Type 1 Autoimmune Pancreatitis in Europe: Clinical Profile and Response to Treatment.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an immune-mediated disease of the pancreas with distinct pathophysiology and manifestations. Our aims were to characterize type 1 AIP in a large pan-European cohort and study the effectiveness of current treatment regimens. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed adults diagnosed since 2005 with type 1 or not-otherwise-specified AIP in 42 European university hospitals. Type 1 AIP was uniformly diagnosed using specific diagnostic criteria. Patients with type 2 AIP and those who had undergone pancreatic surgery were excluded. The primary end point was complete remission, defined as the absence of clinical symptoms and resolution of the index radiologic pancreatic abnormalities attributed to AIP. RESULTS: We included 735 individuals with AIP (69% male; median age, 57 years; 85% White). Steroid treatment was started in 634 patients, of whom 9 (1%) were lost to follow-up. The remaining 625 had a 79% (496/625) complete, 18% (111/625) partial, and 97% (607/625) cumulative remission rate, whereas 3% (18/625) did not achieve remission. No treatment was given in 95 patients, who had a 61% complete (58/95), 19% partial (18/95), and 80% cumulative (76/95) spontaneous remission rate. Higher (≥0.4 mg/kg/day) corticosteroid doses were no more effective than lower (<0.4 mg/kg/day) doses (odds ratio, 0.428; 95% confidence interval, 0.054-3.387) and neither was a starting dose duration >2 weeks (odds ratio, 0.908; 95% confidence interval, 0.818-1.009). Elevated IgG4 levels were independently associated with a decreased chance of complete remission (odds ratio, 0.639; 95% confidence interval, 0.427-0.955). Relapse occurred in 30% of patients. Relapses within 6 months of remission induction were independent of the steroid-tapering duration, induction treatment duration, and total cumulative dose. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with type 1 AIP and elevated IgG4 level may need closer monitoring. For remission induction, a starting dose of 0.4 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks followed by a short taper period seems effective. This study provides no evidence to support more aggressive regimens.

Improved nutritional outcomes and gastrointestinal symptoms in adult cystic fibrosis patients treated with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor.

INTRODUCTION: CFTR modulator therapy improves nutritional status and quality of life. Clinical trials have shown pancreatic insufficiency conversion, mostly in pediatric patients treated with ivacaftor. Studies with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) in older patients have not suggested restoration of exocrine pancreas function, but quality data in adults are lacking. Our aim was to show the effect of ETI in adults with CF on nutritional status and digestive function. We hypothesized improvement of nutritional parameters and gastrointestinal symptoms, reduction of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, but uncertain improvement in exocrine pancreatic function. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled adults with CF treated with ETI from August 2021 to June 2022. We measured anthropometric parameters, laboratory nutritional markers, change of fecal elastase, pancreatic enzymes replacement therapy needs, and gastrointestinal symptoms. RESULTS: In the cohort of 29 patients (mean age 29.1 years), 82.8% suffered exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. After ETI, mean BMI increased by 1.20 kg/m2 (p < 0.001), mean body weight by 3.51 kg (p < 0.001), albumin by 2.81 g/L, and prealbumin by 0.06 (both p < 0.001). Only one patient, initially pancreatic insufficient (4.5%, p < 0.001), developed pancreatic sufficiency, indicated by increased fecal elastase from 45 µg/g to 442.1 µg/g. Mean change in lipase substitution decreased by 1,969 units/kg/day (p < 0.001) and stools frequency by 1.18 per day (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest increased nutritional parameters, lower pancreatic substitution requirements, and improved defecation in adult CF patients on ETI. Improvement in exocrine pancreatic function might be mutation-specific and needs further study.

Small-bowel capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy for diagnosis and treatment of small-bowel disorders: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline - Update 2022.

