Novel treatment with double scope technique for disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome with external pancreatic fistula.

Background and study aims External pancreatic fistula in association with disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome is a common sequelae of the percutaneous step-up approach for infected pancreatic necrosis and is associated with significant morbidity. The present study aimed to report the initial outcome of a novel technique of two-scope guided tractogastrostomy for management of this condition. Patients and methods The present study was a retrospective analysis of data from patients with external pancreatic fistula and disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome, who underwent two-scope-guided tractogastrostomy. All the patients had a 24F or larger drain placed in the left retroperitoneum. Transgastric echo endoscopy and sinus tract endoscopy were performed simultaneously to place a stent between the gastric lumen and the sinus tract. Technical success was defined as placement of the stent between the tract and the stomach. Clinical success was defined as successful removal of the percutaneous drain without the occurrence of pancreatic fluid collection, ascites, external fistula, or another intervention 12 weeks after the procedure. Results Three patients underwent two scope-guided tractogastrostomy. Technical and clinical success were achieved in all the patients. No procedure-related side effects or recurrence occurred in any of the patients. Conclusions Two-scope-guided tractogastrostomy for treatment of external pancreatic fistula due to disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome is a feasible technique and can be further evaluated.

Spectrum of endoscopic gastric subepithelial lesions encountered on EUS-FNA: A single center experience.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a minimally invasive and reliable non-surgical technique for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal lesions. The present study aimed to evaluate the spectrum of lesions encountered in the gastric subepithelium on EUS-FNA at a tertiary care center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Archival data of all patients undergoing EUS-FNA for gastric submucosal lesions over a period of 5 years was retrieved. Patient demographics, clinical presentation, and EUS findings were recorded along with the FNA results. RESULTS: A total of 78 EUS-FNA samples were analyzed. Material was adequate in 62 cases (79.48%) and inadequate in 16 cases (12.82%) patients due to scant cellularity. Of the adequate samples, 34 (43.5%) were reported as neoplastic while 20 (25.64%) were non-neoplastic, and 8 (10.25%) were reported as suspicious of a neoplasm. In the neoplastic category, the predominant diagnosis was of spindle cell neoplasm comprising gastrointestinal stromal tumor (13), benign neural tumor (03), leiomyoma (02), and spindle cell tumors (03). The latter could not be categorized further due to a lack of IHC material. The next common diagnosis was adenocarcinoma (06) followed by neuroendocrine tumor (02) and poorly differentiated carcinoma (01). The non-neoplastic lesions included non-specific pathology (15), inflammatory lesions (08), and one case each of tuberculosis, pancreatic rest, and Brunner gland hamartoma. Cell blocks for ancillary testing were available in 54 cases (65.23%) and follow-up was available in 42 cases (53.84%). CONCLUSION: EUS-FNA is a good modality for the diagnosis of gastric submucosal lesions with a high diagnostic yield.

Delhi Model: A New Tool for Predicting Response to Terlipressin in Hepatorenal Syndrome-Acute Kidney Injury.

Background and objectives: International club of ascites (ICA) has introduced revised criteria for hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury (HRS-AKI) with an aim to improve the response rate to treatment. We lack prospective trials to assess its positive impact on the response rate and factors influencing response rate. Thus, we conducted this study with the primary aim of identifying independent factors that predict treatment response to terlipressin. Methods: We prospectively included patients of HRS-AKI as per the revised ICA criteria. All were treated with terlipressin and albumin according to the defined protocol and were followed for 90 days, death or liver transplantation. Baseline parameters, as well as delta serum creatinine (sCr) at day 4 (DCD4), were investigated as predictive factors influencing response to terlipressin (primary endpoint). Secondary endpoints were the overall response rate to terlipressin, response in various subgroups of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients, need for readmission, and 90 days survival. Results: The study included 114 patients with a median age of 52 years (83% males). 70 (61%) patients responded to terlipressin. Response rate among ACLF1, ACLF2, and ACLF3 were 62%, 48%, and 35%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, baseline creatinine (odds ratio [OR] 7.889, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.335, 18.664), Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) score (OR 1.470, 95% CI 1.026, 2.106), and the DCD4 (OR 0.048, 95% CI 0.015, 0.158) were independently predicting response. We also created a Delhi Model (DM) with an excellent predictive ability for response prediction at day 4 with an AUROC of 0.940 (95% CI 0.897, 0.982). Among responder group, 50% of patients required readmission within three months. The 90-days survival among responder and non-responder groups were 68.5% and 9% (P value < 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: Baseline creatinine, CTP score, and DCD4 independently predict response to terlipressin in HRS-AKI. The DM may guide terlipressin treatment in HRS-AKI but need further validation.

