Centrally Distributed Adiposity as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Fecal Incontinence: United States Population-based Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fecal incontinence (FI) is highly prevalent with substantial impacts on quality of life and health care utilization. The impact of obesity on FI remains unclear, with differing conclusions using body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor. We aimed to determine the association between obesity and FI, and whether this relationship is dependent on the distribution of adiposity (waist circumference-to-height ratio [WHtR]). METHODS: This was a population-based analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including participants who responded to the bowel health survey in 2005 to 2010. FI was defined by the accidental bowel leakage of solid stool, liquid, or mucus at least once in the past month. Stepwise multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to assess risk factors for FI. RESULTS: A total of 7606 participants were included, with an overall FI prevalence of 9.2%. When stratified by quartiles of body measurements, FI was increasingly prevalent from the 1st to the 4th quartile for both WHtR (range, 5.3%-12.5%) and BMI (range, 7.1%-10.5%). WHtR was associated with FI and was a stronger predictor than BMI in all quartiles of body measurement. On multivariable analysis, WHtR remained a significant predictor of FI comparing the 4th with the 1st quartile of body measurements (odds ratio [OR], 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-2.80; P = .017), whereas BMI was not. A WHtR cutoff of >0.592 optimized the Youden index in prediction of FI in the overall sample. CONCLUSION: WHtR was independently associated with increased odds of FI in this nationally representative sample of United States adults, whereas BMI was not consistently correlated. This suggests bowel continence may depend more on how body mass is distributed.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Current Treatment Options for Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The management strategies for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) include proton pump inhibitors (PPI), swallowed topical steroids (tCS), elimination diets, and the biologic agent dupilumab, although there remains little guidance on the selection of initial treament. We performed cost-effectiveness analyses to compare these approaches of first-line therapy. METHODS: A Markov model was constructed from a payer perspective to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of first-line therapies for EoE, including PPI, tCS, and six-food elimination diet (SFED), with.crossover in treatments for primary and secondary non-response. The primary outcome was incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) at two- and five-year time horizons. Secondary analyses included modeling from a societal perspective that also accounted for patient-specific costs, as well as a separate simplified model comparing dupilumab to tCS and PPI. RESULTS: In the base-case scenario (five-year time horizon), the average costs were SFED:$15,296.81, PPI:$16,153.77, and tCS:$20,975.33 as initial therapy, with SFED being the dominant strategy (more effective/less costly), while PPI offered the lowest cost on a two-year time horizon. From a societal perspective, PPI was the dominant initial strategy on both two- and five-year time horizons. Amongst pharmacologic therapies, PPI was the most cost-effective first-line option. Dupilumab was not cost-effective relative to tCS, unless the quarterly cost is reduced from $7,311 to $2,038.50 per price threshold analysis under permissive modeling conditions. CONCLUSIONS: SFED was the most effective/least costly first-line therapy from payer perspective, while PPI was more cost-effective from societal perspective. PPI is also the most cost-effective pharmacologic strategy. Dupilumab requires substantial cost reductions to be considered cost-effective first-line pharmacotherapy.

Impact of Body Composition on Esophagogastric Junction Opening Measures: Discordant FLIP and Manometric Findings Are More Common With Increased Body Mass Index.

INTRODUCTION: Increased intra-abdominal pressure in patients with elevated body mass index (BMI) may affect measurements of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) opening. METHODS: Findings from adult patients who underwent both impedance planimetry with functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were compared by BMI. RESULTS: Among patients with no EGJ outflow obstruction on HRM, abnormal EGJ classifications on FLIP were more common among those with elevated than normal BMI (61.1% vs 31.6%, P = 0.037). DISCUSSION: Discordant results between FLIP and HRM on EGJ opening are more common in patients with elevated BMI. Body composition may impact EGJ function and measures on current testing modalities.

TEMPORAL TREND OF INCIDENCE AND PREVALENCE OF EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS IN ASIA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.

