The utility of faecal calprotectin to predict post-operative recurrence in Crohns disease.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic recurrence in Crohns disease occurs in up to 80% of patients during the first year after surgery. Due to this, these patients need close monitoring. Faecal calprotectin has been proposed to be used as a non-invasive marker to monitor inflammatory activity. Up to now the use of faecal markers in endoscopic recurrence has been scarcely studied and with contradictory results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study of diagnostic validity. It included all patients with Crohns disease (CD) and ileocolic resection retrospectively who had had an ileocolonoscopy and a determination of faecal calprotectin before this colonoscopy, from 2007 to 2015. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients were included. We observed that the mean value of faecal calprotectin increased as the Rutgeerts score increased. The variable of that most statistical significance obtained in bivariate analysis was faecal calprotectin (p < 0.0001). Area under curve (AUC) of faecal calprotectin in endoscopic recurrence was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.644-0.842), and an optimal cut-off of 60 mcrgr/gr, obtained a score of 0.45 using Youden test. This indicated that calprotectin would have 88% Sensitivity and 58% Specificity in detecting any recurrence, the NPV was approximately 83,9%. None of the other variables studied had a significant correlation. CONCLUSION: Faecal calprotectin predicts endoscopic recurrence in CD patients who have gone through surgery, however the cut-off point is still a problem so we cannot recommend calprotectin as a substitute of colonoscopy for CD monitoring and treatment adjustment.

Diffuse intestinal ganglioneuromatosis an uncommon manifestation of Cowden syndrome.

Diffuse intestinal ganglioneuromatosis is a hamartomatous polyposis characterized by a disseminated, intramural or transmural proliferation of neural elements involving the enteric plexuses. It has been associated with MEN II, neurofibromatosis type 1 and hamartomatous polyposis associated with phosphatase and tensin homolog mutation. We report the case of a female patient with a history of a breast and endometrial tumor who presented in a colonoscopy performed for rectal bleeding diffuse ganglioneuromatosis, which oriented the search for other characteristic findings of Cowden syndrome given the personal history of the patient. The presence of an esophagogastric polyposis was also noted. Cowden syndrome is characterized by skin lesions, but it is rarely diagnosed by these lesions, because they are usually overlooked. Intestinal polyposis is not a major diagnostic criterion but it is very useful for early diagnosis. The combination of colonic polyposis and glucogenic acanthosis should orient the diagnosis to Cowden syndrome.

[Comparison between insufflation with air or carbon dioxide during the colonoscopy in sedated patients with propofol]. / Comparación entre la insuflación con aire ambiente o con dióxido de carbono durante la colonoscopia en pacientes sedados con propofol.

OBJECTIVES: compare the intensity of pain experienced after colonoscopy with air or with CO2 and evaluate the safety of CO2 in colonoscopies performed with moderate/deep sedation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: individuals undergoing ambulatory colonoscopy without exclusion criteria (severe respiratory disease, morbid obesity) were randomized in air or CO2 group. We recorded different variables prior to, during and upon completion of the colonoscopy, performing monitoring using pulse oximetry and capnography. Each patient rated, using a visual numeric scale, the intensity of post-colonoscopy pain at different moments. RESULTS: 141 individuals in the air group (sex M/F 63/78, age 24-83) and the CO2 group (sex M/F 59/70, age 24-82). No significant differences existed in the recorded variables in both groups except for the greater number of explorations performed by an endoscopist in training (TE) in the air group compared to those by a more experienced endoscopist (SE). CO2 in expired air, episodes of oxygen desaturation and of apnoea and dose of propofol, of midazolam were similar in both groups. No episodes of hypercapnea or any complication requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation measures were recorded. The pain in the air group was significantly higher at 15 minutes and at 1, 3 and 6 hours after the endoscopy, equalising at 24 hours. After multivariant adjustment for type of doctor (TE vs. SE) the differences observed in pain intensity for each group were maintained. CONCLUSIONS: a) the use of CO2 in colonoscopy causes significantly less pain in the first 6 hours after the procedure; b) its use in patients with moderate/deep sedation is safe; and c) performance of the endoscopic technique is not modified, nor are times reduced.

