A novel prediction tool for mortality in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding requiring emergency hospitalization: a large multicenter study.

The study aimed to identify prognostic factors for patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding and to develop a high-accuracy prediction tool. The analysis included 8254 cases of acute hematochezia patients who were admitted urgently based on the judgment of emergency physicians or gastroenterology consultants (from the CODE BLUE J-study). Patients were randomly assigned to a derivation cohort and a validation cohort in a 2:1 ratio using a random number table. Assuming that factors present at the time of admission are involved in mortality within 30 days of admission, and adding management factors during hospitalization to the factors at the time of admission for mortality within 1 year, prognostic factors were established. Multivariate analysis was conducted, and scores were assigned to each factor using regression coefficients, summing these to measure the score. The newly created score (CACHEXIA score) became a tool capable of measuring both mortality within 30 days (ROC-AUC 0.93) and within 1 year (C-index, 0.88). The 1-year mortality rates for patients classified as low, medium, and high risk by the CACHEXIA score were 1.0%, 13.4%, and 54.3% respectively (all P < 0.001). After discharge, patients identified as high risk using our unique predictive score require ongoing observation.

High risk stigmata and treatment strategy for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a nationwide study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The rebleeding risks and outcomes of endoscopic treatment for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) may differ depending on the bleeding location, type, and etiology of stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) but have yet to be fully investigated. We aimed to identify high risk endoscopic SRH and to propose an optimal endoscopic treatment strategy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 2699 ALGIB patients with SRH at 49 hospitals (CODE BLUE-J Study), of whom 88.6 % received endoscopic treatment. RESULTS: 30-day rebleeding rates of untreated SRH significantly differed among locations (left colon 15.5 % vs. right colon 28.6 %) and etiologies (diverticular bleeding 27.5 % vs. others [e. g. ulcerative lesions or angioectasia] 8.9 %), but not among bleeding types. Endoscopic treatment reduced the overall rebleeding rate (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.69; 95 %CI 0.49-0.98), and the treatment effect was significant in right-colon SRH (AOR 0.46; 95 %CI 0.29-0.72) but not in left-colon SRH. The effect was observed in both active and nonactive types, but was not statistically significant. Moreover, the effect was significant for diverticular bleeding (AOR 0.60; 95 %CI 0.41-0.88) but not for other diseases. When focusing on treatment type, the effectiveness was not significantly different between clipping and other modalities for most SRH, whereas ligation was significantly more effective than clipping in right-colon diverticular bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: A population-level endoscopy dataset allowed us to identify high risk endoscopic SRH and propose a simple endoscopic treatment strategy for ALGIB. Unlike upper gastrointestinal bleeding, the rebleeding risks for ALGIB depend on colonic location, bleeding etiology, and treatment modality.

Characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors of surgery for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding: nationwide cohort study of 10,342 hematochezia cases.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence on the surgical rate, indication, procedure, risk factors, mortality, and postoperative rebleeding for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) is limited. METHODS: We constructed a retrospective cohort of 10,342 patients admitted for acute hematochezia at 49 hospitals (CODE BLUE J-Study) and evaluated clinical data on the surgeries performed. RESULTS: Surgery was performed in 1.3% (136/10342) of the cohort with high rates of colonoscopy (87.7%) and endoscopic hemostasis (26.7%). Indications for surgery included colonic diverticular bleeding (24%), colorectal cancer (22%), and small bowel bleeding (16%). Sixty-four percent of surgeries were for hemostasis for severe refractory bleeding. Postoperative rebleeding rates were 22% in patients with presumptive or obscure preoperative identification of the bleeding source and 12% in those with definitive identification. Thirty-day mortality rates were 1.5% and 0.8% in patients with and without surgery, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that surgery-related risk factors were transfusion need ≥ 6 units (P < 0.001), in-hospital rebleeding (P < 0.001), small bowel bleeding (P < 0.001), colorectal cancer (P < 0.001), and hemorrhoids (P < 0.001). Endoscopic hemostasis was negatively associated with surgery (P = 0.003). For small bowel bleeding, the surgery rate was significantly lower in patients with endoscopic hemostasis as 2% compared to 12% without endoscopic hemostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Our cohort study elucidated the outcomes and risks of the surgery. Extensive exploration including the small bowel to identify the source of bleeding and endoscopic hemostasis may reduce unnecessary surgery and improve the management of ALGIB.

