Incidence, pattern, and etiology of elevated liver enzymes in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often develop elevated liver enzymes (ELE), which are frequently a benign, transient finding, but may be related to treatment or IBD-associated liver diseases. Distinguishing benign from pathologic ELE is crucial for focused diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. We sought to characterize the incidence, character, chronicity, degree, and etiology of ELE in children with IBD. METHODS: Institutional review board-approved retrospective review of all of the patients with IBD (2-21 years) seen between October 2009 and October 2012 with >9 months of follow-up were included in the study. We examined body mass index, disease activity, extent, phenotype, concurrent medications, and character, chronicity, degree of enzyme elevation, and final diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 219 of 514 patients with IBD had ≥1 episode of ELE. Five patients were excluded for preexisting liver disease, leaving 214 patients (Crohn disease [CD]: 14.8 ±â€Š3.5 years, 46% girls; ulcerative colitis [UC]: 14.4 ±â€Š4.2 years, 37% girls). One hundred forty-eight patients (69%) had a hepatic, 17 (8%) cholestatic, and 49 (23%) mixed character of ELE. There were no significant differences in character, chronicity, or degree of ELE between CD and UC (P = 0.71, P = 0.58, P > 0.33). Of the 128 patients with sufficient data to determine chronicity, 98 (77%) had transient elevations, (CD: n = 66, 75% and UC: n = 32, 80%). Episodes of ELE were idiopathic in 87% of patients with IBD. A final diagnosis of idiopathic ELE was associated with a lower degree of ELE elevation (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients with IBD commonly experience transient, idiopathic ELE. Our findings suggest that higher degrees of ELE, specifically alanine aminotransferase, are associated with an etiology that requires more extensive evaluation.

The Medical and Surgical Management of Recurrent Multicenter Insulinomatosis Without Known Genetic Predisposition.

Insulinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors characterized by episodic hypoglycemia. Typically, insulinomas are benign, solitary, intrapancreatic, and measure less than 2 cm in diameter. When insulinomas are multicenter or recurrent, they are often associated with genetic conditions such as multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, neurofibromatosis type 1, or von Hippel-Lindau disease. Most insulinomas can be resolved with surgery. Multicenter and recurrent insulinomas, known as insulinomatosis, may require additional medical and surgical management. We report a distinctive case involving recurrent multicenter insulinomatosis devoid of any identified genetic familial predisposition. The patient's complex medical history spans nearly 2 decades, marked by unsuccessful attempts at resolution through surgical enucleation and noninvasive medical management, culminating in the decision for total pancreatectomy.

Randomized intervention and outpatient follow-up lowers 30-d readmissions for patients with hepatic encephalopathy, decompensated cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported national 30-d readmission rates of 27% in patients with decompensated cirrhosis (DC). AIM: To study prospective interventions to reduce early readmissions in DC at our tertiary center. METHODS: Adults with DC admitted July 2019 to December 2020 were enrolled and randomized into the intervention (INT) or standard of care (SOC) arms. Weekly phone calls for a month were completed. In the INT arm, case managers ensured outpatient follow-up, paracentesis, and medication compliance. Thirty-day readmission rates and reasons were compared. RESULTS: Calculated sample size was not achieved due to coronavirus disease 2019; 240 patients were randomized into INT and SOC arms. 30-d readmission rate was 33.75%, 35.83% in the INT vs 31.67% in the SOC arm (P = 0.59). The top reason for 30-d readmission was hepatic encephalopathy (HE, 32.10%). There was a lower rate of 30-d readmissions for HE in the INT (21%) vs SOC arm (45%, P = 0.03). There were fewer 30-d readmissions in patients who attended early outpatient follow-up (n = 17, 23.61% vs n = 55, 76.39%, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Our 30-d readmission rate was higher than the national rate but reduced by interventions in patients with DC with HE and early outpatient follow-up. Development of interventions to reduce early readmission in patients with DC is needed.

Epidemiologic and socioeconomic factors impacting hepatitis B virus and related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chronic Hepatitis B is a highly prevalent disease worldwide and is estimated to cause more than 800000 annual deaths from complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although universal hepatitis B vaccination programs may have reduced the incidence and prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and related HCC, the disease still imposes a significant healthcare burden in many endemic regions such as Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. This is especially concerning given the global underdiagnosis of hepatitis B and the limited availability of vaccination, screening, and treatment in low-resource regions. Demographics including male gender, older age, ethnicity, and geographic location as well as low socioeconomic status are more heavily impacted by chronic hepatitis B and related HCC. Methods to mitigate this impact include increasing screening in high-risk groups according to national guidelines, increasing awareness and health literacy in vulnerable populations, and developing more robust vaccination programs in under-served regions.

Impact of Cannabis Use on Inpatient Inflammatory Bowel Disease Outcomes in 2 States Legalizing Recreational Cannabis.

