ß-Endorphins are not responsible for delayed gastric emptying of digestible solids after exercise in professional cyclists. A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: It has been reported that professional cyclists had an accelerated solid gastric emptying which decreased by increasing the exercise intensity. That could be explained by a predominance of stress-dependent motility inhibitors such gastrointestinal hormones, neurotransmitters and or the predominance of the gastric inhibitory vagal motor circuit. The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the role of ß-endorphins, inhibitors of gastric motility, in these findings. METHODS: Gastric emptying of solids marked with Tc99 while resting and plasmatic levels of ß-endorphins were evaluated in 27 healthy controls and 19 professional cyclists (day 1). Besides, gastric emptying of solids was also assessed in cyclists when they reached 50% (day 1) and 75% (day 2) of the maximum oxygen consumption (low and high, respectively), during exercise on the cycle-ergometer. The third day, naloxone was administered in cyclists in order to block the ß-endorphins receptors and gastric emptying was measured when they reached 75% of the maximum oxygen consumption. RESULTS: Basal ß-endorphin levels were lower in cyclists vs controls (p<0.05) and they increased with the exercise intensity (p<0.001). There were no significant differences in gastric emptying of solids with or without naloxone when 75% of the maximum oxygen consumption was reached. CONCLUSIONS: The inhibitory effect of the exercise in the gastric emptying of solids does not seem to be secondary to the action of ß-endorphins, that leaves the gastric inhibitory vagal motor circuit a more likely predominant role.

It seems like cholangiocarcinoma but it is not: discovering the choledochal cyst.

A 52-year-old female was referred for a study of a left intrahepatic bile duct dilation with an initial suspicion of Klatskin. Analytically, there was no cholestasis and tumor markers were negative. On echoendoscopy, there was dilation of the intrahepatic bile duct to the confluence at the level of the left hepatic lobe, with no evidence of a lesion that could be biopsied by fine needle aspiration (FNA).

Gastroparesis secondary to pulmonary vein cryoablation: a factor to consider.

We present a patient who underwent cryoballoon ablation for symptomatic atrial fibrillation, with gastroparesis five days later. The case was resolved with conservative measures such as prokinetics. The case was a 72-year-old female with a history of symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation treated with edoxaban. Pulmonary vein isolation using a cryoballoon catheter was performed. Five days later, she presented with upper abdominal pain, bloating and vomiting.

Changes in gastric emptying of digestible solids in professional cyclists: relationship with exercise intensity.

We share the preliminary results of a study we are conducting about the relation between gastric emptying and physical activity. It is a subject not well known, and so far studied with different methodologies and with discordant results. The aim of this letter is to communicate our results, which can be very useful in future nutritional programs in athletes.

Is gastroparesis that is often detected in patients with alcoholic chronic liver disease a manifestation of an autonomic dysfunction syndrome? A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: the autonomic dysfunction defines the neuropathy of the autonomic nervous system. The prevalence of the gastric dysmotility and its relationship with the autonomic dysfunction in patients with alcohol chronic liver disease is not well known. METHODS: thirty-six patients with alcohol chronic liver disease and 25 healthy controls were evaluated, in order to detect an autonomic dysfunction through different cardiovascular reflexes and gastric emptying tests. RESULTS: ninety-four per cent of the patients showed an impaired R index (variations in heart rate during six deep inspirations-expirations per minute) and/or S/S-HR (variations in heart rate when standing from a supine position). Seventy-five per cent of the patients showed gastroparesis (T1/2: gastric half-emptying time was delayed). There was a correlation between the R index and T1/2 (r = -0.49; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: we suggest that gastroparesis detected in alcoholic chronic liver disease is another clinical manifestation of the autonomic parasympathetic dysfunction.

Apropos of a case of pancreatic lymphoepithelial cyst: importance of the preoperative diagnosis by ecoendoscopy.

