Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage for distal malignant obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

Background and study aims  Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided biliary drainage (BD) is increasingly used for distal malignant biliary obstruction, yet its safety and efficacy compared to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) remain unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to improve our understanding of the role of EUS-BD in this patient population. Methods  We searched Embase, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and ISI Web of Knowledge through September 2018 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing EUS-BD to ERCP-BD or PTBD as treatment of distal malignant biliary obstruction. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were combined using random effects models. The primary outcome was risk of stent/catheter dysfunction requiring reintervention. Results  Of six trials identified, three (n = 222) compared EUS-BD to ERCP-BD for first-line therapy; three others (n = 132) evaluated EUS-BD versus PTBD after failed ERCP-BD. EUS-BD was associated with a decreased risk of stent/catheter dysfunction overall (RR, 0.39; 95 %CI 0.27 - 0.57) and in planned subgroup analysis when compared to ERCP (RR, 0.41; 95 %CI 0.23 - 0.74) or PTBD (RR, 0.37, 95 %CI 0.22 - 0.61). Compared to ERCP, EUS was associated with a decreased risk of post-procedure pancreatitis (RR, 0.12; 95 %CI 0.01 - 0.97). No differences were noted in technical or clinical success. Conclusions  In a meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing EUS-BD to conventional biliary drainage modalities, no difference in technical or clinical success was observed. Importantly, EUS-BD was associated with decreased risks of stent/catheter dysfunction when compared to both PTBD and ERCP, and decreased post-procedure pancreatitis when compared to ERCP, suggesting the potential role for EUS-BD as an alternative first-line therapy in distal malignant biliary obstruction.

Multicentre endoscopist-blinded randomised clinical trial to compare two bowel preparations after a colonoscopy with inadequate cleansing: a study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Inadequate bowel preparation is common and negatively impacts colonoscopy quality. The objective of this study is to compare two bowel preparation regimens in cleansing the colon after an index colonoscopy with failed bowel preparation.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a phase III, multicentre, randomised clinical trial comparing two bowel preparation regimens after failure to adequately cleanse at the index colonoscopy. Regimen A consists of 4 L split-dose polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution (PEG-ELS) and Regimen B consists of 6 L split-dose PEG-ELS, both preceded by 15 mg of bisacodyl the day before the procedure along with a low-fibre diet 3 and 2 days before the procedure followed by a clear fluid diet starting the day before the procedure. The primary outcome is adequate bowel preparation, defined as a Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS) score of ≥6 with each segment score ≥2. Secondary outcomes include mean BBPS score, bowel preparation adequacy using the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer definition, detection rate by polyp subtype, caecal intubation rate, mean Validated Patient Tolerability Questionnaire for Bowel Preparation score, subject willingness to repeat the preparation and faecal incontinence rate.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study will be conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines and local institutional standards. Study findings will be disseminated at an international gastroenterology conference and published in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02976805; Pre-results.

Clinical Parameters Correlate With Endoscopic Activity of Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Optimal management of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) requires assessment of disease activity-usually by endoscopy, which is invasive, costly, and not risk free. We performed a systematic review to determine whether clinical symptoms correlate with findings from endoscopy assessments of patients with UC.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of publication databases from January 1980 through July 2018 to identify clinical trials and observational studies reporting correlations among symptoms, disease activity index scores and/or patient reported outcomes (rectal bleeding and/or stool frequency), and endoscopic disease activity. Correlations were ascertained in patients with active vs inactive disease and by disease extent and treatment type. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool. Because of significant heterogeneity, meta-analysis was not possible. Results were synthesized qualitatively and systematically.

RESULTS

Our final analysis included 23 studies (1 randomized trial, 22 observational studies) comprising 3320 patients with UC. The studies used a variety of measures to assess clinical activity, endoscopic activity, and measures of correlation (sensitivity, specificity, correlation coefficients, area under the receiver operator curve). Overall, studies were at moderate-high risk of bias. Composite clinical measures, including rectal bleeding and stool frequency, had moderate to strong correlations with endoscopic disease activity; the absence of rectal bleeding identified patients with inactive disease with higher levels of sensitivity than normalization of stool frequency. In general, symptoms correlated more strongly with endoscopic activity in patients with left-sided colitis than extensive colitis. The effect of different medications on the correlation between clinical and endoscopic activity has not been well studied.