Background: We evaluated the impact of recreational cannabis legalization on use and inpatient outcomes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: Hospitalized adult patients in Colorado and Washington before (2011) and after (2015) recreational cannabis legalization were compared by chi-square tests for categorical variables and t-tests for continuous variables. Multivariable regression models adjusting for demographic data were fit to assess the association of cannabis use with hospital outcomes. Results: Reported cannabis use increased after legalization (1.2% vs 4.2%, P < .001). On multivariable analysis, in 2011, cannabis users were less likely to need total parenteral nutrition (odds ratio 0.12, P = .038), and in 2015 had less hospital charges ($-8418, P = .024). Conclusions: The impact of cannabis legalization and use on IBD is difficult to analyze but may have implications on inpatient IBD outcomes as described in this retrospective analysis. Large, prospective studies are needed to evaluate other IBD outcomes based on cannabis legalization and use.

Spirulina breath test indicates differences in gastric emptying based on age, gender, and BMI.

BACKGROUND: Measurements of gastric emptying (GE) by scintigraphy in the pediatric population are based on adult standards. Due to radiation exposure, scintigraphy cannot be performed on healthy children to establish norms of GE in the pediatric population. Stable isotope breath tests (GEBTs) pose no such health risk to children. This study sought to determine the feasibility of a GEBT in children and to investigate whether GE may differ by age, gender, or body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Fifty healthy children 6 to 18 years underwent a 13 C-Spirulina platensis GEBT. Breath samples were obtained at baseline, every 15 min for 1 h, and at 30-min intervals for 3 h thereafter. Seventeen similarly aged patients with dyspeptic symptoms concurrently underwent scintigraphy and the GEBT. KEY RESULTS: Forty-six healthy subjects were included in the final analysis. Females had an overall slower rate of GE than did males. At nearly all timepoints, children with a BMI >85th percentile had slower GE than normally weighted children. The GE rate of children aged 6-9 reached a maximum later than did the rate of older children. Thirteen patients undergoing scintigraphy were included in the comparative analysis. The agreement between scintigraphic and GEBT half-times as measured by the concordance correlation coefficient was 0.383 (95% CI: 0.02-0.65). CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: GEBT was easily accomplished in healthy children. Differences of GE rates by age, gender, and BMI support the need for establishing pediatric standards of GE. One way to establish such standards may be through the use of a GEBT.

Impact of rapid infliximab infusions on access at a large academic tertiary medical center.

PURPOSE: Infliximab promotes remission in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatologic disease (RD). Rapid infliximab infusions (RI) reduce infusion time from 2 hours to 1 hour and can enhance access to care, as defined by capacity, safety, and patient characteristics. Our hypothesis for the study described here was that use of RI can enhance access for patients. METHODS: Data on all patients receiving infliximab for IBD or RD at our outpatient infusion center from February 2016 to August 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical information were collected. RESULTS: Of 348 patients who received infliximab, 205 had IBD and 143 had RD. In terms of capacity, 40% of patients received RI, resulting in a 16.1% decrease in average daily infusion time and a 9.8% increase in average daily available scheduled infusion chair time (P = 0.720). In terms of safety, 4 patients switched back to standard infusions after RI, after 3 specifically had reactions to RI. In terms of patient characteristics, more patients with RD versus IBD received RI (P = 0.020). Among the patients with RD, a lower proportion receiving RI were female (P = 0.043). For the patients with IBD, a higher proportion receiving RI were White (P = 0.048). Among both patients with RD and patients with IBD, a higher proportion receiving RI had private insurance (P = 0.016 and P = 0.018, respectively). CONCLUSION: RI were safe and increased available chair time. Females with RD, patients of non-White race with IBD, and patients with public insurance were less likely to receive RI. Future directions include patient surveys and evaluation of implicit bias against patient factors that may impact access to RI.

Migration of Gastric Varix Coil After Balloon-Occluded Antegrade Transvenous Obliteration.

This is a case report of a man with alcoholic cirrhosis who underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and balloon-occluded antegrade transvenous obliteration for gastric fundal varices in 2017. After almost a year, we found extensive migration of the coil into the gastric fundus on upper endoscopy. Continued vigilant surveillance endoscopy may help detect this complication.

Pancreatic Cystic Lesions: Pathogenesis and Malignant Potential.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal cancers despite extensive research. Further understanding of precursor lesions may enhance the ability to treat and prevent pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) with malignant potential include: mucinous PCLs (intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasm), solid pseudopapillary tumors and cystic neuroendocrine tumors. This review summarizes the latest literature describing what is known about the pathogenesis and malignant potential of these PCLs, including unique epidemiological, radiological, histological, genetic and molecular characteristics.

Commentary: Flawed scientific-evidence standards delay diesel regulations.

Of 188 government-monitored air toxics, diesel particulate matter (DPM) causes seven times more cancer than all the other 187 air toxics combined, including benzene, lead, and mercury. Yet, DPM is the only air toxic not regulated more stringently under the Clean Air Act, as a hazardous air pollutant (HAP). One reason is that regulators use flawed standards of scientific evidence. The article argues (1) that DPM meets all six specified evidentiary criteria, any one of which is sufficient for HAP regulation and (2) that regulators' standards of evidence for denying HAP status to DPM (no DPM unit-risk estimate, inadequate dose-response data, alleged weak mechanistic data) err logically and scientifically, set the evidence bar too high, delay regulation, and allow 21,000 avoidable DPM deaths annually in the U.S.