OBJECTIVE: There are limited epidemiological studies on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) in Asia. We studied the temporal trend of EoE in Asia, the presenting symptoms and association with atopic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature search on PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed to retrieve studies published between 1980 and 2023 that reported the prevalence or incidence of EoE in Asia. We employed the random effects model to estimate the pooled incidence and prevalence. I2 index and Cochran Q test were used to assess heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses were conducted for study types, different regions, years of examination, and age groups. The proportion of atopic diseases amongst patients with EoE was described. RESULTS: 25 studies from Asia were included. The pooled prevalence of EoE was 33.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in population-based studies and 11.0 cases per 1000 patients/visitors in hospital-based studies. The incidence rate among children was 12.3 cases per 1,000 patients/visitors, whereas for adults it was only 0.2 cases per 1,000 patients/visitors. Amongst population-based studies, there was an increase in prevalence from 19.8 per 100,000 in 2005-2009 to 73.0 per 100,000 in 2015-2019. Similar upward trend was observed in hospital-based studies conducted during the same time period. Patients with EoE commonly presented with dysphagia (36.3%) and nausea and vomiting (34.6%). History of atopy was reported in 57.2% of EoE patients in Asia. CONCLUSION: The prevalence and incidence of EoE in Asia have been rising over the past decades. Due to the limited number of Asian studies and variations in subjects' sources, caution should be exercised when interpreting these results.

Twice-Daily Proton Pump Inhibitor Induces Higher Remission Rate in Eosinophilic Esophagitis Than Once-Daily Regimen Regardless of Total Daily Dose.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal proton pump inhibitor (PPI) regimen for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is unclear. We compared histologic response rates of different dosing combinations. METHODS: A total of 305 patients with newly diagnosed EoE received standard (omeprazole 20 mg daily), once-daily moderate (40 mg daily), twice-daily moderate (20 mg twice daily), or high (40 mg twice daily) dose PPI for ≥8 weeks. RESULTS: Approximately 42.3% achieved histologic response to PPI, with higher rates for twice-daily (moderate 52.8%/high 54.3%) than once-daily (standard 11.8%/moderate 10%) dosing ( P < 0.0001). On multivariable analysis, twice-daily moderate (adjusted odds ratio 6.75, confidence interval 2.53-18.0, P = 0.0008) and high (adjusted odds ratio 12.8, confidence interval 4.69-34.8, P < 0.0001) doses independently predicted histologic response. DISCUSSION: Twice-daily PPI is associated with higher EoE histologic response rates than once-daily regimen.

Quantified Metrics of Gastric Emptying Delay by Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Agonists: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis With Insights for Periprocedural Management.

INTRODUCTION: Divergent recommendations for periprocedural management of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications rely on limited evidence. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide quantitative measures of gastric emptying relevant to mechanisms of weight loss and to periprocedural management of GLP-1 RA. We hypothesized that the magnitude of gastric emptying delay would be low and of limited clinical significance to procedural sedation risks. METHODS: A protocolized search identified studies on GLP-1 RA that quantified gastric emptying measures. Pooled estimates using random effects were presented as a weighted mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Univariate meta-regression was performed to assess the influence of GLP-1 RA type, short-acting vs long-acting mechanism of action, and duration of treatment on gastric emptying. RESULTS: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Five studies (n = 247) utilized gastric emptying scintigraphy. Mean T 1/2 was 138.4 minutes (95% CI 74.5-202.3) for GLP-1 RA vs 95.0 minutes (95% CI 54.9-135.0) for placebo, with a pooled mean difference of 36.0 minutes (95% CI 17.0-55.0, P < 0.01, I2 = 79.4%). Ten studies (n = 411) utilized the acetaminophen absorption test, with no significant delay in gastric emptying measured by T max , area under the curve (AUC) 4hr , and AUC 5hr with GLP-1 RA ( P > 0.05). On meta-regression, the type of GLP-1 RA, mechanism of action, and treatment duration did not impact gastric emptying ( P > 0.05). DISCUSSION: While a gastric emptying delay of ∼36 minutes is quantifiable on GLP-1 RA medications, it is of limited magnitude relative to standard periprocedural fasting periods. There were no substantial differences in gastric emptying on modalities reflective of liquid emptying (acetaminophen absorption test), particularly at time points relevant to periprocedural care.

