Black esophagus as an uncommon cause of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Black esophagus (BE) or Acute esophageal necrosis (AEN) is rare clinical entity with an estimated incidence of 0.01-0.2% of patiens undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). BE is characterized by circumferential blackish coloration of the mucosa, with abrupt interruption at the esophagogastric junction level, secondary to hypoperfusion and ischemia. Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage is the most common presentation (70-90%), being a rare cause of it. We present 3 cases that were admitted in our center for hematemesis.

TYPE II ACHALASIA WITH SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY OF ESOPHAGEAL MOTILITY - POEM.

CASE REPORT: 54-year-old woman with acromegaly due to pituitary macroadenoma that consulted for dysphagia for solids. In gastroscopy, it is observed difficulty in passing in the esophagogastric junction (EGJ). Under the suspect of Achalasia, a high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) was performed, observing a complete absence of motility of the esophageal body, panesophageal pressurization in > 20% of swallows and IRP of 21mmHg, confirming the diagnosis of type II Achalasia. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is performed. After the intervention, the patient presented clinical improvement. In the control HRM carried out one year after the POEM, in addition to a decrease in IRP, is remarkable a partial recovery of motility in the upper and middle third of the esophagus. DISCUSSION: Achalasia is an esophageal motor disorder characterized by incomplete relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and a complete absence of peristalsis in the esophageal body. The cause of the absence of motility is the loss of the inhibitory neurons of the myenteric plexus, but the accurate etiopathogenesis is still unknown. Therefore, there is no curative treatment and all therapeutic options are symptomatic, aimed to relieve the obstruction of the EGJ. POEM is the newest method. Absence of motility of the esophageal body in patients with achalasia was believed to be irreversible. Nevertheless, more and more studies describe a partial recovery of motility observed in manometry after POEM, especially in type II Achalasia. The exact pathophysiological mechanism of this recovery is still unknown. IMAGES DESCRIPTION: Figure 1 (Before POEM): High-resolution manometry with a diagnosis of type II Achalasia: Absence of motility, panesophageal pressurization and IRP 21mmHg Figure 2 (After POEM): High resolution manometry showing ineffective esophageal motility (partial recovery of motility) after POEM with IRP of 4mmHg.

Incidence, Clinical Presentation, Relapses and Outcome of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection in Patients Treated With Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibodies.

BACKGROUND: Our objective is to describe the presentation and complications, including relapses, of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients under anti-CD20 treatments. In addition, to describe viral clearance and determine the safety of reintroducing anti-CD20 treatment. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 422 patients under anti-CD20 treatment that was administered from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2020. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 (13.5%). Twenty-five patients (43.9%) required hospital admission. Five patients died (8.8%), and 10 developed severe COVID-19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Mortality rate was higher among patients infected during the first 3 months following the last dose of anti-CD20 (14.7% vs 0%, P = .046). The median time of persistence of positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was 22 days (IQR 13-40).Nine out of 52 survivors (17.3%) presented relapses. All of them received the last dose of anti-CD20 less than 6 months before the COVID-19 episode. Clinical presentation was fever (n = 8; 88.9%), dyspnea (n = 7; 77.8%), cough (n = 7; 77.8%), worsening of previous infiltrates (n = 5; 55.6%) and new pulmonary infiltrates (n = 8; 88.9%). An increase in lymphocytes with CD4/CD8 ratio inversion was observed in all cases. Among the 25 patients who resumed anti-CD20 drug, 4 (16.0%) presented relapses vs 5/28 among those who did not (17.9%), (P = .857). CONCLUSIONS: Patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the 6 months after anti-CD20 administration had a worse outcome and a higher mortality rate. The duration of infectivity may be longer. Relapses of COVID-19 occurred in more than 15% and were associated with viral replication. Once the infection is resolved, it is safe to restart treatment with anti-CD20.