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Alterations to intestinal microbiota are assumed to occur in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aims to analyze the association of fecal microbiota composition, body composition, and lipid characteristics in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). In our cross-sectional study, patients with CD were enrolled and blood and fecal samples were collected. Clinical and endoscopic disease activity and body composition were assessed and laboratory tests were made. Fecal bacterial composition was analyzed using the shotgun method. Microbiota alterations based on obesity, lipid parameters, and disease characteristics were analyzed. In this study, 27 patients with CD were analyzed, of which 37.0% were obese based on visceral fat area (VFA). Beta diversities were higher in non-obese patients ( p < 0.001), but relative abundances did not differ. C. innocuum had a higher abundance at a high cholesterol level than Bacillota ( p = 0.001, p = 0.0034). Adlercreutzia , B. longum , and Blautia alterations were correlated with triglyceride levels. Higher Clostridia ( p = 0.009) and B. schinkii ( p = 0.032) and lower Lactobacillus ( p = 0.035) were connected to high VFA. Disease activity was coupled with dysbiotic elements. Microbiota alterations in obesity highlight the importance of gut microbiota in diseases with a similar inflammatory background and project therapeutic options.

Background: Choosing an optimal post-polypectomy management strategy of malignant colorectal polyps is challenging, and evidence regarding a surveillance-only strategy is limited., Aim: To evaluate long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps., Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps between 2010 and 2020. Residual disease rate and nodal metastases after secondary surgery and local and distant recurrence rate for those with at least 1 year of follow-up were investigated. Event rates for categorical variables and means for continuous variables with 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney test were performed. Potential risk factors of adverse outcomes were determined with univariate and multivariate logistic regression models., Results: In total, 135 lesions (mean size: 22.1 mm; location: 42% rectal) from 129 patients (mean age: 67.7 years; 56% male) were enrolled. The proportion of pedunculated and non-pedunculated lesions was similar, with en bloc resection in 82% and 47% of lesions, respectively. Tumor differentiation, distance from resection margins, depth of submucosal invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and budding were reported at 89.6%, 45.2%, 58.5%, 31.9%, and 25.2%, respectively. Residual tumor was found in 10 patients, and nodal metastasis was found in 4 of 41 patients who underwent secondary surgical resection. Univariate analysis identified piecemeal resection as a risk factor for residual malignancy (odds ratio: 1.74; P = 0.042). At least 1 year of follow-up was available for 117 lesions from 111 patients (mean follow-up period: 5.59 years). Overall, 54%, 30%, 30%, 11%, and 16% of patients presented at the 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 7-year, and 9-10-year surveillance examinations. Adverse outcomes occurred in 9.0% (local recurrence and dissemination in 4 patients and 9 patients, respectively), with no difference between patients undergoing secondary surgery and surveillance only., Conclusion: Reporting of histological features and adherence to surveillance colonoscopy needs improvement. Long-term adverse outcome rates might be higher than previously reported, irrespective of whether secondary surgery was performed., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Different endoscopic scoring systems for assessing ulcerative colitis (UC) severity are available. However, most of them are not correlated with disease extent., Objectives: Our study aimed to compare the predictive value of the PanMay score versus the endoscopic Mayo (MES), Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS), and Dublin score in predicting long-term outcomes of UC., Design: This retrospective study enrolled consecutive UC patients who underwent colonoscopy before at least a 3-year follow-up., Methods: The PanMayo, MES, UCEIS, and Dublin scores and the baseline clinical and demographic characteristics of the participants were assessed. Endpoints were disease flare that required novel biological therapy, colectomy, and hospitalization. Patients were stratified using baseline clinical activity., Results: Approximately 62.8% of the 250 enrolled patients were in clinical remission. In these patients, the PanMayo, MES, and Dublin scores were positively associated with the risk of clinical flare. The MES score increased with clinical flare. The PanMayo score (>12 points), but not the MES score, was associated with the need for novel biological initiation and biological escalation. Furthermore, the Dublin and UCEIS scores of patients in remission who need novel biological treatment had a similar trend. Colectomy risk was associated with PanMayo and Dublin scores., Conclusion: The combined endoscopic assessment of disease extent and severity can be more accurate in predicting outcomes among patients with UC. PanMayo score can be utilized in addition to the existing scoring systems, thereby leading to a more accurate examination., Summary: UC endoscopic scores do not assess extension. Our study aimed to analyze the predictive value of the PanMayo score. Based on 250 patients, results showed that the long-term disease outcomes of UC could be predicted with the PanMayo score more accurately., Competing Interests: PW has been a speaker for Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, Ferring, A. Menerini, and MSD, and an advisory board member for Pfizer, Takeda, and Sanzdos (Norvatis). KF has received speaker’s honoraria from AbbVie, Janssen, Ferring, Takeda, and Goodwill Pharma. PLL has been a speaker and/or advisory board member: AbbVie, Amgen, BioJamp, Bristol Myers Squibb, Fresenius Kabi, Genetech, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Mylan, Organon, Pendopharm, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz, Takeda, Tillots, and Viatris and has received unrestricted research grant: AbbVie, Gilead, Takeda, and Pfizer. TM has received speaker’s honoraria from MSD, AbbVie, Egis, Goodwill Pharma, Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, Sandoz, MundiPharma, Phytotec, Roche, Fresenius, and Teva. PB, TR, EF, BV, BF, MR, TB, WA, AB, AF, RB, and ZS have no conflict of interest to disclose., (© The Author(s), 2024.)

