Impact of Sarcopenia on Clinical Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Korea.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Reduced body muscle mass is a poor prognostic factor for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we investigated the prevalence of sarcopenia at diagnosis and its clinical significance in Korean patients with IBD. METHODS: The prevalence of sarcopenia in IBD patients between June 1989 and December 2016 was investigated using a well-characterized referral center-based cohort. Abdominopelvic computed tomography within six months from IBD diagnosis was used for the evaluation. Sarcopenia was defined as an L3 skeletal muscle index of < 49 cm2/m2 for male and < 31 cm2/m2 for female. The clinical characteristics and outcomes were evaluated with respect to sarcopenia. RESULTS: A total of 1,027 patients (854 Crohn's disease [CD]; 173 ulcerative colitis [UC]) were evaluated. Sarcopenia was found in 56.8% of the population (CD, 57.5%; UC, 53.2%), and male were more likely to be sarcopenic (CD, 94.3%; UC, 91.6%). There were no significant differences in the cumulative risk of using steroids, immunomodulators, biologics, and bowel resections (or colectomy) with or without sarcopenia during follow-up (median: CD, 5.8 years; UC, 3.7 years). In sarcopenic patients with CD, there was a significantly higher cumulative risk of perianal surgeries than in non-sarcopenic patients with CD (Log-rank test; P = 0.001). However, the risk of perianal surgeries was not significant in multivariate analysis (Odds ratio 1.368; 95% confidence interval 0.782-2.391; P = 0.272). CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia at diagnosis may have no significant prognostic value for medical treatment and bowel resection, but it may be associated with perianal CD.

Feasibility of moxifloxacin and proflavine dual fluorescence imaging for detecting gastrointestinal neoplastic lesions: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: High-contrast and high-resolution imaging techniques would enable real-time sensitive detection of the gastrointestinal lesions. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of novel dual fluorescence imaging using moxifloxacin and proflavine in the detection of neoplastic lesions of the human gastrointestinal tract. METHODS: Patients with the colonic and gastric neoplastic lesions were prospectively enrolled. The lesions were biopsied with forceps or endoscopically resected. Dual fluorescence imaging was performed by using custom axially swept wide-field fluorescence microscopy after topical moxifloxacin and proflavine instillation. Imaging results were compared with both confocal imaging with cell labeling and conventional histological examination. RESULTS: Ten colonic samples (one normal mucosa, nine adenomas) from eight patients and six gastric samples (one normal mucosa, five adenomas) from four patients were evaluated. Dual fluorescence imaging visualized detail cellular structures. Regular glandular structures with polarized cell arrangement were observed in normal mucosa. Goblet cells were preserved in normal colonic mucosa. Irregular glandular structures with scanty cytoplasm and dispersed elongated nuclei were observed in adenomas. Goblet cells were scarce or lost in the colonic lesions. Similarity analysis between moxifloxacin and proflavine imaging showed relatively high correlation values in adenoma compared with those in normal mucosa. Dual fluorescence imaging showed good detection accuracies of 82.3% and 86.0% in the colonic and the gastric lesions, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: High-contrast and high-resolution dual fluorescence imaging was feasible for obtaining detail histopathological information in the gastrointestinal neoplastic lesions. Further studies are needed to develop dual fluorescence imaging as an in vivo real-time visual diagnostic method.

Prevalence and risk factors of bowel symptoms in Korean patients with ulcerative colitis in endoscopic remission: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission frequently complain of bowel symptoms such as increased stool frequency (SF) and rectal bleeding (RB). However, studies on these patient-reported outcomes in patients with inactive UC are limited, especially in Korea. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors of bowel symptoms in Korean patients with inactive UC. METHODS: We investigated the prevalence of bowel symptoms in patients with endoscopically quiescent UC between June 1989 and December 2016 using a well-characterized referral center-based cohort. The Mayo clinic score (MCS) was used to evaluate bowel symptoms at the most recent visit near the date of endoscopy. Clinical characteristics of the patients were compared based on the presence or absence of bowel symptoms. RESULTS: Overall, 741 patients with endoscopically quiescent UC were identified, of whom 222 (30%) and 48 (6.5%) had an SF and RB subscore of ≥ 1, respectively. Patients with bowel symptoms (SF + RB ≥ 1; n = 244 [32.9%]) had higher rates of left-sided colitis (E2) or extensive colitis (E3) than patients without bowel symptoms (SF + RB = 0; n = 497 [67.1%]; P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis revealed that female sex (odds ratio [OR]: 1.568; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.023-2.402; P = 0.039) and E2 or E3 (OR 1.411; 95% CI 1.020-1.951; P = 0.038) were the significant risk factors for increased SF. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that one-third of patients with endoscopically quiescent UC reported increased SF. Female sex and disease extent may be associated with bowel symptoms.

