Efficacy of Short-Course Antibiotic Therapy for Acute Cholangitis With Positive Blood Cultures: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Short-term treatment of acute cholangitis is sufficient for cure compared with the standard treatment duration. Whether this short-course antimicrobial therapy is effective in patients with acute cholangitis with positive blood cultures has not been fully investigated. This study assessed whether patients with acute cholangitis could achieve successful outcomes with a three-day or shorter antimicrobial treatment period, even with a positive blood culture. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study involved patients with acute cholangitis, defined according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 for any cause, who underwent successful biliary drainage and completed a seven-day or shorter antimicrobial treatment. Patients were categorized into six groups based on the duration of antibiotic use (short or standard) after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and blood culture findings (positive, negative, or no collection). The primary outcome was the clinical cure rate, defined as no initial presenting symptoms by day 14 after biliary drainage and no recurrence or death by day 30. Secondary outcomes included a three-month recurrence rate and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: In total, 389 cases were selected, and 27 patients (6.9%) undergoing short-course therapy tested positive for blood culture. The clinical cure rate (n=25, 92.6%) in this group was comparable to that in the other groups. For the three-month recurrence rate (n=1, 3.7%) and median hospital stay (six days), this group's outcomes were either better or similar to those of the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: For cases of successful drainage in acute cholangitis, even with positive blood cultures, short-term antibiotic therapy may be appropriate.

Antimicrobial therapy outcomes in acute cholangitis: Hilar multiple obstructions versus single hilar and common bile duct obstructions.

Background and Aim: The appropriate duration of antimicrobial therapy for acute cholangitis (AC) arising from multiple hilar biliary obstructions as opposed to simple obstruction in the extrahepatic bile duct has not been established. This study assessed the efficacy of the duration of antimicrobial treatments in the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 for AC based on the cause and site of obstruction. Methods: This single-center retrospective study involved patients with AC who underwent successful biliary drainage and completed a 7-day or shorter antimicrobial treatment. Patients were categorized into three groups: Group 1, bile duct stone or benign obstruction; Group 2, simple biliary obstruction due to malignancy; and Group 3, multiple hilar biliary obstruction due to malignancy. The primary outcome was clinical cure rate, and the secondary outcomes were 3-month recurrence rate and length of hospital stay. Results: A total of 373 patients were selected. Patients in Group 3 were younger or had Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥4, and had fewer positive blood cultures. In Group 3, the clinical cure rate (87.1%) and 3-month recurrence rate (32.3%) were less favorable than those in the other groups. In Group 1, the clinical cure rate was significantly higher (98.1%, P = 0.02) with a much lower 3-month recurrence rate of only 3.4% (P < 0.001) than that in the other groups. The median hospital stay for all groups was 7 days. Conclusion: This study suggests that the outcomes in Group 3 may be worse than those in Groups 1 or 2, regardless of the duration of the antibiotic treatment.

Severe induction of aberrant DNA methylation by nodular gastritis in adults.

BACKGROUND: Nodular gastritis (NG) is characterized by marked antral lymphoid follicle formation, and is a strong risk factor for diffuse-type gastric cancer in adults. However, it is unknown whether aberrant DNA methylation, which is induced by atrophic gastritis (AG) and is a risk for gastric cancer, is induced by NG. Here, we analyzed methylation induction by NG. METHODS: Gastric mucosal samples were obtained from non-cancerous antral tissues of 16 NG and 20 AG patients with gastric cancer and 5 NG and 6 AG patients without, all age- and gender-matched. Genome-wide methylation analysis and expression analysis were conducted by a BeadChip array and RNA-sequencing, respectively. RESULTS: Clustering analysis of non-cancerous antral tissues of NG and AG patients with gastric cancer was conducted using methylation levels of 585 promoter CpG islands (CGIs) of methylation-resistant genes, and a large fraction of NG samples formed a cluster with strong methylation induction. Promoter CGIs of CDH1 and DAPK1 tumor-suppressor genes were more methylated in NG than in AG. Notably, methylation levels of these genes were also higher in the antrum of NG patients without cancer. Genes related to lymphoid follicle formation, such as CXCL13/CXCR5 and CXCL12/CXCR4, had higher expression in NG, and genes involved in DNA demethylation TET2 and IDH1, had only half the expression in NG. CONCLUSIONS: Severe aberrant methylation, involving multiple tumor-suppressor genes, was induced in the gastric antrum and body of patients with NG, in accordance with their high gastric cancer risk.

Association of short-course antimicrobial therapy and bacterial resistance in acute cholangitis: Retrospective cohort study.

