Does chromoendoscopy with structure enhancement improve the colonoscopic adenoma detection rate?

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Colonoscopy is still considered the standard investigation for the detection of colorectal adenomas, but the miss rate, especially for small and flat lesions, remains unacceptably high. Chromoscopy has been shown to increase the yield for lesion detection in inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this randomized prospective study was to determine whether a combination of chromoscopy and structure enhancement could increase the adenoma detection rate in high-risk patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients included in the trial had a personal history of colorectal adenomas and/or a family history of colorectal cancer (but excluding genetic syndromes). They were randomized to one of two tandem colonoscopy groups, with the first pass consisting of conventional colonoscopy for both groups, followed by either chromoscopy and structure enhancement (the "study" group) or a second conventional colonoscopy (the control group) for the second-pass colonoscopy. All detected lesions was examined histopathologically after endoscopic resection or biopsy. The principal outcome parameter was the adenoma detection rate; the number, histopathology, and location of lesions was also recorded. RESULTS: A total of 292 patients were included in the study (146 patients in each group). The patients' demographic characteristics, the indications for colonoscopy, and the quality of bowel preparation were similar in the two groups. There was a significant difference between the two groups with respect to the median duration of the examination (18.9 minutes in the control group vs. 27.1 minutes for the study group, P < 0.001). Although more hyperplastic lesions were detected throughout the colon in the study group ( P = 0.033), there was no difference between the two groups in either the proportion of patients with at least one adenoma or in the total number of adenomas detected. Chromoscopy and structure enhancement diagnosed significantly more diminutive adenomas (< 5mm) in the right colon, compared with controls ( P = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of our results we cannot generally recommend the systematic use of chromoscopy and structure enhancement in a high-risk patient population, although the detection of small adenomas in the proximal colon was improved.

Anal carcinoma: prognostic value of endorectal ultrasound (ERUS). Results of a prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The classification of anal carcinoma is based on the clinical examination and the estimation of the tumor height (Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) 1987 Classification). This classification has a direct therapeutic application since tumors which are designated T1 and T2 are generally treated by radiotherapy whereas T3, T4 or N+ lesions are treated by concomitant radiation and chemotherapy. The aim of this prospective multicenter study was to evaluate endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) and to define an ERUS-based classification. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1994 and May 1997, 146 patients (42 men and 104 women; mean age, 63) from eight different centers were studied prospectively. The ERUS classification incorporates disease of the anal canal and the perirectal lymph nodes, thus: usT1 describes involvement of the mucosa and submucosa with sparing of the internal sphincter; usT2, involvement of the internal sphincter with sparing of the external sphincter; usT3, involvement of the external sphincter; usT4, involvement of a pelvic organ; N0 describes no suspicious perirectal lymph nodes, and N+, perirectal lymph nodes fulfilling endosonographic criteria for malignancy (e.g. round, hypoechoic). Tumors classified as UICC T1-T2 (<4cm) N0 were treated by radiotherapy alone, whereas lesions with a UICC classification of T2 (> 4 cm), T3-T4, N0-N1-2-3 received combined radiochemotherapy. RESULTS: Data concerning the treatment and follow-up were available for 115/146 patients (78.7%). We compared the prognostic importance of the two classification schemes for treatment response and the rate of local relapse (chi-squared test). A significantly greater proportion of T1-T2N0 lesions classified by ERUS had a complete response to treatment than those classified by conventional UICC staging (94.5% vs. 80%, respectively; P = 0.008). The ERUS T and N stage were significant predictors of relapse (P=0.001 and P=0.03, respectively) whereas the corresponding clinical (UICC) stages were not (P = 0.4 and P = 0.5, respectively). Using a Cox model, usT stage was the only significant predictive factor for patient survival. CONCLUSION: This muticenter prospective study demonstrated the superiority of ERUS-based staging over traditional clinical staging in the prediction of important outcomes such as local tumor recurrence and patient survival.

[Acid suppression therapy is not required after one-week anti-Helicobacter pylori triple therapy for duodenal ulcer healing]. / La poursuite du traitement antisécrétoire après trithérapie d'éradication de Helicobacter pylori n'est pas nécessaire pour obtenir la cicatrisation des ulcères duodénaux.

