Gut and Liver最新文献

Background/aims: Gastrointestinal amyloidosis (GIA) is a common condition that presents with a variety of endoscopic features. However, the classification of these endoscopic features of GIA and its clinical implications have not been investigated.

Methods: The endoscopic findings of 127 patients with GIA were reviewed and classified by three experienced endoscopists. The relationships of the endoscopic classification of GIA with clinical amyloidosis entities, symptoms, and patient outcomes were evaluated.

Results: Five distinct types of endoscopic lesion features were identified in GIA patients: protruding, granular, hemorrhagic, ulcerative, and nonspecific. The hemorrhagic type was most common (n=32, 25.2%), followed the by protruding (n=30, 23.6%), ulcerative (n=28, 22.0%), granular (n=20, 15.7%), and nonspecific types (n=17, 13.4%). The protruding type was significantly prevalent in patients with localized amyloidosis (23/49, 71.4%), whereas the hemorrhagic type was the most common in patients with immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (20/47, 42.6%), and the ulcerative type was the most common in patients with amyloid A amyloidosis (8/17, 47.1%) (p<0.001). The granular type was related to dysmotility symptoms (p=0.018). Among 30 GIA patients with the protruding type, two died, whereas 36.1% of patients with the other endoscopic types (35/97) died during a median follow-up of 95.5 months (interquartile range, 65.8 to 132.0 months) (p=0.007).

Conclusions: Five types of GIA lesions were identified, and on this basis, an endoscopic classification system was proposed. This system may be of diagnostic and prognostic value.

Background/aims: The presence of individual cancer cells at the invasive tumor front is referred to as tumor budding (TB). The purpose of this study was to assess the clinicopathological significance of TB in patients with early gastric cancer (EGC).

Methods: A total of 939 patients who received radical surgery for EGC were included in this retrospective study. We assessed clinicopathological features in relation to TB including the grade of histologic differentiation, the extent of invasion depth, the width of submucosal (SM) invasion, and the presence of lymphovascular invasion (LVI), lymph node metastasis (LNM) and perineural invasion (PNI).

Results: TB was identified in 59.5% of the patients with EGC, 38.7% of the patients with mucosal invasive cancer, and 80.4% of the patients with SM invasive cancers. TB showed significant association with male sex, undifferentiated tumor types, SM invasion, LVI, PNI, and LNM. The presence of SM invasion (odds ratio [OR], 8.750; p<0.001), TB (OR, 5.586; p<0.001), and an undifferentiated-type histology (OR, 2.648; p=0.0005) were found to be significantly associated with LNM/LVI. TB was the sole significant risk factor for LNM/LVI (OR, 7.181; p=0.0016) among the mucosal invasive cancers. In SM invasive cancers, three independent risk factors for LNM/LVI were identified: a tumor located in the lower third of the stomach (OR, 3.425; p=0.0061), an undifferentiated-type histology (OR, 2.320; p=0.0177), and an SM invasion width greater than 4,000 μm (OR, 2.849; p=0.0041).

Conclusions: TB may be an important factor associated with LNM, particularly in mucosal gastric cancer.

Background/aims: The MiroCam MC2000 (MC2000) is a double-tip capsule with a camera on each side. It is designed to provide more extensive visualization of the small bowel mucosa, potentially reducing the chance of missing lesions. This study aimed to compare the detection rates for lesions in the ampulla of Vater (AoV) and the small bowel of the MC2000 and the PillCam SB3 (SB3) for patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, randomized crossover trial compared the lesion detection capabilities of the MC2000 and SB3 capsules, ingested one hour apart by patients with suspected small bowel bleeding. The primary outcome was the detection of lesions in the AoV, while the secondary outcome was the assessment of the detection of P1 and P2 lesions, known underlying causes of small bowel bleeding.

Results: There was no significant difference in AoV lesion detection rates between the devices. However, MC2000 demonstrated significantly greater detection of red spots in patients with visible bleeding (p=0.018) and tended to detect a greater number of small bowel lesions, including P2 lesions. Minor complications included device stasis, with fewer incidents with the MC2000 than with the SB3, and one instance of small bowel retention due to ulcers.

Conclusions: The MC2000's dual-camera system appears to enhance the detection of small bowel lesions over the SB3, especially for more important lesions. These findings suggest that the MC2000 may offer superior diagnostic capabilities for patients with suspected small bowel bleeding, potentially leading to better clinical outcomes (this trial registered KCT0005591).

Background/aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. Ferroptosis is a form of regulated cell death that has been linked to the treatment of CRC. Tribbles homolog 3 (TRIB3) and TEA domain transcription factor (TEAD4) are linked with the progression of various cancers, but their role in ferroptosis remains unclear.

