Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection and Endoscopic Mucosal Resection for Barrett's Associated Neoplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Published Literature.

Introduction The role of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the treatment of Barrett's associated neoplasia (BEN) has been evolving. We examined the efficacy and safety of ESD and EMR for BEN. Methods A database search was performed for studies reporting efficacy and safety outcomes of ESD and EMR for BEN. Pooled proportional and comparative meta-analyses were performed. Results 47 studies (23 ESD, 19 EMR, and 5 comparative) were included. Mean lesion size for ESD and EMR were 22.5 mm and 15.8 mm respectively. Majority of lesions were Paris type IIa. Pooled analysis for ESD showed en-bloc resection, R0 resection, curative resection, and local recurrence rates of 98%, 78%, 65%, and 2%, respectively. Complete eradication of dysplasia (CE-D) and complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) were achieved in 94% and 59% of cases. Pooled rates of perforation, intraprocedural bleeding (IPB), delayed bleeding (DB), and stricture were 1%, 1%, 2%, and 10%, respectively. Pooled analysis for EMR showed en-bloc resection, R0 resection, curative resection, and local recurrence rates of 37%, 67%, 62%, and 6%, respectively. CE-D and CE-IM were achieved in 94% and 76% of cases. Pooled rates of perforation, IPB, DB, and stricture were 0.1%, 1%, 0.4%, and 7.7%, respectively. The mean procedure time for ESD and EMR were 111.3 and 22.3 mins respectively. Comparative analysis showed higher en-bloc and R0 resection rates with ESD compared to EMR, with comparable adverse events. Conclusion ESD and EMR both can be employed to treat BEN depending on the lesion type, size, and expertise.

Lack of Effectiveness of Computer Aided Detection for Colorectal Neoplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nonrandomized Studies.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Benefits of computer-aided detection (CADe) in detecting colorectal neoplasia were shown in many randomized trials in which endoscopists' behavior was strictly controlled. However, the effect of CADe on endoscopists' performance in less-controlled setting is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analyses were aimed at clarifying benefits and harms of using CADe in real-world colonoscopy. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar from inception to August 20, 2023. We included nonrandomized studies that compared the effectiveness between CADe-assisted and standard colonoscopy. Two investigators independently extracted study data and quality. Pairwise meta-analysis was performed utilizing risk ratio for dichotomous variables and mean difference (MD) for continuous variables with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Eight studies were included, comprising 9782 patients (4569 with CADe and 5213 without CADe). Regarding benefits, there was a difference in neither adenoma detection rate (44% vs 38%; risk ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.28) nor mean adenomas per colonoscopy (0.93 vs 0.79; MD, 0.14; 95% CI, -0.04 to 0.32) between CADe-assisted and standard colonoscopy, respectively. Regarding harms, there was no difference in the mean non-neoplastic lesions per colonoscopy (8 studies included for analysis; 0.52 vs 0.47; MD, 0.14; 95% CI, -0.07 to 0.34) and withdrawal time (6 studies included for analysis; 14.3 vs 13.4 minutes; MD, 0.8 minutes; 95% CI, -0.18 to 1.90). There was a substantial heterogeneity, and all outcomes were graded with a very low certainty of evidence. CONCLUSION: CADe in colonoscopies neither improves the detection of colorectal neoplasia nor increases burden of colonoscopy in real-world, nonrandomized studies, questioning the generalizability of the results of randomized trials.

Correlation of Gastrointestinal Symptoms at Initial Presentation with Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: Results from a Large Health System in the Southern USA.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to understand the association of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms at initial presentation with clinical outcomes during COVID-19 hospitalization. METHODS: This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included consecutive hospitalized COVID-19 patients from a single, large health system. The presence of GI symptoms was assessed at initial presentation and included one or more of the following: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Patients were divided into three cohorts: Only GI symptoms, GI and non-GI symptoms and only non-GI symptoms. The primary outcome was association of GI symptoms with mortality. Secondary outcomes included prevalence of GI symptoms and survival analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1672 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized (mean age: 63 ± 15.8 years, females: 50.4%) in our system during the study period. 40.7% patients had at least one GI symptom (diarrhea in 28.3%, nausea/vomiting in 23%, and abdominal pain in 8.8% patients), and 2.6% patients had only GI symptoms at initial presentation. Patients presenting with GI symptoms (with or without non-GI symptoms) had a lower mortality rate compared to patients presenting with only non-GI symptoms (20% vs. 26%; p < 0.05). The time from hospitalization to being discharged was less for patients presenting with only GI symptoms (7.4 days vs. > 9 days, p < 0.0014). After adjusting for other factors, the presence of GI symptoms was not associated with mortality (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Among a hospitalized COVID-19 positive Southern US population, 41% patients presented with either diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain initially. The presence of GI symptoms has no association with in-hospital all-cause mortality.