Background: The inconclusive cytological findings of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) remain a major clinical challenge and often lead to treatment delays., Methods: Patients who had undergone EUS-FNA sampling for solid pancreas lesions between 2014 and 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. The "atypical" and "non-diagnostic" categories of the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology System were considered inconclusive and the "negative for malignancy" category of malignancy was suspected clinically. We determined the frequency and predictors of inconclusive cytological finding., Results: A total of 473 first EUS-FNA samples were included, of which 108 cases (22.83%) were inconclusive. Significant increases in the odds of inconclusive cytological findings were observed for lesions with a benign final diagnosis (OR 11.20; 95% CI 6.56-19.54, p < 0.001) as well as with the use of 25 G FNA needles (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.09-4.01, p = 0.023) compared to 22 G needles. Furthermore, the use of a single EUS-FNA technique compared to the combined use of slow-pull and standard suction techniques (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.06-2.70, p = 0.027) and less than three punctures per procedure led to an elevation in the risk of inconclusive cytology (OR 2.49; 95% CI 1.49-4.14, p < 0.001). Risk reduction in inconclusive cytology findings was observed in lesions between 2-4 cm (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23-0.68, p = 0.001) and >4 cm (OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.08-0.31, p < 0.001) compared to lesions ≤2 cm., Conclusions: The more than two punctures per EUS-FNA sampling with larger-diameter needle (19 G or 22 G) using the slow-pull and standard suction techniques in combination may decrease the probability of inconclusive cytological findings.

Endoscopic ultrasound is a minimally invasive modality that combines endoscopy with ultrasound, providing a possibility to visualize the wall of the gastrointestinal tract and adjacent tissues and organs. Since the development of the modality in the 1980s, advancements in endoscopic ultrasound technology have led to increasingly broadening indications: besides diagnostic indications, therapeutic indications have also expanded greatly. According to recent guidelines regarding rectal cancer staging, rectal ultrasonography is mainly considered to be a secondary imaging modality compared to magnetic resonance imaging. With the use of forward-viewing echoendoscopes and ultrasound miniprobes that can be inserted through the working channel of the endoscope, endoscopic ultrasound technology can be expanded to proximal, colonic areas as well. Rectal ultrasonography can also play an important role in the differential diagnosis of subepithelial lesions, in the detection of rectal varices, in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases as well as perianal complications. Diagnostic accuracy can further be improved with the addition of ultrasound-guided sampling in certain cases. Currently, therapeutic indications are more like promising possibilities, than part of everyday clinical practice, but this might change in the near future. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current indications of rectal ultrasound in the clinical practice, including diagnostic and therapeutic ones as well. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(30): 1176-1186.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has complicated the management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)., Objectives: This study aimed to assess the efficacy of different anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines under different treatments in IBD patients and identify predictive factors associated with lower serological response, including anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drug levels., Design: A prospective, double-center study of IBD patients was conducted following messenger ribonucleotide acid (mRNA) and non-mRNA anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination., Methods: Healthy control (HC) patients were enrolled to reduce bias. Baseline and control samples were obtained 14 days after the second dose to assess the impact of conventional and biological treatments. Clinical and biochemical activity, serological response level, and anti-TNF drug levels were measured., Results: This study included 199 IBD (mean age, 40.9 ± 12.72 years) and 77 HC participants (mean age, 50.3 ± 12.36 years). Most patients (76.9%) and all HCs received mRNA vaccines. Half of the IBD patients were on biological treatment (anti-TNF 68.7%). Biological and thiopurine combined immunomodulation and biological treatment were associated with lower serological response ( p  < 0.001), and mRNA vaccination promoted better antibody levels ( p  < 0.001). Higher adalimumab levels caused lower serological response ( p  = 0.006). W8 persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 level was equal in IBD and HC groups. Vaccination did not aggravate clinical disease activity ( p  = 0.65)., Conclusion: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is considerably efficacious in IBD patients, with mRNA vaccines promoting better antibody levels. The negative impact of combined biological treatment, especially with high adalimumab drug levels, on serological response to vaccination should be considered. Although midterm durability of vaccination is encouraging, more data are needed to expand the existing understanding on this issue., Competing Interests: Tamás Molnár has received speaker’s honoraria from MSD, AbbVie, Egis, Goodwill Pharma, Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, Sandoz, MundiPharma, Phytotec, Roche, Fresenius, and Teva. Klaudia Farkas has received speaker’s honoraria from AbbVie, Janssen, Ferring, Takeda, and Goodwill Pharma. PB, MH, KSZ, MR, AB, AF, RB, ZSZ, JF, and PM have no conflict of interest to disclose., (© The Author(s), 2023.)

Background: In patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC), numerous cases of exacerbations could be observed after colonoscopy, raising the possible pathogenetic effect of colonic microbiota alterations in IBD flare., Objectives: We aimed to investigate the changes in the fecal microbiota composition in IBD patients influenced by the bowel preparation with sodium picosulfate., Design: We enrolled patients with IBD undergoing bowel preparation for colonoscopy in the prospective cohort study. The control group (Con) comprised non-IBD patients who underwent colonoscopy. Clinical data, blood, and stool samples were collected before colonoscopy (timepoint A), 3 days later (timepoint B), and 4 weeks later (timepoint C)., Methods: Disease activity and gut microbiota changes were assessed at each timepoint. Fecal microbiota structure - at family level - was determined by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Statistical analysis included differential abundance analysis and Mann-Whitney tests., Results: Forty-one patients (9 CD, 13 UC, and 19 Con) were included. After bowel preparation, alpha diversity was lower in the CD group than in the UC ( p  = 0.01) and Con ( p  = 0.02) groups at timepoint B. Alpha diversity was significantly higher in the UC group than in the CD and Con ( p  = 0.03) groups at timepoint C. Beta diversity difference differed between the IBD and Con ( p  = 0.001) groups. Based on the differential abundance analysis, the Clostridiales family was increased, whereas the Bifidobacteriaceae family was decreased in CD patients compared to the Con at timepoint B., Conclusions: Bowel preparation may change the fecal microbial composition in IBD patients, which may have a potential role in disease exacerbation after bowel cleansing., Competing Interests: TM has received speaker’s honoraria from MSD, AbbVie, Egis, Goodwill Pharma, Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, Sandoz, MundiPharma, Phytotec, Roche, Fresenius, and Teva. KF has received speaker’s honoraria from AbbVie, Janssen, Ferring, Takeda, and Goodwill Pharma. PB, MR, AA, TR, KSZ, BJ, AB, EA, WA, BK, TF, DP, RB, AF, JM, and ZSZ have no conflict of interest to disclose., (© The Author(s), 2023.)