Background and study aims Although the number of resistant bacteria tends to increase with prolonged antimicrobial therapy, no studies have examined the relationship between the duration of antimicrobial therapy and increase in the number of resistant bacteria in acute cholangitis. We hypothesized that the short-term administration of antimicrobial agents in acute cholangitis would suppress bacterial resistance. Patients and methods This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study of patients with acute cholangitis admitted between January 2018 and June 2020 who met the following criteria: successful biliary drainage, positive blood or bile cultures, bacteria identified from cultures sensitive to antimicrobials, and subsequent cholangitis recurrence by January 2022. The patients were divided into two groups: those whose causative organisms at the time of recurrence became resistant to the antimicrobial agents used at the time of initial admission (resistant group) and those who remained susceptible (susceptible group). Multivariate analysis was used to examine risk factors associated with the development of resistant pathogens. Multivariate analysis investigated antibiotics used with the length of 3 days or shorter after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and previously reported risk factors for the development of bacterial resistance. Results In total, 89 eligible patients were included in this study. There were no significant differences in patient background or ERCP findings between the groups. The use of antibiotics, completed within 3 days after ERCP, was associated with a lower risk of developing bacterial resistance (odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.65; P =0.01). Conclusions In acute cholangitis, the administration of antimicrobials within 3 days of ERCP may suppress the development of resistant bacteria.

Difficulty in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer based on the initial CT report: A retrospective study.

The role of computed tomography (CT) in the initial diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) is well-known. CT reports made by radiologists are important as not all patients with PC are examined by specialists; however, some cases are not identified based on CT reports. Diagnosis via imaging of PC is sometimes difficult, and the diagnostic rate of PC and other pancreatic diseases can vary across radiologists. This study aimed to examine the diagnostic rate of PC in initial CT reports and the details of cases with diagnostic difficulties. This single-centered, retrospective study collected clinical data of 198 patients with histologically diagnosed PC between January 2018 and April 2022. Out of these contrast-enhanced CT was performed in 192 cases. PC was not reported as the main diagnosis in 18 patients (9.4%; 11 men and 7 women). Among these 18 cases, intrapancreatic mass lesions were detected in 3 (1.6%), indirect findings such as bile/pancreatic duct stenosis or dilation were detected in 5 (2.6%), and no PC-related findings were found in 10 (5.2%). The specialists suspected PC in 15 of these 18 cases based on initial CT reports. 17 cases were confirmed by endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration and one by biopsy after upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. To improve accuracy of its diagnosis, it is important that specialists provide feedback to diagnostic radiologists regarding the findings they did not report. Endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration should be performed by specialists when there is clinical information which indicates pancreatic disease of any kind.

A Case of Drug-induced Liver Injury Considered Steroid-resistant and Histologically Diagnosed with Vanishing Bile Duct Syndrome.

Vanishing bile duct syndrome (VBDS) is characterized by bile duct degeneration and necrosis, which result in bile duct loss and bile stasis. A 70-year-old man had malaise after receiving celecoxib. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hepatobiliary enzymes. His condition worsened without response to medical treatment, and he was transferred to our hospital. A liver biopsy revealed severe bile duct injury and mild cholestasis. He was diagnosed with celecoxib-induced VBDS and underwent bilirubin adsorption therapy. However, his condition continued to deteriorate, and he died. An autopsy showed that liver regeneration was poor, and bile duct loss was exacerbated. The pathological autopsy findings were consistent with VBDS.

Exploration of predictors associated with bleeding in computed tomography-guided core needle splenic biopsy: A retrospective study.

Splenic diseases may be caused by infections and can be either malignant, such as lymphoma and lung cancer, or benign, such as hemangioma. In some cases, diagnostic uncertainty of imaging persists, and image-guided splenic needle biopsy is a useful diagnostic tool to avoid the disadvantages of incorrect diagnosis, including performing unnecessary splenectomy or not giving the necessary treatment. Splenic biopsies can be divided into ultrasound-guided, computed tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle aspiration, or core needle biopsy (CNB). However, few studies have focused exclusively on complications associated with CT-guided CNB of the spleen. Therefore, we assessed bleeding, the most common complication of CT-guided CNB of the spleen, and evaluated factors associated with the bleeding. Using the biopsy database maintained at the institution, all patients who underwent CT-guided CNB of the spleen between May 2012 and September 2022 were identified retrospectively. The 18 identified patients were divided into post-biopsy bleeding and non-bleeding groups for analysis. In total, 17 patients (94.4%) could be diagnosed accurately with CT-guided CNB. Bleeding complications occurred in 7 cases of CT-guided CNB; of these, 2 patients with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade 4 disease required transcatheter arterial embolization. The bleeding group was characterized by diffuse spleen tumors in all cases, with significantly more diffuse spleen tumors than the non-bleeding group. CT-guided CNB is a useful option for neoplastic lesions of the spleen that are difficult to diagnose using imaging alone. However, consideration should be given to post-biopsy bleeding in patients with diffuse splenic tumors.

