Gastroesophageal reflux following per-oral endoscopic myotomy: Can we improve outcomes?

This editorial is an analysis the review article by Nabi et al recently published in this journal. Achalasia Cardia is a disease whose pathophysiology is still unclear. It is known that there is inflammation of unknown aetiology leading to loss of ganglion cells in the muscularis propria. The end result is lower oesophageal sphincter spasm, loss of receptive relaxation, decreased oesophageal peristalsis, all leading on to varying degrees of dysphagia. The treatment of this condition is palliative in nature, performed by myotomy of the lower oesophagus either surgically or endoscopically. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been associated with the myotomy performed, particularly with the Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) procedure. Nabi et al have provided an excellent overview of the latest developments in predicting, preventing, evaluating, and managing GERD subsequent to POEM. Based on this theme, this review article explores the concept of using histology of the oesophageal muscle layer, to grade the disease and thereby help tailoring the length/type of myotomy performed during the POEM procedure. In the future, will a histology based algorithm available preoperatively, help modify the POEM procedure, thereby decreasing the incidence of GERD associated with POEM?

Right ventricle pierced by a traditional sharp hair straightener: a case report.

The case presents a traumatic ventricular perforation of a girl, accidentally felt on a sharp instrument. The uniqueness of the case presented is due to the very high infrequency of injuries with this type of sharp object. The 7-year-old girl was transported to the hospital after accidentally falling on a sharp instrument. The child had no signs of heart failure. On opening the chest, it was found that the metal object was lodged in the right ventricle. Quickly proceeded to remove the object and suture the entry hole. After a short hospitalization, the child was discharged completely cured.

Case Report: The molecular fingerprint and the clinical implication of an exceptional response to neoadjuvant therapy in a metastatic cardia adenocarcinoma.

Background: Globally, gastric cancer holds the fifth position in terms of prevalence among malignant tumors and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Particular attention should be paid to cardia adenocarcinoma (CA) due to its increasing incidence and poor prognosis. Diagnosis of CA frequently occurs in advanced stages because of its late symptoms. In such cases, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the primary treatment option. The response to chemotherapy depends on multiple variables including the tumor's molecular profile, the patient's performance status, and the feasibility of using targeted therapy. Patients exhibiting an exceptional response, defined as a complete response to medical therapy lasting more than 1 year, or a partial response or stable disease lasting more than 2 years, are rarely described. This case report presents one of the longest-lasting exceptional responses to chemotherapy in metastatic cardia adenocarcinoma and discusses its clinical implications. Case presentation: A 49-year-old male patient presented with cardia adenocarcinoma (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative, mismatch repair proficient) and liver metastases. Molecular profiling identified a pathogenic mutation in the TP53 gene (R123W; Arg123Trp) as the sole alteration found. Five months after initiating the neoadjuvant chemotherapy with fluorouracil-leucovorin-oxaliplatin-docetaxel, the patient achieved a complete clinical response. The molecular profile was compared with others previously documented in an international data portal, revealing a similar pattern. At 4 years and 3 months from diagnosis, the exceptional response was still confirmed. The patient underwent a cumulative number of 33 cycles of chemotherapy, leading to chemotherapy-induced liver damage. Conclusions: Exceptional responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in cardia adenocarcinomas are rarely reported. The documentation of exceptional responses to cancer therapies should be included in large data repositories to explore the molecular fingerprint of these tumors. In such cases, the clinical implications of long-term chemotherapy should always be taken into account.

Prediction, prevention and management of gastroesophageal reflux after per-oral endoscopic myotomy: An update.

Achalasia cardia, the most prevalent primary esophageal motility disorder, is predominantly characterized by symptoms of dysphagia and regurgitation. The principal therapeutic approaches for achalasia encompass pneumatic dilatation (PD), Heller's myotomy, and the more recent per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). POEM has been substantiated as a safe and efficacious modality for the management of achalasia. Although POEM demonstrates superior efficacy compared to PD and an efficacy parallel to Heller's myotomy, the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) following POEM is notably higher than with the aforementioned techniques. While symptomatic reflux post-POEM is relatively infrequent, the significant occurrence of erosive esophagitis and heightened esophageal acid exposure necessitates vigilant monitoring to preclude long-term GERD-related complications. Contemporary advancements in the field have enhanced our comprehension of the risk factors, diagnostic methodologies, preventative strategies, and therapeutic management of GERD subsequent to POEM. This review focuses on the limitations inherent in the 24-h pH study for evaluating post-POEM reflux, potential modifications in the POEM technique to mitigate GERD risk, and the strategies for managing reflux following POEM.