Methods: We analyzed TRIB3 and TEAD4 expression in CRC tissues using bioinformatics and examined the TRIB3-ferroptosis association. Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine the expression levels of TRIB3 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was utilized to measure the mRNA levels of TRIB3 and TEAD4. Western blot was performed to assess the changes in the levels of proteins related to ferroptosis and MEK/ERK pathway. Dual luciferase assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were employed to detect TEAD4TRIB3-TEAD4 targeting. We also employed colony formation assays to analyze cell proliferation, flow cytometry to measure reactive oxygen species levels, and detection kits to measure Fe2 +, glutathione and NADPH levels.

Results: TRIB3 was upregulated in CRC cells and tissues and was implicated in the ferroptosis pathway, demonstrating a positive association with GPX4. TRIB3 positively modulated ferroptosis proteins and the MEK/ERK signaling pathway, increasing the ferroptosis resistance of CRC cells. Overexpression of TRIB3 in TEAD4-knockdown cells significantly increased the ferroptosis resistance of CRC cells.

Conclusions: TEAD4 increases the expression level of TRIB3 through transcriptional activation, thereby controlling the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and inducing ferroptosis resistance in CRC cells.

Background/aims: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a proton density fat fraction (PDFF) sequence is the most accurate, noninvasive method for assessing hepatic steatosis. However, manual measurement on the PDFF map is time-consuming. This study aimed to validate automated whole-liver fat quantification for assessing hepatic steatosis with MRI-PDFF.

Methods: In this prospective study, 80 patients were enrolled from August 2020 to January 2023. Baseline MRI-PDFF and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data were collected. The analysis of MRI-PDFF included values from automated whole-liver segmentation (autoPDFF) and the average value from measurements taken from eight segments (avePDFF). Twenty patients with ≥10% autoPDFF values who received 24 weeks of exercise training were also collected for the chronologic evaluation. The correlation and concordance coefficients (r and ρ) among the values and differences were calculated.

Results: There were strong correlations between autoPDFF versus avePDFF, autoPDFF versus MRS, and avePDFF versus MRS (r=0.963, r=0.955, and r=0.977, all p<0.001). The autoPDFF values were also highly concordant with the avePDFF and MRS values (ρ=0.941 and ρ=0.942). The autoPDFF, avePDFF, and MRS values consistently decreased after 24 weeks of exercise. The change in autoPDFF was also highly correlated with the changes in avePDFF and MRS (r=0.961 and r=0.870, all p<0.001).

Conclusions: Automated whole-liver fat quantification might be feasible for clinical trials and practice, yielding values with high correlations and concordance with the time-consuming manual measurements from the PDFF map and the values from the highly complex processing of MRS (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04463667).

Background/aims: Acute mesenteric ischemia occurs mainly in elderly individuals; however, it can also affect young adults, and some of these patients experience a poor disease course because of delayed diagnosis and treatment. This study aimed to assess the clinical characteristics and outcomes of young adults with acute mesenteric ischemia.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed young adult patients aged 20 to 39 years diagnosed with acute mesenteric ischemia between 2002 and 2022 at four tertiary medical centers in Korea. Their clinical characteristics were compared with those of young middle-aged adults aged 40 to 49 years.

Results: A total of 86 patients were included. The median age of the patients was 42 years, and 71% of the patients were male. Twenty-three percent of the patients had a history of abdominal procedures or surgery. The most common cause of acute mesenteric ischemia was mesenteric venous thromboembolism (33.7%), followed by mesenteric artery thromboembolism (30.2%), nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (18.6%), and mesenteric artery dissection (17.4%). Patients aged 20 to 39 years were more frequently affected by mesenteric venous thromboembolism (44.0% vs 26.0%) and less frequently affected by mesenteric arterial thromboembolism (13.9% vs 42.0%) than patients aged 40 to 49 years (p=0.013). However, no significant differences were observed in terms of disease involvement, treatment method, or treatment outcome during follow-up (median, 769 days).

Conclusions: Young adults with acute mesenteric ischemia may exhibit clinical characteristics distinct from those of young middle-aged adults. Venous thromboembolism is prominent etiology of acute mesenteric ischemia in young adults.

Background/aims: Various lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) have been used for the endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage (EUS-TD) of postoperative pancreatic fluid collections (POPFC) and peripancreatic fluid collections (PFC). In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of novel electrocautery-enhanced LAMSs (Hot-Plumber with Z-EUS IT) with different inter-flange lengths (13 to 33 mm) for managing POPFC and PFC.

Methods: We reviewed the interventional EUS database of Asan Medical Center to identify consecutive patients with POPFC or PFC who underwent EUS-TD with the novel LAMSs between April 2023 and December 2023. Technical success, clinical success, and adverse events were evaluated.

Results: Ten patients (5 with POPFCs and 5 with PFCs) were included in the analysis. The technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 90%, respectively. The LAMS was placed using either the freehand technique (n=5) or the over-the-guide wire technique (n=5). One patient successfully underwent endoscopic necrosectomy for walled-off necrosis through a novel LAMS. Two patients experienced adverse events (one stent migration and one infection). The LAMS was removed in 7 out of 10 patients after resolution of the fluid collection at a median of 61 days (interquartile range, 31 to 69 days) post-LAMS placement.

