Usefulness of the Measurement of Psoas Muscle Volume for Sarcopenia Diagnosis in Patients with Liver Disease.

Computed tomography (CT) is often used in the diagnosis of sarcopenia. In this study, we validated the assessment of sarcopenia by the psoas muscle volume using versatile software. The study involved a retrospective analysis of data from 190 patients with liver disease who underwent grip-strength testing and abdominal pelvic computed tomography. To assess sarcopenia, SYNAPSE 3D was used to obtain the skeletal muscle index, the psoas muscle index (PMI), and the simple method. We also used the recently proposed PMI cutoff values, for which the usefulness has been evaluated (O-PMI). The cutoff value of the psoas muscle volume index (PMVI) was determined using one of the diagnostic methods as the gold standard. All diagnostic methods showed that patients with sarcopenia had shorter survival, with O-PMI having the highest hazard ratio (HR) (HR, 6.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-14.41; p < 0.001). Even when sarcopenia could not be diagnosed by O-PMI, low PMVI was associated with shorter survival (HR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.34-9.32; p = 0.01). PMVI may be useful in the evaluation of sarcopenia, including the identification of poor overall survival in cases that cannot be diagnosed by O-PMI, which is considered more useful than PMI.

Outcomes of Patients with Left-Sided Obstructive Colorectal Cancer: Comparison between Self-Expandable Metallic Stent and Other Treatment Methods.

INTRODUCTION: This multi-institutional retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement for patients with left-sided obstructive colorectal cancer (OCRC). METHODS: Overall, 520 consecutive patients who received treatment for OCRC were enrolled. Of these, the data of 253 patients who underwent primary tumour resection for left-sided OCRC were reviewed. The short- and long-term outcomes were compared between the SEMS group and other three groups: transanal decompression tube (TaDT), decompressing stoma (DS), and emergency resection (ER). RESULTS: The SEMS group had a higher frequency of laparoscopic surgery (p < 0.001), lesser frequency of postoperative stoma (p < 0.001), and more dissected lymph nodes (p < 0.001) than the other groups. Moreover, the SEMS group had shorter postoperative hospital stays than the TaDT, DS, and ER groups (p = 0.005, p = 0.037, and p < 0.001, respectively). The Kaplan-Meier survival curves of recurrence-free survival and overall survival did not differ significantly between the SEMS group and the other three groups in patients with stage II and III diseases. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Elective surgery after SEMS placement may improve short-term outcomes compared to other treatment strategies, with similar long-term outcomes.

Surgical management and outcomes of obstructive colorectal cancer in elderly patients: A multi-institutional retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes and prognostic factors of elderly patients with obstructive colorectal cancer are unknown. This was the focus of our multi-institutional retrospective study. METHODS: Medical records of 520 patients (elderly [group E, aged ≥75 years, n = 271]; and nonelderly [group NE, aged <75 years, n = 249]) who received treatment for obstructive colorectal cancer in 2008 to 2018 at 14 leading hospitals in Kagawa prefecture (Japan) were reviewed. Short- and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent tumor resection (n = 438) were compared between the groups. Their prognostic factors were identified. RESULTS: The tumor resection rate was 79% (n = 213) and 90% (n = 225) in groups E and NE, respectively. Group E had more emergency resections (27 [12.7%] vs 15 [6.6%], P = .037), shorter operating times (194 vs 221 min, P < .001), fewer dissected lymph nodes (14 vs 17, P = .004), and less adjuvant chemotherapy (47 [26.8%] vs 122 [76.7%], p < .001) than group NE. Postoperative complication rates and recurrence-free survival were not significantly different between the groups. Overall survival was significantly lower in group E than in group NE. Distant metastases and no postoperative chemotherapy were independent poor prognostic factors for overall survival in groups E and NE. Emergency resection (hazard ratio:1.83; 95% confidence interval: 1.02-3.26) was a significant poor prognostic indicator in group E only. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term outcomes and recurrence-free survival of elderly and nonelderly patients with obstructive colorectal cancer were similar, although the 90-day mortality rate of the elderly patients was higher. Furthermore, elective surgery after bowel decompression is associated with a better outcome in the elderly.

The Efficacy of Sonazoid-enhanced Ultrasonography in Decision-making for Liver Abscess Treatment.