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease potentially elevates the risk of infections, independently from age, while the disease activity and medical treatment(s) can also increase the risks. Nevertheless, it is necessary to clarify these preconceptions as well during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: An observational, questionnaire based study was conducted in Hungary between February and August 2021. 2 questionnaires were completed. The first questionnaire surveyed the impact of the pandemic on patients with biologic treatments and assessed the severity and outcome of the infection, whereas the second one assessed vaccination rate and adverse events., Results: 472 patients participated in the study. 16.9 % of them acquired the infection and 6.3 % needed hospitalization. None of them required ICU care. Male sex elevated the risk of infection (p = 0.008), while glove (p = 0.02) and mask wearing (p = 0.005) was the most effective prevention strategy. Nevertheless, abstaining from community visits or workplace did not have an impact on the infection rate. Smoking, age, and disease type did not elevate the risk. UC patients had poorer condition during the infection (p = 0.003); furthermore, the disease activity could potentially worsen the course of infection (p = 0.072). The different biological treatments were equally safe; no difference was observed in the infection rate, course of COVID-19. Azathioprine and corticosteroids did not elevate the infection rate. 28 patients (35.0 %) suspended the ongoing biologic treatment, but it had no impact on the disease course. However, it resulted in changing the current treatment (p = 0.004). 9.8 % of the respondents were sceptic about being vaccinated, and 90 % got vaccinated. In one case, a serious flare-up occurred., Discussion: Most patients acquired the infection at workplace. Biologic therapies had no effect on the COVID-19 infection, whereas male sex, an active disease, and UC could be larger threat than treatments. Vaccination was proved to be safe, and patient education is important to achieve mass vaccination of the population., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 The Authors.)

Background: According to the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines, self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) are preferable to plastic stents (PSs) in the management of pancreatic cancer, regardless of cancer stage. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic efficacy and treatment costs of SEMS and PS in the management of malignant biliary obstruction., Methods: One hundred and thirty-five patients who underwent endoscopic stent placement were retrospectively enrolled and divided into PS (41 patients), primary SEMS (39 patients) and secondary SEMS (55 patients) groups. We determined the technical and functional success rate, stent patency, and cumulative treatment cost., Results: A total of 111 SEMSs and 153 PSs were placed with similar technical (100% vs. 98.69%) and functional success rate (90.10% vs. 86.27%) but with different stent patency (10.28 vs. 22.16 weeks; p < 0.001). Multiple PS implantations and larger stent diameter increased the length of stent patency compared to 7-Fr PSs (10.88 vs. 10.55 vs. 7.63 weeks, respectively). The cumulative treatment cost of patients with different survival times did not differ significantly between groups, however, among patients surviving 2-4 months it was higher in PS group than primary SEMS and secondary SEMS groups (2888€ vs. 2258€ vs. 2144€, respectively, p = 0.3369) due to increased number of biliary reintervention (2.08 ± 1.04 vs. 1.20 ± 0.42 vs. 1.50 ± 0.53; p < 0.0274) and longer hospital stay (15.77 ± 10.14 vs. 8.70 ± 7.70 vs. 8.50 ± 6.17 days, p = 0.0527)., Conclusions: In view of treatment costs, the consequences of illness, and the processes of the health care system, SEMS implantation is recommended regardless of patients' life expectancy., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Budesonide-MMX is a topically active corticosteroid degraded by cytochrome-P450 enzymes, resulting in favorable side-effect profile. We aimed to assess the effect of CYP genotypes on safety and efficacy, and make a direct comparison with systemic corticosteroids., Research Design and Methods: We enrolled UC patients receiving budesonide-MMX and IBD patients on methylprednisolone in our prospective, observational-cohort study. Before and after treatment regimen clinical activity indexes, laboratory parameters (electrolytes, CRP, cholesterol, triglyceride, dehydroepiandrosterone, cortisol, beta-crosslaps, osteocalcin), and body composition measurements were assessed. CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genotypes were determined in the budesonide-MMX group., Results: 71 participants were enrolled (budesonide-MMX: 52; methylprednisolone: 19). CAI decreased (p<0.05) in both groups. Cortisol decreased (p<0.001), and the level of cholesterol was elevated in both groups (p<0.001). Body composition altered only following methylprednisolone. Bone homeostasis (osteocalcin; p<0.05) and DHEA (p<0.001) changed more prominently after methylprednisolone. Glucocorticoid-related adverse events were more common following methylprednisolone treatment (47.4% compared to 1.9%). CYP3A5(*1/*3) genotype positively influenced efficacy, but not safety. Only one patient's CYP3A4 genotype differed., Conclusions: CYP genotypes can affect the efficacy of budesonide-MMX; however, further studies would be needed with analyses of gene expression. Although budesonide-MMX is safer than methylprednisolone, due to glucocorticoid-related side effects, admission should require greater precaution.

Background: Treatment with antitumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF-α) is safe and effective as first-line therapy; however, its efficacy is limited due to primary nonresponse (PNR) and secondary loss of response (LOR), resulting in treatment discontinuation in approximately 40%-50% of cases. Vedolizumab (VDZ) and ustekinumab (UST) therapies could be good alternatives in patient with anti-TNF failure; however, no head-to-head randomized comparison of these drugs as second- or third-line treatments has been made., Objectives: This study aimed to assess the treatment persistence and comparative effectiveness of UST and VDZ in patients with refractory Crohn's disease (CD)., Design: In this nationwide retrospective study, patients with CD on UST or VDZ maintenance therapy were enrolled. Clinical data at baseline, after induction, and at week 52 were obtained., Methods: Clinical and biochemical activities as well as corticosteroid-free remission (SFR) rates were assessed, while concomitant medications, comorbidities, hospitalizations, and surgeries were recorded during the follow-up to detect any predictors., Results: A total of 161 UST- and 65 VDZ-treated patients completed the follow-up. No significant difference in clinical or biochemical remission rates was observed after induction between the two treatment groups; however, clinical remission rate at week 52 was higher in UST group. UST showed superior drug persistence than VDZ (86.5%, 57.9%, p  < 0.0001). The drug type was predictive of clinical SFR at week 52 [ p  = 0.011, odds ratio (OR) = 2.39 with UST]. Drug failure rates were higher for VDZ than those for UST (PNR rates: 21.54% and 4.97%, respectively, p  < 0.001, OR = 8.267, p  = 0.001). LOR and escalations were more common during UST treatment (61.5% versus 36.9%, p  < 0.001; 64.2% versus 23.1%, p  < 0.001). Hospital and surgical admission rates did not differ significantly. Only one adverse event occurred with VDZ at week 20, which led to drug cessation., Conclusions: VDZ and UST were safe and effective for treating patients with CD in whom anti-TNF therapy failed. UST showed superior drug persistence than VDZ, but dose escalation was more frequent. Biologicals used in lower treatment lines resulted in better drug persistence., Competing Interests: Tamás Molnár has received speaker’s honoraria from MSD, AbbVie, Egis, Goodwill Pharma, Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, Sandoz, MundiPharma, Phytotec, Roche, Fresenius and Teva. Ákos Iliás has received speaker’s honoraria from Janssen. Klaudia Farkas has received speaker’s honoraria from AbbVie, Janssen, Ferring, Takeda and Goodwill Pharma. PB, MM, TR, PM, TS, ES, PS, KS, MR, AB, ÁM, AF, RB, and ZS have no conflict of interest to disclose., (© The Author(s), 2022.)