CONCLUSIONS

In a systematic review, we found a moderate to strong correlation between clinical activity, particularly the combination of rectal bleeding and stool frequency, and endoscopic activity in patients with UC. Although these clinical assessments could help prioritize patients for endoscopic evaluation in resource-limited settings, challenges associated with treating patients based on symptoms alone preclude adaptation of current management algorithms.

Development, Validation, and Comparative Assessment of an International Scoring System to Determine Risk of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The Glasgow-Blatchford score (GBS) and pre-endoscopy Rockall score (pRS) are used in determining prognoses of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, but neither predicts outcomes of patients with a high level of accuracy. A scoring system is needed to identify patients at risk of adverse outcomes and patients at low risk of harm.

METHODS

We pooled data from 5 data sets in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia on 12,711 patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The GBS and pRS were calculated for each patient. We performed multivariable logistic regression modeling of data from 10,639 cases to develop the new scoring system Canada - United Kingdom - Adelaide (CANUKA). We performed area under the receiver operating characteristic analyses to test the ability of CANUKA to identify patients who died or had rebleeding within 30 days, surgical or radiologic intervention to control bleeding, need for therapeutic endoscopy, and transfusion-a poor outcome was defined as 1 or more of these outcomes. Patients at low risk of a poor outcome (safe for management as an outpatient) were identified based on lack of transfusion, rebleeding, therapeutic endoscopy, interventional radiology or surgery, or death. We validated in 2072 patients from a separate cohort compiled from 2 datasets.

RESULTS

In the development data set there was no difference between GBS and pRS in identifying patients who died without 30 days of bleeding (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUROC], 0.67; 95% CI, 0.62-0.72 for GBS; AUROC, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.66-0.74 for pRS; P = .21). The GBS was superior to the pRS in identifying patients with rebleeding, hemostatic interventions, and transfusions. In the validation data set, CANUKA had higher accuracy than the GBS in identifying patients who died within 30 days of bleeding (AUROC, 0.77 vs 0.74; P = .047), but there was no significant difference in the accuracy of these scoring systems in identifying patients who required hemostatic intervention. The GBS more accurately identified patients who required therapeutic endoscopy (AUROC, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.76-0.81 for GBS; AUROC, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.74-0.79 for CANUKA; P = .47). For patients classified as low-risk patients by CANUKA (score ≤1), 96.3% were safely discharged, whereas 16 patients with a GBS ≤1 had an adverse outcome (a 95.3% probability of safe discharge).

CONCLUSIONS

In an international validation analysis of the GBS and pRS for patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding, we found the GBS to more accurately identify those who later required hemostatic interventions and transfusions; the scoring systems identified 30-day mortality or rebleeding with equal levels of accuracy. We developed a scoring system (CANUKA) that had similar performance to the GBS in predicting patient outcomes and it more accurately identifies patients at low risk for adverse outcomes.

Somatosensory-guided tool use modifies arm representation for action

Tool-use changes both peripersonal space and body representations, with several effects being nowadays termed tool embodiment. Since somatosensation was typically accompanied by vision in most previous tool use studies, whether somatosensation alone is sufficient for tool embodiment remains unknown. Here we address this question via a task assessing arm length representation at an implicit level. Namely, we compared movement’s kinematics in blindfolded healthy participants when grasping an object before and after tool-use. Results showed longer latencies and smaller peaks in the arm transport component after tool-use, consistent with an increased length of arm representation. No changes were found in the hand grip component and correlations revealed similar kinematic signatures in naturally long-armed participants. Kinematics changes did not interact with target object position, further corroborating the finding that somatosensory-guided tool use may increase the represented size of the participants’ arm. Control experiments ruled out alternative interpretations based upon altered hand position sense. In addition, our findings indicate that tool-use effects are specific for the implicit level of arm representation, as no effect was observed on the explicit estimate of the forearm length. These findings demonstrate for the first time that somatosensation is sufficient for incorporating a tool that has never been seen, nor used before.

