The importance of disease prevalence in assessing the diagnostic value of a test: endoscopic markers in celiac disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We evaluated the diagnostic variability and reproducibility of endoscopic signs in two populations with a different pretest likelihood of celiac disease (CD). METHODS: We recruited 289 CD patients (both adults and children) in a multicenter prospective study. Group 1 (high risk) included 111 patients referred for positive serology. Group 2 (low risk) included 178 unselected patients. Mosaic pattern, reduction/loss of Kerckring's folds, scalloping of the valvulae conniventes and a nodular pattern were the endoscopic findings looked for in the duodenum. RESULTS: In group 1, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of endoscopic findings were 100, 84.6, 94.2 and 100% in adults, and 86.8, 9.1, 82.1 and 12.5% in children. In group 2, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of endoscopic findings were 33.3, 91.4, 7.7 and 98.5% in adults, and noncalculable, 78.3, 0.0 and 100% in children. Comparing group 1 and group 2, there was a statistically significant difference in sensitivity and PPV in adults, and in specificity, PPV and NPV in children. Concerning the reproducibility of endoscopic findings, a wide variability of κ values was found. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic signs have low reproducibility for CD, and their diagnostic value in selecting patients for multiple intestinal biopsies is unacceptable, especially in populations with low disease prevalence.

Prevalence of celiac disease in adult patients with refractory functional dyspepsia: value of routine duodenal biopsy.

AIM: To investigate the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) in adult patients referred to an open access gastroenterology clinic in the south of Italy and submitted to esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) for evaluation of refractory functional dyspepsia. METHODS: Seven hundred and twenty six consecutive dyspeptic patients (282 male, 444 female; mean age 39.6 years, range 18-75 years) with unexplained prolonged dyspepsia were prospectively enrolled. Duodenal biopsies were taken and processed by standard staining. Histological evaluation was carried out according to the Marsh-Oberhuber criteria. RESULTS: The endoscopic findings were: normal in 61.2%, peptic lesions in 20.5%, malignancies in 0.5%, miscellaneous in 16.7%. CD was endoscopically diagnosed in 8 patients (1.1%), histologically in 15 patients (2%). The endoscopic features alone showed a sensitivity of 34.8% and specificity of 100%, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 100% and a negative predictive value (NPP) of 97.9%. CONCLUSION: This prospective study showed that CD has a high prevalence (1:48) in adult dyspeptic patients and suggests the routine use of duodenal biopsy in this type of patient undergoing EGD.

Polyamines levels in colorectal cancer: new markers?

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study is to evaluate free polyamine and acetyl derivate levels in colorectal cancer, precancerous lesions and a control group in order to investigate if there are different concentrations between neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. METHODOLOGY: For this study, in the Department of Surgical Sciences of Catania University we observed 62 patients affected by colorectal cancer, 32 affected by precancerous lesions and 20 used as the control group. In each patient we performed an endoscopic biopsy on the lesion, one 5 cm to the lesion and one 10 cm to the lesion. In each biopsy were detected polyamines concentrations. RESULTS: We found a significant increment of free and acetylated polyamines levels in neoplastic patients in comparison with non-neoplastic. Polyamines levels are increased at the site of cancer in comparison of adjacent colonic mucosa. In addition polyamines levels are increased in normal colon mucosa from cancer patients compared with the mucosa of control patients. CONCLUSIONS: Significant increment of polyamines levels at the site of cancer in comparison of non-neoplastic mucosa and adjacent colonic mucosa give them the possibility to occupy an important role in early detection of colon cancer by acting like oncological markers.

Excitability of the motor cortex in de novo patients with celiac disease.

INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease (CD) may initially present as a neurological disorder or may be complicated by neurological changes. To date, neurophysiological studies aiming to an objective evaluation of the potential central nervous system involvement in CD are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To assess the profile of cortical excitability to Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in a group of de novo CD patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty CD patients underwent a screening for cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms by means of the Mini Mental State Examination and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, respectively. Instrumental exams, including electroencephalography and brain computed tomography, were also performed. Cortico-spinal excitability was assessed by means of single and paired-pulse TMS using the first dorsal interosseus muscle of the dominant hand. TMS measures consisted of resting motor threshold, motor evoked potentials, cortical silent period (CSP), intracortical inhibition (ICI) and facilitation (ICF). None of the CD was on gluten-free diet. A group of 20 age-matched healthy controls was used for comparisons. RESULTS: CD showed a significantly shorter CSP (78.0 vs 125.0 ms, p<0.025), a reduced ICI (0.3 vs 0.2, p<0.045) and an enhanced ICF (1.1 vs 0.7, p<0.042) compared to controls. A dysthymic disorder was identified in five patients. The effect size between dysthymic and non-dysthymic CD patients indicated a low probability of interference with the CSP (Cohen's d -0.414), ICI (-0.278) and ICF (-0.292) measurements. CONCLUSION: A pattern of cortical excitability characterized by "disinhibition" and "hyperfacilitation" was found in CD patients. Immune system dysregulation might play a central role in triggering changes of the motor cortex excitability.