Introduction: COVID–19 significantly affects endoscopic labs’ workflow. Endoscopic examinations are considered high-risk for virus transmission. Objectives: To determine impact of COVID–19 pandemic on Hungarian endoscopic labs’ workflow and on infection risk of endoscopic staff. Method: A nation-wide, cross-sectional online questionnaire was sent to heads of endoscopic labs in Hungary. The average number (with 95% confidence intervals) of upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies performed in 2020 was compared to that in 2019. The number of SARS-CoV-2-infected endoscopic staff members and the source of infection was also investigated. Results: Completion rate was 30% (33/111). Neither the number of upper (1.593 [743–1.514] vs. 1.129 [1.020–2.166], p = 0.053), nor that of lower gastrointestinal endoscopies (1.181 [823–1.538] vs. 871 [591–1.150], p = 0.072) decreased in 2020, but both upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies’ number decreased by 80% during peak phases. Separate examination room was available in 12% of institutes. Appropriate quality personal protective equipment (PPE) was available during the first and second peak phase in 70% and 82%, respectively. Infection risk stratification by questionnaire and PCR testing was routinely performed in 85% and 42%, respectively. Employee number decreased by 33% and 26% for physicians, and by 19% and 21% for assistants during peak phases, mainly due to age restrictions and COVID care assignments. 32% of assistants and 41% of physicians were infected (associated with inappropriate PPE use in 16% and 18%, respectively). Conclusion: Peak phases’ restrictions increase endoscopic workload afterwards. Despite PPE availability, 15% of employees’ COVID infection resulted from inappropriate PPE use in pre-vaccination era.

The launch of novel chemotherapeutic agents-in particular, proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs-dramatically changed multiple myeloma (MM) therapy, improving the response rate and prolonging progression-free survival. However, none of the anti-MM drugs are deprived of side effects. Peripheral neuropathy (PN) seems to be one of the most pressing problems. Despite extensive research in this area, the pathogenesis of drug-induced peripheral neuropathy (DiPN) has not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to assess the potential relationship between proinflammatory factors and the development of PN in MM patients with particular emphasis on the application of VTD (bortezomib, thalidomide, dexamethasone) regimen. Our analysis identified increased concentrations of CCL2, IL-1β, and IFN-γ in plasma of MM patients during treatment, both with and without symptoms of PN, compared with untreated neuropathy-free MM patients. At the same time, the plasma concentration of IL-1β in patients with neuropathy was significantly increased compared with patients without PN before and during treatment. Moreover, the results were enhanced at the transcript level by performing global mRNA expression analysis using microarray technology. The most significant changes were observed in the expression of genes responsible for regulating immunological and apoptotic processes. An in-depth understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the development of DiPN might in the future reduce the incidence of PN and accelerate diagnosis, allowing the choice of neuropathy-free treatment strategies for MM.