Incidence and risk factors of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in Korean patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Little is known whether routine prophylaxis against Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is needed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on immunosuppression, especially in Asian populations. We, therefore, sought to investigate the incidence and risk factors of PJP in patients with IBD in Korea. METHODS: We investigated the incidence of PJP in patients with IBD and compared the characteristics of IBD patients with PJP episodes (IBD-PJP group) with those of matched controls (IBD-only group) using a large, well-characterized referral center-based cohort. RESULTS: Among the 6803 IBD patients (3171 with Crohn's disease and 3632 with ulcerative colitis) enrolled in the Asan IBD Registry between June 1989 and December 2016, six patients (0.09%) were diagnosed with PJP. During the 57 776.0 patient-years of follow-up (median 7.2 years per patient), the incidence of PJP was 10.4 cases per 100 000 person-years, and none of these patients had received PJP prophylaxis. In case-control analysis, the IBD-PJP group (n = 6) showed significantly higher C-reactive protein level at diagnosis of IBD (P = 0.006), as well as higher exposure to corticosteroids (P = 0.017), than did controls (n = 24). In addition, the IBD-PJP group showed higher rates of double (50% vs 12.5%) or triple (33.3% vs 4.2%) immunosuppression than did controls, although these are not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidence of PJP in Korean patients with IBD is low, careful monitoring is necessary for the early detection of PJP. In addition to the patients receiving double or triple immunosuppression, PJP prophylaxis should be considered especially in patients with severe disease activities requiring corticosteroids.

Early gastric cancer with three gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors combined with synchronous colon cancer: a case report.

BACKGROUND: There have been very few reports of patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) and colorectal cancer combined with gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a patient with multiple tumors that were found at the same time in the abdomen. The patient was a 77-year-old man who was referred for a gastric GIST. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed the known lesion (a gastric GIST) on the lesser curvature of the upper body and a new lesion on the lesser curvature of the lower body of the stomach with suspicion of EGC. Computed tomography findings confirmed the presence of a GIST in the stomach and revealed two new lesions. One of these lesions was suspected to be a 4-cm submucosal tumor on the anterior wall of the upper body of the stomach. The other was a wall thickening of the descending colon that demonstrated the possibility of malignancy. Synchronous colon cancer was confirmed on colonoscopy. Laparoscopic near-total gastrectomy with D1+ lymph node dissection and left hemicolectomy were performed sequentially without significant events. The patient was discharged without any postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: We reported a rare case of EGC with multiple gastric GISTs combined with synchronous colon cancer.

Correction to: Early gastric cancer with three gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors combined with synchronous colon cancer: a case report.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Prevalence and risk factors for upper gastrointestinal diseases in health check-up subjects: a nationwide multicenter study in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of upper gastrointestinal disease is expected to change following advances in socioeconomic status and improved hygiene in Korea. The aim of this study was to investigate the recent trends in upper gastrointestinal diseases based on endoscopic findings and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seroprevalence in subjects undergoing health check-up at tertiary centers in Korea. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted at nine healthcare centers between September 2016 and June 2017. The subjects were evaluated using questionnaires, upper endoscopy and H. pylori serology tests. The results were compared with previous data in our study group obtained from eight tertiary healthcare centers in 2011 (n = 4023). RESULTS: In total, we prospectively enrolled 2504 subjects undergoing health check-up. The prevalence of reflux esophagitis (RE) was 9.7%, which showed an increasing but insignificant trend since 2011 (8.8%). The prevalence of active and healing-stage benign gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer (DU) was 1.6% and 1.2%, respectively, which confirmed a significant decrease since 2011 (4.1%; p < .001 and 2.2%; p = .005, respectively). The prevalence of gastric cancer was 0.5%, representing an increasing trend since 2011 (0.12%; p = .003). H. pylori seroprevalence was 51.3%, which significantly decreased from 2011 (59.8%; p < .001). In multivariate analysis, H. pylori seropositivity was a significant risk factor for DU (p < .001), whereas a significant protective factor against RE (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The significant decrease of H. pylori seroprevalence in the past five years altered the incidence of upper gastrointestinal disease.

