Search

Data on how to teach endosonographers needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE)-guided histologic diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are limited. Hence, we developed and tested a structured educational program to train early-career endosonographers in nCLE-guided diagnosis of PCLs. Twenty-one early-career nCLE-naïve endosonographers watched a teaching module outlining nCLE criteria for diagnosing PCLs. Participants then reviewed 80 high-yield nCLE videos, recorded diagnoses, and received expert feedback (phase 1). Observers were then randomized to a refresher feedback session or self-learning at 4 weeks. Eight weeks after training, participants independently assessed the same 80 nCLE videos without feedback and provided histologic predictions (phase 2). Diagnostic performance of nCLE to differentiate mucinous versus nonmucinous PCLs and to diagnose specific subtypes were analyzed using histopathology as the criterion standard. Learning curves were determined using cumulative sum analysis. Accuracy and diagnostic confidence for differentiating mucinous versus nonmucinous PCLs improved as endosonographers progressed through nCLE videos in phase 1 (P <.001). Similar trends were observed with the diagnosis of PCL subtypes. Most participants achieved competency interpreting nCLE, requiring a median of 38 assessments (range, 9-67). During phase 2, participants independently differentiated PCLs with high accuracy (89%), high confidence (83%), and substantial interobserver agreement (κ =.63). Accuracy for nCLE-guided PCL subtype diagnoses ranged from 82% to 96%. The learned nCLE skills did not deteriorate at 8 weeks and were not impacted by a refresher session. We developed a practical, effective, and durable educational intervention to train early-career endosonographers in nCLE-guided diagnosis of PCLs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adiposity has been consistently associated with gallstone disease risk. We aimed to characterize associations of anthropometric measures (body mass index [BMI], recent weight change, long-term weight change, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio) with symptomatic gallstone disease according to strata of gallstone disease polygenic risk score (PRS). We conducted analysis among 34,626 participants with available genome-wide genetic data within 3 large, prospective, U.S. cohorts—the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, and NHS II. We characterized joint associations of PRS and anthropometric measures and tested for interactions on the relative and absolute risk scales. Women in the highest BMI and PRS categories (BMI ≥30 kg/m2 and PRS ≥1 SD above mean) had odds ratio for gallstone disease of 5.55 (95% confidence interval, 5.29 to 5.81) compared with those in the lowest BMI and PRS categories (BMI <25 kg/m2 and PRS <1 SD below the mean). The corresponding odds ratio among men was 1.65 (95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 2.29). Associations for BMI did not vary within strata of PRS on the relative risk scale. On the absolute risk scale, the incidence rate difference between obese and normal-weight individuals was 1086 per 100,000 person-years within the highest PRS category, compared with 666 per 100,000 person-years in the lowest PRS category, with strong evidence for interaction with the ABCG8 locus. While maintenance of a healthy body weight reduces gallstone disease risk among all individuals, risk reduction is higher among the subset with greater genetic susceptibility to gallstone disease. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic therapy (ET) has been used to treat nonampullary duodenal neuroendocrine tumors (NAD-NETs) ≤10 mm in size, but data on long-term outcomes are limited. In addition, management of 11- to 19-mm NAD-NETs is not well defined because of variable estimates of risk of metastasis. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of metastasis of NAD-NETs ≤19 mm and evaluate the long-term survival of patients after ET as compared with radical surgery. The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Result database was used to identify 1243 patients with T1-2 histologically confirmed NAD-NETs ≤19 mm in size. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Overall, 4.8% of cases had metastasis at the time of diagnosis, with lower prevalence in ≤10-mm lesions (3.1%) versus 11- to 19-mm lesions (11.7%, P <.001). The risk factors for metastases included invasion to the muscularis propria (odds ratio, 25.95; 95% confidence interval, 9.01-76.70), age <65 years (odds ratio, 1.93), submucosal involvement (odds ratio, 3.1), and 11 to 19 mm in size (vs ≤10 mm). In patients with well- to moderately differentiated T1-2N0M0 NAD-NETs ≤19 mm confined to the mucosa/submucosa who underwent ET or surgery, the 5-year CSS was 100%. The 5-year OS was similar between the ≤10-mm and 11- to 19-mm groups (86.6% vs 91.0%, P =.31) and the ET and surgery groups (87.4% vs 87.5%, P =.823). In NAD-NETs, invasion to the muscularis propria is the strongest risk factor for metastasis. In the absence of