Tele-visits for GERD: "Ecofriendly, efficient and effective".

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Sars-CoV-19 pandemic necessitated a transition to telemedicine for many healthcare encounters. The environmental impact of this transition in gastroenterology (GI) combined with user experience has not been studied. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent telemedicine visits (telephone and video) at a GI clinic at West Virginia University. Distance of patients' residence from clinic × 2 was calculated, and Environmental Protection Agency calculators utilized to calculate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that were avoided from tele-visits. Patients were reached by telephone and were asked questions to fill in a validated Telehealth Usability Questionnaire with Likert scales (1-7). Variables were also collected via chart review. RESULTS: A total of 81 video and 89 telephone visits were conducted for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) between March 2020 and March 2021. A total of 111 patients were enrolled, with a response rate of 65.29%. Mean age was lower in the video visit cohort compared with the telephone visit cohort (43.45 ± 14.32 years vs 52.34 ± 17.46 years). Most patients had medications prescribed during the visit (79.3%), and a majority had laboratory testing orders placed (57.7%). We calculated a total distance of 8732 miles that the patients would have traveled if they were to present for in-person visits (including return trips). A total of 393.3 gallons of gasoline would have been required to transport these patients to and from the healthcare facility to their residence. A total of 3.5 metric tons of GHG's were saved by avoiding 393.3 gallons of gasoline for travel. In relatable terms, this is equivalent to burning more than 3500 pounds of coal. This averages to 31.5-kg GHG emissions and 3.54 gallons of gasoline saved per patient. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine for GERD resulted in significant environmental savings and was rated highly for access, satisfaction, and usability by patients. Telemedicine for GERD can be an excellent alternative to in-person visits.

Climate Change and Gastroenterology: Planetary Primum Non Nocere and How Industry Must Help.

Climate change is a global emergency. Increasing awareness has led to policy changes regarding global industry emissions. The healthcare industry carbon footprint is large and growing more and more. Gastroenterology, with its heavy reliance on industry, is a major contributor toward this growth. For a significant change toward reducing the field's carbon footprint, it would involve serious industry commitment. At present, there are no clear guidelines or regulations on controlling healthcare-related industry emissions and improving sustainability. This narrative review aims to provide practical suggestions at each step of the supply chain can lead to greater sustainability.

Management of cutaneous side effects of inflammatory bowel disease therapy: A dermatologic viewpoint.

Medications used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease cause a wide range of dermatologic side effects, and minimal guidance exists on how to manage them. The intention of this review article is to summarize common dermatologic adverse reactions related to inflammatory bowel disease therapy and to provide evidence-based guidance on management. We conducted a scoping review using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies reporting clinical information on dermatologic side effects of medications used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The most commonly reported dermatological adverse effects from inflammatory bowel disease therapy were cutaneous malignancy and cutaneous infections. Thiopurines, methotrexate, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, interleukin (IL)-12/23 inhibitors, and integrin inhibitors can be continued if nonmelanoma skin cancer arises during therapy and the malignancy should be surgically excised. TNF inhibitors and IL-12/23 inhibitors can be continued in the setting of stage I surgically resectable melanoma but should be discontinued in advanced melanoma. For complicated cutaneous bacterial infections, methotrexate and TNF inhibitors should be halted, and IV antibiotics should be administered. Complicated herpes zoster infection warrants discontinuation of TNF inhibitors, whereas IL-12/23 and JAK inhibitors can be continued. Inflammatory bowel disease therapies are associated with several dermatological adverse effects, and management options vary by agent. Certain agents may require discontinuation in the setting of nonmelanoma skin cancer, melanoma, and cutaneous infections. Many other dermatological adverse effects from inflammatory bowel disease therapy require specialized management or referral to dermatology.

Social Media Use for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Rural Appalachian Population.

Background: Social media use is prevalent in our society and has become widely used in the health care community. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients constitute one of the patient populations that benefit from social media use to obtain information on their diseases. West Virginia (WV) is a rural Appalachian state with barriers to internet access and health care and we examined the role that social media plays in patients' lives in this state, which could be reflective of other rural states. Methods: Our patient population consisted of patients, 18-65 years old, who live in WV with a diagnosis of IBD. A 17-question survey was sent to 2,131 patients over a course of 4 weeks through an application called REDCap. Results: We received 624 responses with a 29% response rate. Approximately 30% of patients reported that they used Facebook for IBD-related information, while 4.3% used Instagram. While most (92%) patients preferred information coming from their physician, the majority judged information from the internet to be reliable (39.3%) or neutral (44.9%). Most patients believed that social media had no impact on their disease management (67%), while 30.3% believed it had a positive impact. Almost 45% of patients stated that they wished their physician had a social media account for IBD. Conclusions: Our study shows that patients are interested in obtaining health-related information from social media resources. As physicians, it is our job to point them in the right direction to be able to find reliable information.

Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in patients taking tumor necrosis factor inhibitors or methotrexate: A multicenter research network study.

BACKGROUND: Data on the impact of biologics and immunomodulators on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related outcomes remain scarce. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether patients taking tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis) or methotrexate are at increased risk of COVID-19-related outcomes. METHODS: In this large comparative cohort study, real-time searches and analyses were performed on adult patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and were treated with TNFis or methotrexate compared with those who were not treated. The likelihood of hospitalization and mortality were compared between groups with and without propensity score matching for confounding factors. RESULTS: More than 53 million (53,511,836) unique patient records were analyzed, of which 32,076 (0.06%) had a COVID-19-related diagnosis documented starting after January 20, 2020. Two hundred fourteen patients with COVID-19 were identified with recent TNFi or methotrexate exposure compared with 31,862 patients with COVID-19 without TNFi or methotrexate exposure. After propensity matching, the likelihood of hospitalization and mortality were not significantly different between the treatment and nontreatment groups (risk ratio = 0.91 [95% confidence interval, 0.68-1.22], P = .5260 and risk ratio = 0.87 [95% confidence interval, 0.42-1.78], P = .6958, respectively). LIMITATIONS: All TNFis may not behave similarly. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that patients with recent TNFi or methotrexate exposure do not have increased hospitalization or mortality compared with patients with COVID-19 without recent TNFi or methotrexate exposure.

Association between psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and gastrointestinal disease : An exploratory nationwide inpatient sample analysis.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is associated with cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic syndrome, and psychiatric disease. Furthermore, psoriasis is associated with immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with IBD and the association of the combination of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis with IBD and other gastrointestinal illnesses. METHODS: Discharge data from the 2000-2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), which approximates a 20% stratified sample of all US hospitalizations, were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis with IBD and 23 gastrointestinal illnesses adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Psoriasis was associated with IBD (Crohn's disease adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) [2.0-2.3], p < 0.001). When adjusting for sociodemographics and IBD, psoriasis was associated with 21 of 23 gastrointestinal diseases examined, most notably celiac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Psoriatic arthritis was also associated with IBD (Crohn's disease, aOR = 1.95, 95% CI [1.7-2.2], and ulcerative colitis, aOR = 2.66, 95% CI [2.4-2.9]). CONCLUSION: Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis inpatients have an associated increase in IBD and numerous other gastrointestinal illnesses.

The effect of a low-nickel diet and nickel sensitization on gastroesophageal reflux disease: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common medical condition, frequently refractory to medical therapy. Nickel is a leading cause of allergic contact dermatitis. Although nickel is widely found in foods, the effect of nickel on GERD is unknown. This pilot study sought to evaluate the effect of a low-nickel diet on GERD and determine if epicutaneous patch testing to nickel could predict responsiveness to a low-nickel diet. METHODS: This prospective, single-site pilot study recruited 20 refractory GERD patients as determined by GERD Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) scores. All patients had epicutaneous patch testing for nickel and were then instructed to follow a low-nickel diet for 8 weeks regardless of patch test results. GERD-HRQL was recorded at baseline and following 8 weeks of a low-nickel diet. Demographic and clinical data associated with GERD and nickel allergy were recorded. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test and nonparametric analysis of longitudinal data were run to determine statistical significance in pre- and post- GERD-HRQL scores in nickel patch test-positive and negative groups. RESULTS: Nearly all (19/20 [95%]) participants reported reduced GERD symptoms after 8 weeks on a low-nickel diet. Mean total GERD-HRQL, regurgitation, and heartburn scores declined (27.05 ± 16.04, 11.45 ± 6.46, 10.85 ± 8.29). Participants with positive vs. negative patch testing to nickel responded equivalently to a low-nickel diet. CONCLUSIONS: A low-nickel diet improves GERD symptoms, but responsiveness to a low-nickel diet does not correlate with epicutaneous patch testing to nickel. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03720756.

"Get Me Off This Medication!": A Comparison Between Gastroenterology and Primary Care Regarding Patient's Perceptions of Proton Pump Inhibitor Therapy.