Usefulness of argon plasma coagulation ablation subsequent to endoscopic snare papillectomy for ampullary adenoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Endoscopic snare papillectomy (ESP) is an effective treatment for ampullary adenoma. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is widely used as an additional method to control bleeding or ablate the residual tumor. However, the efficacy of this procedure has not yet been fully evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of APC as an additional method to ESP. METHODS: Patients who underwent ESP for ampullary adenoma between September 2005 and September 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Using propensity score matching, we compared short- and long-term outcomes between the ESP-with-additional-APC group (ESP + APC group) and the ESP-only group. Primary outcome was early post-ESP adverse events (AE), and secondary outcomes were late AE and recurrence. RESULTS: Among 109 patients, additional APC was carried out in 59 (54.1%) patients. After matching, 41 patients were included in both groups, respectively. Bleeding rate was significantly lower in the ESP + APC group than in the ESP-only group (7.3% vs 31.7%, odds ratio = 0.180, P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences in other procedure-related early AE such as pancreatitis (12.2% vs 19.5%, P = 0.365), cholangitis (2.4% vs 9.8%, P = 0.198), and perforation (2.4% vs 2.4%, P = 1.000) between the ESP + APC group and the ESP-only group. During the follow-up period (mean 904 ± 868 days), papillary stricture (9.8% vs 4.9%, P = 0.405) and recurrence rates (24.4% vs 24.4%, P = 0.797) were not significantly different between the ESP + APC group and the ESP-only group. CONCLUSION: Additional APC during ESP may have a beneficial effect by decreasing bleeding rate without harmful effects.

Can Endoscopic Bleeding Control Improve the Prognosis of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients?: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Gastric bleeding is not rare and difficult to treat in gastric cancer patients. We investigated whether this affects survival and if successful bleeding control improves the prognosis. PATIENTS/MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records for 64 subjects who underwent endoscopic therapy for gastric cancer bleeding at Asan Medical Center from January 2012 to December 2014 (bleeding group). Each subject was matched 1:2 by age, sex, and American Joint Committee on Cancer staging with 128 randomly selected patients treated for stomach cancer during the same period (control group). Median survival, bleeding treatment methods, successful bleeding control, and rebleeding rate were investigated. RESULTS: The median age was 58.5 years, the male to female ratio 4.3:1. The initial hemostasis rate was 73.4%. Most patients were treated with a single method (37 patients, 57.8%); the coagrasper (32/95 cases, 33.7%) was the most frequently used treatment. Among the 47 patients in which successful bleeding control was achieved, 17 (36.2%) experienced rebleeding after 3 days. The median survival was longer in the control than in the bleeding group (18.5 vs. 6.5 mo), and in the successful bleeding control than in the failed bleeding control group (8.5 vs. 1.8 mo). However, the successful bleeding control group had lower survival than the control group (18.5 vs. 8.5 mo). Multivariate analysis showed that the risk of bleeding was lower in Borrmann type II, IV cancer, but was higher in the patients using antiplatelet or anticoagulant. CONCLUSIONS: Successful bleeding control is essential for improving survival in bleeding gastric cancer patients.

