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Objective: To update the global burden of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021., Methods: Data from GBD 2021 were analyzed to assess the IBD burden., Results: In 2021, there were 375,140 new cases and 3.83 million total cases of IBD. Elderly-onset IBD accounted for 11% of incidences. 167 countries increased IBD incidence rate, with rates rising in females (APC:+0.06%) and the elderly (APC:+0.14%) but stable in males and the overall population., Conclusion: While the global burden of IBD has decreased overall, it has increased in females and the elderly., (Copyright © 2024 by The American College of Gastroenterology.)

There are limited data on the association of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and environmental risk factors. The aim of this study was to determine the potential associations between perinatal risk factors and EoE. A search was conducted for relevant studies published up to December 12th, 2023, using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Cochrane databases. Risk ratios with the 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using a random-effects model. Case-control or cohort studies that determined perinatal environmental factors within the first year of life and their association with EoE were included. Six case-control studies were included in the analysis. Six studies (2,087 EoE and 6,786 controls) were included for risk of infant antibiotic use with a pooled risk ratio of 1.30 (95%CI: 1.11-1.52, I2 = 76%), and five studies were included for cesarean section with a pooled risk ratio of 1.22 (95%CI: 1.10-1.34, I2 = 5%). There were three studies for breastfeeding with a pooled risk ratio of 1.07 (95%CI: 1.00-1.15, I2 = 0%); five studies were included for preterm birth with a pooled risk ratio of 1.52 (95%CI: 1.14-2.04, I2 = 48%). There were three studies for neonatal intensive care unit admission with a pooled risk ratio of 1.75 (95% CI: 1.41-2.18, I2 = 0%). Publication bias was found between EoE and infant antibiotic use and cesarean section, but not for EoE and preterm birth, neonatal care unit admission, or breastfeeding. This meta-analysis suggests a weak association between antibiotic use during the first year of life, cesarean section, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admission and a possible risk of EoE. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings as they may be indirect associations rather than causal., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: Joshua A Sloan declare(s) personal fees from Sanofi-Regeneron. Speakers bureau and advisory board  . Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Wongjarupong et al.)

Hepatitis C virus is an important global cause of hepatitis and subsequently cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. These infections may also cause extrahepatic manifestations, including insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. These two complications can potentially reduce sustained virologic responses (SVR) in some drug regimens for this infection. Metformin has important biochemical effects that can limit viral replication in cellular cultures and can improve the response to antiviral drug therapy based on ribavirin and interferon. Clinical studies comparing treatment regimens with interferon, ribavirin, metformin with these regimens without metformin have demonstrated that metformin increases viral clearance, establishes higher rates of SVRs, and increases insulin sensitivity. Metformin also reduces the frequency of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients who have had SVRs. Larger treatment trials are needed to determine metformin's short-term and long-term treatment effects in patients with diabetes using newer antiviral drugs. In particular, if metformin reduces the frequency of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, this would significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this infection., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The author has no financial or other conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections affect approximately 296 million people around the world, and the prevalence of any past or present HBV infection during the years 2015-2018 was as high as 4.3%. Acute HBV infection often presents with nonspecific symptoms and is usually self-limited, but 5% of patients can have persistent infections leading to chronic HBV infection and the risk of turning into chronic HBV infection is significantly higher in babies with vertical transmission (95%). Patients with chronic HBV infection are usually asymptomatic, but 15 to 40% of chronic HBV carriers develop cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition to liver-related disorders, HBV is also associated with several extrahepatic complications, including glomerulonephritis, cryoglobulinemia, neurologic disorders, psychological manifestations, polyarthritis, and dermatologic disorders. Making the diagnosis of HBV can be challenging since patients with chronic infections can remain symptom-free for decades before developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, and patients with acute HBV infection may have only mild, nonspecific symptoms. Therefore, understanding how this virus causes extrahepatic complications can help clinicians consider this possibility in patients with diverse symptom presentations. The pathophysiology of these extrahepatic disorders likely involves immune-related tissue injury following immune complex formation and inflammatory cascades. In some cases, direct viral infection of extrahepatic tissue may cause a clinical syndrome. Currently, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommends treatment of chronic HBV infections with interferon therapy and/or nucleos(t)ide analogs, and this treatment has been reported to improve some extrahepatic disorders in some patients with chronic HBV infection. These extrahepatic complications have a significant role in disease outcomes and increase medical costs, morbidity, and mortality. Therefore, understanding the frequency and pathogenesis of these extrahepatic complications provides important information for both specialists and nonspecialists and may help clinicians identify patients at an earlier stage of their infection.

