Hepatitis Flares or Hepatic Decompensation after Discontinuation of Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Entecavir in Non-Cirrhotic Hepatitis B e Antigen-Negative Patients.

Hepatic events can occur after discontinuing antiviral therapy. We investigated factors associated with hepatitis flares and hepatic decompensation after discontinuing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and entecavir (ETV). Hepatitis flares within 6 months and hepatic decompensation were compared between non-cirrhotic hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients after discontinuing TDF or ETV by using the Cox proportional hazard model. The cumulative rates of hepatitis flare at 6 months after discontinuing ETV and TDF were 2% and 19%, respectively (p < 0.001). The respective rates of hepatic decompensation at 6 months were 0% and 7% (p = 0.009). Higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (AASLD criteria) at the end of treatment (EOT) (HR = 4.93; p = 0.001), an off-therapy dynamic change in HBV DNA (rapid rebound of HBV DNA from the nadir, ≥1 log10 IU/mL per month) (HR = 10.7; p < 0.001), and the discontinuation of TDF (HR = 6.44; p = 0.006) were independently associated with hepatitis flares within 6 months. Older age (HR = 1.06; p < 0.001) and an off-therapy dynamic change in HBV DNA (HR = 3.26; p = 0.028) were independently associated with hepatic decompensation after the discontinuation of antiviral therapy. In summary, we demonstrated several factors associated with hepatitis flares and hepatic decompensation after discontinuing antiviral therapy in non-cirrhotic hepatitis B e antigen-negative patients.

Comparisons Between Endoscopic Band Ligation, Radiofrequency Ablation and Endoscopic Thermal Therapy for Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) have emerged as alternative therapies of gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) in addition to endoscopic thermal therapy (ETT), but the optimum choice remains inconclusive. AIM: We conducted a meta-analysis in order to compare these three treatments for GAVE. METHODS: We searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials without any language restrictions and also performed a manual literature search of bibliographies located in both retrieved articles and published reviews for eligible publications prior to December 8, 2021. We included comparative trials which had evaluated the efficacy and safety of interventions in adults (aged ≥ 18 years) diagnosed with symptomatic GAVE and was confirmed according to clinical backgrounds and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. We included reports that compared three interventions, ETT, EBL, and RFA. The study was comprised of adults diagnosed with GAVE and focused on overall mortality, bleeding cessation, endoscopic improvement, complications, hospitalization, hemoglobin improvement, number of sessions and transfusion requirements. RESULTS: Twelve studies were performed involving a total of 571 participants for analysis. When compared with ETT, EBL achieved better bleeding cessation (OR 4.48, 95% CI 1.36-14.77, p = 0.01), higher hemoglobin improvement (MD 0.57, 95% CI 0.31-0.83, p < 0.01) and lower number of sessions (MD - 1.44, 95% CI - 2.54 to - 0.34, p = 0.01). Additionally, EBL was superior to ETT in endoscopic improvement (OR 6.00, 95% CI 2.26-15.97, p < 0.01), hospitalization (MD - 1.32, 95% CI - 1.91 to - 0.74, p < 0.01) and transfusion requirement (MD - 2.66, 95% CI - 4.67 to - 0.65, p = 0.01) with statistical significance, with the exception of mortality (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.19-1.77, p = 0.34) and complication rate (OR 5.33, 95% CI 0.58-48.84, p = 0.14). CONCLUSION: For GAVE, we suggest that EBL be initially recommended, and APC and RFA be used as alternative treatment choices based upon a very low quality of evidence.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inflammatory bowel disease care in Taiwan: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a great impact on healthcare system and patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perceptions of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: This prospective multicenter study was conducted between July 2021 and December 2021. Patients with IBD answered a structured questionnaire, and their degree of anxiety was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after reading educational materials. RESULTS: A total of 225 (47.67%) patients with Crohn's disease, 244 (51.69%) with ulcerative colitis and 3 (0.64%) with indeterminate colitis were enrolled. Common concerns were adverse events from vaccination (20.34%), and higher risks of developing severe COVID-19 (19.28%) and COVID-19 infection (16.31%) than the general population. Medications deemed by the patients to increase the risk of COVID-19 were immunomodulators (16.10%), anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists (9.96%), and corticosteroids (9.32%). Thirty-five (7.42%) patients self-discontinued IBD medication, of whom 12 (34.28%) had worse symptoms. Older age (>50 years) (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.19, p = 0.03), IBD-related complications (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04-1.28, p = 0.01), education status below senior high school (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.37, p = 0.001), and residing in north-central Taiwan (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.34, p < 0.001) were associated with more anxiety. None of the enrolled patients contracted COVID-19. The anxiety VAS score (mean ± SD) improved after reading the educational materials (3.84 ± 2.33 vs. 2.81 ± 1.96, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The medical behavior of IBD patients was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and their anxiety could be mitigated after education.

