North American Expert Consensus on the Post-procedural Care of Patients After Per-oral Endoscopic Myotomy Using a Delphi Process.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is significant variability in the immediate post-operative and long-term management of patients undergoing per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), largely stemming from the lack of high-quality evidence. We aimed to establish a consensus on several important questions on the after care of post-POEM patients through a modified Delphi process. METHODS: A steering committee developed an initial questionnaire consisting of 5 domains (33 statements): post-POEM admission/discharge, indication for immediate post-POEM esophagram, peri-procedural medications and diet resumption, clinic follow-up recommendations, and post-POEM reflux surveillance and management. A total of 34 experts participated in the 2 rounds of the Delphi process, with quantitative and qualitative data analyzed for each round to achieve consensus. RESULTS: A total of 23 statements achieved a high degree of consensus. Overall, the expert panel agreed on the following: (1) same-day discharge after POEM can be considered in select patients; (2) a single dose of prophylactic antibiotics may be as effective as a short course; (3) a modified diet can be advanced as tolerated; and (4) all patients should be followed in clinic and undergo objective testing for surveillance and management of reflux. Consensus could not be achieved on the indication of post-POEM esophagram to evaluate for leak. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this Delphi process established expert agreement on several important issues and provides practical guidance on key aspects in the care of patients following POEM.

Relapse Rates With Paliperidone Palmitate in Adult Patients With Schizophrenia: Results for the 6-Month Formulation From an Open-label Extension Study Compared to Real-World Data for the 1-Month and 3-Month Formulations.

BACKGROUND: The 3 paliperidone palmitate (PP) long-acting injectable antipsychotic formulations, PP 1-month (PP1M), PP 3-month (PP3M), and PP 6-month (PP6M), have shown to reduce the risk of relapse in schizophrenia. The current phase-4 study constructed external comparator arms (ECAs) using real-world data for PP3M and PP1M and compared relapse prevention rates with PP6M from an open-label extension (OLE) study in adult patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: PP6M data were derived from a single-arm, 24-month, OLE study (NCT04072575), which included patients with schizophrenia who completed a 12-month randomized, double-blind, noninferiority, phase-3 study (NCT03345342) without relapse. Patients in the PP3M and PP1M ECAs were identified from the IBM® MarketScan® Multistate Medicaid Database based on similar eligibility criteria as the PP6M cohort. RESULTS: A total of 178 patients were included in each cohort following propensity score matching. Most patients were men (>70%; mean age: 39-41 years). Time to relapse (primary analysis based on Kaplan-Meier estimates) was significantly delayed in the PP6M cohort (P < .001, log-rank test). The relapse rate was lower in the PP6M cohort (3.9%) vs PP3M (20.2%) and PP1M (29.8%) cohorts. Risk of relapse decreased significantly (P < .001) by 82% for PP6M vs PP3M (HR = 0.18 [95% CI = 0.08 to 0.40]), 89% for PP6M vs PP1M (HR = 0.11 [0.05 to 0.25]), and 35% for PP3M vs PP1M (HR = 0.65 [0.42 to 0.99]; P = .043). Sensitivity analysis confirmed findings from the primary analysis. Although the ECAs were matched to mimic the characteristics of the PP6M cohort, heterogeneity between the groups could exist due to factors including prior study participation, unmeasured confounders, variations in data capture and quality, and completeness of clinical information. CONCLUSIONS: In a clinical trial setting, PP6M significantly delayed time to relapse and demonstrated lower relapse rates compared with PP3M and PP1M treatments in real-world settings among adult patients with schizophrenia. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04072575; EudraCT number: 2018-004532-30.

