A comparison of two types of contrast media used in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) is one of the most serious complications of ERCP. Various procedures can reduce the incidence of PEP, such as wire-guided cannulation, prophylactic pancreatic stent placement, and pretreatment anal insertion of NSAIDs. Recently, iso-osmolar contrast media (IOCM) have been used for ERCP in several hospitals to reduce the risk of PEP in Japan. However, the effect of IOCM is uncertain because few reports have examined IOCM in relation to PEP. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between contrast media used and the incidence of PEP. METHODS: This retrospective study included all qualifying patients who had undergone ERCP at Hamamatsu University Hospital between January 2012 and January 2020. This study examined whether there was a difference in the onset of PEP between patients administered IOCM and high osmolar contrast medium (HOCM). Propensity score matching was used to analyze patient characteristics and ERCP procedures. Amidotrizoic acid was used as HOCM and iodixanol as IOCM. RESULTS: ERCP was performed on 458 patients, and 830 procedures were conducted. After propensity score matching, 162 patients from the amidotrizoic acid group and 162 patients from the iodixanol group were selected. The incidence of PEP was 10.5% (17) in the amidotrizoic acid group and 9.3% (15) in the iodixanol group (P = 0.71). Changes in serum amylase levels post- and pre-ERCP were 240.6 ± 573.8 U/L and 142.7 ± 382.1 U/L in the amidotrizoic acid and iodixanol groups, respectively (P = 0.072). CONCLUSION: Iodixanol had no prophylactic effect on PEP and clinical outcomes.

Modified method of patency judgement using patency capsule prior to capsule endoscopy in clinical practice.

In 2012, Japan approved the use of a tag-less patency capsule (PC), which evaluates gastrointestinal patency before small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE). This study aimed to evaluate the validity of our modification on the passage criteria for this PC in clinical practice. We retrospectively enrolled 326 consecutive patients who underwent PC examination before SBCE. If X-ray could not reveal the PC in the body during the judgement time (30-33 h after ingestion), we defined it as 'estimated patency' and performed SBCE. We employed plain computed tomography (CT) for the second judgement, as needed. The overall patency rate was 95.1%. By X-ray, 41 (12.6%) patients were judged to have 'estimated patency', and SBCE could be safely performed. Plain CT judgement was necessary in 106 patients (32.5%). One PC case had a residual coating film associated with stenosis in a patient with Crohn's disease (CD), and one (0.3%) SBCE case had capsule retention resulting from false CT judgement. Multivariate analysis revealed that established CD and inpatient were factors related to no-patency. In conclusion, PC is useful for examining gastrointestinal patency, keeping in mind CT misjudgement. If PC was not found in the body via X-ray, performing SBCE as 'estimated patency' seemed appropriate.

Predicting Ulcerative Colitis Relapse in Clinical Remission With Fecal Immunochemical Occult Blood Test or Prostaglandin E-Major Urinary Metabolite.

INTRODUCTION: The fecal immunochemical occult blood test (FIT) and prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM) have been reported to predict the relapse of ulcerative colitis (UC) during remission. In this study, we directly compared FIT and PGE-MUM in predicting relapse and examined the effect of disease duration on these biomarkers. METHODS: Measurements of 2 biomarkers and endoscopic examination were performed in 73 patients with UC in remission. The patients were followed up for 12 months, and clinical relapse was evaluated. In addition, we divided the patients into long-term disease duration and short-term disease duration groups for analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (28.8%) relapsed within 12 months. FIT and PGE-MUM levels were significantly higher in the relapsed group than in the remission group. Cutoff values of FIT and PGE-MUM for predicting relapse using receiver operating characteristic analysis were 65.0 ng/mL (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.723) and 25.2 µg/g·Cr (AUC: 0.701), respectively. Patients with FIT ≥ 65.0 ng/mL and PGE-MUM ≥ 25.2 µg/g·Cr had a higher risk of clinical relapse. In the short-term disease duration group, the AUCs of FIT were larger than those of PGE-MUM using receiver operating characteristic analysis, in most instances. By contrast, the AUCs of PGE-MUM were larger than those of FIT in most cases in the long-term disease groups. DISCUSSION: FIT and PEG-MUM were highly accurate in predicting clinical relapse in UC patients with short and long disease durations in remission, respectively.