Early feeding reduces length of hospital stay in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding: A large multicentre cohort study.

AIM: No studies have compared the clinical outcomes of early and delayed feeding in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB). This study aimed to evaluate the benefits and risks of early feeding in a nationwide cohort of patients with ALGIB in whom haemostasis was achieved. METHODS: We reviewed data for 5910 patients with ALGIB in whom haemostasis was achieved and feeding was resumed within 3 days after colonoscopy at 49 hospitals across Japan (CODE BLUE-J Study). Patients were divided into an early feeding group (≤1 day, n = 3324) and a delayed feeding group (2-3 days, n = 2586). Clinical outcomes were compared between the groups by propensity matching analysis of 1508 pairs. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the early and delayed feeding groups in the rebleeding rate within 7 days after colonoscopy (9.4% vs. 8.0%; p = 0.196) or in the rebleeding rate within 30 days (11.4% vs. 11.5%; p = 0.909). There was also no significant between-group difference in the need for interventional radiology or surgery or in mortality. However, the median length of hospital stay after colonoscopy was significantly shorter in the early feeding group (5 vs. 7 days; p < 0.001). These results were unchanged when subgroups of presumptive and definitive colonic diverticular bleeding were compared. CONCLUSION: The findings of this nationwide study suggest that early feeding after haemostasis can shorten the hospital stay in patients with ALGIB without increasing the risk of rebleeding.

Weekend Effect on Clinical Outcomes of Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Large Multicenter Cohort Study in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: Weekend admissions showed increased mortality in several medical conditions. This study aimed to examine the weekend effect on acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) and its mortality and other outcomes. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study (CODE BLUE-J Study) was conducted at 49 Japanese hospitals between January 2010 and December 2019. In total, 8,120 outpatients with acute hematochezia were enrolled and divided into weekend admissions and weekday admissions groups. Multiple imputation (MI) was used to handle missing values, followed by propensity score matching (PSM) to compare outcomes. The primary outcome was mortality; the secondary outcomes were rebleeding, length of stay (LOS), blood transfusion, thromboembolism, endoscopic treatment, the need for interventional radiology, and the need for surgery. Colonoscopy and computed tomography (CT) management were also evaluated. RESULTS: Before PSM, there was no significant difference in mortality (1.3% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.133) between weekend and weekday admissions. After PSM with MI, 1,976 cases were matched for each admission. Mortality was not significantly different for weekend admissions compared with weekday admissions (odds ratio [OR] 1.437, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.785-2.630; p = 0.340). No significant difference was found with other secondary outcomes in weekend admissions except for blood transfusion (OR 1.239, 95% CI 1.084-1.417; p = 0.006). Weekend admission had a negative effect on early colonoscopy (OR 0.536, 95% CI 0.471-0.609; p < 0.001). Meanwhile, urgent CT remained significantly higher in weekend admissions (OR 1.466, 95% CI 1.295-1.660; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Weekend admissions decrease early colonoscopy and increase urgent CT but do not affect mortality or other outcomes except transfusion.

LONG-HOSP Score: A Novel Predictive Score for Length of Hospital Stay in Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding - A Multicenter Nationwide Study.

INTRODUCTION: Length of stay (LOS) in hospital affects cost, patient quality of life, and hospital management; however, existing gastrointestinal bleeding models applicable at hospital admission have not focused on LOS. We aimed to construct a predictive model for LOS in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 8,547 patients emergently hospitalized for ALGIB at 49 hospitals (the CODE BLUE-J Study). A predictive model for prolonged hospital stay was developed using the baseline characteristics of 7,107 patients and externally validated in 1,440 patients. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis assessed the impact of additional variables during hospitalization on LOS. RESULTS: Focusing on baseline characteristics, a predictive model for prolonged hospital stay was developed, the LONG-HOSP score, which consisted of low body mass index, laboratory data, old age, nondrinker status, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, facility with ≥800 beds, heart rate, oral antithrombotic agent use, symptoms, systolic blood pressure, performance status, and past medical history. The score showed relatively high performance in predicting prolonged hospital stay and high hospitalization costs (area under the curve: 0.70 and 0.73 for derivation, respectively, and 0.66 and 0.71 for external validation, respectively). Next, we focused on in-hospital management. Diagnosis of colitis or colorectal cancer, rebleeding, and the need for blood transfusion, interventional radiology, and surgery prolonged LOS, regardless of the LONG-HOSP score. By contrast, early colonoscopy and endoscopic treatment shortened LOS. CONCLUSIONS: At hospital admission for ALGIB, our novel predictive model stratified patients by their risk of prolonged hospital stay. During hospitalization, early colonoscopy and endoscopic treatment shortened LOS.