Background: There are contradictory results about the effect of magnesium citrate plus sodium picosulfate bowel cleansing agents on the fluid and electrolyte balance. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the efficacy, tolerability and safety of this medication in colonoscopy preparation., Methods: 233 patients were enrolled in this phase IV prospective observational study. The effectiveness of bowel cleansing was assessed using the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS). Adequate cleansing was defined as BBPS ≥ 6 and excellent cleansing as BBPS > 7. Tolerability was examined using a standardized questionnaire. In the safety analysis, the change of serum electrolytes levels and renal function during bowel cleansing was assessed., Results: Adequate and excellent bowel cleansing were achieved 94.85% and 72.96% of cases, respectively. None or very mild symptoms were reported in 47.21% of cases. Statistically significant changes occurred in serum potassium (4.38±0.43 vs. 4.25±0.43 mmol/L, p<0.0001), urea (4.86±1.37 vs. 3.84±1.43 mmol/L, p<0.0001) and creatinine (male: 81.07±16.02 vs. 84.54±15.11 μmol/L; female: 69.32±12.22 vs. 72.96±12.11 μmol/L, p<0.0001) levels during the colonoscopy preparation. However, the number of patients with values outside of the normal range increased significantly only in the case of serum urea (3.95% vs. 26.97%, p<0.0001)., Conclusion: Magnesium citrate with sodium picosulfate is outstandingly effective, well tolerated and a safe agent in colonoscopy preparation. It caused significant, but non-clinically relevant changes in serum electrolytes levels and renal function.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical therapy on pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength in children with cerebral palsy (CP)., Methods: A search of 10 databases was conducted for this systematic review. Initially, there were no language, study design, or time frame restrictions. All studies assessing the effect of physical therapy on the respiratory system in children with CP were included. Two reviewers independently extracted and documented data. The data extracted included description of the intervention (duration, therapeutic method) and study results (change of spirometric parameters, respiratory muscle strength). The effects of physical therapist treatment were calculated using software., Results: A total of 269 children aged 5 to 18 years from 10 studies were included. The included studies consisted of 5 different therapeutic methods (inspiratory muscle training [IMT], aerobic training, swimming, respiratory exercise, exercise with elastic bands). Physical therapist intervention led to a significant increase in the maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) (I2 = 0%), peak expiratory flow (I2 = 0%), and maximum oxygen consumption (I2 = 37%). A separate analysis of the most frequently used therapy (IMT) showed a positive effect on MEP (I2 = 0%) and maximal inspiratory pressure (I2 = 35%)., Conclusion: Various forms of physical therapy have potential to demonstrate a positive effect on maximal inspiratory pressure, MEP, and peak expiratory flow in children with CP. There is no possibility to recommend the best method and duration of the physical therapy; however, it can be suggested that physical therapy should be applied for at least 4 weeks and include IMT., Impact: CP is one of the most common causes of physical disabilities in children, and pulmonary dysfunction is the leading cause of death in people with CP. Thus, it is warranted to seek different approaches that may improve pulmonary function in people with CP. This review has shown that various forms of physical therapy have potential to improve the pulmonary function of children with CP., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Physical Therapy Association. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Multiple studies have described the effectiveness of ustekinumab (UST) and vedolizumab (VDZ) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) failing anti- Tumor necrosis factors (TNFs); however, the effectiveness of VDZ or UST as a third-class biologic has not yet been described., Aims and Methods: In this retrospective multicenter cohort study, we aimed to investigate the effectiveness of VDZ and UST as a third-class biologic in patients with CD., Results: Two-hundred and four patients were included; 156/204 (76%) patients received VDZ as a second- and UST as a third-class therapy (group A); the remaining 48/204 (24%) patients received UST as a second- and VDZ as a third-class therapy (group B). At week 16-22, 87/156 (55.5%) patients and 27/48 (56.2%) in groups A and B, respectively, responded to treatment ( p = 0.9); 41/156 (26.2%) and 15/48 (31.2%) were in clinical remission ( p = 0.5). At week 52; 89/103 (86%) patients and 25/29 (86.2%) of the patients with available data had responded to third-class treatment in groups A and B, respectively ( p = 0.9); 31/103 (30%) and 47/29 (24.1%) were in clinical remission ( p = 0.5)., Conclusion: Third-class biological therapy was effective in more than half of the patients with CD. No differences in effectiveness were detected between the use of VDZ and UST as a third-class agent.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a challenge to healthcare. Staff and patients are at increased risk during an examination or intervention, so certain restrictions ought to be introduced. Hence, we aimed to measure the effect of the pandemic on endoscopy units in real-life settings., Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study, carried out between 7 April and 15 June 2020. Responds came from many countries, and the participation was voluntary. The survey contained 40 questions, which evaluated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the endoscopy units and assessed the infection control., Results: A total of 312 questionnaires were filled, 120 from Hungary, and 192 internationally, and 54 questionnaires (17.3%) were sent from high-risk countries; 84.9% of the gastroenterologists declared that they read the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) statement, while only 32.1% participated in any advanced training at their workplace. Overall, 92.1% of gastroenterologists realized risk stratification, and 72.1% claimed to have enough protective equipment. In 52.6% of the endoscopy units, at least one endoscopist had to discontinue the work due to any risk factor, while 40.6% reported that the reduced staff did not affect the workflow. Gastroenterologists considered that the five most important examinations both in low and high-risk patients are the following: lower/upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding with hemodynamic instability, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in obstructive jaundice, foreign body in the esophagus, ERCP in acute biliary pancreatitis, and iron deficiency anemia with hemodynamic instability, which correlates well with the ESGE recommendation. Significant correlation was found in the usage of the necessary protective equipment in high-risk patients depending on the countries ( p  < 0.001)., Conclusions: The survey found weak correlation in preliminary training depending on countries; nevertheless, in Hungary during the examined period, endoscopists considered the recommendations more strictly than in other countries. Although many physicians left the endoscopy lab, the workflow was not affected, probably due to the reduced number of examinations., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone: paid consultancies, lecture fees for the past 2 years: Janssen, Ferring, Errekappa Pauliina Molander: Lecture and consultancy fees, and advisory board member fees from Abbvie, Janssen-Cilag, MSD, Orion Pharma, Pfizer, Roche, Takeda, Tillotts Pharma Stephane Nancey: Lecture and consultancy fees and advisory board member of/from Novartis, Takeda, Abbvie, Janssen-Cilag, Amgen, Biogen, Sandoz, Lilly, Tillots Pharma, HAC Pharma, (© The Author(s), 2021.)

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak emerged in December 2019 in China and rapidly spread worldwide. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are likely to be more susceptible to viral infections, and this is significantly influenced by the type of therapy they receive. Thus, issues specifically concerning the medical treatment of IBD patients were shortly addressed at the beginning of the pandemic. However, recently available data on the occurrence and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in IBD patients does not address the concerns raised at the beginning of the pandemic. Growing evidence and the rapid changes happening over the past few weeks have helped elucidate the current situation, contribute to our understanding of the disease, and many previously raised questions could now be answered. We hereby summarise available evidence regarding viral infections and IBD, focusing on SARS-CoV infections, and we provide practical recommendations related to patient management during the COVID-19 pandemic era., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), 2021.)

Introduction: The relationship between clinical outcomes and serum anti-TNF levels is controversial. The aim of this study was to perform simultaneous analyses of serum, mucosal, and fecal anti-TNF-α levels., Methods: Consecutive IBD patients who received maintenance anti-TNF-α therapy were enrolled. The number of TNF-α positive cells in the mucosa was detected using immunofluorescent labeling on biopsy samples. Serum, mucosal and fecal anti-TNF-α, serum anti-drug antibody, and fecal calprotectin levels were determined using ELISA. Each patient underwent body composition analysis as well., Results: Data of 50 patients were analyzed. The number TNF-α positive cells was significantly higher in the inflamed part of the colon than in the un-inflamed part of the colon. Tissue and fecal drug levels did not show any association with serum drug levels; moreover, serum anti-TNF concentration did not correlate with endoscopic activity. Mucosal anti-TNF levels were higher only in IFX-treated patients in remission and IFX-treated patients with detectable fecal anti-TNF had lower tissue drug levels. Presence of the drug in the feces was significantly different according to disease activity., Conclusion: Fecal drug concentration is suggested to be a better predictor of endoscopic activity and loss of response, and fecal drug monitoring may improve the estimation accuracy of tissue drug levels.

