Non-improvement of atrophic gastritis in cases of gastric cancer after successful Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection is closely related to the development of gastric cancer(GC).However,GC can develop even after H.pylori eradication.Therefore,it would be extremely useful if GC could be predicted after eradication.The Kyoto classification score for gastritis(GA)is closely related to cancer risk.However,how the score for GC changes after eradication before onset is not well understood.AIM To investigate the characteristics of the progression of Kyoto classification scores for GC after H.pylori eradication.METHODS Eradication of H.pylori was confirmed in all patients using either the urea breath test or the stool antigen test.The Kyoto classification score of GC patients was evaluated by endoscopy at the time of event onset and three years earlier.In ad-dition,the modified atrophy score was evaluated and compared between the GC group and the control GA group.RESULTS In total,30 cases of early GC and 30 cases of chronic GA were evaluated.The pathology of the cancer cases was differentiated adenocarcinoma,except for one case of undifferentiated adenocarcinoma.The total score of the Kyoto classifi-cation was significantly higher in the GC group both at the time of cancer onset and three years earlier(4.97 vs 3.73,P=0.0034;4.2 vs 3.1,P=0.0035,respectively).The modified atrophy score was significantly higher in the GC group both at the time of cancer onset and three years earlier and was significantly improved only in the GA group(5.3 vs 5.3,P=0.5;3.73 vs 3.1,P=0.0475,respectively).CONCLUSION The course of the modified atrophy score is useful for predicting the onset of GC after eradication.Patients with severe atrophy after H.pylori eradication require careful monitoring.

Novel multi-parametric diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using ultrasonography,body mass index,and Fib-4 index

BACKGROUND Shear wave speed(SWS),shear wave dispersion(SWD),and attenuation imaging(ATI)are new diagnostic parameters for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.To differentiate between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)and non-alcoholic fatty liver(NAFL),we developed a clinical index we refer to as the“NASH pentagon”consisting of the 3 abovementioned parameters,body mass index(BMI),and Fib-4 index.AIM To investigate whether the area of the NASH pentagon we propose is useful in discriminating between NASH and NAFL.METHODS This non-invasive,prospective,observational study included patients diagnosed with fatty liver by abdominal ultrasound between September 2021 and August 2022 in whom shear wave elastography,SWD,and ATI were measured.Histological diagnosis based on liver biopsy was performed in 31 patients.The large pentagon group(LP group)and the small pentagon group(SP group),using an area of 100 as the cutoff,were compared;the NASH diagnosis rate was also investigated.In patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis,receiveroperating characteristic(ROC)curve analyses were performed.RESULTS One hundred-seven patients(61 men,46 women;mean age 55.1 years;mean BMI 26.8 kg/m2)were assessed.The LP group was significantly older(mean age:60.8±15.2 years vs 46.4±13.2 years;P<0.0001).Twenty-five patients who underwent liver biopsies were diagnosed with NASH,and 6 were diagnosed with NAFL.On ROC curve analyses,the areas under the ROC curves for SWS,dispersion slope,ATI value,BMI,Fib-4 index,and the area of the NASH pentagon were 0.88000,0.82000,0.58730,0.63000,0.59333,and 0.93651,respectively;the largest was that for the area of the NASH pentagon.CONCLUSION The NASH pentagon area appears useful for discriminating between patients with NASH and those with NAFL.

Combining the age-male-albumin-bilirubin-platelets score and shear wave elastography stratifies carcinogenic risk in hepatitis C patients after viral clearance