Outcomes following restrictive or liberal red blood cell transfusion in patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND

Restrictive red blood cell (RBC) transfusion reduces mortality and rebleeding after upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB). However, there is no evidence to guide transfusion strategies in lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB).

AIM

To assess the association between RBC transfusion strategies and outcomes in patients with LGIB METHODS: This was a post hoc analysis of the UK National Comparative Audit of LGIB and the Use of Blood. The relationships between liberal RBC transfusion and clinical outcomes of rebleeding, mortality and a composite outcome for safe discharge were examined. Transfusion strategy was dichotomised and defined as "liberal" when transfusion was administered for haemoglobin (Hb) ≥80 g/L (or ≥90 g/L in patients with acute coronary syndrome) or major haemorrhage, and "restrictive" otherwise. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the independent association between liberal RBC transfusion and outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 2528 consecutive patients enrolled from 143 hospitals in the original study, 666 (26.3%) received RBC transfusion (mean age 73.3 ± 16 years, 49% female, initial mean haemoglobin 90 ± 24 g/L, 2.3% had haemodynamic instability). The rebleeding rate in transfused patients was 42.3%. After adjusting for potential confounders, there was no difference between liberal and restrictive RBC transfusion strategies for the odds of rebleeding (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.6-1.22), in-hospital mortality (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.3-1.1) or of achieving the composite outcome (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.5-1.1).

CONCLUSION

Although these results could be due to residual confounding, they provide an important foundation for the design of randomised trials to evaluate transfusion strategies for LGIB.

Endoscopic Resection of Ampullary Tumours: Long-term Outcomes and Adverse Events

Background

The management of ampullary lesions has shifted from surgical approach to endoscopic resection. Previous reports were limited by small numbers of patients and short follow-up. The aim of this study is to describe short- and long-term outcomes in a large cohort of patients undergoing endoscopic ampullectomy.

Methods

Retrospective study of endoscopic ampullectomies performed at a tertiary center from January 1999 to October 2016. Information recorded includes patient demographics, clinical outcomes, lesion pathology, procedural events, adverse events and follow-up data.

Results

Overall, 103 patients underwent endoscopic resection of ampullary tumours (mean age 62.3 ± 14.3 years, 50.5% female, mean lesion size 20.9 mm; 94.9% adenomas, with a majority of lesions exhibiting low-grade dysplasia (72.7%). Complete endoscopic resection was achieved in 82.5% at initial procedure. Final complete endoscopic resection was achieved in all patients with benign pathology on follow-up procedures. Final pathology showed that 11% had previously undiagnosed invasive carcinoma. Delayed postprocedure bleeding occurred in 21.4%, all of which were managed successfully at endoscopy. Acute pancreatitis complicated 15.5% of procedures (mild in 93.8%). Perforation occurred in 5.8%, all treated conservatively except for one patient requiring surgery. Piecemeal resection was associated with significantly higher recurrence compared to en-bloc resection (54.3% versus 26.2%, respectively, P = 0.012). All recurrences were treated endoscopically.

Conclusion

Endoscopic ampullectomy appears both safe and effective in managing patients with ampullary tumours in experienced hands. Most adverse events can be managed conservatively. Many patients develop recurrence during long-term follow-up but can be managed endoscopically. Recurrence rates may be reduced by performing initial en-bloc resection.

Abstract P2-09-12: Perilymphatic IRX-2 cytokine therapy to enhance tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and PD-L1 expression preceding curative-intent therapy in early stage breast cancer (ESBC)

Background: Cytokines are being explored as a therapeutic strategy to modulate the tumor microenvironment and facilitate immunotherapy benefit in breast cancer. Here, we investigate a locoregional therapeutic approach whereby cytokines (IRX-2) are administered into the subcutaneous peri-areolar tissue (in an anatomic distribution similar to sentinel lymph node mapping) to facilitate immune cell recruitment/activation within the draining lymph nodes and tumor in ESBC. IRX-2 is derived from ex vivo phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes and contains multiple cytokines including IL-1β, IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6, IL-8, and GM-CSF, with stable concentrations from lot to lot. Preclinically, IRX-2 activates T-cells and natural killer (NK) cells, facilitates antigen presentation, and enhances activity of anti-PD-1/L1 in a SCC7 model. In a preceding head/neck squamous cell carcinoma phase I trial, perilymphatic IRX-2 was safe and increased TILs. Here, we report the final clinical results of a phase Ib trial evaluating the feasibility and immunologic activity of IRX-2 in ESBC.

