Acute pancreatitis in Turkey: Results of a nationwide multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common gastrointestinal disease requiring hospitalization, with significant mortality and morbidity. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics of AP and physicians' compliance with international guidelines during its management. METHODS: All patients with AP who were hospitalized at 17 tertiary centers in Turkey between April and October 2022 were evaluated in a prospective cohort study. Patients with insufficient data, COVID-19 and those aged below 18 years were excluded. The definitions were based on the 2012 revised Atlanta criteria. RESULTS: The study included 2144 patients (median age:58, 52 % female). The most common etiologies were biliary (n = 1438, 67.1 %), idiopathic (n = 259, 12 %), hypertriglyceridemia (n = 128, 6 %) and alcohol (n = 90, 4.2 %). Disease severity was mild in 1567 (73.1 %), moderate in 521 (24.3 %), and severe in 58 (2.6 %) patients. Morphology was necrotizing in 4.7 % of the patients. The overall mortality rate was 1.6 %. PASS and BISAP had the highest accuracy in predicting severe pancreatitis on admission (AUC:0.85 and 0.81, respectively). CT was performed in 61 % of the patients, with the majority (90 %) being within 72 h after admission. Prophylactic NSAIDs were not administered in 44 % of the patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis (n = 86). Antibiotics were administered to 53.7 % of the patients, and 38 % of those received them prophylactically. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study provides an extensive report on clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of AP in real-world practice. Mortality remains high in severe cases and physicians' adherence to guidelines during management of the disease needs improvement in some aspects.

The Efficacy of Biofeedback Therapy in Patients with Solitary Rectal Ulcer and Dyssynergic Defecation.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of solitary rectal ulcer (SRU) is challenging and controversial; generally, no response to conventional treatments can be obtained, particularly in patients with dyssynergic defecation (DD). We assessed the efficiency of biofeedback therapy (BFT) in patients who did not respond to conservative treatments and had coexistence of SRU and DD. METHODS: BFT responses, as well as anorectal manometry and rectoscopy results of 20 patients with the coexistence of SRU and DD, were assessed. RESULTS: Mean age was 32.5 years. Of the patients, 12 were female, and 8 of them were male. An average of 12 sessions of BFT was performed on the patients. Ulcer disappeared in 11 patients (55%) after BFT, and the ulcer size decreased in 3 patients (15%). However, ulcers healed in 9 (90%) of 10 patients whose DD pattern disappeared following BFT, and ulcers healed in only 20% of patients whose DD pattern continued (p = 0.005). The change in anal resting pressure after BFT was significant (p = 0.016). Ulcers were healed in 87.5% (7/8) of the patients whose anal resting pressure decreased after BFT and whose DD disappeared, while ulcers remained untreated in 85.7% of the patients whose anal resting pressure decreased, but the DD pattern continued (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: SRU patients with DD are typically unresponsive to medical treatments. Ameliorating anorectal dyssynergia should be the priority of treatment in these patients. BFT is an effective treatment for DD. BFT enhances the healing of ulcers in patients with SRU by restoring coordination of the pelvic floor.

Comparison of clinical outcomes and FOXP3, IL-17A responses in Helicobacter pylori infection in children versus adults.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical symptoms and pathological consequences of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection between children and adults and determine the levels of expression of FOX3P and IL-17A to examine the Th17/Treg balance. METHODS: Forty pediatric and 40 adult patients who were followed up at the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Departments were enrolled in the study. In our case-control study, gastric tissue specimens were evaluated using the updated Sydney system, and the number of cells expressing FOXP3/IL-17A (Treg and Th17 cell markers) was analyzed immunohistochemically. In addition, each case was evaluated using a clinical follow-up questionnaire. RESULTS: Clinical signs and symptoms of children and adults were similar. IL-17A and FOXP3 levels were significantly higher in children and adults with H. pylori (+) than in those without H. pylori (-) (p < .001). In patients with H. pylori (+), the mean FOXP3 level was significantly higher, whereas the mean IL-17A level was significantly lower in children than in adults (p < 0001 for both groups). In children with H. pylori (+), bacterial density was negatively correlated with IL-17A level and positively correlated with FOXP3 level. In adults with H. pylori (+), there was a statistically significant, highly positive correlation between bacterial density and levels of IL-17A and FOXP3. CONCLUSIONS: Treg cells are suggested to more predominant in children than in adults, IL-17A levels decrease as H. pylori bacterial density increases. In conclusion, immune responses incline toward Treg , which increases the susceptibility to persistent infections.

