Comparison of the Diagnostic Performances of Same-session Endoscopic Ultrasound- and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography-guided Tissue Sampling for Suspected Biliary Strictures at Different Primary Tumor Sites.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Determining the cause of suspected biliary stricture is often challenging in clinical practice. We aimed to compare the diagnostic yields of endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling (EUS-TS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-guided tissue sampling (ERCP-TS) in patients with suspected biliary stricture at different primary lesions. METHODS: We enrolled patients who underwent same-session EUS- and ERCP-TS for the evaluation of suspected biliary stricture. Forceps biopsy and/or brush cytology of intraductal lesions and fine-needle aspiration for solid mass lesions were performed during ERCP and EUS, respectively. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-five patients treated at our institution between January 2011 and September 2016, were initially considered for the study. However, 32 patients were excluded due to loss of follow-up (n=8) and ERCP-TS on the pancreatic duct (n=20) or periampullary lesions (n=4). Of the 93 patients included, 86 had a malignant tumor including cholangiocarcinoma (n=39), pancreatic cancer (n=37), and other malignancies (n=10). Seven patients had benign lesions. EUS-TS had higher rate of overall diagnostic accuracy than ERCP-TS (82.8% vs. 60.2%, p=0.001), and this was especially true for patients with a pancreatic lesion (84.4% vs. 51.1%, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: EUS-TS was found to be superior to ERCP-TS for evaluating suspected biliary strictures, especially those caused by pancreatic lesions.

Quality of information on the Internet for Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The Internet is the main resource for health-related information. The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rapidly increasing in Asian countries. However, the quality of websites for IBD available in this region has not been evaluated. We aimed to evaluate the quality of the information on IBD obtained from Korean websites. METHODS: Using the terms "Crohn's disease" or "ulcerative colitis," websites were selected from those obtained with the three most renowned search engines in Korea; 60 websites from the results of each engine were chosen. The websites were classified into institutional, commercial, charitable, supportive, or alternative medicine types according to the characteristics of each site. The websites were evaluated regarding content quality using the validated DISCERN instrument and the Journal of the American Medical Association benchmarks. RESULTS: The median score of all the websites according to the DISCERN instrument was 32 (interquartile range, 25 to 47) out of 80, indicating an insufficient overall quality of information. The alternative medicine sites scored the lowest, whereas the institutional sites scored the highest (p < 0.05). The quality of information was significantly different among the search engines (p = 0.028). The rank of appearance in the Google search result did not correlate with the quality level of the information. CONCLUSION: The quality of information on the Internet regarding IBD varied according to the website type and search engine. Accreditation and quality assurance systems should be implemented for websites to ensure that the public and patients obtain accurate information on IBD.

Development of a Predictive Model Using Endoscopic Features for Gastric Cytomegalovirus Infection in Renal Transplant Patients.

BACKGROUND: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common viral pathogen in transplant patients which often targets the stomach. However, the endoscopic characteristics of gastric CMV infection are not well established. We aimed to develop a predictive model using endoscopic findings for gastric CMV infection in renal transplant patients. METHODS: A retrospective study of 287 kidney transplant recipients who underwent endoscopy with biopsy for suspected CMV infection from January 2006 to November 2015 at a tertiary referral hospital was performed. CMV infection was defined based on inclusion bodies in hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical staining. Endoscopic and clinical parameters related to gastric CMV infection were selected by univariate analyses. Multivariate logistic regression was used to create a predictive model from ß-coefficients. RESULTS: CMV was present in 107 (37.7%) of the 287 patients. Multivariate analysis found age (odds ratio [OR], 0.964; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.938-0.99; P = 0.008), erosions with surface exudate (OR, 5.34; 95% CI, 2.687-10.612; P < 0.001), raised shape of erosions (OR, 3.957; 95% CI, 1.937-8.083; P < 0.001), and antral location of ulcers (OR, 15.018; 95% CI, 5.728-39.371; P < 0.001) as independent predictive factors for gastric CMV infection. Using the predictive model created from this analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were 71.03%, 85.56%, 74.51%, 83.24%, and 80.14%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of this model for detecting CMV infection was 0.850 (95% CI, 0.803-0.889; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The predictive model with typical endoscopic findings may be useful for detecting gastric CMV infection in renal transplant patients.

An Extragastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Originating from the Pancreas.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). In fewer than 5% of cases, GIST originates primarily from outside the GIT. The occurrence of GIST originating from the pancreas is rare. Sometimes, neuroendocrine tumors should be differentiated from GISTs because of their hyperenhancing nature in radiologic images. We report a case of GIST arising in the pancreas that was confirmed by surgical resection.

Optimal Endoscopic Screening Interval for Early Detection of Gastric Cancer: a Single-Center Study.

BACKGROUND: The optimal endoscopic screening interval for early gastric cancer (EGC) detection still remains controversial. Thus, we performed this prospective study to clarify the optimal interval between endoscopic examinations for EGC detection. METHODS: A questionnaire survey for penultimate endoscopy and gastric cancer (GC) diagnosis interval was used; the findings were then analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to GC type and endoscopic examinations intervals. RESULTS: A total of 843 patients were enrolled. The endoscopic GC detection interval (P < 0.001), tumor location (P < 0.001), tumor size (P < 0.001), histology (P < 0.001), tumor stage (P < 0.001), and treatment modality (P < 0.001) showed significant differences in the univariate analysis between EGC and advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Endoscopic examination intervals below 2 years and 3 years were associated with higher proportions of EGC detection (adjusted odds ratio, 2.458 and 3.022, respectively) (P < 0.001). The patients with endoscopic examination to GC diagnosis interval of < 2 years showed significant differences in tumor size (P < 0.001), tumor stage (P < 0.001), and treatment modality (P < 0.001) compared to those with intervals of > 2 years and without screening. Similar results were observed in those with < 3-year intervals. CONCLUSION: Triennial endoscopic screening might be as effective as biennial screening in increasing the detection rate of EGC and the risk of subsequent curable endoscopic resections.

[Actinomycosis Involving Chronic Pancreatitis: A Case Report with Literature Review].

Actinomycosis is a slowly progressive, chronic infectious disease. It is caused by the genus Actinomyces, which are gram-positive anaerobic bacteria. It presents as a mass-like lesion, composed of bacterial nidus and characteristic granulomatous inflammatory fibrosis. As such, it has frequently been mistaken for a malignancy. Surgical resection is a common procedure in these patients prior to a definite diagnosis. Although actinomycosis can occur in a variety of regions, including oral-cervicofacial, thoracic, and abdominopelvic cavities, the involvement of the pancreas is very rare. We report a case of a 44-year-old male with a symptomatic actinomycosis caused by a mass in the tail of the pancreas. The diagnosis was made using an endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy without surgical resection. After the treatment with antibiotics, the pancreatic mass was confirmed to be resolved on the follow-up computed tomography.

Improved detection of right colon adenomas with additional retroflexion following two forward-view examinations: a prospective study.

Background and study aims Colonoscopy in the right colon is less effective than in the left colon in screening for colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the diagnostic value of retroflexion in the right colon. Patients and methods A total of 1020 patients undergoing screening or surveillance colonoscopy were enrolled. After the first cecal intubation, the scope was withdrawn from the cecum to the hepatic flexure in the standard forward view and all identified polyps were resected. A second examination from the cecum to the hepatic flexure was then performed in standard forward view, and finally a third examination of that same segment was conducted in retroflexion. Additionally detected polyps at each examination were removed. The main outcome measures included the proportion of procedures with successful retroflexion, the additional yield for adenoma detection, and the adenoma miss rate. Results Retroflexion was successful in 840 patients (82.4 %). Retroflexion detected a significantly greater proportion of patients with adenomas in the proximal segment than the two standard examinations combined (forward view 25.5 % vs. total examination 27.5 %; P < 0.001). The per-adenoma miss rate of the two standard examinations in the right colon was 10.4 % (52/502), and the per-patient adenoma miss rate was 4.9 % (50/1020). The detection of additional adenomas using retroflexion was associated with age ≥ 55 years, gastroenterologist experience, and the presence of polyps on forward-view examination. Conclusions Colonoscopic retroflexion in the proximal colon resulted in an increased detection of adenomas, even after two consecutive forward-view examinations.Trial registered at Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS): KCT0000725.

The Impact of Gallbladder Status on Biliary Complications After the Endoscopic Removal of Choledocholithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) with stone extraction is the standard management for choledocholithiasis. However, the necessity for subsequent management of gallstone to prevent the biliary complications remained controversial and few data were evaluated for the impact of status of gallbladder on recurrent biliary complications. We retrospectively investigated the relationship between the status of gallbladder and the occurrence of biliary complications after endoscopic removal of choledocholithiasis. METHODS: Between January 1998 and December 2008, we enrolled 453 patients with intact gallbladder who underwent EST for choledocholithiasis and allocated into two groups: calculous gallbladder (n = 256) and acalculous gallbladder (n = 197). By reviewing patients' medical records, we compared the occurrence of biliary complications according to the presence or absence of gallstone in GB in situ. RESULTS: In total, biliary complications occurred in 83 patients (18.3 %) during the follow-up period. Calculous GB group had higher rate of overall complications (22.7 vs. 12.7 %; p = 0.007) and GB-associated complications (11.3 vs. 2.5 %; p = 0.001) than acalculous GB group. On the multivariate analysis, only the presence of gallstone was shown to be significant risk factor for overall biliary complication (OR 2.029; 95 % CI 1.209-3.405; p = 0.007) and GB-associated complications (OR 5.077; 95 % CI 1.917-13.446; p = 0.001). Mean event-free period was shorter in calculous GB group than acalculous GB group for overall complications (1774 vs. 2159 days; p = 0.012) and GB-associated complication (2153 vs. 2591 days; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic cholecystectomy may not be necessary to prevent biliary complication in patients with acalculous gallbladder after endoscopic removal of pigment stones from bile duct.