Background Not much is known about patient perceptions regarding proton pump inhibitor (PPI) de-escalation. We sought to determine the knowledge of adverse effects (AEs) and willingness to de-escalate therapy among patients presenting to primary care and subspecialty clinics. Methods We conducted an anonymous survey of patients presenting to family medicine, internal medicine, and gastroenterology clinics who use PPIs. Survey topics included awareness of and concern for AEs of PPIs, and willingness to de-escalate PPI therapy. Results The sample comprised 206 participants presenting to the gastroenterology (29.8%), internal medicine (32.2%), and family medicine clinics (38%). Of the participants, 16% were "extremely concerned" about AEs and 28.2% reported attempting to stop PPIs by themselves in the past. Many patients (54.9%) reported that providers had not discussed AEs before initiation. Patients visiting digestive disease clinics were no more likely to report discussions on AEs and de-escalation or discontinuation attempts compared to primary care patients (p-values > 0.05). On logistic regression analysis, concern for AEs and counseling regarding PPI discontinuation were found to be significantly associated with attempts to discontinue PPI. Conclusions Although many patients on PPIs are concerned about AEs, a low number of patients reported provider-initiated discussions on AEs of PPI at initiation.

Ileostomy adenocarcinoma in Crohn's disease.

PURPOSE: Adenocarcinoma of an ileostomy is rare with less than 50 reported cases in the literature. Ileostomy adenocarcinoma in Crohn's disease is even more rare, with only 4 reported cases. We present a case of ileostomy adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis occurring 51 years after proctocolectomy and Brooke ileostomy in a female with Crohn's disease. This case represents the longest documented interval between Brooke ileostomy and ileostomy adenocarcinoma diagnosis and summarizes clinical signs that warrant biopsy of a peristomal plaque to differentiate adenocarcinoma from clinical mimics such as pyoderma gangrenosum (PG). METHODS: Clinical, histological, and surgical patient data were reviewed. A literature review of adenocarcinoma arising from ileostomy sites was performed. RESULTS: We report a case of a 67-year-old woman that presented with a peristomal skin lesion developing over 10 years. After multidisciplinary discussion between gastroenterology, colorectal surgery, and dermatology, ileoscopy revealed moderately differentiated, invasive adenocarcinoma arising from the ileostomy site. Wide surgical excision and en bloc resection of the peristomal lesions were performed, and the final pathology revealed lymph node metastasis. The patient is currently undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should maintain a high level of suspicion when ileostomy patients develop a peristomal lesion.

A Rare Case of Sunitinib-Induced Exfoliative Esophagitis.

Sunitinib is a chemotherapeutic agent that has been approved for renal cell carcinoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumors resistant to imatinib. It is usually well tolerated and severe gastrointestinal side effects are rare. There are very few reports of sunitinib causing severe esophagitis, and only one of them was previously reported as exfoliative esophagitis. We describe a case of severe sunitinib-induced exfoliative esophagitis that resulted in overt gastrointestinal bleed.

Chronic and selective inhibition of basolateral membrane Na-K-ATPase uniquely regulates brush border membrane Na absorption in intestinal epithelial cells.

Na-K-ATPase, an integral membrane protein in mammalian cells, is responsible for maintaining the favorable intracellular Na gradient necessary to promote Na-coupled solute cotransport processes [e.g., Na-glucose cotransport (SGLT1)]. Inhibition of brush border membrane (BBM) SGLT1 is, at least in part, due to the diminished Na-K-ATPase in villus cells from chronically inflamed rabbit intestine. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of Na-K-ATPase inhibition on the two major BBM Na absorptive pathways, specifically Na-glucose cotransport and Na/H exchange (NHE), in intestinal epithelial (IEC-18) cells. Na-K-ATPase was inhibited using 1 mM ouabain or siRNA for Na-K-ATPase-α1 in IEC-18 cells. SGLT1 activity was determined as 3-O-methyl-D-[(3)H]glucose uptake. Na-K-ATPase activity was measured as the amount of inorganic phosphate released. Treatment with ouabain resulted in SGLT1 inhibition at 1 h but stimulation at 24 h. To further characterize this unexpected stimulation of SGLT1, siRNA silencing was utilized to inhibit Na-K-ATPase-α1. SGLT1 activity was significantly upregulated by Na-K-ATPase silencing, while NHE3 activity remained unaltered. Kinetics showed that the mechanism of stimulation of SGLT1 activity was secondary to an increase in affinity of the cotransporter for glucose without a change in the number of cotransporters. Molecular studies demonstrated that the mechanism of stimulation was not secondary to altered BBM SGLT1 protein levels. Chronic and direct silencing of basolateral Na-K-ATPase uniquely regulates BBM Na absorptive pathways in intestinal epithelial cells. Specifically, while BBM NHE3 is unaffected, SGLT1 is stimulated secondary to enhanced affinity of the cotransporter.