Relationship between human herpesvirus 6 infection and inflammatory bowel disease using novel biomarker.

Objective: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is closely related to stress and fatigue. Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) is reactivated by stress and fatigue and is associated with IBD. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between IBD and HHV-6B. Methods: Antibody titers to SITH-1, a protein specific to HHV-6B latent infection, were measured in 163 patients with IBD (107 with ulcerative colitis [UC] and 56 with Crohn's disease [CD]); clinical and endoscopic scores and depression scores of UC and CD were analyzed to examine the relationship between SITH-1 and IBD. The SITH-1 cut-off value was set as 1.96, according to known reports. Results: In patients with UC, C-reactive protein (CRP) level was significantly higher (1.5 vs 0.6 mg/L, P = 0.006) and disease exacerbation within 6 months after entry was significantly more common in the SITH-1 (+) group (20% vs 0%, P < 0.001). In the subanalysis comparing with and without UC exacerbation, the optimal cut-off value for SITH-1 to detect UC exacerbation was 3.44 (area under the curve: 0.81; 95% confidence interval: 0.72-0.90). CRP levels, SITH-1 levels, and disease activity scores by the clinical or endoscopic index were significantly higher in the exacerbation group than in the non-exacerbation group (2.6 vs 0.9 mg/L, P = 0.03; 4.90 vs 1.71, P < 0.001; 4 vs 3, P = 0.03; 5 vs 3, P = 0.02; respectively). Conclusion: Patients with UC with high titers of SITH-1 have high disease activity and frequent disease exacerbation. SITH-1 can be associated with UC disease activity.

Endoscopic mucosal resection with circumferential mucosal incision of duodenal carcinoid tumors.

Duodenal carcinoids are a rare form of neuroendocrine tumors, and tend to invade the submucosa during the early stage. Endoscopic treatment is generally recommended for duodenal carcinoids less than 10 mm in diameter. Although a few reports have described the use of endoscopic resection of duodenal carcinoids, there are no published studies on endoscopic mucosal resection with circumferential mucosal incision (EMR-CMI). We performed EMR-CMI for 5 cases of duodenal carcinoids in the duodenal bulb. The mean tumor diameter was 4.6 ± 1.8 mm. Although all of the tumors were located in the submucosa, R0 resection was performed without complication in each case. EMR-CMI may thus be a safe and effective treatment for duodenal carcinoids less than 10 mm in diameter.

Efficacy of novel SB knife Jr examined in a multicenter study on colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Secure manipulation of forceps in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal tumors is sometimes hindered by the characteristics of that organ. SB knife Jr, which are scissor forceps using a mono-pole high frequency, were developed to avoid the difficulty of ESD operation in the colorectum. The aim of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of the SB knife Jr in colorectal ESD in 11 hospitals, mostly in northeastern Japan. MATERIALS: One hundred and two colorectal tumors (49 non-granular laterally spreading tumor [LST] lesions, 39 granular LST lesions and 14 other lesions) that were resected by ESD operations using SB knife Jr between October 2009 and March 2010. RESULTS: All tumors (102/102) were resected en bloc and could be observed in detail. The mean size of the resected pieces was 40.3 mm. The mean operation time was 54.2 min. Of the complications, one case of micro-perforation occurred during the manipulation of submucosal dissection, and this case was treated with clips in that operation. The rates of resection carried out only with SB knife Jr were 74.5% (76/102). CONCLUSION: The novel ESD using SB knife Jr in the colorectum offers a breakthrough in resection techniques for not only expert endoscopists but also general endoscopists.