No time to 'weight': the link between obesity and stroke in women.

The obesity epidemic in the USA threatens the gains that have been made in the prevention and treatment of stroke. Both obesity and stroke disproportionately affect women more than men. Understanding the effect of obesity on stroke risk in women may be a useful stepping stone to reducing the burden of stroke in this vulnerable population. This article reviews the association between stroke and general obesity, abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome in women. All three factors have been shown to independently increase stroke risk in women.

Meta-analysis and systematic review of colorectal endoscopic mucosal resection.

AIM: To evaluate the proportion of successful complete cure en-bloc resections of large colorectal polyps achieved by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). METHODS: Studies using the EMR technique to resect large colorectal polyps were selected. Successful complete cure en-bloc resection was defined as one piece margin-free polyp resection. Articles were searched for in Medline, Pubmed, and the Cochrane Control Trial Registry, among other sources. RESULTS: An initial search identified 2620 reference articles, from which 429 relevant articles were selected and reviewed. Data was extracted from 25 studies (n = 5221) which met the inclusion criteria. All the studies used snares to perform EMR. Pooled proportion of en-bloc resections using a random effect model was 62.85% (95% CI: 51.50-73.52). The pooled proportion for complete cure en-bloc resections using a random effect model was 58.66% (95% CI: 47.14-69.71). With higher patient load (> 200 patients), this complete cure en-bloc resection rate improves from 44.19% (95% CI: 24.31-65.09) to 69.17% (95% CI: 51.11-84.61). CONCLUSION: EMR is an effective technique for the resection of large colorectal polyps and offers an alternative to surgery.

Successful complete cure en-bloc resection of large nonpedunculated colonic polyps by endoscopic submucosal dissection: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has emerged as one of the techniques to successfully resect large colonic polyps en bloc. Complete resection prevents the patient from going through transabdominal colonic resection. We sought to evaluate the proportion of successful en-bloc and complete cure en-bloc resection of large colonic polyps by ESD. METHODS: Studies that use ESD technique to resect large colonic polyps were selected. Successful en-bloc resection was defined as resection of the polyp in one piece. Successful complete cure en-bloc resection was defined as one piece with histologic disease-free-margin polyp resection. Articles were searched in Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane control trial registry. Pooled proportions were calculated by both fixed and random-effects model. RESULTS: The initial search identified 2,120 reference articles; 389 relevant articles were selected and reviewed. Data were extracted from 14 studies (n = 1,314) that met the inclusion criteria. The mean +/- standard error size of the polyps was 30.65 +/- 2.88 mm. Pooled proportion of en-bloc resection by the random-effects model was 84.91% (95% confidence interval, 77.82-90.82) and complete cure en-bloc resection was 75.39% (95% confidence interval, 66.69-82.21). The fixed-effects model was not used because of the heterogeneity of studies. CONCLUSIONS: ESD should be considered the best minimally invasive endoscopic technique in the treatment of large (>2 cm) sessile and flat polyps because it allows full pathological evaluation and cure in most patients. ESD offers an important alternative to surgery in the therapy of large sessile and flat polyps.

Endoscopic ultrasound: it's accuracy in evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy? A meta-analysis and systematic review.

AIM: To evaluate the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), EUS-fine needle aspiration (FNA) in evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy. METHODS: Only EUS and EUS-FNA studies confirmed by surgery or with appropriate follow-up were selected. Articles were searched in Medline, Pubmed, and Cochrane control trial registry. Only studies from which a 2 multiply 2 table could be constructed for true positive, false negative, false positive and true negative values were included. Two reviewers independently searched and extracted data. The differences were resolved by mutual agreement. Meta-analysis for the accuracy of EUS was analyzed by calculating pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratios. Pooling was conducted by both Mantel-Haenszel method (fixed effects model) and DerSimonian Laird method (random effects model). The heterogeneity of studies was tested using Cochran's Q test based upon inverse variance weights. RESULTS: Data was extracted from 76 studies (n = 9310) which met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 44 studies used EUS alone and 32 studies used EUS-FNA. FNA improved the sensitivity of EUS from 84.7% (95% CI: 82.9-86.4) to 88.0% (95% CI: 85.8-90.0). With FNA, the specificity of EUS improved from 84.6% (95% CI: 83.2-85.9) to 96.4% (95% CI: 95.3-97.4). The P for chi-squared heterogeneity for all the pooled accuracy estimates was > 0.10. CONCLUSION: EUS is highly sensitive and specific for the evaluation of mediastinal lymphadenopathy and FNA substantially improves this. EUS with FNA should be the diagnostic test of choice for evaluating mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

Staging accuracy of esophageal cancer by endoscopic ultrasound: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

AIM: To evaluate the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the staging of esophageal cancer. METHODS: Only EUS studies confirmed by surgery were selected. Articles were searched in Medline and Pubmed. Two reviewers independently searched and extracted data. Meta-analysis of the accuracy of EUS was analyzed by calculating pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio. Pooling was conducted by both the Mantel-Haenszel method (fixed effects model) and DerSimonian Laird method (random effects model). The heterogeneity of studies was tested using Cochran's Q test based upon inverse variance weights. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies (n = 2558) which met the inclusion criteria were included in this analysis. Pooled sensitivity and specificity of EUS to diagnose T1 was 81.6% (95% CI: 77.8-84.9) and 99.4% (95% CI: 99.0-99.7), respectively. To diagnose T4, EUS had a pooled sensitivity of 92.4% (95% CI: 89.2-95.0) and specificity of 97.4% (95% CI: 96.6-98.0). With Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA), sensitivity of EUS to diagnose N stage improved from 84.7% (95% CI: 82.9-86.4) to 96.7% (95% CI: 92.4-98.9). The P value for the c2 test of heterogeneity for all pooled estimates was > 0.10. CONCLUSION: EUS has excellent sensitivity and specificity in accurately diagnosing the TN stage of esophageal cancer. EUS performs better with advanced (T4) than early (T1) disease. FNA substantially improves the sensitivity and specificity of EUS in evaluating N stage disease. EUS should be strongly considered for staging esophageal cancer.

Endoscopic gallbladder stent placement for treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis in patients with end-stage liver disease.

OBJECTIVES: Symptomatic cholelithiasis is a common disease in the general population with an increased prevalence in patients with cirrhosis. While cholecystectomy is the procedure of choice for the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis, cirrhotics have an increased risk of complications associated with this therapy. We have found that placement of an endoscopic gallbladder stent is an alternative, less invasive treatment for cirrhotic patients with symptomatic gallbladder disease and describe our experience here. METHODS: A retrospective medical record review of 23 patients with cirrhosis who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiography with gallbladder stent placement for symptomatic gallbladder disease from July 1994 to August 2004. RESULTS: Indications for stent placement included recurrent biliary colic (56.5%), acute calculous cholecystitis (39%), acalculous cholecystitis (8.6%), and gallstone pancreatitis (8.6%). All patients experienced resolution of their symptoms following stent placement. Twenty patients (87%) were asymptomatic from 5 days to 3 years post-procedure until transplantation, death, or end of study period. Nine patients (39%) underwent liver transplantation, 5 days to 34 months after the procedure. Eleven patients are well, with ten patients awaiting liver transplantation. Three patients developed late complications and were treated successfully with antibiotics. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic stenting of the gallbladder may be a potential treatment for symptomatic gallbladder disease in patients with cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation, considered to be high-risk for cholecystectomy.