Impact of optimal cholesterol levels on subclinical atherosclerosis in the absence of risk factors in young adults.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to assess the association of blood lipids with the prevalence, incidence, and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis among young individuals without dyslipidemia and other traditional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs). METHODS: A total of 1270 participants from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study aged 32-46 years free of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, current smoking, and dyslipidemia (total cholesterol [TC] ≥ 240 mg/dL, triglycerides [TG] ≥ 150 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C] ≥ 160 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] < 40 mg/dL, or taking lipid-lowering medications) were included. A subgroup with optimal lipids within the low-CVRF group was defined with TC < 200 mg/dL, LDL-C < 100 mg/dL, non-HDL-C < 130 mg/dL, and women with HDL-C ≥ 50 mg/dL. RESULTS: 1-SD higher TC (25.9 mg/dL), LDL-C (24.7 mg/dL), and non-HDL-C (26.6 mg/dL) were associated with a greater risk of presence (hazard ratios: 1.30-1.36), incidence (1.30-1.32), and progression (1.31-1.35) of coronary artery calcium (CAC) and a 42-44% greater odds of composite mean carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥ 75th percentile [780 µm] (p < 0.05). Repeating the analyses in a subset of participants with a CAC score of zero did not alter the association of TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C with CIMT. In the subgroup with optimal lipids, these lipid indices remained associated with an increased risk of presence and incidence of CAC and greater CIMT measures. CONCLUSIONS: Among adults aged 32-46 years, in the absence of traditional CVRFs, elevated cholesterol levels, even within what is considered optimal, are associated with atherosclerosis and arteriopathy.

The association between dietary fiber intake and gastric cancer: a pooled analysis of 11 case-control studies.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer (GC) is among the leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between dietary fiber intake and GC. METHODS: We pooled data from 11 population or hospital-based case-control studies included in the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project, for a total of 4865 histologically confirmed cases and 10,626 controls. Intake of dietary fibers and other dietary factors was collected using food frequency questionnaires. We calculated the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the association between dietary fiber intake and GC by using a multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for study site, sex, age, caloric intake, smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, and socioeconomic status. We conducted stratified analyses by these factors, as well as GC anatomical site and histological type. RESULTS: The OR of GC for an increase of one quartile of fiber intake was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.85, 0.97), that for the highest compared to the lowest quartile of dietary fiber intake was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.88). Results were similar irrespective of anatomical site and histological type. CONCLUSION: Our analysis supports the hypothesis that dietary fiber intake may exert a protective effect on GC.

Delayed Presentation of Malignancy-Associated Pseudoachalasia of the Gastric Cardia.

Pseudoachalasia is a condition in which symptoms, manometry, and imaging findings highly resemble primary achalasia but has a secondary etiology. The majority of patients with pseudoachalasia have the condition as the result of a malignancy, most often at the gastroesophageal junction. There may be issues with timely identification of this malignancy as symptoms are often obscure with diagnostic testing yielding nonspecific results. We describe a case of a 65-year-old diabetic female smoker with a four-month history of intractable vomiting, abdominal pain, and weight loss who was belatedly found to have an adenocarcinoma at the gastric cardia necessitating a total gastrectomy and chemotherapy administration. The case educates clinicians on the clinical alarm symptoms related to malignant pseudoachalasia and stresses the paramount importance of performing a timely esophagogastroduodenoscopy in all cases of achalasia, even with seemingly normal imaging, to rule out pseudoachalasia related to malignancy.

