Serum pepsinogen level as a biomarker for atrophy, reflux esophagitis, and gastric cancer screening in Indonesia.

Background: Chronic dyspepsia's symptoms are frequently seen in primary to tertiary healthcare in Indonesia. This study aimed to describe the potential usability of pepsinogen (PG) values in determining gastric mucosal conditions, including superficial gastritis and atrophic gastritis. Materials and Methods: We recruited 646 adult dyspeptic patients and then analyzed PG values (including PGI, PGII, and PGI/II ratio) with endoscopic findings, gastric mucosal damages, and Helicobacter pylori infection. The gastric mucosal damage and H. pylori infection were evaluated using histological examination based on the updated Sydney system. Results: Among 646 enrolled patients, 308 (47.2%), 212 (32.8%), 91 (14.1%), 34 (5.2%), and 1 (0.2%) patient were diagnosed with normal mucosa, gastritis, reflux esophagitis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer, respectively. Significant differences in PGI, PGII, and PGI/II ratio values were observed among ethnic groups (all P < 0.01). The PGI and PGII levels were significantly higher and PGI/II was significantly lower in H. pylori-infected patients than in uninfected ones (all P < 0.001). The optimal cutoff value for PGII and PGI/II was 12.45 ng/mL with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.755 (0.702-0.811), sensitivity 59.3%, and specificity 77.1%; and 4.75 with AUC value of 0.821 (0.763-0.855), sensitivity 81.5%, and specificity 78.7%, respectively, to determine moderate-severe atrophy. Conclusion: Serum PG levels, a useful biomarker, represent the endoscopic findings, especially for reflux esophagitis. In addition, the benefits of PG values detecting atrophic gastritis were limited to moderate-severe atrophic gastritis. This usefulness requires careful attention for several ethnic groups in Indonesia.

Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Neglected Issue in Comprehensive Inflammatory Bowel Disease Management.

Anemia is the most common extraintestinal inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) manifestations and is significantly correlated with several adverse impacts such as higher hospitalization rate, relapse rate, surgical intervention requirement, and low quality of life. The prevalence of anemia in IBD patients is greatly varied between reports, which is estimated between 8.8% to 74%. However, studies showed there were still gaps in the screening protocol and anemia treatment in daily practice. Anemia in IBD tends to be an overlooked IBD complication yet significant and must be adequately addressed. Anemia in IBD may be caused by several factors that interplayed, with iron deficiency anemia being the most common etiology. Comprehensive management of anemia in IBD should consist of active screening, evaluation of the etiology, holistic treatment, and follow-up monitoring. Optimization of IBD therapy should be emphasized because it also may improve the anemic condition. A multidisciplinary approach and collaboration are needed to ensure better IBD care.

Palliative Management of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Gastroentero-hepatologist.

Pancreatic cancer commonly diagnosed at late stage due to subtle clinical manifestation and associated with low 5-year survival rate. Only 10-20% of patients were found in resectable or localized stage. Several complications may arise due to advanced pancreatic cancer such as obstructive jaundice, gastric outlet obstruction, pancreatic cancer cachexia, pruritus of cholestasis, and cancer pain. Palliative management should be optimized in order to improve patient's quality of life. A gastroentero-hepatologist should collaborate with other specialties to give comprehensive palliative care for advanced pancreatic cancer patients.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Colitis, a Rising Issue in Targeted Cancer Therapy Era: A Literature Review.

Research advances in the oncology treatment field have led to the widespread use of immunotherapy. The usage of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has improved the survival of cancer patients with metastases. This has also led to the rapidly expanding indications for ICI use. However, ICI usage may lead to toxicity, which may be immune-related, in different organ-specific targets. The immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of ICI may lead to increased morbidity, decreased quality of life, and early termination of ICI. The clinical manifestations of irAEs in the gastrointestinal system are variable, ranging from self-limited to life-threatening or fatal events. In this review article, we would like to focus on discussing ICI-induced colitis, which is one of the most common ICI irAEs in the gastrointestinal tract.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Improving Polyp and Adenoma Detection Rate During Colonoscopy: Systematic-Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Colonoscopy may detect colorectal polyp and facilitate its removal in order to prevent colorectal cancer. However, substantial miss rate for colorectal adenomas detection still occurred during screening colonoscopy procedure. Nowadays, artificial intelligence (AI) have been employed in trials to improve polyp detection rate (PDR) and adenoma detection rate (ADR). Therefore, we would like to determine the impact of AI in increasing PDR and ADR. METHODS: The present study adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020) statement. To identify relevant literature, comprehensive searches were conducted on major scientific databases, including Pubmed, EBSCO-host, and Proquest. The search was limited to articles published up to November 30, 2022. Inclusion criteria for the study encompassed full-text accessibility, articles written in the English language, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported both ADR and PDR values, comparing conventional diagnostic methods with AI-aided approaches. To synthesize the data, we computed the combined pooled odds ratio (OR) using a random-effects model. This model was chosen due to the expectation of considerable heterogeneity among the selected studies. To evaluate potential publication bias, the Begg's funnel diagram was employed. RESULTS: A total of 13 studies were included in this study. Colonoscopy with AI had significantly higher PDR compared to without AI (pooled OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.13-1.89, p = 0.003) and higher ADR (pooled OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.37-1.82, p < 0.00001). PDR analysis showed moderate heterogeneity between included studies (p = 0.004; I2=63%). Furthermore, ADR analysis showed moderate heterogeneity (p < 0.007; I2 = 57%). Additionally, the funnels plot of ADR and PDR analysis showed an asymmetry plot and low publication bias. CONCLUSION: AI may improve colonoscopy result quality through improving PDR and ADR.

Management of dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infection: the 2022 Indonesian Consensus Report.

Dyspepsia still becomes a major challenge in upper gastrointestinal disease in Indonesia. This disease often correlated with Helicobacter pylori infection. However, the prevalence of this bacterium is generally low in Indonesia. Therefore, several considerations should be taken into consideration during the management of dyspepsia and H. pylori infection. "Management of dyspepsia and H. pylori infection in Indonesia: The Indonesian consensus report" comprises information gathered from 22 gastroenterology centers across Indonesia. The experts gathered to evolve a consensus, that consists of the statements, grades of recommendations, evidence levels, and rationales for the dyspepsia and H. pylori infection management for daily clinical practice. The report explains several aspects from the updated epidemiology information to comprehensive management therapy. After the experts worked together on all statements in the recommendations, the results are presented with the final agreement as a consensus to help clinicians in understanding, diagnosing, and treating dyspepsia and H. pylori infection patients in daily clinical practice in Indonesia.

Screening of pancreatic cancer: Target population, optimal timing and how?

Pancreatic cancer patients usually present at a late stage due to subtle clinical manifestations. One of the most predictive prognostic factors in pancreatic cancer is the pancreatic cancer stage at diagnosis; therefore, early diagnosis is essential. Until now, pancreatic cancer screening has not become a standard practice for the general population due to the low incidence. In current circumstances, targeting individuals with a high risk of pancreatic cancer may be more rational. Several screening modalities for pancreatic cancer have also become debatable topics. Therefore, this article will review current evidence and recommendations regarding pancreatic screening cancer protocol in general and in high-risk populations.