Pancolitis associated with higher mortality risk of cytomegalovirus colitis in patients without inflammatory bowel disease

Background

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis typically presents in immunocompromised and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Several studies have been conducted on the endoscopic characteristics of CMV colitis in IBD patients.

Objectives

The endoscopic findings of CMV colitis in non-IBD patients and their relationship with inhospital mortality are unclear. We aimed to describe the endoscopic presentation in these patients and to determine the endoscopic predictors of inhospital mortality.

Patients and methods

Patients with CMV colitis diagnosed using histology between April 2002 and December 2016 at the Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, were retrospectively enrolled. Patients diagnosed with IBD during follow-up were excluded. Patient data, including underlying diseases, endoscopic presentation, laboratory data, clinical course, complications, and clinical outcomes, were collected. The independent risk factors for inhospital mortality were analyzed with logistic regression. The difference of overall survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log rank test. All statistical calculations were performed using SPSS software, version 21.

Results

Sixty-nine patients were enrolled, and 8 IBD patients were excluded. Within the 61 non-IBD patients, 31 were diagnosed by colonoscopy and others by sigmoidoscopy. Ulceration (77%) was the most common endoscopic finding, followed by a cobblestone appearance (19.7%), colitis with/without erosions (9.8%), pseudomembrane (9.8%), and tumor/polyp-like lesions (8.2%). Among the patients who underwent full-length colonoscopy, 35.3% presented with right-sided colitis, 23.5% with left-sided colitis, and 32.4% with pancolitis. Pancolitis was identified as a negative predictor of inhospital mortality (odds ratio, 6.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.233-37.497; p=0.028) and overall survival (log rank p=0.018).

Conclusion

Colonoscopy is recommended for precise CMV colitis diagnosis and outcome prediction in non-IBD patients.

Splenic rupture after colonoscopy

Colonoscopy is a familiar and well-tolerated procedure and is widely used as a diagnostic and therapeutic modality by both gastroenterologists and surgeons. Although perforation and hemorrhage are the most common complications, splenic injury or rupture is a rare but potentially lethal complication. We report a case of splenic rupture diagnosed 18 hours after colonoscopy, which required emergent splenectomy. We also reviewed over 39 other cases of splenic rupture or injury after colonoscopy reported in the English literature. Despite being an infrequent complication, splenic rupture warrants a high degree of clinical suspicion critical to prompt diagnosis. Most patients present with symptoms within 24 hours after colonoscopy, although delayed presentation days later has been described. CT scan of the abdomen is the radiological study of choice to evaluate colonoscopic complications. Splenic injury can be managed conservatively or with arterial embolization depending on the extent of trauma, but splenectomy remains definitive management. Clinical criteria are the primary determinants in choosing operative therapy over observation. Herein, possible risk factors for splenic trauma during colonoscopy are identified, and clinical outcomes are evaluated.