Effect of ulcerative colitis duration on the usefulness of immunochemical fecal occult blood test result as a disease activity biomarker.

PURPOSE: The effects of ulcerative colitis (UC) duration on biomarker accuracy are unknown. We investigated the effects of UC duration on the predictive accuracy of biomarkers including immunochemical fecal occult blood test (FOBT, also known as FIT), prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite (PGE-MUM), and C-reactive protein (CRP). METHODS: We divided 133 samples into groups based on disease duration. Clinical and endoscopic remission was defined as Lichtiger's clinical activity index (CAI) of ≤ 4, Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) of 0, and UC endoscopic index of severity (UCEIS) of ≤ 1. RESULTS: FIT results were significantly correlated with all activity scores when the disease duration was < 4 years. When the disease duration was ≥ 4 years, FIT results were significantly correlated with the CAI and MES but not with UCEIS. When the disease duration was ≥ 5 years, FIT and CAI were significantly correlated, whereas FIT and MES or FIT and UCEIS did not show any correlation. When the duration was ≥ 4 years, PGE-MUM and CRP showed a significant correlation with CAI, MES, and UCEIS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of biomarker data for predicting endoscopic remission showed that the accuracy of FIT was superior to that of PGE-MUM and CRP in the < 4-year group. CONCLUSIONS: FIT is an accurate biomarker reflecting the endoscopic score until 4 years in patients with UC. However, owing to the increased number of false negatives, the usefulness of FIT may decline after 4 years. Hence, evaluation of UC in combination with other biomarkers is recommended.

Lethal Bleeding from a Duodenal Cancerous Ulcer Communicating with the Superior Mesenteric Artery in a Patient with Pancreatic Head Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer often invades the duodenum and causes obstruction, but rarely causes massive duodenal bleeding. A 68-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of vomiting. Enhanced abdominal CT showed a hypovascular tumor with air bubbles in the uncinate process of the pancreas. The tumor invaded the duodenum and metastasized to the liver and peritoneum. The main trunk of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was circumferentially involved. After admission, he had hematemesis and melena. Emergency gastroduodenoscopy revealed pulsating vessels in the third portion of the duodenum and he eventually experienced hemorrhagic shock. Severe bleeding occurred from his mouth and anus like a catastrophic flood. It was difficult to sustain blood pressure even with massive blood transfusion with pumping. After insertion of an intra-aortic balloon occlusion catheter, the massive bleeding was eventually stopped. Although we attempted interventional radiography, aortography revealed direct communication between the main SMA trunk and the duodenal lumen. The tumor was considered anatomically and oncologically unresectable. Thus, we did not perform further intervention. The patient died 2 h after angiography. Herein, we report the case of pancreatic head cancer causing lethal bleeding associated with tumor-involved SMA. Duodenal bleeding associated with pancreatic cancer invasion should be considered as an oncogenic emergency.

Pancreatic schwannoma revealed contrast by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography: a case report.

An asymptomatic pancreatic tumor was discovered in a 77-year-old man during a medical check-up. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a cystic mass containing a septum-like solid portion in the head of the pancreas, measuring 3.5cm in diameter. Additionally, abdominal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (US) revealed increased flow in the solid portion and a tumor capsule in its early phase. We preoperatively diagnosed the lesion as a cystic-degenerated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor or solid-pseudopapillary tumor and performed a pancreatoduodenectomy. Histopathological examination revealed a cystic pancreatic mass consisting of spindle-shaped cells, with S-100-positive and SMA-negative immunohistochemical stainings. This lesion was diagnosed as a pancreatic schwannoma from these findings.

[A case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis accompanied with fasciitis of the extremities].

We encountered a very rare case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis accompanied with fasciitis of the extremities. The patient was a 28-year-old woman with epigastralgia, eosinophilia plus leukocytosis, massive pleural effusion and ascites, and thickening of the walls of the intestine. Increase of the eosinophilic fraction in her ascites led to a diagnosis of eosinophilic gastroenteritis. She soon developed resting pain in all limbs and MRI revealed fasciitis. Prednisolone was effective in treating both gastroenteritis and fasciitis.