Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease on Patients' Caregivers: Results From a French Survey.

BACKGROUND: The impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on caregivers has rarely been investigated. Our work aims to explore the burden of IBD on the different aspects of caregivers' lives. METHODS: We conducted an online survey via the social network of the French IBD patient organization addressed to patients' caregivers who were asked to fill in a questionnaire covering the impact of the disease on different aspects of their lives. Impacts were measured by a visual analog scale (VAS). A VAS score ≥5 of 10 was considered significantly high. We then performed uni- and multivariate analyses of predictors of higher impact on parents and partners, separately. RESULTS: A total of 853 caregivers participated, predominantly women (77%). The mean age was 48.5 years. Their relationship with the patient was mainly parents in 57.1% and partners in 30.6%. The type of IBD was Crohn's disease in 63% and ulcerative colitis in 35%. The psychological burden was the highest among parents and was mainly correlated with a lack of knowledge about IBD and professional compromise (P < .05). The impact on leisure was the highest among partners and was affected by psychological, sexual, and professional burdens (P < .05). About 50% of partners experienced an absent sexual relationship for weeks/months and decreased libido regardless of IBD type. Professional impact was greater in parents compared with partners, and 36% of caregivers needed work arrangements. CONCLUSIONS: IBD has a high impact on different aspects of life of patients' caregivers. Therefore, interventions to reduce the disease burden in this population are needed.

Caregivers of patients with inflammatory bowel disease go through many psychological, social, and professional difficulties. Implementing adequate psychosocial interventions may improve their quality of life.

Prognosis of variceal and non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding in already hospitalised patients: Results from a French prospective cohort.

OBJECTIVES: Patients who develop upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) while in hospital appear to have a poor prognosis. Our study aims at analysing the difference in outcome between in-patients (IPs) and out-patients presenting with variceal and non-variceal UGIB. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre prospective study by collecting data about variceal and non-variceal UGIB cases through 46 hospitals in France between November 2017 and October 2018. We then compared baseline demographic features, endoscopic findings and outcome between patients who developed variceal and non-variceal UGIB on admission (OPs) and those at least 24 h after hospitalisation (IPs). Our primary end-point was mortality and re-bleeding rates at 6 weeks of bleeding onset. RESULTS: A total of 2498 UGIB cases were identified, of whom 634 (25.4%) occurred in IPs. IPs were older than OPs (72.5 vs. 67.2 years old, p < 0.001) and had a higher rate of comorbidities (38.9% vs. 26.6%, p < 0.0001). Their bleeding was more severe with a Rockall score of >5 present in 40.9% (vs. 30.3% in OPs, p < 0.0001). The 6-week mortality rate was significantly higher in IPs when compared to OPs (21.7% vs. 8%, p < 0.0001). Prothrombin time <50% and rebleeding were the only independent predictors of mortality (p = 0.001 and 0.003, respectively). Six-week rebleeding occurred more frequently among IPs (18.6% vs. 14.4%, p = 0.015) and predictors included female sex, active bleeding upon endoscopy and a Blatchford score >11 (p = 0.017, 0.011 and 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: IPs who develop variceal and non-variceal UGIB are more likely to be elderly with more comorbidities. They have a higher rate of mortality and rebleeding. Independent predictors of mortality were underlying coagulopathy and bleeding recurrence. An optimal bleeding management and efficient rebleeding prevention may improve outcome in these patients.

Prior surveillance and antiviral treatment improve the prognosis of HCC developed in HBV patients in the West.

BACKGROUND: In Western countries, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatitis B (HBV) patients without cirrhosis was poorly studied. The aim was to describe the characteristics and outcome of HBV-related HCC according to fibrosis stage. METHOD: All patients with chronic HBV infection and HCC discussed in a multidisciplinary tumor board between 2007 and 2017 were retrospectively included. RESULTS: A total of 152 out of 2,038 HCC patients had underlying HBV infection. HBV viral load>2000IU/ml, positive HBeAg and Hepatitis D coinfection were observed in 41%, 13% and 13% of cases, respectively. HCC was uninodular in 53%, associated with portal thrombosis in 16% and/or metastasis in 9% of cases. 130 patients (86%) had cirrhosis. No difference regarding HCC risk factors and viral characteristics was observed according to fibrosis stage. 5-year survival was 48%(47% on cirrhosis versus 57% without cirrhosis, P=0.26). At HCC diagnosis, 47% and 32% of cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients received an antiviral treatment (AVT), which was associated with less aggressive tumor and better survival (P=0.005). In cirrhosis, screening was associated with a lower tumor burden and patients were more amenable to curative treatment with better outcome (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: HBV represents 8% of HCC etiologies without differences of viral characteristics according to fibrosis stage. AVT and surveillance were associated with less aggressive tumors, better access to curative treatment and outcome.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis: Approach to diagnosis and management.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is a rare and benign inflammatory disorder that predominantly affects the stomach and the small intestine. The disease is divided into three subtypes (mucosal, muscular and serosal) according to klein's classification, and its manifestations are protean, depending on the involved intestinal segments and layers. Hence, accurate diagnosis of EGE poses a significant challenge to clinicians, with evidence of the following three criteria required: Suspicious clinical symptoms, histologic evidence of eosinophilic infiltration in the bowel and exclusion of other pathologies with similar findings. In this review, we designed and applied an algorithm to clarify the steps to follow for diagnosis of EGE in clinical practice. The management of EGE represents another area of debate. Prednisone remains the mainstay of treatment; however the disease is recognized as a chronic disorder and one that most frequently follows a relapsing course that requires maintenance therapy. Since prolonged steroid treatment carries of risk of serious adverse effects, other options with better safety profiles have been proposed; these include budesonide, dietary restrictions and steroid-sparing agents, such as leukotriene inhibitors, azathioprine, anti-histamines and mast-cell stabilizers. Single cases or small case series have been reported in the literature for all of these options, and we provide in this review a summary of these various therapeutic modalities, placing them within the context of our novel algorithm for EGE management according to disease severity upon presentation.

Protein Loosing Enteropathy Secondary to Strongyloidiasis: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Strongyloidiasis is a helminthic disease which affects millions around the world resulting in a significant burden in certain high risk groups. It is rarely reported in the Lebanese population probably due to the low index of suspicion in common practice. We are reporting a case of strongyloidiasis that was found in an elderly patient presenting initially with dyspnea followed by skin rash, protein loosing enteropathy, diarrhea, and abdominal pain while on corticosteroid therapy. The diagnosis was suspected based on clinical presentation in addition to peripheral eosinophilia. We will also describe the upper and lower endoscopic aspects of the disease, as well as histologic findings on duodenal and colonic biopsies.