Background: Acute esophageal variceal bleeding accounts for up to 70% of upper-gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhotic patients. About 10-20% of patients with acute variceal bleeding have refractory bleeding that is not controlled by medical or endoscopic therapy, and this condition can be life-threatening. Balloon tamponade is a long-standing therapy which is only effective temporarily and has several complications, while transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and liver transplantation may not be readily available at some centers. The use of self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) in refractory esophageal variceal bleeding has been studied for effectiveness and adverse events and has been recommended for use as a bridge to a more definitive treatment. Aim: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of SEMSs in managing refractory variceal bleeding. Methods: A systematic search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases was performed from inception to October 2022 using the following terms: "esophageal stent", "self-expandable metal stents", "endoscopic hemostasis", "refractory esophageal varices", and "esophageal variceal bleeding". Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they met the following criteria: (1) patients' age older than 18 and (2) a study (or case series) that has at least 10 patients in the study. Exclusion criteria included (1) non-English publications, (2) in case of overlapping cohorts, data from the most recent and/or most appropriate comprehensive report were collected. DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analysis was performed using the meta package in R statistical software(version 4.2.2). Results: Twelve studies involving 225 patients with 228 stents were included in the analyses. The mean age and/or median age ranged from 49.4 to 69 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 4.4 to 1. The median follow-up period was 42 days. The mean SEMS dwell time was 9.4 days. The most common cause of acute refractory variceal bleeding in chronic liver disease patients included alcohol use followed by viral hepatitis. The pooled rate of immediate bleeding control was 91% (95% CI 82-95%, I 2 = 0). The pooled rate of rebleeding was 17% (95% CI 8-32%, I 2 = 69). The pooled rate of stent ulceration was 7% (95% CI 3-13%, I 2 = 0), and the pooled rate of stent migration was 18% (95% CI 9-32%, I 2 = 38). The pooled rate of all-cause mortality was 38% (95% CI 30-47%, I 2 = 34). Conclusions: SEMSs should be primarily considered as salvage therapy when endoscopic band ligation and sclerotherapy fail and can be used as a bridge to emergent TIPS or definitive therapy, such as liver transplantation.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Introduction: Hepatic artery occlusion (HAO) is a significant complication post-liver transplantation. Doppler ultrasound (DUS) has been widely used as an initial screening test for detecting HAO; however, its performance is often not sufficient. Although other diagnostic tests such as computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and angiogram are more accurate, they are invasive and have several limitations. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is an emerging tool for detecting HAO; however, the results from previous studies were limited due to a small number of patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate its performance by performing a meta-analysis., Method: We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the performance of CEUS for the detection of HAO in an adult population. A literature search of EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, and Medline was conducted through March 2022. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, log diagnostic odd ratio (LDOR), and area under summary receiver operating curve (AUC) were calculated. Publication bias was assessed by Deeks' funnel plot., Result: Eight studies were included, with 434 CEUS performed. Using a combination of CTA, MRA, angiography, clinical follow-up, and surgery as the gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, and LDOR of CEUS for detection of HAO were .969 (.938, .996), .991 (.981, 1.001), and 5.732 (4.539, 6.926), respectively. AUC was .959. The heterogeneity between studies appeared universally low, and no significant publication bias was found (p = .44)., Conclusion: CEUS appeared to have an excellent performance for the detection of HAO and could be considered as an alternative when DUS is non-diagnostic or when CTA, MRA, and angiogram are not feasible., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Microscopic colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease and is classified as either collagenous colitis or lymphocytic colitis. The typical presentation is chronic watery diarrhea. The disease occurs more frequently in women aged 60-65 years and is increasing in incidence. The pathophysiology of microscopic colitis remains poorly understood and has not been well-described with possible several pathogeneses. To date, the diagnosis of microscopic colitis depends on histological tissue obtained during colonoscopy. Other non-invasive biomarkers, such as inflammatory markers and fecal biomarkers, have been studied in microscopic colitis, but the results remains inconclusive. The approach to chronic diarrhea is important and being able to differentiate chronic diarrhea in patients with microscopic colitis from other diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, functional diarrhea, and malignancy, by using non-invasive biomarkers would facilitate patient management. The management of microscopic colitis should be based on each individual's underlying pathogenesis and involves budesonide, bile acid sequestrants, or immunosuppressive drugs in refractory cases. Cigarette smoking and certain medications, especially proton pump inhibitors, should be eliminated, when possible, after the diagnosis is made.

