EUS-guided versus percutaneous liver biopsy: A prospective randomized clinical trial.

Background and Objectives: Prospective studies comparing EUS-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) to percutaneous LB (PC-LB) are scarce. We compared the efficacy and safety of EUS-LB with those of PC-LB in a prospective randomized clinical trial. Methods: Between 2020 and 2021, patients were enrolled and randomized (1:1 ratio). The primary outcome was defined as the proportion of patients with ≥11 complete portal tracts (CPTs). The sample size (n = 80) was calculated based on the assumption that 60% of those in the EUS-LB and 90% of those in the PC-LB group will have LB with ≥11 CPTs. The secondary outcomes included proportion of patients in whom a diagnosis was established, number of CPTs, pain severity (Numeric Rating Scale-Pain Intensity), duration of hospital stay, and adverse events. Results: Eighty patients were enrolled (median age, 53 years); 67.5% were female. Sixty percent of those in the EUS-LB and 75.0% of those in the PC-LB group met the primary outcome (P = 0.232). The median number of CPTs was higher in the PC-LB (17 vs 13; P = 0.031). The proportion of patients in whom a diagnosis was established was similar between the groups (92.5% [EUS-LB] vs 95.0% [PC-LB]; P = 1.0). Patients in the EUS-LB group had less pain severity (median Numeric Rating Scale-Pain Intensity, 2.0 vs 3.0; P = 0.003) and shorter hospital stay (2.0 vs 4.0 hours; P < 0.0001) compared with the PC-LB group. No patient experienced a serious adverse event. Conclusions: EUS-guided liver biopsy was safe, effective, better tolerated, and associated with a shorter hospital stay.

Co-Presentation of Lupus Nephritis with Autoimmune Hepatitis.

BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multiorgan immunologic disease which commonly results in systemic manifestations by involving joints, kidneys, skin, heart, hematologic cell lines, pulmonary and central nervous systems. The hepatic involvement of lupus is relatively less common, which creates diagnostic challenges, as the clinical presentations of lupus hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are similar. CASE REPORT A 51-year-old woman presented for multiple joint pain that began 2 years ago. Her work-up, including kidney biopsy, was consistent with a diagnosis of class V lupus nephritis. Subsequently, within a few months, she was admitted with acute elevation of liver enzymes and high immunoglobulin IgG level, and a liver biopsy demonstrated impressive interface hepatitis with many plasma cells and lymphocytes, suggestive of chronic hepatitis with high histological activity. This case illustrates the co-presentation of lupus nephritis and AIH, which is a rare association. The patient was managed with a tapering dose of prednisone, hydroxychloroquine initially, and later with mycophenolate mofetil, with complete resolution of liver enzyme abnormalities by 4-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Lupus hepatitis is hepatic involvement of SLE, which should be distinguished from AIH. Accurate diagnosis is important, as management and prognosis of these immunologic conditions can differ. Although both entities share clinical and biochemical markers, the presence of anti-ribosomal P antibodies and liver histology features of predominant lymphoid infiltrates with lobular inflammation favor lupus hepatitis. A multidisciplinary approach involving rheumatologists, hepatologists, and pathologists can improve disease outcomes by properly differentiating the 2 entities and guiding the selection of appropriate immunosuppressive therapy.

Tumoral Intraductal Neoplasms of the Bile Ducts Comprise Morphologically and Genetically Distinct Entities.

CONTEXT.­: Tumoral (grossly visible) intraductal neoplasms of the bile ducts are still being characterized. OBJECTIVE.­: To investigate their morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features. DESIGN.­: Forty-one cases were classified as gastric-, intestinal-, pancreatobiliary-type intraductal papillary neoplasm (IPN), intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasm (IOPN), or intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm (ITPN) on the basis of histology. All neoplasms were subjected to targeted next-generation sequencing. RESULTS.­: The mean age at diagnosis was 69 years (42-81 years); male to female ratio was 1.3. Most neoplasms (n = 23, 56%) were extrahepatic/large (mean size, 4.6 cm). The majority (n = 32, 78%) contained high-grade dysplasia, and 68% (n = 28) revealed invasion. All gastric-type IPNs (n = 9) and most ITPNs/IOPNs showed consistent colabeling for CK7/MUC6, which was less common among others (P = .004). Intestinal-type IPNs (n = 5) showed higher rates of CK20 expression than others (P < .001). Overall, the most commonly mutated genes included TP53 and APC, while copy number variants affected ELF3 and CDKN2A/B. All gastric-type IPNs contained an alteration affecting the Wnt signaling pathway; 7 of 9 (78%) showed aberrations in the MAPK pathway. Mutations in APC and KRAS were common in gastric-type IPNs as compared with others (P = .01 for both). SMAD4 was more frequently mutated in intestinal-type IPNs (P = .02). Pancreatobiliary-type IPNs (n = 14) exhibited frequent alterations in tumor suppressor genes including TP53, CDKN2A/B, and ARID2 (P = .04, P = .01 and P = .002, respectively). Of 6 IOPNs analyzed, 3 (50%) revealed ATP1B1-PRKACB fusion. ITPNs (n = 6) showed relatively few recurrent genetic aberrations. Follow-up information was available for 38 patients (median, 58.5 months). The ratio of disease-related deaths was higher for the cases with invasion (56% versus 10%). CONCLUSIONS.­: Tumoral intraductal neoplasms of the bile ducts, similar to their counterparts in the pancreas, are morphologically and genetically heterogeneous.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa)-Induced Hepatitis.