Methods: Beginning 21 days prior to surgical resection, enrolled operable patients with stage I-III ESBC (all subtypes) received the pre-operative IRX-2 regimen consisting of a single low-dose cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m2 to facilitate T-regulatory cell depletion), followed by 10 days of subcutaneous peri-areolar IRX-2 injections into the affected breast (1 mL × 2 at tumor axis and at 90°). Endpoints were feasibility (primary endpoint), stromal TIL (sTIL) count (pre-treatment versus post-treatment, blinded average of two pathologist reads using San Antonio H&E sTIL guidelines), PD-L1 expression (Nanostring) and enumeration of peripheral immune cells by flow cytometry.

Results: All patients (n=16/16) completed and tolerated the regimen with no surgical delays or treatment-attributed grade III/IV toxicities. Common adverse events (occurring in >15% subjects) attributed to IRX-2 injections were: injection site reaction (grade 1, n=8/16), bruising (grade 1, n=7/16), and pain (grade 1, n=3/16). Common adverse events attributed to low-dose cyclophosphamide were: fatigue (grade 1, n=5/16) and nausea (grade 1/2, n=3/16). Treatment was associated with an increase in sTIL score (Wilcoxon signed-rank p=.04), with 4/10 sTIL-low tumors (0-10% score) re-categorized to sTIL-moderate (11-50% score). Increases in PD-L1 RNA expression were observed (Wilcoxon signed-rank p=.04) in 12/16 tumors (median 57% increase, range: -53% to 185% increase), as well as increases in Nanostring NK and Th1 cell signatures. In blood, increases in CD4 and CD8 effector T-cell activation (ICOS, HLA-DR, and CD38) and T-reg depletion were observed.

Conclusions: IRX-2 was well tolerated with preliminary evidence of sTIL increase, PD-L1 upregulation, and peripheral lymphocyte activation. Based upon these data and preclinical evaluations demonstrating synergy with checkpoint inhibition, the IRX-2 regimen is being evaluated for clinical efficacy in conjunction with pembrolizumab and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, paclitaxel) in patients with stage II-III triple negative breast cancer.

Citation Format: Pucilowska J, Egan JE, Berinstein NL, Moxon N, Aliabadi-Wahle S, Imatani JH, Conlin A, Acheson A, Massimino K, Martel M, Campbell M, Wu Y, Sun Z, Redmond W, Shah M, Urba WJ, Page DB. Perilymphatic IRX-2 cytokine therapy to enhance tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and PD-L1 expression preceding curative-intent therapy in early stage breast cancer (ESBC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-09-12.

Abstract P2-09-03: Updated efficacy of first or second-line pembrolizumab (pembro) plus capecitabine (cape) in metastatic triple negative breast cancer (mTNBC) and correlations with baseline lymphocyte and naïve CD4+ T-cell count

Background: In mTNBC, anti-PD-1/L1 monotherapy is most effective when administered early in the course of disease, with recent trials demonstrating overall response rates (ORR) of 23-26% in the first-line setting and 5-6% in later lines. This may reflect iatrogenic lymphopenia from preceding cytotoxic chemotherapy. Furthermore, curative-intent chemotherapy is associated with prolonged suppression of naïve CD4+ cells, a T-cell subset that may play a critical role in the generation of de novo anti-tumor immune responses. We present the final clinical results of a pilot study evaluating the safety and efficacy of combining pembrolizumab plus standard-of-care capecitabine in the first/second-line mTNBC setting. We also explore potential associations between clinical benefit and lymphopenia, preceding chemotherapy, and absolute naïve CD4+ counts.