Novel metabolic biomarker for early detection and diagnosis to the patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) is classified as Siewert type II adenocarcinoma at the esophagogastric junction in Western countries. The majority of GCA patients do not exhibit early warning symptoms, leading to over 90% of diagnoses at an advanced stage, resulting in a grim prognosis, with less than a 20% 5-year survival rate. METHOD: Metabolic features of 276 GCA and 588 healthy controls were characterized through a widely-targeted metabolomics by UPLC-MS/MS analysis. This study encompasses a joint pathway analysis utilizing identified metabolites, survival analysis in both early and advanced stages, as well as high and negative and low expression of HER2 immunohistochemistry staining. Machine learning techniques and Cox regression models were employed to construct a diagnostic panel. RESULTS: A total of 25 differential metabolites were consistently identified in both discovery and validation sets based on criteria of p < 0.05, (VIP) ≥ 1, and FC ≥ 2 or FC ≤ 0.5. Early-stage GCA patients exhibited a more favorable prognosis compared to those in advanced stages. HER2 overexpression was associated with a more positive outcome compared to the negative and low expression groups. Metabolite panel demonstrated a robust diagnostic performance with AUC of 0.869 in discovery set and 0.900 in validation set. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 25 common and stable differential metabolites may hold promise as liquid non-invasive indicators for GCA diagnosis. HER2 may function as a tumor suppressor gene in GCA, as its overexpression is associated with improved survival. The downregulation of bile acid metabolism in GCA may offer valuable theoretical insights and innovative approaches for precision-targeted treatments in GCA patients.

Evidence for the Association Between Adverse Childhood Family Environment, Child Abuse, and Caregiver Warmth and Cardiovascular Health Across the Lifespan: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to quantify the association between childhood family environment and longitudinal cardiovascular health (CVH) in adult CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study participants. We further investigated whether the association differs by adult income. METHODS: We applied the CVH framework from the American Heart Association including metrics for smoking, cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, body mass index, physical activity, and diet. CVH scores (range, 0-14) were calculated at years 0, 7, and 20 of the study. Risky Family environment (range, 7-28) was assessed at year 15 retrospectively, for childhood experiences of abuse, caregiver warmth, and family or household challenges. Complete case ordinal logistic regression and mixed models associated risky family (exposure) with CVH (outcome), adjusting for age, sex, race, and alcohol use. RESULTS: The sample (n=2074) had a mean age of 25.3 (±3.5) years and 56% females at baseline. The median risky family was 10 with ideal CVH (≥12) met by 288 individuals at baseline (28.4%) and 165 (16.3%) at year 20. Longitudinally, for every 1-unit greater risky family, the odds of attaining high CVH (≥10) decreased by 3.6% (OR, 0.9645 [95% CI, 0.94-0.98]). Each unit greater child abuse and caregiver warmth score corresponded to 12.8% lower and 11.7% higher odds of ideal CVH (≥10), respectively (OR, 0.872 [95% CI, 0.77-0.99]; OR, 1.1165 [95% CI, 1.01-1.24]), across all 20 years of follow-up. Stratified analyses by income in adulthood demonstrated associations between risky family environment and CVH remained significant for those of the highest adult income (>$74k), but not the lowest (<$35k). CONCLUSIONS: Although risky family environmental factors in childhood increase the odds of poor longitudinal adult CVH, caregiver warmth may increase the odds of CVH, and socioeconomic attainment in adulthood may contextualize the level of risk. Toward a paradigm of primordial prevention of cardiovascular disease, childhood exposures and economic opportunity may play a crucial role in CVH across the life course.

A retrospective study of 3D measurement and analysis applied in the morphological evaluation of achalasia cardia.

