Gastroenterology Research最新文献

Background: Current choledocholithiasis guidelines heavily focus on patients with low or no risk, they may be inappropriate for populations with high rates of choledocholithiasis. We aimed to develop a predictive scoring model for choledocholithiasis in patients with relevant clinical manifestations.

Methods: A multivariable predictive model development study based on a retrospective cohort of patients with clinical suspicion of choledocholithiasis was used in this study. The setting was a 700-bed public tertiary hospital. Participants were patients who had completed three reference tests (endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and intraoperative cholangiography) from January 2019 to June 2021. The model was developed using logistic regression analysis. Predictor selection was conducted using a backward stepwise approach. Three risk groups were considered. Model performance was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration, classification measures, and decision curve analyses.

Results: Six hundred twenty-one patients were included; the choledocholithiasis prevalence was 59.9%. The predictors were age > 55 years, pancreatitis, cholangitis, cirrhosis, alkaline phosphatase level of 125 - 250 or > 250 U/L, total bilirubin level > 4 mg/dL, common bile duct size > 6 mm, and common bile duct stone detection. Pancreatitis and cirrhosis each had a negative score. The sum of scores was -4.5 to 28.5. Patients were categorized into three risk groups: low-intermediate (score ≤ 5), intermediate (score 5.5 - 14.5), and high (score ≥ 15). Positive likelihood ratios were 0.16 and 3.47 in the low-intermediate and high-risk groups, respectively. The model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.80 (95% confidence interval: 0.76, 0.83) and was well-calibrated; it exhibited better statistical suitability to the high-prevalence population, compared to current guidelines.

Conclusions: Our scoring model had good predictive ability for choledocholithiasis in patients with relevant clinical manifestations. Consideration of other factors is necessary for clinical application, particularly regarding the availability of expert physicians and specialized equipment.

Background: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT), generally considered rare, is becoming increasingly recognized with advanced imaging. Limited data exist regarding readmissions in PVT and its burden on the overall healthcare cost. This study aimed to outline the burden of PVT readmissions and identify the modifiable predictors of readmissions.

Methods: The National Readmission Database (NRD) was used to identify PVT admissions from 2016 to 2019. Using the patient demographic and hospital-specific variables within the NRD, we grouped patient encounters into two cohorts, 30- and 90-day readmission cohorts. We assessed comorbidities using the validated Elixhauser comorbidity index. We obtained inpatient mortality rates, mean length of hospital stay (LOS), total hospital cost (THC), and causes of readmissions in both 30- and 90-day readmission cohorts. Using a multivariate Cox regression analysis, we identified the independent predictors of 30-day readmissions.

Results: We identified 17,971 unique index hospitalizations, of which 2,971 (16.5%) were readmitted within 30 days. The top five causes of readmissions in both 30-day and 90-day readmission cohorts were PVT, sepsis, hepatocellular cancer, liver failure, and alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The following independent predictors of 30-day readmission were identified: discharge against medical advice (AMA) (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.86; P = 0.002); renal failure (aHR 1.44, P = 0.014), metastatic cancer (aHR 1.31, P = 0.016), fluid and electrolyte disorders (aHR 1.20, P = 0.004), diabetes mellitus (aHR 1.31, P = 0.001) and alcohol abuse (aHR 1.31, P ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion: The readmission rate identified in this study was higher than the national average and targeted interventions addressing these factors may help reduce the overall health care costs.

Intussusception is common in children, but it is rare in adults. The most common causes of adult intussusception (AI) are due to a pathological lead point with a common etiology being malignancy. Intra-luminal irritants should be considered the possible etiology of intussusception in patients without a pathological lead point. Marijuana use has increased dramatically in the United States over the last decade. With increasing public acceptance and legalization of marijuana, various adverse side effects have become more prominent. Marijuana has been shown to disrupt gastrointestinal tract motility by inhibiting cholinergic mechanisms. Here we describe four cases of AI who are chronic marijuana users. This well-referenced review gives attention to the harmful effects of marijuana, given the increasing use of marijuana and its derivatives in the United States.

