Patients with Clostridium difficile infection and prior appendectomy may be prone to worse outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) occurs due to a dysbiosis in the colon. The appendix is considered a 'safe house' for gut microbiota and may help repopulate gut flora of patients with CDI. AIM: To study the impact of prior appendectomy on the severity and outcomes of CDI. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data of 1580 patients with CDI, admitted to our hospital between 2008 to 2018. Patients were grouped based on the presence or absence of the appendix. The primary aim was to (1) assess all-cause mortality and (2) the severity of CDI. Severity was defined as per the Infectious Diseases Society of America criteria. Logistic regression, and propensity score analysis using inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTW) was performed. RESULTS: Of the 1580 patients, 12.5% had a history of appendectomy. There was no statistical difference in mortality between patients with a prior appendectomy or without (13.7% vs 14%, P = 0.877). However, a history of appendectomy affected the severity of CDI [odds ratio (OR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.75]. On IPTW, this association remained significant (OR = 1.59, P < 0.05). On multivariable analysis of secondary outcomes, prior appendectomy was also associated with toxic megacolon (OR = 5.37, P < 0.05) and colectomy (OR = 2.77, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Prior appendectomy may affect the severity of CDI, development of toxic megacolon and the eventual need for colectomy. Since treatment of CDI is governed by its severity, stronger antibiotic regimens or earlier use of fecal microbiota transplant may be a viable option for patients with prior appendectomy.

Chronic hepatitis-C infection in COVID-19 patients is associated with in-hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND: There is little evidence about the association of pre-existing hepatitis C infection (HCV) with outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). AIM: To assess the prevalence of history of HCV among patients with COVID-19 and to study the relationship of in-hospital mortality in relation with other predictors of poor outcomes in the presence or absence of COVID-19 induced acute liver injury. METHODS: In a retrospective single-center study design, 1193 patients with COVID-19 infection were studied. Patients were then classified into those with and without a history of HCV, 50 (4.1%) and 1157 (95.9%) respectively. RESULTS: Multivariate cox-regression models showed that age, HCV, D-Dimer, and ferritin were the only predictors of in-hospital mortality. Acute liver injury and fibrosis score (Fib-4 score) were not different between both groups. Multivariate cox-regression model for liver profile revealed that aspartate aminotransferase/ alanine aminotransferase ratio, Fib-4 score, and HCV were predictors of in-hospital mortality. After propensity score matching HCV was the only predictor of mortality in the multivariate cox-regression model. A model including HCV was found to add predictive value to clinical and laboratory parameters. CONCLUSION: In patients with COVID-19, history of HCV infection leads to an accentuated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virulence, irrespective of baseline comorbidities, admission laboratory variables, or COVID-19-induced liver injury, which may be related to extrahepatic effects of HCV leading to enhanced ACE-2/TMPRSS mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry, baseline cytokine-mediated pro-inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction.

Atypical Presentation of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Masquerading as Diffuse Severe Esophagitis.

Esophagitis is described as an inflammation of the esophagus and can result from multiple etiologies. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), presenting as diffuse esophagitis in the absence of a mass or lesion, is rare. We present a case of a 61-year-old man who presented to the gastroenterology clinic for dysphagia and heartburn of 3 months duration. The patient had lost about 15 pounds unintentionally over 6 months. The patient underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy, which revealed significant diffuse Grade 4 esophagitis without any overt bleeding. Random biopsies were taken with cold forceps from proximal, middle, and distal esophageal segments because of the striking endoscopic appearance. Histopathology revealed high-grade dysplasia and carcinoma in situ. The patient underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) of the esophagus, which revealed a focal lesion. EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration showed squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. ESCC usually presents as a mass or a gross lesion seen on endoscopy. However, it rarely presents as severe diffuse esophagitis seen on routine endoscopy. From our observation, it would be reasonable for physicians to bear this unusual endoscopic presentation in mind and perform multiple random biopsies if encountered with such a case to rule out the possibility of any underlying malignancy.