Baseline Peripheral Eosinophil Count Independently Predicts Proton Pump Inhibitor Response in Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

GOALS: To assess the predictive value of baseline peripheral absolute eosinophil counts (AECs) for proton pump inhibitor (PPI) response in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). BACKGROUND: PPI leads to histologic remission in ~50% of EoE patients, although there are few distinguishing clinical features between PPI-responsive (PPI-r-EoE) and nonresponsive (PPI-nr-EoE) diseases. Peripheral eosinophilia is present in ~50% of EoE cases and is associated with eosinophil density on esophageal biopsy and worse clinical outcomes. The association between peripheral eosinophilia and PPI-responsiveness in EoE remains unclear. STUDY: This is a retrospective cohort study of adult EoE patients at a tertiary center between 2012 and 2016. All patients underwent twice daily PPI trials for ≥8 weeks followed by repeat esophageal biopsies and were classified as PPI-r-EoE or PPI-nr-EoE based on histologic response (<15 eosinophils/high power field). Baseline peripheral AEC was obtained within 1 month before index endoscopy. Analyses were performed using Fisher exact/Student t test (univariate) and logistic regression (multivariable). RESULTS: One hundred eighty-three patients (91 PPI-nr-EoE and 92 PPI-r-EoE) were included. Mean peripheral AEC was higher among PPI-nr-EoE patients (0.41 vs 0.24 K/µL, P = 0.013). Baseline peripheral eosinophilia (>0.5 K/µL) was more prevalent among patients with PPI-nr-EoE (70.4% vs 45.5%, P = 0.023) and a history of food impaction (51.9% vs 23.7%, P = 0.0082). On multivariable analyses, peripheral eosinophilia remained an independent predictor for PPI response (adjacent odds ratio = 2.86, CI: 1.07-7.62, P = 0.036) and food impaction (adjacent odds ratio = 2.80, CI: 1.07-7.35, P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Baseline peripheral eosinophilia independently predicts PPI nonresponse and food impaction in EoE patients. Peripheral AEC may help therapy selection in EoE and prevent delays in achieving histologic remission.

Allergic phenotype identified on allergen testing is associated with proton pump inhibitor nonresponse in eosinophilic esophagitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Food/environmental allergens have been associated with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE); however, the correlation between allergy profiles and disease responsiveness to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy remains unclear. We aimed to assess the association between food/environmental allergies identified on allergen testing and histologic response to PPI in patients with treatment-naive EoE. METHODS: Adults with newly diagnosed EoE who underwent formal testing for food/environmental allergies at a tertiary center were included. All patients underwent twice-daily PPI for 8 weeks with subsequent repeat endoscopy and biopsy to assess histologic response. Patients with <15 eosinophils/hpf on post-PPI mucosal biopsies were classified as responders (PPI-r-EoE), while those with ≥15 eosinophils/hpf were nonresponders (PPI-nr-EoE). RESULTS: Sixty-one patients met inclusion criteria (21 PPI-r-EoE vs 40 PPI-nr-EoE). Demographic, clinical, and endoscopic finding variables were similar between groups. Positive food allergen test was more prevalent among PPI-nr-EoE patients (82.5% vs 42.9%, P = 0.003). On multivariable analysis, positive food allergen testing remained an independent predictor for PPI nonresponse (aOR 0.15, CI: 0.04-0.58, P = 0.0006). Positive environmental allergen testing was highly prevalent, with no significant differences between groups (77.5% vs 95.2%, P = 0.14). However, higher number of positive environmental allergens (23.3% [≥5 allergens] vs 73.3% [<5 allergens], P = 0.003) and specific aeroallergens correlated with PPI-nr-EoE. CONCLUSION: Positive food allergy testing and increased environmental allergens predicted lower likelihood of histologic response to PPI in EoE. Our findings support an allergic phenotype of EoE that may less likely respond to PPI therapy. Formal allergen testing may play a role in therapy selection and tailored management in EoE.

Concurrent abnormal non-acid reflux is associated with additional chronic rejection risk in lung transplant patients with increased acid exposure.