Digestive Manifestations in Patients Hospitalized With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The prevalence and significance of digestive manifestations in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain uncertain. We aimed to assess the prevalence, spectrum, severity, and significance of digestive manifestations in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS: Consecutive patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were identified across a geographically diverse alliance of medical centers in North America. Data pertaining to baseline characteristics, symptomatology, laboratory assessment, imaging, and endoscopic findings from the time of symptom onset until discharge or death were abstracted manually from electronic health records to characterize the prevalence, spectrum, and severity of digestive manifestations. Regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between digestive manifestations and severe outcomes related to COVID-19. RESULTS: A total of 1992 patients across 36 centers met eligibility criteria and were included. Overall, 53% of patients experienced at least 1 gastrointestinal symptom at any time during their illness, most commonly diarrhea (34%), nausea (27%), vomiting (16%), and abdominal pain (11%). In 74% of cases, gastrointestinal symptoms were judged to be mild. In total, 35% of patients developed an abnormal alanine aminotransferase or total bilirubin level; these were increased to less than 5 times the upper limit of normal in 77% of cases. After adjusting for potential confounders, the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms at any time (odds ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.76-1.15) or liver test abnormalities on admission (odds ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.80-2.12) were not associated independently with mechanical ventilation or death. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, gastrointestinal symptoms and liver test abnormalities were common, but the majority were mild and their presence was not associated with a more severe clinical course.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of effectiveness of treatment options against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Treatment options for severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) are limited with no clarity on efficacy and safety profiles. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on patients ≥18 years reporting data on therapeutic interventions in SARS-CoV-2. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes were rates of mechanical ventilation, viral clearance, adverse events, discharge, and progression to severe disease. Pooled rates and odds ratios (OR) were calculated. Twenty-nine studies with 5207 patients were included. Pooled all-cause mortality in intervention arm was 12.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.1%-17.4%). Mortality was significantly higher for studies using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for intervention (OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 0.97-1.89). Adverse events were also higher in HCQ subgroup (OR: 3.88; 95% CI: 1.60-9.45). There was no difference in other secondary outcomes. There is a need for well-designed randomized clinical trials for further investigation of every therapeutic intervention for further insight into different therapeutic options.

The mechanistic rationale of drugs, primary endpoints, geographical distribution of clinical trials against severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2: A systematic review.

There are numerous ongoing studies assessing treatment options for preventing, treating, and managing complications of coronavirus disease-2019 disease. The objective of this study was to do a systematic review and critical appraisal of the ongoing clinical trials with an aim to provide insight into the various interventions tested, clinical rationale, geographical distribution of the trials as well as the endpoints assessed in the studies. ClinicalTrials.gov, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and PubMed were assessed till 11 May 2020. The search resulted in 3242 ongoing studies of which 829 studies were included. There are 134 different drug-based interventions being assessed in 463 clinical trials as treatment options China accounts for 35% of all ongoing clinical studies followed by USA 23% and other countries together account for 42%. Amongst the 463 studies assessing drug-based treatment options, studies that are funded by federal and academic institutions are 79.6%, pharmaceutical company-funded studies are 15.11%, and no funding information is available in 5.10%. The definitive outcomes like mortality are being assessed as primary outcome in 22.8% of the studies only and need for ventilator in 6.2% of the studies. Amongst the pharmaceutical company-funded drug-based studies, only 20% of the studies had mortality as the primary outcome. Only 5.5% of the ongoing clinical trials are specifically designed to assess the most vulnerable population like elderly, patients with comorbidities and cancer. Multiple intervention-based clinical studies against severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 are being performed throughout the world with a high concentration of clinical trials in the developed world with concern that of elderly and patients with comorbidities are being underrepresented and definite endpoints like mortality are being assessed in only one-fifth of the studies.

