Structured training program on confocal laser endomicroscopy for pancreatic cystic lesions: a multicenter prospective study among early-career endosonographers (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Data on how to teach endosonographers needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE)-guided histologic diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are limited. Hence, we developed and tested a structured educational program to train early-career endosonographers in nCLE-guided diagnosis of PCLs. METHODS: Twenty-one early-career nCLE-naïve endosonographers watched a teaching module outlining nCLE criteria for diagnosing PCLs. Participants then reviewed 80 high-yield nCLE videos, recorded diagnoses, and received expert feedback (phase 1). Observers were then randomized to a refresher feedback session or self-learning at 4 weeks. Eight weeks after training, participants independently assessed the same 80 nCLE videos without feedback and provided histologic predictions (phase 2). Diagnostic performance of nCLE to differentiate mucinous versus nonmucinous PCLs and to diagnose specific subtypes were analyzed using histopathology as the criterion standard. Learning curves were determined using cumulative sum analysis. RESULTS: Accuracy and diagnostic confidence for differentiating mucinous versus nonmucinous PCLs improved as endosonographers progressed through nCLE videos in phase 1 (P < .001). Similar trends were observed with the diagnosis of PCL subtypes. Most participants achieved competency interpreting nCLE, requiring a median of 38 assessments (range, 9-67). During phase 2, participants independently differentiated PCLs with high accuracy (89%), high confidence (83%), and substantial interobserver agreement (κ = .63). Accuracy for nCLE-guided PCL subtype diagnoses ranged from 82% to 96%. The learned nCLE skills did not deteriorate at 8 weeks and were not impacted by a refresher session. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a practical, effective, and durable educational intervention to train early-career endosonographers in nCLE-guided diagnosis of PCLs.

Tofacitinib Appears Well Tolerated and Effective for the Treatment of Patients with Refractory Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Active Crohn's disease increases the risk of strictures, fistulas, and abscesses. Less than 30% of patients with Crohn's disease achieve endoscopic remission on any therapy. Tofacitinib may be a therapeutic option for patients with refractory Crohn's disease. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of off-label tofacitinib for refractory Crohn's disease. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed adverse events and clinical/endoscopic response after therapy. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were included in the safety analysis and 35 were included in the clinical and/or endoscopic assessments. The mean age was 41.8 years and the mean disease duration was 17.4 years. All patients had prior biologic exposure. Adverse events were reported in 52.3% of patients; 13.6% had ≥ 1 serious adverse event after a median 54.6 weeks of treatment. Seventy percent achieved clinical response after a mean 29.4 (SD 15.1) weeks, and 33.3% achieved clinical remission after a mean 33.4 (SD 17.6) weeks of therapy. Endoscopic improvement occurred in 25.0%, endoscopic remission in 12.5%, and endoscopic healing in 4.2% of patients after a mean 52.0 (SD 15.0) weeks of therapy. The mean Simple Endoscopic Score in Crohn's disease significantly improved from 23.1 ± 3.7 to 18.0 ± 13.7 after treatment (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: In the short term, tofacitinib appears well tolerated. The most common adverse event was minor infection. One serious infection and one colorectal cancer occurred. While half of patients reported adverse events, this likely reflects the severe refractory disease in this population and no new safety events were observed. Tofacitinib achieved clinical and endoscopic improvement in some patients with refractory Crohn's disease. Further research is needed to understand the long-term safety and efficacy of tofacitinib in Crohn's disease.

Prevalence, risk factors, and surveillance patterns for gastric intestinal metaplasia among patients undergoing upper endoscopy with biopsy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) is an important precursor lesion to gastric cancer (GC), the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. There exist few data regarding the prevalence of, risk factors for, and clinical practice patterns regarding GIM in the United States. Furthermore, there are currently no U.S. guidelines regarding screening/surveillance for GIM. METHODS: All consecutive upper endoscopic procedures from 2 academic medical centers in Seattle between 1999 and 2014 were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and endoscopic covariates were recorded at time of endoscopy. Procedures with gastric biopsy were matched to final the histologic diagnoses, including the presence of Helicobacter pylori. Cases of GIM and dysplasia were recorded and compared with non-GIM controls using univariate and multivariable regression. Surveillance patterns for cases of GIM were recorded. RESULTS: Data from 36,799 upper endoscopies, 17,710 gastric biopsies, 2073 cases of GIM, 43 cases of dysplasia, and 78 cases of GC were captured. The point prevalence of GIM was 11.7% in patients who underwent gastric biopsy. Non-white race (P < .001), increasing age (P < .001), and presence of H pylori (P < .001) were associated with GIM. If GIM was present, increasing age (P < .001) and male gender (P < .001) were associated with progression, and the presence of H pylori (P < .001) was inversely associated with progression to dysplasia/GC. Few cases of GIM/dysplasia/GC were identified during procedures for GIM screening/surveillance. Only 16% of patients with a diagnosis of GIM received a recommendation for surveillance. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of GIM among non-white and Hispanic Americans. Risk factors for development of GIM may be distinct from the risk factors for progression to GC.