Real-World Evidence of Effectiveness and Safety of Vedolizumab for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Taiwan: A Prospective Nationwide Registry (VIOLET) Study.

BACKGROUND: This nationwide prospective registry study investigated the real-world effectiveness, safety, and persistence of vedolizumab (VDZ) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in Taiwan. Disease relapse rates after VDZ discontinuation due to reimbursement restriction were assessed. METHODS: Data were collected prospectively (January 2018 to May 2020) from the Taiwan Society of IBD registry. RESULTS: Overall, 274 patients (147 ulcerative colitis [UC] patients, 127 Crohn's disease [CD] patients) were included. Among them, 70.7% with UC and 50.4% with CD were biologic-naïve. At 1 year, 76.0%, 58.0%, 35.0%, and 62.2% of UC patients and 57.1%, 71.4%, 33.3%, and 30.0% of CD patients achieved clinical response, clinical remission, steroid-free remission, and mucosal healing, respectively. All patients underwent hepatitis B and tuberculosis screening before initiating biologics, and prophylaxis was recommended when necessary. One hepatitis B carrier, without antiviral prophylaxis due to economic barriers, had hepatitis B reactivation during steroid tapering and increasing azathioprine dosage, which was controlled with an antiviral agent. No tuberculosis reactivation was noted. At 12 months, non-reimbursement-related treatment persistence rates were 94.0% and 82.5% in UC and CD patients, respectively. Moreover, 75.3% of IBD patients discontinued VDZ due to mandatory drug holiday. Relapse rates after VDZ discontinuation at 6 and 12 months were 36.7% and 64.3% in CD patients and 42.9% and 52.4% in UC patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrated VDZ effectiveness in IBD patients in Taiwan, with high treatment persistence rates and favorable safety profiles. A substantial IBD relapse rate was observed in patients who had mandatory drug holiday.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection previously treated with NS5A direct-acting antivirals: a real-world multicenter cohort in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Real-world data are scarce about the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (SOF/VEL/VOX) for retreating East Asian patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who previously received NS5A direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). We conducted a multicenter study to assess the performance of SOF/VEL/VOX in patients who were not responsive to prior NS5A inhibitors in Taiwan. METHODS: Between September 2021 and May 2022, 107 patients who failed NS5A inhibitor-containing DAAs with SOF/VEL/VOX salvage therapy for 12 weeks were included at 16 academic centers. The sustained virologic response at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) was assessed in the evaluable (EP) and per-protocol (PP) populations. The safety profiles were also reported. RESULTS: All patients completed 12 weeks of treatment and achieved an end-of-treatment virologic response. The SVR12 rates were 97.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 92.1-99.0%) and 100% (95% CI 96.4-100%) in EP and PP populations. Three (2.8%) patients were lost to off-treatment follow-up and did not meet SVR12 in the EP population. No baseline factors predicted SVR12. Two (1.9%) not-fatal serious adverse events (AE) occurred but were unrelated to SOF/VEL/VOX. Sixteen (15.0%) had grade 2 total bilirubin elevation, and three (2.8%) had grade 2 alanine transaminase (ALT) elevation. Thirteen (81.3%) of the 16 patients with grade 2 total bilirubin elevation had unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were comparable between baseline and SVR12, regardless of baseline renal reserve. CONCLUSIONS: SOF/VEL/VOX is highly efficacious and well-tolerated for East Asian HCV patients previously treated with NS5A inhibitor-containing DAAs. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: The study was not a drug trial. There was no need for clinical trial registration.