Acid reflux has been associated with allograft injury and rejection in lung transplant patients; however, the pathogenic role of non-acid reflux remains debated. We aimed to evaluate the impact of concurrent abnormal non-acid reflux with acid reflux on chronic rejection in lung transplant patients with acid reflux. This was a retrospective cohort study of lung transplant recipients who underwent pre-transplant combined impedance-pH study off acid suppression. Only subjects with acid exposure >4% were included. Non-acid reflux (pH > 4) episodes >27 was considered abnormal per prior normative studies. Chronic rejection was defined as chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) per International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation criteria. Time-to-event analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan-Maier methods, with censoring at death, anti-reflux surgery, or last follow-up. In total, 68 subjects (28 abnormal/40 normal non-acid reflux) met inclusion criteria for the study. Baseline demographic/clinical characteristics were similar between groups. Among this cohort of patients with increased acid exposure, subjects with concurrent abnormal non-acid reflux had significantly higher risk of CLAD than those without on Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-ranked P = 0.0269). On Cox multivariable regression analysis controlling for body mass index, age at transplantation, and proton pump inhibitor use, concurrent abnormal non-acid reflux remained independently predictive of increased CLAD risk (hazard ratio 2.31, confidence interval: 1.03-5.19, P = 0.04). Presence of concurrent abnormal non-acid reflux in lung transplant subjects with increased acid exposure is associated with additional risk of chronic rejection. Non-acid reflux may also contribute to pathogenicity in lung allograft injury/rejection, supporting a potential role for impedance-based testing in this population.

A Nationwide Survey of Gastroenterology Program Leadership Regarding Implementation of the GI Hospitalist Model.

BACKGROUND: Academic gastroenterology (GI) hospitalists are increasing, however the impacts on fellowship training and clinical care are unclear. Motivations for implementation of the GI hospitalist model are uninvestigated. AIMS: We aimed to determine the prevalence of GI hospitalists, explore motivations for and against adoption of a GIH model, and investigate the model's effects on fellowship training. METHODS: Leadership at current general GI fellowships were surveyed about current staffing models, as well as effects and perceptions of the hospitalist model. RESULTS: There was a total of 52 (26%) respondents and 12 (23%) reported having a GI hospitalist at their institution. A majority of respondents stated burnout and reduced time on service for other faculty was a primary reason for hiring a GI hospitalist. DISCUSSION: The largest perceived benefit of a hospitalist is reduced burnout and time on service for outpatient GI faculty. Many respondents also believed a GIH would improve fellowship education and quality of inpatient care.

Assessment of the clinical and allergy profiles of PPI responsive and non-responsive eosinophilic esophagitis.

A subset of patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) respond to proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, however they cannot be distinguished prior to PPI trial and the mechanism of PPI response remains unclear. Improved understanding of the distinct patient phenotypes in PPI-responsive EoE (PPI-r-EoE), PPI-non-responsive EoE (PPI-nr-EoE) and erosive esophagitis (EE) may help guide management. The aim of this paper is to compare the clinical and allergy profiles of PPI-r-EoE versus PPI-nr-EoE and EE. This was a retrospective case-control study of EoE patients (>15 eos/hpf on esophageal biopsies) at a tertiary center. EE controls were identified from the pathology database. EoE patients were classified as PPI-r-EoE or PPI-nr-EoE based on histologic response to twice-daily PPI for ≥8 weeks. Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, allergy history and endoscopic findings were recorded. Univariate analyses were performed using the Fisher-exact test or t-test. Multivariable analyses were performed using logistic regression. In all, 104 EoE (57 PPI-r-EoE/47 PPI-nr-EoE) and 80 EE subjects were included. On multivariable analyses, allergic conditions (aOR 20.1, P < 0.0001) and rings (aOR 108.3, P = 0.001) were independent predictors for PPI-r-EoE versus EE, whereas allergic conditions (aOR 4.8, P = 0.03), rings (aOR 27.5, P = 0.002) and furrows (aOR 17.1, P = 0.04) were independent predictors for PPI-nr-EoE versus EE. Esophageal rings was the only significant predictor found in PPI-nr-EoE versus PPI-r-EoE (OR 2.5, P = 0.03). Allergic conditions and esophageal rings are significantly more prevalent in PPI-r-EoE and PPI-nr-EoE compared with EE. PPI-r-EoE appears clinically similar to PPI-nr-EoE and significantly different from EE. Further studies are needed to delineate the underlying pathophysiology of PPI-r-EoE versus PPI-nr-EoE.