Safety and efficacy of the novel motorized power spiral enteroscopy: A single-center experience.

Objective: Evaluation and management of small bowel disorders have always been challenging due to the limitations of the existing technology. Motorized power spiral enteroscopy (PSE) is an innovative new technique that offers easier, faster, and more complete small bowel evaluation with the ability to perform therapeutics. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PSE in various indications. Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients, who underwent PSE at a tertiary care center. Primary outcome measures were technical success rate, pan-enteroscopy rate, diagnostic and therapeutic yield, and the secondary outcomes measures were the depth of maximal insertion, median insertion time, and adverse events. Results: Fifty-four patients (mean age of 49.38 ± 16.26 years) underwent PSE for small bowel evaluation. Technical success rate was 95.55% (antegrade route) and 93.10% (retrograde route).  Pan-enteroscopy rate is 46.29% and antegrade enteroscopy to the cecum was achieved in eight patients.  Overall diagnostic and therapeutic yields were 85.18% and 30.76%, respectively. The most common findings were ulcero-stricturing lesions (51.92%) followed by vascular lesions (9.61%). The most common histopathologic diagnosis was Crohn's disease in 29.62%. Median depth of maximal insertion was 400 cm (range 150-550 cm; antegrade route) and 180 cm (range 50-350 cm; retrograde route). The median insertion time to depth of maximal insertion was 70 min (range 30-110 min; antegrade route) and 45 min (range 20-70 min; retrograde route).  PSE-associated major adverse events occurred in one patient and minor adverse events were seen in 48.14%. Conclusion: PSE is a safe and effective modality for the evaluation of small bowel disorders with a high diagnostic yield.

Multidisciplinary, minimally invasive approach for oesophageal perforations with delayed presentation.

Background: The present study aims to report the outcomes of a multidisciplinary, minimally invasive approach to treating patients with delayed presentation of oesophageal perforation. Patients and Methods: The present study is a retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained data at a tertiary care centre. All patients with oesophageal perforation presenting over 48 h after the onset of symptoms and without oesophageal obstruction were included in the study. Self-expanding Metallic Stent (SEMS) or endoscopic clip placement was performed in all the patients, followed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) debridement and decortication of pleural cavity collection. 'Success' was defined as, discharge without the need of oesophageal diversion and complete healing of leak site at 8 weeks with successful removal of the stent. Results: Between March 2012 and December 2019, 12 patients (10 males, median age of 55 years- range of 39-71 years) with oesophageal perforation and delayed presentation underwent treatment with this approach. Ten patients had spontaneous perforation (83.3%) and one patient each had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy-induced and post-traumatic perforation. The median duration of symptoms was 8 days (range 3-31 days). SEMS was placed in ten patients and, in two patients, an over-the-scope clip was used. VATS decortication was done in ten patients (83.3%) and the remaining two (16.7%) underwent VATS debridement. One patient required oesophageal diversion and another patient expired due to sepsis. The overall success with this approach was 83.3%. Conclusion: This multidisciplinary, minimally invasive approach is feasible in patients with thoracic oesophageal perforation and delayed presentation, with a high success rate.

Is Fatty Liver Associated with Increased Mortality and Morbidity in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pneumonia?