The comparisons of different therapeutic modalities for idiopathic achalasia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: : Current guidelines recommend per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) and laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM) as first-line treatment of idiopathic achalasia, but the optimum choice between different endoscopic and surgical modalities remains inconclusive. We conducted a network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of 8 treatments for idiopathic achalasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: : Three major bibliographic databases were reviewed for enrollment of randomized controlled trials between January 2000 and June 2021. We included adults with idiopathic achalasia and compared two or more of eight interventions including botulinum toxin injection (BTI), pneumatic dilation (PD), BTI + PD, LHM without fundoplication, LHM followed with Dor or Toupet fundoplication, and POEM using either the anterior or posterior approach. Our focus was on clinical success rate, postsurgical acid reflux, and moderate-to-severe adverse events. RESULTS: : Twenty-four studies involved a total of 1987 participants for analysis. When compared with PD, POEM with anterior approach, POEM with posterior approach, LHM + Toupet, and LHM + Dor were all significantly superior to the other regimens in short-term efficacy, with POEM with anterior approach and LHM + Dor showing better improvement in mid-term efficacy. BTI showed a significantly lower efficacy than PD in both periods. Regarding safety, only LHM without fundoplication was significantly associated with higher acid reflux than PD, while LHM + Toupet, LHM without fundoplication, and LHM + Dor showed a non-significant increase in moderate-to-severe adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: : For idiopathic achalasia, we suggest that POEM with an anterior or posterior approach and LHM with Dor or Toupet fundoplication be initially recommended. On the contrary, both LHM without fundoplication and BTI are not recommended as definitive therapy.

Endoscopic features and clinical course of patients with asymptomatic cecal ulcers.

BACKGROUND: Cecal ulcers are sometimes encountered in asymptomatic individuals. Their clinical outcomes and management recommendations remain uncertain. METHODS: Asymptomatic patients who underwent a colonoscopic exam for colon cancer screening were retrospectively reviewed from July 2009 to November 2016. Patients with cecal ulcers were included. Patients who had colorectal symptoms, such as abdominal pain, had nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or were lost to follow-up were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 34,036 patients underwent colon cancer screening. Cecal ulcers were found in 35 patients. After exclusion, 24 patients (mean duration, 52 months) received follow-up colonoscopy. In 20 patients, (83.3%), cecal ulcer resolved without intervention, but 4 patients (16.7%) developed clinical significant diseases, including intestinal tuberculosis (n = 2), Crohn's disease (n = 1), and ulcerative colitis (n = 1). Patients who developed clinically significant diseases had a higher percentage of ulcers larger than 1 cm (75% vs. 15%, p = 0.035), terminal ileum involvement (100% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.006) and ulcers with irregular fold (75% vs. 5%, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with asymptomatic cecal ulcers, the endoscopic features included larger ulcer size, terminal ileum involvement and ulcers with irregular fold may predict development of clinically significant diseases. If the above-mentioned features are present, even asymptomatic patients should be closely monitored.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir with or without low-dose ribavirin for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and severe renal impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Data regarding the real-world effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) with or without low-dose ribavirin (RBV) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and severe renal impairment (RI) are limited. We evaluated the performance of SOF/VEL with or without low-dose RBV in HCV-infected patients with chronic kidney disease stage 4 or 5. DESIGN: 191 patients with compensated (n=181) and decompensated (n=10) liver diseases receiving SOF/VEL (400/100 mg/day) alone and SOF/VEL with low-dose RBV (200 mg/day) for 12 weeks were retrospectively recruited at 15 academic centres in Taiwan. The effectiveness was determined by sustained virological response at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) in evaluable (EP) and per-protocol populations (PP). The safety profiles were assessed. RESULTS: The SVR12 rates by EP and PP analyses were 94.8% (95% CI 90.6% to 97.1%) and 100% (95% CI 97.9% to 100%). In patients with compensated liver disease, the SVR12 rates were 95.0% and 100% by EP and PP analyses. In patients with decompensated liver disease, the SVR12 rates were 90.0% and 100% by EP and PP analyses. Ten patients who failed to achieve SVR12 were attributed to non-virological failures. Among the 20 serious adverse events (AEs), none were judged related to SOF/VEL or RBV. The AEs occurring in ≥10% included fatigue (14.7%), headache (14.1%), nausea (12.6%), insomnia (12.0%) and pruritus (10.5%). None had ≥grade 3 total bilirubin or alanine aminotransferase elevations. CONCLUSION: SOF/VEL with or without low-dose RBV is effective and well-tolerated in HCV-infected patients with severe RI.