Spontaneous hemobilia after liver transplantation: Frequency, risk factors, and outcome of endoscopic management.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Spontaneous hemobilia is an uncommon liver transplantation (LT)-related biliary complication. The frequency, etiology, and mechanism of spontaneous hemobilia after LT are not known. This study aimed to assess the outcome of endoscopic management for spontaneous hemobilia after LT, and to investigate its frequency and risk factors. METHODS: The records of patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography to manage hemobilia after LT at the Asan Medical Center, Korea, between January 2006 and April 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total 2701 cases of LT was performed in the study period, and 33 LT patients with spontaneous hemobilia were included in the study group. Endoscopic nasobiliary drainage was achieved in 33 cases (100%). In 29 of 33 patients (87.9%), hemobilia was improved. The frequency of spontaneous hemobilia was 1.22% (33/2701). On multivariate analysis, United Network for Organ Sharing status I or IIa (odds ratio [OR] 3.095, 95% CI 1.097-8.732, P = 0.033), alcoholic liver cirrhosis (OR 3.942, 95% CI 1.261-12.324, P = 0.018), and body mass index < 24.5 kg/m2 (OR 2.329, 95% CI 1.005-5.397, P = 0.049) were significant risk factors for spontaneous hemobilia after LT. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic nasobiliary drainage are feasible methods for the management of spontaneous hemobilia after LT. In patients with United Network for Organ Sharing status I and IIa, alcoholic liver cirrhosis, or body mass index < 24.5 kg/m2 , special attention should be paid to the occurrence of spontaneous hemobilia after LT.

Feasibility and safety of a fully covered self-expandable metal stent with antimigration properties for EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage: early and midterm outcomes (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recently, EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage (EUS-PD) has been used for patients in whom endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) has failed. Stent-related adverse events such as stent migrations, failures in stent placement, or pancreatic fluid leakages have been of concern in transmural plastic stenting procedures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of EUS-PD with a fully covered self-expandable metal stent (FCSEMS) for patients with obstructive pancreatitis who failed ERP. METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients with painful obstructive pancreatitis underwent EUS-PD with a FCSEMS after failed ERP. Technical and clinical success, adverse events, and stent patency were assessed. RESULTS: EUS-PD was successful in all 25 patients (technical success rate, 100%), and symptoms improved in all patients (clinical success rate, 100%). EUS-guided pancreaticogastrostomy (n = 23), pancreaticoduodenostomy (n = 1), and pancreaticojejunostomy (n = 1) were performed. Pain scores improved significantly after FCSEMS placement (P = .001). Early mild grade adverse events occurred in 5 patients (20%), 4 with self-limited abdominal pain and 1 with minor bleeding. No other adverse events related to FCSEMS, including stent migration, stent clogging, pancreatic sepsis, and stent-induced ductal stricture, were observed during follow-up periods. Mean stent patency duration was 126.9 days during mean follow-up periods (221.1 days). CONCLUSIONS: EUS-PD with an FCSEMS may be technically feasible and relatively safe for patients who fail conventional ERP. Further randomized trials comparing EUS-PD with long-term FCSEMS and plastic stents for patients with painful obstructive pancreatitis after failed ERCP should be encouraged.

Fabrication of fibrillized collagen microspheres with the microstructure resembling an extracellular matrix.

Microspheres using artificial or natural materials have been widely applied in the field of tissue engineering and drug delivery systems. Collagen is being widely used for microspheres because of its abundancy in the extracellular matrix (ECM), and its good biocompatibility. The purpose of this study is to establish the appropriate condition for preparing collagen microspheres (CMS) and fibrillized collagen microspheres (fCMS) using water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Collagen can be tailored to mimic the native cell environment possessing a similar microstructure to that of the ECM by conditioning the aqueous solution. We focused on the preparation of stable and injectable CMS and fCMS which is stable and would promote the healing response. Controlling the interfacial properties of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB), we obtained CMS and fCMS with various sizes and various morphologies. The microsphere prepared with wetting agents showed good microsphere formation, but too low or too high HLB value caused low yield and uncontrollable size distribution. The change in the surfactant amount and the rotor speed also affected the formation of the CMS and fCMS, where the low surfactant amount and fast rotor speed produced smaller CMS and fCMS. In the case of fCMS, the presence of NaCl made it possible to prepare stable fCMS without using any cross-linker due to fibrillogenesis and gelling of collagen molecules. The microstructure of fCMS was similar to that of the native tissue indicating that the fCMS would replicate its function in vivo.

In vivo characterization of a decellularized dermis-polymer complex for use in percutaneous devices.