Delays in definitive endoscopic resection of previously manipulated colorectal polyps as a risk factor for inferior resection outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Manipulation of colorectal polyps by biopsy, incomplete resection, or tattoo placement under the lesion has been shown to cause submucosal fibrosis and associated inferior outcomes. The effect of delays between index manipulation and definitive resection on the incidence of fibrosis is unknown. METHODS: Patients undergoing EMR of previously manipulated colorectal polyps ≥10 mm from 2016 to 2021 at a tertiary referral center were included. Time from index manipulation to definitive resection and the presence of fibrosis were noted. The effects of fibrosis on EMR outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Among 221 previously manipulated lesions (180 biopsy, 23 incomplete/failed resection, 1 tattoo under lesion, 17 multiple types of manipulation), 51 (23%) demonstrated fibrosis. Fibrotic lesions were found to have been resected significantly later than nonfibrotic lesions (76 vs 61 days; P = .014). In a multivariate analysis controlling for other predictors of fibrosis, each 2-week delay was associated with a 14% increase in the odds of fibrosis. Fibrotic lesions had inferior outcomes with a lower en-bloc resection rate (8% vs 24%; P = .014) and longer procedure time (71 vs 52 minutes; P < .001). Adverse event and recurrence rates were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Delays in definitive resection of previously manipulated polyps are associated with an increased incidence of fibrosis with time and associated inferior outcomes. Manipulation should be discouraged, and if it occurs, prompt referral and scheduling for definitive resection should be prioritized.

A multicenter, retrospective study of a through-the-needle injection-capable electrosurgical knife for endoscopic submucosal dissection.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a technically challenging resection technique for en bloc removal of dysplastic and early cancerous GI lesions. We conducted a single-arm retrospective study evaluating the safety and efficacy of a new through-the-needle injection-capable electrosurgical knife used in upper and lower ESD procedures performed at 6 U.S. academic centers. METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected on consecutive cases in which the new ESD knife was used. The primary efficacy endpoint was successful ESD (en bloc resection with negative margins). Secondary efficacy endpoints included en bloc resection rate, curative resection rate, median ESD time, and median dissection speed. The safety endpoint was device- or procedure-related serious adverse events. RESULTS: ESD procedures of 581 lesions in 579 patients were reviewed, including 187 (32.2%) upper GI and 394 (67.8%) lower GI lesions. Prior treatment was reported in 283 (48.9%) patients. Successful ESD was achieved in 477 (82.1% of 581) lesions-lower for patients with versus without submucosal fibrosis (73.6% vs 87.0%, respectively; P < .001) but similar for those with versus without previous treatment (81.7% vs 82.3%, respectively; P = .848). A total of 443 (76.2% of 581) lesions met criteria for curative resection. Median ESD time was 1.0 (range, 0.1-4.5) hour. Median dissection speed was 17.1 (interquartile range, 5.3-29.8) cm2/h. Related serious adverse events were reported in 15 (2.6%) patients, including delayed hemorrhage (1.9%), perforation (0.5%), or postpolypectomy syndrome (0.2%). CONCLUSION: A newly developed through-the-needle injection-capable ESD knife showed a good success rate and excellent safety at U.S. CENTERS: (Clinical trial registration number: NCT04580940.).

Development of American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy standards for training in advanced endoscopy within dedicated advanced endoscopy fellowship programs.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Training in interventional endoscopy is offered by nonaccredited advanced endoscopy fellowship programs (AEFPs). The number of these programs has increased dramatically with a concurrent increase in the breadth and complexity of interventional endoscopy procedures. Accreditation is governed by competency-based education, yet what constitutes a "high-quality" nonaccredited AEFP has not been defined. Using an evidence-based consensus process, we aimed to establish standards for AEFPs. METHODS: The RAND UCLA appropriateness method, a well-described modified Delphi process to develop quality indicators, was used. A task force established by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy drafted potential quality indicators (structure, process, and outcome) in 6 categories: activity preceding training; structure of AEFPs; training in ERCP, EUS, and EMR; and luminal stent placement. Three rounds of iterative feedback from 20 experts were conducted. Round 0 involved discussion of project details. In round 1, experts independently ranked proposed quality indicators on a 9-point interval scale ranging from highly inappropriate (1) to highly appropriate (9). Next, proposed quality indicators were discussed and reworded in a group meeting followed by round 2, in which experts independently reranked proposed quality indicators and provided benchmarks (when applicable). The median score for each quality indicator was calculated. Mean absolute deviation from the median was calculated, and appropriateness of potential quality indicators was assessed using the BIOMED concerted action on appropriateness definition, P value method, and interpercentile range adjusted for symmetry definition. A quality indicator was deemed appropriate if the median score was ≥7 and met criteria for appropriateness using all 3 defined statistical methods. RESULTS: Of 89 proposed quality indicators, 37 statements met criteria as appropriate for a quality indicator (activity preceding training, 2; structure of AEFPs, 10; training in ERCP, 7; training in EUS, 8; training in EMR, 7; luminal stent placement, 3). Minimum thresholds were defined for 19 relevant quality indicators for number of trainers, procedures during fellowship, and procedures before assessment of competence. Among the final appropriate quality indicators were that all trainees should undergo qualitative and quantitative competence assessments using validated tools at least quarterly with documented feedback throughout the training period and that trainees should track outcomes and relevant quality metrics for specific procedures. CONCLUSIONS: This consensus process using validated methodology established standards for an AEFP in an effort to ensure adequate training in the most commonly taught interventional endoscopic procedures (ERCP, EUS, EMR, and luminal stent placement) during fellowship. An important component of an AEFP is the use of competency-based assessments that are compliant with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Next Accreditation System, with the goal of ensuring that trainees achieve specific milestones in their progression to achieving cognitive and technical competency.