Meckel's Diverticulum Diagnosed by Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy: A Multicenter Report from the Taiwan Association for the Study of Small Intestinal Diseases (TASSID).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with Meckel's diverticulum (MD) are difficult to preoperatively diagnose because of its endoscopic inaccessibility. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) allows endoscopic access to the entire small intestine. The aim of the current study was to investigate patients with MD diagnosed by BAE in Taiwan. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study of patients with MD who were diagnosed by BAE in Taiwan. The clinical characteristics, endoscopic features, histopathological findings, treatment methods, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 55 patients with MD were enrolled (46 males and 9 females). The mean age at diagnosis was 34.1 years. Overt gastrointestinal bleeding (87.3%) was the primary indication for BAE, followed by abdominal pain (9.1%), suspected small bowel tumor (1.8%), and Crohn's disease follow-up (1.8%). The mean distance between the ileocecal valve and MD was 71.6 cm (regarding diagnostic yields: BAE-100%, capsule endoscopy-40%, Meckel's scan-35.7%, computed tomography-14.6%, small bowel series-12.5%, and angiography-11.1%; regarding endoscopic features of MD: a large ostium-89.1%, a small ostium-7.3%, and a polypoid mass-3.6%). Surgical treatment was performed in 76.4% patients, and conservative treatment was performed in 23.6% patients. The mean length of MD in 42 patients who underwent surgical resection was 5.2 cm (in 43 patients of MD with available histopathology: heterotopic gastric tissue, 42.4%, heterotopic gastric and pancreatic tissues, 7%; heterotopic pancreatic tissue, 4.7%; heterotopic colonic tissue, 2.3%; and a neuroendocrine tumor, 2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed BAE is a very useful modality for detecting MD compared with other conventional modalities.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin for Child-Pugh B and Child-Pugh C hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Real-world studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) plus ribavirin (RBV) for Child-Pugh B/C hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis are limited. METHODS: We included 107 patients with Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis receiving SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response rates at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) for the evaluable population (EP), modified EP, and per-protocol population (PP) were assessed. Thesafety profiles were reported. RESULTS: The SVR12 rates in the EP, modified EP and PP were 89.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.5-94.2%), 94.1% (95% CI, 87.8-97.3%), and 100% (95% CI, 96.2-100%). Number of patients who failed to achieve SVR12 were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR12 rates were comparable regardless of patient characteristics. One patient discontinued treatment because of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-four patients had serious AEs and six died, but none were related to SOF/VEL or RBV. Among the 96 patients achieving SVR12, 84.4% and 64.6% had improved Child-Pugh and model for endstage liver disease (MELD) scores. Multivariate analysis revealed that a baseline MELD score ≥15 was associated with an improved MELD score of ≥3 (odds ratio, 4.13; 95% CI, 1.16-14.71; P=0.02). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 1 had more significant estimated glomerular filtration rate declines than patients with CKD stage 2 (-0.42 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P=0.01) or stage 3 (-0.56 mL/min/1.73 m2/month; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: SOF/VEL plus RBV for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated for Child-Pugh B/C HCV-related cirrhosis.