The Incidence and Mortality Impact of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients requiring hospitalization to critical care units are at a higher risk for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Although severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection is predominantly a pulmonary disease, other serious manifestations including thromboembolic phenomenon are reported. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring mechanical ventilation, use of steroids and anticoagulation are all known to increase the risk of GI bleeding significantly. AIM: To study the incidence of GI bleeding and its impact on mortality in patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients admitted with SARS-CoV-2 from February 1, 2020 to April 15, 2020. We collected data including demographics, comorbid conditions, laboratory parameters, steroid and anticoagulant use. Coffee ground emesis, hematemesis, melena and hematochezia were defined as GI bleeding. All-cause mortality was reviewed for all patients included in the study. The relationship between GI bleeding and mortality was studied using logistic regression. RESULTS: We had a total of 1206 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection with an all-cause mortality of 34% (n = 411). The overall incidence of GI bleeding was 3.1% (n = 37) with no significant difference between the patients who survived versus died during hospitalization (1.3% vs 1.5%, p = 0.77). Logistic regression analysis did not identify GI bleeding as an independent predictor of mortality. Therapeutic doses of anticoagulation were administered in 13.3% (n = 161) of patients, of which 6.8% (n = 11) developed GI bleeding. Patients were more likely to develop GI bleeding with use of therapeutic doses of anticoagulation (29.7% vs 12.8%, p = 0.003), steroids (37.8% vs 18.5%, p = 0.003) and mechanical ventilation (48.6% vs 30.4%, p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: Patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection are at risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. Therapeutic doses of anticoagulation, mechanical ventilation and steroid use are significant risk factors for GI bleeding. However, GI bleeding did not significantly alter the mortality rates in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.

Colonic Ganglioneuroma: A Rare Lesion With Extremely Different Presentations and Outcomes in Two Patients.

Ganglioneuroma (GN) of the gastrointestinal tract is an extremely rare neuroectodermal tumor. Patients with ganglioneuromas have different presentations depending on the location, extent and size of the lesion. We present two cases of ganglioneuromas that had different clinical presentations and outcomes.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: A Rare Cause of Colonic Mass.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are one of the most used medications worldwide. Every day they are used by more than 30 million Americans. Here, we report a rare and interesting case of a 63-year-old woman with a history of NSAID use who presented to our emergency room with lower abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen with intravenous contrast revealed focal mucosal thickening in the cecum which was highly suspicious for colonic malignancy. She had a colonoscopy which showed two masses and ulcers in the right colon, pathology was negative for malignancy and showed inflammation consistent with NSAID colopathy.

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor as a Rare Cause of Abdominal Mass: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are soft tissue sarcomas that can arise from any part of the digestive system. GISTs represent 1% of gastric neoplasms. We report a rare case of a GIST tumor in a 59-year-old woman who presented with abdominal pain and weight loss. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen with intravenous contrast revealed a left upper quadrant abdominal mass and biopsy showed GIST. She was treated with imatinib to downsize the tumor prior to undergoing surgical resection of the tumor.

Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome: A Rare Cause of Post-polypectomy Bleeding.

A colonoscopy is an effective tool for colorectal cancer screening, which aims at identifying precancerous polyps and removing them. Post-polypectomy bleeding (PPB) is one of the most common complications of endoscopic polypectomy. Here, we report a rare and interesting case of a 68-year-old man known to have Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) who presented with two days history of rectal bleeding one day after he had a screening colonoscopy with polypectomy. He had a drop in his hemoglobin count and was admitted to the medicine floor and given 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP). Later, his bleeding stopped and he reported improvement in his symptoms. This case illustrates the importance of considering platelet transfusion and/or administration during minor surgical procedures for patients with bleeding diathesis such as Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome.

Kayexalate-Induced Esophageal Ulceration in a Patient with Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Review of the Literature.

Hyperkalemia is one of the most common electrolyte abnormalities encountered in clinical practice. The treatment of hyperkalemia includes removal of excess potassium from the body using cation exchange resins, e.g., sodium polystyrene sulfonate (Kayexalate) is one of the most practiced modalities in clinical medicine. Colonic mucosal necrosis and perforation are the serious gastrointestinal side effects associated with sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) use, which have been reported with or without concomitant use of sorbitol. However, the catastrophic bleeding esophageal ulcer has been rarely described in our literature search. Due to the risk of colonic necrosis, the FDA has issued a warning to avoid concomitant sorbitol use with Kayexalate. We present an individual with acute hematemesis due to bleeding esophageal ulcer immediately after treatment with Kayexalate therapy. Though the exact mechanism by which Kayexalate causes esophageal ulcer to be elucidated, nonetheless it is worthwhile to be vigilant about its potential adverse effects. Our case highlights the rare but certainly the life-threatening complication of Kayexalate therapy.

A Rare Case of Splenic Pneumocystis jirovecii in a HIV-Positive Patient.