Establishment of standards for the referral of large nonpedunculated colorectal polyps: an international expert consensus using a modified Delphi process.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Resection of colorectal polyps has been shown to decrease the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer. Large nonpedunculated colorectal polyps are often referred to expert centers for endoscopic resection, which requires relevant information to be conveyed to the therapeutic endoscopist to allow for triage and planning of resection technique. The primary objective of this study was to establish minimum expected standards for the referral of large nonpedunculated colonic polyps for potential endoscopic resection. METHODS: A Delphi method was used to establish consensus on minimum expected standards for the referral of large colorectal polyps among a panel of international endoscopy experts. The expert panel was recruited through purposive sampling, and 3 rounds of surveys were conducted to achieve consensus. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed for each round. RESULTS: A total of 24 international experts from diverse continents participated in the Delphi study, resulting in consensus on 19 statements related to the referral of large colorectal polyps. The identified factors, including patient demographic characteristics, relevant medications, lesion factors, photodocumentation, and the presence of a tattoo, were deemed important for conveying the necessary information to therapeutic endoscopists. The mean scores for the statements, which were scored on a scale of 1 to 10, ranged from 7.04 to 9.29, with high percentages of experts considering most statements as a very high priority. Subgroup analysis according to continent revealed some variations in consensus rates among experts from different regions. CONCLUSIONS: The identified consensus statements can aid in improving the triage and planning of resection techniques for large colorectal polyps, ultimately contributing to the reduction of colorectal cancer incidence and mortality.

Gender authorship in major American and European gastroenterology journals: the gap is still unfilled.

BACKGROUND: The gender gap in the authorship of scientific research may affect career advancement. Our aim was to assess the potential gender gap in gastrointestinal (GI) journals. METHODS: A systematic review was performed of the GI literature and ongoing research in the period 2020-2022. A total 10 GI journals and ongoing research on clinicaltrials.gov were selected for review. The gender gap in first and senior authorship was evaluated for each article and ongoing research project. Associations between the gender gap and possible predictors were measured and results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95%CI. RESULTS: The number of first female authors (FFAs) and senior female authors (SFAs) in published articles were 1408/4207 (33.5%) and 911/4207 (21.7%), respectively. There were 781/2654 (29.4%) female principal investigators (PI)s for the ongoing research. On comparison of non-endoscopic vs. endoscopic topics, the latter were associated with the gender gap (hepatology, OR 2.15 [95%CI 1.83-2.55]; inflammatory bowel disease, OR 2.12 [95%CI 1.60-2.45]; upper and lower GI, OR 1.31 [95%CI 1.18-1.73]); as well as the type of article (original article vs. editorial, OR 1.92 [95%CI 1.58-2.33]). The type of research was also associated with the gender gap (clinical vs. preclinical studies, OR 0.88 [95%CI 0.66-0.91]). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated a correlation between the gender gap and the design and topic of the research. Future strategies for improving equity in career development in GI endoscopy should focus on closing the gender gap in equity of authorship.

