Clinical Decision Making in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mimics: Practice Management from Inflammatory Bowel Disease LIVE.

Background: Since 2009, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialists have utilized "IBD LIVE," a weekly live video conference with a global audience, to discuss the multidisciplinary management of their most challenging cases. While most cases presented were confirmed IBD, a substantial number were diseases that mimic IBD. We have categorized all IBD LIVE cases and identified "IBD-mimics" with consequent clinical management implications. Methods: Cases have been recorded/archived since May 2018; we reviewed all 371 cases from May 2018-February 2023. IBD-mimics were analyzed/categorized according to their diagnostic and therapeutic workup. Results: Confirmed IBD cases made up 82.5% (306/371; 193 Crohn's disease, 107 ulcerative colitis, and 6 IBD-unclassified). Sixty-five (17.5%) cases were found to be mimics, most commonly medication-induced (n = 8) or vasculitis (n = 7). The evaluations that ultimately resulted in correct diagnosis included additional endoscopic biopsies (n = 13, 21%), surgical exploration/pathology (n = 10, 16.5%), biopsies from outside the GI tract (n = 10, 16.5%), genetic/laboratory testing (n = 8, 13%), extensive review of patient history (n = 8, 13%), imaging (n = 5, 8%), balloon enteroscopy (n = 5, 8%), and capsule endoscopy (n = 2, 3%). Twenty-five patients (25/65, 38%) were treated with biologics for presumed IBD, 5 of whom subsequently experienced adverse events requiring discontinuation of the biologic. Many patients were prescribed steroids, azathioprine, mercaptopurine, or methotrexate, and 3 were trialed on tofacitinib. Conclusions: The diverse presentation of IBD and IBD-mimics necessitates periodic consideration of the differential diagnosis, and reassessment of treatment in presumed IBD patients without appropriate clinical response. The substantial differences and often conflicting treatment approaches to IBD versus IBD-mimics directly impact the quality and cost of patient care.

A case report of lactobacillus bacteremia in a patient on chronic parenteral nutrition.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Short bowel syndrome is a malabsorption disorder typically caused by the physical loss of a portion of the intestine, whereafter the body is unable to adequately absorb nutrients, fluids, and electrolytes. Many patients with short bowel syndrome are reliant on home parenteral nutrition through a tunneled or peripherally inserted central catheter to ensure sufficient hydration and nutrition. Central venous catheters are a nidus for bacteria, and patients are at risk for infections associated with high levels of morbidity and mortality. Lactobacillus is a ubiquitous microorganism that most frequently colonizes mucosal surfaces such as the gastrointestinal tract. Lactobacillus bacteremia is rare, with limited occurrence in current medical literature. METHODS: Our patient is a 60-year-old female with a past medical history significant for multiple abdominal surgeries resulting in short bowel syndrome, with subsequent dependence on home parenteral nutrition via peripherally inserted central catheter. She had type III chronic intestinal failure, category D2, and stage 1 moderate malnutrition. She was originally admitted to the hospital for a presumed pulmonary embolism and was found to have a deep vein thrombosis in the setting of her peripherally inserted central catheter. On admission her abdominal exam was unremarkable, she denied abdominal pain, and her only gastrointestinal complaint was chronic stable diarrhea. During the hospitalization she developed severe left lower quadrant abdominal pain and noted decreased frequency of her bowel movements. A computed tomography scan of her abdomen revealed chronic stable intestinal distension and was concerning for obstruction. Clinically she remained without symptoms of acute obstruction or ileus. During the admission she became febrile, with blood cultures from her peripherally inserted central catheter and peripheral IV growing out gram negative rods determined to be lactobacillus bacteremia. The infectious disease team recommended removal of her peripherally inserted central catheter given their concern for a line infection. RESULTS: The patient was treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, did well clinically, and was ultimately discharged following reinsertion of her peripherally inserted central catheter after negative repeat blood cultures. Though she initially did well in the outpatient setting, she ultimately passed away ten months later after re-presenting to the hospital in septic shock, secondary to bowel ischemia and suspected fungemia of her peripherally inserted central catheter. CONCLUSIONS: In this case report, we describe an unusual case of a patient with short bowel syndrome on chronic parenteral nutrition who developed catheter-associated lactobacillus bacteremia - the first reported case in an adult patient on parenteral nutrition.

Coexisting Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Autoimmune Hepatitis: Overlapping Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment.

Introduction: Hepatobiliary overlap syndromes describe the coinciding presentation of more than one immune-mediated biliary and liver disease in a single patient and present complex challenges in diagnosis and treatment. We report a case of ulcerative colitis with primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome responsive to vancomycin. Case Presentation: The patient is a 30-year-old female with known ulcerative pancolitis and autoimmune hepatitis. She presented to the emergency department with a constellation of gastrointestinal symptoms, including diffuse lower abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and nausea with bilious vomiting. Subsequent imaging revealed the additional diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis, and she was diagnosed with overlap syndrome. Multiple treatment regimens were trialed with minimal improvement. She eventually achieved normalization of both clinical status and biochemical markers after the addition of vancomycin. Conclusion: Vancomycin is an underutilized therapy; its potential role in primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome has not been previously reported.

Not Your Everyday Duodenal Ulcer: Massive Gastrointestinal Bleed Secondary to Extramedullary Plasma Cell Myeloma.

The differential for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is broad, ranging from peptic ulcers and Helicobacter pylori infection to variceal hemorrhage and neoplasms. The rarer causes of GI bleeds are frequently overlooked and as such can ultimately be more dangerous. Extramedullary multiple myeloma, an atypical plasma cell dyscrasia arising outside of the bone marrow, involves the GI tract in <5% of cases and often presents with nonspecific symptoms. We describe a rare case of such GI involvement of a plasma cell tumor, with subsequent transmural duodenal ulceration involving the gastroduodenal artery, ultimately resulting in a fatal GI bleed.

Hemosuccus Pancreaticus: More Than at First Blush.

Hemosuccus pancreaticus is a rare cause of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding that often presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Here we report a case of hemosuccus pancreaticus in the setting of acute pancreatitis identified on upper endoscopy as well as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and treated successfully with gastroduodenal artery (GDA) embolization by interventional radiology. Early recognition of this condition is imperative to avoid fatal outcomes in untreated cases.

A Rare Case of Esophagitis Dissecans Superficialis Occurring with Barrett's Esophagus.

Esophagitis dissecans superficialis (EDS) is a rare but benign disease of the esophagus often identified endoscopically by sloughing of the superficial esophageal mucosa. We present an asymptomatic 66-year-old patient found to have EDS in the setting of Barrett's esophagus. The association of EDS with Barrett's esophagus has not been previously reported. He was initiated on proton pump inhibitor therapy with rapid and complete resolution of the endoscopic abnormality. This case illustrates the importance of identification of EDS as prognosis relies on prompt diagnosis and treatment.