Methods: In a pilot study, we evaluated the tolerability and preliminary efficacy of concurrent pembro (200mg IV q21 day) plus investigator-selected 1st/2nd line paclitaxel (80mg/m2 IV weekly) or oral cape (2,000mg BID, weekly 1 on/1 off). The primary endpoint was tolerability, defined as the proportion of subjects receiving >6 weeks concurrent therapy without dose discontinuation with toxicities reported per CTCAE v4.0. The secondary endpoint was 12-week objective response rate (ORR) by RECIST1.1. Exploratory endpoints included peripheral blood cell enumeration by real-time flow cytometry and routine clinical laboratory. Naïve CD4+ cells were defined as CD45+ CD3+ TCRab+ CD4+ CD45RA+ CCR7+. Here, we report the results of the pilot phase of the cape cohort (NCT02734290).

Results: Twelve of 14 subjects were treated in the first-line setting. All subjects (14/14, 100%) tolerated cape+pembro for >6 weeks, with toxicities consistent with monotherapy cape experience (diarrhea: grade I-II 50%, grade III 7%; hand-foot: grade I-II 71%) that improved with dose-reduction as needed. At 12 weeks, the ORR was 6/14 (42.9%), and the clinical benefit rate (ORR + stable disease) was 8/14 (57.1%). Depressed absolute lymphocyte count at baseline (ALC<1.0/uL: 33% CBR; ALC≥1.0/uL: 75% CBR) and recent exposure to cytotoxic chemotherapy (<6 months: 33% CBR; >6 months: 75% CBR) were associated with reduced clinical benefit. By flow cytometry, subjects experiencing clinical benefit had higher baseline absolute naïve CD4+ counts (average 283 cells/uL v. 93 cells/uL, p=.069).

Conclusions: This study met the primary endpoint of safety for cape plus pembro in mTNBC, with encouraging clinical activity. These data are supportive of further studies evaluating combination chemotherapy plus anti-PD-1/L1 mTNBC. We observed greater clinical benefit in subjects with non-suppressed ALC, less exposure to recent chemo, and higher baseline naïve CD4+ counts, suggesting that iatrogenic immunosuppression can impair response to immune checkpoint therapy in mTNBC. These findings should be confirmed in ongoing randomized trials of immune checkpoint +/- chemotherapy in mTNBC, and should be considered in the design of future clinical trials.

Citation Format: Page DB, Pucilowska J, Bennetts L, Kim I, Sanchez K, Martel M, Conlin A, Moxon N, Mellinger S, Acheson A, Kemmer K, Mitri Z, Vuky J, Ahn J, Abaya C, Manigault T, Basho R, Urba WJ, McArthur HL. Updated efficacy of first or second-line pembrolizumab (pembro) plus capecitabine (cape) in metastatic triple negative breast cancer (mTNBC) and correlations with baseline lymphocyte and naïve CD4+ T-cell count [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-09-03.

Role of mucoprotective agents in endoscopic submucosal dissection-derived ulcers: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Currently, it is still unclear whether adding a mucoprotective agent to a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) results in better outcomes compared with using a PPI alone in patients with post-gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) ulcers. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of PPI alone versus combination treatment in healing of post-gastric ESD ulcers, as well as on delayed bleeding and amount of blood transfused.

METHODS

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, and ISI Web of knowledge databases, up until May 2017, for randomized trials comparing PPI alone versus PPI plus a mucoprotective drug in achieving ulcer healing in patients undergoing gastric ESD was performed. The primary outcome is scarring stage on endoscopic assessment at 4 or 8 weeks after gastric ESD.

RESULTS

From an initial 3071 citations, eight articles (n = 953 lesions from 934 patients) were analyzed. Patients receiving combination treatment achieved a scarring stage significantly more often than those on a PPIs alone at 4 or 8 weeks after ESD, (risk ratio = 1.36, 95% CI; 1.06-1.75). No study reported amount of blood transfused. There were no significant between treatment-group differences in terms of delayed bleeding (risk ratio = 0.58, 95% CI; 0.17-1.99). Neither location of ulcer nor Helicobacter pylori infection was related to ulcer scarring stage.

CONCLUSION

The limited evidences suggested combination treatment may be more effective in accelerating the process of ulcer healing in patients undergoing gastric ESD than the use of PPI alone, but does not appear to alter delayed bleeding risk.