Second-generation distal attachment cuff improves adenoma detection rate: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using the second-generation distal attachment cuff device (Endocuff Vision; Olympus America, Center Valley, Pa, USA) have reported conflicting results in improving adenoma detection rate (ADR) compared with standard high-definition colonoscopy without the distal attachment. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to compare outcomes between second-generation cuff colonoscopy (CC) versus colonoscopy without the distal attachment (standard colonoscopy [SC]). METHODS: An electronic literature search was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane Library through May 2020. The primary outcome was reporting of ADR, and secondary outcomes were polyp detection rate (PDR), mean withdrawal time, mean adenomas per colonoscopy (APC), sessile serrated lesion detection rate, and adverse events. Pooled rates and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals were reported. RESULTS: Eight RCTs with 5695 patients were included in the final analysis, with 2862 patients (mean age, 62.8 years; 52.9% men) in the CC group and 2833 patients (mean age, 62.6 years; 54.2% men) in the SC group. Compared with SC, use of CC was associated with a significant improvement in ADR (49.8% vs 45.6%, respectively; RR, 1.12; P = .02), PDR (58.1% vs 53%, respectively; RR, 1.12; P = .009), and APC (P < .01). Furthermore, use of CC had a .93-minute lower mean withdrawal time (P < .01) when compared with SC. The difference in ADR was larger in the screening/surveillance population (6.5%, P = .02) and when used by endoscopists with ADRs <30% (9.4%, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this meta-analysis of randomized trials show a significant improvement in ADR and APC with shorter withdrawal times using the second-generation cuff device compared with SC.

A Comparative Study of 22G versus 19G Needles for EUS-Guided Biopsies for Parenchymal Liver Disease: Are Thinner Needles Better?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Data on comparative efficacy of various available endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) needles are limited. We sought to compare the performance of a novel Franseen-tip 22G fine-needle biopsy (FNB) device to that of 19G needle platforms for liver parenchyma. METHODS: Consecutive patients referred for EUS and suspected to have hepatic parenchymal disease underwent EUS-LB using different EUS needles and were included in this retrospective study. Two blinded expert liver pathologists independently reviewed and reported on: total number of tissue fragments, length of longest fragment, number of complete and incomplete portal tracts (CPT and IPT), and specimen adequacy. RESULTS: A 22G Franseen-tip needle (A) was used in 30 patients; 19G Tru-Cut needle (B) in 50 patients; 19G reverse beveled non-Tru-Cut needle (C) in 27 patients; and a 19G flexible non-Tru-Cut needle (D) in 28 patients. In the order of needles, A, B, C and D, > 10 tissue fragments were obtained in 100%, 6%, 82%, and 96% samples, the mean number of CPTs was 6.9; 3.0; 7.3; and 16.9, length of longest fragment was 3.8, 4. 7, 3.9, and 8.4 mm, and specimen adequacy was 66.7%, 46%, 82.1%, and 81.5%, respectively. A positive correlation was obtained between number of CPTs and length of longest fragment in samples accrued by 19G needles. CONCLUSION: EUS-LB specimens using 22G Franseen-tip needle appear highly fragmented, leading to inferior specimen adequacy compared to 19G non-Tru-Cut needles. We also report on using length of longest fragment as an additional criterion for specimen adequacy as it positively correlates with number of CPTs standard.

Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Resection of Sessile Serrated Polyps 10 mm or Larger: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The best method for endoscopic resection of sessile serrated polyps (SSP) 10 mm or larger is unclear; studies report variable outcomes in comparison to conventional adenomas. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of resection of SSPs 10 mm or larger in size. METHODS: We searched the PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies reporting data on endoscopic resection of SSPs 10 mm or larger, through May 31st, 2019. The primary outcome was rate of residual SSP, which was the rate of residual SSP found at the polypectomy site during the first follow-up colonoscopy. Secondary outcomes were: technical success (rate of complete macroscopic resection), R0 resection rate (complete histological resection with absence of any polyp tissue at the lateral and deep margins after en-bloc resection), and adverse events (immediate or delayed bleeding and perforation). We performed IQR,group analyses for outcomes based on polyp size and resection techniques. Pooled proportion rates (%) or odds ratio with 95% CIs with heterogeneity (I2) and P < .05. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria: 911 patients (50.2% male; mean age, 62.8 ± 4.9 years) who underwent resection of 1137 SSPs (574 SSPs ≥ 20 mm) with a median polyp size of 19.4 mm (interquartile range, 15.9-29.6 mm). Follow-up information was available for 832 SSPs with a median follow-up duration of 12 months (interquartile range, 6-22.5 months). Piecemeal resection was performed in 58.5% SSPs. The pooled residual SSP rate was 4.3% (95% CI, 2%-6.5%). There was a higher residual SSP rate for polyps ≥ 20 mm compared to 10-19 mm (5.9% vs 1.2%; odds ratio, 3.02; 95% CI, 1-9.2; P = .049). Cold endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) had significantly lower rates of delayed bleeding (0 vs 2.3%; P = .03) and residual polyp rate (0.9% vs 5%; P=.01) compared to hot EMR, based on univariate analysis. In multi-variate analysis there was no difference in residual polyp rate. There was no significant difference in other outcomes based on the size or method of resection. CONCLUSIONS: In a systematic review and meta-analysis, we found that SSPs ≥ 10 mm can be safely resected with low residual polyp rates. Polyp size ≥ 20 mm is a significant factor for residual polyp. Compared to hot EMR, cold EMR is associated with a lower rate of delayed bleeding. Randomized controlled trials comparing hot and cold resection are needed to standardize techniques and optimize outcomes.

Intralesional steroids and endoscopic dilation for anastomotic strictures after esophagectomy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Post-esophagectomy anastomotic strictures are difficult to treat. The impact of adding local steroid injection to endoscopic dilation for the treatment of post-esophagectomy anastomotic strictures is unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of performing steroid injection in addition to dilation. METHODS: A search was conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science from inception to January 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of endoscopic dilation plus either local steroid injection (steroid group) or saline injection (placebo group) were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Three RCTs were eligible for the final analysis: 72 patients (mean age 61.3 years, 74 % male) in the steroid group and 72 patients (mean age 59.6 years, 71 % male) in the placebo group. The mean number of dilations required to resolve the stricture was significantly lower in the steroid group compared with the placebo group, with a mean weighted difference of -1.62 (95 % confidence interval [CI] -2.73 to -0.50; P = 0.004). After 6 months of follow-up, there was a trend toward more patients in the steroid group remaining dysphagia free compared with the placebo group, with a pooled odds ratio of 2.36 (95 %CI 0.94 to 5.91; P = 0.07, I2  = 24 %). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis showed that the addition of local steroid injection at the time of dilation for benign anastomotic strictures led to a significant decrease in the number of procedures required to resolve the stricture and may well reduce dysphagia symptoms during follow-up.

Efficacy and safety of over-the-scope clips for gastrointestinal bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The over-the-scope clip (OTSC) has been increasingly utilized for the management of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Limited efficacy data are currently available from large-scale studies. METHODS: An electronic database search was conducted for eligible articles using OTSCs for hemostasis in GI bleeding. The primary outcome was the rate of definitive hemostasis after primary hemostasis and without rebleeding at follow-up. Secondary outcomes were: primary technical success, primary clinical success, rebleeding, and failure rates. Pooled rates were expressed as proportions of patients with events over total patients, 95 % confidence limits (CI) with heterogeneity, and P values of < 0.05 for significance. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies (n = 851) were analyzed (62.2 % males), with a median patient age of 69.7 years. The definitive hemostasis rate was 87.8 % (95 %CI 83.7 % - 92 %) after a median follow-up of 56 days. The OTSC was successfully deployed in 97.8 % of patients (95 %CI 96.7 % - 98.9 %) and the primary clinical success rate was 96.6 % (95 %CI 95.1 % - 98.2 %). Rebleeding was seen in 10.3 % of patients (95 %CI 6.5 % - 14.1 %). The failure rate of OTSCs was 9 % (95 %CI 5.2 % - 12.8 %) when used as first-line treatment and 26 % (95 %CI 16.1 % - 36.0 %) when used as second-line treatment. CONCLUSION: This systematic review showed high rates of definitive hemostasis, technical success, and clinical success, along with low rebleeding rates when OTSCs were used for the treatment of GI bleeding. The lack of randomized controlled trials of OTSC vs. other therapies makes comparison with conventional treatment difficult.