The Incidence of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) refers to a constellation of compressive problems that occur at the thoracic outlet. TOS has been recognized since the 19th century, and the "modern" era of treatment, especially for neurogenic TOS, dates from at least the 1970s. Despite this, however, the incidence and prevalence of these syndromes are almost completely unknown. To attempt to answer this fundamental question, we established a prospective database of all patients who presented to our clinic with a diagnosis of potential TOS, as described below. METHODS: We established a database of all patients referred to our clinic from July 1, 2014 to May 2018. All subjective data, the tentative diagnosis, and plan at the time of the office visit were prospectively recorded. For patients with neurogenic TOS (NTOS), a standardized workup sheet was used based on the Society for Vascular Surgery's recently published reporting standards document. For patients with venous TOS (VTOS), diagnosis was made by clinical examination and ultrasound, and for those with arterial TOS (ATOS), by clinical examination, ultrasound, and cross-sectional imaging when needed. RESULTS: From July 1, 2014, to May 1, 2018, 526 patients were referred to our institution with a diagnosis of possible TOS. Of these, 432 (82%) were referred with symptoms suggestive of NTOS, 84 (16%) with symptoms suggestive of VTOS, and 10 (2%) with findings and/or symptoms suggestive of ATOS. NTOS: After evaluation as per the algorithm previously mentioned, 234 patients (54%) were judged high suspicion for NTOS, 126 (30%) moderate suspicion, and 72 (17%) low suspicion; 360 (83%) of those originally referred were felt to potentially have NTOS. Of the 84 patients with VTOS, 25 (30%) presented with acute Paget-Schroetter syndrome, 41 (48%) with subacute or chronic occlusion, and 18 (21%) with McCleery's syndrome. Finally, 8 of the 10 limbs had true ATOS; of these, 6 (75%) underwent decompression and repair and 2 (25%) endovascular intervention only. Based on referral assumptions and population density in our area, the incidence of NTOS seems to be between 2 and 3 cases per 100,000 people per year and that of VTOS between 0.5 and 1 per 100,000 people per year, ATOS being sporadic. The ratio of those with decent suspicion for NTOS and VTOS, respectively, is about 80:20, whereas that of those undergoing surgical decompression is about 75:25. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of NTOS and VTOS, as aforementioned, are approximately 25 and 8 per year in a metropolitan area of 1,000,000, respectively. Although a rare disease, these numbers are not insignificant, although are much lower than prior estimates.

Novel Inflammatory-Nutritional Biomarkers as Predictors of Histological Activity in Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: There has increasingly been an interest in histological remission as a therapeutic endpoint in inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a variety of inflammatory - nutritional markers for predicting histological disease activity in patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease. METHODS: Patients with Crohn's disease that had requisite endoscopic, pathological, and laboratory data were retrospectively enrolled in the study. Relevant clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and pathological data were abstracted. The neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte:monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet:lymphocyte ratio (PLR), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), modified Glasgow Prognostic score (mGPS), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk index (GNRI), CRP/Albumin ratio (CAR), Iron:Ferritin ratio (Fe:F) and the Systemic immune inflammation index (SII) were calculated. The cohort was stratified by presence of histological disease on colonoscopy, and groups were compared with appropriate statistical methods. RESULTS: When comparing patients without histological disease to those with disease, there was a statistically significant difference in CAR (2.9 ± 1.5 vs. 4.2 ± 2, p = 0.001), RDW (13.4 ± 1.3 vs. 14.5 ± 1.8, p = 0.008), PNI (52.4 ± 6.2 vs. 47.4 ± 9.3, p = 0.03), and mGPS (0.2 ± 0.4 vs. 0.6 ± 0.7, p = 0.01). For predicting histological activity, ROC analyses indicated an optimal cutoff of 0.3 for CAR (AUC 0.8, PPV 90.5%), 13.5 for RDW (AUC 0.7, PPV 84.1), 86.1 for PNI (AUC 0.7, PPV 86.1) and > 0 for mGPS (AUC 0.6, PPV 85.2%). The NLR, LMR, PLR, GNRI, Fe: F, and SII did not meet statistical significance (p = 0.4, 0.08, 0.2, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.3, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We report on ten biomarkers, many of them never studied in Crohn's disease, which can help in predicting the presence of active histological disease. Larger prospective studies are needed to investigate the utility of these biomarkers alone and in combination.