Is Gastric Xanthelasma an Alarming Endoscopic Marker for Advanced Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia?

BACKGROUND/AIM: The clinical significance of gastric xanthelasmas is unknown. We conducted a case-control study in order to evaluate whether gastric xanthelasma is an indicator of advanced atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study was conducted among 1400 patients who underwent elective upper endoscopy. Patients with gastric xanthelasma and atrophy and/or intestinal metaplasia constituted the study group (n = 55). The control group involved patients with only atrophic gastritis and/or intestinal metaplasia (n = 50). Histopathologic findings of the groups including the distribution of atrophic gastritis and/or intestinal metaplasia, operative link on gastritis assessment score, operative link on gastritis intestinal metaplasia assessment (OLGIM) score, and presence of dysplasia and malignancy were compared. Subgroup analysis was performed in order to establish the relation between the characteristics (size, number, and localization) of xanthelasmas, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia. RESULTS: Multifocal atrophic gastritis was significantly more common in patients with a gastric xanthelasma (41.8 vs. 26.0 %, p = 0.03). Patients with multiple xanthelasmas had a significantly higher rate of intestinal metaplasia (p = 0.02) and a higher OLGIM score (p = 0.02) compared to those with a single xanthelasma. Dysplasia was detected in 8 (14.5 %) patients with a xanthelasma and 4 (8.0 %) patients without a xanthelasma (p = 0.2). CONCLUSION: Gastric xanthelasma(s) is a warning endoscopic sign for the presence of multifocal atrophic gastritis and advanced intestinal metaplasia.

Validity and Diagnostic Ability of Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency Questionnaire in Turkish Patients.

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is a prevalent disease that is often underdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to resulting in diminished health-related quality of life. The PEI questionnaire (PEI-Q), a patient-reported outcome questionnaire developed to diagnose and evaluate PEI, is available only in English. The study aimed to provide a Turkish translation of PEI-Q and validate its reliability and diagnostic performance in a Turkish-speaking population with PEI. This study included 161 participants: 98 patients with PEI and 63 healthy controls. Participants underwent the PEI-Q test, and the results were statistically analyzed for reliability and validity. The diagnostic value of PEI-Q was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency, while exploratory factor analysis was performed to determine construct validity and reveal the factor structure. The mean age of participants was 45.0 years, and 60.2% were male. Participants with PEI were significantly older than those without. Scores for abdominal, bowel movement, and total symptoms were significantly higher in patients with PEI than in controls. ROC analysis revealed good diagnostic value for PEI-Q, with areas under the curve ranging from 0.798 to 0.851 for different symptom scores. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were above 0.70, indicating good internal consistency, and exploratory factor analysis supported a 4-factor structure, accounting for 68.9% of the total variance. The Turkish version of the PEI-Q is a reliable, easy-to-use, and valid screening tool for diagnosing PEI. It consistently assesses symptoms and quality of life in patients with PEI, helping to inform diagnosis and treatment.

Features of systemic lupus erythematosus in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.

Although systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are distinct diseases, in clinical practice differentiation of one from other may be difficult. The aim of this study was to asses features of SLE in patients with diagnosis of AIH.Thirty patients [mean age: 52.4 ± 11.8 years; 23 (76.7 %) female] were included in the study. Seven (23.3 %) of the patients full filled 4 or more criteria for classification of SLE. None of the patients had muco-cutaneous lesions characteristic to SLE. Three patients had rheumatoid factor negative arthritis, and 2 patients had pericardial effusion. Four patients had significant thrombocytopenia (<100 × 10(3)/µL), and one of these patients had pancytopenia. None of the patients had hematuria, but 3 patients had proteinuria which did not affect renal function during the study period. One patient died due to pancytopenia-associated pulmonary infection. Among the treated patients with SLE features, 2/5 (40 %) achieved ALT normalization and 9/12 (75 %) of the remaining patients achieved ALT normalization (Fisher's exact test; p = 0.28) during the study period. Although the difference is non-significant, treatment response of AIH patients with SLE features seemed to be delayed and incomplete compared to other patients, but with the limited number of patients it is inconvenient to reach a definitive conclusion. Further studies are needed to identify role of features of SLE on treatment response in patients with AIH.