The case was a 75-year-old female with dyspeptic symptoms of a 2 month duration. There was a polycystic lesion at the level of the uncinate pancreatic process of 44 x 42 x 34 mm on abdominal ultrasound and MRI, which caused a slight dilation of the main pancreatic duct. EUS was performed that identified a multicystic formation of 25x36 mm in the pancreatic body and FNA was performed of the lesion. The cytological analysis identified squamous epithelial cells with lymphoid tissue, which was compatible with a lymphoepithelial cyst, with no evidence of cell atypia or other signs of malignancy. Radiological control and monitoring of the lesion was performed and it has remained stable for 2 years.

Enteroscopic diagnosis of intestinal malabsorption of a rare etiology: diaphragm disease.

We present the case of a 59-year-old patient with malabsorption syndrome which started with polyneuropathy. Capsule endoscopy and enteroscopy show villous denudation. Histological study confirms diaphragm disease of the small bowel. Diaphragm disease is a rare disease characterized by the presence of multiple thin diaphragms, such as septa, that narrow the intestinal lumen. The clinical features can be iron deficiency anemia, intestinal obstruction, change in bowel habits or acute abdomen secondary to perforation. It is usually generally with sustained use of high doses of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The diagnosis usually requires the use of a capsule endoscopy or enteroscopy with biopsies.

Vitamin D and inflammatory bowel disease: what do we know so far?

In the last years,several studies have focused on the involement of vitamin D in different physiological and pathological processes. One of the most interesting actions occurs in the Inflammatory bowel disease, where a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency has been observed. This study aimed to review the literature in order to explain its relationship with the disease, the risk factors, measuring the importance of sun exposure, describing how treatments are affected or observing the effect of vitamin supplementation in this type of patients.

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis: differential diagnosis between acute cholecystitis and gallbladder cancer.

We present the images of ultrasound, magnetic resonance and histology of a patient with suggestive findings of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis. Gallbladder cancer cannot be completely ruled out until the histological study of the surgical sample is performed.

Sarcoidosis onset simulating a unique hepatic metastasis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease with an uncertain etiology, characterized by the production of non-necrotizing granulomas. The most frequent presentation is pulmonary and mediastinal, although it might affect any other organ. Hepatic alterations occur in 50 to 65% of the cases. Nevertheless, it is commonly subclinical or detected during a study of the alteration of liver enzymes. It is very unusual that disease onset occurs as an isolated hepatic tumor. A hepatic biopsy is usually required to confirm the diagnosis. A differential diagnosis must be established via any hepatic granulomatous disease, infectious or autoimmune disease as well as the exclusion of malignancy. We present a clinical case of a female diagnosed with an isolated hepatic sarcoidosis that simulated a unique hepatic metastatic lesion. The hepatic biopsy was diagnostic.

Hepatocellular carcinoma risk-stratification based on ASGR1 in circulating epithelial cells for cancer interception.

Purpose: Lack of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma impedes stratifying patients based on their risk of developing cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity of circulating epithelial cells (CECs) based on asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 (ASGR1) and miR-122-5p expression as potential diagnostic and prognostic tools in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver cirrhosis (LC). Methods: Peripheral blood samples were extracted from LC and HCC patients at different disease stages. CECs were isolated using positive immunomagnetic selection. Genetic and phenotypic characterization was validated by double immunocytochemistry for cytokeratin (CK) and ASGR1 or by in situ hybridization with miR-122-5p and CECs were visualized by confocal microscopy. Results: The presence of CECs increased HCC risk by 2.58-fold, however, this was only significant for patients with previous LC (p = 0.028) and not for those without prior LC (p = 0.23). Furthermore, the number of CECs lacking ASGR1 expression correlated significantly with HCC incidence and absence of miR-122-5p expression (p = 0.014; r = 0.23). Finally, overall survival was significantly greater for patients at earlier cancer stages (p = 0.018), but this difference was only maintained in the group with the presence of CECs (p = 0.021) whereas progression-free survival was influenced by the absence of ASGR1 expression. Conclusion: Identification and characterization of CECs by ASGR1 and/or miR-122-5p expression may be used as a risk-stratification tool in LC patients, as it was shown to be an independent prognostic and risk-stratification marker in LC and early disease stage HCC patients.