Efficacy of Infliximab in Crohn's Disease Patients with Prior Primary-Nonresponse to Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonists.

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor antagonists (TNFs) are effective for moderate-severe Crohn's disease (CD). Approximately one-third of patients have primary-nonresponse to TNFs, which is reported to predict worse response to subsequent TNF therapy. However, this is based on treatment with subcutaneously (SC) administered, fixed-dose TNFs after failure of intravenously (IV) administered, weight-based TNFs. No study has specifically assessed the clinical and endoscopic effectiveness of IV TNFs following primary-nonresponse to SC TNFs. We hypothesize that IV, weight-based TNF dosing offers advantages over SC, fixed-dose TNFs and may be effective despite primary-nonresponse to previous SC fixed-dose TNFs. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study identified patients with moderate-severe CD with primary-nonresponse to one or more SC TNFs who subsequently received the IV TNF, infliximab for ≥ 12 weeks. We described baseline characteristics, and clinical, endoscopic and biochemical response to therapy. RESULTS: Key characteristics of 17 patients are described in Table 1. After ≥ 12 weeks of infliximab, 11 of 15 (73.3%) patients with clinical data reported clinical response and remission. Of 11 patients with endoscopic data, restaging colonoscopy revealed mucosal improvement in seven (63.6%) patients. Of these, five (45.5%) had endoscopic remission and three (27.3%) had mucosal healing. Table 1 Baseline characteristics of CD patients with primary-nonresponse to subcutaneous (SC) tumor necrosis antagonists (TNF), subsequently treated with intravenous (IV) TNF therapy Characteristics N 17 Mean age, years (range) 37.5 (18-67) Mean BMI, kg/m2 (range) 26.6 (17.8-40.6) Mean albumin prior to infliximab, g/dL (range) RR: 3.5-5.2 g/dL 3.57 (2.5-4.2) Female sex [n (%)] 7 (41.2) Tobacco use [n (%)]  Never 15 (88.2)  Former 1 (5.88)  Current 1 (5.88) Age at diagnosis [n (%)]  Less than 17 2 (11.8)  17-40 11 (64.7)  Over 40 4 (23.5) Mean disease duration, yrs (range) 7.76 (1-24) Disease extent [n (%)]  Ileal 2 (11.8)  Colonic 5 (29.4)  Ileocolonic 10 (64.7) Disease behavior [n (%)]  Nonstenosing, nonpenetrating 10 (58.8)  Stenosing 3 (17.6)  Penetrating 2 (11.8)  Stenosing and penetrating 2 (11.8) History of gastrointestinal surgery [n (%)] 4 (23.5)  Ileocecal resection (n) 2  Hemicolectomy (n) 2 Prior therapy [n (%)]  IV corticosteroids 3 (17.6)  Oral corticosteroids 14 (82.4)  5-ASA 12 (70.6)  Thiopurine 14 (82.4)  Methotrexate 10 (58.8) Prior biologic therapy  Adalimumab only 12 (70.6)  Certolizumab pegol only 2 (11.8)  Adalimumab and certolizumab pegol 2 (11.8)  Adalimumab, certolizumab pegol and golimumab 1 (5.88) Dose escalation of prior SC TNF [n (%)]  Adalimumab 9 (52.9)  Certolizumab pegol 0 (0.0)  Golimumab 0 (0.0) During infliximab, concomitant therapy [n (%)]  Immunomodulator 13 (76.5)  Corticosteroid 5 (29.4) CONCLUSIONS: Patients with moderate-severe CD with prior primary-nonresponse to SC, fixed-dose TNFs, subsequently treated with IV, weight-based TNF have high rates of clinical and endoscopic response and remission. Therefore, despite primary-nonresponse to SC TNFs, patients may benefit from IV TNF therapy and may not require a change to a different class of biologic therapy.