Acute liver failure due to herpes simplex viral hepatitis diagnosed by skin lesions and blood tests: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of acute liver failure from herpes simplex virus is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed with acute liver failure and was transferred to our hospital. Steroid therapy, plasma exchange, and hemodiafiltration were started for liver failure, and antimicrobial therapy was initiated for pneumonia. Staphylococcus epidermidis was detected in blood culture. Skin rash appeared; a positive anti-herpes simplex virus result led to the diagnosis of acute liver failure from herpes simplex virus. Hence, acyclovir was started. After blood tests improved, treatments for acute liver failure were discontinued. Antimicrobial therapy was continued; however, he died. In this case, persistent bacteremia and drug-induced liver damage due to acyclovir may have contributed to his death. CONCLUSIONS: Acute liver failure can lead to complications and death. Thus, careful observation is crucial, even if the patient has shown some improvements.

Endoscopic Papillary Balloon Dilation Can Be Safely Performed in Patients on Dual Antiplatelet Therapy: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD), a low-risk procedure for bleeding, has been suggested as an alternative to endoscopic sphincterotomy for papillary dilatation in patients undergoing endoscopic stone removal who are at a higher risk of bleeding. Several guidelines recommend that combination of two antiplatelet agents should be reduced to single antiplatelet therapy when endoscopic sphincterotomy is performed. However, there is no evidence that EPBD affects the risk of bleeding in patients receiving a combination of two antiplatelet agents; thus, we aimed to explore this problem. METHODS: We included 31 patients who underwent EPBD for common bile duct stones at our hospital from May 2014 to August 2022 and received either a combination of two antiplatelet agents or single antiplatelet therapy prior to the procedure. The group receiving a combination of two antiplatelet agents included patients who underwent EPBT without antiplatelet therapy withdrawal or with a shorter withdrawal period than those recommended by the guidelines. RESULTS: In the group that received a combination of two antiplatelet agents, one of the two antiplatelet agents used was thienopyridine. No bleeding was observed after EPBD in this study. We did not find any significant between-group differences in hemoglobin levels and rate of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients treated with a combination of two antiplatelet agents, EPBD could be safely performed without bleeding. Therefore, future prospective studies are warranted.

Efficacy for diagnoses of scirrhous gastric cancer and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Scirrhous gastric cancer (SGC) is diagnosed using endoscopy and/or biopsy; however, SGC diagnosis remains challenging owing to its special growth form and morphologic features. Hence, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), which is minimally invasive and has a high proportion of diagnostic tissue, may be an alternative investigative modality for patients with suspected SGC. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify and evaluate the evidence for the efficacy and safety of EUS-FNA in patients with suspected SGC. We conducted a systematic review using the PubMed (MEDLINE) and Ichushi-Web (NPO Japan Medical Abstracts Society) databases and included all entries in which SGC was evaluated using EUS-FNA in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement from the databases' inception to October 10, 2022. The primary outcome was the proportion of SGC diagnosed using EUS-FNA. In addition, we analyzed the proportion of adverse events associated with EUS-FNA. The electronic search identified 1890 studies; overall, four studies met the selection criteria and reported data on EUS-FNA performed on 114 patients with suspected SGC. The overall diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA for SGC was 82.6% (95% confidence interval, 74.6-90.6%) and the statistical heterogeneity was 0% (I 2 = 0%), indicating a low heterogeneity. Furthermore, the EUS-FNA diagnostic proportion for SGC lymph node metastasis was 75-100%, indicating a high diagnostic performance. The adverse event rate of EUS-FNA was 0%. EUS-FNA may be an alternative investigation mode for SGC patients with negative esophagogastroduodenoscopy-biopsy results.

Comprehensive review on small common bile duct stones.

Common bile duct stones are among the most common conditions encountered by endoscopists. Therefore, it is well researched; however, some items, such as indications for endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation (EPBD), safety of EPBD and endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy or direct oral anticoagulant, selection strategy for retrieval balloons and baskets, lack adequate evidence. Therefore, the guidelines have been updated with new research, while others remain unchanged due to weak evidence. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the standard methods in guidelines and new findings from recent studies on papillary dilation, stone retrieval devices, difficult-to-treat cases, troubleshooting during the procedure, and complicated cases of cholangitis, cholecystolithiasis, or distal biliary stricture.

Successful endoscopic hemostasis for waterfall-like gastroduodenal artery hemorrhage.

Endoscopic hemostasis is the first step in cessation of gastrointestinal bleeding. Although IVR may sometimes be required for preventing rebleeding, prophylactic IVR was not considered necessary in this case because of complete endoscopic hemostasis.

A case of unsuccessful obliteration of percutaneous transhepatic gastric varices using the IMPEDE embolization plug.

Key Clinical Message: Embolization with IMPEDE embolization plug cannot be confirmed on site. Therefore, we propose that the diameter of the device selected be up to 50% larger than the vein diameter to prevent embolization failure and recanalization. Abstract: Balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration and percutaneous transhepatic obliteration (PTO) are performed for treating sporadic gastric varices. IMPEDE embolization plug has been recently developed for these procedures; however, no studies have reported its use. This is the first report on its use in PTO of gastric varices.