Background: Performing colonoscopy within 24 h of presentation to the hospital is the accepted standard of care for patients with an acute lower gastrointestinal bleed (LGIB). Previous studies have failed to demonstrate the benefit of early colonoscopy (EC) on mortality. In this study, we wanted to see if there was a change in inpatient deaths (primary outcome), length of stay (LOS), and hospitalization charges (TOTCHG) (secondary outcomes) with EC compared to previous studies.

Methods: Adults diagnosed with LGIB were identified using the International Classification of Disease 10th Revision codes from the National Inpatient Sample database for 2016 to 2019. EC was defined as the procedure performed within 24 h of hospitalization. Delayed colonoscopy (DC) was defined as a procedure performed after 24 h of presentation. The patient population was divided into EC and DC groups, and the effects of several covariates on outcomes were measured using binary logistic and multivariate regression analysis. Inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) was performed to adjust for confounding covariates.

Results: There were 1,549,065 cases diagnosed with LGIB, of which 285,165 cases (18.4%) received a colonoscopy. A total of 107,045 (6.9%) patients received early colonoscopies. EC was associated with decreased inpatient deaths (0.9% in EC, and 1.4% in DC, P < 0.001). However, upon IPTW, this difference was not present. EC was associated with a decreased LOS (median 3 days vs. 5 days, P < 0.001) and TOTCHG (median $32,037 vs. $44,092, P < 0.001). Weekend admissions (WA) were associated with fewer EC (31.6% in WA, and 39.5% in non-WA, P < 0.001). WA did not affect inpatient deaths.

Conclusions: EC was not associated with decreased inpatient deaths. There was no difference in endoscopic interventions in both EC and DC groups. The difference in inpatient deaths observed between the two groups was not evident upon adjusting the results for confounders. EC was associated with a decreased LOS, and TOTCHG in patients with LGIB.

Background: Alcohol use disorder, high-risk drinking, and emergency visits for acute and chronic complications of alcohol use have been increasing in the USA recently. Approximately half of patients with alcohol use disorder experience alcohol withdrawal when they reduce or stop drinking. Though alcohol withdrawal is usually mild, 20% of patients experience more severe manifestations such as hallucinations, seizures, and delirium. In this study, we utilized the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to examine the trends of alcohol withdrawal delirium (AWD) in the period 2010 - 2019.

Methods: This was a retrospective longitudinal trends study involving hospitalizations with AWD in the USA from 2010 to 2019. We searched the databases for hospitalizations using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes (291.0 and F10231). We involved all hospitalizations complicated by AWD and hospitalizations with AWD as the principal diagnosis for admission. We excluded hospitalizations involving patients under the age of 18. We calculated the crude admission rate and the incidence of AWD per million adult hospitalizations during each calendar year. In addition, we analyzed trends of inpatient mortality, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges (THC).

Results: The incidence of AWD per million hospitalizations increased from 2,671.8 in 2010 to 3,405.6 in 2019, with an annual percentage change (APC) of 3.1% (P < 0.001). Similarly, AWD admission rate per million hospitalizations increased from 1,030.3 in 2010 to 1,556.0 in 2019, with an average APC of 5.0% (P < 0.001). There were statistically significant trends of increasing inpatient mortality, THC, and LOS over the studied period. In general, female gender, younger age, and Black race were associated with better clinical outcomes.

Conclusions: Our study showed an increase in the incidence and admission rates of AWD. Mortality, LOS, and THC increased over the studied period. Younger age, female gender, and Black race were associated with better clinical outcomes.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread globally leading to over 3,700,000 deaths. As COVID-19 cases stabilized, the re-opening of endoscopy centers potentially exposed patients and healthcare workers to viral infection. This study aims to determine risk of COVID-19 exposure among patients undergoing outpatient endoscopies in a tertiary care setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Patients undergoing outpatient endoscopy were contacted post-procedure for any new COVID-19 symptoms or COVID-19 test results. Patient experiences and perception of personal safety were also determined.

