Mediterranean dietary components are inversely associated with advanced colorectal polyps:A case-control study

AIM To evaluate the association between the Mediterranean diet(MD) pattern and its components, and advanced colorectal polyps(adenoma and serrated adenoma).METHODS A case-control study among patients undergoing screening, diagnostic or surveillance colonoscopies during 2010-2015 at the Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Gastroenterology Department. Cases with advanced polyps were defined as: Advanced adenoma [> 10 mm, with features of high grade dysplasia(HGD) or villous histology], advanced serrated adenoma(> 10 mm or with dysplasia) or multiple(≥ 3) non-advanced adenomas or serrated adenomas. Cases of non-advanced adenomas were defined as adenomas < 10 mm, without features of HGD or villous histology. Controls were defined as those without polyps at the current colonoscopy and without a history of colorectal polyps. Data collection included: anthropometrics measured according to a standardized protocol, fasting blood tests performed at the same lab, medical history recorded by a structured interview and dietary intake evaluated by a 116-item food frequency questionnaire. Adherence to the MD components was evaluated according to intake above/below the sample median, for potentially beneficial/detrimental components respectively, as accepted. RESULTS We recruited 206 cases with advanced polyps, 192 cases with non-advanced adenoma and 385 controls. The number of adhered MD components was inversely associated with a diagnosis of advanced polyps in a dose-response manner(OR = 0.34, 95%CI: 0.17-0.65; OR = 0.22, 95%CI: 0.11-0.43; and OR = 0.18, 95%CI: 0.07-0.47 for 3-4, 5-7 and 8-10 components, respectively), but not with non-advanced adenomas(OR = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.25-1.13; OR = 0.48, 95%CI: 0.23-0.99; and OR = 0.43, 95%CI: 0.16-1.12 for 3-4, 5-7 and 8-10 components, respectively). Low intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat, as well as high intake of fish, were inversely associated with advanced polyps(OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.36-0.87; OR = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.42-0.95; and OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.44-0.99, respectively), while only low intake of red meat was inversely associated with non-advanced adenomas(OR = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.49-0.97). CONCLUSION A better adherence to the MD, specifically low intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat as well as high intake of fish, is related to lower odds for advanced polyps.

Barrett's esophagus with high grade dysplasia is associated with non-esophageal cancer

AIM To study factors associated with esophageal and nonesophageal cancer morbidity among Barrett's esophagus(BE) patients. METHODS A cohort study within a single tertiary center included 386 consecutive patients with biopsy proven BE, who were recruited between 2004-2014. Endoscopic and histologic data were prospectively recorded. Cancer morbidity was obtained from the national cancer registry. Main outcomes were BE related(defined as esophagus and cardia) and non-BE related cancers(all other cancers). Cancer incidence and all-causemortality were compared between patients with highgrade dysplasia(HGD) and with low-grade or no dysplasia(non-HGD) using Kaplan-Meier curves and cox regression models.RESULTS Of the 386 patients, 12 had HGD, 7 had a BE related cancer. There were 75(19.4%) patients with 86 cases of lifetime cancers, 76 of these cases were non-BE cancers. Seven(1.8%) and 18(4.7%) patients had BE and non-BE incident cancers, respectively. Twelve(3.1%) patients had HGD as worst histologic result. Two(16.7%) and 16(4.4%) incident non-BE cancers occurred in the HGD and non-HGD group, respectively. Ten-year any cancer and non-BE cancer free survival was 63% and 82% in the HGD group compared to 93% and 95% at the non-HGD group, respectively. Log-rank test for patients with more than one endoscopy, assuring longer follow up, showed a significant difference(P < 0.001 and P = 0.017 respectively). All-cause mortality was not significantly associated with BE HGD.CONCLUSION Patients with BE and HGD, may have a higher risk for all-cause cancer morbidity. The implications on cancer prevention recommendations should be further studied.

Management of pouch related symptoms in patients who underwent ileal pouch anal anastomosis surgery for adenomatous polyposis

BACKGROUND Adenomatous polyposis syndromes(APS)patients with ileal pouch anal anastomosis(IPAA)suffer frequent symptoms with scarce signs of inflammation,distinct from ulcerative colitis patients.While the management of pouchitis in ulcerative colitis patients is well established,data regarding response to treatment modalities targeting pouch-related disorders in APS patient population is scarce.AIM To assess clinical,endoscopic and histologic response to various treatment modalities employed in the therapy of pouch related disorders.METHODS APS patients who underwent IPAA between 1987-2019 were followed every 6-12 mo and pouch-related symptoms were recorded at every visit.Lower endoscopy was performed annually,recording features of the pouch,cuff and terminal ileum.A dedicated gastrointestinal pathologist reviewed biopsies for signs and severity of inflammation.At current study,files were retrospectively reviewed for initiation and response to various treatment modalities between 2015-2019.Therapies included dietary modifications,probiotics,loperamide,antibiotics,bismuth subsalicylate,mebeverine hydrochloride,5-aminosalicylic acid compounds and topical rectal steroids.Symptoms and endoscopic and histologic signs of inflammation before and after treatment were assessed.Pouchitis disease activity index(PDAI)and its subscores was calculated.Change of variables before and after therapy was assessed using Wilcoxon signed rank test for continuous variables and using McNemar's test for categorical variables.RESULTS Thirty-three APS patients after IPAA were identified.Before treatment,16 patients(48.4%)suffered from abdominal pain and 3(9.1%)from bloody stools.Mean number of daily bowel movement was 10.3.Only 4 patients(12.1%)had a PDAI≥7.Mean baseline PDAI was 2.5±2.3.Overall,intervention was associated with symptomatic relief,mainly decreasing abdominal pain(from 48.4%to 27.2%of patients,P=0.016).Daily bowel movements decreased from a mean of 10.3 to 9.3(P=0.003).Mean overall and clinical PDAI scores decreased from 2.58 to 1.94(P=0.016)and from 1.3 to 0.87(P=0.004),respectively.Analyzing each treatment modality separately,we observed that dietary modifications decreased abdominal pain(from 41.9%of patients to 19.35%,P=0.016),daily bowel movements(from 10.5 to 9.3,P=0.003),overall PDAI(from 2.46 to 2.03,P=0.04)and clinical PDAI(1.33 to 0.86,P=0.004).Probiotics effectively decreased daily bowel movements(from 10.2 to 8.8,P=0.007),overall and clinical PDAI(from 2.9 to 2.1 and from 1.38 to 0.8,P=0.032 and 0.01,respectively).While other therapies had minimal or no effects.No significant changes in endoscopic or histologic scores were seen with any therapy.CONCLUSION APS patients benefit from dietary modifications and probiotics that improve their pouch-related symptoms but respond minimally to anti-inflammatory and antibiotic treatments.These results suggest a functional rather than inflammatory disorder.