Kratom is a plant with opioid-like properties known to produce stimulant and analgesic effects. Although there are numerous studies on the psychoactive components of kratom, less is known about the toxicity. Specifically, few reports describe kratom-induced hepatotoxicity and demonstrate histological features. We provide a case report detailing the clinicopathologic findings of drug-induced liver injury caused by kratom. The laboratory workup included significant elevation of total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. Liver biopsy demonstrated a prominent canalicular cholestatic pattern, mixed portal inflammation, and newly described perivenular necrosis. This report provides additional information on kratom toxicity because its use continues to rise.

Histologic diagnosis of a case of anal duct carcinoma with cytological correlation and differential diagnoses.

Anal duct carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy of the glands of the anal duct. This entity poses a diagnostic challenge, both clinically and histologically. This article describes histopathologic findings in a case of anal duct carcinoma, including the initial diagnosis on biopsy and subsequent cytology specimens. Additionally, differential diagnoses of this neoplasm are discussed. With a high index of suspicion, and attention to histological and immunohistochemical features, anal duct carcinoma can be accurately diagnosed both on biopsy and on cytology.

The efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy versus percutaneous liver biopsy in patients with chronic liver disease: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is limited literature on endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB), a new method of obtaining liver biopsy (LB). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of the efficacy and safety of EUS-LB compared to percutaneous liver biopsy (PC-LB) in patients with chronic liver disease at our center between January 2018 and August 2019. RESULTS: Thirty patients underwent EUS-LB and 60 patients underwent PC-LB were identified (median follow-up post-LB was 8 days; interquartile range (IQR), 3-5 days). The median number of portal tracts was significantly higher in the PC-LB group (13 vs. 5; P < 0.0001). A histologic diagnosis was established in 93% of the EUS-LB group, compared to 100% in the PC-LB group (P = 0.841). Patients in EUS-LB group had significantly shorter hospital stay (median time of hospital stay was 3 vs. 4.2 h in the EUS-LB vs. PC-LB group, respectively; P = 0.004) and reported less pain compared to PC-LB group (median pain score was 0 vs. 3.5; P = 0.0009). EUS-LB were performed using a 19-gauge (n = 27) or 22-gauge (n = 3); there was a tendency towards higher number of portal tracts in the 22- vs. the 19-gauge needle group (6 vs. 5; P = 0.501). No patient in either group had significant adverse events such as bleeding or death. CONCLUSION: EUS-LB is safe and is associated with less pain, shorter hospital stay, and high diagnostic yield (93%) compared to PC-LB. Randomized trials are needed to standardize the utility of EUS-LB.

Community gastroenterologists can learn diminutive colon polyp histology characterization with narrow band imaging by a computer-based teaching module.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a computer-based teaching module on the performance of community gastroenterologists for characterization of diminutive polyps (≤5 mm) using narrow band imaging video clips. METHODS: Eighty videos were distributed in pre- and post-test DVD along with a 20-min audiovisual teaching presentation detailing endoscopic features differentiating adenomas from hyperplastic polyps using narrow band imaging. Each participant first reviewed pretest video clips and entered their responses for polyp histology and their confidence in diagnosis: high: ≥90% or low: <90%. Following this, they reviewed the teaching module and assessed the post-test videos. Performance characteristics were calculated for pre- and post-test videos by comparing predicted histology with actual histology. Fisher's exact test was used for analysis and the kappa statistic was calculated for interobserver agreement. RESULTS: Fifteen gastroenterologists in community practice completed the study. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and negative predictive value in characterization of polyp histology improved significantly post-test compared to pretest. In post-test, accuracy was 92% for high-confidence diagnoses and the proportion of these increased with training from 46% (pretest) to 64% (post-test); P < 0.001. Interobserver agreement for diagnosis improved from fair (kappa = 0.23) in pretest to moderate (kappa = 0.56) in post-test. CONCLUSIONS: A teaching module using video clips can be used to teach community gastroenterologists polyp histology characterization by narrow band imaging. Whether this translates into real-time high accuracy in polyp detection needs to be further evaluated.