Background: Fatty liver has been shown to be associated with severe COVID-19 disease without any impact on mortality. This is based on heterogenous criteria for defining both fatty liver as well as the severity parameters. This study aimed to study the impact of fatty liver on the mortality and severity of disease in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Methods: In a case control study design, patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (COVID-19 computed tomography severity index [CTSI] on high-resolution computed tomography chest of ≥1) with fatty liver (defined as liver to spleen attenuation index ≤5 on noncontrast computed tomography cuts of upper abdomen) were compared with those without fatty liver. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome measures were CTSI score, need for intensive care unit (ICU) care, need for ventilatory support, duration of ICU stay, and duration of hospital stay. Results: Of 446 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, 289 (64.7%)admitted to Max Hospital, Saket, India, between January 1, 2021, and October 30, 2021, had fatty liver. Fifty-nine of 446 patients died during the index admission. In-hospital mortality was not different between patients with fatty liver (38 [13.24%]) or without fatty liver (21 [13.81%]). COVID-19 CTSI score was found to be significantly higher among patients who had fatty liver (13.40 [5.16] vs 11.81 [5.50]; P = 0.003). There was no difference in the requirement of ICU (94 [32%] vs 62 [39.49%]; P = 0.752), requirement of ventilatory support (27 [9.34%] vs 14 [8.91%]; P = 0.385), duration of ICU stay (8.29 [6.87] vs 7.07 [5.71] days; P = 0.208), and duration of hospital stay (10.10 [7.14] vs 10.69 [8.13] days; P = 0.430) between the groups with fatty liver or no fatty liver. Similarly, no difference was found in primary or secondary outcomes measure between the group with severe fatty liver vs mild/moderate or no fatty liver. High total leucocyte count and Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index were independently associated with mortality. Conclusions: Fatty liver may not be associated with increased mortality or clinical morbidity in patients who have COVID-19 pneumonia.

Multifocal colorectal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a patient with ulcerative colitis: A case report.

A case of multifocal non-Hodgkin's (Diffuse large B cell type) lymphoma of colon in a patient with ulcerative colitis is described. The patient was a 69-year old male treated with azathioprine and methotrexate for ulcerative colitis for 2 years. He was admitted with loose stools and hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed two deep ulcers in ascending colon and a large ulcer in rectum. Biopsy from both the sites revealed atypical large lymphoid cells, which were CD20 positive. A whole body PET-CT scan showed disease localized to colon with bone marrow examination showing no evidence of lymphoma. The patient was given chemotherapy cycles and recovered well.

Midodrine and albumin versus albumin alone for the secondary prophylaxis of acute kidney injury in a patient with cirrhosis and ascites.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) in a patient with cirrhosis has high short-term mortality. Midodrine has shown promising results in the treatment of AKI-hepatorenal syndrome (HRS-AKI). AIMS: To compare midodrine and albumin versus albumin alone for the secondary prophylaxis of HRS-AKI. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Open labeled, nonrandomized, pilot study. Patients with a diagnosis of HRS-AKI were recruited after complete recovery. Patients were given midodrine daily (15 mg) and injection albumin infusion 20 g weekly in group-A (Gp-A) and injection albumin 20 g weekly with no midodrine in group-B (Gp-B). The primary endpoint was the recurrence of AKI-HRS, and the secondary endpoint was ascites tap in 2-month period. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients were enrolled in Gp-A, n = 22, and Gp-B, n = 20. There was no significant difference between the groups (Gp-A vs. Gp-B) in terms of age, model stage liver disease, Child-Turcotte-Pugh score and serum creatinine at inclusion (1.27 ± 0.1 vs. 1.22 ± 0.2 mg/dL). During follow up ten patients (50%) in Gp-B and four patients (18%) in Gp-A develop HRS-AKI (P = 0.04). The mean number of ascites tap was significantly higher in Gp-B compared to Gp-A (2.6 ± 0.5 vs. 1.9 ± 0.5) in 2 months. There was a significant increase in mean arterial pressure in Gp-A compared to Gp-B on days 7, 15, 30, 45 and 60. There was a significant difference in mean arterial pressure at day 7 in patients who developed HRS-AKI versus those who did not develop HRS-AKI [(n = 14, 65.5 ± 5.5) vs. (n = 28,74.6 ± 9.2 mm Hg), P = 0.02]. CONCLUSIONS: Midodrine along with albumin infusion, is helpful in the secondary prophylaxis of HRS-AKI and reduces the number of ascites tap. However, a large randomized study is required for further validation.

Effect of COVID-19 on Pre-existing Liver disease: What Hepatologist Should Know?

