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Background: The presence of dyspeptic symptoms is a common finding in patients treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Some studies seem to support the involvement of Helicobacter pylori infection in [...]

Objectives:To determine the efficacy and safety of cyclosporine (CyA) in a large national registry-based population of patients with steroid-refractory (SR) acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) and to establish predictors of efficacy and adverse events.Methods:Multicenter study of SR-ASUC treated with CyA, based on data from the ENEIDA registry. SR-ASUC patients treated with infliximab (IFX) or sequential rescue therapy (CyA-IFX or IFX-CyA) were used as comparators.Results:Of 740 SR-ASUC patients, 377 received CyA, 131 IFX and 63 sequential rescue therapy. The cumulative colectomy rate was higher in the CyA (24.1%) and sequential therapy (32.7%) than in the IFX group (14.5%; P=0.01) at 3 months and 5 years. There were no differences in early and late colectomy between CyA and IFX in patients treated after 2005. 62% of patients receiving CyA remained colectomy-free in the long term (median 71 months). There were no differences in mortality between CyA (2.4%), IFX (1.5%) and sequential therapy (0%; P=0.771). The proportion of patients with serious adverse events (SAEs) was lower in CyA (15.4%) than in IFX treated patients (26.5%) or sequential therapy (33.4%; P<0.001). This difference in favor of CyA was maintained when only patients treated after 2005 were analyzed.Conclusions:Treatment with CyA showed a lower rate of SAE and a similar efficacy to that of IFX thereby supporting the use of either CyA or IFX in SR-ASUC. In addition, the risk-benefit of sequential CyA-IFX for CyA non-responders is acceptable.

Objectives:The objective of this study was (a) To know the prevalence and distribution of extracolonic cancer (EC) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); (b) To estimate the incidence rate of EC; (c) To evaluate the association between EC and treatment with immunosuppressants and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents.Methods:This was an observational cohort study. Inclusion criteria: IBD and inclusion in the ENEIDA Project (a prospectively maintained registry) from GETECCU. Exclusion criteria: Patients with EC before the diagnosis of IBD, lack of relevant data for this study, and previous treatment with immunosuppressants other than corticosteroids, thiopurines, methotrexate, or anti-TNF agents. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate the impact of several variables on the risk of EC, and any differences between survival curves were evaluated using the log-rank test. Stepwise multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to investigate factors potentially associated with the development of EC, including drugs for the treatment of IBD, during follow-up.Results:A total of 11,011 patients met the inclusion criteria and were followed for a median of 98 months. Forty-eight percent of patients (5,303) had been exposed to immunosuppressants or anti-TNF drugs, 45.8% had been exposed to thiopurines, 4.7% to methotrexate, and 21.6% to anti-TNF drugs. The prevalence of EC was 3.6%. In the multivariate analysis, age (HR=1.05, 95% CI=1.04–1.06) and having smoked (hazards ratio (HR)=1.47, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.10–1.80) were the only variables associated with a higher risk of EC.Conclusions:Neither immunosuppressants nor anti-TNF drugs seem to increase the risk of EC. Older age and smoking were associated with a higher prevalence of EC.

OBJECTIVES:The aims of this study were to assess the risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to identify the factors associated with relapse, and to evaluate the overcome after retreatment with the same anti-TNF in those who relapsed.METHODS:This was a retrospective, observational, multicenter study. IBD patients who had been treated with anti-TNFs and in whom these drugs were discontinued after clinical remission was achieved were included.RESULTS:A total of 1,055 patients were included. The incidence rate of relapse was 19% and 17% per patient-year in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients, respectively. In both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients in deep remission, the incidence rate of relapse was 19% per patient-year. The treatment with adalimumab vs. infliximab (hazard ratio (HR)=1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.01–1.66), elective discontinuation of anti-TNFs (HR=1.90; 95% CI=1.07–3.37) or discontinuation because of adverse events (HR=2.33; 95% CI=1.27–2.02) vs. a top-down strategy, colonic localization (HR=1.51; 95% CI=1.13–2.02) vs. ileal, and stricturing behavior (HR=1.5; 95% CI=1.09–2.05) vs. inflammatory were associated with a higher risk of relapse in Crohn’s disease patients, whereas treatment with immunomodulators after discontinuation (HR=0.67; 95% CI=0.51–0.87) and age (HR=0.98; 95% CI=0.97–0.99) were protective factors. None of the factors were predictive in ulcerative colitis patients. Retreatment of relapse with the same anti-TNF was effective (80% responded) and safe.CONCLUSIONS:The incidence rate of inflammatory bowel disease relapse after anti-TNF discontinuation is relevant. Some predictive factors of relapse after anti-TNF withdrawal have been identified. Retreatment with the same anti-TNF drug was effective and safe.

Rituximab has emerged as an efficacious option for drug-resistant myasthenia gravis (MG). However, reports published only describe the short-term follow-up of patients treated and little is known about their long-term clinical and immunologic evolution. Our objective was to report the clinical and immunologic long-term follow-up of 17 patients (6 MuSKMG and 11 AChRMG) and compare the response between AChRMG and MuSKMG patients.