MR1: ESGE recommends small-bowel capsule endoscopy as the first-line examination, before consideration of other endoscopic and radiological diagnostic tests for suspected small-bowel bleeding, given the excellent safety profile of capsule endoscopy, its patient tolerability, and its potential to visualize the entire small-bowel mucosa.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR2: ESGE recommends small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with overt suspected small-bowel bleeding as soon as possible after the bleeding episode, ideally within 48 hours, to maximize the diagnostic and subsequent therapeutic yield.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR3: ESGE does not recommend routine second-look endoscopy prior to small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected small-bowel bleeding or iron-deficiency anemia.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. MR4: ESGE recommends conservative management in those patients with suspected small-bowel bleeding and high quality negative small-bowel capsule endoscopy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR5: ESGE recommends device-assisted enteroscopy to confirm and possibly treat lesions identified by small-bowel capsule endoscopy.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR6: ESGE recommends the performance of small-bowel capsule endoscopy as a first-line examination in patients with iron-deficiency anemia when small bowel evaluation is indicated.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR7: ESGE recommends small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected Crohn's disease and negative ileocolonoscopy findings as the initial diagnostic modality for investigating the small bowel, in the absence of obstructive symptoms or known bowel stenosis.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence. MR8: ESGE recommends, in patients with unremarkable or nondiagnostic findings from dedicated small-bowel cross-sectional imaging, small-bowel capsule endoscopy as a subsequent investigation if deemed likely to influence patient management.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. MR9: ESGE recommends, in patients with established Crohn's disease, the use of a patency capsule before small-bowel capsule endoscopy to decrease the capsule retention rate.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR10: ESGE recommends device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) as an alternative to surgery for foreign bodies retained in the small bowel requiring retrieval in patients without acute intestinal obstruction.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. MR11: ESGE recommends DAE-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (DAE-ERCP) as a first-line endoscopic approach to treat pancreaticobiliary diseases in patients with surgically altered anatomy (except for Billroth II patients).Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.

Empirical Second-Line Therapy in 5000 Patients of the European Registry on Helicobacter pylori Management (Hp-EuReg).

BACKGROUND & AIMS: After a first Helicobacter pylori eradication attempt, approximately 20% of patients will remain infected. The aim of the current study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of second-line empiric treatment in Europe. METHODS: This international, multicenter, prospective, non-interventional registry aimed to evaluate the decisions and outcomes of H pylori management by European gastroenterologists. All infected adult cases with a previous eradication treatment attempt were registered with the Spanish Association of Gastroenterology-Research Electronic Data Capture until February 2021. Patients allergic to penicillin and those who received susceptibility-guided therapy were excluded. Data monitoring was performed to ensure data quality. RESULTS: Overall, 5055 patients received empiric second-line treatment. Triple therapy with amoxicillin and levofloxacin was prescribed most commonly (33%). The overall effectiveness was 82% by modified intention-to-treat analysis and 83% in the per-protocol population. After failure of first-line clarithromycin-containing treatment, optimal eradication (>90%) was obtained with moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy or levofloxacin-containing quadruple therapy (with bismuth). In patients receiving triple therapy containing levofloxacin or moxifloxacin, and levofloxacin-bismuth quadruple treatment, cure rates were optimized with 14-day regimens using high doses of proton pump inhibitors. However, 3-in-1 single capsule or levofloxacin-bismuth quadruple therapy produced reliable eradication rates regardless of proton pump inhibitor dose, duration of therapy, or previous first-line treatment. The overall incidence of adverse events was 28%, and most (85%) were mild. Three patients developed serious adverse events (0.3%) requiring hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Empiric second-line regimens including 14-day quinolone triple therapies, 14-day levofloxacin-bismuth quadruple therapy, 14-day tetracycline-bismuth classic quadruple therapy, and 10-day bismuth quadruple therapy (as a single capsule) provided optimal effectiveness. However, many other second-line treatments evaluated reported low eradication rates. ClincialTrials.gov number: NCT02328131.

Current trends in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a dreaded malignancy with a dismal 5-year survival rate despite maximal efforts on optimizing treatment strategies. Currently, early detection is considered to be the most effective way to improve survival as radical resection is the only potential cure. PDAC is often divided into four categories based on the extent of disease: resectable, borderline resectable, locally advanced, and metastatic. Unfortunately, the majority of patients are diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic disease, which renders them ineligible for curative resection. This is mainly due to the lack of or vague symptoms while the disease is still localized, although appropriate utilization and prompt availability of adequate diagnostic tools is also critical given the aggressive nature of the disease. A cost-effective biomarker with high specificity and sensitivity allowing early detection of PDAC without the need for advanced or invasive methods is still not available. This leaves the diagnosis dependent on radiodiagnostic methods or endoscopic ultrasound. Here we summarize the latest epidemiological data, risk factors, clinical manifestation, and current diagnostic trends and implications of PDAC focusing on serum biomarkers and imaging modalities. Additionally, up-to-date management and therapeutic algorithms are outlined.