Objective The usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for making decisions in the treatment of liver abscess is unknown. Methods We evaluated the internal blood flow in the arterial-predominant phase by CEUS using Sonazoid® in 21 patients. The stain area rate was evaluated in maximum parting plane of abscess in CEUS. Patients were divided into two groups: the vascular phase enhancement (VE) group, in which ≥50% of the abscess cavity was enhanced (12 patients), and the vascular phase non-enhancement (VNE) group, in which <50% of the abscess cavity was enhanced (9 patients). The rate of patients who were cured by conservative treatment alone was examined in both groups. The defect rate of all liver abscesses in the post-vascular phase was also evaluated. Results In the VE group, improvement by conservative treatment alone was obtained in 11 out of 12 patients (91.7%), while in the VNE group, improvement by conservative treatment alone was obtained in only 1 out of 9 patients (11.1%), a significant difference (p<0.001). In the VE group, one patient did not improve with conservative treatment alone because the abscess ruptured near the liver surface. In the VE group, the abscess size was smaller than in the VNE group. By examining the defect rate in the post-vascular phase, it was found that 16 out of 21 patients (76.2%) showed 71% or more defects. Conclusion The enhancement rate in the arterial-predominant phase of CEUS was considered useful for determining the treatment approach for liver abscess.

Eltrombopag enables initiation and completion of pegylated interferon/ribavirin therapy in Japanese HCV-infected patients with chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia.

To investigate the efficacy of eltrombopag for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic hepatitis C, a phase II, single-arm, open-label study with a 9-week pre-antiviral phase was conducted, followed by a 48-week antiviral phase and a 24-week follow-up phase. The proportion of patients who achieved a platelet count threshold, the proportion of patients who maintained a platelet count >50,000/µl, sustained virological response (SVR) rates and safety parameters were evaluated. Of the 45 enrolled patients (median age, 59 years; median platelet count, 63,000/µl; 98% with Child-Pugh class A), 43 (96%) achieved the platelet count threshold during the pre-antiviral phase. A total of 13 patients (29%) experienced ≥1 adverse event (AE), of which headache and vomiting were the most common, and 41 patients (mostly receiving eltrombopag 12.5 mg or 25 mg) entered the antiviral phase, of which 36 (88%) maintained the platelet count threshold; no patient platelet count decreased below 25,000/µl. Nine patients (22%) achieved an SVR at the 24-week follow-up. Grade ≥3 AEs occurred in 25 patients (61%). A total of 8 serious AEs occurred in five patients (12%). No mortality, thromboembolic events (TEEs), or cataract progression were reported. Eltrombopag increased the platelet count in chronic hepatitis C virus-infected patients with cirrhosis and thrombocytopenia and enabled them to initiate and complete interferon-based antiviral therapy (NCT01636778; first submitted: July 05, 2012).

Efficacy of 1.2 L polyethylene glycol plus ascorbic acid for bowel preparations.

BACKGROUND: A low-volume polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution that combines ascorbic acid with PEG-based electrolyte solution (PEG-ASC) is gaining mainstream acceptance for bowel preparation due to reduced volume and improved taste. Although several reports showed that bowel preparation with PEG-ASC volume lower than 2.0 L with laxative agents could be an alternative to traditional preparation regimen, the cleansing protocols have not been fully investigated. AIM: To evaluate the cleansing efficacy of 1.2 L PEG-ASC solution comparing with 2.0 L PEG electrolyte (PEG-ELS) for bowel preparations. METHODS: A randomized, single-blinded, open-label, single-center, non-inferiority study was conducted. In total, 312 Japanese adult patients (aged > 18 years) who underwent colonoscopy were enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated to bowel lavage with either 1.2 L of PEG-ASC solution with at least 0.6 L of an additional clear fluid (1.2 L PEG-ASC group) or 2.0 L of PEG-ELS (PEG-ELS group). Then, 48 mg of sennoside was administered at bedtime on the day before colonoscopy, and the designated drug solution was administered at the hospital on the day of colonoscopy. Bowel cleansing was evaluated using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS). The volume of fluid intake and required time for bowel preparation were evaluated. Furthermore, compliance, patient tolerance, and overall acceptability were evaluated using a patient questionnaire, which was assessed using a visual analog scale. RESULTS: In total, 291 patients (1.2 L PEG-ASC group, 148; PEG-ELS group, 143) completed the study. There was no significant difference in successful cleansing, defined as a BBPS score ≥ 2 in each segment, between the two groups (1.2 L PEG-ASC group, 91.9%; PEG-ELS group, 90.2%; 95%CI: -0.03-0.09). The required time for bowel preparation was significantly shorter (164.95 min ± 68.95 min vs 202.16 min ± 68.69 min, P < 0.001) and the total fluid intake volume was significantly lower (2.23 L ± 0.55 L vs 2.47 L ± 0.56 L, P < 0.001) in the 1.2 L PEG-ASC group than in the PEG-ELS group. Palatability, acceptability of the volume of solution, and overall acceptability evaluated using a patient questionnaire, which was assessed by the visual analog scale, were significantly better in the 1.2 L PEG-ASC group than in the PEG-ELS group (7.70 cm ± 2.57 cm vs 5.80 cm ± 3.24 cm, P < 0.001). No severe adverse event was observed in each group. CONCLUSION: The 1.2 L PEG-ASC solution was non-inferior to the 2.0 L PEG-ELS solution in terms of cleansing efficacy and had better acceptability among Japanese patients.