Background: Health care professionals in endoscopic labs have an elevated risk for COVID-19 infection, therefore, we aimed to determine the effect of current pandemic on the workflow and infection prevention and control strategies of endoscopy units in real-life setting., Methods: All members of Hungarian Society of Gastroenterology were invited between 7 and 17 April 2020 to participate in this cross-section survey study and to complete an online, anonymous questionnaire., Results: Total of 120 endoscopists from 83 institutes were enrolled of which 35.83% worked in regions with high cumulative incidence of COVID-19. Only 33.33% of them had undergone training about infection prevention in their workplace. 95.83% of endoscopists regularly used risk stratification of patients for infection prior endoscopy. While indications of examinations in low risk patients varied widely, in high-risk or positive patients endoscopy was limited to gastrointestinal bleeding (95.00%), removal of foreign body from esophagus (87.50%), management of obstructive jaundice (72.50%) and biliary pancreatitis (67.50%). Appropriate amount of personal protective equipment was available in 60.85% of endoscopy units. In high-risk or positive patients, surgical mask, filtering facepiece mask, protective eyewear and two pairs of gloves were applied in 30.83%, 76.67%, 90.00% and 87.50% of cases, respectively. Personal protective equipment fully complied with European guideline only in 67.50% of cases., Conclusions: Survey found large variability in indications of endoscopy and relative weak compliance to national and international practical recommendations in terms of protective equipment. This could be improved by adequate training about infection prevention.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of manual therapy of the chest and diaphragm on the spirometry parameters in patients with cerebral palsy (CP)., Method: The study was carried out on 20 youths with CP. All participated in 6 sessions (3 sham and 3 actual), with measurements of spirometry at baseline, postsham therapies 1 and 3, before actual therapy, and postactual therapy sessions 1 and 3. Two manual techniques were included: soft tissue mobilization of the chest and the diaphragm., Results: After the first actual therapy, there was a significant ( p < 0.01) improvement in forced vital capacity (FVC) by 0.23 L (8% of the average predicted value) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 ) by 0.18 L (7% of the average predicted value) as compared to results before the therapy. Change in FVC parameter was clinically significant, whereas change in FEV 1 was not clinically significant. After sham therapy, there was no improvement in spirometry parameters as compared to baseline results., Conclusion: Single-time manual therapy of the chest and diaphragm has a positive effect on FVC and FEV 1 ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Magdalena Rutka et al.)

Objective: The efficacy of argon plasma coagulation (APC) on gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) may be impaired over time and depends greatly on the application settings. Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) may be an alternative, but study on its efficacy is limited. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy of APC and EBL in treating GAVE., Methods: Changes in the need for blood transfusion, number of treatment sessions and hospitalizations were retrospectively assessed in 63 transfusion-dependent patients with GAVE (mean age: 67.1 y, 54.0% female) treated with either APC or EBL (45 and 18 patients, respectively) in four tertiary endoscopic centers., Results: Both methods substantially increased hemoglobin levels and decreased patients' need for a transfusion (22.0 ± 4.0 g/L and -5.62 ± 2.30 units of packed red blood cells [RBC] with APC, and 27.4 ± 6.1 g/L and -4.79 ± 2.46 units of packed RBC with EBL), without a significant statistical difference between the methods. However, fewer EBL sessions were required both for the cessation of need for a transfusion compared with those for the resolution of GAVE lesions (0.90 ± 0.10 vs 1.69 ± 0.31, P = 0.028)., Conclusions: Both APC and EBL are effective in GAVE treatment. EBL may be superior in terms of number of treatment sessions, but not in its influence on hemoglobin level and need for transfusion. Further prospective studies with large, homogeneous sample size and standardized APC settings are needed., (© 2020 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A gyulladásos bélbetegségek kezelésében a tumornekrózisfaktor-alfa-ellenes (anti-TNFα) antitestek elsődleges választási lehetőséget jelentenek a kortikoszteroid- és immunmoduláns kezelésre refrakter páciensek kezelési stratégiájában. Ezek a hatóanyagok hatékonyak, ám hosszú távú hatásosságukkal kapcsolatban sok az ellentmondás. Célkitűzés: Vizsgálatunk célja megvizsgálni az anti-TNFα-terápia (infliximab [IFX], adalimumab [ADA]) hosszú távú hatékonyságát gyulladásos bélbetegek körében. Módszerek: Retrospektív, adatgyűjtéses vizsgálatunkba a Szegedi Tudományegyetem I. Sz. Belgyógyászati Klinikáján gondozott, 18-65 év közötti gyulladásos bélbetegeket vontunk be. Az adatgyűjtést a Klinika informatikai rendszeréből végeztük a betegek ambuláns megjelenéseinek kezelőlapjaiból, illetve a zárójelentésekből. Eredmények: 102 beteg adatait elemeztük (Crohn-beteg: 67 fő, colitis ulcerosás: 35 fő). A Crohn-betegség diagnózisát követően átlagosan 7,84 év, a colitis ulcerosa diagnózisát követően átlagosan 9,86 év telt el az első anti-TNFα-terápia elkezdéséig. Az első kezelési ciklus átlagosan 2,64 évig tartott, a ciklus végén az IFX-t kapó betegek 50%-ánál, az ADA-t kapó betegek 46%-ánál volt remisszióban a betegség. A második kezelési ciklus átlagosan 4,67 évig tartott, a ciklus végén az IFX-t kapó betegek 36%-a, az ADA-t kapó betegek 40%-a volt remisszióban. Az első, illetve a második kezelési ciklus alatt az allergiás reakciók gyakorisága IFX esetében 13% és 18%, ADA esetében 4% és 3% volt. A primer hatástalanság és a másodlagos hatásvesztés az első ciklusban IFX esetében 4% és 10,5%, ADA esetében 11,5% és 19% volt. A második kezelési ciklusban IFX esetében 9%-ban és 18%-ban, ADA esetében 23%-ban és 10%-ban jelentették a ciklus végét. Következtetés: Az anti-TNFα-terápiák eredményeink alapján hosszú távon is hatékonynak és biztonságosnak bizonyultak. Másodlagos hatásvesztés kisebb arányban fordult elő a vizsgált populációban az irodalmi adatokhoz képest. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(47): 1989-1994., Introduction: Anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNFα) treatment is reserved for steroid-dependent or steroid/immunomodulator-refractory inflammatory bowel diseases patients. These agents are effective, however, their long-term safety is still questionable., Objective: We aimed to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of two anti-TNFα therapies., Methods: In our retrospective study, we reviewed medical records via the administration system of the First Department of Medicine, University of Szeged. Female and male patients, aged between 18-65 years who received anti-TNFα therapy between 2010-2019 were enrolled., Results: 102 patients with inflammatory bowel disease were enrolled (Crohn's disease: 67, ulcerative colitis: 35). The first anti-TNFα therapy was introduced after an average 7.84 and 9.86 years from diagnosis of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The first treatment period lasted for 2.64 years; 50% of patients receiving IFX and 46% of patients receiving ADA were in remission at the end of the period. The second treatment period lasted for 4.67 years, 36% of IFX-treated patients and 40% of ADA-treated patients were in remission at the end of the period. 13% and 18% of patients treated by IFX and 4% and 3% of patients treated by ADA experienced infusion reaction during the first and the second treatment period. Primary non-response and loss of response rates were 4% and 10.5% (IFX) and 11.5% and 19% (ADA) during the first treatment period. These rates were 9% and 18% (IFX) and 23% and 10% (ADA) during the second treatment period., Conclusion: Our study confirmed the long-term efficacy and safety of the anti-TNFα therapies. Loss of response rate is lower in our population compared to the literature. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(47): 1989-1994.