Anticoagulation in Cancer Patients: a Summary of Pitfalls to Avoid.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients, and its management is often associated with complications including risk of recurrent VTE and bleeding. Here, we review the current data on pitfalls during anticoagulation in cancer patients and measures necessary to avoid them. RECENT FINDINGS: Although low-molecular-weight heparin monotherapy has been the standard of treatment for several years, emerging data for direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are leading to new paradigms in treatment. Reports of recent randomized trials suggest a lower risk of recurrent thrombosis but higher risk of bleeding, particularly in gastrointestinal cancer patients, with DOACs. Careful patient selection and individualization of therapy based on risk of bleeding as well as recurrent VTE are keys. Problems like bleeding, recurrence, thrombocytopenia, drug-drug interactions, renal impairment, nausea-vomiting along with concerns about adherence arise during anticoagulation in cancer patients. However, with adequate pre-treatment assessment, correct anticoagulant selection and proper monitoring during anticoagulation, these issues can be addressed safely and effectively.

Targets in anticancer research--A review.

Cancer is a complex disease characterized by a loss in the normal cell regulatory mechanisms that govern cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Current chemotherapeutics, as anticancer agents, are developing resistance to single drug and also to treatment therapies involving multiple drugs. Cross resistance associated with the specificity and selectivity of existing drugs has restricted the application of chemotherapy. Alternatively, these limitations have given better insight in understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of various stages in cancer. In the light of this, continuous efforts are being made in order to identify and validate newer anticancer targets. This review presents some of the important targets that have been already reported, such as aromatase, farnesyl transferase, histone deacetylase, tyrosine kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase. A few molecules designed against these targets have successfully reached clinical trials. However, only limited marketed drugs are available from these classes. Besides, the review also highlights some of the other important targets and strategies that have also drawn considerable attention in the area of anticancer drug development such as, cancer stem cells and monoclonal antibodies. Further, the integration of the tools in molecular biology with the results from preclinical and clinical trials would strengthen the effectiveness of treatment regimens in cancer patients. There lies a much scope for designing promising lead compounds and treatment therapies against these established targets.

Pregnancy-related Factors Responsible for Delivering Low Birth Weight Babies: An Institutional-based Cross-sectional Study, Jamnagar, Gujarat.

Background: The WHO defines LBW as "Birth weight less than 2500 grams" regardless of gestational age. Being born with a low birth weight also incurs enormous economic costs, including higher medical expenditures and social service expenses, and decreased productivity in adulthood. Objective: To study distribution of newborns' according to pregnancy related factors and its association with newborns' birth weight. Methods: An institutional based cross-sectional study. New-borns delivered at study institute were considered as study participants. Estimated final sample size was 500. Guardians (mothers) were face-to-face interviewed and also recorded data were collected from the case file and Mother and Child Protection Card. Results: Prevalence of LBW newborns was higher in mothers with late ANC registration, <4 ANC visits, chronic medical conditions, infection during pregnancy, PIH, anemia, consuming tobacco, exposure to second hand smoke, LSCS/Assisted delivery, in female newborns', current pregnancy birth order number more than 2, in pre term newborns' and mothers with bad obstetric history. Conclusion: Create awareness and adoption of suitable family planning methods. Need to do early (within 12 weeks) ANC registration with minimum four ANC visits for better pregnancy outcome. Effective tracking and suitable intervention provided to improve current pregnancy outcome. Health care professional should pay special attention to high-risk pregnancy. Develop social culture in such a way that females are neither addicted nor exposed to any tobacco containing products in their life.

Advanced imaging and artificial intelligence for Barrett's esophagus: What we should and soon will do.