INTRODUCTION: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals with the CD4 count less than 200 cells/mm3 are at risk for opportunistic infections. Pneumocystis jirovecii, a fungal pathogen, is a common cause of opportunistic infections with predominantly pulmonary involvement. Disseminated P. jiroveciii infection presenting with hepatosplenic lesion is extremely rare. Case Summary. A 31-year-old male with HIV with and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) presented with diarrhea for 3 weeks. He had splenomegaly and inguinal lymphadenopathy on physical examination. Laboratory parameters revealed anemia and hypoalbuminemia, while stool studies for infectious etiology and fecal leucocyte were negative. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest and abdomen depicted consolidation of the lungs and a large splenic mass. He underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy which was consistent with P. jirovecii pneumonia. He also had a ultrasound-guided core biopsy of the splenic mass which revealed necrotizing granulomas with Pneumocystis jirovecii infection on Grocott-Gomori's methenamine silver (GMS) stain and was initiated on treatment for P. jirovecii with sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim. CONCLUSION: Malignancy and atypical infection are key differentials in patients presenting with hepatosplenic lesions. HIV positive patients are at increased risk of AIDS-related lymphoma. Tissue diagnosis is often required for further evaluation. Disseminated P. jirovecii presenting with splenic mass and liver lesion is extremely rare.

Recent Anti-platelet Therapy Revealing Underlying Undiagnosed Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor in Otherwise Healthy Patient.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are uncommon tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that arise from primitive mesenchymal cells. Usually, GIST presents as chronic gastrointestinal symptoms or obscure gastrointestinal bleed. Not many cases have been reported in the literature with acute symptoms in the setting of recent aspirin use. We report a case of 70-year-old male otherwise healthy who presented to the hospital with the complaint of black tarry stool for the past two days after taking one tablet of aspirin once a day for two days. The patient underwent upper endoscopy which showed a moderate size polypoid mass in the gastric fundus. Initially, standard endoscopic biopsy was negative for malignancy, due to high suspicion for GIST, later the patient underwent upper endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration which confirmed low-grade GIST.

Endoscopic Repair of Gastrocolic and Colocutaneous Fistulas Complicating Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube feeding has become one of the options for supplemental feeding in a selected group of patients. It is a generally safe procedure usually undertaken by a gastroenterologist or a surgeon in most cases but with over 200,000 tubes being placed yearly, there is bound to be complications. Some of the encountered complications include bleeding, site infection, tube migration, and inadvertent creation of fistula. We present our index patient admitted from a long-term care facility for feculent vomiting and fecal material through the PEG tube. Imaging and colonoscopy confirmed the presence of both a gastrocolic and a colocutaneous fistula, both closed endoscopically with an over-the-scope and through-the-scope clips, respectively. Feeding through a nasogastric tube was resumed after 48 hours, and by the second week of admission, the patient was discharged back to the facility after placement of a new PEG tube.

Paclitaxel-Induced Bowel Perforation: A Rare Cause of Acute Abdomen.

Paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent, is routinely administered for the treatment of various solid organ malignancies. In rare instances, patients receiving infusions of paclitaxel may present with signs of an acute abdomen. Ischemia and necrosis of the bowel wall from chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and direct toxic effects of the drug have been implicated as the cause. We present a case of necrotizing small and large bowel perforation in a patient with breast cancer, 2 weeks after paclitaxel administration.

Chemical colitis caused by hydrogen peroxide vaginal douche: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most common household disinfectants worldwide. Hydrogen peroxide has been documented as a rare cause of chemical colitis. CASE SUMMARY: We present a case of 31 years old lady who presented to our hospital with rectal bleeding and abdominal pain after using hydrogen peroxide vaginal douche as an enema. She underwent colonoscopy which showed findings suggestive of chemical colitis and was managed conservatively. Hydrogen peroxide can induce chemical injury in the colon. Clinical presentation and endoscopic findings of chemical colitis are nonspecific. History taking is an important tool in identifying the underlying etiology. Review of literature showed few case reports, mostly were managed with oral antibiotics and conservative approach. CONCLUSION: Chemical colitis is usually managed conservatively. Complications including perforation, stricture and peritonitis may happen and need aggressive treatment accordingly.

Acute Diverticulitis: A Rare Cause of Abdominal Pain.

There is an increasing incidence of diverticulosis and diverticulitis in the younger populations; and its occurrence in very young individual is concerning. Here we report a rare and interesting case of a 20-year-old man who presented with 3-day history of epigastric abdominal pain associated with diarrhea and nausea. His abdominal examination revealed mild tenderness in the right lower abdominal quadrant. Computed tomography (CT) scan of abdomen with intravenous contrast revealed scattered diverticula throughout the colon with focal thickening, pericolonic infiltrative changes suggestive of acute diverticulitis in the distal ascending colon. He was treated with intravenous hydration and antibiotics and discharged when his clinical status improved. He underwent colonoscopy 1 month later which showed pan diverticulosis. This case illustrates the importance of considering acute diverticulitis in the differential diagnosis of right lower quadrant pain when evaluating a young patient.