Background: The incidence of microscopic colitis has increased over time. To date, there is no specific biomarker for microscopic colitis, and the diagnosis relies on histopathological tissue obtained during colonoscopy which is an invasive and costly procedure. Unlike Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the utility of fecal calprotectin in diagnosing or monitoring microscopic colitis has not been established, and studies on the role of fecal calprotectin in microscopic colitis are limited. In this retrospective study, we analyzed the utility of this biomarker in the diagnosis of microscopic colitis., Methods: The medical records of patients who have been diagnosed with collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis aged 18-89 years old were retrospectively reviewed. Patient characteristics were recorded in those who had fecal calprotectin measured., Results: There were 198 patients who were diagnosed with collagenous colitis and lymphocytic between October 1, 2015, and July 31, 2022. Twenty-three patients had fecal calprotectin levels measured and were included in this study. The mean age was 51.7 ± 7.8 years in all groups. Thirteen patients were female. Six patients (26.1%) were diagnosed with collagenous colitis, and 17 patients (73.9%) were diagnosed with lymphocytic colitis. The fecal calprotectin cut-off in this lab is 50 μg/g stool. Median fecal calprotectin levels were 30.1 μg/g (15.6, 122.5), 19.5 μg/g (16.5, 64.6), and 33.2 μg/g (15.6, 134.9) in all groups, collagenous colitis, and lymphocytic colitis, respectively., Conclusion: The utility of fecal calprotectin in diagnosing microscopic colitis is limited. Our study suggests the diagnosis should be based on histopathology tissue obtained during colonoscopy., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (© 2023 Greater Baltimore Medical Center.)

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 20 million people worldwide are infected annually with the hepatitis E virus (HEV). There are four main genotypes of HEV. Genotype 1 and genotype 2 are common in developing countries and are transmitted by contaminated water from a fecal-oral route. Genotype 3 and genotype 4 are common in developed countries and can lead to occasional transmission to humans via undercooked meat. Hepatitis E virus 1 and HEV3 can lead to fulminant hepatitis, and HEV3 can lead to chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis in immunocompromised patients. The majority of patients with HEV infection are asymptomatic and usually have spontaneous viral clearance without treatment. However, infection in immunocompromised individuals can lead to chronic HEV infection. Both acute and chronic HEV infections can have extrahepatic manifestations. No specific treatment is required for acute HEV infection, no treatment has been approved in chronic infection, and no HEV vaccine has been approved by the (United States) Food and Drug Administration. This review focuses on the molecular virology (HEV life cycle, genotypes, model systems, zoonosis), pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, and treatment of chronic HEV infection, especially in immunocompromised patients, to provide clinicians a better understanding of the global distribution of these infections and the significant effect they can have on immunocompromised patients.

Background: There are no specific biomarkers for microscopic colitis (MC), and the diagnosis depends on histopathological tissue obtained during colonoscopy. Studies on the role of fecal calprotectin (FCP) in MC are limited. A literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus was conducted from each database's inception through September 2022., Methods: A DerSimonian-Liard random-effects meta-analysis was performed to examine the standardized mean difference (SMD) in FCP levels between patients with MC and control patients with chronic diarrhea., Results: Six studies with 96 active MC patients and 200 controls were included in the meta-analysis. Random effects meta-analysis revealed that FCP was significantly and moderately elevated in patients with MC compared to the control group (SMD = 0.6 [95% CI 0.3, 1.0], P  = 0.001). Imputing one effect size confirmed the observation that FCP is significantly higher in patients with MC than control subjects with chronic diarrhea (SMD = 0.5 [95% CI 0.2, 0.9], P  = 0.004). Study heterogeneity between the SMDs was not significant ( I 2 = 41%, P  = 0.1)., Conclusion: These results indicate that FCP levels in patients with chronic diarrhea can help identify patients with MC. More studies with serial measurements of FCP would provide a better understanding of its utility in MC., Competing Interests: No funding or potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2023 Baylor University Medical Center.)

Patients undergo colonoscopies for colorectal cancer screening and for the evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms. Analysis of large administrative databases has demonstrated that some patients undergo repeat colonoscopies at intervals inconsistent with current recommendations, but these studies do not provide patient-level details. The medical records of 110 patients undergoing repeat colonoscopies within 1 year of their index colonoscopies at a tertiary care hospital-based endoscopy center were retrospectively reviewed to determine patient demographics, gastrointestinal symptoms, and endoscopic findings. Thirty-five patients had poor bowel preparations, and 11 patients had a history of colorectal cancer. Thirty-four patients had polyps identified during their index colonoscopies, and 28 patients had no polyps identified during their index colonoscopies. Eleven patients in the nonpolyp group had new endoscopic findings identified during the repeat colonoscopies. Twenty patients who had polyps identified on their index colonoscopies had 44 polyps identified on repeat colonoscopies. Repeat colonoscopies within 1 year occurred relatively infrequently in this endoscopy center. Indications included poor bowel preparation with incomplete studies, colonic polyps with incomplete resection, multiple polyps resulting in the possibility of missed polyps, and new gastrointestinal symptoms., Competing Interests: No funding or potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors., (Copyright © 2023 Baylor University Medical Center.)