Results: Of the 1,584 patients who completed elective endoscopy, 996 (62.9%) completed the survey. Two patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 within 14 days of procedure. The majority (99.7%) felt safe during their procedure and apprehension regarding endoscopy decreased over time.

Conclusion: Thus, the risk of COVID-19 transmission during outpatient endoscopy is extremely low when following recommended society guidelines. Patients felt safe during the procedure and experienced less fear of exposure over time.

Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of mortality in the USA. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) contributes to 85% of all lung cancers. It is the most prevalent subtype amongst non-smokers, and its incidence has risen in the last 20 years. In addition, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been associated with several lung pathologies, namely idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and asthma. We aimed to investigate the association between GERD and NSCLC by performing a retrospective, multicenter, case-control study. This is the first study of this nature to be carried out in the USA.

Methods: Data were retrieved from 17 Northwell health care facilities in the New York area between the years 2010 and 2018. Inclusion criteria were patients > 18 years of age with NSCLC (large cell, adenocarcinoma, and squamous cell). They were appropriately matched with controls based on age, gender, weight, comorbidities, and medication use. Our exposure group had a diagnosis of GERD based on the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth/10th Revision (ICD 9/10) codes and endoscopic, in addition to histological evidence if present. We excluded patients with secondary lung cancers, esophageal adenocarcinoma, other primary malignancies, Barrett's esophagus, and smokers. Logistic regression was conducted to determine the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between NSCLC and GERD.

Results: A total of 1,083 subjects were included in our study: 543 (50%) patients were diagnosed with NSCLC. In this population, GERD was twice as prevalent compared to controls (20.4% vs. 11.6%, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that GERD was associated with a higher risk of NSCLC compared to matched controls (OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.26 - 2.73). In addition, GERD patients treated with either antihistamines or proton pump inhibitors did not demonstrate an overall reduced risk of NSCLC (OR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.48 - 2.12).

Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that GERD is associated with a higher risk of NSCLC, irrespective of GERD treatment. We postulate that GERD patients suffer from chronic micro-aspirations leading to a prolonged inflammatory state within the lung parenchyma, triggering specific proliferative signaling pathways that may lead to malignant transformation.

Background: Acute pancreatitis is a common inflammatory condition that involves the pancreas. Gallstones and alcohol are the most common etiologies in the USA. Cholecystectomy is the cornerstone procedure in the management of biliary acute pancreatitis (BAP). In this study, we examined the causes and predictors of readmissions following BAP based on the procedure performed.

Methods: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD) and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification/Procedure Coding System (ICD10-CM/PCS), we retrospectively studied BAP hospitalizations (2016 - 2018). The first hospitalization within the year was marked as index hospitalization. Index hospitalizations were categorized based on whether an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and/or a cholecystectomy was performed into no procedure group, ERCP group, cholecystectomy group, and both procedures group. We subsequently identified readmissions within 30 days. Using this categorization, we studied reasons, rates, and predictors of readmissions.

Results: A total of 127,318 index hospitalizations were included. The cholecystectomy group constituted the largest share of this cohort (43.5%). Using the no procedure group as a reference, analysis of the outcomes showed that the cholecystectomy group had the lowest inpatient mortality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.18, P < 0.001), while both procedures group had the highest total hospital charges (adjusted mean difference (aMD): 42,249, P < 0.001). Acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection was the most frequent principal diagnosis for readmission (18.7%). Analysis of readmission predictors showed that both procedures group had the lowest risk for readmission (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 0.40, P < 0.001). Females were less likely to be readmitted compared to males (aHR: 0.82, P < 0.001) and elderly were less likely to be readmitted compared to young adults (aHR: 0.82, P < 0.001). Patients discharged against medical advice were more likely to be readmitted (aHR: 1.76, P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Undergoing both ERCP and cholecystectomy for BAP resulted in significantly higher hospital charges with no additional mortality benefit. However, it decreased the readmission risk significantly. Acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection was the most frequent reason for readmissions.