Background: Achalasia cardia (AC) is defined as a disorder of esophageal motility whose diagnostic gold standard depends on high-resolution manometry (HRM). The invasiveness of HRM can cause difficulties in diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for patients with AC. Thus, we aimed to investigate the function of 3D reconstruction and measurement to prove the wide application of this alternative non-invasive approach for AC. Methods: A total of 126 patients with AC and 40 healthy subjects in Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2018 to October 2022 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Chest CT images of these subjects were used to reconstruct the 3D models of the esophagus, stomach, spine, left crus, and right crus. Measurements of esophagus length, volume of esophagus, gastroesophageal insertion angle (His angle), max thickness of esophageal wall, esophagus maximum transverse and longitudinal diameter, esophagus-spine angle, and spine-lower esophageal sphincter (LES) angle were applied based on the models. Results: Retrocardiac esophagus length, volume of esophagus, max thickness of esophageal wall, esophagus maximum transverse and longitudinal diameter, thoracic esophagus-spine angle, and spine-LES angle in the AC group were higher than those in the control group (all P values <0.05). Among the three subtypes of AC, thoracic esophagus length, intra-abdominal LES length, volume of esophagus, His angle, esophagus maximum transverse and longitudinal diameter, and thoracic esophagus-spine angle all presented statistical differences (all P values <0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that manometric types were positively associated with His angle [r=0.196; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.009, 0.372; P=0.028] but negatively associated with volume of esophagus (r=-0.480; 95% CI: -0.639, -0.310; P<0.001), esophagus maximum transverse diameter (r=-0.551; 95% CI: -0.679, -0.400; P<0.001), esophagus maximum longitudinal diameter (r=-0.518; 95% CI: -0.649, -0.366; P<0.001), and thoracic esophagus-spine angle (r=-0.324; 95% CI: -0.479, -0.157; P<0.001). Conclusions: This study successfully presented the differences in esophageal length, volume, thickness, and angles between healthy subjects and different AC subtypes on the basis of 3D reconstruction and measurement. Thus, 3D model and measurement can be regarded as a good support for further research and make a valuable contribution to developing non-invasive approaches for AC management.

Trends of gastric cancer burdens attributable to risk factors in China from 2000 to 2050.

Background: The incidence of gastric cancer (GC) decreased in past decades, which was thought largely attributable to risk factors control, yet China still accounts for 44% of global GC burdens. We aimed to estimate changing trajectories of proportions of GC burdens attributable to modifiable risk factors from 2000 to 2050 in China, to inform future targeted preventive strategies. Methods: The incidence and new cases of GC were predicted to 2050 using Bayesian age-period-cohort model based on incidence data by anatomical subsites drawn from 682 cancer registries from National Central Cancer Registry. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated based on prevalence of risk factors and relative risks with GC. Temporal trends of PAFs were described by sex and categories of risk factors using joinpoint analysis. Findings: We observed declining trends of PAFs of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, smoking, pickled vegetable and alcohol consumption, but increasing trends of PAFs of unhealthy body mass index and diabetes for GC in China. The combined PAFs of these risk factors were estimated to decrease by 10.57% from 2000 to 2050 for GC. We estimated there will be 279,707 GC (122,796 cardia gastric cancer [CGC] and 156,911 non-cardia gastric cancer [NCGC]) cases in 2050. Out of these cases, 70.18% of GC cases could be attributable to modifiable risk factors, while H. pylori infection was predicted to be responsible for 40.7% of CGC and 62.1% of NCGC cases in 2050. Interpretation: More than half of GC remained attributable to modifiable risk factors in China. Continued effective strategies on risk factors control are needed to reduce the burden of this highly life-threatening cancer in future. Funding: Beijing Nova Program (No. Z201100006820069), CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS, grant No. 2021-I2M-1-023), CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS, grant No. 2021-I2M-1-010), Talent Incentive Program of Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (Hope Star).