AGA Clinical Practice Update on Role of EUS-Guided Gallbladder Drainage in Acute Cholecystitis: Commentary.

DESCRIPTION: Endoscopic gallbladder drainage is a feasible and efficacious alternative to percutaneous drainage in the management of acute cholecystitis for high-risk surgical candidates. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage and per-oral cholecystoscopy is facilitated by the use of lumen-apposing metal stents. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage should be performed by those expert in advanced therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound. Multidisciplinary collaboration between interventional radiology and surgery is paramount in the care of these patients. Choosing the optimal drainage method is dependent on individual patient characteristics. METHODS: This commentary was drawn from a review of the literature to provide practical advice. Because this was not a systematic review, we did not perform any formal rating of the quality of evidence or strength of the presented considerations. This expert commentary was commissioned and approved by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute Clinical Practice Updates Committee and the AGA Governing Board to provide timely guidance on a topic of high clinical importance to the AGA membership, and underwent internal peer-review by the Clinical Practice Updates Committee and external peer-review through standard procedures of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Real-world evidence of safety and effectiveness of Barrett's endoscopic therapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Real-world data on the adverse events and the survival benefit of Barrett's endoscopic therapy (BET) are limited. The aim of this study was to examine the safety and effectiveness (survival benefit) of BET in patients with neoplastic Barrett's esophagus (BE). METHODS: An electronic health record-based database (TriNetX) was used to select patients with BE with dysplasia and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) from 2016 to 2020. Primary outcome was 3-year mortality among patients with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or EAC who underwent BET versus 2 comparison cohorts: patients with HGD or EAC who had not undergone BET and patients with GERD but no BE/EAC. Secondary outcome was adverse events (esophageal perforation, upper GI bleeding, chest pain, and esophageal stricture) after BET. To control for confounding variables, 1:1 propensity score matching was performed. RESULTS: We identified 27,556 patients with BE and dysplasia, of whom 5295 underwent BET. After propensity score matching, patients with HGD and EAC who underwent BET had significantly lower 3-year mortality (HGD risk ratio [RR], .59; 95% CI, .49-.71; EAC RR, .53; 95% CI, .44-.65) compared with corresponding cohorts who did not undergo BET (P < .001). There was no difference in median 3-year mortality between control subjects (GERD without BE/EAC) compared with patients with HGD (RR, 1.04; 95% CI, .84-1.27) who underwent BET. Finally, there was no difference in median 3-year mortality between patients who underwent BET compared with patients who underwent esophagectomy among both HGD (RR, .67; 95% CI, .39-1.14; P =.14) and EAC (RR, .73; 95% CI, .47-1.13; P = .14). Esophageal stricture was the most common adverse event (6.5%) after BET. CONCLUSIONS: Real-world, population-based evidence from this large database shows that endoscopic therapy is safe and effective for patients with BE. Endoscopic therapy is associated with a significantly lower 3-year mortality; however, it leads to esophageal strictures in 6.5% of treated patients.

Global prospective case series of ERCPs using a single-use duodenoscope.

BACKGROUND: The first commercialized single-use duodenoscope was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in December 2019. Data regarding endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) using a single-use duodenoscope are needed on a broader range of cases conducted by endoscopists with varying levels of experience in a wide range of geographic areas. METHODS: 61 endoscopists at 22 academic centers in 11 countries performed ERCP procedures in adult patients aged ≥ 18. Outcomes included ERCP completion for the intended indication, rate of crossover to a reusable endoscope, device performance ratings, and serious adverse events (SAEs). RESULTS: Among 551 patients, 236 (42.8 %) were aged > 65, 281 (51.0 %) were men, and 256 (46.5 %) had their procedure as an inpatient. ERCPs included 196 (35.6 %) with American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy complexity of grades 3-4. A total of 529 ERCPs (96.0 %) were completed: 503 (91.3 %) using only the single-use duodenoscope, and 26 (4.7 %) with crossover to a reusable endoscope. There were 22 ERCPs (4.0 %) that were not completed, of which 11 (2.0 %) included a crossover and 11 (2.0 %) were aborted cases (no crossover). Median ERCP completion time was 24.0 minutes. Median overall satisfaction with the single-use duodenoscope was 8.0 (scale of 1 to 10 [best]). SAEs were reported in 43 patients (7.8 %), including 17 (3.1 %) who developed post-ERCP pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: In academic medical centers over a wide geographic distribution, endoscopists with varying levels of experience using the first marketed single-use duodenoscope had good ERCP procedural success and reported high performance ratings for this device.