Multicenter propensity score-matched analysis comparing short versus long cap-assisted colonoscopy for acute hematochezia.

Background and Aim: While short and long attachment caps are available for colonoscopy, it is unclear which type is more appropriate for stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) identification in acute hematochezia. This study aimed to compare the performance of short versus long caps in acute hematochezia diagnoses and outcomes. Methods: We selected 6460 patients who underwent colonoscopy with attachment caps from 10 342 acute hematochezia cases in the CODE BLUE-J study. We performed propensity score matching (PSM) to balance baseline characteristics between short and long cap users. Then, the proportion of definitive or presumptive bleeding etiologies found on the initial colonoscopy and SRH identification rates were compared. We also evaluated rates of blood transfusions, interventional radiology, or surgery, as well as the rate of rebleeding and mortality within 30 days after the initial colonoscopy. Results: A total of 3098 patients with acute hematochezia (1549 short cap and 1549 long cap users) were selected for PSM. The rate of colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB) diagnosis was significantly higher in long cap users (P = 0.006). While the two groups had similar rates of the other bleeding etiologies, the frequency of unknown etiologies was significantly lower in long cap users (P < 0.001). The rate of SRH with active bleeding was significantly higher in long cap users (P < 0.001). Other clinical outcomes did not differ significantly. Conclusion: Compared to that with short caps, long cap-assisted colonoscopy is superior for the diagnosis of acute hematochezia, especially CDB, and the identification of active bleeding.

Long-term Risks of Recurrence After Hospital Discharge for Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Large Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Currently, large, nationwide, long-term follow-up data on acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) are scarce. We investigated long-term risks of recurrence after hospital discharge for ALGIB using a large multicenter dataset. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 5048 patients who were urgently hospitalized for ALGIB at 49 hospitals across Japan (CODE BLUE-J study). Risk factors for the long-term recurrence of ALGIB were analyzed by using competing risk analysis, treating death without rebleeding as a competing risk. RESULTS: Rebleeding occurred in 1304 patients (25.8%) during a mean follow-up period of 31 months. The cumulative incidences of rebleeding at 1 and 5 years were 15.1% and 25.1%, respectively. The mortality risk was significantly higher in patients with out-of-hospital rebleeding episodes than in those without (hazard ratio, 1.42). Of the 30 factors, multivariate analysis showed that shock index ≥1 (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR], 1.25), blood transfusion (SHR, 1.26), in-hospital rebleeding (SHR, 1.26), colonic diverticular bleeding (SHR, 2.38), and thienopyridine use (SHR, 1.24) were significantly associated with increased rebleeding risk. Multivariate analysis of colonic diverticular bleeding patients showed that blood transfusion (SHR, 1.20), in-hospital rebleeding (SHR, 1.30), and thienopyridine use (SHR, 1.32) were significantly associated with increased rebleeding risk, whereas endoscopic hemostasis (SHR, 0.83) significantly decreased the risk. CONCLUSIONS: These large, nationwide follow-up data highlighted the importance of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment during hospitalization and the assessment of the need for ongoing thienopyridine use to reduce the risk of out-of-hospital rebleeding. This information also aids in the identification of patients at high risk of rebleeding.

Usefulness of the FilmArray blood culture identification panel for identifying causative pathogens of bone and joint infections.

As bone and joint infections (BJIs) require long-term treatment, identifying their causative pathogens is vital. However, the detection rate of conventional culturing remains inadequate. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the FilmArray blood culture identification (BCID) panel for identifying causative pathogens in patients with BJIs. We tested a BCID panel using collected samples, in addition to conventional cultures. The primary outcome was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the BCID panel, calculated using conventional culturing methods. A total of 44 patients who underwent BJI-related specimen collection were enrolled. Of the 44 patients, 22 were diagnosed with a BJI. Conventional culture identified 15 of 22 organisms (68.2%), whereas the BCID panel identified 14 of 22 organisms (63.4%). The overall sensitivity and specificity of the BCID panel were 73.3% and 57.1%, respectively, compared to those of the conventional culture. However, the sensitivity reached 100% when only pathogens included in the BCID panel were considered. In seven culture-negative cases, the BCID panel identified three organisms (42.9%). The BCID panel also indicated the appropriate therapy against a BJI caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by detecting the mecA gene. This study demonstrated that the BCID panel has the potential for early and accurate diagnosis of the causative organism of BJI using specimens such as joint fluid and bone tissue. Our results suggest that BCID panels, in addition to routine culture, may improve our ability to diagnose the causative microorganisms of BJI in clinical practice, thereby contributing to the selection of appropriate antimicrobial agents.