COVID-19 is characterized by predominant respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. Liver enzymes derangement is seen in 15-55% of the patients. Advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, malignancy, and cardiovascular disease predispose them to severe disease and the need for hospitalization. Data on pre-existing liver disease in patients with COVID-19 is limited, and most studies had only 3-8% of these patients. Patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver (MAFLD) had shown a 4-6 fold increase in severity of COVID-19, and its severity and mortality increased in patients with higher fibrosis scores. Patients with chronic liver disease had shown that cirrhosis is an independent predictor of severity of COVID-19 with increased hospitalization and mortality. Increase in Child Turcotte Pugh (CTP) score and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score increases the mortality in these patients. Few case reports had shown SARS-CoV-2 as an acute event in the decompensation of underlying chronic liver disease. Immunosuppression should be reduced prophylactically in patients with autoimmune liver disease and post-transplantation with no COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir is found to be safe in limited studies in a patient with cirrhosis and COVID-19. For hepatologists, cirrhosis with COVID-19 is a pertinent issue as the present pandemic will have severe disease in patients with chronic liver disease leading to more hospitalization and decompensation.

Nutritional assessment and factors affecting dietary intake in patients with cirrhosis: A single-center observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. We investigated prevalence of malnutrition and factors affecting dietary intake in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: Single-center cross-sectional observational study. A total of 251 patients with cirrhosis underwent dietary and nutritional assessment by subjective global assessment (SGA) and anthropometric measurement (dry body mass index, midarm circumference, midarm muscle circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, handgrip strength). Dietary intake was assessed in terms of total calories and protein intake, percentage of recommended intake, and per kilogram body weight per day. Factors influencing dietary intake were also assessed. RESULTS: Of 251 patients 199 (79%) were male and 52 (21%) were female (mean age, 51 ± 14 y, Child's A:B:C: 83:116:52). In SGA analysis 87 (35%) were well nourished (SGA-A), 106 (42%) were moderately nourished (SGA-B), and 58 (23%) were severely malnourished (SGA-C). Patients with Child's C score were severely malnourished compared with patients with Child's B and A scores. Midarm circumference, midarm muscle circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, and handgrip strength were significantly higher in SGA-A than SGA-B and SGA-C. Patients in SGA-A (1939 ± 479 kcal/d) consumed significantly higher calories than SGA-B (1494 ± 216 kcal/d) and SGA-C (1321 ± 213 kcal/d). Percentage of recommended calories intake (SGA-A [76%], SGA-B [61%], SGA-C [59%], P = 0.001) and calories/kg/d is also higher in SGA-A than SGA-B and SGA-C. The results with protein intake were similar (SGA-A [61 ± 14 gm/d], SGA-B [56 ± 7 gm/d], SGA-C [51 ± 9 gm/d], P = 0.001). Protein intake in g/kg/d is significantly lower in SGA-C (0.76 ± 0.22) than SGA-B (0.85 ± 0.2) and SGA-A (0.93 ± 0.2). A total of 61% patients were vegetarian, and 84% did not take evening snacks. Poor appetite (n = 68, 27%), early satiety (n = 75, 30%), abdominal fullness (n = 62, 25%), low-salt diet (n = 52, 21%), and social myth about diet 43(17%) were the common reasons for poor intake. Distension of abdomen, social myth about diet, and low sodium in diet were key factors affecting dietary intake in patients with cirrhosis and malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition seen in 65% of patients. Total calories and protein intake was significantly low compared with recommendation even in well-nourished patients. Distension of abdomen, social myth about diet, and low sodium in diet were key factors affecting dietary intake in patients with cirrhosis and malnutrition.

Performance of Non-invasive Blood Parameters for Ruling Out Significant Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B.

Background and Aims: Evaluation of significant liver fibrosis is important for treatment decision and treatment response evaluation in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Since liver biopsy is invasive and transient elastography (TE) has limited availability, various non-invasive blood parameters need evaluation for their capabilities for detection of significant fibrosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, records of patients who had undergone liver biopsy for treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B were evaluated to obtain various non-invasive blood parameters (aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index [referred to as APRI], Fibrosis-4 score [referred to as FIB-4], gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio [referred to as GPR], and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-albumin ratio [referred to as GAR]), in addition to TE, to assess significant liver fibrosis and compare these to fibrosis stage in liver biopsy. Results: A total of 113 patients were included in the study (median age 33 [interquartile range: 11-82 years], 74% males). Most (75%) patients were HBeAg-negative. The liver biopsy revealed significant fibrosis (Ishak ≥3) in 13% of the patients and nil or mild fibrosis (Ishak <3) in 87% of the patients. TE findings were available for 85 patients, APRI and FIB-4 for 95 patients, GPR for 79 patients, and GAR for 78 patients. The median values of all the parameters were significantly higher in patients with significant fibrosis, as compared to patients with non-significant fibrosis, and all the blood parameters as well as TE were able to identify patients with significant fibrosis significantly well (p<0.05). All non-invasive parameters had low positive predictive value but negative predictive value above 92%. Compared to TE, all the non-invasive blood parameters had similar area under the curve for detecting significant fibrosis, with excellent negative predictive value (≥93%). Conclusions: Non-invasive blood parameters (APRI, FIB-4, GPR, and GAR) with negative predictive values above 93% are excellent parameters for ruling-out significant fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B. These can be used at bedside in place of TE.