Honey and Nigella sativa against COVID-19 in Pakistan (HNS-COVID-PK): A multicenter placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

Until now, no specific and effective treatment exists for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Since honey and Nigella sativa (HNS) have established antiviral, antibacterial, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties, we tested their efficacy for this disease in a multicenter, placebo-controlled, and randomized clinical trial at four medical care facilities in Pakistan. RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 adults showing moderate or severe disease were enrolled in the trial. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either honey (1 g kg-1 day-1 ) and Nigella sativa seeds (80 mg kg-1 day-1 ) or a placebo for up to 13 days along with standard care. The outcomes included symptoms' alleviation, viral clearance, and 30-day mortality in the intention-to-treat population. Three hundred and thirteen patients, 210 with moderate and 103 with severe disease, underwent randomization from April 30 to July 29, 2020. Among the moderate cases, 107 were assigned to HNS, whereas 103 were assigned to the placebo group. Among the severe cases, 50 were given HNS, and 53 were given the placebo. HNS resulted in ~50% reduction in time taken to alleviate symptoms as compared to placebo (moderate cases: 4 vs. 7 days, Hazard Ratio [HR]: 6.11; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 4.23-8.84, p < 0.0001 and for severe cases: 6 vs. 13 days, HR: 4.04; 95% CI: 2.46-6.64; p < 0.0001). HNS also cleared the virus earlier than placebo in both moderate cases (6 vs. 10 days, HR: 5.53; 95% CI: 3.76-8.14, p < 0.0001) and severe cases (8.5 vs. 12 days, HR: 4.32; 95% CI: 2.62-7.13, p < 0.0001). HNS further led to a better clinical score on day 6 with normal activity resumption in 63.6% vs. 10.9% among moderate cases (OR: 0.07; 95% CI: 0.03-0.13, p < 0.0001) and hospital discharge in 50% versus 2.8% in severe cases (OR: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.09, p < 0.0001). In severe cases, the mortality rate was less than 1/4th in the HNS group than in placebo (4% vs. 18.87%, OR: 0.18; 95% CI: 0.02-0.92, p = 0.029). No HNS-related adverse effects were observed. HNS, compared with placebo, significantly improved symptoms, expedited viral load clearance, and reduced mortality in COVID-19 patients. This trial was registered on April 15, 2020 with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04347382.

Fusion-Based Body-Worn IoT Sensor Platform for Gesture Recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children.

The last decade's developments in sensor technologies and artificial intelligence applications have received extensive attention for daily life activity recognition. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children is a neurological development disorder that causes significant impairments in social interaction, communication, and sensory action deficiency. Children with ASD have deficits in memory, emotion, cognition, and social skills. ASD affects children's communication skills and speaking abilities. ASD children have restricted interests and repetitive behavior. They can communicate in sign language but have difficulties communicating with others as not everyone knows sign language. This paper proposes a body-worn multi-sensor-based Internet of Things (IoT) platform using machine learning to recognize the complex sign language of speech-impaired children. Optimal sensor location is essential in extracting the features, as variations in placement result in an interpretation of recognition accuracy. We acquire the time-series data of sensors, extract various time-domain and frequency-domain features, and evaluate different classifiers for recognizing ASD children's gestures. We compare in terms of accuracy the decision tree (DT), random forest, artificial neural network (ANN), and k-nearest neighbour (KNN) classifiers to recognize ASD children's gestures, and the results showed more than 96% recognition accuracy.