Background: Diagnostic accuracy and quality of smears obtained by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) are influenced by characteristics of suction and examined organ., Aims and Methods: Efficiency of EUS-FNA and quality of smears obtained by slow-pull (SP) and standard suction (SS) techniques was prospectively compared in the sampling of pancreatic ( N  = 56) and extrapancreatic ( N  = 145) tumors., Results: SS technique resulted in a higher number of smear pairs both in pancreatic (1.74 vs. 3.19; p  < 0.001) and extrapancreatic tumors (1.62 vs. 3.28; p  < 0.001); however, it decreased the proportion of diagnostic smears (46.69% vs. 36.52%; p  = 0.002 and 49.17% vs. 30.67%; p  < 0.001) and increased the bloodiness (1.51 vs. 2.07; p  < 0.001 and 1.48 vs. 2.05; p  < 0.001). In pancreatic cancers, no difference was observed in terms of diagnostic accuracy (81.38% vs. 83.45%) and cellularity (1.44 vs. 1.27; p  = 0.067); however, they were substantially higher in extrapancreatic tumors using SP technique (71.41% vs. 60.71% and 1.34 vs. 0.77; p  < 0.001). Only SP technique resulted in a significant difference between examiners in terms of technical success rate and quality of smears without any decrease of diagnostic accuracy., Conclusions: SP technique yields better quality smears independently from tumors characteristics; however, it shows significant examiner-dependency. SS technique reduces the diagnostic accuracy of sampling in extrapancreatic tumors.

Gut microbial composition alters in some special situations, such as in ulcerative colits (UC) after total proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) surgery. The aim of our study was to determine the composition of the intestinal microbiome in UC patients after IPAA surgery, compared with UC patients, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) patients after IPAA surgery and healthy controls. Clinical data of patients, blood and faecal samples were collected. Faecal microbiota structure was determined by sequencing the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Overall, 56 patients were enrolled. Compared to the Healthy group, both the Pouch active and UC active groups had higher Enterobacteriaceae , Enterococcaceae and Pasteurellaceae abundance. The Pouch and UC groups showed distinct separation based on their alpha and beta bacterial diversities. The UC group had higher Prevotellaceae , Rikenellaceae , Ruminococcaceae abundance compared to the Pouch active group. Pouch and FAP participants showed similar bacterial community composition. There was no significant difference in the bacterial abundance between the active and inactive subgroups of the Pouch or UC groups. Gut microbiome and anatomical status together construct a functional unit that has influence on diversity, in addition to intestinal inflammation that is a part of the pathomechanism in UC.

Background/aim: In Hungary, a nationwide colorectal screening program is about to be introduced in order to improve the high mortality rate of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim was to summarize experiences from and assess short-term efficacy of the population- based pilot colorectal screening program in 2015 in Csongrád county, Hungary., Materials and Methods: Asymptomatic individuals between the ages of 50 and 70 with average risk of colorectal cancer participated in the program that was based on the two-step screening method: immune fecal blood test and colonoscopy. The short-term efficacy was assessed as the change in total CRC incidence and initial tumor stage in the screening year (2015)., Results: 22,130 individuals were invited to participate, and the participation rate was 46.4%. Immune fecal blood test proved to be nonnegative in 1,343 cases (13%), screening colonoscopy was performed in 766 of them (7.5%). Total colonoscopy was performed in 711 individuals. Based on the reports, adenoma was detected in 358 (50.3%) and malignancy in 42 (5.9%) individuals. In the background population, the incidence of colon cancer was higher (183 vs. 228; P = 0.026) and was diagnosed at earlier stage (P = 0.002), while lymph node involvement was lower in 2015 (48.3% vs. 37.1%; P = 0.049)., Conclusion: The Csongrád county population-based colorectal cancer screening was evidently successful on the short-term considering participation rate, and the changes in CRC incidence and stage, thus its national extension is necessary., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest to be declared., (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are more susceptible to severe viral infections requiring hospitalization regardless of treatment. Immunosuppressives and biological treatments multiply the chances of opportunistic and lung infections, especially in combination therapy, so due to the new coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) epidemic, which primarily causes respiratory disease, it is advisable to use different therapeutic considerations for effective and safe patient care. Contrary to the expectations, a study from Italy and China each, despite of the large number of infected cases, did not report any SARS-CoV-2 positivity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which can be due to a number of favorable factors, such as the lower average age of the patients, lack of comorbidities, etc. However, it should not be forgotten that the patients on immunosuppressive and/or biological therapy belong to the compromised group. Consequently, in some cases there is a need to modify the therapy, but we should keep in mind that the relapse alongside with the need of medical consultation and even hospitalization elevate the chance of being infected. Thus, flare-ups ought to be avoided as far as they can be, so continuing the already started maintenance therapy can be a reasonable solution, but, in the high-risk group, modifying it can be reasonable as well. Our aim with this article is to make the health care more effective, and to give a practical recommendation for physicians during the epidemic, based on international publications. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(25): 1022-1027.

