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Endoluminal functional lumen impedance planimetry (EndoFLIPTM) has become the gold standard to evaluate esophageal distensibility, although the study itself and its analysis present challenges. We propose here a new method to assess lower esophageal distension capacity that overcomes several limitations of prior approaches, including incomplete and corrupted EndoFLIPTM recordings. Esophageal distension capacity was evaluated with a 16-channel EndoFLIPTM in 10 controls and 14 patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Controls were evaluated once. EoE patients were evaluated at baseline and after at least six weeks of treatment with orodispersible budesonide tablets, 1 mg bd. Balloon volumes were increased by 5 mL stepwise, either reaching a maximum volume of 60 mL or a maximum balloon pressure of 60 mmHg. Recordings were analyzed with a homemade R script. The mean esophageal diameter at 60 mL, D (60 mL), was calculated or extrapolated depending on whether the 60 mL volume was reached. By fitting a Michaelis–Menten curve across all measured diameters throughout all constant volume steps, the mean D (60 mL) was estimated. For control subjects, the mean ± SD value of D (60 mL) was 17.08 ± 1.69 mm, and for EoE patients at baseline, D (60 mL) was 14.51 ± 2.68 mm. After six weeks of treatment of EoE patients, D (60 mL) significantly increased to 16.22 ± 1.86 mm (paired Wilcoxon signed test: p = 0.0052), although the values for control subjects were not reached. The estimated mean esophageal diameter at 60 mL is a good proxy for esophageal distension capacity, which correlates with clinical outcomes in EoE. The method presented in this study overcomes difficulties encountered during the standard measurement protocol, allowing the analysis of recordings from incomplete and corrupted registries.

Introduction and aims: The understanding of lactose intolerance (LI) is limited in some professional settings. Sociedad Española de Patología Digestiva (SEPD) and Sociedad Española de Medicina General (SEMG) have developed a survey in order to: a) Analyze primary care physicians (PCPs) knowledge and clinical management; and b) to compare results with those of a previous survey of Spanish gastroenterologists (GEs). Material and methods: An online questionnaire was sent to SEMG members with 27 items on various issues: Demographics, occupational characteristics, outlook on LI, diagnostic tests, treatment, and follow-up. Results were compared to those from a survey of GEs. Results: A total of 456 PCPs responded, versus 477 GEs. PCPs had an older mean age and longer professional experience. Level of understanding of LI was similar, albeit a higher proportion of PCPs lacked epidemiological awareness (p < 0.01). GEs tended to consider LI a "minor" condition (71.3 vs. 40.1%; p > 0.001), and LI symptoms as overlapping those of irritable bowel syndrome (93.5 vs. 88.2%; p = 0.005), although symptoms perceived as suspicious of LI were similar in both groups. Dietary recommendations were recognized as the primary therapeutic approach. Conclusion: This study reveals the outlook of PCPs on LI, and allows comparison with that of GEs, as a basis for the development of strategies aimed at improving LI understanding, approach and management in our setting.

Background and objective: No nation-wide epidemiological study on the incidence and prevalence of chronic pancreatitis (CP) had been thus far carried out in Spain. Our goal is to estimate the prevalence and incidence of CP, as well as to determine the diagnostic and therapeutic criteria used in Spanish pancreas units. Methods: An observarional, descriptive study of hospital pancreas units in Spain. CP-related epidemiology, etiology, manifestations, diagnostic tests, functional complications, and treatments were all assessed using a structured questionnaire. Overall results were estimated by weighting cases in each site. Results: Information was collected from six pancreas units with a sample frame of 1,900,751 inhabitants. Overall prevalence was 49.3 cases per 10(5) population (95 % CI, 46 to 52) and incidence was 5.5 cases per 10(5) inhabitant-years (95 % CI, 5.4 to 5.6). Most common etiologies included tobacco and alcoholism, which were associated with three in every four cases. The most prevalent symptoms were recurring pain (48.8 %) and chronic abdominal pain (30.6 %). The most widely used diagnostic method was echoendoscopy (79.8 %), CT (computerized tomography) (58.7 %), and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)/MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography) (55.9 %). Most prevalent morphologic findings included calcifications (35 %) and pseudocysts (27 %). Exocrine (38.8 %) and endocrine (35.2 %) pancreatic insufficiency had both a similar frequency. Treatments used were rather heterogeneous among sites, with enzyme replacement therapy (40.7 %) and insulin (30.9 %) being most commonly used. Conclusions: Pancreas units amass a significant number of both prevalent and incident CP cases. Patients seen in these units share a similar typology, and differences between units are greater regarding diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.