Endoscopic management of ampullary tumors: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline.

1: ESGE recommends against diagnostic/therapeutic papillectomy when adenoma is not proven.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 2: ESGE recommends endoscopic ultrasound and abdominal magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for staging of ampullary tumors.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 3: ESGE recommends endoscopic papillectomy in patients with ampullary adenoma without intraductal extension, because of good results regarding outcome (technical and clinical success, morbidity, and recurrence).Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 4: ESGE recommends en bloc resection of ampullary adenomas up to 20-30 mm in diameter to achieve R0 resection, for optimizing the complete resection rate, providing optimal histopathology, and reduction of the recurrence rate after endoscopic papillectomy.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 5: ESGE suggests considering surgical treatment of ampullary adenomas when endoscopic resection is not feasible for technical reasons (e. g. diverticulum, size > 4 cm), and in the case of intraductal involvement (of > 20 mm). Surveillance thereafter is still mandatory.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 6: ESGE recommends direct snare resection without submucosal injection for endoscopic papillectomy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 7: ESGE recommends prophylactic pancreatic duct stenting to reduce the risk of pancreatitis after endoscopic papillectomy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 8: ESGE recommends long-term monitoring of patients after endoscopic papillectomy or surgical ampullectomy, based on duodenoscopy with biopsies of the scar and of any abnormal area, within the first 3 months, at 6 and 12 months, and thereafter yearly for at least 5 years.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.

Endoscopic management of superficial nonampullary duodenal tumors: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline.

1: ESGE recommends that all duodenal adenomas should be considered for endoscopic resection as progression to invasive carcinoma is highly likely.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 2: ESGE recommends performance of a colonoscopy, if that has not yet been done, in cases of duodenal adenoma.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 3: ESGE recommends the use of the cap-assisted method when the location of the minor and/or major papilla and their relationship to a duodenal adenoma is not clearly established during forward-viewing endoscopy.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 4: ESGE recommends the routine use of a side-viewing endoscope when a laterally spreading adenoma with extension to the minor and/or major papilla is suspected.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 5: ESGE suggests cold snare polypectomy for small (< 6 mm in size) nonmalignant duodenal adenomas.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 6: ESGE recommends endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) as the first-line endoscopic resection technique for nonmalignant large nonampullary duodenal adenomas.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 7: ESGE recommends that endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for duodenal adenomas is an effective resection technique only in expert hands.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 8: ESGE recommends using techniques that minimize adverse events such as immediate or delayed bleeding or perforation. These may include piecemeal resection, defect closure techniques, noncontact hemostasis, and other emerging techniques, and these should be considered on a case-by-case basis.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 9: ESGE recommends endoscopic surveillance 3 months after the index treatment. In cases of no recurrence, a further follow-up endoscopy should be done 1 year later. Thereafter, surveillance intervals should be adapted to the lesion site, en bloc resection status, and initial histological result. Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.

Unusual Biliary Complication following Christmas Eve Dinner.

We present a case of a fish bone impacted in the papilla of Vater resulting in dyspepsia and mild elevation in liver function tests, which was subsequently treated endoscopically. Fish bones are one of the most commonly encountered swallowed foreign bodies. However, involvement of the biliary tract, such as the one described by us, represents an extremely rare complication of fish bone ingestion. The diagnosis of a foreign body in the biliary tract can be difficult, and early endoscopic or surgical extraction may be required to avoid complications such as biliary stone formation, obstructive jaundice, cholangitis or cholecystitis, and/or biliary sepsis. Prompt endoscopic treatment can avoid severe biliary complications or surgical therapy.