Conclusions: EUS-TD using the novel LAMS for POPFC and PFC demonstrated high efficacy and an acceptable safety profile. This novel LAMS represents a viable option when selecting stents for EUS-guided drainage of the POPFC and PFC.

Background/aims: No studies have investigated the effects of radiologic-pathologic discordance on the outcomes of patients who have undergone resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, we investigated the effects of these discrepancies on the outcomes of such patients.

Methods: This study included patients diagnosed with HCC on magnetic resonance imaging who underwent resection, including 1,790 from the Korean Primary Liver Cancer Registry (nationwide cohort) and 185 from Chungnam National University Hospital (hospital cohorts). Radiologic-pathologic discrepancies in five factors (maximum tumor diameter, tumor number, vascular invasion, bile duct invasion, and lymph node metastasis) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses.

Results: The survival rate in the nationwide cohort was lower when all five factors were discordant than when all were concordant (p<0.001). A similar trend was observed in the hospital cohort; however, it was not statistically significant (p=0.260). In multivariate analyses, radiologicpathologic discrepancies in more than two factors (hazard ratio [HR], 3.251) and vascular invasion (HRs, 2.044 and 2.596), and lymph node metastasis (HRs, 8.157 and 7.209) on pathology or both imaging and pathology, respectively, were independent predictors of survival (all p<0.001). Similarly, lymph node metastasis on imaging emerged as an independent predictor (HR, 3.386; p=0.009). Age, an alpha-fetoprotein ≥200 ng/mL, and a modified Union for International Cancer Control stage were additional independent predictors.

Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that radiologic-pathologic discordance in patients with HCC who have undergone resection are significantly associated with worse survival. More accurate and appropriate preoperative evaluations are essential for optimizing treatment and improving prognosis.

Background/aims: Although the urea breath test (UBT) is widely used as a representative monitoring test after Helicobacter pylori eradication, false-negative results can occur because of the gray zone related to its cutoff value. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performances of the rapid urease test (RUT), the RUT with sweeping method, and the UBT, and to investigate the role of the sweeping method in the gray zone of UBT values.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 216 patients who received standard first-line H. pylori eradication treatments (n=216). All participants underwent to testing using the sweeping method and UBT on the same day. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were analyzed to compare the two methods.

Results: The sensitivity (0.537 vs 0.806, p=0.002) and accuracy (0.843 vs 0.870, p=0.026) of the UBT were inferior to those of the sweeping method. A total of 31 individuals tested positive for H. pylori according to the UBT, whereas 54 individuals tested positive according to the sweeping method. In the group for which the gold standard definition indicated H. pylori positivity but UBT results were negative (n=31), all individuals had a UBT value under 2.5‰. In the multivariate logistic regression model, a UBT value of 1.4‰ to 2.5‰ increased the risk of false-negative results by 6.5 times (odds ratio, 6.5; 95% confidence interval, 2.077 to 20.288; p=0.001).

Conclusions: After H. pylori eradication, false-negative results can occur for individuals undergoing the UBT, primarily for values below the UBT cutoff. The RUT with the sweeping method can potentially help detect H. pylori in the gray zone of the UBT, improving diagnostic accuracy.

Background/aims: Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a corpus-dominant atrophic gastritis in which patients are positive for antiparietal cell antibody (APCA) and/or anti-intrinsic factor antibody. The risk of developing gastric cancer in patients with AIG remains unclear, and reliable frequency data of AIG in patients with gastric cancer are lacking.

Methods: We included 624 Korean patients with gastric tumors (612 gastric cancers and 12 neuroendocrine tumors) who had APCA results and were available for AIG evaluation. In patients with positive APCA results, endoscopy and histology findings were reviewed to diagnose AIG.

Results: Of the 624 patients, 37 (5.9%) tested positive for APCA, and ultimately, 11 (1.8%) met the diagnostic criteria for AIG (5 both endoscopy and histology findings, 4 endoscopy-only findings, 2 histology-only findings). The frequency of AIG in patients with gastric cancer was 1.3% (8/612), and that in patients with neuroendocrine tumors was 25.0% (3/12). Of the 11 patients with AIG, serum Helicobacter pylori antibody was positive in six patients (54.5%), all of whom had gastric cancer. Histologically, three patients showed pure AIG, four patients exhibited concurrent AIG and H. pylori gastritis, and the findings for four were indefinite for AIG. The pepsinogen (PG) I levels and PG I/II ratio were significantly lower in patients with gastric cancer with AIG than in patients with gastric cancer without AIG (p=0.042 and p=0.016, respectively).

Conclusions: The frequency of AIG in gastric cancer patients was very low compared to that in patients with neuroendocrine tumors. Rather, concurrent AIG and H. pylori gastritis was common in patients with AIG with gastric cancer.