Standardization of EUS imaging and reporting in high-risk individuals of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: consensus statement of the Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Consortium.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive disease most often diagnosed after local progression or metastatic dissemination, precluding resection and resulting in a high mortality rate. For individuals with elevated personal risk of the development of pancreatic cancer, EUS is a frequently used advanced imaging and diagnostic modality. However, variability in the expertise and definition of EUS findings exists among gastroenterologists, as well as a lack of standardized reporting of relevant findings at the time of examination. Adoption of standardized EUS reporting, using a universally accepted and agreed on terminology, is needed. METHODS: A consensus statement designed to create a standardized reporting template was authored by a multidisciplinary group of experts in pancreatic diseases that includes gastroenterologists, radiologists, surgeons, oncologists, and geneticists. This statement was developed using a modified Delphi process as part of the Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Consortium, and >75% agreement was required to reach consensus. RESULTS: We identified reporting elements and present standardized reporting templates for EUS indications, procedural data, EUS image capture, and descriptors of findings, tissue sampling, and postprocedural assessment of adequacy. CONCLUSIONS: Adoption of this standardized EUS reporting template should improve consistency in clinical decision-making for individuals with elevated risk of pancreatic cancer by providing complete and accurate reporting of pancreatic abnormalities. Standardization will also help to facilitate research and clinical trial design by using clearly defined and consistent imaging descriptions, thus allowing for comparison of results across different centers.

Safety and efficacy of a novel resection system for direct endoscopic necrosectomy of walled-off pancreas necrosis: a prospective, international, multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Direct endoscopic necrosectomy (DEN) of walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) lacks dedicated instruments and requires repetitive and cumbersome procedures. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new powered endoscopic debridement (PED) system designed to simultaneously resect and remove solid debris within WOPN. METHODS: This was a single-arm, prospective, multicenter, international device trial conducted from November 2018 to August 2019 at 10 sites. Patients with WOPN ≥6 cm and ≤22 cm and with >30% solid debris were enrolled. The primary endpoint was safety through 21 days after the last DEN procedure. Efficacy outcomes included clearance of necrosis, procedural time, adequacy of debridement, number of procedures until resolution, hospital stay duration, and quality of life. RESULTS: Thirty patients (mean age, 55 years; 60% men) underwent DEN with no device-related adverse events. Of 30 patients, 15 (50%) achieved complete debridement in 1 session and 20 (67%) achieved complete debridement within 2 or fewer sessions. A median of 1.5 interventions (range, 1-7) were required. Median hospital stay was 10 days (interquartile range, 22). There was an overall reduction of 91% in percent necrosis within WOPN from baseline to follow-up and 85% in collection volume. Baseline WOPN volume was positively correlated with the total number of interventions (ρ = .363, P = .049). CONCLUSIONS: The new PED system seems to be a safe and effective treatment tool for WOPN, resulting in fewer interventions and lower hospital duration when compared with published data on using conventional instruments. Randomized controlled trials comparing the PED system with conventional DEN are needed. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03694210.).

A Novel Flocked Swab Protocol Proves to Be an Effective Method for Culturing Elevator-Containing Endoscopes.