BACKGROUND The treatment of hepatitis C with direct-acting antiviral agents(DAAs)produces a high rate of sustained virological response(SVR)with fewer adverse events than interferon(IFN)therapy with a similar effect in inhibiting carcinogenesis as IFN therapy.The age-male-albumin-bilirubin-platelets(aMAP)score is useful for stratifying the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis patients,and the velocity of shear waves(Vs)measured by shear wave elastography has also been shown to be useful for diagnosing the level of fibrotic progression in hepatitis C and predicting carcinogenic risk.Combining these two may improve the prediction of carcinogenic risk.AIM To determine whether combining the aMAP score with Vs improves carcinogenic risk stratification in medium-to-high-risk hepatitis C patients.METHODS This retrospective,observational study involved hepatitis C patients treated with DAAs who achieved SVR.Vs was measured before treatment(baseline),at the end of treatment(EOT),and 12 wk(follow-up 12)and 24 wk(follow-up 24)after treatment.The patients were followed for at least six months after EOT to determine whether cancer developed.Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors contributing to hepatic carcinogenesis.The diagnostic performances of clinical parameters for predicting the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma were evaluated using receiver-operating characteristic(ROC)curve analyses.RESULTS A total of 279 patients(mean age 65.9 years,118 males,161 females)were included in the analysis.Multiple regression analysis was performed with carcinogenesis as the target variable and alanine aminotransferase,platelets,α-fetoprotein,Vs,and the Fib-4 index as explanatory variables;only Vs was found to be significant(P=0.0296).The cut-off value for Vs for liver carcinogenesis calculated using the ROC curve was 1.53 m/s.Carcinoma developed in 2.0%(3/151)of those with Vs<1.53 m/s and in 10.5%(9/86)of those with Vs≥1.53 m/s.CONCLUSION In hepatitis C patients after SVR,combining the aMAP score and Vs to stratify the risk of carcinogenesis is more efficient than uniform surveillance of all patients.

Progress of ulcerative colitis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND We have previously demonstrated that the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic caused exacerbations in ulcerative colitis(UC)patients,probably through psychological and physical stress.However,successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic continuously followed the first.The effects of this chronic stress on the disease condition in UC patients are of interest.AIM To clarify the effect of chronic stress from COVID-19 on disease condition in patients aggravated after the first wave.METHODS Our previous study investigated 289 consecutive UC outpatients treated in one center during March and April 2020,the period of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.In this study,an identical group of 289 UC patients was evaluated using UC-disease activity index(UC-DAI),endoscopic mucosal appearance score,and Matts pathological grade scoring.RESULTS Of the 289 UC patients included in the study in 2020,10 patients dropped out as of 2021 and another 11 patients dropped out as of 2022,making three groups for 2020,2021 and 2022.No significant differences in characteristics were found among the three groups.UC-DAI scores had aggravated during the period of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,but significantly recovered in 2021 and remained stable in 2022.Matts grade scores significantly recovered in 2021 from those in 2020 and remained stable in 2022.CONCLUSION Disease activity of UC patients recovered in 2021 and remained stable in 2022,aggravated by the stress of the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020 despite persistence of the pandemic.

Surgical treatment of HCC in a patient with lamivudine-resistant hepatitis B cirrhosis with adefovir dipivoxil

We describe a 77-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis B who became resistant to lamivudine.She was started on adefovir(10 mg daily)while still continuing lamivudine therapy.Four mo later her liver function improved and serum Hepatitis B virus(HBV)-DNA level became undetectable.Three years after the start of additional adefovir treatment,hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)was detected and the patient underwent a successful hepa-tectomy.Our findings suggest tha-t the addition of adefovir to ongoing lamivudine therapy cannot completely suppress hepatocarcinogenesis,but is useful for improving liver function in patients with lamivudine-resistant HBV-related cirrhosis,allowing HCC surgery.

Endoscopic ultrasonography can diagnose distal biliary strictures without a mass on computed tomography

AIM:To assess the diagnostic ability of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)for evaluating causes of dista biliary strictures shown on endoscopic retrograde chol angiopancreatography(ERCP)or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography(MRCP),even without iden tifiable mass on computed tomography(CT). METHODS:The diagnostic ability of EUS was retro spectively analyzed and compared with that of routine cytology(RC)and tumor markers in 34 patients with distal biliary strictures detected by ERCP or MRCP a Dokkyo Medical School Hospital from December 2005 to December 2008,without any adjacent mass or ec centric thickening of the bile duct on CT that could cause biliary strictures.Findings considered as benign strictures on EUS included preservation of the normasonographic layers of the bile duct wall,irrespective of the presence of a mass lesion.Other strictures were considered malignant.Final diagnosis of underlying diseases was made by pathological examination in 18 cases after surgical removal of the samples,and by clinical follow-up for>10 mo in 16 cases. RESULTS:Seventeen patients(50%)were finally di- agnosed with benign conditions,including 6"normal" subjects,while 17 patients(50%)were diagnosed with malignant disease.In terms of diagnostic ability,EUS showed 94.1%sensitivity,82.3%specificity,84.2% positive predictive value,93.3%negative predictive value(NPV)and 88.2%accuracy for identifying ma- lignant and benign strictures.EUS was more sensi- tive than RC(94.1%vs 62.5%,P=0.039).NPV was also better for EUS than for RC(93.3%vs 57.5%,P= 0.035).In addition,EUS provided significantly higher sensitivity than tumor markers using 100 U/mL as the cutoff level of carbohydrate antigen 19-9(94.1%vs 53%,P=0.017).On EUS,biliary stricture that was fi- nally diagnosed as malignant showed as a hypoechoic, irregular mass,with obstruction of the biliary duct and invasion to surrounding tissues. CONCLUSION:EUS can diagnose biliary strictures caused by malignant tumors that are undetectable on CT.Earlier detection by EUS would provide more therapeutic options for patients with early-stage pancreaticobiliary cancer.

