Incidence and risk factors of delayed postpolypectomy bleeding: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Delayed bleeding is a serious complication that occurs after polypectomy. Many risk factors for delayed bleeding have been suggested, but there is little analysis of procedure-related risk factors. The purpose of this study is to identify a wide range of risk factors for delayed postpolypectomy bleeding (DPPB) and analyze the correlations of those potential DPPB risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, 5981 polypectomies in 3788 patients were evaluated between January 2010 and February 2012. Patient-related, polyp-related, and procedure-related factors were evaluated as potential DPPB risk factors. RESULTS: Delayed bleeding occurred in 42 patients (1.1%). Multivariate analysis revealed that polyp size >10 mm [odds ratio (OR), 2.785; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.406-5.513; P=0.003], location in the right hemi-colon (OR, 2.289; 95% CI, 1.117-4.693; P=0.024), and endoscopist's experience (<300 total cases of colonoscopy performed; OR, 4.803; 95% CI, 2.631-8.766; P=0.001) were significant risk factors for DPPB. Especially protruded type polyps (Ip, Isp) larger than 1 cm in the right-side colon were associated with increased risk. Right-side polypectomy by a nonexpert endoscopist was a significant risk factor for DPPB, especially with procedures in the cecum area. Taking the 1.5% DPPB incidence as cutoff value, the learning curve of colonoscopic polypectomy may be estimated as 400 cases of polypectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Polyp size, endoscopist's experience, and right hemi-colon location were identified as potential risk factors for DPPB development.

The successful endoscopic hemostasis factors in bleeding from advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: When patients with advanced gastric cancer experience active bleeding, gastroenterologists normally choose between two treatment modalities, endoscopic hemostasis and transarterial embolization (TAE). In patients with advanced gastric cancer with bleeding, the predictive factors for endoscopic hemostatic failure are still unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate predictive factors for endoscopic hemostasis failure and to differentiate which hemostasis procedure is more effective for advanced gastric cancer with bleeding. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer and acute non-variceal gastric bleeding from January 2006 to August 2011. Forty-five patients were enrolled in this study and they were divided into a group of 14 patients who had experienced successful endoscopic hemostasis and a group of 31 patients who had had unsuccessful hemostasis with the first endoscopy and then underwent TAE. RESULTS: Lesion size and bleeding condition of Forrest class 1a or 1b were statistically significant predictive factors for endoscopic hemostatic failure (P = 0.023 and P = 0.017, respectively). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, size (lesion >2 cm) was a significant predictive factor for endoscopic hemostatic failure [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 8.056; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.329-48.846]. CONCLUSIONS: We determined that small bleeding lesions (<2 cm) and exposed vessels in the bleeding site with gastric cancer indicated that endoscopic hemostasis would be an effective hemostatic modality to choose. Particularly, in the opposite condition, the presence of large bleeding lesions (>2 cm) and non-exposed vessel bleeding with a tumor, endoscopic hemostasis failure is predicted and TAE could be recommended.

Continuous long-term entecavir therapy in naïve chronic hepatitis B patients showing partial virologic response.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We investigated the efficacy of continuous long-term entecavir 0.5 mg treatment in naïve chronic hepatitis B patients showing a partial virologic response (PVR). METHODS: A total of 227 patients were included. PVR was defined as a more than 1 log10 IU/mL decline in detectable serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR; ≥20 IU/mL) at week 48. A complete virologic response (CVR) was defined as undetectable serum HBV DNA by PCR (<20 IU/mL) at week 48. RESULTS: At week 48, the rate of the PVR was 64/227 (28.2%). Among patients with PVR, the cumulative rates of virologic response (serum HBV DNA <20 IU/mL) at weeks 96 and 144 were 45.2% and 73.8%, respectively. The cumulative rates of genotypic resistance were not significantly different between patients with a PVR and patients with a CVR (p=0.057). However, the cumulative rates of virologic breakthrough were higher in patients with PVR than in patients with CVR (4% vs 0% and 11.2% vs 0% at weeks 96 and 144, respectively; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term continuous entecavir 0.5 mg treatment in patients with a PVR resulted in an additional virologic response without a significant increase in genotypic resistance. However, the rate of virologic breakthrough was higher in the partial responders.

A case of parasite invasion of the intestinal tract: a missed diagnosis in irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of any organic cause. As the clinical manifestations are very diverse and associated with nonspecific symptoms, research seeking to identify organic causes to rule out IBS and to enable differential diagnosis is required. A 24-year-old man was referred to our hospital for specialized management of IBS. He had a 7-month history of intermittent epigastric and lower abdominal pain. On the basis of clinical examination, he was diagnosed with IBS and administered medication at a primary clinic. However, his symptoms did not improve after treatment. We performed capsule endoscopy at our hospital and identified a parasite (Ancylostoma duodenale) in the proximal jejunum. We therefore report a case of parasitic infection found by additional examination while evaluating symptoms associated with a previous diagnosis of refractory IBS.