Safety of endoscopic ultrasonography in elderly patients: a single center prospective trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the safety of both diagnostic and therapeutic endosonography (EUS) in geriatric population. METHODS: The study population, consisting of 222 patients who underwent endosonographic evaluation for different indications, was divided into two groups. Group I consisted of 165 patients, ≥ 65 years old; Group II consisted of 57 controls, <65 years old. The demographic information with clinical parameters, procedure medication used and complications was noted. RESULTS: The median age of Group I was 72 years (range 65-93 years) vs. 46 years (range 26-64 years) for Group II. Female-to-male ratio was 82/83 in Group I, while 32/25 in Group II. Pulse rate (84 vs. 89 beats/min, p = 0.024) and basal oxygen saturation (94 vs. 97 %, p < 0.001) levels were lower in Group I when compared with the control group, while systolic blood pressure measurements (150 vs. 130 mmHg, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in Group I. No cases of procedure-related bleeding, perforation and mortality were observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: Despite the well-known relative increased procedural risks, advanced age is not a contraindication for advanced endoscopic interventions. EUS can be regarded as a safe and effective procedure in ≥ 65 years old population.

How effective are APRI, FIB-4, FIB-5 scores in predicting liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients?

Liver fibrosis is the most important factor in the prognosis and treatment plan of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4), and fibrosis index based on 5 factors (FIB-5) scores are noninvasive fibrosis markers, and previous comparative studies have shown that they are as effective as liver biopsy in detecting liver fibrosis in different liver diseases. The aim of our study is to investigate whether existing scoring systems are effective in demonstrating fibrosis in CHB patients and to compare the APRI, FIB 4, and FIB 5 scores in differentiating early and advanced fibrosis in 123 patients who underwent liver biopsy for CHB infection. APRI, FIB-4, and FIB-5 scores of patients who underwent liver biopsy due to CHB were calculated by means of calculators and recorded to be compared with liver biopsies in terms of fibrosis scoring. One hundred twenty-three patients who underwent liver biopsy due to chronic hepatitis B were included in the study. APRI (area under the receiver-operating characteristic [ROC] curve 0.728), FIB-4 (area under the ROC curve 0.693) and FIB-5 (area under the ROC curve 0.643) scores were evaluated as significant predictors of advanced fibrosis. The scoring system with the highest positive and negative predictive value was evaluated as FIB-4. APRI, FIB-4, and FIB-5 scoring systems are appropriate scoring systems in the assessment of advanced fibrosis in patients with CHB. Our study is the first to compare APRI, FIB-4, and FIB-5 values in CHB patients, and more comprehensive studies are needed.

Parenteral Methotrexate Is Efficient in the Treatment of Azathioprine Refractory Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data in the literature analyzing the efficacy of methotrexate in Crohn's disease used after thiopurine analogs. We aimed in our study to show the efficacy of methotrexate in Crohn's disease patients who failed to respond to thiopurine treatment. METHODS: The study included 29 azathioprine refractory patients with Crohn's disease. Intramuscular methotrexate (25 mg/week) in the induction of remission and intramuscular methotrexate (15 mg/week) in 29 CD patients with a median follow-up time of 13 months was performed. In 15 (51.7%) patients, methotrexate was used in combination with anti-Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) (combination group), while it was used in 14 (48.3%) patients in monotherapy (monotherapy group). RESULTS: The mean Harvey-Bradshaw index score significantly decreased in the follow-up period (Wk0 = 7.6, last visit = 4.5, P < .001). Remission and response rates at week 12 were 75.9% and 79.3%, respectively. Maintenance of remission (77.8% vs 37.5%, respectively, P = .1) and response rates (77.8% vs 50%, respectively, P = .3) due to last visit examination were numerically higher in combination group but they were not statistically significant. The cumulative probability of remission maintenance in patients with methotrexate therapy was 72.7%, 33.1%, and 22.0% at 1, 2 ,and 4 years after starting methotrexate, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results show that parenteral use of methotrexate is efficacious in inducing and maintaining remission as a step-up agent in azathioprine refractory Crohn's disease patients.