Inverted U-Curve Association between Serum Indoxyl Sulfate Levels and Cardiovascular Events in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Protein-bound uremic toxins are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. We investigated their association with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (CHD). METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 86 Taiwanese patients undergoing CHD. The predictors were indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate concentrations, with each analyzed as three tertiles. Outcomes were cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During a 25-month follow up period, there were 23 cardiovascular events and seven all-cause mortality events. In the crude survival analysis, the second indoxyl sulfate tertile was shown to be a powerful predictor of cardiovascular events compared with the third tertile (hazard ratio (HR), 3.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-8.94), and the first tertile was shown to have a poor but insignificant cardiovascular outcome (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.30-4.00). Moreover, the predictive power of the second indoxyl sulfate tertile for cardiovascular events remained after adjustment for confounders (HR, 5.42; 95% CI, 1.67-17.60). CONCLUSIONS: An inverse U-curve relationship was observed between the total serum indoxyl sulfate level and cardiovascular events in our CHD patients. A large-scale study is needed to confirm this relationship.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and compensated liver disease: real-world data in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding the real-world effectiveness and safety of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL) for East Asian patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and compensated liver disease are limited. We evaluated the performance of SOF/VEL for 12 weeks for HCV-infected patients with compensated liver disease in a large real-world cohort in Taiwan. METHODS: Between July 2019 and March 2020, 1880 HCV-infected patients with compensated liver disease who received SOF/VEL 400/100 mg once daily for 12 weeks were included at 15 academic centers in Taiwan. The sustained virologic response at off-treatment week 12 (SVR12) was assessed for evaluable (EP) and per-protocol populations (PP). The tolerance was also reported. RESULTS: The SVR12 rates by EP and PP analyses were 95.6% [1798 of 1880 patients; 95% confidence interval (CI) 94.6-96.5%] and 99.3% (1798 of 1811 patients; 95% CI 98.8-99.6%), respectively. Among 82 patients who failed to achieve SVR12, 13 (15.9%) were attributed to virologic failures. The SVR12 rates were comparable regardless of baseline characteristics. A total of 1859 (98.9%) patients completed 12-week SOF/VEL treatment. Four (0.2%) patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events (AEs). All patients with serious AEs or deaths were judged not related to SOF/VEL. The AEs occurring in ≥ 10% included headache (16.8%), fatigue (16.2%), nausea (11.8%), and insomnia (11.1%). Nine (0.5%) and 2 (0.1%) patients had grade 3 total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase elevations. CONCLUSIONS: SOF/VEL for 12 weeks is efficacious and well-tolerated by chronic HCV-infected patients with compensated liver disease in Taiwan.

Tumor Lysis Syndrome after Combination Therapy of Nivolumab and Sorafenib in a Woman with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a life-threatening emergency that usually develops in rapidly proliferating hematologic malignancies or advanced solid tumor following cytotoxic chemotherapy or therapeutic interventions. TLS is especially rare in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, we present a case of a female patient with newly diagnosed advanced HCC who developed TLS and hepatic failure after receiving combination therapy of nivolumab and sorafenib. To our knowledge, this is the first case of TLS in a patient with advanced HCC owing to combination therapy of nivolumab and sorafenib. We also reviewed the literature and summarized the characteristics of TLS in patients with advanced HCC receiving various therapeutic interventions. The overall mortality rate was 63% and regarding the management, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) was the most common etiology. TACE-related TLS developed more rapidly than sorafenib-related TLS. Furthermore, the efficacy and safety of combination therapy of nivolumab and sorafenib should be further evaluated, and TLS should still be a concern, especially in patients with large tumor burden.

Gastrointestinal angiodysplasia in two patients with type 3 von Willebrand disease.

: Angiodysplastic (AD) lesion is the most common cause of recurrent gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in inherited Von Willebrand disease (VWD) patients lacking high-molecular-weight multimers. Defect or dysfunction of von Willebrand factor (VWF) may lead to enhanced endothelial cell proliferation followed by the development of neoangiogenesis and vascular malformation, which result in severe bleeding. Recurrent bleeding causing by GI AD is a challenging complication of VWD. The management of VWD could be difficult due to frequent recurrence and severity of bleeding episodes. The primary aim of management is not only to stop but also to prevent bleeding. We present two patients of type 3 VWD associated with AD and severe GI bleeding, which were successfully treated by endoscopic coagulation and prophylactic therapy with different regimens of plasma-derived VWF/factor VIII (pdVWF/FVIII) concentrate to maintain a trough level in the patient unresponsive to standard treatment.

Benefits of the Seattle biopsy protocol in the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus in a Chinese population.