Higher obesity class is associated with more severe esophageal symptoms and reflux burden but not altered motor function or contractile reserve.

BACKGROUND: Patients with obesity often report esophageal symptoms, with abnormal reflux and esophageal motility suggested as potential mechanisms. However, prior studies showed varying results, often limited by study design/size and esophageal function/symptom measures utilized. We aimed to examine the relationship between obesity and objective esophageal function testing and patient-reported outcomes, utilizing prospective symptom, manometric and reflux monitoring data with impedance. METHODS: Adults referred for high-resolution impedance-manometry (HRiM) and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring (MII-pH) to evaluate esophageal symptoms were enrolled. Validated symptom and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) instruments were prospectively collected: GERDQ, reflux symptoms index (RSI), dominant symptom intensity (DSI, multiplied 5-point Likert scales for symptom frequency/severity), global symptom severity (GSS, 100-point visual analog scale), and Short Form-12 (SF-12) for HR-QOL. Esophageal function testing measures were compared across body mass index (BMI) categories and correlated with patient-reported outcomes. KEY RESULTS: Seven hundred and fifty four patients were included (Normal:281/Overweight:253/Class I obesity:137/Class II/III obesity:83). Reflux burden measures on MII-pH (acid exposure time, total reflux episodes, bolus exposure time), conclusive pathologic reflux (Lyon), and hiatal hernia were increased in higher obesity classes compared to normal BMI. Class II/III obesity was associated with more normal/hypercontractile swallows, less ineffective swallows, and better bolus transit on HRiM. BMI correlated positively with GERDQ/RSI/DSI/GSS, and negatively with physical component score (SF-12). Esophageal symptom severity and HR-QOL correlated strongly with MII-pH findings, but not HRiM measures. CONCLUSIONS/INFERENCES: Obesity is associated with increased esophageal symptom burden and worse physical HR-QOL, which correlate with higher acid/bolus reflux burden but not altered esophageal motility/transit/contractile reserve.

What Can We Learn About Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma from Imaging?

Imaging and endoscopy play several important roles in the diagnosis and management of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound play complimentary roles in the initial diagnosis and pathologic confirmation of PDAC. Endoscopy can also be used to manage biliary obstruction and gastrointestinal complications. MRI and fluorodeoxyglucose-PET-CT are typically used as problem-solving tools for complex cases. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery are often selected based on imaging findings related to vascular involvement by tumors and invasion of adjacent structures. Posttreatment surveillance imaging is used to monitor for complications, local recurrence, and systemic metastasis.

Overlapping Transcriptional Profile in Proton Pump Inhibitor Responsive and Nonresponsive Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

INTRODUCTION: We compared esophageal mucosal gene transcript expression in proton pump inhibitor (PPI) responsive (PPI-R) eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), PPI nonresponsive (PPI-NR) EoE, and healthy controls. METHODS: Transcript expression in midesophagus biopsies was determined using NanoString and a custom panel of EoE-specific genes. The top upregulated and downregulated genes with ≥2-fold difference in expression and statistically significant ( P < 0.05) were identified. RESULTS: Nearly all the top upregulated (17 of 20) and downregulated (5 of 5) genes in EoE, compared with healthy controls, were shared between the PPI-R and PPI-NR groups. DISCUSSION: Esophageal mucosal transcript expressions are remarkably similar in PPI-R EoE and PPI-NR EoE compared with healthy controls.