Utility of a real-time appropriate use criteria decision support application for percutaneous coronary interventions in non-acute coronary syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and value of a real-time online appropriate use criteria (AUC) application for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients without acute coronary syndrome. BACKGROUND: High rates of non-appropriate elective PCI in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI Registry have created interest in integrating decision support tools into routine clinical care to improve the frequency of appropriate PCIs. METHODS: Patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography and subsequent PCI for non-ACS indications at a single center were scored using a real-time AUC application pre-procedure. Blinded angiographic review was performed subsequently for each case. Rates of appropriate, inappropriate, uncertain and not rated PCIs were tabulated according to specific clinical scenarios using information available both before and after the angiographic audit. RESULTS: Of 308 PCIs in 272 patients, 196 (63.6%) were deemed appropriate, 79 (25.6%) uncertain, and two (0.6%) inappropriate; 31 (10.1%) scenarios could not be rated. With angiographic audit, inappropriate PCIs increased to 9.7%. There was a significant improvement in the rate of appropriate PCI using the real-time AUC application compared with retrospective data collection for NCDR reporting (64% vs. 53%, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Use of a real-time AUC application together with angiographic audit may improve the accuracy of reporting PCI appropriateness. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Current knowledge of antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines regarding GI open-access endoscopic procedures is inadequate.

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines from 2007 and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines from 2008 recommended against antibiotic prophylaxis before GI endoscopic procedures to prevent bacterial endocarditis. OBJECTIVE: To determine physician knowledge regarding these guidelines and to identify physician subgroups for which knowledge was suboptimal. DESIGN: A survey questionnaire was developed based on AHA and ASGE guidelines regarding antibiotics before endoscopy. Physicians were queried about 10 theoretical scenarios as to whether or not they would recommend before-procedure antibiotics. SETTING: The survey was administered at 3 academic medical centers. PARTICIPANTS: Attending physicians and trainees in primary care and subspecialties. INTERVENTIONS: Survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Percentage of the survey questions answered correctly and predictors of correct response. RESULTS: The survey was administered to 941 participants of whom 12 declined to participate. Eighty percent (n=740/929) of participants completed the survey. The median number of correct answers was 70% (interquartile range [IQR] 50%-90%) and was similar at each institution (P=.6). A total of 7.3% (n=54) of respondents answered all questions correctly. There was no significant difference in correct responses between attending physicians and trainees or between study centers (median 7, IQR 5-9; P=.75). Gastroenterologists were more likely to answer questions correctly than other subspecialists or primary care physicians (P<.0001). On multivariate analysis, physician knowledge correlated directly with self-reported familiarity with guidelines (0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.34; P=.002) and specialty (0.56; 95% CI, 0.30-0.82; P<.001) and inversely with year of medical school graduation (0.22; 95% CI, 0.07-0.37; P=.005). LIMITATIONS: Survey study that used theoretical scenarios. CONCLUSION: Physician knowledge of guidelines regarding antibiotic use before endoscopy is suboptimal. Further interventions are needed to improve the knowledge of before-procedure guidelines.

Multicenter Study Assessing Physician Recommendations Regarding the Continuation of Aspirin and/or NSAIDs Prior to Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: In 2009 the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) guidelines advised that both aspirin and NSAIDs be continued prior to low-risk gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures. We sought to determine physician knowledge regarding these guidelines. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was developed based on the ASGE guidelines. Physicians were queried about whether they would continue/stop aspirin in a patient with cardiac disease and in a patient taking NSAIDs for arthritis whether they would continue/stop NSAIDs prior to endoscopy. The survey was administered at three academic medical centers. Demographic information: level of training, board certification, teaching trainees, percentage of time in clinical practice, year of medical school graduation, and location of medical school were all reviewed. The primary outcome was number of questions answered correctly and predictors of correct responses. RESULTS: The survey was administered to 941 participants with 12 declining to participate, while 80% (740/929) of the subjects completed the survey; 20% (150/740) respondents answered both questions correctly and 42% (310/740) answered one question correctly. There was no significant difference between institutions (p = 0.6) or between attendings and trainees (p = 0.75). Multivariate predictors of correct answers were self-reported familiarity with the guideline (-0.029; 95% CI -0.003 to -0.056, p < 0.031), level of training (0.050; 95% CI 0.012-0.088, p = 0.010), and specialty (0.108; 95% CI 0.058-0.159, p < 0.0001). Finally, there was an inverse, linear relationship between postgraduate year and percent questions correct. CONCLUSION: Physician knowledge of guidelines regarding the use of aspirin and NSAIDs prior to endoscopy is suboptimal. Interventions are necessary to improve knowledge of the current pre-procedure guidelines.