BACKGROUND: The challenging disinfection process for the elevator mechanism on duodenoscopes and linear echoendoscopes has been identified as a source of clinically significant bacterial transmission. Despite increased awareness, there continues to be a lack of definitive guidelines for bacterial culturing protocols for elevator-containing endoscopes. AIMS: To compare two different prospective bacterial surveillance protocols for duodenoscopes and linear echoendoscopes with regard to accuracy, efficiency, and cost. METHODS: Consecutive duodenoscopes and linear echoendoscopes used at a single tertiary care center were reprocessed following hospital and manufacturer guidelines, dried using an automatic endoscope-drying machine, and hung overnight in an upright position. Following reprocessing, culture samples were sequentially obtained from each endoscope using two methods, first, the brush protocol followed immediately by the swab protocol. RESULTS: A total of 532 primary cultures were collected from 17 duodenoscopes and eight linear echoendoscopes. Of these, 266 cultures gathered using the brush protocol were negative, while 266 cultures gathered using the swab protocol resulted in three positive cultures (1.1%). Positive cultures showed Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae from one duodenoscope and two linear echoendoscopes. Yearly, the brush protocol amounts to approximately 520 nursing hours, and the swab protocol takes an estimated 42 nursing hours. Annually, the swab protocol could save over $26,500 and 478 nursing hours. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed swab protocol was superior to the brush protocol when evaluating the presence of residual bacteria on elevator-containing endoscopes following reprocessing and saves cost and nursing hours.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal lesions: outcomes from a United States experience.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is commonly used in Asia for resection of large non-pedunculated colorectal polyps (LNPCPs) and early (T1) colorectal cancers. It allows for en bloc removal and is often curative. We describe outcomes of colorectal ESD from a United States (US) academic medical center and compare this to international experiences. METHODS: Retrospective review was performed of colonic lesions referred to the University of Chicago Medical Center for ESD from 2012 to 2020. Clinical and procedural data were collected. RESULTS: The study included 78 lesions with mean size of 29.7 mm (range 10-100 mm). The overall en bloc resection rate was 73.1% (n = 57). Between the first and second half of the study, it improved from 61.5 to 84.6% (p = 0.02). Histology showed adenocarcinoma in fifteen lesions (19.2%). Of all neoplastic lesions (n = 68), resection with negative margins (R0) was achieved in 54 cases (79.4%). Adverse events occurred in 9 cases (11.5%), but most (n = 6, 66.7%) were successfully treated endoscopically. Follow-up endoscopy was performed in 46 patients (59.0%) at a mean interval of 6.8 months (SD ± 5.0 months) with two case of recurrent lesion (4.3%). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows successful colorectal ESD outcomes at a US tertiary center. The en bloc resection rate was lower than other cohorts, but a learning curve was demonstrated. The R0 resection, lesion recurrence, and adverse event rates were similar to other non-Asian experiences, but not as favorable as in Asia [Fuccio et al. in Gastrointest Endosc 86:74-86.e17, 2017]. Increased ESD training in the US can help optimize utilization and outcomes.

Survey Finds Gender Disparities Impact Both Women Mentors and Mentees in Gastroenterology.

INTRODUCTION: Gastroenterologists at all levels of practice benefit from formal mentoring. Much of the current literature on mentoring in gastroenterology is based on expert opinion rather than data. In this study, we aimed to identify gender-related barriers to successful mentoring relationships from the mentor and mentee perspectives. METHODS: A voluntary, web-based survey was distributed to physicians at 20 academic institutions across the United States. Overall, 796 gastroenterology fellows and faculty received the survey link, with 334 physicians responding to the survey (42% response rate), of whom 299 (90%; 129 women and 170 men) completed mentorship questions and were included in analysis. RESULTS: Responses of women and men were compared. Compared with men, more women preferred a mentor of the same gender (38.6% women vs 4.2% men, P < 0.0001) but less often had one (45.5% vs 70.2%, P < 0.0001). Women also reported having more difficulty finding a mentor (44.4% vs 16.0%, P < 0.0001) and more often cited inability to identify a mentor of the same gender as a contributing factor (12.8% vs 0.9%, P = 0.0004). More women mentors felt comfortable advising women mentees about work-life balance (88.3% vs 63.8%, P = 0.0005). Nonetheless, fewer women considered themselves effective mentors (33.3% vs 52.6%, P = 0.03). More women reported feeling pressured to mentor because of their gender (39.5% vs 0.9% of men, P < 0.0001). Despite no gender differences, one-third of respondents reported negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their ability to mentor and be mentored. DISCUSSION: Inequities exist in the experiences of women mentees and mentors in gastroenterology, which may affect career advancement and job satisfaction.

