The use of serum alkaline phosphatase as a choledocholithiasis marker to mitigate the cost of magnetic resonance cholangiography

OBJECTIVE

To assess the predictive value of preoperative serum laboratory test results for identifying choledocholithiasis and reduce the use of cholangioresonance and its inherent costs.

METHODS

Patients aged 21-69 years who underwent preoperative cholangioresonance examination at our institute were included. Patients with a history of fluctuating jaundice or biliary pancreatitis, bile duct dilatation on ultrasonography, and elevated levels of canalicular enzymes (alkaline phosphatase >100U/L and gamma-glutamyl transferase >50U/L) underwent cholangioresonance-guided surgery. Cases of choledocholithiasis confirmed by cholangioresonance were compared with those without choledocholithiasis. Serum laboratory data were evaluated and the diagnostic capabilities of these examinations were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 104 patients were included. For detecting choledocholithiasis using alkaline phosphatase, the cut-off point was 78U/L, sensitivity was 97.6% (95%CI: 87.4-99.9), and specificity was 72.6% (95%CI: 59.8-83.1). In the binary logistic regression analysis, age (OR= 0.92; 95%CI: 0.86-0.98) and alkaline phosphatase level (OR= 1.02; 95%CI: 1.01-1.05) were selected for the final model.

CONCLUSION

Serum alkaline phosphatase levels may aid preoperative diagnosis of asymptomatic choledocholithiasis. After a global clinical assessment of the patient, serum laboratory findings may contribute to a reduction in cholangioresonance-related heathcare costs.

Esophageal Dysbiosis in Achalasia and Cancer Development: A Critical Review

BACKGROUND

Microorganisms provide various benefits to their human hosts, including assisting with digestion, synthesizing certain vitamins, developing the gastrointestinal and immune systems, regulating metabolism, and protecting against some pathogens. However, microbial imbalances can cause tissue damage and contribute to inflammatory disorders and cancers. Microbial dysbiosis refers to an imbalance or disruption in the normal composition and function of the microbial communities that inhabit various body parts, including the gut, oral cavity, skin, and reproductive tract. Emerging research suggests that microbial dysbiosis plays a significant role in cancer development and progression. This issue is particularly relevant in achalasia, in which food stasis, changes in endoluminal pH, and poor esophageal clearance might contribute to esophageal microbial dysbiosis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dysbiosis and esophageal cancer development, focused on esophageal dysmotility disorders.

METHODS

This study is a critical review, gathering the current evidence for the association between dysbiosis and the development of esophageal cancer.

RESULTS

Studies have shown that microbiota play a role in cancer development, although the mechanisms for how they do so are not yet fully understood. One possible explanation is that microbiota alterations can lead to chronic inflammation, promoting cancer cell growth. Additionally, some bacteria produce toxins that can damage DNA and cause genomic instability, and certain bacterial products can promote tumor growth.

CONCLUSION

Despite the close relationship between dysbiosis and cancer development in esophageal dysmotility disorders, further investigations are still needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms by which dysbiosis contributes to cancer development and to identify potential therapeutic interventions targeting the microbiota to prevent or treat cancer.