A Rare Case of Cholecystoduodenal and Cholecystocolic Fistula with Gallstone Ileus.

Cholecystoduodenal and cholecystocolic fistula (CCF) is a rare condition, occurring in patients with cholelithiasis. Multiple complex fistulas are even rare. This is a case study done to detail such a rare case, very few such cases have been reported in the past studies, with cholecystoduodenal and CCF with gallstone ileus. We present the case of an 80-year-old, female diagnosed with intestinal obstruction. Intraoperatively, the gallbladder (GB) fundus forms a CCF and the body of the GB with the first part of the duodenum forms cholecystoduodenal fistula. Gallstone ileus found impacted in jejunum 35 cm distal to DJ junction. Resection of fistula tracts with primary repair of the transverse colon was done with Graham's patch repair of duodenum and fundus first cholecystectomy. Cholecysto-duodeno-colic fistulas complicated with gallstone ileus are very rare. In the case of gallstone ileus, the surgical treatment is an emergency and the only therapeutic option.

Posterior Gastric Perforation with an Opening in Transverse Mesocolon: A Rare Case Report.

Posterior gastric perforation is a very rare finding, difficult to diagnose due to the insidious onset of upper abdominal symptoms, and no air under the diaphragm on X-ray. Posterior gastric perforation which opens into transverse mesocolon is even rarer. This is a case report done to entail such a rare case, with only two cases reported in the past. We present the case of a 21-year-old female with pain in the epigastric region spreading to involve the whole abdomen, fever, vomiting, and anorexia. In our case, radiological findings revealed pneumoperitoneum. Intraoperatively, a tract was identified between the posterior wall of the stomach and transverse mesocolon. Tract was excised and primary repair was done using the Graham patch method.

Glycosylated hemoglobin and outcomes in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction after successful revascularization with stent placement: findings from the guthrie health off-label stent (GHOST) investigators.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the influence of glycemic control on cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stent placement. BACKGROUND: In patients presenting with AMI, diabetic status confers adverse cardiovascular outcomes after PCI. However, the influence of glycemic control on outcomes after successful PCI is less well studied. METHODS: We examined 231 consecutive diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with AMI who underwent successful primary PCI and had evaluation of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from 30 days before to 90 days after AMI. Patients were categorized in 2 groups, controlled DM with HbA1c ≤ 7.0 (N = 83, 36%) and uncontrolled DM with HbA1c > 7.0 (N = 148, 64%). We assessed 12-month cardiovascular outcomes in study groups. RESULTS: Uncontrolled diabetics were younger, tended to be less hypertensive, and had higher baseline glomerular filtration rate and final vessel diameter compared to controlled diabetics. Uncontrolled DM patients had similar major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; composite of all-cause death, MI, target vessel revascularization [TVR], and stent thrombosis [ST]; 20% vs. 30%, log-rank P = 0.54), death (8.8% vs. 12%, P = 0.40), MI (8.8% vs. 9.6%, P = 0.76), TVR (9.5% vs. 8.4%, P = 0.95), and ST (3.4% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.54) as the controlled diabetics. In Cox regression analysis, after adjustment for baseline differences, glycemic control had no independent influence on study outcomes. CONCLUSION: Glycemic control, determined by HbA1c, does not seem to influence cardiovascular outcomes in diabetic patients with AMI after successful stent placement.

Acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a rare initial presentation of previously undiagnosed essential thrombocythemia.