metastasis, in lesions with well/moderate differentiation and without muscle invasion, ET is adequate for NAD-NETs ≤10 mm and is a viable option for 11- to 19-mm lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EUS-guided gastroenterostomy (EUS-GE) is increasingly used as an alternative to surgery and enteral stent placement to manage gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). However, no data are available on the learning curve (LC) for EUS-GE. Defining the LC is necessary to create adequate subspecialty training programs and quality assurance. This study is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained dataset of patients who underwent EUS-GE at 1 tertiary referral center. Primary outcome was the LC for EUS-GE defined by the number of cases needed to achieve proficiency and mastery using cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis. Moving average graphs and sequential time-block analysis were also performed to assess procedural time. Secondary outcomes included efficacy and safety of EUS-GE. Eighty-seven consecutive patients underwent EUS-GE, mostly for malignant GOO. For consistency, 14 patients were excluded from analysis (noncautery-assisted EUS-GE, 11; surgical anatomy, 3). The same endoscopist performed all procedures using the same freehand technique. Technical success was achieved in 68 of 73 patients (93%). Immediate adverse events occurred in 4 patients (5.5%), whereas late adverse events occurred only in 1 patient (1%), all managed conservatively or endoscopically. All immediate adverse events occurred during the first 39 cases. Clinical success (defined as resuming at least an oral liquid diet within a week) was achieved in 97% of patients. The mean procedural time was 36 minutes (standard deviation, 24). Evaluation of the CUSUM curve revealed that 25 cases were needed to achieve proficiency and 40 cases to achieve mastery. These results were confirmed with the average moving curve and sequential time-block analysis. We report, for the first time, data on the LC for EUS-GE. About 25 procedures can be considered as the threshold to achieve proficiency and about 40 cases are needed to reach mastery of the technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The natural history of refractory benign esophageal strictures (RBES) is unclear, and surgery or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) may be the only viable long-term options. The aim of the present study was to assess the long-term outcomes of patients with RBES. Methods Clinical data of consecutive patients with RBES treated in the previous 15 years in 2 tertiary-care referral academic centers with specialized interest in esophageal stricture management were retrospectively analyzed. RBES was defined as the persistence and/or recurrence of dysphagia despite at least 5 dilation sessions and/or cycles with dilation to at least 14 mm. Information regarding the use of dilation or stents and the dysphagia-free period between subsequent interventions and adverse events was collected. Clinical success was defined as no need for endoscopic interventions for at least 6 months; unfavorable outcomes were defined as the need for endoscopic treatment at the end of follow-up, surgery, or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Predictors of unfavorable outcomes were assessed by multivariate analysis. A linear mixed-effect model was used to measure dysphagia-free period changes over time. Results Overall, 70 patients with RBES (46 male; mean age 60 years) were followed for a mean of 43.9 months (range 3.7-157 months). Caustic, postradiotherapy, surgical, mixed, and postinflammatory etiology accounted for 10%, 14.3%, 31.4%, 40%, and 4.3% of causes, respectively. All patients underwent sequential sessions of pneumatic or bougie dilation, with a median of 15.5 dilation sessions per patient. Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) and biodegradable stents were placed in 18 (25.7%) and 14 (20%) patients, respectively. RBES resolution was achieved in only 22 of 70 (31.4%) patients. Two deaths (3%) were related to RBES. The success rate was lower in those who also were treated with endoprosthetics (odds ratio [OR] 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-18.0). The mean dysphagia-free period was 3.3 months (95% CI, 2.4-4.1) for patients treated with dilation and 2.4 months (95% CI, 1.2-3.6) for those treated with stents ( P = .062). Over time, the total dysphagia-free period increased at a rate of 4.1 days (95% CI, 1.7-6.4) per dilation. There was no difference in the rate of change across groups defined by sex ( P = .976), age ( P = .633), or endoscopic treatment ( P = .267). Conclusions Our multicenter series showed a disappointing long-term outcome for RBES, with only 1 of 3 achieving clinical resolution. The dysphagia-free period was relatively short, affecting the quality of life. Endoprosthetics did not appear to affect the natural history of RBES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A new needle platform for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy has been developed that allows interchangeability