Outcomes and recurrent bleeding risks of detachable snare and band ligation for colonic diverticular bleeding: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ligation therapy, including endoscopic detachable snare ligation (EDSL) and endoscopic band ligation (EBL), has emerged as an endoscopic treatment for colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB); its comparative effectiveness and risk of recurrent bleeding remain unclear, however. Our goal was to compare the outcomes of EDSL and EBL in treating CDB and identify risk factors for recurrent bleeding after ligation therapy. METHODS: We reviewed data of 518 patients with CDB who underwent EDSL (n = 77) or EBL (n = 441) in a multicenter cohort study named the Colonic Diverticular Bleeding Leaders Update Evidence From Multicenter Japanese Study (CODE BLUE-J Study). Outcomes were compared by using propensity score matching. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed for recurrent bleeding risk, and a competing risk analysis was used to treat death without recurrent bleeding as a competing risk. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of initial hemostasis, 30-day recurrent bleeding, interventional radiology or surgery requirements, 30-day mortality, blood transfusion volume, length of hospital stay, and adverse events. Sigmoid colon involvement was an independent risk factor for 30-day recurrent bleeding (odds ratio, 1.87; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-3.40; P = .042). History of acute lower GI bleeding (ALGIB) was a significant long-term recurrent bleeding risk factor on Cox regression analysis. A performance status score of 3/4 and history of ALGIB were long-term recurrent bleeding factors on competing risk regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences in outcomes between EDSL and EBL for CDB. After ligation therapy, careful follow-up is required, especially in the treatment of sigmoid diverticular bleeding during admission. History of ALGIB and performance status at admission are important risk factors for long-term recurrent bleeding after discharge.

Development and validation of a novel model for predicting stigmata of recent hemorrhage in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding: Multicenter nationwide study.

OBJECTIVES: Stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) directly indicate a need for endoscopic therapy in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). Colonoscopy would be prioritized for patients with highly suspected SRH, but the predictors of colonic SRH remain unclear. We aimed to construct a predictive model for the efficient detection of SRH using a nationwide cohort. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 8360 patients admitted through hospital emergency departments for acute LGIB in the CODE BLUE-J Study (49 hospitals throughout Japan). All patients underwent inpatient colonoscopy. To develop an SRH predictive model, 4863 patients were analyzed. Baseline characteristics, colonoscopic factors (timing, preparation, and devices), and computed tomography (CT) extravasation were extensively assessed. The performance of the model was externally validated in 3497 patients. RESULTS: Colonic SRH was detected in 28% of patients. A novel predictive model for detecting SRH (CS-NEED score: ColonoScopic factors, No abdominal pain, Elevated PT-INR, Extravasation on CT, and DOAC use) showed high performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.74 for derivation and 0.73 for external validation). This score was also highly predictive of active bleeding (AUC 0.73 for derivation and 0.76 for external validation). Patients with low (0-6), intermediate (7-8), and high (9-12) scores in the external validation cohort had SRH identification rates of 20%, 31%, and 64%, respectively (P < 0.001 for trend). CONCLUSIONS: A novel predictive model for colonic SRH identification (CS-NEED score) can specify colonoscopies likely to achieve endoscopic therapy in acute LGIB. Using the model during initial management would contribute to finding and treating SRH efficiently.