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a well-established risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. It is recommended that patients have regular endoscopic surveillance, with the ultimate goal of detecting early-stage neoplastic lesions before they can progress to invasive carcinoma. Detection of both dysplasia or early adenocarcinoma permits curative endoscopic treatments, and with this aim, thorough endoscopic assessment is crucial and improves outcomes. The burden of missed neoplasia in BE is still far from being negligible, likely due to inappropriate endoscopic surveillance. Over the last two decades, advanced imaging techniques, moving from traditional dye-spray chromoendoscopy to more practical virtual chromoendoscopy technologies, have been introduced with the aim to enhance neoplasia detection in BE. As witnessed in other fields, artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the field of diagnostic endoscopy and is set to cover a pivotal role in BE as well. The aim of this commentary is to comprehensively summarize present evidence, recent research advances, and future perspectives regarding advanced imaging technology and AI in BE; the combination of computer-aided diagnosis to a widespread adoption of advanced imaging technologies is eagerly awaited. It will also provide a useful step-by-step approach for performing high-quality endoscopy in BE, in order to increase the diagnostic yield of endoscopy in clinical practice.

Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Patients With Versus Without Prior Myocardial Infarction or Coronary Revascularization: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can be associated with complications, including precipitation of peri-procedural myocardial ischemia. However, data regarding the trends and impact of previous myocardial infarction (MI) and/or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on ERCP outcomes remains unknown. Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample (2007-2014) and relevant ICD-9-CM codes, we identified adults who underwent ERCP with (Group 1) and without (Group 2) prior history of MI/PCI/CABG, and compared their demographics, comorbidities, and inpatient outcomes. Primary endpoints were inpatient mortality and post-ERCP complications. The secondary endpoints were discharge disposition, the mean length of stay, and total hospital charges. Results Of 1,374,773 ERCP procedures performed, 120,418 (8.8%) were performed in adult patients with a prior history of MI/PCI/CABG with an increasing trend from 2007-2014 (7.5% to 9.5%, ptrend=0.022). Group 1 consisted of older, white, males compared to Group 2. Group 1 demonstrated a higher prevalence of all-cause mortality (1.7% vs. 1.5%, p<0.001), other cardiovascular comorbidities, post-ERCP cardiopulmonary complications (5.6% vs. 3.8%, p<0.001), sepsis (10.2% vs. 8.2%, p<0.001) and hemorrhage (1.5% vs.1.2%, p<0.001) as compared to Group 2. However, post-ERCP pancreatitis (14.1% vs. 15.4%, p<0.001) was lower in Group 1 without any difference in frequency of cholecystitis (0.4% vs. 0.4%, p=0.180). The mean length of stay was marginally higher in Group 1, without any difference in the hospitalization charges between the groups. Conclusions This nationwide study revealed higher inpatient mortality, sepsis, and hemorrhage in adult patients who underwent ERCP with a prior history of MI/PCI/CABG.

Development and Validation of a Multivariable Risk Prediction Model for COVID-19 Mortality in the Southern United States.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical characteristics of patients admitted to the hospital with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Southern United States and development as well as validation of a mortality risk prediction model. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Southern Louisiana was an early hotspot during the pandemic, which provided a large collection of clinical data on inpatients with COVID-19. We designed a risk stratification model to assess the mortality risk for patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19. Data from 1673 consecutive patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and hospitalized between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020, was used to create an 11-factor mortality risk model based on baseline comorbidity, organ injury, and laboratory results. The risk model was validated using a subsequent cohort of 2067 consecutive hospitalized patients admitted between June 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020. RESULTS: The resultant model has an area under the curve of 0.783 (95% CI, 0.76 to 0.81), with an optimal sensitivity of 0.74 and specificity of 0.69 for predicting mortality. Validation of this model in a subsequent cohort of 2067 consecutively hospitalized patients yielded comparable prognostic performance. CONCLUSION: We have developed an easy-to-use, robust model for systematically evaluating patients presenting to acute care settings with COVID-19 infection.

Submucosal tunnelling techniques for Zenker's diverticulum: a systematic review of early outcomes with pooled analysis.