To develop a method for making percutaneous devices that have high biocompatibility and do not induce downgrowth of epidermal cells, we prepared a partial decellularized dermis (DD)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) complex (PDPC) with a PMMA rod firmly stabilized inside. The porcine decellularized tissue was chosen because of its high biocompatibility and mechanical properties, and MMA was used because it would adhere firmly to a polymer such as a catheter. The MMA filled the cavities in the dermis and polymerized, anchoring to the collagenous fibrils inside the porcine DD. The PDPC was cemented to the PMMA rod tightly and it was integrated with the surrounding tissue within 12 weeks of implantation. Furthermore, no downgrowth of the epidermis, which may cause clinical problems, was observed. We consider that the tissue-polymer complex may be a suitable candidate for use in percutaneous devices.

Discordance Rate and Risk Factor of Other Diagnostic Modalities for Small Bowel Tumors Detected by Device-Assisted Enteroscopy: A Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Disease (KASID) Multicenter Study.

Background/Aims: Despite advances in imaging and endoscopic technology, diagnostic modalities for small bowel tumors are simultaneously performed. We investigated the discrepancy rate between each modality and predictive factors of discrepancy in patients with definite small bowel tumors. Methods: Data of patients with definite small bowel tumors who underwent both device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) and computed tomography (CT) were retrieved from web-based enteroscopy registry database in Korea. Predictive risk factors associated with discrepancy were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results: Among 998 patients, 210 (21.0%) were diagnosed with small bowel tumor using DAE, in 193 patients with definite small bowel tumor, DAE and CT were performed. Of these patients, 12 (6.2%) showed discrepancy between examinations. Among 49 patients who underwent DAE and video capsule endoscopy (VCE) examination, 13 (26.5%) showed discrepancy between examinations. No significant independent risk factors were associated with concordance between DAE and CT in multivariate logistic regression analysis among the patients. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, red blood cell transfusion was negatively associated with concordance between DAE and VCE in patients with small bowel tumor (odds ratio, 0.163; 95% confidence interval, 0.026 to 1.004; p=0.050). Conclusions: For small bowel tumors, the discrepancy rate between DAE and CT was 6.2%, and 26.5% between DAE and VCE. Despite developments in cross-sectional imaging (VCE and DAE modalities), discrepancies still exist. For small bowel bleeding that require significant transfusion while showing insignificant VCE findings, DAE should be considered as the next diagnostic approach, considering the possibility of missed small bowel tumor.

Factors associated with gastric and duodenal neuroendocrine tumors: A multicenter case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The incidence of gastric and duodenal neuroendocrine tumors (GNET and DNET, respectively) is increasing, however associated factors of these diseases are not well known. Here, we investigated the factors associated with GNET and DNET. METHODS: Patients with GNET and DNET presenting at eight tertiary referral centers between 2001 and 2020 were included and compared with healthy controls who underwent upper endoscopic screening. Clinical factors and laboratory data were analyzed to determine associated factors of GNET and DNET. RESULTS: Overall, 396 patients with GNET and 193 patients with DNET were included and compared with 1725 healthy controls. Multivariate analysis showed that age (odds ratio [OR] 0.98), diabetes (OR 1.72), hypertension (OR 1.97), low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (OR 2.54), and past/present H. pylori infection (OR 1.46) were significantly associated with GNET. In contrast, DNET was significantly associated with diabetes (OR 1.80), hypertension (OR 1.68), low serum HDL-C levels (OR 2.29), and past/present H. pylori infection (OR 5.42). In the sex-based subgroup analysis in GNET, current smoking was strongly associated in women (OR 9.85), but not in men. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several common metabolic factors associated with GNET and DNET. Additionally, some factors had sex-specific associations.