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications. We describe a rare case of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a patient with previously undiagnosed ET, confirmed by gene mutation. A 68-year-old man presented with severe acute chest pain and was diagnosed with STEMI. Primary coronary angiography showed severe stenosis with thrombus in the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery. Percutaneous aspiration thrombectomy was performed with no residual stenosis. The patient was discharged on antiplatelet agents, aspirin, and clopidogrel. Further investigations for intracoronary thrombus with no underlying atherosclerotic disease revealed positive Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F gene mutation, and this was consistent with a diagnosis of ET with elevated platelet count. This case describes a rare initial presentation of previously undiagnosed ET with acute STEMI and highlights the potential importance of secondary workup for non-atherosclerotic causes of STEMI with isolated intracoronary thrombus otherwise normal coronary vasculature with no focal atherosclerosis.

Safety and Efficacy of Tofacitinib in Combination With Biologic Therapy for Refractory Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) will not achieve endoscopic remission on current therapy. Addition of tofacitinib to biologics may improve remission rates. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed safety and clinical and endoscopic effectiveness of off-label tofacitinib and biologics for CD. RESULTS: We identified 19 patients treated with tofacitinib and a biologic for refractory CD between 2017 and 2019. Tofacitinib was added for luminal disease on colonoscopy (n = 13), luminal disease on capsule (n = 3), and pyoderma gangrenosum (n = 3). The mean age was 41.2 years (28-62), mean disease was duration 16.9 years (6-36), and prior exposure to biologics was a median of 4 (1-6). Mean treatment duration was 9.6 months (SD, 3.3). Adverse events (AEs) were reported in 36.8% of patients, most commonly minor infection or CD flare, and no patients had a serious AE; 80.0% (n = 8) achieved clinical response, and 60.0% (n = 6) achieved clinical remission based on Harvey-Bradshaw Index. Endoscopic improvement occurred in 54.5% (n = 6), endoscopic remission in 18.2% (n = 2), and endoscopic healing in 18.2% (n = 2) of patients. Mean Simple Endoscopic Score in CD significantly improved from 13.6 ±â€…5.2 to 6.5 ±â€…4.0 after treatment (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: In patients treated with tofacitinib in combination with a biologic, no new safety signals were observed. Combination tofacitinib and a biologic was effective in achieving clinical and endoscopic improvement in some patients with severe, refractory CD, although a larger sample size is needed to further assess the efficacy and long-term safety of this treatment strategy.

Admission volume determines outcome for patients with acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is controversy over the optimal management strategy for patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). Studies have shown a hospital volume benefit for in-hospital mortality after surgery, and we examined whether a similar mortality benefit exists for patients admitted with AP. METHODS: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, discharge records for all adult admissions with a primary diagnosis of AP (n = 416,489) from 1998 to 2006 were examined. Hospitals were categorized based on number of patients with AP; the highest third were defined as high volume (HV, >or=118 cases/year) and the lower two thirds as low volume (LV, <118 cases/year). A matched cohort based on propensity scores (n = 43,108 in each group) eliminated all demographic differences to create a case-controlled analysis. Adjusted mortality was the primary outcome measure. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality for patients with AP was 1.6%. Hospital admissions for AP increased over the study period (P < .0001). HV hospitals tended to be large (82%), urban (99%), academic centers (59%) that cared for patients with greater comorbidities (P < .001). Adjusted length of stay was lower at HV compared with LV hospitals (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.90). After adjusting for patient and hospital factors, the mortality rate was significantly lower for patients treated at HV hospitals (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: The rates of admissions for AP in the United States are increasing. At hospitals that admit the most patients with AP, patients had a shorter length of stay, lower hospital charges, and lower mortality rates than controls in this matched analysis.