Risk factors of pancreatic cancer and their possible uses in diagnostics.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a form of malignancy of increasing incidence and poor prognosis, with an average of less than 10% of patients surviving 5 years after being diagnosed. The main reason for this unfavorable situation is the long asymptomatic course of the disease, and the absence of a simple screening method, typically leading to the late discovery of the disease. The development of the malignancy from the initial carcinogenesis into invasive pancreatic carcinoma takes approximately 10 years. However, the progression of pancreatic cancer from early into advanced stages can be, according to the latest studies, incredibly fast, just a few months. Early stages of pancreatic malignancy can be detected only by expensive, and sometimes invasive, diagnostic methods (CT, MRI, or EUS). Due to the current absence of a reliable non-invasive screening method, it is necessary to define a group of patients who have the highest risk of PC development, five to ten times higher risk compared to the regular population at a minimum. Risk factors combine in their effect; therefore, relative risks of PC development need to be summarized to obtain a total relative risk for each person. The main and non-influenceable risk factor in the development of PC is the increasing age. The other non-influenceable risk factor of PC is a genetic predisposition - family incidence of the disease can be detected in 4-16% of patients. Some specific genes and mutations, which can play a role in PC development have already been identified (for example mutation of the PRSS-1 gene). Among the influenceable risk factors of PC is primarily smoking; obesity can play a part in PC development as well. A higher risk of PC is observed in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Nowadays, the relationship between PC and diabetes mellitus (DM) is hotly discussed. In the case of long-standing DM, the risk of pancreatic cancer is two times higher compared to the healthy population. However, new-onset DM can be the first sign of still asymptomatic PC. These patients, with paraneoplastic DM caused by pancreatic cancer cells, represent approximately 1% of recently diagnosed patients. However, this group of patients is still too large for screening. Because of that, it is necessary to find specific criteria to distinguish classic DM from the paraneoplastic form. The application of these criteria can help with the better stratification of risk in patients with new-onset diabetes and hence, it can help to discover PC in its early stages.

Current view of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in primarily resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is now the 11th most common cancer and in 2018 there were 458,918 new cases worldwide. In the Czech Republic, a total of 2,173 patients were diagnosed in 2015, ranking the second in incidence worldwide. In contrast to other malignancies, recent research has not brought any major breakthrough in the treatment of PDAC and hence the prognosis remains very serious. Radical resection is the only curative approach, but after the initiation of the standard pathological evaluation of the resected tissue, according to the Leeds protocol, 80% of the resections are R1 (resections with microscopically positive margins). The results of studies in patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced PDAC prefer neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. This approach leads to a higher number of radical R0 resections and better survival. For neoadjuvant treatment in patients with primarily resectable PDAC, most results come from retrospective analysis or phase II trials. However, recently, data from three randomized clinical trials with neoadjuvant therapy for resectable PDAC were presented. These results support the use of chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy prior to surgery. In the trials published to date, there are differences in chemotherapeutic regimens, cytostatic doses, and the definition of resectability. Thus, up-front resection with adjuvant chemotherapy is still the standard of care and a well-designed randomized trial using neoadjuvant therapy is now necessary.

Liver cirrhosis and pregnancy: a case report and review of literature.

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease in which the liver tissue and the vascular beds are remodeled leading to impaired hepatic function. Portal hypertension and subsequent esophageal varices are a frequent complication of liver cirrhosis and are a cause of mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis. Pregnancy in women with liver cirrhosis is uncommon, the incidence being about 1 in 5 950 pregnancies. Hepatocellular damage and the associated alteration in the metabolism of the sex hormones is thought to be responsible and leads to anovulation. In spite of all these factors, women with cirrhosis can and do become pregnant. Pregnancy is successful in most of the patients with chronic liver disease, but maternal and fetal complication rates are still high for decompensated liver cirrhosis. Portal hypertension associated with pregnancy is a high-risk situation as both pregnancy and portal hypertension share some of the hemodynamic changes. Risks of variceal bleeding and hepatic decompensation increases many fold during pregnancy. Despite the possible complications mentioned above, the maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality rates have been decreased by the current developments in hepatology, prevention of bleeding from varices with drugs and/or endoscopic variceal ligation, improvement in liver transplantation, and an increased experience in these issues. We present a case of a 31-year-old female patient with liver cirrhosis who successfully managed pregnancy and birth without complications after the insertion of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). Unfortunately, 2 years after delivery, the patient developed lymphoblastic lymphoma and, despite intensive therapy for this disease, the patient died at the age of 40. We did not find any link between liver cirrhosis and lymphoblastic lymphoma.

Diagnostics and therapy of chronic pancreatitis according to UEG guidelines.