Identifying the optimal treatment strategy in patients with resectable non-cardia gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Multimodal treatment strategy including perioperative chemotherapy (PEC), postoperative chemoradiation therapy (POCR), and postoperative chemotherapy (POC) has been accepted as the standard of care in gastric cancer (GC). The ideal sequence and type of therapy remain undetermined. METHOD: The National Cancer Database was examined from 2006 to 2016 to identify patients with resectable non-cardia gastric cancer. Patient outcomes were compared based on the receipt of PEC, POCR, and POC. This comparison was repeated in a sub-group of patients who received optimal treatment. Optimal treatment was defined as initial chemotherapy within 45 days of diagnosis, resection within 45 days of diagnosis, negative margins, adjuvant chemotherapy within 90 days of resection and standard radiation dose (45 Gy). Kaplan-Meier test, log-rank test, and multivariable analysis (MVA) were performed. RESULTS: We identified 9589 patients. Median survival was greater in the PEC group followed by POCR and POC (60.6, 42.3, and 31.2 months, respectively). On MVA, factors associated with worse overall survival included age above median (≥ 63 years), Charlson-Deyo score of ≥ 1, non-academic/research program, poorly differentiated/undifferentiated grade, positive margins, and positive lymph nodes. Both PEC and POCR were associated with improved survival when compared to POC (HR 0.78 and 0.79; p < 0.001). When compared with PEC, no significant difference was noted with POCR (HR 1.01; p = 0.987). These results were maintained in optimally treated cohort (n = 3418). CONCLUSION: In patients with resectable non-cardia gastric cancer, both perioperative chemotherapy and postoperative chemoradiation therapy were associated with improved survival when compared to postoperative chemotherapy. No difference was noted between perioperative chemotherapy and postoperative chemoradiation therapy. These results were maintained in the optimally treated cohort.

Long-term outcomes of laparoscopic Heller's myotomy with angle of His accentuation in patients of achalasia cardia.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Heller's myotomy (LHM) is an established treatment for achalasia cardia. Anti-reflux procedures (ARP) are recommended with LHM to reduce the post-operative reflux though the optimal anti-reflux procedure is still debatable. This study reports on the long-term outcomes of LHM with Angle-of-His accentuation (AOH) in patients of achalasia cardia. METHODS: One hundred thirty-six patients of achalasia cardia undergoing LHM with AOH between January 2010 to October 2021 with a minimum follow-up of one year were evaluated for symptomatic outcomes using Eckardt score (ES), DeMeester heartburn (DMH) score and achalasia disease specific quality of life (A-DsQoL) questionnaire. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, high resolution manometry (HRM) and timed barium esophagogram (TBE) were performed when feasible and rates of esophagitis and improvement in HRM and TBE parameters evaluated. Time dependent rates of success were calculated with respect to improvement in ES and dysphagia-, regurgitation- and heartburn-free survival using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 65.5 months, the overall success (ES ≤ 3) was 94.1%. There was statistically significant improvement in ES, heartburn score and A-DsQoL score (p < 0.00001, p = 0.002 and p < 0.00001). Significant heartburn (score ≥ 2) was seen in 12.5% subjects with 9.5% patients reporting frequent PPI use (> 3 days per week). LA-B and above esophagitis was seen in 12.7%. HRM and TBE parameters also showed a significant improvement as compared to pre-operative values (IRP: p < 0.0001, column height: p < 0.0001, column width: p = 0.0002). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed dysphagia, regurgitation, and heartburn free survival of 75%, 96.2% and 72.3% respectively at 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: LHM with AOH gives a lasting relief of symptoms in patients of achalasia cardia with heartburn rates similar to that reported in studies using Dor's or Toupet's fundoplication with LHM. Hence, LHM with AOH may be a preferred choice in patients of achalasia cardia given the simplicity of the procedure.

Robot-Assisted Heller Myotomy Versus Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Robot-assisted Heller myotomy (RAHM) is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) in the surgical management of achalasia, with similar outcomes and potentially lower complication rates. We aimed to systematically review the literature by comparing the technical success, outcomes, and complications of RAHM and LHM. We searched PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Central Register for articles published between 2001 and 2023. Data on technical success, clinical outcomes, length of hospital stay, esophageal perforation rate, and overall mortality were extracted. A total of 11 articles were included in the study, comparing a total of 3,543 RAHM and 15,434 LHM cases. The mean operative time was significantly higher in the RAHM procedure with a total mean difference of 23.95 (95% confidence interval (Cl) 17.09, 30.81; p < 0.00001; I2 = 99%). However, the RAHM was associated with a significantly shorter hospital stay, with a total mean difference of -0.24 (95% Cl = -0.40, -0.08; p < 0.00001; I2 = 81%). The volume of blood loss was significantly smaller in RAHM with a total mean difference of -61.11 (95% CI = -150.31, 28.09; p < 0.00001; I2 = 99%). Esophageal mucosal perforation was significantly lower in RAHM with an odds ratio of 0.36 (95% CI = 0.16, 0.82; p = 0.02; I2 = 22%). Both procedures were associated with similar rates of symptom relief. Although no mortality was recorded in patients who underwent RAHM as opposed to 16 cases in patients who underwent LHM, no statistically significant difference could be reached. Our results demonstrate that while both procedures yield comparable clinical outcomes, RAHM is associated with a lower overall complication rate, particularly a lower rate of esophageal mucosal perforation, shorter hospital stay, and possibly a lower mortality rate. This confirms that RAHM is a viable and justifiable alternative to the conventional LHM in the surgical management of achalasia.