Timing of colonoscopy in acute lower GI bleeding: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to determine the optimal timing of colonoscopy and factors that benefit patients who undergo early colonoscopy for acute lower GI bleeding. METHODS: We identified 10,342 patients with acute hematochezia (CODE BLUE-J study) admitted to 49 hospitals in Japan. Of these, 6270 patients who underwent a colonoscopy within 120 hours were included in this study. The inverse probability of treatment weighting method was used to adjust for baseline characteristics among early (≤24 hours, n = 4133), elective (24-48 hours, n = 1137), and late (48-120 hours, n = 1000) colonoscopy. The average treatment effect was evaluated for outcomes. The primary outcome was 30-day rebleeding rate. RESULTS: The early group had a significantly higher rate of stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) identification and a shorter length of stay than the elective and late groups. However, the 30-day rebleeding rate was significantly higher in the early group than in the elective and late groups. Interventional radiology (IVR) or surgery requirement and 30-day mortality did not significantly differ among groups. The interaction with heterogeneity of effects was observed between early and late colonoscopy and shock index (shock index <1, odds ratio [OR], 2.097; shock index ≥1, OR, 1.095; P for interaction = .038) and performance status (0-2, OR, 2.481; ≥3, OR, .458; P for interaction = .022) for 30-day rebleeding. Early colonoscopy had a significantly lower IVR or surgery requirement in the shock index ≥1 cohort (OR, .267; 95% confidence interval, .099-.721) compared with late colonoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Early colonoscopy increased the rate of SRH identification and shortened the length of stay but involved an increased risk of rebleeding and did not improve mortality and IVR or surgery requirement. Early colonoscopy particularly benefited patients with a shock index ≥1 or performance status ≥3 at presentation.

Nationwide cohort study identifies clinical outcomes of angioectasia in patients with acute hematochezia.

BACKGROUND: While angioectasia is an important cause of acute hematochezia, relevant clinical features remain unclear. This study aims to reveal risk factors, clinical outcomes, and the effectiveness of therapeutic endoscopy for patients with acute hematochezia due to angioectasia. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at 49 Japanese hospitals between January 2010 and December 2019, enrolling patients hospitalized for acute hematochezia (CODE BLUE-J study). Baseline factors and clinical outcomes for angioectasia were analyzed. RESULTS: Among 10,342 patients with acute hematochezia, 129 patients (1.2%) were diagnosed with angioectasia by colonoscopy. The following factors were significantly associated with angioectasia: chronic kidney disease, liver disease, female, body mass index < 25, and anticoagulant use. Patients with angioectasia were at a significant increased risk of blood transfusions compared to those without angioectasia (odds ratio [OR] 2.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.69-4.02). Among patients with angioectasia, 36 patients (28%) experienced rebleeding during 1-year follow-up. The 1-year cumulative rebleeding rates were 37.0% in the endoscopic clipping group, 14.3% in the coagulation group, and 32.8% in the conservative management group. Compared to conservative management, coagulation therapy significantly reduced rebleeding risk (P = 0.038), while clipping did not (P = 0.81). Multivariate analysis showed coagulation therapy was an independent factor for reducing rebleeding risk (hazard ratio [HR] 0.40; 95% CI 0.16-0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed patients with angioectasia had a greater comorbidity burden and needed more blood transfusions in comparison with those without angioectasia. To reduce rebleeding risk, coagulation therapy can be superior for controlling hematochezia secondary to angioectasia.

Comparative Effectiveness of Ampicillin/Sulbactam versus Cefazolin as Targeted Therapy for Bacteremia Caused by Beta-Lactamase-Producing Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Cefazolin (CFZ) is the first-line treatment for beta-lactamase-producing methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (BP-MSSA) infection. In 2019, Japan experienced a CFZ shortage because of foreign object inclusion in a batch. Ampicillin/sulbactam (SAM) was preferred in many cases as definitive therapy for the treatment of BP-MSSA bacteremia to preserve broad-spectrum antibiotic stock. However, there are no previous studies reporting the clinical efficacy of SAM for BP-MSSA bacteremia. We aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and adverse effects of SAM versus CFZ in patients with BP-MSSA bacteremia. In total, 41 and 30 patients treated with SAM and CFZ, respectively, were identified. The baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. No significant differences were observed in length of hospital stay and all 30-day mortality between the two groups (p = 0.270 and 0.643, respectively). Moreover, no intergroup difference in 90-day mortality was found (hazard ratio 1.02, 95% confidential interval 0.227-4.53). Adverse effects, such as liver dysfunction, were less in the CFZ group than in the SAM group (p = 0.030). Therefore, in cases of poor CFZ supply or in patients allergic to CFZ and penicillinase-stable penicillins, SAM can be an effective therapeutic option for bacteremia due to BP-MSSA with attention of adverse effects, such as liver dysfunction.