Surgeon volume metrics in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

AIM: Numerous reports in the 1990s pointed to a learning curve for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), critical in achieving excellent outcomes. As LC is now standard therapy for acute cholecystitis (AC), we aimed to determine if surgeon volume is still vital to patient outcomes. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to query 80,149 emergent/urgent cholecystectomies performed for AC from 1999 to 2005 in 12 states with available surgeon/hospital identifiers. Volume groups were determined based on thirds of number of cholecystectomies performed per year for AC; two groups were created [low volume (LV): 15/year]. Primary endpoints were the rate of open conversion, bile duct injury (BDI), in-hospital mortality, and prolonged length of stay (LOS). Propensity scores were used to create a matched cohort analysis. Logistic regression models were created to further assess the effect of surgeon volume on primary endpoints. RESULTS: The number of cases performed by HV surgeons increased from 24% to 44% from 1999 to 2005. HV surgeons were more likely to perform LC, had fewer conversions, lower incidence of prolonged LOS, lower BDI, and lower in-hospital mortality. After matching the volume cohorts to create a case-controlled analysis, multivariate analysis confirmed that surgeon volume was an independent predictor of open conversion and prolonged LOS but not BDI and in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing surgical volume remains associated with improved outcomes after surgery during emergent/urgent admission for AC with fewer open conversions and prolonged LOS. Our results suggest that referral to HV surgeons has improved outcomes after LC for AC.

Hospital volume as a surrogate for laparoscopically assisted colectomy.

BACKGROUND: Although laparoscopic colectomy is reported to have favorable outcomes compared with open colectomy, it has yet to gain widespread acceptance in the United States. This study sought to investigate whether hospital volume is a factor determining the use of laparoscopy for colectomy. METHODS: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS, 1998-2006), patients undergoing elective colon resection with and without laparoscopy were identified. Unique hospital identifiers were used to divide hospital volume into equal thirds, with the highest third defined as high volume and the lower two-thirds defined as low volume. The primary end point was the use of laparoscopy after adjustment for patient and hospital covariates. RESULTS: A total of 209,769 colon resections were performed in the study period. Overall, only 8,407 (4%) of these resections were performed with laparoscopy. High-volume centers, which tended to be large, urban teaching hospitals, treated more patients in the highest income bracket and patients with private insurance than low-volume hospitals (p < 0.0001). High-volume hospitals used laparoscopy more often than low-volume hospitals (5.2% vs. 3.4%). After adjustment for covariates using multivariate analysis and propensity scores, analysis showed that patients with private insurance and those in the highest income bracket were more likely to receive laparoscopy (p < 0.0009). High-volume hospitals were more likely to perform laparoscopically assisted colectomy than low-volume hospitals (odds ratio [OR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23-1.56). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic differences appear to exist between high- and low-volume hospitals in the use of laparoscopy. High hospital volume is associated with an increased likelihood that colectomy will be performed with laparoscopy.

Current trends and short-term outcomes of live donor nephrectomy: a population-based analysis of the nationwide inpatient sample.

BACKGROUND: Recent United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data suggest that live kidney donation is stagnant. Current practices and trends in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) among the transplant community remain largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 1998 to 2006, patients undergoing LDN (n = 9,437) were identified. RESULTS: Live kidney donation in the United States did not show an increase in the NIS. Of the live donor cases recorded, 58 (0.61%) were associated with a major short-term complication. The number of LDNs performed by transplant surgeons decreased over the study period from 76.5% in 1998 to 30.4% in 2006. CONCLUSIONS: In the United Stares, LDNs are performed safely with a low short-term complication rate. Despite the use of laparoscopy and the increased need of donor organs, the rate of LDN in kidney transplantation has not increased proportionally.

The relation between platelet reactivity and glycemic control in diabetic patients with cardiovascular disease on maintenance aspirin and clopidogrel therapy.

BACKGROUND: High platelet reactivity (HPR) during aspirin and clopidogrel therapy in patients with diabetes has been reported and may affect outcomes. However, the relation of platelet reactivity to glycemic control is less studied in patients on dual antiplatelet therapy. METHODS: Platelet aggregation (PA) in response to 5 and 20 micromol/L adenosine diphosphate (ADP) was compared in type 2 diabetic (n = 36) and nondiabetic patients (n = 35) undergoing elective stenting on aspirin and clopidogrel maintenance therapy. The relation of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) <7 g/dL (n = 16) and HbA(1c) > or =7 g/dL (n = 20) on PA was examined. High platelet reactivity was defined as >46% for 5 micromol/L ADP-induced and >59% for 20 micromol/L ADP-induced PA. RESULTS: Diabetic patients had higher 5 and 20 micromol/L ADP-induced PA than nondiabetic patients (45 +/- 17 vs 33 +/- 12, P = .009 and 52 +/- 19 vs 40 +/- 12, P = .004, respectively). Diabetic patients with HbA(1c) > or =7.0 g/dL had significantly higher 5 and 20 micromol/L ADP-induced PA versus patients with diabetes with HbA(1c) <7.0 g/dL (54 +/- 15 vs 34 +/- 14, P < .001 and 62 +/- 14 vs 40 +/- 17, P < .001, respectively). Among diabetic patients with HbA(1c) > or =7 g/dL, the prevalence of HPR was 65% and 60%; and among diabetic patients with HbA(1c) <7 g/dL, the prevalence of HPR was 19% and 13% as measured by 5 and 20 micromol/L ADP-induced PA, respectively. A correlation was present between 5 and 20 micromol/L ADP-induced PA and HbA(1c) (r = 0.60 and 0.62, P = .0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: An important relation exists between glycemic control and platelet reactivity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with dual antiplatelet therapy. Poorly controlled patients with diabetes have the greatest platelet reactivity and may require alternative antiplatelet strategies, and further clinical investigations are warranted.

