Complications and early mortality in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement in lombardy: A multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is the most common endoscopic procedure used to provide nutritional support. AIM: To prospectively evaluate the mortality and complication incidences after PEG insertion or replacement. METHODS: All patients who underwent PEG insertion or replacement were included. Details on patient characteristics, ongoing therapies, comorbidities, and indication for PEG placement/replacement were collected, along with informed consent form signatures. Early and late (30-day) complications and mortality were assessed. RESULTS: 950 patients (47.1% male) were enrolled in 25 centers in Lombardy, a region of Northern Italy. Patient mean age was 73 years. 69.5% of patients had ASA status 3 or 4. First PEG placement was performed in 594 patients. Complication and mortality incidences were 4.8% and 5.2%, respectively. The most frequent complication was infection (50%), followed by bleeding (32.1%), tube dislodgment (14.3%), and buried bumper syndrome (3.6%). At multivariable analysis, age (OR 1.08 per 1-year increase, 95% CI, 1.0-1.16, p = 0.010) and BMI (OR 0.86 per 1-point increase, 95% CI, 0.77-0.96, p = 0.014) were factors associated with mortality. PEG replacement was carried out in 356 patients. Thirty-day mortality was 1.8%, while complications occurred in 1.7% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm that PEG placement is a safe procedure. Mortality was not related to the procedure itself, confirming that careful patient selection is warranted.

Prognostic significance of endoscopic remission in patients with active ulcerative colitis treated with oral and topical mesalazine: a prospective, multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: It has been recommended that the treatment of active ulcerative colitis (UC) should be continued until complete healing of endoscopic lesions. However, the evidence supporting this recommendation is scanty. Aims of the present study were to assess the rate of patients with active UC who achieve clinical but not endoscopic remission after treatment with oral plus topical mesalazine and to compare the rate of relapse in patients with clinical/endoscopic remission and those with only clinical remission. METHODS: Patients with active mild or moderate UC were eligible. All patients received mesalazine, 4 g/day orally and 2 g/day per rectum for 6 weeks. Those achieving clinical remission underwent colonoscopy: afterwards, all received maintenance treatment with oral mesalazine, 2 g/day orally for 1 year. Clinical remission was defined as normal frequency of bowel movements with formed stools, no abdominal pain, and no blood in the stools. Endoscopic remission was defined as normal-appearing mucosa or only mild redness and/or friability, without either ulcers or erosions. RESULTS: In all, 81 patients were enrolled. Sixty-one (75%) achieved clinical remission. Endoscopic activity was still present in five (8%). The cumulative rate of relapse at 1 year was 23% in patients with clinical and endoscopic remission and 80% in patients with only clinical remission (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Persistence of endoscopic activity is quite infrequent in patients with active UC achieving clinical remission after a 6-week treatment with oral plus topical mesalazine, but is a very strong predictor of early relapse.

Chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases: the histology report.

The incidence of chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is growing in western countries, making their histological diagnosis an everyday task for all pathologists. Reviews from the literature strongly suggest that such diagnosis cannot be performed on the histological ground alone but requires a clinical-pathological approach. Moreover, bewildering variations can be observed in the terminology employed to report either individual lesions or diagnostic categories. The aim of the present paper is to suggest a practical diagnostic algorithm summarizing the main data from the literature. Particular emphasis has been placed on minimum clinical information required and the accurate definition of individual lesions. Diagnostic categories to employ and to avoid in daily practice have furthermore been stressed.

Small bowel capsule endoscopy in clinical practice: a multicenter 7-year survey.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Data about small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) come from studies involving small and highly selected populations. The study aim was to describe extent of use, indications, results, complications, and practical issues of SBCE in clinical practice in a Northern Italian Region (Lombardia). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three out of 29 invited centers fulfilled a specific questionnaire. RESULTS: Between 2001 and 2008, 2921 procedures were performed and both the number of centers performing SBCE (from 5 to 29) and the number of SBCE (from 7.2 to 69.2 per month) increased steadily. The main indications for SBCE were: obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) (43.4%), unexplained anemia (23.9%), suspected Crohn's disease (7.8%) and abdominal pain (5.3%). Overall, SBCE was positive in 50% of cases, negative in 36% and undefined in 14%. The highest diagnostic yields were observed in patients with OGIB (62.5%), polypoid syndromes (74.1%), known (54.8%) or suspected (47.3%) inflammatory bowel disease, while the yields were low in patients examined for chronic diarrhea (27.4%) and abdominal pain (14.9%), 61 patients (2.1%) experienced capsule retention. Thirty-two of them eventually excreted the capsule naturally while endoscopic or surgical retrieval was necessary in 29 (1%) (in two because of obstruction). CONCLUSION: Over a period of 7 years the use of SBCE in Lombardia increased steadily confirming, in clinical practice, a high diagnostic yield and an acceptable safety profile.