The First Case Report of Community-Acquired Infective Endocarditis Due to Sequence Type 1223 Staphylococcus argenteus Complicated with Convexity Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Staphylococcus argenteus is a new species classified as part of the Staphylococcus aureus-related complex in 2015 and has been recognized to be as pathogenic as S. aureus. We describe the first case of endocarditis caused by S. argenteus. A 51-year-old man presented with chief complaints of fever and headaches. On admission, he showed a slight decrease in consciousness level (Glasgow Coma Scale, E4V4M6). Careful physical examination and imaging revealed a systolic heart murmur, Janeway lesions, and complicating convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage (cSAH) of the left frontal lobe. Ceftriaxone 4 g/day was administered immediately after blood cultures were obtained. The next day, all blood cultures grew Gram-positive cocci, identified as Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus argenteus by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). However, the version of MALDI-TOF MS used could not distinguish these bacteria. Although we could not find valvular vegetation, he was clinically diagnosed with infective endocarditis according to the modified Duke's criteria. Meropenem 6 g/day and linezolid 1.2 g/day were started to cover S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Finally, ampicillin was selected based on drug susceptibility, and the patient was treated for 8 weeks and recovered without permanent damage. The isolated strain formed white colonies on blood agar plates, characteristic of S. argenteus, and differs from golden colony-forming S. aureus. Genetic analysis revealed the isolated strain as S. argenteus (sequence type 1223). Although distinguishing S. argenteus from S. aureus using routine conventional laboratory tests is difficult, the updated library version of MALDI-TOF MS is useful in identifying S. argenteus. Interestingly, all published cases of infection caused by ST1223 have been reported in Japan. Therefore, the trend of infections from the ST1223 strain should be carefully monitored, particularly in Japan. Further investigation is needed to clarify the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of S. argenteus infection, as there are few studies regarding this pathogen.

Lemierre Syndrome Due to Dialister pneumosintes: A Case Report.

Although Dialister pneumosintes is a commensal microorganism of the oral cavity, it may sometimes cause severe systemic infections. We report a case of Lemierre syndrome (LS), which developed after D. pneumosintes infection, in a 73-year-old Japanese woman who was admitted to the hospital for throat pain, neck swelling, and fever for 3 days. She had a 3-month history of neglected dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. Physical examination revealed right tonsillar erythema and swelling, and computed tomography (CT) showed peritonsillar and retropharyngeal abscesses. Ampicillin/sulbactam was promptly administered after collecting two sets of blood cultures. Surgical drainage for peritonsillar and retropharyngeal abscesses was also conducted on the second hospital day. Although only commensal oral microflora grew in the culture from the drained pus, Gram-negative bacilli were confirmed in the anaerobic blood cultures. Metronidazole was administered intravenously; however, the fever and neck swelling persisted. Repeat CT performed on the fifth hospital day revealed right internal jugular vein thrombosis, a known complication of tonsillitis and pharyngitis once the infection extends beyond the oropharynx. We diagnosed she had coexisting LS, and anticoagulant therapy was added to her treatment regimen. Her condition improved, and she was discharged after completing 3 weeks of antibiotics. Conventional methods failed to identify the isolated bacterium, and 16S rRNA sequencing ultimately identified it as D. pneumosintes. In a literature review of bacteremia due to D. pneumosintes, poor oral hygiene was considered a probable risk factor for invasive D. pneumosintes infection. We consider this to be the case in our patient who presented with dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. In addition, all cases revealed that the 16S rRNA gene sequencing is useful for identifying this species. Although the diagnosis of LS by physical examination is difficult, physicians should always consider it as a potential complication of infections in the pharyngeal area.

