Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology : the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association
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Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. · Mar 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialCombined Celiac Ganglia and Plexus Neurolysis Shortens Survival, Without Benefit, vs Plexus Neurolysis Alone.
Pancreatic cancer produces debilitating pain that opioids often ineffectively manage. The suboptimal efficacy of celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) might result from brief contact of the injectate with celiac ganglia. We compared the effects of endoscopic ultrasound-guided celiac ganglia neurolysis (CGN) vs the effects of CPN on pain, quality of life (QOL), and survival. ⋯ In a prospective study of patients with unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and abdominal pain, we found CGN to reduce median survival time without improving pain, QOL, or adverse events, compared to CPN. The role of CGN must be therefore be reassessed. Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT01615653.
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Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. · Mar 2019
Association Between Intestinal Microbiota Collected at Hospital Admission and Outcomes of Patients With Cirrhosis.
Inpatients with cirrhosis are prone to develop acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). ACLF is associated with dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, which might serve as a prognostic factor. We investigated whether features of the intestinal microbiota associate organ failure, transfer to intensive care, and mortality within 30 days in patients admitted to the hospital with cirrhosis. ⋯ In hospitalized patients with cirrhosis, dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota on admission (particularly changes in Protebacteria constituents) associates with increased risk of extra-hepatic organ failure, ACLF, and death, independent of clinical factors. Strategies to reduce gut dysbiosis might improve outcomes of patients with cirrhosis.
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Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. · Feb 2019
Multicenter Study Observational StudyEfficacy and Safety of Induction Therapy With Calcineurin Inhibitors in Combination With Vedolizumab in Patients With Refractory Ulcerative Colitis.
Vedolizumab is used to treat patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), although there is a delay before it is effective. Induction therapy with a calcineurin inhibitor (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) in combination with vedolizumab as maintenance therapy could be an option for patients with an active steroid-refractory UC. We assessed the efficacy and safety of this combination. ⋯ In a retrospective analysis of 39 patients with an active steroid-refractory UC (most refractory to a tumor necrosis factor antagonist), we found that initial treatment with a calcineurin inhibitor in combination with vedolizumab allowed more than two thirds of patients to avoid colectomy. Further studies are needed to assess the safety of this strategy.
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Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. · Jan 2019
Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography to Assess Fibrosis and Steatosis in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), which measures liver stiffness, has become an important tool for evaluating patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of VCTE in detection of NAFLD in a multicenter cohort of patients. ⋯ In a prospective study of adults with NAFLD, we found VCTE to accurately distinguish advanced vs earlier stages of fibrosis, using liver histology as the reference standard.
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Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. · Jan 2019
Comparative StudyOutcomes of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection vs Esophagectomy for T1 Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Real-World Cohort.
Esophagectomy is the standard treatment for early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (EESCC), but patients who undergo this procedure have high morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a less-invasive procedure for treatment of EESCC, but is considered risky because this tumor frequently metastasizes to the lymph nodes. We aimed to directly compare outcomes of patients with EESCC treated with ESD vs esophagectomy. ⋯ In a retrospective study of patients with T1am2/m3 or T1b EESCCs treated with ESD (n = 322) or esophagectomy (n = 274), we found lower proportions of patients receiving ESD to have perioperative adverse events or disease specific mortality after a median follow up time of 21 months. We found no difference in overall survival or cancer recurrence or metastasis in patients with T1a or T1b ESCCs treated with ESD vs esophagectomy.