Rehabilitation Program for Improved Musculoskeletal Pain in Gastrointestinal Endoscopists: Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to develop a rehabilitation program for musculoskeletal pain experienced by gastrointestinal endoscopists and to investigate its usefulness. Methods: This was a multicenter cohort study. During the first 2 weeks, a questionnaire regarding daily workload and musculoskeletal symptoms was administered. Then, a rehabilitation program including equipment/posture correction and stretching was conducted during the remaining 6 weeks. Follow-up daily workload and musculoskeletal symptom surveys were distributed during the last 2 weeks. The program satisfaction survey was performed at the 6th and 8th weeks. Results: Among 118 participants (69 men), 94% (n=111) complained of musculoskeletal pain at baseline. Various hospital activities at baseline were associated with multisite musculoskeletal pain, whereas only a few workloads were correlated with musculoskeletal pain after the rehabilitation program. Follow-up musculoskeletal pain was negatively correlated with equipment/posture program performance; arm/elbow pain was negatively correlated with elbow (R=-0.307) and wrist (R=-0.205) posture; leg/foot pain was negatively correlated with monitor position, shoulder, elbow, wrist, leg, and foot posture. Higher performance in the scope position (86.8% in the improvement vs 71.3% in the aggravation group, p=0.054) and table height (94.1% vs 79.1%, p=0.054) were associated with pain improvement. An increased number of colonoscopy procedures (6.27 in the aggravation vs 0.02 in the improvement group, p=0.017) was associated with pain aggravation. Most participants reported being average (32%) or satisfied (67%) with the program at the end of the study. Conclusions: Our rehabilitation program is easily applicable, satisfactory, and helpful for improving the musculoskeletal pain experienced by gastrointestinal endoscopists.

Use of device-assisted enteroscopy in small bowel disease: an expert consensus statement by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases.

The introduction of device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) in the beginning of 21st century has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the small intestine. In contrast to capsule endoscopy, the other main diagnostic modality of the small bowel diseases, DAE has the unique advantages of observing the region of interest in detail and enabling tissue acquisition and therapeutic intervention. As DAE becomes an essential procedure in daily clinical practice, there is an increasing need for correct guidelines on when and how to perform it and what technical factors should be considered. In response to these needs, the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases developed an expert consensus statement on the performance of DAE by reviewing the current evidence. This expert consensus statement particularly focuses on the indications, choice of insertion route, therapeutic intervention, complications, and relevant technical points.

[Use of Device-Assisted Enteroscopy in Small Bowel Disease: An Expert Consensus Statement by the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases].

The introduction of device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) in the beginning of the 21st century has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the small intestine. In contrast to capsule endoscopy, the other main diagnostic modality of small bowel diseases, DAE has the unique advantages of allowing the observation of the region of interest in detail and enabling tissue acquisition and therapeutic intervention. As DAE becomes an essential procedure in daily clinical practice, there is an increasing need for correct guidelines on when and how it is to be performed and what technical factors should be taken into consideration. In response to these needs, the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases has developed an expert consensus statement on the performance of DAE by reviewing current evidence. This expert consensus statement particularly focuses on the indications, choice of insertion route, therapeutic intervention, complications, and relevant technical points.

Histological Diagnostic Yield and Clinical Significance of the First Biopsy in Device-Assisted Enteroscopy in Patients with Small Bowel Diseases: A KASID Multicenter Study.

Device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) enables the direct visualization of small bowel lesions with histological diagnosis; however, few studies have described the diagnostic performance of enteroscopic biopsy. We investigated the diagnostic performance of enteroscopic biopsy. We used a nationwide multicenter enteroscopy database to identify patients who underwent DAE with biopsy for small bowel diseases. The patients were classified into the tumor and non-tumor groups according to the final diagnosis. They were also divided into diagnostic and non-diagnostic groups based on the enteroscopic biopsy results. The clinical significance of the first biopsy and histological diagnostic yield of DAE were analyzed. Among the 112 procedures investigated, 32 (28.9%) were diagnosed with tumors, and 80 (71.7%) were diagnosed with non-tumor diseases. The overall histological diagnostic yield of DAE was 43.7%. The histological diagnostic yield was significantly higher in the tumor than in the non-tumor group (81.2% vs. 28.8%, p < 0.001). The mean number of biopsies was significantly higher in the diagnostic than in the non-diagnostic group (5.6 ± 3.3 vs. 3.7 ± 2.1, p = 0.001). In the diagnostic group, 87.7% of the cases were histologically confirmed at the first biopsy. Therefore, the first biopsy should be performed carefully.