Rare sequalae of hiatal hernia causing pancreatitis and hepatitis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Hiatal hernia (HH) contents commonly include stomach, transverse colon, small intestine, and spleen but herniation of the pancreas is an extremely rare phenomenon. CASE SUMMARY: 79-year-old female with multiple comorbidities presented to emergency department with complaints of weight loss for 6 mo and abdominal pain for one day. Physical examination revealed cachectic and dehydrated female and bowel sounds could be auscultated on the right side of chest. Computed tomography of the chest and abdomen revealed interval enlargement of a massive HH, containing stomach and much of the bowel as well as pancreas and distal extra-hepatic biliary duct, probably responsible for obstructive effect upon same. There was increased prominence of the pancreas consistent with pancreatitis. There was a large HH causing obstructive effect with dilated biliary system along gall bladder wall edema and pancreatitis. Patient clinical status improved with conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: HH presenting with acute pancreatitis is a serious diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The initial management is conservative, even if the abdominal content has herniated to mediastinum. The incentive spirometry can be utilized in the conservative of the large HH. After stabilization of the patient, elective surgical intervention remains the mainstay of the management. Definitive treatment will vary from case to case depending on the acuity of situation and comorbidities.

Evaluation of the combined effect of factors influencing bowel preparation and adenoma detection rates in patients undergoing colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Colonoscopy is a commonly used modality for screening and surveillance of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, it is essential to have adequate bowel preparation (prep) for the procedure which depends on type of bowel regimens, diet before colonoscopy and timing of the procedure. AIMS: The purpose of this study is to analyse the effect of multiple factors on adenoma detection rate (ADR) and prep quality of colonoscopy. This is the also the first study determining outcomes based on various combinations of diet, timing of the procedure and bowel prep regimens. METHODS: This is a retrospective single-centre observational study. Data about diet before procedure, bowel prepprep regimen and timing of the procedure was collected for patients coming for screening colonoscopy. RESULTS: Patients with split prep had higher good prep rates (73.8% vs 56.2%) and higher ADRs (34.2 % vs 29.9%) as compared with non-split prep. The good prep quality (65.8% vs 62.1%) and ADRs (31.9% vs 31.5%) were comparable in patients who received clear liquid diet as compared with low residue diet. The good results of bowel prep were obtained with split prep with either clear liquids or low residue diet irrespective of the timing of procedure. The poor prep was noticed in patients who underwent procedure in afternoon, with a low restrictive diet and non-split bowel regimen. CONCLUSIONS: The current study adds to our knowledge about the combined effect of multiple variables affecting the bowel prep quality and ADR. It is imperative to opt for the best combination required for colonoscopy, as this will influence the effectiveness of colonoscopies regarding timely cancer detection and prevention.

Predicting the presence of adenomatous polyps during colonoscopy with National Cancer Institute Colorectal Cancer Risk-Assessment Tool.

AIM: To evaluate the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Risk Assessment Tool as a predictor for the presence of adenomatous polyps (AP) found during screening or surveillance colonoscopy. METHODS: This is a retrospective single center observational study. We collected data of adenomatous polyps in each colonoscopy and then evaluated the lifetime CRC risk. We calculated the AP prevalence across risk score quintiles, odds ratios of the prevalence of AP across risk score quintiles, area under curves (AUCs) and Youden's indexes to assess the optimal risk score cut off value for AP prevalence status. RESULTS: The prevalence of AP gradually increased throughout the five risk score quintiles: i.e., 27.63% in the first and 51.35% in the fifth quintile. The odd ratios of AP prevalence in the fifth quintile compared to the first and second quintile were 2.76 [confidence interval (CI): 1.71-4.47] and 2.09 (CI: 1.32-3.30). The AUC for all patients was 0.62 (CI: 0.58-0.66). Youden's Index indicated the optimal risk score cutoff value discriminating AP prevalence status was 3.60. CONCLUSION: Patients with the higher NCI risk score have higher risk of AP and subsequent CRC; therefore, measures to increase the effectiveness of CRC detection in these patients include longer withdrawal time, early surveillance colonoscopy, and choosing flexible colonoscopy over other CRC screening modalities.

Perioperative Management of Neurological Conditions.

Perioperative care of the patients with neurological diseases can be challenging. Most important consideration is the management and understanding of pathophysiology of these disorders and evaluation of new neurological changes that occur perioperatively. Perioperative generally refers to 3 phases of surgery: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. We have tried to address few commonly encountered neurological conditions in clinical practice, such as delirium, stroke, epilepsy, myasthenia gravis, and Parkinson disease. In this article, we emphasize on early diagnosis and management strategies of neurological disorders in the perioperative period to minimize morbidity and mortality of patients.