In the last decade, flexible endoscopic septotomy has been reported as a well-tolerated and effective treatment for Zenker's diverticulum. More recently, novel endoscopic submucosal tunneling techniques, namely Zenker-PerOral Endoscopic Myotomy (Z-POEM) and PerOral Endoscopic Septotomy (POES) have been proposed to obtain complete muscular septum exposure and deeper myotomy. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review with a meta-analysis of the first experiences of third space approaches for Zenker's diverticulum. Electronic databases (Medline, Scopus, EMBASE) were searched up to October 2020. Studies including patients with symptomatic Zenker's diverticulum who underwent endoscopic treatment by submucosal tunneling technique were eligible. Procedural, clinical and safety outcomes were assessed by pooling data with a random-effect model to obtain a proportion with a 95% confidence interval. Nine retrospective studies were eligible for inclusion (196 patients). Five studies were performed in the USA, two in Europe and two in Asia. Endoscopic treatment was feasible in 96.9% (I2 = 0%) of patients. The mean procedure duration was 36.4 ± 14.3 minutes. Clinical success was achieved after 93.4% (I2 = 0%) of procedures. The overall adverse events rate was 4.9% (I2 = 0%). No differences between the two approaches (Z-POEM vs POES) have been shown in terms of both efficacy and safety. Submucosal tunneling techniques appear to be feasible for symptomatic Zenker's diverticulum, with promising results in terms of efficacy and safety outcomes.

Disease Burden, Risk Factors, and Recent Trends of Liver Cancer: A Global Country-Level Analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the updated disease burden, risk factors, and temporal trends of liver cancer based on age, sex, and country. METHODS: We estimated the incidence of liver cancer and its attribution to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in 2018 based on the Global Cancer Observatory and World Health Organization (WHO) Cancer Causes database. We extracted the prevalence of risk factors from the WHO Global Health Observatory to examine the associations by weighted linear regression. The trend analysis used data from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents and the WHO mortality database from 48 countries. Temporal patterns of incidence and mortality were calculated using average annual percent change (AAPC) by joinpoint regression analysis. RESULTS: The global incidence of liver cancer was (age-standardized rate [ASR]) 9.3 per 100,000 population in 2018, and there was an evident disparity in the incidence related to HBV (ASR 0.2-41.2) and HCV (ASR 0.4-43.5). A higher HCV/HBV-related incidence ratio was associated with a higher level of alcohol consumption (ß 0.49), overweight (ß 0.51), obesity (ß 0.64), elevated cholesterol (ß 0.70), gross domestic product (ß 0.20), and Human Development Index (HDI; ß 0.45). An increasing trend in incidence was identified in many countries, especially for male individuals, population aged ≥50 years, and countries with a higher HCV/HBV-related liver cancer incidence ratio. Countries with the most drastic increase in male incidence were reported in India (AAPC 7.70), Ireland (AAPC 5.60), Sweden (AAPC 5.72), the UK (AAPC 5.59), and Norway (AAPC 4.87). CONCLUSION: We observed an overall increasing trend of liver cancer, especially among male subjects, older individuals, and countries with a higher prevalence of HCV-related liver cancer. More efforts are needed in enhancing lifestyle modifications and accessibility of antiviral treatment for these populations. Future studies should investigate the reasons behind these epidemiological changes.

Worldwide distribution, associated factors, and trends of gallbladder cancer: A global country-level analysis.

This study aimed to evaluate the global distribution, associated factors, and epidemiologic trends of gallbladder cancer (GBC) by country, sex, and age groups. The Global Cancer Observatory was interrogated for the disease burden of GBC using age-standardized rates (ASR). The prevalence of different potential risk factors for each country was extracted from Global Health Observatory and their associations with GBC incidence and mortality were examined by linear regression analysis using beta coefficients (ß). The Cancer Incidence in Five Continents I-XI and the WHO Mortality database were searched and Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) was generated from joinpoint regression analysis. The incidence (ASR = 2.3) and mortality (ASR = 1.7) of GBC varied globally in 2018 and were higher in more developed countries and among females. Countries with higher incidence had higher human development index (ßmale = 0.37; ßfemale = 0.27), gross domestic products (ßmale = 0.13) and higher prevalence of current smoking (ßfemale = 0.05), overweight (ßmale = 0.02), obesity (ßmale = 0.03), and hypercholesterolaemia (ßmale = 0.07). Similar patterns of associations were also observed for mortality with an additional association found for diabetes (ßfemale = 0.07). Although there was an overall decreasing trend in mortality, an increasing trend in incidence was observed among some populations, particularly in males (AAPCs, 8.97 to 1.92) and in younger individuals aged <50 years (AAPCs, 12.02 to 5.66). The incidence of GBC varied between countries and was related to differences in the prevalence of potential risk factors. There was an increasing incidence trend among males and younger individuals. More intensive lifestyle modifications and disease surveillance are recommended for these populations.