AIM: To investigate the benefits of the Seattle protocol in the diagnosis of Chinese individuals with Barrett's esophagus. METHODS: Subjects enrolled were patients from one center with endoscopically-suspected esophageal metaplasia. These patients first received narrow-band imaging-targeted biopsy, and later, the Seattle protocol-guided biopsy, within a period from October 2012 to December 2014. Those cases without initial pathologic patterns of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and then appearance or loss of IM tissue were designated as Group A or B, respectively. Those with initial pathologic patterns of IM, which then persisted or were lost were designated as Group C or D, respectively. RESULTS: The number of cases for each group was as follows: A: 20, B: 78, C: 31 and D: 14. The distribution of the Prague criteria M levels of Group A was significantly higher than Group B (P = 0.174). Among these groups, Group C had the highest proportions of hiatus hernia (54.8%), long segment Barrett's esophagus (29%), and also the highest Prague criteria M levels. The sensitivity of IM detection was 69.2% for the narrow-band imaging-targeted biopsy and 78.5% for the Seattle protocol-guided biopsy. The difference was not significant (P = 0.231). The number of detectable dysplasias increased from one case via the NBI-target biopsy to five cases via the Seattle protocol-guided biopsy, including one case of adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: The Seattle protocol improved the IM detection in our subjects with higher Prague criteria M levels and disclosed more cases with dysplastic tissues.

Generic sofosbuvir-based interferon-free direct acting antiviral agents for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: a real-world multicenter observational study.

Real-world data regarding the effectiveness and safety of generic sofosbuvir (SOF)-based interferon-free direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remain limited. A total of 517 chronic HCV-infected patients receiving 12 or 24 weeks of SOF-based therapies were retrospectively enrolled in 4 academic centers in Taiwan. The rate of sustained virologic response at week 12 off-therapy (SVR12) and that of treatment completion were assessed. The baseline characteristics and on-treatment HCV viral kinetics to predict SVR12 were analyzed. By evaluable population (EP) analysis, the SVR12 rate was 95.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 93.2-96.9%). The SVR12 was achieved in 29 of 34 patients (85.3%, 95% CI: 69.6-93.6%), 130 of 139 patients (93.5%, 95% CI: 88.2-96.6%), 119 of 124 patients (96.0%, 95% CI: 90.9-98.3%) and 215 of 220 patients (97.7%, 95% CI: 94.8-99.0%) who received SOF in combination with ribavirin (RBV), ledipasvir (LDV), daclatasvir (DCV) and velpatasvir (VEL), respectively. Of 517 patients, 514 (99.4%) completed the scheduled treatment. All 15 patients with true virologic failures were relapsers. Two decompensated cirrhotic patients had on-treatment deaths which were not related to DAAs. All 7 patients who were lost to follow-up had undetectable HCV RNA level at the last visit. The SVR12 rates were comparable in terms of baseline patient characteristics and viral decline at week 4 of treatment. In conclusion, generic SOF-based regimens are well tolerated and provide high SVR12 rates in patients with chronic HCV infection.

Differences of risk factors and clinical presentations in male and female Taiwanese individuals with Barrett's esophagus.

BACKGROUND: Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a disorder more often found in obese men. Differences between the two genders are not known in the Asian countries. Here, we studied their gender differences in the Taiwanese population in terms of risk factors and clinical presentations. METHODS: Data from Taichung Veteran General Hospital were prospectively collected during an approximately two year-period (October 2012 to December 2014). Patients all underwent endoscopic surveillance, and BE was diagnosed based on the typical pattern of intestinal metaplasia. The patient characteristics were compared between the two genders. RESULTS: We enrolled 152 BE patients: 103 men and 49 women. We found in the males, when compared with the females, significantly older mean age, higher waist circumference, greater BMI (ratio of obesity BMI ≧25 kg/m2), and more cases with dyslipidemia and hiatus hernia. Long-segment BE and high-grade dysplasia/adenocarcinoma appeared only in males. Self-reported reflux symptoms were noted 80.6% in men and 89.8% in women. In those with dysplastic BE, we found these patients having higher ratios of obesity, hiatus hernia, alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking and reflux symptom. CONCLUSION: Gender differences were found in our BE patients, males were older in age, more obese, and suffered more serious signs from BE in terms of both endoscopic and pathologic presentations.

