The Earlier You Find, the Better You Treat: Red Flags for Early Diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Delayed diagnosis is a challenge in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Several studies show a significant association between diagnostic delay and disease progression to complications and surgery, especially in Crohn's disease (CD). What risk factors are associated with diagnostic delay in IBD remains unclear. In order to reduce diagnostic delay, the Red Flags Index has been developed and validated. The combination of the Red Flags Index score and non-invasive biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin seems to be highly accurate in screening patients with underlying IBD to be referred for further diagnostic workup and eventual early effective treatment strategies. Our literature review aims to obtain a comprehensive overview of the impacts of diagnostic delay in IBD on the potential risk factors associated with IBD, how diagnostic tools may be effective in reducing diagnostic delay, and future perspectives in this field.

Effectiveness of ustekinumab in patients with refractory Crohn's disease: a multicentre real-life study in Italy.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of ustekinumab in patients with refractory Crohn's disease (CD) has been investigated in several real-world studies. However, very few data concerning the real-life experience in Italy have been reported. Therefore, this study assessed the effectiveness of ustekinumab in a large cohort of Italian patients with refractory CD. METHODS: All patients who had started on ustekinumab after failure of or intolerance to antitumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) treatment at five tertiary centres between November 2018 and February 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. The coprimary outcome was corticosteroid-free clinical remission, defined as a Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) score of ⩽4, at weeks 26 and 52. The secondary outcomes were changes in the HBI and C-reactive protein (CRP) values at weeks 8, 26, and 52 from baseline and the normalization of CRP in patients with initially abnormal values. RESULTS: Totally, 140 patients who had previously received at least one anti-TNF-α agent were enrolled; 40.0% received two anti-TNF-α agents and 20.0% received vedolizumab. At baseline, 108 patients (77.1%) had HBI scores of >4; of these, 56.5% and 58.3% achieved corticosteroid-free clinical remission at weeks 26 and 52, respectively. Significant decreases in HBI and CRP values were observed at weeks 8, 26, and 52 in the entire study cohort (all p < 0.0001). The CRP values were normalized in 34.9%, 37.8%, and 49.3% of the patients by weeks 8, 26, and 52, respectively. The baseline HBI score of ⩾8 was a negative predictor of corticosteroid-free clinical remission at week 52 (odds ratio: 0.21, 95% confidence interval: 0.08-0.56, p = 0.002). The probability of remaining on ustekinumab after 52 weeks was 92.1%. Eleven (7.9%) patients discontinued ustekinumab (three for adverse events). CONCLUSION: Our study findings confirm the effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in patients with CD after failure of or intolerance to anti-TNF-α therapy.

Pure tissue inguinal hernia repair with the use of biological mesh: a 10-year follows up. A prospective study.

PURPOSE: The long-term results for inguinal hernia repair (IH) with the use of biological mesh (BM) are not known. A prospective study was started in 2003-2004 to evaluate the results of pure tissue (IH) repair with the use of biological mesh with a 10-year follow-up. METHODS: From March 2003 to December 2004, all patients with IH who presented to the office, including incarcerated and recurrent IH, not excluding any, underwent pure tissue IH repair reinforced with a BM. During this period, 101 patients (87/male, 14/female) underwent 104 IH repair with a continuous suture of transversalis to transversalis fascia repair reinforced with BM of porcine intestinal submucosal origin (Surgisis, Cook) and were followed up for 10 years. RESULTS: There were 104 IH, 90 electives (86%), 2 incarcerated (1.9%), and 12 recurrent (11%). Follow-up was scheduled at 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, 7 years and 10 years., in 100%, 100%, 99%, 93%, 89% and 85% of the patients, respectively. Recurrence was observed in 2/104 (1.9%): one recurrence at 1 week in a patient with bilateral IH and one at 7 years. The mean recovery time was 1.2 days (range 1-5 days). Mortality was 0(0%). COMPLICATIONS: six hematic infiltration to the scrotum and one to the vulva, all resolved spontaneously; wound infection 0(0%); urinary retention 11/104 (10.5%); inguinal scrotal hypoesthesia 7/104(6.7%), improved after 4-6months; asymptomatic fever of 39°C, 2/104 patients (1.9%), responded to a single dose of 4 mg betamethasone. No long-term inguinal pain complaint was found except for one patient with a recurrent IH. CONCLUSIONS: The use of BM to reinforce a pure tissue IH repair is safe and effective. The recurrence rate is comparable to short- and long-term synthetic mesh IH repair with less complications and pain than the use of synthetic mesh as reported in the literature.

Haemorrhagic radiation proctitis: endoscopic severity may be useful to guide therapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Management of haemorrhagic radiation proctitis remains controversial. Both endoscopically delivered argon plasma coagulation and rectal administration of formalin have been recommended. We evaluated the efficacy of argon plasma coagulation according to endoscopic severity of radiation proctitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients treated with argon plasma coagulation for rectal bleeding due to radiation proctitis were reviewed. Patients were classified with a new endoscopic score for haemorrhagic radiation proctitis, comprising three factors: telangiectasia distribution, surface area involved, and presence of fresh blood. Seven patients were categorised as having grade A (mild), four grade B (moderate), and three grade C (severe) radiation proctitis. Rectal bleeding was assessed pre- and post-treatment using a five-point bleeding scale. RESULTS: All patients with grade A and B radiation proctitis were treated successfully by argon plasma coagulation (mean 1.5 sessions). In one patient with grade C radiation proctitis argon plasma coagulation was successful after four sessions, but in the other two patients bleeding could not be controlled; a subsequent single formalin administration was successful in both. Overall in 12 patients (85.7%) bleeding ceased or improved significantly. The mean rectal bleeding scale reduced significantly from 2.6 to 0.9. One patient treated with argon plasma coagulation developed an asymptomatic rectosigmoid stenosis. CONCLUSION: Argon plasma coagulation is a simple, safe and efficacious therapy for mild/moderate radiation proctitis. In patients with severe radiation proctitis several sessions are usually necessary, and success is not certain; in these cases, topical formalin administration may be more effective. Endoscopic severity of haemorrhagic radiation proctitis may be useful to guide appropriate therapy.