Chronic pancreatitis is one of the diseases whose incidence is slightly increasing long-term. Apparently this is related to our current dietary habits and to the way of life in industrialized societies in general. In recent years, chronic pancreatitis has experienced greater diagnostic accuracy and reliability, although we are still unable to diagnose the early stages of the disease. In diagnostics, sophisticated imaging methods are in the forefront, and less frequent is the use of tests that assess the exocrine function of the gland. Non-invasive therapeutic approaches include dietary measures, including an absolute ban on alcohol. Drug therapy consists of the application of drugs containing pancreatic digestive enzymes and the treatment of pancreatic pain. The administration of capsules containing microparticles containing pancreatic enzymes, protected against inactivation of enzymes in an acidic gastric environment, is effective. In the treatment of pancreatic pain, we use a range of analgesic drugs, but abstinence from alcohol itself leads to a decrease in the frequency of pancreatic pain. Surgical therapy is very effective. Among other treatment methods include also endoscopic therapy. From the point of view of diagnosis and therapy, chronic pancreatitis is one of the conditions requiring a multidisciplinary approach. In this review article, we discuss the possibilities of diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis according to the current recommendations of UEG (United European Gastroenterology).

Is autoimmune pancreatitis a risk factor for pancreatic adenocarcinoma?

Immunoglobulin G4-related diseases (IgG4-RD) are a group of diseases characterized by high serum levels of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4), increased lymphocyte and plasma cell with IgG4 positivity in the parenchyma of some organs, and storiform fibrosis. The most frequently affected organ is the pancreas. This is an autoimmune form of pancreatitis, which can be divided into two types: Type 1, which is significantly more common than Type 2, is high in IgG4 in the pancreatic parenchyma and shows a fundamental difference in the noted presence of extrapancreatic disorders. In general, chronic inflammation is a risk factor in the development of carcinomas. Chronic pancreatitis is an accepted risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer. The question is whether this also applies to autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), which has some mediators of inflammation in common with sporadic pancreatitis, and what role the presence of IgG4 plays. The vast majority of the work on this topic consists of case reports, yet, even based on our own experience, we would like to say that there is a relationship between the autoimmune form of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, which usually occurs in the first two years after diagnosis of AIP. Also significant is the fact that the group of people with AIP, who is a clinical manifestation of IgG4-RD, was found to have an even higher incidence of extrapancreatic cancer than in the pancreas itself. Differentiating AIP from pancreatic cancer can sometimes be problematic since these diseases can both present as focal pancreatic lesions. IgG4 has been considered useful for AIP diagnosis, however, IgG4 levels can be slightly elevated, as in the case with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. IgG4 levels of over twice the upper limit are rare among patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. However, cases of simultaneous presentation of pancreatic cancer and AIP have been documented and should not be neglected. AIP is a condition where regular followup is mandatory, including from the perspective of possible cancerogenesis.

Helicobacter pylori first-line and rescue treatments in patients allergic to penicillin: Experience from the European Registry on H pylori management (Hp-EuReg).

BACKGROUND: Experience in Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment of patients allergic to penicillin is very scarce. A triple combination with a PPI, clarithromycin (C), and metronidazole (M) is often prescribed as the first option, although more recently the use of a quadruple therapy with PPI, bismuth (B), tetracycline (T), and M has been recommended. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line and rescue treatments in patients allergic to penicillin in the "European Registry of H pylori management" (Hp-EuReg). METHODS: A systematic prospective registry of the clinical practice of European gastroenterologists (27 countries, 300 investigators) on the management of H pylori infection. An e-CRF was created on AEG-REDCap. Patients with penicillin allergy were analyzed until June 2019. RESULTS: One-thousand eighty-four patients allergic to penicillin were analyzed. The most frequently prescribed first-line treatments were as follows: PPI + C + M (n = 285) and PPI + B + T + M (classic or Pylera® ; n = 250). In first line, the efficacy of PPI + C + M was 69%, while PPI + B + T + M reached 91% (P < .001). In second line, after the failure of PPI + C + M, two rescue options showed similar efficacy: PPI + B + T + M (78%) and PPI + C + levofloxacin (L) (71%) (P > .05). In third line, after the failure of PPI + C + M and PPI + C + L, PPI + B + T + M was successful in 75% of cases. CONCLUSION: In patients allergic to penicillin, a triple combination with PPI + C + M should not be generally recommended as a first-line treatment, while a quadruple regimen with PPI + B + T + M seems to be a better option. As a rescue treatment, this quadruple regimen (if not previously prescribed) or a triple regimen with PPI + C + L could be used but achieved suboptimal (<80%) results.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Pancreas Disease: Clinical Consequences.