Gastric Leiomyoma Near the Gastroesophageal Junction Causing Massive Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Leiomyomas are rare, slow-growing submucosal tumors originating from smooth muscle cells. They are typically benign when found in the gastrointestinal tract, and they present no risk for recurrence or metastasis. In this report, we describe the case of a 64-year-old female patient presenting with severe anemia, generalized fatigue, and intermittent dark tarry stools and who was found to have a bleeding gastric cardia mass one centimeter distal to the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) on abdominal computed tomography and confirmed with an esophagoduodenoscopy. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic wedge resection of the stomach with partial resection of the gastrohepatic ligament was performed to resect the mass. Histopathological examination revealed positivity for smooth muscle actin (SMA) and H caldesmon, consistent with a leiomyoma. In this report, we discuss this patient's clinical presentation, the method of mass resection, the importance of mass location in choosing a surgical approach for resection, and differential diagnoses for this case.

Cumulative Blood Pressure in Early Adulthood and Coronary Artery Calcium and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Middle Age Among Adults With Maintained Blood Pressure of <130/80 mm Hg: A Post Hoc Analysis.

BACKGROUND: To examine the association of blood pressure (BP) levels with coronary artery calcium and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in people with maintained BP below the hypertension range based on current definitions. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this post hoc analysis of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) prospective observational cohort study conducted in 4 US cities, we examined 1233 study participants (mean [SD] age at year 20 examination was 45.3 [3.5] years; 65.4% women). Participants with BP assessments across 20 years and untreated BP of <130/80 mm Hg were included. Multivariable logistic or linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, race, education, diabetes, body mass index, serum creatinine, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, were used to examine the associations between cumulative BP measures with coronary artery calcium and CIMT. Higher long-term cumulative systolic BP and pulse pressure across early adulthood were associated with higher CIMT (both P<0.001) but not coronary artery calcium in the multivariable-adjusted model. The associations remained significant even after adjustment for a single BP measurement at year 0 or year 20. The odds ratio (OR) of a maximal CIMT >1.01 mm was ≈50% higher per 1-SD increase in systolic BP (OR, 1.50 [95% CI, 1.19-1.88]) and pulse pressure (OR, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.19-1.79]). Similar findings for CIMT were observed among individuals with a coronary artery calcium score of 0 as well as those with maintained BP of <120/80 mm Hg throughout young adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term cumulative systolic BP and pulse pressure across early adulthood within the nonhypertensive range were associated with adverse midlife alterations in CIMT.

Clinicopathological significance of intestinal metaplasia in endoscopically resected early gastric carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of intestinal metaplasia (IM) in endoscopically resected early gastric carcinoma (EGC). METHODS: Altogether 136 consecutive cases with EGC resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection over 5 years were included and divided into the early gastric cardiac (EGCC; n = 60) and non-cardiac carcinoma (EGNCC; n = 76) groups. Goblet cell IM and subtypes were determined with histology and immunostaining. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was compared among various IM groups. RESULTS: IM was identified in 128 (94.1%) EGC cases, including complete IM (n = 39), incomplete IM (n = 27), and mixed IM (n = 62). Incomplete IM was significantly more common in EGCC and exhibited a lower frequency of en bloc resection than the complete subtype. The frequency of synchronous or metachronous gastric tumor was significantly more common in EGCC with complete IM than in those with incomplete IM. Compared to EGC without IM, EGC with IM showed a significantly higher frequency of non-poorly cohesive carcinoma, en bloc resection, and non-eCuraC-1 grade. EGNCC with IM was significantly associated with negative resection margins and en bloc resection. The 5-year RFS was significantly lower in EGNCC patients with incomplete IM compared with those with mixed IM. The independent risk factors for RFS included tumor size >2 cm and eCuraC-1 grade. CONCLUSIONS: Subtyping IM in EGC helped predict endoscopic resectability, prognosis, and risk of synchronous or metachronous gastric tumor. The significance of IM differed between EGCC and EGNCC. Large studies with longer follow-up are warranted to validate our findings.