Background & Aims: Endoscopic therapy reduces the rebleeding rate, the need for surgery, and the mortality in patients with peptic ulcer and active bleeding or visible vessel. Injection of epinephrine is the most popular therapeutic method. Guidelines disagree on the need for a second hemostatic procedure immediately after epinephrine; although it seems to reduce further bleeding, its effects on morbidity, surgery rates, and mortality remain unclear. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether the addition of a second procedure improves hemostatic efficacy and/or patient outcomes after epinephrine injection. Methods: An extensive search for randomized trials comparing epinephrine alone vs. epinephrine plus a second method was performed in MEDLINE and EMBASE and in the abstracts of the AGA Congresses between 1990 and 2002. Selected articles were included in a meta-analysis. Results: Sixteen studies including 1673 patients met inclusion criteria. Adding a second procedure reduced the further bleeding rate from 18.4% to 10.6% (Peto odds ratio 0.53, 95% CI: 0.40-0.69) and emergency surgery from 11.3% to 7.6% (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.46-0.90). Mortality fell from 5.1% to 2.6% (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31-0.84). Subanalysis showed that the risk of further bleeding decreased regardless of which second procedure was applied. In addition, the risk was reduced in all subgroups, although reduction was more evident in high-risk patients and when no scheduled follow-up endoscopies were performed. Conclusions: Additional endoscopic treatment after epinephrine injection reduces further bleeding, need for surgery, and mortality in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer.

Background: The optimal therapy for bleeding small bowel vascular lesions is controversial. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic band ligation in this clinical condition. Methods: Fourteen patients bleeding from angiodysplasia and 4 bleeding from Dieulafoy's lesions located in the small bowel were included in this pilot study. Endoscopic band ligation was performed by using less than 200 mBar negative pressure in suctioning the target lesion into the ligation cap just before band release. Mean follow-up was 18 months (range 6-31 months). Observations: Endoscopic band ligation achieved hemostasis in a single session in all patients. No adverse events occurred except for mild abdominal pain in two patients. Mortality was null, and no patient required further blood transfusion during the 40 days after endoscopic band ligation. No patient with Dieulafoy's lesion had further bleeding, whereas bleeding recurred in 6 of 14 (43%) patients with angiodysplasia during long-term follow-up. Conclusions: Endoscopic band ligation is safe and effective for treatment of acutely bleeding small bowel vascular lesions. Although endoscopic band ligation is definitive therapy for Dieulafoy's lesion, long-term efficacy in the treatment of Gl bleeding from angiodysplasia is limited.

Objective:To determine whether ranitidine a) increases the values of gastric intramucosal pH (pHi) in critically ill patients, as determined by tonometry; b) reduces the variability of these measurements. Design:Prospective, double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Setting:General Intensive Care Unit of a teaching hospital. Patients:Twenty-five critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients requiring arterial catheter and nasogastric tube. Interventions:Tonometer placement; blind, random administration of intravenous ranitidine (50 mg) or placebo. Measurements and main results:Tonometer saline PCO2(PCO2i), arterial blood gases, gastric juice pH and pHi were determined immediately before, and 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after, ranitidine (12 patients) or placebo (13 patients). Ranitidine significantly increased gastric juice pH, but did not affect PCO2i or pHi; pHi was 7.34 ± 0.14 before ranitidine, and 7.30 ± 0.12, 7.31 ± 0.11, 7.31 ± 0.14 and 7.31 ± 0.12 – 2, 4, 6 and 8 h, respectively, after ranitidine administration (p= 0.55). Ranitidine did not modify the coefficients of variation of PCO2i or pHi, either. No significant changes in gastric juice pH, PCO2i or pHi were observed in the placebo group. Conclusions:In critically ill patients, ranitidine has no effect on pHi values, and does not increase the reproducibility of pHi measurements.

Abstract: Objective: To determine whether sucralfate administration affects the tonometric measurement of gastric intramucosal pH (pHi). Design: Non-randomized observational study. Setting: General intensive care unit of a teaching hospital. Patients: Twenty critically ill, mechanically ventilated, consecutively admitted patients requiring an arterial catheter and nasogastric tube. Interventions: Tonometer placement and sucralfate administration. Measurements and main results: We simultaneously determined tonometer saline PCO2 (PCO2i), arterial blood gases, pH of gastric juice and pHi. These parameters were evaluated immediately before sucralfate administration, and 2 h and 4 h after. We did not detect any change in either PCO2i or pHi after sucralfate administration (PCO2i: basal 6.4 ± 1.7, 2 h 6.3 ± 1.7, 4 h 6.3 ± 1.7; pHi: basal 7.35 ± 0.13, 2 h 7.36 ± 0.12, 4 h 7.36 ± 0.12). Conclusions: Sucralfate does not affect the tonometric measurement of PCO2i and pHi.

We report a patient in whom the placement of a LeVeen shunt lead to the development of “ectopic ascites” in the neck. This previously unreported complication of the peritoneovenous shunt may have been due to the leakage of ascites across the surgical wound. Removing ascites prior to constructing the shunt may prevent this complication.

A 43-year-old woman had abdominal pain and anemia due to inorganic lead poisoning. Plain abdominal x-ray films showed metallic densities within the lumen of the large bowel. The patient admitted that she used to chew the sheets of metallic lead enclosing wine bottle necks regularly. We report the case because of both the unusual radiographic findings and the exceptional source of lead intoxication.