Gastrointestinal and hepatic manifestations of Corona Virus Disease-19 and their relationship to severe clinical course: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many case series on Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) have reported gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatic manifestations in a proportion of cases; however, the data is conflicting. The relationship of GI and hepatic involvement with severe clinical course of COVID-19 has also not been explored. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives were to determine the frequency of GI and hepatic manifestations of COVID-19 and to explore their relationship with severe clinical course. METHODS: We searched PubMed for studies published between January 1, 2020, and March 25, 2020, with data on GI and hepatic manifestations in adult patients with COVID-19. These data were compared between patients with severe and good clinical course using the random-effects model and odds ratio (OR) as the effect size. If the heterogeneity among studies was high, sensitivity analysis was performed for each outcome. RESULTS: We included 62 studies (8301 patients) in the systematic review and 26 studies (4676 patients) in the meta-analysis. Diarrhea was the most common GI symptom (9%), followed by nausea/vomiting (5%) and abdominal pain (4%). Transaminases were abnormal in approximately 25%, bilirubin in 9%, prothrombin time (PT) in 7%, and low albumin in 60%. Up to 20% patients developed severe clinical course, and GI and hepatic factors associated with severe clinical course were as follows: diarrhea (OR 2), high aspartate aminotransferase (OR 1.4), high alanine aminotransferase (OR 1.6), high bilirubin (OR 2.4), low albumin (OR 3.4), and high PT (OR 3). CONCLUSIONS: GI and hepatic involvement should be sought in patients with COVID-19 since it portends severe clinical course. The pathogenesis of GI and hepatic involvement needs to be explored in future studies.

Clinical Features of COVID-19 and Factors Associated with Severe Clinical Course: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: COVID-19 is a new disease which has become a global pandemic, and is caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The disease is still not very well characterized, and factors associated with severe clinical course are not well known. Methods: The main objectives were to determine the demographic, clinical and laboratory manifestations of COVID-19 and to identify the factors associated with severe clinical course. We searched the PubMed for studies published between Jan 1, 2020 and Mar 17, 2020, and included them if they were in English language, published in full, were retrospective or prospective observational or case control study with data on clinical, laboratory and imaging features of adult patients with COVID-19 disease from single or multiple centers. Studies that included exclusively pediatric patients were excluded. The demographic, clinical and laboratory data was displayed as n (%) or mean (SD). The meta-analysis on factors associated with severe clinical course was performed using the random effects model, and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as the effect sizes. Findings: We included 58 studies (6892 patients) for the systematic review on clinical manifestations and 21 studies (3496 patients) for meta-analysis on factors associated with severe clinical course. The mean age of patients with COVID-19 is 49.7±16.3 years with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Common symptoms and their frequency are: fever (83.4%), cough (60.5%), fatigue (33.8%), sputum (28.9%), dyspnea (22.1%), myalgia (20.6%), chest tightness / pain (16.3%), sore throat (13.5%), headache (11.2%), diarhhea (7.5%), nasal congestion / rhinorrhea (6.7%), nausea / vomiting (5.6%), pain abdomen (4.6%), and hemoptysis (1.7%). The comorbidities associated with COVID-19 are: hypertension (18.4%), diabetes mellitus (9.8%), cardiovascular diseases (8.8%), endocrine diseases (5.8%), gastrointestinal diseases (5%), CLD (3%), and COPD (2.8%). Among the laboratory parameters WBC was low in 27%, high in 9%, platelets were low in 22.9%, creatinine was high in 6.5%, AST was high in 25.3%, ALT was high in 22.7%, bilirubin was high in 8.8%, albumin was low 60.1%, CT chest was abnormal in 89%, CRP was high in 67.5%, LDH was high in 52%, D-dimer was high in 34.8%, CK was high in 14.4%, and procalcitonin was high in 15.4%. Factors significantly associated severe clinical course (with their ORs) are as follows: High CRP (5.78), high procalcitonin (5.45), age >60 (4.82), dyspnea (4.66), high LDH (4.59), COPD (4.37), low albumin (4.34), high D-dimer (4.03), cardiac disease (3.88), low lymphocyte count (3.22), any associated comorbidity (3.16), diabetes mellitus (3.11), high WBC count (2.67), high bilirubin level (2.55), high creatinine (2.34), high AST (2.31), hypertension (2.30), low platelets (1.78), High ALT (1.69), high CK (1.66), fever spikes ≥39°C (1.59), diarrhea (1.55), male gender (1.47), and sputum (1.35). Interpretation: Identification of these factors associated with severe COVID-19 will help the physicians working at all levels of healthcare (primary, secondary, tertiary and ICU) in determining which patients need home care, hospital care, HDU care, and ICU admission; and thus, prioritize the scarce healthcare resource use more judiciously. Many of these identified factors can also help the public at large in the current COVID-19 epidemic setting, to judge when they should seek immediate medical care.