Which Patient-Related Factors Determine Optimal Bowel Preparation?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Adequate bowel cleansing before colonoscopy is a simple concept but the high rate of inadequate or incomplete bowel cleanliness and its consequences have been the subject of many studies, guidelines, and meta-analysis. The complexity resides in all the factors surrounding preparation intake such as type and regimen of bowel preparation, diets, compliance, and also patient-related factors that all influence quality of the bowel preparation. The purpose of this review is to focus specifically on patient-related factors and their challenges. Patients with lower GI bleeding are excluded from this review.

RECENT FINDINGS

Patient factors that may be associated with a poor bowel preparation were searched for in the literature. With regard to patient's characteristics, higher age, male gender, and socio-economic status (lower income, Medicaid, and lower education) were all associated with higher rates of inadequate bowel preparation. Comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in-patients, body mass index (BMI), cirrhosis, constipation, and neurological condition as well as some pharmacotherapy were also associated with inadequate bowel preparation. Studies identifying predictive patient factors as well as those studying these patients in particular showed variability in the strength of the patient factor associations. Patients taking tricyclic antidepressant, narcotics, and those with neurological conditions were identified to have a stronger association with worse bowel cleanliness. Those can be implemented with the current recommendations of split-dosing. Identifying individual factors that can impact the quality of bowel cleanliness can be challenging. Some have been well-studied in the literature such as age, in-patient status, or constipation and others such as male gender or higher BMI have required more studies to clearly conclude on any possible association. In many studies, simple recommendations like walking 30 min during the preparation, and additional instructions or support have also been added to instructions to improve motility and compliance.

A Study of Optimal Screening for Latent Tuberculosis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

BACKGROUND

Reactivation of LTBI in patients with IBD on anti-TNF-α agents can lead to serious life-threatening illness. No gold standard exists for the detection of LTBI. We examined whether a dual testing strategy with TST and IGRA would improve the detection of LTBI.

METHODS

Consecutive IBD patients being considered for anti-TNF-α treatment underwent testing with a TST, IGRA and CXR. All patients completed a self-administered questionnaire. The association of both tests with demographic factors, LTBI risk factors, BCG vaccination, IS therapy and agreement between the TST and IGRA were evaluated.

RESULTS

One-hundred and fifty-five IBD patients were included, 6% were TST positive and 5% were IGRA positive. Concordance between TST and IGRA was fair (κ = 0.21, 95% CI - 0.081-0.498). Neither test was affected by age, gender or BCG vaccination. The presence of risk factors for LTBI was found to be positively associated with TST (OR 19.8, 95% CI 3.9-102.1), but not IGRA. IGRA was negatively associated with IS therapy (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.007-0.5), but not TST. Four patients who were IGRA positive but TST negative were treated for LTBI by a respirologist.

CONCLUSION

An IGRA result was negatively associated with IS therapy, while the presence of risk factors for LTBI was found to be positively associated with TST results. There was fair agreement between positive TST and IGRA results. The addition of IGRA to the standard practice of TST and CXR increased the number of cases that were initiated on LTBI therapy.

Comparison of the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale with an Auditable Application of the US Multi-Society Task Force Guidelines

Background

Existing bowel preparation scales (BPS) only modestly predict interval to next colonoscopy. The US Multi-Society Task Force (MSTF) recommends repeating colonoscopies within the year if the preparation does not allow detection of polyps over 5 mm.

Aim

This study aims to assess reliability and validity of an auditable application of the MSTF compared with the Boston BPS (BBPS).

Methods

We compared an auditable application of MSTF guidelines termed the Montreal BPS (MBPS) with the BBPS using a total cut-off score ≥6 with each segment score ≥2 (BBPS2-6). In sensitivity analyses, we applied the MBPS using a cut-off of 3 mm rather than 5 mm and also assessed the BBPS using an adequacy threshold of total score ≥5 (BBPS5). Videos of 83 colonoscopies (eight for intra-rater agreements) were independently evaluated by nine physicians. Weighted kappas quantified intra- and inter-rater agreements. Associations between scores and clinical outcomes were assessed.