Histologic changes caused by injection of a novel submucosal lifting agent for endoscopic resection in GI lesions.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: ORISE Gel is a recently introduced, U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved submucosal lifting agent used in endoscopic resection of GI lesions. Histologically evident gel deposits in resected specimens may pose a potential diagnostic pitfall. To aid in recognition of this procedure-related artifact, we report the largest histologic series of ORISE Gel in endoscopic and surgical resection specimens to date. METHODS: Fifty-eight EMR/endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens with ORISE Gel injection and 5 interval surgical resection specimens with previous ORISE Gel injection were included. Patient demographics and endoscopy reports were obtained. Histologic slides from all cases were reviewed. Histochemical stains were performed on select cases. RESULTS: Fifty-one EMR and 7 ESD specimens were identified. In 51 of 58 (88%) endoscopic resection specimens, amorphous, pale blue-gray, finely granular material was evident in the submucosa, as well as focally within the mucosa in 4 cases. Most cases showed homogeneous near-complete filling of the submucosa with this material, whereas a few demonstrated areas of condensation and retraction. Mucicarmine and periodic acid-Schiff stains were negative for mucin. Interval surgical resection specimens revealed extensive deposition of dense, eosinophilic material with associated multinucleated giant cells in the submucosa in all cases, with transmural extension in 3 cases. CONCLUSION: ORISE Gel injection during endoscopic resection of GI lesions results in deposition of amorphous, blue-gray material seen in histologic sections, whereas interval surgical resection specimens demonstrate dense, eosinophilic material with an associated giant cell reaction. Awareness of these artifacts will help avoid misinterpretation of their presence as pathologic findings.

Wearable-Sensors-Based Platform for Gesture Recognition of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children Using Machine Learning Algorithms.

Autistic people face many challenges in various aspects of daily life such as social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and verbal communication. They feel hesitant to talk with others. The signs of autism vary from one individual to another, with a range from mild to severe. Autistic children use fewer communicative gestures compared with typically developing children (TD). With time, the parents may learn their gestures and understand what is occurring in their child's mind. However, it is difficult for other people to understand their gestures. In this paper, we propose a wearable-sensors-based platform to recognize autistic gestures using various classification techniques. The proposed system defines, monitors, and classifies the gestures of the individuals. We propose using wearable sensors that transmit their data using a Bluetooth interface to a data acquisition and classification server. A dataset of 24 gestures is created by 10 autistic children performing each gesture about 10 times. Time- and frequency-domain features are extracted from the sensors' data, which are classified using k-nearest neighbor (KNN), decision tree, neural network, and random forest models. The main objective of this work is to develop a wearable-sensor-based IoT platform for gesture recognition in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We achieve an accuracy of about 91% with most of the classifiers using dataset cross-validation and leave-one-person-out cross-validation.

Endoscopic ultrasound acquired portal venous circulating tumor cells predict progression free survival and overall survival in patients with pancreaticobiliary cancers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite recent advances, patients with pancreaticobiliary cancers have a poor prognosis. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guided acquisition of portal vein (PV) blood for enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The aim of this study was to assess PV-CTCs as potential biomarkers for the assessment of progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with pancreaticobiliary cancers. METHODS: 17 patients with biopsy-proven pancreaticobiliary malignancy were enrolled. CTCs were enumerated from both peripheral and PV blood. All patients were followed until death. PFS and OS were evaluated with the log-rank test and summarized with the use of Kaplan-Meier methods. Unadjusted and adjusted Cox-proportional hazards models were fitted to study the relationship between PV-CTCs and PFS and OS. RESULTS: After 3.5 years of follow-up, all patients had expired. PV-CTCs were detected in all patients (median PV-CTCs 62.0/7.5 mL (interquartile range [IQR] 17-132). The mean PFS in patients with PV-CTCs <185/7.5 mL was significantly longer than patients with PV-CTCs ≥185/7.5 mL (43.3 weeks vs. 12.8 weeks, log-rank p = 0.002). The mean OS in patients with PV-CTCs <185/7.5 mL was significantly longer than patients with PV-CTCs ≥185/7.5 mL (75.8 weeks vs. 29.5 weeks, log-rank p = 0.021). In an adjusted Cox-proportional hazards model, PV-CTCs were significant predictors of both PFS and OS (HR 1.004, p = 0.037; HR 1.004, p = 0.044 respectively). CONCLUSION: In this pilot and feasibility study, EUS-acquired PV-CTCs predicted PFS and OS. Our findings suggest that PV-CTCs can help provide important prognostic data for both providers and patients.