Machine learning models compared to existing criteria for noninvasive prediction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography-confirmed choledocholithiasis

Background and aims:Noninvasive predictors of choledocholithiasis have generally exhibited marginal performance characteristics.We aimed to identify noninvasive independent predictors of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)-confirmed choledocholithiasis and accordingly developed predictive machine learning models(MLMs).Methods:Clinical data of consecutive patients undergoing first-ever ERCP for suspected chol-edocholithiasis from 2015 to 2019 were abstracted from a prospectively-maintained database.Multiple logistic regression was used to identify predictors of ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis.MLMs were then trained to predict ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis using pre-ERCP ultrasound(US)imaging only as well as using all available noninvasive imaging(US,computed tomography,and/or magnetic reso-nance cholangiopancreatography).The diagnostic performance of American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy(ASGE)“high-likelihood”criteria was compared to MLMs.Results:We identified 270 patients(mean age 46 years,62.2%female,73.7%Hispanic/Latino,59%with noninvasive imaging positive for choledocholithiasis)with native papilla who underwent ERCP for suspected choledocholithiasis,of whom 230(85.2%)were found to have ERCP-confirmed chol-edocholithiasis.Logistic regression identified choledocholithiasis on noninvasive imaging(odds ratio(OR)¼3.045,P¼0.004)and common bile duct(CBD)diameter on noninvasive imaging(OR¼1.157,P¼0.011)as predictors of ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis.Among the various MLMs trained,the random forest-based MLM performed best;sensitivity was 61.4%and 77.3%and specificity was 100%and 75.0%,using US-only and using all available imaging,respectively.ASGE high-likelihood criteria demonstrated sensitivity of 90.9%and specificity of 25.0%;using cut-points achieving this specificity,MLMs achieved sensitivity up to 97.7%.Conclusions:MLMs using age,sex,race/ethnicity,presence of diabetes,fever,body mass index(BMI),total bilirubin,maximum CBD diameter,and choledocholithiasis on pre-ERCP noninvasive imaging predict ERCP-confirmed choledocholithiasis with good sensitivity and specificity and outperform the ASGE criteria for patients with suspected choledocholithiasis.

Hemobilia: Etiology, diagnosis, and treatment

Hemobilia refers to bleeding from and/or into the biliary tract and is an uncommon but important cause of gastrointestinal hemorrhage.Reports of hemobilia date back to the 1600s,but due to its relative rarity and challenges in diagnosis,only in recent decades has hemobilia been more critically studied.The majority of cases of hemobilia are iatrogenic and caused by invasive procedures involving the liver,pancreas,bile ducts and/or the hepatopancreatobiliary vasculature,with trauma and malignancy rep-resenting the two other leading causes.A classic triad of right upper quadrant pain,jaundice,and overt upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been described(i.e.Quincke's triad),but this is present in only 25%e30%of patients with hemobilia.Therefore,prompt diagnosis depends critically on having a high index of suspicion,which may be based on a patient's clinical presentation and having recently undergone(peri-)biliary instrumentation or other predisposing factors.The treatment of hemobilia depends on its severity and suspected source and ranges from supportive care to advanced endoscopic,interventional radiologic,or surgical intervention.Here we provide a clinical overview and update regarding the eti-ology,diagnosis,and treatment of hemobilia geared for specialists and subspecialists alike.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis:A review and update

Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is a rare,chronic,cholestatic liver disease of uncertain etiology characterized biochemically by cholestasis and histologically and cholangiographically by fibroobliterative inflammation of the bile ducts.In a clinically significant proportion of patients,PSC progresses to cirrhosis,end-stage liver disease,and/or hepatobiliary cancer,though the disease course can be highly variable.Despite clinical trials of numerous pharmacotherapies over several decades,safe and effective medical therapy remains to be established.Liver transplantation is an option for select patients with severe complications of PSC,and its outcomes are generally favorable.Periodic surveillance testing for pre-as well as post-transplant patients is a cornerstone of preventive care and health maintenance.Here we provide an overview of PSC,including its epidemiology,etiopathogenesis,clinical features,associated disorders,surveillance,and emerging potential therapies.

Biliary endoscopy in the management of primary sclerosing cholangitis and its complications

Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)is a chronic,idiopathic,cholestatic liver disease characterized by inflammation and fibrosis of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile ducts.It can affect individuals of all age groups and gender,has no established pharmacotherapy,and is associated with a variety of neoplastic(e.g.cholangiocarcinoma)and non-neoplastic(e.g.dominant strictures)hepatobiliary complications.Given these considerations,endoscopy plays a major role in the care of patients with PSC.In this review,we discuss and provide updates regarding endoscopic considerations in the management of hepatobiliary manifestations and complications of PSC.Where evidence is limited,we suggest pragmatic approaches based on currently available data and expert opinion.

Incidence, mortality, and risk factors of immunotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity: A nationwide hospitalization analysis

Background and aims Anti-neoplastic immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer management;however,its safety profile with respect to liver-related injury remains largely unexplored.Herein,we analyzed a United States national database to determine the incidence,mortality,and predictors of hepatotoxicity in the setting of anti-neoplastic immunotherapy.Methods This was a nationwide retrospective study of hospital encounters from 2011 to 2014 using the National Inpatient Sample(NIS)database.We utilized the International Classification of Diseases,Ninth Revision(ICD-9)coding system to identify all adult patients who underwent anti-neoplastic immunotherapy during hospitalization.The primary outcome was the incidence of hepatotoxicity during the same hospitalization.Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality as well as socioeconomic and ethno-racial predictors of hepatotoxicity.Analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0.Results The sample included 3002 patients who underwent inpatient anti-neoplastic immunotherapy.The incidence of hepatotoxicity was 10.1%,which was significantly higher as compared to a matched inpatient population(adjusted odds ratio(aOR)4.93,95%confidence interval(CI):3.80–6.40,P=0.001).No significant mortality difference was seen in those that developed hepatotoxicity compared to those who did not(aOR 0.47,95%CI:0.03–8.03,P=0.612).Age under 60(aOR 1.56,95%CI:1.23–1.78,P=0.050)and white race(aOR 1.85,95%CI:1.35–2.04,P<0.010)were independent risk factors for developing immunotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity.Conclusions In this large,nationwide database analysis,we found that anti-neoplastic immunotherapy was associated with a nearly five-fold risk of in-hospital hepatotoxicity as compared to a matched inpatient population,though without an associated mortality difference.Additionally,younger age and white race were identified as predictors of immunotherapy-associated hepatotoxicity.Heightened vigilance and prospective investigation of the risk factors and liver-related adverse effects of anti-neoplastic immunotherapy are warranted.

Preventative care in cholestatic liver disease: Pearls for the specialist and subspecialist

Cholestatic liver diseases(CLDs)encompass a variety of disorders of abnormal bile formation and/or flow.CLDs often lead to progressive hepatic insult and injury and following the development of cirrhosis and associated complications.Many such complications are clinically silent until they manifest with severe sequelae,including but not limited to life-altering symptoms,metabolic disturbances,cirrhosis,and hepatobiliary diseases as well as other malignancies.Primary sclerosing cholangitis(PSC)and primary biliary cholangitis(PBC)are the most common CLDs,and both relate to mutual as well as unique complications.This review provides an overview of PSC and PBC,with a focus on preventive measures aimed to reduce the incidence and severity of disease-related complications.