Association analysis of apoptosis-related gene caspase3, Integrin a subunit 1 and glutathione sulfur transferase M1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to gastric cardia carcinoma.

Background: To explore the association of polymorphisms of apoptosis-linked genes caspase3 (CASP3), integrin a subunit 1 (ITGA1), glutathione sulfur transferase M1 (GSTM1) with susceptibility to gastric cardia carcinoma (GCC). Methods: From February 2016 to March 2018, selection of 113 GCC patients was as the gastric cancer (GC), and selection of 75 patients without gastric disease was as the control. Detection of CASP3, ITGA1 and GSTM1 gene polymorphisms in patients' peripheral blood was to analyze their association with GC. Division of the GC was into the good prognosis and the unpleasing prognosis in the light of the survival of patients after surgery of 3 years, and the predictable value of gene polymorphisms of CASP3, ITGA1 and GSTM1 in GCC patients was analyzed. Results: CASP3 gene rs12108497 locus, ITGA1 gene rs1862610 locus and GSTM1 genotype of the GC and the control were in accord with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P > 0.05); The detection rate of CASP3 gene rs12108497 locus TC/CC type, ITGA1's gene rs1862610 locus AC/AA type and GSTM1 blank type in the GC was elevated vs. the control (P < 0.05); Logistic regression analysis manifested smoking, anxiety, helicobacter pylori infection, family history of gastrointestinal tumor, combination with chronic gastric disease, CASP3 gene and GSTM1 gene polymorphism were risk factors for GC (P < 0.05); Stratification was in the light of individual smoking status, discovering that the detection rates of CASP3 gene rs12108497 locus TC/CC type, ITGA1 gene RS1862610 locus AC/AA type and GSTM1 blank type in the smoking were crucially augmented vs. the smoking (P < 0.05); The detection rates of CASP3 gene rs12108497 locus TC/CC type, ITGA1 gene rs1862610 locus AC/AA type and GSTM1 blank type in the death were augmented vs. the survival (P < 0.05); Combined detection of CASP3, ITGA1 and GSTM1 gene polymorphisms was provided with predictive value for GCC's prognosis (P < 0.05). Conclusions: CASP3 and GSTM1 genes are susceptibility genes for GCC, which might be associated with the occurrence of GCC in smoking patients, and the joint detection of multiple genes is provided with predictive value for patients' prognosis.

Evaluation and Management of Achalasia Cardia in Children: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Achalasia cardia is a neuromuscular disorder of unknown etiology characterized by aperistalsis of the body of the esophagus and failure of relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter. The diagnosis of achalasia cardia is delayed due to the rarity and the ability to mimic other common conditions in children. Hence, a study was conducted to evaluate the clinical presentation and the management of achalasia cardia in children. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in the department of pediatric surgery at a tertiary center. The children with achalasia cardia who presented between January 2014 and December 2021 were included. Results: A total of 12 patients were treated for achalasia cardia during the study period. All children presented with recurrent episodes of vomiting, whereas dysphagia was seen in six (50%) children. Eighty-three percent of the children presented with a history of weight loss, whereas failure to thrive was seen in nine (75%) children. Five (42%) children were managed as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for more than a year before presenting to us. Three (25%) children underwent open cardiomyotomy with Thal fundoplication and the rest nine (75%) underwent laparoscopic cardiomyotomy. All are thriving well. Conclusion: Achalasia is an important differential diagnosis in children with suspected GERD. The most common symptom of achalasia cardia is vomiting followed by dysphagia. Weight loss and failure to thrive are important presenting features in children with achalasia which are uncommon in adults. Cardiomyotomy without fundoplication is safe and effective to treat achalasia cardia in children without having any extra complications.