Novel Utility of Leucine-Rich Alpha-2-Glycoprotein as a Biomarker in Ulcerative Colitis: A Predictor of Endoscopic Remission Independent of Symptoms.

Introduction: Leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG) is a potential biomarker for disease activity and reflects mucosal healing in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). However, only a few studies have described a detailed sensitivity analysis of LRG in predicting mucosal healing in patients. This study aimed to evaluate the association between LRG and the endoscopic activity of UC and its predictability for mucosal healing and explore the utility and clinical application of LRG. Methods: The diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers, including LRG, in predicting the endoscopic activity of UC was evaluated. All consecutive patients who underwent total colonoscopy between April 2021 and September 2022 were included. The Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) was used for assessing endoscopic activity. Furthermore, endoscopic remission was defined as an MES of ≤1. Clinical activity was evaluated based on stool frequency and bloody stool. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and binary logistic regression were performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the biomarkers. We evaluated LRG trends and treatment response in patients with MES ≥2 who underwent induction therapy. Results: This study comprised 214 patients. The proportions of endoscopically and clinically active patients were 33.6% and 49.1%, respectively. LRG had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.856, with a higher diagnostic accuracy than other biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein, leukocyte, neutrophil, platelet, and albumin. The cutoff value for LRG was 15.6 µg/mL (sensitivity, 72.2%; specificity, 86.6%). Using the MES, patients with higher scores had higher LRG levels than those with lower scores. The cutoff value, AUC, sensitivity, and specificity varied with a higher AUC for left-sided colitis and pancolitis than for proctitis. Logistic regression analysis showed that LRG was an independent predictor of endoscopic remission using multivariate analysis, even with the factor of clinical activity. The change ratio of LRG pre- and post-treatment was statistically significant in the higher LRG group. Conclusion: LRG reflected endoscopic activity independently, regardless of clinical symptoms. An LRG below the cutoff value could indicate a significantly low probability of endoscopic activity in asymptomatic patients, and follow-up endoscopy (not for cancer screening) may be unnecessary. Furthermore, a higher LRG level might be more useful as an indicator of treatment efficacy.

[Number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding as a predictive factor for readmission:an exploratory study].

Colonic diverticular bleeding often recurs and requires hospital readmission. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the rate of readmission and the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding. We retrospectively studied 98 patients first admitted between January 2008 and July 2017 for the treatment of colonic diverticular bleeding. We investigated the subsequent number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding and classified the patients into 3 groups:those admitted for the first time (first group), those admitted for the second time (second group), and those admitted for the third time or later (third group). Generally, the readmission rate increased as the number of hospitalizations increased (P<0.01). The 1-year readmission rates were 11.6%, 23.2%, and 34.2% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 2-year readmission rates were 15.1%, 50.1%, and 62.4% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 3-year readmission rates were 21.7%, 50.1%, and 74.9% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. Thus, the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding could be a predictive factor for readmission. We also classified the patients into 2 additional groups:those who had been readmitted (readmission group) and those who had not (no readmission group). Furthermore, we examined background and therapeutic factors, and found hypovolemic shock on admission to be an independent risk factor (odds ratio 14.1). Preventive treatments for such high-risk patients should be considered.

Immunoglobulin A Vasculitis in a Patient on Hemodialysis and With a Metastatic Liver Lesion.

We present the case of a 79-year-old man on hemodialysis with immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis. He developed palpable purpura three weeks after having pneumonia. A skin biopsy showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis with IgA and C3 deposition. He received a topical corticosteroid for his IgA vasculitis. He was also diagnosed with a metastatic liver lesion, which was thought to be of colorectal origin because of the elevations in carcinoembryonic antigen and cancer antigen 19-9 levels. The skin biopsy played an important role in the diagnosis of the patient on hemodialysis. Pneumonia and a metastatic liver lesion thought to be from colorectal cancer might be related to the pathogenesis of IgA vasculitis.

Does previous biopsy lead to cancer overdiagnosis of superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors?

Background and study aims We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (M-NBI) in superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs) regarding the absence or presence of biopsy before M-NBI diagnosis. Patients and methods Clinicopathological data were retrospectively reviewed for 99 SNADETs from 99 patients who underwent endoscopic resection. The 99 tumors were divided into the non-biopsy group (32 lesions not undergoing biopsy before M-NBI examination) and the biopsy group (67 lesions undergoing biopsy before M-NBI examination). We investigated the correlation between the M-NBI diagnosis and the histopathological diagnosis of the SNADETs in both groups. Results According to the modified revised Vienna classification, 31 tumors were classified as category 3 (C3) (low-grade adenoma) and 68 as category 4/5 (C4/5) (high-grade adenoma/cancer). The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of preoperative M-NBI diagnoses in the non-biopsy group vs the biopsy group were 88 % (95 % confidence interval: 71.0 - 96.5) vs 66 % (51.5 - 75.5), P  = 0.02; 95 % (77.2 - 99.9) vs 89 % (76.4 - 96.4), P  = 0.39; and 70 % (34.8 - 93.3) vs 14 % (3.0 - 36.3), P  < 0.01, respectively. Notably, in the biopsy group, the specificity of M-NBI in SNADETs was low at only 14 % because we over-diagnosed most C3 lesions as C4/5. M-NBI findings might have been compromised by the previous biopsy procedure itself. Conclusions In the non-biopsy group, the accuracy of M-NBI in SNADETs was excellent in distinguishing C4/5 lesions from C3. The M-NBI findings in SNADETs should be evaluated while carefully considering the influence of a previous biopsy.

[A case of Edwardsiella tarda colitis, which proved challenging to distinguish from immune-related adverse events with nivolumab].

The patient, a man in his 80s, presented with diarrhea following one year of treatment for non-small cell lung cancer with Nivolumab. CT results showed discontinuous wall thickening of the large bowel and cholangitis. Blood and stool culture tests ruled out immune-related adverse events and identified Edwardsiella tarda;bacterial colitis was diagnosed in the patient. This case confirmed that basic examination should not be neglected, and culture tests should be performed.

Optimal number of endoscopic biopsies for diagnosis of early gastric cancer.

Background and study aims No recommendations are available for optimal number of endoscopic biopsies for early gastric cancer (GC), and whether detection of early GC is improved by increasing the number of biopsy is unclear. We therefore evaluated the relationship between number of biopsies and diagnostic accuracy. Materials and methods We retrospectively evaluated 858 early GCs (623 from endoscopic submucosal dissection and 235 surgical specimens), which we classified as obtained after one, two, or three or more biopsies. We assessed diagnostic accuracy by number of biopsies, and in subgroups by tumor diameter, gross type, and surface color. Results Almost half the lesions were obtained after one biopsy each, 30 % after two biopsies, and 20 % after three or more biopsies. Although diagnostic accuracy increased with biopsy number, it was significantly greater for the two-biopsy group than the one-biopsy group, (92.5 % vs. 83.9 %, P  = 0.0009), but did not significantly differ between the two- and three or more-biopsy groups. This finding was seen when tumors were evaluated by size, but not by elevated type and surface color, for which more biopsies did not improve diagnostic accuracy. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that two or more biopsies was the independent significant factors for diagnostic accuracy. Conclusions Two biopsies are the optimal number required to diagnose early GC.