Metabolic syndrome and its components such as obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, type-2 diabetes mellitus (DM-T2), and arterial hypertension are unequivocally serious problems for every society. This is especially true in economically developed countries where the imbalance in lifestyle between caloric intake and caloric output still gets greater and greater. This fact is not only a concern for the adult population but for children as well. However, metabolic syndrome does not only affect society and health in regards to cardiovascular diseases, it significantly concerns gastroenterology where it is classified as nonalcoholic fatty pancreas disease (NAFPD). The data gained from several trials show that the prevalence of NAFDP is 33% (95% CI 24-41%). When it comes to the diagnostic procedures concerning the presence of pancreatic fat, a whole spectrum of suitable methods are recommended. Probably, the most exact method is the use of magnetic resonance imaging. However, for common clinical practice, the abdominal sonographic examination based on the comparison of the pancreatic parenchymatous echogenity versus renal or hepatic echogenity is used. The clinical consequences of pancreatic steatosis and steatopancreatitis are significant. These diseases are connected with DM-T2 and insulin resistance. In recent years, changes of exocrine pancreatic function, particularly its decrease, have also been described. It is known that there is a close correlation between NAFPD and nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis and also with the increased thickness of aortic intima-media. There is also an important relationship between NAFPD and pancreatic carcinoma. Pancreatic steatosis, and especially its NAFPD form, is a serious state which can be treatable by the possible effective management of metabolic syndrome parameters, including obesity.

Regional Incidence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Czech Pediatric Population: 16 Years of Experience (2002-2017).

OBJECTIVES: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is today a global disease, the incidence of which is growing in the pediatric population. This prospective study aims to decipher IBD incidence and its trend in a pediatric population through 16 years in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. METHODS: We evaluated data concerning 358 pediatric patients with newly diagnosed IBD at University Hospital Brno, which is a gastroenterology center for the entire pediatric population (0-18 years) and cares for all pediatric IBD patients in the South Moravian Region (1,187,667 inhabitants). RESULTS: The study encompassed 3,488,907 children during 16 years. We diagnosed 192 children (53.6%) with Crohn disease (CD), 123 (34.4%) with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 43 (12.0%) with IBD-unclassified (IBD-U). The incidence of IBD increased from 3.8 (CD 2.9, UC 0.9, and IBD-U 0.0) per 100 000/year in 2002 to 14.7 (CD 9.8, UC 4.0, and IBD-U 0.9) per 100,000/year in 2017 (P < 0.001). The overall IBD incidence per 100,000/year was 9.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.8--10.9). Constituent incidences per 100,000/year were CD 5.2 (95% CI: 4.5--6.0), UC 3.4 (95% CI: 2.8--4.0), and IBD-U 1.2 (95% CI: 0.9--1.6). IBD incidence was projected to reach 18.9 per 100,000/year in 2022. CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of pediatric IBD in the Czech Republic is increasing, and especially that of CD, whereas trends in UC and IBD-U appear to be constant. These data highlight the need to identify risk factors involved in the rising incidence of IBD.

ERCP in patients after choledochodenoanastomosis.

The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate our experience with diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP) in patients after choledochoduodenoanastomosis. METHODS: The study took 20 years (November 1994 - December 2014). Three patients after choledochoduodenoanastomosis who had symptoms of biliary obstruction were retrospectively evaluated. In all cases, a standard therapeutic videolateroscope was used to perform ERCP. PATIENTS AND RESULTS: We achieved ERCP in these 3 patients with choledochoduodenoanastomosis 100% cannulation success rate - 3 out of 3 patients. This was 100% success rate of diagnostic ERCP. In all of these patients, ERCP was found - both stenosis of the natural mouth of the Vater papilla, stenosis of choledochoduodenoanastomosis, and suprastenotic distal choledocholithiasis. In all patients with the above-described ERCP pathology, endoscopic treatment was initiated immediately after diagnostic ERCP, consisting of standard endoscopic papillotomy of the stenotic Vater papilla, balloon dilatation of choledochoduodenoanastomosis stenosis, and endoscopic extraction of suprastenotic distal choledocholithiasis. In total, therapeutic ERCP was completely successful in all 3 patients out of 3 (100%) who had initially started endoscopic treatment. There were no complications in our group of 3 patients. CONCLUSION: In ERCP in patients after choledochoduodenoanastomosis, we achieved 100% success of both diagnostic and therapeutic ERCP in all of our 3 patients.