Chyluria-a review of literature and a modified sclerotherapy regimen.

Chyluria, described as passage of milky white urine, has been recognized as a urological manifestation of the lymphatic system due to abnormal connection between the blocked and dilated lymphatics and the renal pelvicaliceal systems. We report the case of a 36-year-old female from an endemic area of filariasis in India who presented with chyluria. In addition to medical therapy, intermittent sclerotherapy of renal pelvis with 0.2% povidone iodine was carried out with a dose schedule different from the ones in practice earlier. The idea of intermittent sclerotherapy was to create pyelolymphatic and pyelosinus reflux so as to sclerose the communicating channel between the lymphatic and urinary systems. This method proved to be curative for the patient and she was relieved from her 8-year-old problem and subsequently remained asymptomatic.

Opioid Use Is Associated With Higher Health Care Costs and Emergency Encounters in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine opioid use among adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the United States and the impact of extended opioid use on emergency health care services and health care costs among patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using medical claims data from the Truven Health MarketScan research databases, consisting of patients across the United States with employer-based health insurance. Subjects with IBD were identified in 2009. The occurrence of an emergent encounter in 2010 and health care costs were assessed. RESULTS: There were 76,171 subjects with 35,993 emergent encounters among the study population, for an overall rate of 0.47 per patient-year. However, these encounters were confined to 6.9% of patients overall. The median total charges per patient in 2010 were $5372. Extended opioid use in 2009 was associated with a higher odds of an emergent encounter in 2010 (odds ratio [OR], 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67-1.98), higher incidence rate of emergent encounters (incidence rate ratio, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.91-2.24), and higher odds of being in the top quartile of cost in 2010 (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.79-2.02). Depression was a strong predictor of extended opioid use (OR, 2.64; 95% CI, 2.49-2.81; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Extended opioid use among patients with IBD is an important predictor of emergent encounters and is associated with higher total health care costs. Psychosocial comorbidities are significant predictors of extended opioid use in patients with IBD.

Outcomes of Infected versus Symptomatic Sterile Walled-Off Pancreatic Necrosis Treated with a Minimally Invasive Therapy.

Background/Aims: Acute pancreatitis complicated by walled-off necrosis (WON) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and if infected, typically necessitates intervention. Clinical outcomes of infected WON have been described as poorer than those of symptomatic sterile WON. With the evolution of minimally invasive therapy, we sought to compare outcomes of infected to symptomatic sterile WON. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study examining patients who were undergoing dual-modality drainage as minimally invasive therapy for WON at a high-volume tertiary pancreatic center. The main outcome measures included mortality with a drain in place, length of hospital stay, admission to intensive care unit, and development of pancreatic fistulae. Results: Of the 211 patients in our analysis, 98 had infected WON. The overall mortality rate was 2.4%. Patients with infected WON trended toward higher mortality although not statistically significant (4.1% vs 0.9%, p=0.19). Patients with infected WON had longer length of hospitalization (29.8 days vs 17.3 days, p<0.01), and developed more spontaneous pancreatic fistulae (23.5% vs 7.8%, p<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that infected WON was associated with higher odds of spontaneous pancreatic fistula formation (odds ratio, 2.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.20 to 5.85). Conclusions: This study confirms that infected WON has worse outcomes than sterile WON but also demonstrates that WON, once considered a significant cause of death, can be treated with good outcomes using minimally invasive therapy.