Factors affecting the quality of bowel preparation for colonoscopy in hard-to-prepare patients:Evidence from the literature

Adequate bowel cleansing is critical for a high-quality colonoscopy because it affects diagnostic accuracy and adenoma detection.Nevertheless,almost a quarter of procedures are still carried out with suboptimal preparation,resulting in longer procedure times,higher risk of complications,and higher likelihood of missing lesions.Current guidelines recommend high-volume or low-volume polyethylene glycol(PEG)/non-PEG-based split-dose regimens.In patients who have had insufficient bowel cleansing,the colonoscopy should be repeated the same day or the next day with additional bowel cleansing as a salvage option.A strategy that includes a prolonged low-fiber diet,a split preparation regimen,and a colonoscopy within 5 h of the end of preparation may increase cleansing success rates in the elderly.Furthermore,even though no specific product is specifically recommended in the other cases for difficult-to-prepare patients,clinical evidence suggests that 1-L PEG plus ascorbic acid preparation are associated with higher cleansing success in hospitalized and inflammatory bowel disease patients.Patients with severe renal insufficiency(creatinine clearance<30 mL/min)should be prepared with isotonic high volume PEG solutions.Few data on cirrhotic patients are currently available,and no trials have been conducted in this population.An accurate characterization of procedural and patient variables may lead to a more personalized approach to bowel preparation,especially in patients undergoing resection of left colon lesions,where intestinal preparation has a poor outcome.The purpose of this review was to summarize the evidence on the risk factors influencing the quality of bowel cleansing in difficult-to-prepare patients,as well as strategies to improve colonoscopy preparation in these patients.

Statins decrease the risk of acute pancreatitis after endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration of pancreatic cysts

Background: Basic and clinical studies suggest that statins may prevent and even ameliorate acute pan- creatitis. The present study was to evaluate whether statin decreases the risk of acute pancreatitis in patients undergoing endoscopic ultrasound-guided ne-needle aspiration of pancreatic cysts. Methods: Out of 456 patients with pancreatic cysts referred to our center between 2006 and 2018, 365 were nally included in analyses: 86 were treated with statins and 279 were not at the time of endo- scopic ultrasound ne-needle aspiration. We compared the acute pancreatitis incidence between the two groups, and we also compared other complications such as bleeding and infections. Results: Median age was 64 years [interquartile range (IQR) 62 69] and median cyst size was 24mm (IQR, 21 29). The most frequent histology was intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (45.3% and 42.3% in the two groups, respectively;P =0.98). All 13 patients experiencing post-endoscopic ultrasound acute pancreatitis were from the control group (4.7%), of which 3 were classi ed as severe pancreatitis. None of statin users developed post-procedural acute pancreatitis (odds ratio: 0.15;95% con dence interval: 0.03 0.98;P=0.03). No difference was registered with regard to severe pancreatitis and other complications. Conclusions: Statins exert a bene cial role in preventing acute pancreatitis in patients with pancreatic cysts undergoing endoscopic ultrasound-guided ne-needle aspiration. If con rmed in prospective trials, our ndings may pave the way to an extensive use of statins as prophylactic agents in pancreatic inter- ventional endoscopy.

Fibrogenesis and fibrosis in inflammatory bowel diseases:Good and bad side of same coin?

Fibrogenesis in inflammatory bowel diseases is a complex phenomenon aimed at mucosal repair. However, it may provoke intestinal fibrosis with the development of strictures which require surgery. Therefore, fibrogenesis may be considered as a 'two-faced' process when related to chronic intestinal inflammation. Many types of cells may be converted into the fibrogenic phenotype at different levels of the intestinal wall. A complex interaction of cytokines, adhesion molecules and growth factors is involved in the process. We report an overview of recent advances in molecular mechanisms of stricturizing Crohn’s disease(CD) including the potential role of trasforming growth factor beta, protein kinase C and Ras, Raf and ERK proteins. Fibrotic growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor, as well as the Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition induced by transforming growth factor-β, are considered. Finally, our experience, focused on tumor necrosis factor α(the main cytokine of inflammatory bowel diseases) and the link between syndecan 1(a heparan sulphate adhesion molecule) and basic fibroblast growth factor(a strong stimulator of collagen synthesis) is described. We hypothesize a possible molecular pattern for mucosal healing as well as how its deregulation could be involved in fibrotic complications of CD. A final clinical point is the importance of performing an accurate evaluation of the presence of fibrotic strictures before starting anti-tumor necrosis α treatment, which could worsen the lesions.

