Technical Success in Performing Esophageal High-Resolution Manometry in Patients with an Epiphrenic Diverticulum.

High-resolution manometry (HRM) is the gold standard for diagnosing esophageal motility disorders, yet it can be poorly tolerated and technically challenging. Epiphrenic diverticula (ED) are located in the distal esophagus and are associated with underlying motility disorders. ED patients (2008-2022) were retrospectively compared to achalasia patients (2008-2022) and all other patients (2021-2022) who underwent HRM at a single center. Complete success was defined as at least 7 interpretable swallows including measurements throughout the esophagus into the stomach. HRM studies involving children, previously treated achalasia, and sedation or endoscopic-assistance were excluded. 20 ED patients (mean age 66; 60% female) were compared to 76 achalasia patients and 199 controls. HRM was completely successful in 70.0% of ED patients, 85.5% of achalasia (p = 0.106 vs ED), and 91.0% of controls (p = 0.004 vs ED). Most failures in the ED and achalasia groups were due to inability to traverse the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), while patient intolerance was the main reason in controls. Half of the ED group had motility disorders (25% achalasia, 15% hypercontractile esophagus, 10% absent contractility). Large diverticulum size was inversely associated with technical success compared to small diverticulum size (40% vs 100%, p = 0.013), while the presence of a motility disorder did not significantly affect success (60% vs 88.9%, p = 0.303). In conclusion, ED is a predictor of unsuccessful HRM. This appears to be mainly related to an inability to traverse the EGJ due to the size of the diverticulum. Consideration should be given to alternative means of evaluating motility, such as endoscopy-assisted HRM, given the high likelihood of failure with traditional HRM.

Single Admission C-reactive protein Levels as a Sole Predictor of Patient Flow and Clinical Course in a General Internal Medicine Department.

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) blood level is associated with clinical outcomes of several diseases. However, the independent predictive role of CRP in the heterogeneous population of patients admitted to internal medicine wards is not known. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether single CRP levels at admission independently predicts clinical outcome and flow of patients in general medicine wards. METHODS: This study comprised 275 patients (50.5% female) with a mean age of 68.25 ± 17.0 years, hospitalized with acute disease in a general internal medicine ward. The association between admission CRP levels and clinical outcomes including mortality, the need for mechanical ventilation, duration of hospitalization, and re-admission within 6 months was determined. RESULTS: A significant association was found between CRP increments of 80 mg/L and risk for the major clinical outcomes measured. The mortality odds ratio (OR) was 1.89 (95% confidence interval (95%CI, 1.37-2.61, P < 0.001), mechanical ventilation OR 1.67 (95%CI, 1.10-2.34, P = 0.006), re-admission within 6 months OR 2.29 (95%CI, 1.66-3.15 P < 0.001), and prolonged hospitalization >7 days OR 2.09 (95%CI, 1.59-2.74, P < 0.001). Lower increments of10 mg/L in CRP levels were associated with these outcomes although with lower ORs. Using a stepwise regression model for admission CRP levels resulted in area under the receiver operating characteristics curves between 0.70 and 0.76 for these outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A single admission CRP blood level is independently associated with major parameters of clinical outcomes in acute care patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards.

[THE DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGE OF TYPE 2 MYOCARDIAL INFRACTION].

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 Myocardial Infarction (Type 2 MI) is considered to result from an imbalance between demand and supply of oxygen in the myocardium, other than coronary plaque instability. It is highly prevalent in internal departments and is strongly associated with mortality. To date, there is no consensus regarding the diagnostic criteria for type 2 MI and no available guidelines regarding the optimal management of this condition. We present a case study of a 64 years old male who was hospitalized with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. This patient was diagnosed with Type 2 myocardial infarct, due to a decrease in oxygen supply to the myocardium, but eventually turned out to be a Type 1 MI .We reviewed current literature regarding the clinical features, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of Type 2 MI.

Correlation between Lower Esophageal Sphincter Metrics on High-Resolution Manometry and the Clinical Presentation of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Achalasia.

BACKGROUND: Achalasia is characterized by aperistalsis with poor relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). We aimed to systematically assess whether LES metrics on high-resolution manometry (HRM) correlate with the symptomatic or endoscopic presentation of patients with achalasia. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed at two tertiary medical centers. All cases of newly diagnosed, untreated achalasia were reviewed for demographics, symptoms, and endoscopic findings. These were correlated with HRM metrics, including LES basal pressure (LESP), integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), percent LES relaxation, and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology. RESULTS: 108 achalasia patients were included; 56 (51.9%) were men, with a mean overall age of 55.6 ± 17.9 years old. Achalasia subtypes included 23.1% with Type I, 65.7% Type II, and 11.1% Type III. Mean LESP was 40.9 ± 13.7 mmHg, IRP 26.8 ± 11.5 mmHg, with 36% ± 20% LES relaxation. On univariate analyses, a higher IRP was associated with age < 50 (p = 0.028), female sex (p = 0.030), Arab ethnicity (p < 0.001), weight loss (p = 0.016), a tortuous esophagus (p = 0.036), and resistance at the EGJ (p = 0.033). However, on multivariate regression analyses, only ethnicity remained significantly associated with IRP. No unique variables were associated with either LESP or percent LES relaxation. Achalasia subtype and Eckardt score were not associated with any LES metrics. Non-Type 1 EGJ morphology was associated with a lower LESP. CONCLUSIONS: LES metrics on HRM do not appear to correlate with the clinical or endoscopic presentation of patients with untreated achalasia.

Decompression Illness in a Scuba Diver With Significant Esophageal Injury.

Scuba divers are at risk of decompression illness, of which arterial gas embolism is the most feared consequence. Severe complications involving the gastrointestinal tract are rare. In this report, we describe a case of an experienced scuba diver who was forced to rapidly ascend because of a mechanical failure. His course was complicated by severe esophageal mucosal injury including multiple ulcerations. Although he improved clinically, an esophageal stricture subsequently formed, which required dilation. This seems to be the first case report of significant esophageal injury resulting from decompression illness in a scuba diver.