Shear wave elastography in hepatitis C patients before and after antiviral therapy

AIMTo investigate shear wave (SW) propagation velocity in patients with untreated hepatitis C and patients with sustained virological response (SVR). METHODSA total of 136 hepatitis C patients [85 patients who had not received antiviral therapy (na&iuml;ve group) and 51 patients who had received antiviral therapy and subsequently achieved SVR of at least 24 wk (SVR group)] and 58 healthy volunteers and outpatients without liver disease (control group) underwent evaluation of liver stiffness by SW elastography (SWE). Various parameters were evaluated in the chronic hepatitis C patients at the time of SWE. RESULTSSW propagation velocity (Vs) was 1.23 &plusmn; 0.14 m/s in the control group, 1.56 &plusmn; 0.32 m/s in the SVR group, and 1.69 &plusmn; 0.31 m/s in the na&iuml;ve group. Significant differences were seen between the control group and the SVR group (P = 0.0000) and between the SVR group and the na&iuml;ve group (P = 0.01417). All four fibrosis markers were higher in the na&iuml;ve group than in the SVR group. In the na&iuml;ve group, Vs was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (r = 0.5372), &alpha; feto protein (AFP) (r = 0.4389), type IV collagen (r = 0.5883), procollagen III peptide (P-III-P) (r = 0.4140), hyaluronic acid (r = 0.4551), and Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) (r = 0.6092) and negatively correlated with albumin (r = -0.4289), platelets (r = -0.5372), and prothrombin activity (r = -0.5235). On multiple regression analysis, Vs was the most strongly correlated with ALT (standard partial regression std &beta; = 0.4039, P = 0.00000). In the SVR group, Vs was positively correlated with AFP (r = 0.6977), type IV collagen (r = 0.5228), P-III-P (r = 0.5812), hyaluronic acid (r = 0.5189), and M2BPGi (r = 0.6251) and negatively correlated with albumin (r = -0.4283), platelets (r = -0.4842), and prothrombin activity (r = -0.4771). On multiple regression analysis, Vs was strongly correlated with AFP (standard partial regression std &beta; = 0.5953, P = 0.00000) and M2BPGi (standard partial regression std &beta;= 0.2969, P = 0.03363). CONCLUSIONIn hepatitis C patients, liver stiffness is higher in treatment-na&iuml;ve patients than in those showing SVR. SWE may be a predictor of hepatocarcinogenesis in SVR patients.

Post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer rate in the era of highdefinition colonoscopy

AIM To investigate the post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer(PCCRC) rate for high-definition(HD) colonoscopy compared with that for standard-definition colonoscopy reported previously.METHODS Using medical records at Sano Hospital(SH) and Dokkyo Medical University Koshigaya Hospital(DMUKH), we retrospectively obtained data on consecutive patients diagnosed as having CRC between January 2010 andDecember 2015. The definition of PCCRC was diagnosis of CRC between 7 and 36 mo after initial high-definition colonoscopy that had detected no cancer, and patients were divided into a PCCRC group and a non-PCCRC group. The primary outcome was the rate of PCCRC for HD colonoscopy. The secondary outcomes were factors associated with PCCRC and possible reason for occurrence of early and advanced PCCRC.RESULTS Among 892 CRC patients, 11 were diagnosed as having PCCRC and 881 had non-PCCRC. The PCCRC rate was 1.7%(8/471) at SH and 0.7%(3/421) at DMUKH. In comparison with the non-PCCRC group, the PCCRC group had a significantly higher preponderance of smaller tumors(39 mm vs 19 mm, P = 0.002), a shallower invasion depth(T1 rate, 25.4% vs 63.6%, P = 0.01), a non-polypoid macroscopic appearance(39.0% vs 85.7%, P = 0.02) and an earlier stage(59.7% vs 90.9%, P = 0.03). Possible reasons for PCCRC were "missed or new" in 9 patients(82%), "incomplete resection" in 1(9%), and "inadequate examination'" in 1(9%). Among 9 "missed or new" PCCRC, the leading cause was non-polypoid shape for early PCCRC and blinded location for advanced PCCRC.CONCLUSION The PCCRC rate for HD colonoscopy was 0.7%-1.7%, being lower than that for standard-definition colonoscopy(1.8%-9.0%) reported previously employing the same methodology.