of all needle sizes. Aims To prospectively compare the efficacy of the new 25-G needles and 22-G needles for obtaining an adequate aspirate of solid masses. Methods Randomized controlled trial of 144 patients referred for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of solid pancreatic masses, intraparietal tumours, or lymph-nodes, randomized to the 25-G or 22-G needle arms. Results An adequate specimen was obtained from 74.3% of cases. The sample tended to be more adequate in the 25-G compared to the 22-G group (81% vs. 68%; p = 0.09). Crossover was required in 14 (19%) and 12 (17%) cases in the 22-G and in the 25-G groups, respectively ( p = 0.7). The overall rate of adequacy improved from 74% before crossover to 90% after crossover ( p < 0.01). When comparing the two groups after crossover, the rate of obtaining adequate samples was significantly higher in the 25-G arm than in the 22-G arm (95.8% vs. 86.1%; p = 0.03). Conclusions The 25-G needle was superior to the 22-G needle for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The adequacy and diagnostic accuracy improved after crossover, reaching 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Endoscopic treatment of Barrett's oesophagus leading to high grade dysplasia with oesophageal varices may lead to bleeding complications. Aims Estimate effectiveness of endoscopic band-ligation in oesophageal varices patients treated for high grade dysplasia, and compare to endoscopically treated non-oesophageal varices high grade dysplasia patients. Methods Retrospective comparative study. All 8 high grade dysplasia patients with varices who were treated initially with band-ligation at Mayo Clinic between 8/1/1999 and 2/28/2014 were compared with reference group of 52 high grade dysplasia patients treated endoscopically. Results One high grade dysplasia patients patient with oesophageal varices (12.5%) achieved complete remission of intestinal metaplasia defined by at least one followup endoscopy with normal biopsies, and 3 (37.5%) achieved complete remission of dysplasia defined by at least one followup endoscopy with non-dysplastic biopsies. 39 (75.0%) endomucosal resection/radiofrequency ablation patients experienced at least one followup endoscopy with normal biopsies, and 49 (94.2%) experienced non-dysplastic biopsies. Both of these endpoints occurred significantly more often in the endomucosal resection/radiofrequency ablation group compared to the high grade dysplasia with oesophageal varices group ( p = 0.016 and p = 0.025, respectively). Conclusions High grade dysplastic Barrett's can be safely managed with band-ligation. However, resolution of Barrett's epithelium is rarely achieved with banding alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Endo-sponge treatment is a novel approach to manage selected patients with anastomotic leakage following colorectal surgery. However, the available data are still scanty. Aims To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the endo-sponge therapy in a large series, and to perform a review of the current evidence concerning such a treatment. Methods Consecutive patients diagnosed with partial colonic anastomotic leakage managed with endo-sponge placement were enrolled. The endo-sponge system was changed every 48–72 h as outpatient, until to cavity closure. Literature review was performed for pooled-data analysis. Results Twenty-five patients were enrolled, including 13 (52%) with diverting ileostomy. Following endo-sponge applications (median sessions: 9, range: 1–39; median treatment duration: 4 weeks, range: 1–32), a complete healing was achieved in 22 (88%) patients. Three (12%) patients developed a major complication (1 uretheric fistula, 1 ileal fistula, and 1 pararectal abscess), all successfully treated by surgery. Ileostomy closure was achieved in 11 (84.6%) patients. No mortality related to the procedure was observed. Overall, 174 patients treated with endo-sponge were reported in literature. By considering data of the larger 7 studies, a complete healing of presacral cavity was achieved in 131 (94.3%) out of 149 patients. Conclusions Our relatively large series of patients confirmed the efficacy, tolerability, and an acceptably low complication rate of endo-sponge therapy for colorectal anastomosis leakage treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The majority of currently available oesophageal metal stents are partially covered to reduce migration risk. Preliminary experiences with fully covered stents seem to indicate an increased risk of migration in patients treated for malignant dysphagia. The aim of our study was to determine, in this setting, the safety and efficacy of a new, recently introduced stent with anti-migration proprieties. Methods We designed a prospective, multicentre, non-randomized, follow-up study in nine tertiary referral centres. Eighty-two patients with dysphagia due to inoperable or metastatic oesophageal cancer were included. In all of them the fully covered WallFlex ® stent was placed. Main outcome measurements included functional outcome, recurrent dysphagia, complications, and