Trainee participation and adenoma detection rates during screening colonoscopies.

GOAL: To evaluate whether participation of a gastroenterology trainee had an impact on adenoma detection rate (ADR) during screening colonoscopies performed with standard-definition colonoscopes (SD-C) versus high-definition colonoscopes (HD-C). BACKGROUND: ADR is an established quality indicator of colonoscopy and efforts to improve ADR have led to technological advancements including HD-C that have a greater angle of view and produce an image with higher pixel density compared with SD-C. Moreover, other factors like trainee participation have been shown to improve adenoma detection. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of screening colonoscopies performed during 2 different time periods by 4 experienced endoscopists with or without trainee participation. There are 2 arms of this study, based on whether screening colonoscopy was performed using SD-C or HD-C. Detailed review of endoscopy and histopathologic reports was conducted. Statistical analysis was performed and odds ratio and incidence rate ratios were calculated to adjust for numerous factors. RESULTS: No significant differences were seen with trainee participation in the SD-C arm of the study. In the HD-C arm, the total number, and the proportion of subjects with: adenomas, diminutive adenomas, and right-sided adenomas were significantly higher with trainee participation. CONCLUSIONS: Trainee participation significantly improved the overall adenoma detection, specifically diminutive adenoma and right-sided adenoma detection, but only when colonoscopies were performed with HD-C. The improved image quality and resolution provided by HD-C, coupled with enhanced visual scanning an additional pair of eyes provides, may account for the differential impact of trainee participation on ADR.

Impact of a computer-based teaching module on characterization of diminutive colon polyps by using narrow-band imaging by non-experts in academic and community practice: a video-based study.

BACKGROUND: Experts can accurately characterize the histology of diminutive polyps with narrow-band imaging (NBI). There are limited data on the performance of non-experts. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a computer-based teaching module on the accuracy of predicting polyp histology with NBI by non-experts (in academics and community practice) by using video clips. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: Academic and community practice. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 15 gastroenterologists participated-5 experts in NBI, 5 non-experts in academic practice, and 5 non-experts in community practice. INTERVENTION: Participants reviewed a 20-minute, computer-based teaching module outlining the different NBI features for hyperplastic and adenomatous polyps. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Performance characteristics in characterizing the histology of diminutive polyps with NBI by using short video clips before (pretest) and after (posttest) reviewing the teaching module. RESULTS: Non-experts in academic practice showed a significant improvement in the sensitivity (54% vs 79%; P < .001), accuracy (64% vs 81%; P < .001), and proportion of high-confidence diagnoses (49% vs 69%; P < .001) in the posttest. Non-experts in community practice had significantly higher sensitivity (58% vs 75%; P = .004), specificity (76% vs 90%; P = .04), accuracy (64% vs 81%; P < .001), and proportion of high-confidence diagnoses (49% vs 72%; P < .001) in the posttest. Performance of experts in NBI was significantly better than non-experts in both academic and community practice. LIMITATIONS: Selection bias in selecting good quality videos. Performance not assessed during live colonoscopy. CONCLUSION: Academic and community gastroenterologists without prior experience in NBI can achieve significant improvements in characterizing diminutive polyp histology after a brief computer-based training. The durability of these results and applicability in everyday practice are uncertain.

Higher adenoma detection rates with cap-assisted colonoscopy: a randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Cap-assisted colonoscopy (CAC) uses a small plastic transparent cap attached to the tip of the colonoscope that can depress and flatten colonic folds and thus improve visualisation of their proximal aspects. The aim of this study was to compare CAC with standard colonoscopy (SC; high-definition white light) for adenoma detection rates. DESIGN: This is a prospective randomised controlled trial. SETTING: The study was performed in a tertiary-care Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the USA. PATIENTS: Subjects undergoing screening or surveillance colonoscopy were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomised to undergo either CAC or SC. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures were the proportion of subjects with at least one adenoma, the number of adenomas detected per subject, insertion time, caecal intubation rates and complications. RESULTS: 420 subjects were enrolled and included in the study (210 in each group). The proportion of subjects with at least one adenoma was higher with CAC compared to SC (69% vs 56%, p=0.009). CAC also detected a higher number of adenomas per subject (2.3 vs 1.4, p<0.001). The caecal intubation time was shorter with CAC (3.29 min vs 3.98 min, p<0.001). The caecal intubation rates were similar in the two groups (99% vs 98%, p=0.37). There were no complications associated with CAC or SC. CONCLUSIONS: CAC detected a 13% higher number of subjects with at least one adenoma and 59% higher adenomas per subject. CAC is a safe, effective and practical means to improve adenoma detection rates. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT 01211132.