AIM: To compare healing of Helicobacter pylori-related non complicated duodenal ulcer after one-week eradication triple therapy alone and after triple therapy with further 3-weeks antisecretory treatment with ranitidine. METHODS: Three hundred and forty three patients with symptomatic H. pylori positive duodenal ulcer were included in this randomized double-blind placebo controlled study. H. pylori infection was established by rapid urease test and histopathology of antral biopsies. All patients were treated for one week with ranitidine 300 mg b.i.d., amoxicillin 1 g b.i.d., clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d., and then randomly treated for the following 3 weeks either with ranitidine 300 mg once daily (triple therapy + ranitidine, n =180) or placebo (triple therapy alone, n =163). Ulcer healing was assessed by endoscopy 4 weeks after inclusion. H. pylori eradication was established by (13) C-urea breath testing 5 weeks after the end of triple therapy. RESULTS: In intention to treat, duodenal ulcer healed at 4 weeks in 86 % of patients treated with triple therapy + ranitidine and in 83 % of patients treated with triple therapy alone (equivalence: 90 % CI [-3. 8 %; 9.2 %]). The H. pylori eradication rates were 67 % and 69 % respectively. Ulcer healed in 88 % of patients in whom H. pylori eradication was achieved and in 77 % of patients in whom eradication failed. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that one-week triple therapy alone is highly effective in healing non complicated H. pylori associated duodenal ulcer without additional antisecretory treatment.

Relationships between endosonographic appearan e and clinical or manometric features in patients with achalasia.

BACKGROUND: The existence of endosonographic abnormalities of the oesophagus in achalasia is discussed. The place of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) needs to be clarified. PATIENTS: Thirty five untreated patients suffering from achalasia and 28 controls without oesophageal disease were prospectively enrolled since 1993. Pseudoachalasia was diagnosed in two patients. METHODS: EUS measurements were performed at two opposite sites at the level of the cardia, and 5 cm and 10 cm proximally, avoiding compression by the water filled balloon. RESULTS: The oesophageal wall and the fourth hypoechoic layer were significantly thicker at the level of the cardia and 5 cm above, with mean differences between patients and controls of 0.37/0.42 mm and 0.16/0.23 mm respectively. No statistically significant correlation could be demonstrated between the thickness of the oesophageal wall or of the fourth hypoechoic layer and weight loss, or the average pressure of the lower oesophageal sphincter. However, a significant inverse relationship was demonstrated between the duration of symptoms and the thickness of the fourth hypoechoic layer. The thickness of the fourth hypoechoic layer was also increased in patients who required only one pneumatic dilatation (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The thickness of the oesophageal wall and of the fourth hypoechoic layer appeared to be significantly increased in achalasia patients. However, the slight increase of the mean size (< 0.5 mm) of the muscularis propria suggests that EUS is not helpful in the diagnosis of achalasia. The physiopathological basis of advanced achalasia has to be reconsidered as we demonstrated an inverse relationship between the duration of symptoms and the thickness of the muscularis propria.

Endosonography in the localization of parathyroid tumors: a preliminary study.

A preoperative transesophageal exploration of the parathyroids by endosonography was performed on 23 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. The system used was a 7.5 MHz transducer mounted on the tip of an endoscope with an external diameter of 13 mm. The field of visualization was 360 degrees. A retrograde exploration was done moving up from the aortic arch to the upper esophageal sphincter. All patients underwent surgery afterward, and adenomas were found. In 12 cases the adenoma was visualized. All 12 adenomas were posteriorly located on the right side (four cases) and left side (eight cases) of the esophagus. Nine of these 12 tumors were on the posterior face of the thyroid lobes, with six tumors in the middle one third of the thyroid lobe and three in the lower one third of the thyroid lobe. The other three tumors were located below the lower pole of the thyroid lobes in the upper posterior mediastinum. Mean tumor weight was 1165 mg. Of the 11 tumors that could not be visualized, eight tumors were anteriorly located; three of these tumors were on the anterior and lateral surface of the lower pole of the thyroid, and five were in the thyrothymic tracts. The remaining three tumors were located on the back of the thyroid lobes; two of these tumors were at the upper esophageal sphincter, and one was on the side of the pharynx. Mean tumor size was 1334 mg. Localization of parathyroid tumors by endosonography appears possible but only if lesions are located posteriorly, close to the esophagus. Endosonography is not indicated before routine cervical exploration for primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism. As in other such studies, endosonography could be useful in cases of persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism.