Digestive tract MALT lymphoma, an unusual location.

The authors describe a case of a rectal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in a 78-year-old female patient, manifested as rectal bleeding. Despite being commonly diagnosed in the localized form, this patient had supradiaphragmatic involvement on disease staging. Immunochemotherapy was proposed due to the disseminated involvement and poorer prognosis.

Evaluation of a new composite score combining SPICE and protrusion angle scores to distinguish submucosal lesions from innocent bulges.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: in capsule endoscopy (CE), small bowel subepithelial lesions (SBSL) are difficult to distinguish from innocent mucosal protrusions. The SPICE score (smooth, protruding lesions index on CE) and a score that assesses the SBSL protrusion angle were developed. The aim of the study was to determine if a composite score is superior to the proposed models. METHODS: all CE between 01/2010 and 12/2020 were included in the study if a smooth, round protruding lesion was identified. Both scores and a composite score (SPICE > 2 and angle < 90°) were calculated after video review. Mucosal protrusions were defined as SBSL if they had a histological/imaging diagnosis and innocent protrusions if otherwise. All patients without at least one appointment and an additional diagnostic exam after CE were excluded. RESULTS: a total of 34 CE were included; 64.7 % were males, aged 65.4 ± 14.7 years. The most common indication for CE was anemia (52.9 %). SBSL was identified in 17 cases, with lipomas (14.7 %) being the most frequent diagnosis. Both the SPICE (AUROC 0.90, p < 0.001) and protrusion angle scores (AUROC 0.74, p = 0.019) accurately distinguished SBSL from innocent protrusions. Applying a 90° cut-off, the protrusion angle had a sensitivity of 52.9 % and specificity of 88.2 %. Applying a cut-off of > 2 points, the SPICE score has a sensitivity of 64.7 % and specificity of 94.2 %. The composite score had a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of 47.0 %, 100 %, 100 % and 65.4 %. CONCLUSION: we propose that additional follow-up investigation should always be undertaken in cases where both a SPICE > 2 and angle of < 90° are obtained, as the likelihood of SBSL is high.

Small Bowel Villous Atrophy in a Young Patient: A Challenging Diagnosis.

Common variable immunodeficiency enteropathy is a sprue-like disease, which may manifest as a severe malabsorption syndrome with nutritional deficits and cachexia. The authors report a case of a 33-year-old Afghan man, who presented to the emergency department due to chronic watery diarrhea and severe malnourishment. He had been previously misdiagnosed with celiac disease in his early adulthood; however, this was based on inconclusive findings. After a thorough diagnostic workup, the final diagnosis of common variable immunodeficiency enteropathy with symptomatic norovirus infection of the gut was obtained during his prolonged hospitalization. A slow but progressive improvement was observed with immunoglobulin replacement therapy, corticotherapy, and ribavirin treatment. This is a noteworthy case of a rare malabsorption disorder, and it reviews important aspects concerning the differential diagnosis of small bowel villous atrophy of unknown etiology, as well as gastrointestinal manifestations of common variable immunodeficiency disorder.

A Enteropatia associada à Imunodeficiência Comum Variável é uma entidade com características clínicas e endoscópicas semelhantes à doença celíaca. Por vezes apresenta-se como um síndrome de malabsorção, levando a défices nutricionais e caquexia severa. Os autores relatam o caso de um homem de 33 anos de idade de naturalidade afegã, que recorreu ao serviço de urgência por um quadro de diarreia aquosa crónica e desnutrição severa. O doente teria sido diagnosticado erroneamente com doença celíaca no início da vida adulta, com bases em dados clínicos inconclusivos. Após um estudo exaustivo durante um internamento prolongado, o doente foi diagnosticado com uma Enteropatia associada à Imunodeficiência Comum Variável com sobreinfeção por Norovirus. Foi observada uma melhoria lenta e progressiva com instituição de terapêutica substitutiva com imunoglobulina, corticoterapia e ribavirina. Este caso retrata uma causa rara de malabsorção, abordando pontos essenciais no diagnóstico diferencial da atrofia vilositária do intestinal delgado, bem como das manifestações gastrointestinais da Imunodeficiência Comum Variável.

Small-Bowel Angioectasias: Are They Responsible for a Real Impact on Survival?

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of small-bowel angioectasia on survival, given the hypothesis that angioectasia might be an independent risk factor of frailty and poor outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, all patients undergoing small-bowel capsule endoscopy between 2010 and 2013 for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding from a Portuguese tertiary centre were included. Follow-up started after capsule endoscopy and ended upon death or end of the study (November 2020). Survival analysis was performed using a Cox proportional-hazards model, in order to analyse the effect of small-bowel angioectasia on survival as well as potentially confounding factors (age, vascular diseases and chronic kidney disease). Results: A total of 176 patients were included in this study (50.6% male), with a median age of 68.5 years (IQR 24). The median follow-up was 7 years (IQR 4), during which 67 (38.1%) patients died. Seventy-three (41.5%) patients had at least one small-bowel angioectasia on capsule endoscopy. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, only age, peripheral arterial disease, history of previous mesenteric ischaemia and chronic kidney disease were independent risk factors of death. The presence of small-bowel angioectasia did not affect survival in this analysis (HR 1.30; 95% CI 0.75-2.23; p = 0.35). Conclusion: In this retrospective cohort study, some comorbidities and age were independent predictors of poor survival. The presence of small-bowel angioectasia per se did not affect survival.

Introdução: Este estudo pretendeu avaliar a influência das angiectasias do intestino delgado na sobrevida, dada a hipótese de que as angiectasias pudessem constituir um fator de risco independente para fragilidade e outcomes adversos. Métodos: Os autores incluíram neste estudo de coorte retrospetivo todos os doentes submetidos a cápsula endoscópica entre 2010 e 2013 por hemorragia digestiva obscura num centro português terciário. O followup iniciou-se após a realização da cápsula e terminou aquando da morte ou fim do estudo (Novembro de 2020). A análise da sobrevida foi realizada através de um modelo de regressão de Cox, no sentido de analisar o efeito na sobrevida das angiectasias do intestino delgado e de potenciais fatores confundidores (idade, doenças vasculares e doença renal crónica). Resultados: Neste estudo foram incluídos 176 doentes (50.6% do sexo masculino), com uma idade mediana de 68.5 anos (IQR 24). O tempo de follow-up mediano foi de 7 anos (IQR 4), durante o qual se verificaram 67 (38.1%) óbitos. 73 (41.5%) dos doentes apresentavam pelo menos uma angiectasia no intestino delgado. Na análise de sobrevida, apenas a idade, doença arterial periférica, história prévia de isquemia mesentérica e doença renal crónica foram fatores de risco independentes de mortalidade. A presença de angiectasias no intestino delgado não afetou a sobrevida nesta amostra (HR 1,30; 95% CI 0,75­2,23; p = 0.35). Conclusão: Neste estudo de coorte retrospetivo, algumas co-morbilidades e a idade foram fatores de risco independentes de mortalidade. A presença de angiectasias no intestino delgado, per se, não afetou a sobrevida.