Hand-Foot Syndrome and Post-Progression Treatment Are the Good Predictors of Better Survival in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Sorafenib: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between treatment outcomes and hand-foot syndrome (HFS), and the relationship between survival rate and post-progression treatment after sorafenib therapy. METHODS: The study assessed 314 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib at 5 general hospitals in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. RESULTS: At the start of sorafenib therapy, 23.6% of the patients had HCC of a Child-Pugh class other than A. The initial sorafenib dose was 800 mg in 9.2% of the patients and 400 mg in 64.3%. Time to progression was 129 days (95% CI: 87.3-170.7) and the median overall survival (OS) was 392 days (95% CI: 316.0-468.0). The OS of the patients with Child-Pugh class A HCC was significantly better than that of the patients with Child-Pugh class B HCC (p < 0.0001). The survival curves for Child-Pugh class A-5 points and class A-6 points were significantly different, with that for class A-5 points being better (p < 0.0001). A significant difference was observed between the patients who exhibited HFS and those who did not, with the former exhibiting a better survival rate (p < 0.001). In addition, the survival rate of the patients who received post-progression treatment after sorafenib therapy was significantly better than that of the patients who did not (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In sorafenib therapy, patients with HFS and those who received post-progression treatment exhibited good OS.

Prediction of Embolization Area after Conventional Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using SYNAPSE VINCENT.

PURPOSE: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the most effective therapeutic options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and it is important to protect residual liver function after treatment as well as the effect. To reduce the liver function deterioration, we evaluated the automatic software to predict the embolization area of TACE in 3 dimensions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Automatic prediction software of embolization area was used in chemoembolization of 7 HCCs. Embolization area of chemoembolization was evaluated within 1 week CT findings after TACE and compared simulated area using automatic prediction software. RESULTS: The maximal diameter of these tumors is in the range 12-42 mm (24.6 ± 9.5 mm). The average time for detecting tumor-feeding branches was 242 s. The total time to detect tumor-feeding branches and simulate the embolization area was 384 s. All cases could detect all tumor-feeding branches of HCC, and the expected embolization area of simulation with automatic prediction software was almost the same as the actual areas, as shown by CT after TACE. CONCLUSION: This new technology has possibilities to reduce the amount of contrast medium used, protect kidney function, decrease radiation exposure, and improve the therapeutic effect of TACE.

True enteroliths linked to non-specific multiple ulcers of the small intestine: report of a case.

This report presents a case of true enteroliths linked to non-specific multiple ulcers of the small intestine (CNSU). A 53-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and vomiting, and was admitted to our hospital under a diagnosis of ileus. He had anemia and hypoalbuminemia. Abdominal computed tomography showed that several radio-opaque bodies were present in the dilated small intestine. Double-balloon enteroscopy revealed an eccentric stricture accompanying a linear open ulcer. Well defined oblique and branching ulcers were continuous with the stricture. At laparotomy, we observed 18 stenoses of the small intestine from 190 cm to 110 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. The stenotic and dilated segments were 1.7 ± 0.4 and 5.4 ± 3.0 (mean ± SD) cm in width, respectively. He underwent a resection of the affected small intestine. The macroscopic observation revealed various types of multiple shallow ulcers that were linear or had a tall, triangular configuration, and their alignment was circular or oblique. The ulcers had fused, thus showing a geographic configuration. The microscopic findings showed the maximum depth of the ulcers to be the submucosal layer. The enteroliths were mainly composed of calcium oxalate. As a result, the patient was diagnosed as having true enteroliths linked to CNSU. True enteroliths are a rare complication of CNSU.

Adenocarcinoma in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen: report of a case.

We report a case of adenocarcinoma in an intrapancreatic accessory spleen (IPAS). A 78-year-old woman presented with abdominal discomfort, and investigations revealed an elevated serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level, to 161.8 U/ml (normal, <37 U/ml). Ultrasonography showed a heterogeneous echogenic tumor with a vascular hilum. Computed tomography showed a heterogeneously enhanced tumor, 8 cm in diameter, adjacent to the pancreatic body, accompanying a feeding artery arising from the splenic artery, and a drainage vein flowing into the splenic vein. We performed a distal pancreaticosplenectomy. The tumor was surrounded by a fibrous capsule and was in contact with the pancreatic body. Histological examinations revealed invasive growth of adenocarcinoma in a structure identical to the spleen. The results of both radiological and histological examinations suggested that the tumor originated from an intrapancreatic accessory spleen. Extensive examinations revealed no other malignancy, based on which we concluded that the adenocarcinoma was primary. Surgical intervention is strongly recommended when a malignancy in an IPAS cannot be ruled out.