Colectomy rate in ulcerative colitis 15 years after diagnosis: Results from the 2001-2003 Navarra cohort. / Tasas de colectomía en colitis ulcerosa 15 años después del diagnóstico. Datos de la cohorte Navarra 2001-2003.

INTRODUCTION: Knowing the natural history of ulcerative colitis (UC) is essential to understand the course of the disease, assess the impact of different treatment strategies and identify poor prognostic factors. One of the most significant matters in this regard is the need for surgery. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the Colectomy Incidence Rate (CIR) from diagnosis to end of follow-up (31/12/2017) and identify predictive factors for colectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study enrolling patients with a definitive diagnosis (DD) of UC or Unclassified Colitis (UnC) in the 2001-03 Navarra cohort. RESULTS: We enrolled 174 patients with a DD of UC (E2 42.8%; E3 26.6%) and 5 patients with a DD of UnC: 44.1% women, median age 39.2 years (range 7-88) and median follow-up 15.7 years. A total of 8 patients underwent surgery (CIR 3 colectomies/103 patient-years: 3 at initial diagnosis (<1 month), 2 in the first 2 years, 2 at 5 years from diagnosis and 1 at 12 years from diagnosis. All had previously received steroids; 5 had received immunomodulators and 2 had received biologics. In 7 patients (87%), surgery was performed on an emergency basis. The indication was megacolon in 3 (37.5%), severe flare-up in 3 (37.5%) and medical treatment failure in 2 (25%). In 5 cases (62.5%), an ileoanal pouch was made, and in 3 cases, a definitive ileostomy was performed. In the univariate analysis, patients with loss of more than 5 kg at diagnosis and admission at diagnosis had a lower rate of colectomy-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, colectomy rates are lower than usually reported. Most colectomies were performed in the first 5 years following diagnosis and had an emergency indication.

[Prevalence of altered mismatch repair protein nuclear expression detected by immunohistochemistry on adenomas with high-grade dysplasia and features associated with this risk in a population-based study]. / Prevalencia de alteración de expresión nuclear de proteínas reparadoras con inmunohistoquímica sobre adenomas con displasia de alto grado y características asociadas a dicho riesgo en un estudio de base poblacional.

INTRODUCTION: Alteration of mismatch repair system protein expression detected by immunohistochemistry (IHQ) in tumoural tissue is a useful technique for Lynch Syndrome (LS) screening. A recent review proposes LS screening through immunohistochemical study not only in all diagnosed cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) but also in advanced adenomas, especially in young patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of altered IHQ carried out in all adenomas with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) diagnosed in our community in 2011, as well as the variables associated with this alteration. METHODS: We included all the cases of adenomatous polyps with HGD diagnosed in the three public pathology laboratories of Navarre during 2011 and performed a statistical study to assess the association between different patient and lesion characteristics and altered IHQ results. RESULTS: A total of 213 colonic adenomas with HGD were diagnosed, and 26 (12.2%) cases were excluded from the final analysis (2 known LS, 22 without IHQ study and 2 with inconclusive IHQ studies). The final number of adenomas included was 187. Pathologic results were found in 10 cases (5.35%)-6 cases in MLH1 and PMS2, 2 cases in PMS2, 1 case in MSH6 and 1 case in MSH2 and MSH6. The factors showing a statistically significant association with the presence of abnormal proteins were the synchronous presence of CRC, the presence of only one advanced adenoma, proximal location of HGD and age <50 years. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of pathologic nuclear expression found in IHQ is high. Consequently, screening of all diagnosed HGD could be indicated, especially in young patients, with a single AA and proximal HGD.

Prospective observational study of the incidental findings on endoscopic ultrasonography: should a complete exploration always be performed?

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the additional non-suspected new diagnoses made on upper endosonography (EUS) which were unknown before the procedure, and to analyse their influence on the management of patients. A further objective was to evaluate the influence that previous radiological or endoscopic explorations have on the capacity of EUS to diagnose these unsuspected lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During a 2-year period every patient sent to our unit for upper EUS underwent a complete investigation, after signing an informed consent document. An upper EUS was considered as complete whenever the gut wall, pancreas, biliary tract, ampulla, large abdominal vessels, liver, spleen, left adrenal gland, posterior mediastinum and thyroid lobes had been explored. An additional diagnosis (AD) was defined as a diagnosis made on EUS that was previously unknown and not suspected. A significant additional diagnosis (SAD) was defined as an AD that required further study. The results of complementary explorations carried out before EUS were registered. RESULTS: A total of 239 patients were included in the study. ADs were found in 92 patients (38.5%), which were considered to be SADs in 27 patients (11.3%). Those patients had previously undergone computed tomography (CT) and those who underwent more than one exploration had fewer incidences of ADs on EUS (p=0.03 and p=0.02, respectively). No exploration alone or in combination with others showed any influence on the capacity of EUS to find a SAD (p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In our series, an AD was found on upper endosonography in 38.5% of the patients studied, and a SAD in 11.3%. The probability of finding a SAD on EUS is not influenced by previous endoscopic or radiologic explorations.

Z-line examination by the PillCam SB: prospective comparison of three ingestion protocols.

AIM: To evaluate the Z-line visualization by the PillCam SB2 using three different ingestion protocols. METHODS: Ninety consecutive patients undergoing small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) between January and May 2008 were included in the study. They swallowed the capsule in the standing (Group A = 30), supine (Group B = 30) and right supine positions (Group C = 30). Baseline patient characteristics, difficulties in capsule ingestion, esophageal transit times (ETT) and Z-line visualization were noted. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the groups with regard to baseline patient characteristics, ingestion difficulties and complete SB examinations (P > 0.05). At least 1 frame of the Z-line was detected in 15.8%, 46.7% and 90% of patients in groups A, B and C, respectively (P < 0.001). The average number of Z-line images was 0.21 +/- 0.53, 3.23 +/- 6.59 and 5.53 +/- 7.55 and the mean % of the Z-line detected was 71.3, 25.1 and 8.3, in groups A, B and C, respectively (both P < 0.001). ETT times were longer in the supine group followed by the right supine and the standing groups (median of 237 s vs 64 s and 39 s, respectively; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Z-line visualization in patients undergoing SBCE can be accurately achieved in most cases when the capsule is swallowed in the right supine position.