Hydradenitis suppurativa and inflammatory bowel disease: An unusual, but existing association

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) could be associated with several extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs) involving musculoskeletal, hepatopancreatobiliary, ocular, renal, and pulmonary systems, as well as the skin. In the last years, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is acquiring an increasing interest. IBD, especially Crohn&#x02019;s disease (CD), is among the most reported associated diseases in HS patients. The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview of data showing a possible epidemiologic and pathogenetic association between IBD and HS. We performed a pooled-data analysis of four studies and pooled prevalence of HS in IBD patients was 12.8%, with a 95%CI of 11.7%-13.9%. HS was present in 17.3% of subjects with CD (95%CI: 15.5%-19.1%) and in 8.5% of UC patients (95%CI: 7.0%-9.9%). Some items, especially altered immune imbalance, are generally involved in IBD pathogenesis as well as invoked by HS. Smoking is one of the most relevant risk factors for both disorders, representing a predictor of their severity, despite, actually, there being a lack of studies analyzing a possible shared pathway. A role for inheritance in HS and CD pathogenesis has been supposed. Despite a genetic susceptibility having been demonstrated for both diseases, further studies are needed to investigate a genetic mutual route. Although the pathogenesis of IBD and HS is generally linked to alterations of the immune response, recent findings suggest a role for intestinal and skin microbiota, respectively. In detail, the frequent finding of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci on HS cutaneous lesions suggests a bacterial involvement in disease pathogenesis. Moreover, microflora varies in the different cutaneous regions of the body and, consequently, two different profiles of HS patients have been identified on these bases. On the other hand, it is well-known that intestinal microbiota may be considered as &#x0201c;the explosive mixture&#x0201d; at the origin of IBD despite the exact relationship having not been completely clarified yet. A better comprehension of the role that some bacterial species play in the IBD pathogenesis may be essential to develop appropriate management strategies in the near future. A final point is represented by some similarities in the therapeutic management of HS and IBD, since they may be controlled by immunomodulatory drugs. In conclusion, an unregulated inflammation may cause the lesions typical of both HS and IBD, particularly when they coexist. However, this is still a largely unexplored field.

Prevalence and associated factors of obesity in inflammatory bowel disease:A case-control study

BACKGROUND In recent years,an increasing prevalence of obesity in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)has been observed.Obesity,moreover,has been directly correlated with a more severe clinical course and loss of response to treatment.AIM To assess the prevalence and associated factors of obesity in IBD.METHODS We collected data about IBD disease pattern and activity,drugs and laboratory investigations in our center.Anthropometric measures were retrieved and obesity defined as a body mass index(BMI)>30.Then,we compared characteristics of obese vs non obese patients,and Chi-squared test and Student’s t test were used for discrete and continuous variables,respectively,at univariate analysis.For multivariate analysis,we used binomial logistic regression and estimated odd ratios(OR)and 95%confidence intervals(CI)to ascertain factors associated with obesity.RESULTS We enrolled 807 patients with IBD,either ulcerative colitis(UC)or Crohn’s disease(CD).Four hundred seventy-four patients were male(58.7%);the average age was 46.2±13.2 years;438(54.2%)patients had CD and 369(45.8%)UC.We enrolled 378 controls,who were comparable to IBD group for age,sex,BMI,obesity,diabetes and abdominal circumference,while more smokers and more subjects with hypertension were observed among controls.The prevalence of obesity was 6.9%in IBD and 7.9%in controls(not statistically different;P=0.38).In the comparison of obese IBD patients and obese controls,we did not find any difference regarding diabetes and hypertension prevalence,nor in sex or smoking habits.Obese IBD patients were younger than obese controls(51.2±14.9 years vs 60.7±12.1 years,P=0.03).At univariate analysis,obese IBD were older than normal weight ones(51.2±14.9 vs 44.5±15.8,P=0.002).IBD onset age was earlier in obese population(44.8±13.6 vs 35.6±15.6,P=0.004).We did not detect any difference in disease extension.Obese subjects had consumed more frequently long course of systemic steroids(66.6%vs 12.5%,P=0.02)as well as antibiotics such as metronidazole or ciprofloxacin(71.4%vs 54.7%,P=0.05).No difference about other drugs(biologics,mesalazine or thiopurines)was observed.Disease activity was similar between obese and non obese subjects both for UC and CD.Obese IBD patients suffered more frequently from arterial hypertension,type 2 diabetes,non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.Regarding laboratory investigations,obese IBD patients had higher levels of triglyceridemia,fasting blood glucose,gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase.On multivariate analysis,however,the only factor that appeared to be independently linked to obesity in IBD was the high abdominal circumference(OR=16.3,95%CI:1.03-250,P=0.04).CONCLUSION Obese IBD patients seem to have features similar to general obese population,and there is no disease-specific factor(disease activity,extension or therapy)that may foster obesity in IBD.