Relationship between use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and irritable bowel syndrome: A population-based cohort study.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use and the subsequent development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: This retrospective, observational, population-based cohort study collected data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 19653 patients newly using SSRIs and 78612 patients not using SSRIs, matched by age and sex at a ratio of 1:4, were enrolled in the study from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2010. The patients were followed until IBS diagnosis, withdrawal from the National Health Insurance system, or the end of 2011. We analyzed the effects of SSRIs on the risk of subsequent IBS using Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: A total of 236 patients in the SSRI cohort (incidence, 2.17/1000 person-years) and 478 patients in the comparison cohort (incidence, 1.04/1000 person-years) received a new diagnosis of IBS. The mean follow-up period from SSRI exposure to IBS diagnosis was 2.05 years. The incidence of IBS increased with advancing age. Patients with anxiety disorders had a significantly increased adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of IBS (aHR = 1.33, 95%CI: 1.11-1.59, P = 0.002). After adjusting for sex, age, urbanization, family income, area of residence, occupation, the use of anti-psychotics and other comorbidities, the overall aHR in the SSRI cohort compared with that in the comparison cohort was 1.74 (95%CI: 1.44-2.10; P < 0.001). The cumulative incidence of IBS was higher in the SSRI cohort than in the non-SSRI cohort (log-rank test, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: SSRI users show an increased risk of subsequent diagnosis of IBS in Taiwan.

Alcohol and tea consumption are associated with asymptomatic erosive esophagitis in Taiwanese men.

OBJECTIVE: Asymptomatic erosive esophagitis (AEE) is commonly found in men, and might be a risk factor of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. We aimed to determine if specific dietary habits increase the risk of AEE in asymptomatic Taiwanese men. METHODS: We recruited male adults undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for health check. We excluded subjects with reflux symptoms, or taking anti-reflux medications or drugs that potentially impair lower esophageal sphincter function or cause mucosal injury. The frequency of consuming reflux-provoking diets including alcohol, tea, coffee, tomato/citric juice, chocolate, sweet food, and spicy food was assessed. The erosive esophagitis was diagnosed based on the Los Angeles Classification after endoscopy. Frequent consumption of a specific diet was defined as ≥4 days/week of consuming that diet. RESULTS: A total of 1256 participants were recruited. After excluding 424 ineligible subjects, AEE was identified in 180 (22%) among 832 asymptomatic subjects. The risk of AEE increased with the number of days per week of consuming alcohol or tea: nondrinkers (19%, 17%), occasional drinkers (<1 day/week; 19%, 15%), regular drinkers (1-3 days/week; 26%, 21%), frequent drinkers (4-6 days/week; 32%, 22%), and daily drinkers (42%, 28%), respectively (trend test P < 0.001 for both). Multivariate analysis showed that hiatus hernia (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 5.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6-9.6), drinking alcohol ≥4 days/week (aOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-4.0), and drinking tea ≥4 days/week (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3) are independent risk factors of AEE. The risk of AEE was 3.8 times greater for those drinking both alcohol and tea ≥4 days/week than the non-drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent alcohol and tea consumption increased the risk of AEE in Taiwanese men.

Effect of implementation of a coded problem list entry subsystem.

OBJECTIVES: Complete patient problem lists may improve the quality of care. To improve the completeness of the lists at our institution, we implemented the coded problem list entry subsystem (CPLES) in our electronic medical record system. Subsequently, physicians used the CPLES instead of handwritten notes to document coded problem lists and progress notes. We evaluated the effect of implementing the CPLES on the completeness of problem lists. METHODS: We compared the completeness of coded problem lists input after CPLES implementation with that of problem lists handwritten before CPLES implementation and determined the differences. Moreover, the efficiency and usability of the CPLES were evaluated. RESULTS: The efficiency and usability of CPLES were acceptable. However, the completeness of problem lists was reduced after CPLES implementation. The possible reasons for this reduction, namely system usability, efficacy, incentives, leadership, and education, were crucial for successful CPLES implementation and are discussed in the text. CONCLUSION: CPLES implementation reduced the completeness of problem lists. Institutions may learn from our experience and carefully implement their own coded problem list systems to avoid this consequence.