Turkish IBD Organization's Position Statement on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Management Recommendations During COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has resulted in high mortality and morbidity worldwide and is still a growing problem. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease for which a substantial number of patients are treated with immunosuppressive medications, either occasionally or long-term. Despite the accumulating evidence, there is still a lack of knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on IBD patients, especially those who are under immunosuppressive treatment. Moreover, following the emergence of several COVID vaccines, there are concerns regarding vaccine effectiveness and possible side effects in such patients. In this context, we tried to briefly summarize the accumulating evidence and recommendations for the management of IBD in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Low incidence of colorectal dysplasia and cancer among patients with ulcerative colitis: a Turkish referral centre study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidences of dysplasia, adenomatous polyp and colon cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to evaluate the risk factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with UC admitted to the Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital between 1994 and 2008 and who subsequently developed colorectal cancer (CRC). RESULTS: Between 1994 and 2008, a total of 844 UC patients were followed in our clinic. A total of 275 patients entered our surveillance programme. The duration of UC was as follows: 10-15 years, n = 173 (62.9%); 15-20 years, n = 55 (20.0%); 20-25 years, n = 26 (9.5%), 25-30 years, n = 9 (3.3%); and > 30 years, n = 12 (4.4%). In terms of localization, 80 patients (29.1%) had distal disease, 107 (38.9%) had left-sided disease and 88 (32.0%) had extensive colitis. Adenomatous polyp was found in six patients (2.2%). Five cases (83.3% of the polyps) were in the diseased segment and one case (16.7%) was in the non-diseased segment. Endoscopy revealed dysplasia in 11 cases (4.0%). Of the 275 UC patients, CRC was diagnosed in only three (1.1%) during follow-up. Adenomatous polyp was not found in cases with colon cancer. CONCLUSIONS: In our cases with UC, rates of dysplasia and CRC were much lower than in other reports. The difference in rates may be explained by racial factors, specific environmental factors, intensive control of disease activity through medical therapy and effective colonoscopic surveillance programmes.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte Ratio and Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio Predict Mucosal Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the sensitivity of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as well as a combination of NLR and PLR to predict endoscopic disease severity based on mucosal assessment in ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: The study group consisted 104 patients with active UC, 104 patients in remission, and 105 healthy individuals. Disease activity was described with Rachmilewitz endoscopic activity index (EAI). Curve analysis was used to determine the optimal cutoff values of NLR and PLR for obtaining remission. The patients with both PLR and NLR values higher than the cutoff values were coded as ¼high risk,« those with one parameter higher were coded as ¼moderate risk«, those with both parameters lower than the cutoff values were coded as ¼low-risk« patients. RESULTS: The mean NLR and PLR values in the endoscopically active disease group were higher than the others, with higher values in the endoscopic remission group compared with the control group (p<0.001). Rachmilewitz EAI in high-risk patients was significantly higher than that in others (p<0.001). In Cox regression analyses, moderate and high risk, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate and high EAI were found as independent predictors of endoscopic active disease. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study that investigated the use of NLR and PLR combination to assess endoscopic disease severity in UC. Either high NLR or PLR levels can predict active endoscopic disease. However, the use of these parameters in combination is more accurate in evaluating mucosal disease and inflammation in UC.

The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.

Lifestyle modification has an important role in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The development of GERD symptoms with various foods shows individual differences. Although there is not enough evidence that certain substances in a diet could lead to GERD symptoms, the literature suggests that there might be a relationship between reflux development and salt, salted foods, chocolate, fatty foods, and fizzy drinks. Because lying on the left side and raising the head of the bed in a supine position reduces the development of nocturnal reflux symptoms, the head should be elevated for patients with reflux symptoms at night, and the patient should lie on the left side. Smoking and obesity (especially abdominal) trigger GERD symptoms. Whereas excessive physical activity is a significant risk factor for the development of GERD, regular and mild-moderate physical activity has been shown to reduce the symptoms of reflux.

Medical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most effective agents in the first-line and maintenance treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. As the grade of esophagitis increases, an increase is also observed in the level of endoscopic response to PPIs. In the first-line therapy of patients with severe esophagitis (Los Angeles (LA) Grade C-D), administration of a standard dose of PPIs bid has been reported to be more beneficial than PPIs qd. While any intermittant and low dose-continuous treatment can be chosen for the maintenance therapy of patients with non-erosive reflux disease or mild esophagitis (LA Grade A-B), continuous use of a standard dose of PPIs is preferred in the maintenance therapy of patients with severe esophagitis (LA Grade C-D). In patients who use PPIs for a long time, the drug must be stopped by gradually decreasing the dose.

Treatment of reflux disease during pregnancy and lactation.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is frequently seen during pregnancy. In the medical treatment of pregnant women with GERD, alginic acid and sucralfate can be used. Calcium- and magnesium-based antacids can also be used, particularly for patients with preeclampsia. In particular, ranitidine -a histamine-2 receptor blocker- is preferred. In the case of non-responsiveness to the abovementioned treatments, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), except omeprazole, can be given considering the benefit-harm ratio for the mother and fetus after the first trimester. In cases with GERD during the lactation period, drugs having minimum systemic absorption, such as sucralfate and alginic acid, are preferable but there is no data.