Results

The BBPS2-6 and 5 mm MBPS showed moderate to substantial intra-rater agreements (κ=0.44 to 0.63 and κ=0.50 to 0.53, respectively); inter-rater agreements were only fair to moderate and slight to moderate (κ=0.25 to 0.48 and κ=0.19 to 0.50, respectively). Similar results were noted using alternate thresholds of BBPS5 and 3 mm MBPS. No significant associations were found between scores and clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

For all scales, intra-rater kappas were superior to inter-rater values, the latter reflecting at best moderate agreement. This modest performance may reflect the dichotomized interpretation of the scales (adequate versus inadequate), differing from previous publications assessing scores as continuous variables. Further studies are required to optimally interpret bowel preparation scales with regard to interval to next colonoscopy.

The Use of Balloon-assisted Enteroscopy at a Large Volume Centre: A Retrospective Analysis

Objectives

Balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) is increasingly used for the evaluation of small bowel disorders. We quantified local diagnostic and therapeutic yields of BAE in patients with suspected small bowel diseases.

Methods

Adult patients undergoing BAE between January 2010 and July 2015 at McGill University Health Centre were included. Procedures were identified using a prospectively maintained database. Patients were excluded if procedure report was unavailable. Electronic medical records were reviewed. Analyses were restricted to patients who did not have a previous BAE.

Results

BAE was performed in 453 patients, including 421 anterograde cases. Patients had a mean age of 61.0 ± 17.5 years. Most common indications for referral were obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) (n=207, 45.7%), abnormal imaging (n=88, 19.4%), suspected small bowel neoplasia (SBN) (n=39, 8.6%) and Crohn’s disease (CD) (n=31, 6.8%). A diagnosis was established in 216 procedures (47.7%). A pre-endoscopic indication of CD (odds ratio [OR]: 3.78; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.60–8.90), OGIB (OR: 3.69, 95% CI, 2.03–6.71), suspected SBN (OR: 2.45; 95% CI, 1.06–5.65) and previous VCE (OR: 9.33; 95% CI, 3.24–26.90) were associated with abnormal findings. A therapeutic procedure was performed in 126 cases (28.3%). OGIB (OR: 7.00; 95% CI, 3.83–12.81), previous video capsule endoscopy (VCE) (OR: 7.86; 95% CI, 2.93–21.04) and suspected SBN (OR: 6.30; 95% CI, 2.58–21.04) were associated with performance of a therapeutic intervention. Complication rate was 1.6%, with bleeding in seven cases and one perforation.

Conclusions

In carefully selected patients, such as those with OGIB, Crohn’s disease and previous VCE, BAE was a safe procedure that led to the identification of abnormal findings and therapeutic interventions.

Rectal Indomethacin Prevents Moderate to Severe Post-ERCP Pancreatitis and Death and Should Be Used Before the Procedure: A Meta-Analysis of Aggregate Subgroup Data

Background

Despite overall evidence in the literature favoring rectal indomethacin in preventing post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP), its role in preventing potentially fatal complications is not well explored.

Method

A comprehensive electronic literature search was done to select randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing rectal indomethacin and placebo in preventing PEP. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Statistical heterogeneity was characterized. Random effect model meta-analysis was used. Several subgroup, sensitivity and aggregate subgroup data analyses were completed based on specific risk factors or patient characteristics to identify patient populations who may benefit most from rectal indomethacin.

Results

A total of eight out of 336 trials published between 2007 and 2016 (n=3324) were included. Analysis showed administering rectal indomethacin before rather than during or after ERCP significantly reduced PEP rates (odds ratio (OR): 0.56 [0.40-079]). Rectal indomethacin also significantly decreased the rate of moderate to severe PEP and death amongst all patients (OR: 0.53 [0.31-0.89] and 0.10 [0.02-0.65], respectively). Rectal indomethacin significantly prevented PEP in patients with sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) (OR: 0.49 [0.30-0.78]) and those undergoing biliary sphincterotomy (OR: 0.63 [0.42-0.95]), but not in those undergoing precut or pancreatic sphincterotomy or prophylactic pancreatic stent placement. Sensitivity analysis showed that the effect remained significant after two studies with high risk of bias were excluded.

Conclusion

Rectal indomethacin significantly decreases the occurrence of moderate to severe PEP and death in all patients, only if given before the procedure.