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant cause of chronic liver diseases worldwide and is associated with negative consequences, including cirrhosis, hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma, and increased risk of mortality. In addition to liver-related morbidities, HCV is also associated with several extrahepatic manifestations, including mixed cryoglobulinemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiocerebrovascular disease, lymphoma, and autoimmune diseases. These non-liver-related complications of HCV increase the complexity of this disease and can contribute to the economic burden, morbidity, quality of life, and mortality throughout the world. Therefore, understanding how this virus can contribute to each extrahepatic manifestation is worth investigating. Currently, the advancement of HCV treatment with the advent of direct-acting anti-viral agents (DAAs) has led to a high cure rate as a result of sustained virologic response and tremendously reduced the burden of extrahepatic complications. However, HCV-associated extrahepatic manifestations remain a relevant concern, and this review aims to give an updated highlight of the prevalence, risk factors, associated burdens, and treatment options for these conditions.

The hepatorenal syndrome develops in a small percentage of patients with advanced liver disease. The pathogenesis involves intravascular volume contraction secondary to pooling of blood in the splanchnic vessels, stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone pathway, and increased intra-abdominal pressure secondary to the formation of large volumes of ascitic fluid. The treatment options are limited, and liver transplant is the only definitive form of management. Here we suggest an alternative approach to treating hepatorenal syndrome based on the unexpected continuous peritoneal drainage in a 36-year-old man hospitalized with hepatic encephalopathy and hepatorenal syndrome. A total of 11.2 L ascitic fluid drained over 5 days from a paracentesis puncture site with marked improvement in renal function; the creatinine decreased from 3.3 mg/dL to 0.7 mg/dL and the BUN decreased from 42 mg/dL to 10 mg/dL. The discussion with this case report summarizes the pathogenesis, including the effect of intra-abdominal pressure, of the hepatorenal syndrome, outlines medical management, and makes a proposal for clinical study based on this case., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None, (Copyright © 2022 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The colon has a very large surface area that is covered by a dense mucus layer. The biomass in the colon includes 500-1000 bacterial species at concentrations of ~10 12 colony-forming units per gram of feces. The intestinal epithelial cells and the commensal bacteria in the colon have a symbiotic relationship that results in nutritional support for the epithelial cells by the bacteria and maintenance of the optimal commensal bacterial population by colonic host defenses. Bacteria can form biofilms in the colon, but the exact frequency is uncertain because routine methods to undertake colonoscopy (i.e., bowel preparation) may dislodge these biofilms. Bacteria in biofilms represent a complex community that includes living and dead bacteria and an extracellular matrix composed of polysaccharides, proteins, DNA, and exogenous debris in the colon. The formation of biofilms occurs in benign colonic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. The development of a biofilm might serve as a marker for ongoing colonic inflammation. Alternatively, the development of biofilms could contribute to the pathogenesis of these disorders by providing sanctuaries for pathogenic bacteria and reducing the commensal bacterial population. Therapeutic approaches to patients with benign colonic diseases could include the elimination of biofilms and restoration of normal commensal bacteria populations. However, these studies will be extremely difficult unless investigators can develop noninvasive methods for measuring and identifying biofilms. These methods that might include the measurement of quorum sensing molecules, measurement of bile acids, and identification of bacteria uniquely associated with biofilms in the colon., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Thrombotic complications during COVID-19 infections occur frequently, and anticoagulants to prevent and treat deep vein thrombosis appear to have a good safety profile in these patients. In addition, haemorrhagic complications during COVID-19 infections have also been reported. Hepatic inflammation can occur in COVID-19 infections as a direct consequence of cellular infection and cytopathy. Spontaneous subcapsular hepatic haematoma is extremely rare and can be life-threatening.A woman in her 40s presented to the hospital with fever and shortness of breath and was diagnosed with COVID-19 infection with respiratory failure requiring intubation. On day 49 of hospitalisation, she developed melena and acute anaemia; her haemoglobin dropped from 97g/L (9.7g/dL) to 56g/L (5.6g/dL). Abdominal and pelvic CT scans showed a large subcapsular liver haematoma with retroperitoneal extension. The patient received blood transfusions and remained haemodynamically stable. She was eventually extubated and discharged home., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

In 1905, Felix Gaisbock, MD, described a syndrome in patients with hypertension, elevated hematocrit levels, plethoric appearances, and no splenomegaly. He postulated this relative erythrocytosis was due to stress. In this case report, a 40-year-old Caucasian man with obesity was admitted with recurrent deep vein thrombosis and increasing oxygen requirements 2 weeks after hospitalization with COVID-19 pneumonia. This patient had a 10-year history of untreated hypertension and erythrocytosis. He had a ruddy appearance, a normal erythropoietin level, and a negative JAK2 V617 mutation. In this case, Gaisbock syndrome was suspected., (Copyright © 2022 Baylor University Medical Center.)