Comparación entre la insuflación con aire ambiente o con dióxido de carbono durante la colonoscopia en pacientes sedados con propofol / Comparison between insufflation with air or carbon dioxide during the colonoscopy in sedated patients with propofol

Objetivos: comparar la intensidad del dolor experimentado tras una colonoscopia con aire ambiente o con dióxido de carbono (CO2) y evaluar la seguridad del CO2 en pacientes con sedación moderada o profunda. Materiales y métodos: individuos sometidos a una colonoscopia ambulatoria, sin enfermedad respiratoria severa ni obesidad mórbida, randomizados a grupo "aire" o "CO2". Se recogieron diferentes variables antes, durante y tras la colonoscopia. Todos los pacientes fueron monitorizados mediante capnografía y pulsioximetría. Posteriormente cada paciente puntuó mediante una escala visual numérica la intensidad del dolor experimentado en diferentes momentos tras la colonoscopia. Resultados: 141 pacientes incluidos en grupo "aire" (hombres/ mujeres 63/78, rango edad 24-83) y 129 en "CO2" (hombres/mujeres 59/70, rango edad 24-82). No existieron diferencias significativas entre ambos grupos a excepción del mayor número de exploraciones realizadas por un endoscopista en formación en el grupo "aire" en comparación con las realizadas por endoscopistas experimentados. El CO2 en aire espirado, los episodios de desaturación de oxígeno y las dosis de propofol o midazolam empleadas fueron similares en ambos grupos. No existieron episodios de hipercapnia severos ni complicaciones clínicamente relevantes. El dolor experimentado en el grupo "aire" fue significativamente mayor a los 15 minutos, 1, 3 y 6 horas tras la colonoscopia, igualándose a las 24 horas. Tras la realización de un análisis multivariante según el tipo de endoscopista (experimentado o en formación) las diferencias observadas en la intensidad del dolor en cada grupo se mantuvieron. Conclusiones: a) el uso de CO2 en la colonoscopia causa significativamente menos dolor en las siguientes 6 horas; b) su uso en pacientes con sedación moderada o profunda es seguro; y c) la realización de la técnica no se ve modificada ni sus tiempos reducidos(AU)

Objectives: compare the intensity of pain experienced after colonoscopy with air or with CO2 and evaluate the safety of CO2 in colonoscopies performed with moderate/deep sedation. Materials and methods: individuals undergoing ambulatory colonoscopy without exclusion criteria (severe respiratory disease, morbid obesity) were randomized in air or CO2 group. We recorded different variables prior to, during and upon completion of the colonoscopy, performing monitoring using pulse oximetry and capnography. Each patient rated, using a visual numeric scale, the intensity of post-colonoscopy pain at different moments. Results: 141 individuals in the air group (sex M/F 63/78, age 24-83) and 129 in the CO2 group (sex M/F 59/70, age 24-82). No significant differences existed in the recorded variables in both groups except for the greater number of explorations performed by an endoscopist in training (TE) in the air group compared to those by a more experienced endoscopist (SE). CO2 in expired air, episodes of oxygen desaturation and of apnoea and dose of propofol, of midazolam were similar in both groups. No episodes of hypercapnea or any complication requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation measures were recorded. The pain in the air group was significantly higher at 15 minutes and at 1, 3 and 6 hours after the endoscopy, equalising at 24 hours. After multivariant adjustment for type of doctor (TE vs. SE) the differences observed in pain intensity for each group were maintained. Conclusions: a) the use of CO2 in colonoscopy causes significantly less pain in the first 6 hours after the procedure; b) its use in patients with moderate/deep sedation is safe; and c) performance of the endoscopic technique is not modified, nor are times reduced(AU)