Is diabetes mellitus associated with mortality and severity of COVID-19? A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many studies on COVID-19 have reported diabetes to be associated with severe disease and mortality, however, the data is conflicting. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to explore the relationship between diabetes and COVID-19 mortality and severity, and to determine the prevalence of diabetes in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We searched the PubMed for case-control studies in English, published between Jan 1 and Apr 22, 2020, that had data on diabetes in patients with COVID-19. The frequency of diabetes was compared between patients with and without the composite endpoint of mortality or severity. Random effects model was used with odds ratio as the effect size. We also determined the pooled prevalence of diabetes in patients with COVID-19. Heterogeneity and publication bias were taken care by meta-regression, sub-group analyses, and trim and fill methods. RESULTS: We included 33 studies (16,003 patients) and found diabetes to be significantly associated with mortality of COVID-19 with a pooled odds ratio of 1.90 (95% CI: 1.37-2.64; p < 0.01). Diabetes was also associated with severe COVID-19 with a pooled odds ratio of 2.75 (95% CI: 2.09-3.62; p < 0.01). The combined corrected pooled odds ratio of mortality or severity was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.74-2.68; p < 0.01). The pooled prevalence of diabetes in patients with COVID-19 was 9.8% (95% CI: 8.7%-10.9%) (after adjusting for heterogeneity). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes in patients with COVID-19 is associated with a two-fold increase in mortality as well as severity of COVID-19, as compared to non-diabetics. Further studies on the pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic implications need to be done.

Role of EUS-FNA for gallbladder mass lesions with biliary obstruction: a large single-center experience.

Background and study aims Although endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is an established modality for pathological sampling of pancreatic and biliary lesions, limited data are available on the diagnostic value of EUS-FNA for evaluation of gallbladder mass lesions, a common cause of obstructive jaundice. We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of EUS-FNA for diagnosis of gallbladder mass lesions presenting with biliary obstruction. Patients and methods This study was a retrospective analysis of data from patients who had undergone EUS-FNA for gallbladder mass lesions. FNA was performed on either a gallbladder mass, metastatic node or liver lesions. Outcome measures were diagnostic yield of EUS FNA and adverse events. Results From April 2011 to August 2018, 101 patients with gallbladder mass lesions with biliary obstruction underwent EUS-FNA. The final diagnosis was malignancy in 98, benign disease in one, and two patients were lost to follow-up. EUS-FNA confirmed the diagnosis in 89 of 98 patients with malignancy (sensitivity 90.81 %); was false negative in nine of 98 cases with malignancy; and was truly negative in the solitary patient with benign disease (specificity 100 %). Positive predictive value, negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were 100 %, 10 %, and 90.90 %, respectively. Two patients had self-limiting pain. Conclusion EUS-FNA is a sensitive tool for evaluation of gallbladder mass lesions presenting with obstructive jaundice. However, because of low NPV, lesions in which FNA is negative should be further evaluated.