Endoscopic direct clipping versus indirect clipping for colonic diverticular bleeding: A large multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Direct and indirect clipping treatments are used worldwide to treat colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB), but their effectiveness has not been examined in multicenter studies with more than 100 cases. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the short- and long-term effectiveness of direct versus indirect clipping for CDB in a nationwide cohort. METHODS: We studied 1041 patients with CDB who underwent direct clipping (n = 360) or indirect clipping (n = 681) at 49 hospitals across Japan (CODE BLUE-J Study). RESULTS: Multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, and important confounding factors revealed that, compared with indirect clipping, direct clipping was independently associated with reduced risk of early rebleeding (<30 days; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.592, p = 0.002), late rebleeding (<1 year; AOR 0.707, p = 0.018), and blood transfusion requirement (AOR 0.741, p = 0.047). No significant difference in initial hemostasis rates was observed between the two groups. Propensity-score matching to balance baseline characteristics also showed significant reductions in the early and late rebleeding rates with direct clipping. In subgroup analysis, direct clipping was associated with significantly lower rates of early and late rebleeding and blood transfusion need in cases of stigmata of recent hemorrhage with non-active bleeding on colonoscopy, right-sided diverticula, and early colonoscopy, but not with active bleeding on colonoscopy, left-sided diverticula, or elective colonoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Our large nationwide study highlights the use of direct clipping for CDB treatment whenever possible. Differences in bleeding pattern and colonic location can also be considered when deciding which clipping options to use.

Treatment strategies for reducing early and late recurrence of colonic diverticular bleeding based on stigmata of recent hemorrhage: a large multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Treatment strategies for colonic diverticular bleeding (CDB) based on stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) remain unstandardized, and no large studies have evaluated their effectiveness. We sought to identify the best strategy among combinations of SRH identification and endoscopic treatment strategies. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 5823 CDB patients who underwent colonoscopy at 49 hospitals throughout Japan (CODE-BLUE J-Study). Three strategies were compared: find SRH (definitive CDB) and treat endoscopically, find SRH (definitive CDB) and treat conservatively, and without finding SRH (presumptive CDB) treat conservatively. In conducting pairwise comparisons of outcomes in these groups, we used propensity score-matching analysis to balance baseline characteristics between the groups being compared. RESULTS: Both early and late recurrent bleeding rates were significantly lower in patients with definitive CDB treated endoscopically than in those with presumptive CDB treated conservatively (<30 days, 19.6% vs 26.0% [P < .001]; <365 days, 33.7% vs 41.6% [P < .001], respectively). In patients with definitive CDB, the early recurrent bleeding rate was significantly lower in those treated endoscopically than in those treated conservatively (17.4% vs 26.7% [P = .038] for a single test of hypothesis; however, correction for multiple testing of data removed this significance). The late recurrent bleeding rate was also lower, but not significantly, in those treated endoscopically (32.0% vs 36.1%, P = .426). Definitive CDB treated endoscopically showed significantly lower early and late recurrent bleeding rates than when treated conservatively in cases of SRH with active bleeding, nonactive bleeding, and in the right-sided colon but not left-sided colon. CONCLUSIONS: Treating definitive CDB endoscopically was most effective in reducing recurrent bleeding over the short and long term, compared with not treating definitive CDB or presumptive CDB. Physicians should endeavor to find and treat SRH for suspected CDB.

Effectiveness and adverse events of endoscopic clipping versus band ligation for colonic diverticular hemorrhage: a large-scale multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND : Prior studies have shown the effectiveness of both endoscopic band ligation (EBL) and clipping for colonic diverticular hemorrhage (CDH) but have been small and conducted at single centers. Therefore, we investigated which was the more effective and safe treatment in a multicenter long-term cohort study. METHODS : We reviewed data for 1679 patients with CDH who were treated with EBL (n = 638) or clipping (n = 1041) between January 2010 and December 2019 at 49 hospitals across Japan (CODE BLUE-J study). Logistic regression analysis was used to compare outcomes between the two treatments. RESULTS : In multivariate analysis, EBL was independently associated with reduced risk of early rebleeding (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.46; P < 0.001) and late rebleeding (adjusted OR 0.62; P < 0.001) compared with clipping. These significantly lower rebleeding rates with EBL were evident regardless of active bleeding or early colonoscopy. No significant differences were found between the treatments in the rates of initial hemostasis or mortality. Compared with clipping, EBL independently reduced the risk of needing interventional radiology (adjusted OR 0.37; P = 0.006) and prolonged length of hospital stay (adjusted OR 0.35; P < 0.001), but not need for surgery. Diverticulitis developed in one patient (0.16 %) following EBL and two patients (0.19 %) following clipping. Perforation occurred in two patients (0.31 %) following EBL and none following clipping. CONCLUSIONS : Analysis of our large endoscopy dataset suggests that EBL is an effective and safe endoscopic therapy for CDH, offering the advantages of lower early and late rebleeding rates, reduced need for interventional radiology, and shorter length of hospital stay.