The Impact of Sleeve Gastrectomy on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Patients with Morbid Obesity.

INTRODUCTION: The impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has not been widely quantified, and the data in the literature remain controversial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Candidates for LSG underwent barium swallow, esophageal manometry, ambulatory 24-h esophageal pH monitoring (APM), and gastric emptying scintigraphy before and after surgery (1 and 18 months). Symptoms were evaluated using a gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire (GERDq). Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed preoperatively in all patients and at 18 months postoperatively in patients who had suffered from preoperative esophagitis. RESULTS: Fifty-two patients were included in the study (64.4% women and 34.6% men) with a median age of 46 years (25-63 years) and BMI of 45.0 ± 5.6 kg/m2. The follow-up rates at 1 and 18 months were 82.7% and 80.8%. At 18 months, the percentage of weight loss (%TWL) was 33.6 ± 10.4% and the percentage of excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) was 77.6 ± 25%. Postoperatively, a significant increase in accelerated gastric emptying and impaired esophageal body motility occurred at 1 and 18 months. A significant worsening of all the values obtained at both 1 and 18 months postoperatively becomes evident when comparing the results of the APM. After surgery, 76.4% of patients had developed "de novo" GERD at 1 month and 41% at 18 months. No improvement was found in patients with symptomatic GERD. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, LSG led to a considerable rate of postoperative "de novo" GERD. In addition, no improvement was found in patients with symptomatic GERD.

Impact of BMGIM Music Therapy on Emotional State in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a high prevalence of emotional disturbances which worsen the symptoms of the disease. As a therapeutic alternative that is part of a comprehensive care alongside medication, the Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music (BMGIM) music-assisted therapy has achieved promising emotional improvements in patients with chronic diseases. The objective of the study was to determine the impact of a treatment based on a BMGIM group adaptation on patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and their emotional state, therefore analyzing state of mind, quality of life, anxiety, depression, immunocompetence as a marker of well-being, and levels of acute and chronic stress. METHODS: Longitudinal, prospective, quantitative, and experimental study including 43 patients with IBD divided into an intervention group (22 patients), who received eight sessions over eight weeks, and a control group (21 patients). A saliva sample was taken from each patient before and after each session in order to determine cortisol and IgA levels. Similarly, a hair sample was taken before the first and after the last session to determine the cumulative cortisol level. All molecules were quantified using the ELISA immunoassay technique. In addition, patients completed several emotional state questionnaires: HADS, MOOD, and CCVEII. RESULTS: An improvement was observed in the following states of mind: sadness, fear, anger, and depression. No significant effect was observed in state of mind in terms of happiness or anxiety, in the levels of cortisol in hair, and in patients' perceived quality of life. A reduction in cortisol was observed in saliva, although this did not significantly affect the IgA titer. CONCLUSIONS: BMGIM seems to improve the emotional state of patients with IBD.

Randomised clinical trial: intravenous vs oral iron for the treatment of anaemia after acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Acute gastrointestinal bleeding is prevalent condition and iron deficiency anaemia is a common comorbidity, yet anaemia treatment guidelines for affected patients are lacking. AIM: To compare efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and oral ferrous sulphate (FeSulf) in patients with anaemia secondary to non-variceal gastrointestinal bleeding METHODS: A prospective 42-day study randomised 61 patients with haemoglobin <10 g/dL upon discharge (Day 0) to receive FCM (n = 29; Day 0: 1000 mg, Day 7: 500 or 1000 mg; per label) or FeSulf (n = 32; 325 mg/12 hours for 6 weeks). Outcome measures were assessed on Days 0 (baseline), 7, 21 and 42. The primary outcome was complete response (haemoglobin ≥12 g/dL [women], ≥13 g/dL [men]) after 6 weeks. RESULTS: A higher proportion of complete response was observed in the FCM vs the FeSulf group at Days 21 (85.7% vs 45.2%; P = 0.001) and 42 (100% vs 61.3%; P < 0.001). Additionally, the percentage of patients with partial response (haemoglobin increment ≥2 g/dL from baseline) was significantly higher in the FCM vs the FeSulf group (Day 21:100% vs 67.7%; P = 0.001, Day 42:100% vs 74.2%; P = 0.003). At Day 42, normalisation of transferrin saturation to 25% or greater was observed in 76.9% of FCM vs 24.1% of FeSulf-treated patients (P < 0.001). No patient in the FCM group reported any adverse event vs 10 patients in the FeSulf group. CONCLUSION: FCM provided greater and faster Hb increase and iron repletion, and was better tolerated than FeSulf in patients with iron deficiency anaemia secondary to non-variceal acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

[Duodenal adenocarcinoma: a rare diagnosis]. / Adenocarcinoma duodenal: un diagnóstico poco frecuente.

Duodenal adenocarcinoma is a rare disease whose symptoms are usually vomit, weight loss and lack of appetite; appearing more frequently in men in their sixties. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the technique chosen for its diagnosis, also relying on other techniques such as endoscopic ultrasonography or computed tomography for the extension study. In this regard we report the case of a patient diagnosed of bulbar duodenal adenocarcinoma in our hospital.

Adenocarcinoma duodenal: un diagnóstico poco frecuente / Duodenal adenocarcinoma: a rare diagnosis

El adenocarcinoma duodenal es una entidad poco prevalente que suele cursar con clínica de vómitos, pérdida de peso e hiporexia; presentándose más frecuentemente en varones en la sexta década de la vida. La endoscopia digestiva alta supone la técnica de elección para el diagnóstico, siendo útiles para el estudio de extensión tanto la ecoendoscopia como la tomografía computarizada (TC). En relación a esta rara patología presentamos el caso de un paciente diagnosticado de neoplasia de bulbo duodenal en nuestro centro...

Duodenal adenocarcinoma is a rare disease whose symptoms are usually vomit, weight loss and lack of appetite; appearing more frequently in men in their sixties. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is the technique chosen for its diagnosis, also relying on other techniques such as endoscopic ultrasonography or computed tomography for the extension study. In this regard we report the case of a patient diagnosed of bulbar duodenal adenocarcinoma in our hospital...

Management of primary achalasia: The role of endoscopy.

Achalasia is an oesophageal motor disorder which leads to the functional obstruction of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) and is currently incurable. The main objective of all existing therapies is to achieve a reduction in the obstruction of the distal oesophagus in order to improve oesophageal transit, relieve the symptomatology, and prevent long-term complications. The most common treatments used are pneumatic dilation (PD) and laparoscopic Heller myotomy, which involves partial fundoplication with comparable short-term success rates. The most economic non-surgical therapy is PD, with botulinum toxin injections reserved for patients with a higher surgical risk for whom the former treatment option is unsuitable. A new technology is peroral endoscopic myotomy, postulated as a possible non-invasive alternative to surgical myotomy. Other endoluminal treatments subject to research more recently include injecting ethanolamine into the LES and using a temporary self-expanding metallic stent. At present, there is not enough evidence permitting a routine recommendation of any of these three novel methods. Patients must undergo follow-up after treatment to guarantee that their symptoms are under control and to prevent complications. Most experts are in favour of some form of endoscopic follow-up, however no established guidelines exist in this respect. The prognosis for patients with achalasia is good, although a recurrence after treatment using any method requires new treatment.