mortality. Results Dysphagia score improved from a median of 3, before stenting, to 1 at 4 weeks after stent placement ( P < 0.001). Perforation occurred in 1 patient after 39 days, while bleeding was reported in 3. In total, 19 patients (23.1%) developed recurrent dysphagia because of stent migration ( N = 10, 12.2%), tissue overgrowth ( N = 7; 8.5%), and food impaction ( N = 2; 2.4%). Conclusions Placement of the fully covered WallFlex ® stent resulted in safe and effective palliation of malignant dysphagia, with migration and tissue overgrowth rates comparable to previously reported data on partially covered stents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benign colorectal strictures (BCRS) represent a challenging clinical scenario and are difficult to manage. They mostly originate from postoperative anastomotic strictures, diverticular disease, or Crohn׳s disease. Surgery has traditionally been the mainstay of treatment but is associated with high complication rates and morbidity. Nonsurgical strategies for managing BCRS include endoscopic dilation, incision with electrocautery, microwave coagulation therapy, laser therapy, and local steroid injection. These modalities are often associated with high complication and recurrence rates. Stent therapy is an alternative nonsurgical option. It has demonstrated good results in the setting of malignancy, both as bridge to surgery and as palliative treatment. Stents have been used in the benign setting with the same indications. However, evidence in this regard is very scarce and inconclusive, and therefore this option is still controversial. There is still uncertainty in indications to stent in BCRS, as well as in timing of both stent placement and removal. The most commonly employed stents have been self-expanding metal stents; experience with plastic and biodegradable stents is less common. The overall efficacy for relief of obstruction in the benign setting seems to be lower than in the setting of malignancy. It seems to be effective in the short and medium terms, but stricture recurrence is quite common, occurring in nearly half of the patients. The few available data with biodegradable stents suggest that they may become an important treatment option in the future. Stenting in the benign setting has been associated with significant morbidity and complications, more so than in the malignant setting. Uncovered stents for example are currently contraindicated for the treatment of BCRS, unless they are used as bridge to surgery. Stenosis arising from inflammation, such as observed in acute diverticulitis and Crohn׳s disease, as well as radiation-induced strictures may be more prone to complications, thus more caution is recommended while considering stenting in this setting. Future studies should be aimed at defining the best subpopulation of patients that would benefit from stent placement, and new stents should be designed to increase long-term patency rates and reduce complications. In this article, we review the state of art of stenting in the benign setting and point toward future avenues in the management of this challenging clinical scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The etiology of diverticulitis is poorly understood. The long-held belief that constipation and low-fiber diet are risk factors for diverticulosis has recently been challenged by studies that suggest that more frequent bowel movements predispose to diverticulosis. We aim to prospectively explore the association between bowel movement frequency and incident diverticulitis. We studied participants of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Health Professional Follow-up Study (HPFS). Participants' medical history, lifestyle factors and diet were used in Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios(HRs) and 95% confidence intervals(CI). In the NHS during over 24 years of follow-up encompassing 1,299,922 person-years, we documented 5,214 incident cases of diverticulitis, and in the HPFS over 14 years encompassing 368,661 person-years of follow-up, we documented 390 incident cases of diverticulitis. We observed an inverse association between the frequency of bowel movements and risk of diverticulitis. In the NHS, compared with women who had daily bowel movements, those with more than once daily bowel movements had a HR of 1.30 (95% CI, 1.19, 1.42) and those with less frequent bowel movements had a HR of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.82, 0.95; p-trend < 0.0001). In the HPFS, the corresponding HRs were 1.29 (95% CI, 1.04, 1.59) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.36, 1.03; p-trend = 0.003). The association between bowel movements and diverticulitis was not modified by categories of age, BMI, physical activity, laxative use or fiber intake. More frequent bowel movements appear to be a risk factor for subsequent diverticulitis both in men and women. Further studies are needed to understand the potential mechanisms that may underlie this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-fourth of colorectal neoplasia are missed at screening colonoscopy, representing the main cause of interval colorectal cancer. Deep learning systems with real-time computer-aided polyp detection (CADe) showed high accuracy in artificial settings, and preliminary randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported favorable outcomes in the clinical setting. The aim of this meta-analysis was to summarize available RCTs on the performance of CADe systems in colorectal neoplasia detection. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central databases until March 2020 for RCTs reporting diagnostic accuracy of CADe systems in the detection of colorectal neoplasia. The primary outcome was pooled adenoma detection rate (ADR), and secondary outcomes were adenoma per colonoscopy (APC) according to size, morphology, and location; advanced APC; polyp detection rate; polyps per colonoscopy; and sessile serrated lesions per colonoscopy. We calculated risk ratios (RRs), performed subgroup and sensitivity analyses, and assessed heterogeneity and publication bias. Overall, 5 randomized controlled trials (4354 patients) were included in the final analysis. Pooled ADR was significantly higher in the CADe group than in the control group (791/2163 [36.6%] vs 558/2191 [25.2%]; RR, 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-1.62; P <.01; I2 = 42%). APC was also higher in the CADe group compared with control (1249/2163 [.58] vs 779/2191 [.36]; RR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.53-1.89; P <.01; I2 = 33%). APC was higher for ≤5-mm (RR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.48-1.84), 6- to 9-mm (RR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.19-1.75), and ≥10-mm adenomas (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.04-2.06) and for proximal (RR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.34-1.88), distal (RR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.50-1.88), flat (RR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.47-2.15), and polypoid morphology (RR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.40-1.68). Regarding histology, CADe resulted in a higher sessile serrated lesion per colonoscopy (RR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.14-2.02), whereas a nonsignificant trend for advanced ADR was found (RR, 1.35; 95% CI,.74-2.47; P =.33; I2 = 69%). Level of evidence for RCTs was graded as moderate. According to available evidence, the incorporation of artificial intelligence as aid for detection of colorectal neoplasia results in a significant increase in the detection of colorectal neoplasia, and such effect is independent from main adenoma characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is established as a major risk factor for the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the influence of dynamic changes in adiposity over the life course on NAFLD risk remains poorly understood. We collected data from 110,054 women enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study II cohort. Early adulthood weight was ascertained at age 18 years, and weight gain since early adulthood was defined prospectively every 2 years. We used a group-based modeling approach to identify five trajectories of body shape from age 5 years up to age 50 years. NAFLD was defined by physician-confirmed diagnoses of fatty liver, after excluding excess alcohol intake and viral hepatitis, using validated approaches. We documented 3798 NAFLD cases over a total of 20 years of follow-up. Compared to women who maintained stable weight (±2 kg), women with ≥20 kg of adulthood weight gain had the multivariable aHR of 6.96 (95% CI, 5.27–9.18), and this remained significant after further adjusting for early adulthood BMI and updated BMI (both P trend <0.0001). Compared to women with a medium-stable body shape trajectory, the multivariable aHRs for NAFLD were, 2.84 (95% CI, 2.50–3.22) for lean-marked increase, 2.60 (95% CI, 2.27–2.98) for medium-moderate increase, and 3.39 (95% CI, 2.95–3.89) for medium-marked increase. Both early adulthood weight gain and lifetime body shape trajectory were significantly and independently associated with excess risk of developing NAFLD in mid-life. Maintaining both lean and stable weight throughout life may offer the greatest benefit for the prevention of NAFLD. • Early adulthood weight gain was independently associated with an increased risk of developing NAFLD in mid-life. • The trajectory of body shape between early- and mid-life was significantly associated with incident NAFLD. • Maintaining both lean and stable weight throughout life may offer the greatest benefit for the prevention of NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lifestyle and dietary risk factors for diverticulitis also have been associated with chronic inflammation. We performed a prospective study of associations among the inflammatory potential of diets, circulating markers of inflammation, and the incidence of diverticulitis. We followed 46,418 men, initially free of diverticulitis, from 1986 through 2014 in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. We collected data on empiric dietary inflammatory pattern scores, which