Biomarkers for non-endoscopic examination of esophageal mucosa.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a multifactorial disease; an individual´s genetic predisposition may contribute to the development of this disorder. Endoscopic methods and histological examination are commonly used to diagnose GERD and its complications such as Barretts esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). For BE screening in high-risk individuals as well as monitoring the development of BE dysplasia, esophageal mucosa samples could be taken using modern non-endoscopic procedures to minimize invasiveness of the procedure and improve patient adherence and compliance with a treatment. Esophageal mucosa samples taken by non-endoscopic or endoscopic biopsy can be analyzed both by immunohistochemistry and molecular biology analysis for specific biomarkers. Markers such as caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2) and protein p53 have found their use in GERD diagnosis, and therefore research in recent years has focused on identifying other biomarkers that could reliably predict the development and progression of BE or EAC. This review article summarizes information on modern non-endoscopic methods of sampling from the esophagus mucosa and biomarkers, which have been studied in connection with the prediction and diagnosis of BE and EAC and have a potential for the use in clinical practice.

Confocal laser endomicroscopy in the diagnostics of esophageal diseases: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Probebased confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) is a novel diagnostic technique for endoscopy which enables a microscopic view at a cellular resolution in realtime. Endoscopic detection of early neoplasia in the distal esophagus is difficult and often these lesions can be missed. The aim of the pilot study was to obtain characteristic pCLE figures in esophageal diseases for following studies, and to evaluate the possible future role of pCLE in the diagnostics of dysplastic Barretts esophagus (BE) or early esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). METHODS: A review of the current literature was performed and previously published pCLE images and classifications of esophageal diseases were searched and studied first. In phase two of the pilot study patients with esophageal diseases such as reflux esophagitis, BE and EAC were enrolled and scheduled for upper endoscopy with pCLE. A healthy cohort was also included. RESULTS: From January 2019 to July 2019, a total of 14 patients were enrolled in this prospective pilot study: 3 patients with reflux esophagitis, 4 with BE, 3 with EAC and 4 persons were included in the healthy cohort. The endoscopy with pCLE was performed and characteristic pCLE figures were obtained. The correct diagnoses based on realtime pCLE were evaluated by an endoscopist in 11 of the 14 cases (78.6 %). CONCLUSION: It was possible to obtain typical pCLE images of esophageal diseases during a standard capassisted endoscopic procedure. pCLE seems to be a feasible new technique in BE surveillance and early neoplastic lesion detection. However, more studies and data on larger number of patients are needed.

The role of metabolic syndrome in the induction of chronic pancreatitis after a first attack of acute pancreatitis - multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a serious societal problem worldwide. In the Czech Republic more than 30% of the adult population are sufferers. The role of recurrent acute pancreatitis in the induction of chronic pancreatitis, following the socalled „mechanistic definition“ of chronic pancreatitis, has been unequivocally confirmed. However, there are a number of factors that may contribute to the development of chronic pancreatitis. The first aim of the study was to determine whether the metabolic syndrome may affect the development of chronic pancreatitis. The second question we asked ourselves was whether even one acute attack of pancreatitis could be an inductive factor in chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: Based on data obtained retrospectively from a total of 264 people diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis in 4 centers, a total of 59 people (22.3%) diagnosed within 36 months of a first attack of acute pancreatitis was obtained. Etiologies of either genetically induced pancreatitis or autoimmune pancreatitis were excluded. Diagnostics to identify the presence of metabolic syndrome were run on the 59 persons so obtained using the criteria from the socalled „harmonized“ definition of 2009 (obesity, arterial hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and a decreased level of HDL cholesterol). RESULTS: Comparing the findings of the individual components of metabolic syndrome in persons with chronic pancreatitis after a 1st attack of acute pancreatitis with the metabolic syndrome and in persons with chronic pancreatitis after the 1st attack of acute pancreatitis but without metabolic syndrome, a statistically significant difference in obesity was found (82.5% vs. 28.5%), hypertriglyceridemia (82.3% vs 17.8%) and arterial hypertension (70.5% vs 21.4%). The interval during which chronic pancreatitis occurred after acute pancreatitis averaged 12 months (10-14 months) in subjects with metabolic syndrome, whereas in the group without metabolic syndrome the interval was longer, 20 months (16-29 months). CONCLUSION: Our results show that even one attack of acute pancreatitis (regardless of etiology) can be an inductive factor in chronic pancreatitis. The presence of metabolic syndrome can accelerate the development of chronic pancreatitis after one has had acute pancreatitis.