Study of pruritus in chronic hepatitis C patients

AIM: To investigate the occurrence and severity of pruritus in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with or without interferon (IFN) therapy.

Successful endoscopic procedures for intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct:A case report

Attention has recently been focused on biliary papillary tumors as the novel disease entity intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct(IPNB),which consists of papillary proliferation of dysplastic biliary epithelium.As even benign papillary tumors are considered as premalignant,some investigators recommend aggressive surgical therapy for IPNB,although no guidelines are available to manage this disease.Few reports have described long-term follow-up of patients with benign IPNB without radical resection.If patients with IPNB who are treated only with endoscopic procedures are noted,clinical profiles and alternative therapies other than resection may be recommended.We report the case of a patient who experienced repetitive cholangitis for 10 years and was finally diagnosed with IPNB.Radical resection could not be recommended because of the age of the patient,therefore,endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed.Although an endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage catheter was placed several times for repetitive cholangitis,the patient has done well during follow-up.Our case may offer insights into the natural course and management decisions for the novel disease entity of IPNB.

COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbation of ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND In 2020,the world faced the unprecedented crisis of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Besides the infection and its consequences,COVID-19 also resulted in anxiety and stress resulting from severe restrictions on economic and social activities,including for patients with ulcerative colitis(UC).Fresh acute stress exerts stronger influences than continuous stress on UC patients.We therefore hypothesized that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic would have serious effects on UC patients and performed this retrospective control study.AIM To determine whether the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic would have serious effects on UC patients included in a retrospective controlled study.METHODS A total of 289 consecutive UC outpatients seen in March and April 2020 were included in this study.Modified UC disease activity index(UC-DAI)scores on the day of entry and at the previous visit were compared.An increase of≥2 was considered to indicate exacerbation.The exacerbation rate was also compared with that in 256 consecutive control patients independently included in the study from the same period of the previous year in the same manner.RESULTS No significant differences in patient characteristics or pharmacotherapies before entry were seen between the groups.Mean UC-DAI score was significantly higher in subjects during the first wave of COVID-19(0.67+0.07)compared to the previous visit(0.26+0.04;P=0.0000).The exacerbation rate was significantly increased during the first wave of COVID-19,as compared with the previous year(15.9%[46/289]vs 8.9%[23/256];P=0.0151).CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic caused exacerbations in UC patients,probably through psychological and physical stress.

Dietary counseling based on artificial intelligence for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND About 25%of the general population in Japan are reported to have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis carry a risk of progressing further to hepatocellular carcinoma.The primary treatment for NAFLD is dietary therapy.Dietary counseling plays an essential role in dietary therapy.Although artificial intelligence(AI)-based nutrition management software applications have been developed and put into practical use in recent years,the majority focus on weight loss or muscle strengthening,and no software has been developed for patient use in clinical practice.AIM To examine whether effective dietary counseling is possible using AI-based nutrition management software.METHODS NAFLD patients who had been assessed using an AI-based nutrition management software application(Calomeal)that automatically analyzed images of meals photographed by patients and agreed to receive dietary counseling were given dietary counseling.Blood biochemistry tests were performed before(baseline)and 6 mo after(6M follow-up)dietary counseling.After the dietary counseling,the patients were asked to complete a questionnaire survey.RESULTS A total of 29 patients diagnosed with NAFLD between August 2020 and March 2022 were included.There were significant decreases in liver enzyme and triglyceride levels at the 6M follow-up compared to baseline.The food analysis capability of the AI used by Calomeal in this study was 75.1%.Patient satisfaction with the AIbased dietary counselling was high.CONCLUSION AI-based nutrition management appeared to raise awareness of dietary habits among NAFLD patients.However,it did not directly alleviate the burden of registered dietitians,and improvements are much anticipated.