indicate the inflammatory potential of diets, and determined their association with the risk of incident diverticulitis using Cox proportional hazards regression. We used blood samples provided by 18,225 participants from 1993 through 1995 to conduct a nested case–control study; we used conditional logistic regression to evaluate prediagnostic plasma levels of markers of inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor–receptor superfamily member 1B, in 310 diverticulitis cases and 310 matched diverticulitis-free individuals (controls). We documented 1110 cases of incident diverticulitis over 992,589 person-years of follow-up. Compared with participants in the lowest quintile of empiric dietary inflammatory pattern scores, men in the highest quintile had a multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for diverticulitis of 1.31 (95% CI, 1.07–1.60; P trend =.01). The association did not differ significantly by strata of body mass index or vigorous activity (P for interaction >.05 for each). In the nested case–control study, plasma levels of CRP and IL6 were associated with risk of diverticulitis. When we compared extreme quintiles, the multivariable-adjusted relative risk for diverticulitis was 1.85 for CRP (95% CI, 1.04–3.30) and 2.04 for IL6 (95% CI, 1.09–3.84). In a large prospective cohort of men, we found that the inflammatory potential of diet and prediagnostic plasma levels of markers of inflammation were associated with incident diverticulitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adenoma detection rate (ADR) is the most important quality metric for colonoscopy. Numerous factors are known to influence ADR. However, no data on the effect of monitor size on ADR exist. The aim of this study was to compare the ADR and polyp detection rate (PDR) achieved using 2 different-size video monitors (19-inch diagonal and 32-inch diagonal). In a single-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial, endoscopists were randomized on a daily basis to perform routine ambulatory colonoscopies with either a 32-inch diagonal or a 19-inch diagonal video monitor. The study was conducted between October 2013 and April 2014 in an outpatient center of a tertiary referral hospital. Fifteen endoscopists performed 1795 outpatient colonoscopies (mean age, 55 years; 56% women; screening, 56%). There was no substantial difference in baseline patient characteristics between the 2 arms. The overall ADR (27.4% vs 27.9%; P =.80) and PDR (32.8% vs 34.4%; P =.50) were not significantly different between the 32-inch and 19-inch monitor group, respectively. The findings were not significantly altered when stratified by indication, cecal intubation, bowel preparation, operator experience, and time of endoscopy as well as in a multivariable model that included these variables as potential confounders (all P >.05). Overall, the ADR and PDR for each individual endoscopist did not appear to be influenced by monitor size. The results of this trial do not support the notion that larger video monitors improve ADR. Future efforts to increase ADR should focus on other aspects of colonoscopy. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT01952418.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims There is little evidence that adiposity associates with diverticulitis, especially among women. We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of obesity, weight change, and incidence of diverticulitis in a large cohort of women. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 46,079 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study who were 61–89 years old and free of diverticulitis, diverticular bleeding, cancers, or inflammatory bowel disease at baseline (in 2008). We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the associations among risk of incident diverticulitis and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, and weight change from age 18 years to the present. The primary end point was first incident diverticulitis requiring antibiotic therapy or hospitalization. Results We documented 1084 incident cases of diverticulitis over 6 years of follow-up, encompassing 248,001 person-years. After adjustment for other risk factors, women with a BMI ≥35.0 kg/m 2 had a hazard ratio for diverticulitis of 1.42 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–1.85) compared to women with a BMI <22.5 kg/m 2 . Compared to women in the lowest quintile, the multivariable hazard ratios among women in the highest quintile were 1.35 (95% CI, 1.02–1.78) for waist circumference and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.07–1.84) for waist to hip ratio; these associations were attenuated with further adjustment for BMI. Compared to women maintaining weight from age 18 years to the present, those who gained ≥20 kg had a 73% increased risk of diverticulitis (95% CI, 27%–136%). Conclusions During a 6-year follow-up period, we observed an association between obesity and risk of diverticulitis among women. Weight gain during adulthood was also associated with increased risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]