The effect of TNF-blockers on T-lymphocyte subsets is largely unknown in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). The aim of the present study was to analyze the prevalence of T-cell subtypes and their correlation to therapeutic response. Sixty-eight patients with Crohn's disease (CD), 46 with ulcerative colitis (UC) were enrolled. (1) The clinical course was followed after the initiation of TNF-blockers (prospective study). (2) The immunophenotype was also compared between long-term anti-TNF treated-responders and non-responders (cross-sectional study). The results were compared with those of therapy-naïve patients with active disease and those in remission with non-biological immunosuppressive therapy, and with healthy controls. Fourteen subtypes of peripheral blood T cells were measured with flow cytometry. The prevalence of Th2 and Th17 cells, of HLA-DR- and CD69-positive CD4 and CD8 cells, was higher, whereas the percentage of CD45RA-positive CD4 and CD8 cells was lower in both IBDs than in controls. CD8CD69 cell frequency was lower in remission, and decreased during anti-TNF therapy in CD responders. CD8CD45RO memory cells had higher prevalence in UC non-responders than in those starting anti-TNF. CD4CD45RO percentage < 49.05 at the initiation of TNF-blockers was predictive of a subsequent therapeutic response in CD, and Th2 and Th17 prevalence correlated with the duration of remission on TNF-blockers in UC. This study provided a detailed description of the T-cell composition in IBDs. CD8CD69 prevalence may be an activity marker in CD, and CD4CD45RO, Th2 and Th17 levels could be predictive for a therapeutic response to anti-TNF.

Background : GEMINI trials demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of vedolizumab (VDZ) in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Research design and methods : Aim of this study was to determine the real-life effectiveness of VDZ on endoscopic healing in the Hungarian nationwide cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients based on the changes on clinical and endoscopic scores. Every adult IBD patient in the country (121 UC and 83 CD) who completed the short-term VDZ therapy was enrolled, of which 72 UC and 52 CD patients could complete the long-term therapy. Results : The rates of endoscopic healing were substantially higher in UC compared with CD patients during the short- and long-term therapy (52.9% vs. 21.7%, p < 0.0001, and 51.4% vs. 21.2%, p = 0.015, respectively). In CD, the rate of endoscopic healing was lower at week 14 compared with week 22 (14.5% vs. 37.0%, p = 0.026). Prior anti-TNF-α therapy (88.73%) was not associated with a significant decrease in therapeutic response. The average disease duration was significantly lower in CD patients achieving endoscopic healing at week 52 (11.75 vs. 5.27 years, p = 0.007). Conclusions : VDZ therapy is an effective therapeutic option in anti-TNF-α refractory IBD. However, the endoscopic healing rate was substantially lower and showed a significant delay in CD compared with UC.

Background: In patients with Crohn's disease (CD), luminal disease activity paralleled by perianal fistulas may seriously impair health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Health utility values are not available from patients with CD that reflect the health loss associated with both luminal and perianal CD., Objective: To generate utilities for luminal and concomitant perianal fistulising CD health states directly from patients and from members of the general public., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken enrolling CD patients and a convenience sample of members of the general population. Respondents were asked to evaluate four common CD heath states [severe luminal disease (sCD), mild luminal disease (mCD), severe luminal disease with active perianal fistulas (sPFCD), and mild luminal disease with active perianal fistulas (mPFCD)] by 10-year time trade-off (TTO). In addition, patients assessed their current HRQoL by the TTO method., Results: Responses of 206 patients (40.8% with perianal fistulas) and 221 members of the general population were analysed. Mean ± SD utilities among patients for sPFCD, sCD, mPFCD and mCD states were 0.69 ± 0.33, 0.73 ± 0.31, 0.80 ± 0.29 and 0.87 ± 0.26. Corresponding values in the general public were: 0.59 ± 0.31, 0.65 ± 0.29, 0.80 ± 0.26 and 0.88 ± 0.25. Patients with active perianal fistulas, previous non-resection surgeries, and higher pain intensity scores valued their current health as worse (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: TTO is a feasible method to assess HRQoL in patients with perianal fistulising disease, often not captured by health status questionnaires. Utilities from this study are intended to support the optimization of treatment-related decision making in patients with luminal disease paralleled by active perianal fistulas.

Background: The usage of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for the diagnosis of solid pancreatic cancer is increasing, however mainly retrospective studies are available about the detailed methods of sampling., Methods: To compare prospectively the diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA samples obtained with slow-pull (SP) and with standard suction technique (SS)., Results: EUS-FNA sampling was diagnostic in 72 of 92 cases (78.3%). Diagnostic yield was 67.4% in the SS and 65.2% in the SP group. The number of smear pairs (1.84 vs. 3.56; p < 0.001) and blood contamination (1.50 vs. 2.19; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the SS group, which resulted in lower rate of diagnostic samples (41.8% vs. 30.0%; p = 0.003). There was no difference in the cellularity (1.58 vs. 1.37; p = 0.2554), or in the sensitivity and specificity in the identification of malignancy between SP and SS subgroups (69.9, 100% vs. 73.5, 100%). Histological samples were obtained in 60 cases (with SP: 49 cases; with SS: 46 cases). There was no difference in the diagnostic yield of histological samples between the groups (63 and 58.7%)., Conclusion: The diagnostic yield, the cellularity of smears and the rate of acquiring sufficient histological material are similar in the SP and SS group, but due to lower bloodiness and decreased number of slides, the pathological diagnosis is faster and more cost-effective.