RET germline mutation.

Relationship between patterns of calcification in thyroid nodules and histopathologic findings.

Various patterns of calcification have been detected in benign and malignant thyroid nodules on ultrasonography (US). Microcalcification has been found to be highly associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma. However, other patterns of calcification have unclear clinical significance. The aim of this study was to evaluate which pattern of calcification could be predictive of malignancy. A total of 1,431 thyroid nodules of 1,078 patients who received preoperative ultrasound examinations and subsequently underwent thyroidectomy were retrospectively reviewed. The types of calcification were defined as follows: microcalcification, annular-like peripheral calcification, crescent-like peripheral calcification, intranodular coarse calcification, and calcified spot. Of these 1,431 nodules, 1,305 (91.1%) were thyroid carcinomas and 126 (8.9%) were benign nodules. Calcifications were detected in 38.6% (552/1,431) of all nodules. Calcifications were found in 40.2% (524/1,305) of malignant nodules and 22.2% (28/126) of benign nodules. Of the 524 malignant nodules with calcification, microcalcification was the most common pattern, occurring in 42.9% (225/524), and annular type was the least common pattern, occurring in 5.9% (31/524). Among the calcification types, only microcalcification and intranodular had a significant association with malignancy (p = 0.001, 0.035), with OR values of 3.5 (95% CI, 1.6-7.7) and 2.4 (95% CI, 1.1-5.6). Though using the patterns of calcification alone for predicting malignancy had limitation, microcalcification and intranodular calcification were significantly associated with malignancy.