Ryo Nakashima

Successful treatment of diffuse esophageal spasm by peroral endoscopic myotomy

m A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with dysphagia and chest pain that she had experienced for 20 years (Eckardt score: 7).1 A barium swallow examination howed a corkscrew appearance characteristic of diffuse sophageal spasm (DES) (Fig. 1A). Esophageal manomery showed simultaneous and multiple peaked contracions associated with more than 20% of wet swallows, hereas mean the simultaneous contraction amplitude as over 30 mm Hg (Fig. 1B). Therefore, the patient eceived a diagnosis of DES.2,3 With no response after 6 months of medical therapy with calcium channel blockers, a peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) was performed4 (Fig. 2A-C) with approval from the institutional review board of Fukuoka University Hospital and with the written informed consent of the patient. In this case, simultaneous contractions were observed in the upper thoracic esophagus. A long esophagomyo-

Risk factors for intestinal invasive amebiasis in Japan, 2003-2009.

Amebic colitis is increasing among younger men who have syphilis or HIV.

Predictive findings for Helicobacter pylori-uninfected, -infected and -eradicated gastric mucosa: Validation study

AIM To validate the usefulness of screening endoscopy findings for predicting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status. METHODS H. pylori infection status was determined by histology, serology, and the urea breast test in 77 consecutive patients who underwent upper endoscopy. Based on the findings, patients were categorized as H. pylori-uninfected, -infected, or -eradicated cases. Using six photos of certain sites in the stomach per case, we determined the presence or absence of the following endoscopic findings: regular arrangement of collecting venules (RAC), linear erythema, hemorrhage, fundic gland polyp (FGP), atrophic change, rugal hyperplasia, edema, spotty erythema, exudate, xanthoma, and mottled patchy erythema (MPE). The diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and inter-observer agreement (Kappa value) for these 11 endoscopic findings used in the determination of H. pylori infection status were calculated. RESULTS Of the 77 patients [32 men and 45 women; mean age (SD), 39.7 (13.4) years] assessed, 28 were H. pylori uninfected, 28 were infected, and 21 were eradicated. DOR values were significantly high (< 0.05) for the following H. pylori cases: uninfected cases with RAC (11.5), linear erythema (24.5), hemorrhage (4.1), and FGP (34.5); for infected cases with atrophic change (8.67), rugal hyperplasia (15.8), edema (14.2), spotty erythema (11.5), and exudate (3.52); and for eradicated cases with atrophic change (32.4) and MPE (103.0). Kappa values were excellent for FGP (0.93), good for RAC (0.63), hemorrhage (0.79), atrophic change (0.74), and MPE (0.75), moderate for linear erythema (0.51), rugal hyperplasia (0.49), edema (0.58), spotty erythema (0.47), and exudate (0.46), and poor for xanthoma (0.19). CONCLUSION The endoscopic findings of RAC, hemorrhage, FGP, atrophic change, and MPE will be useful for predicting H. pylori infection status.

Accuracy of endoscopic diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection according to level of endoscopic experience and the effect of training

BackgroundAccurate prediction of Helicobacter pylori infection status on endoscopic images can contribute to early detection of gastric cancer, especially in Asia. We identified the diagnostic yield of endoscopy for H. pylori infection at various endoscopist career levels and the effect of two years of training on diagnostic yield.MethodsA total of 77 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopy were analyzed. H. pylori infection status was determined by histology, serology, and the urea breast test and categorized as H. pylori-uninfected, -infected, or -eradicated. Distinctive endoscopic findings were judged by six physicians at different career levels: beginner (<500 endoscopies), intermediate (1500–5000), and advanced (>5000). Diagnostic yield and inter- and intra-observer agreement on H. pylori infection status were evaluated. Values were compared between the two beginners after two years of training. The kappa (K) statistic was used to calculate agreement.ResultsFor all physicians, the diagnostic yield was 88.9% for H. pylori-uninfected, 62.1% for H. pylori-infected, and 55.8% for H. pylori-eradicated. Intra-observer agreement for H. pylori infection status was good (K > 0.6) for all physicians, while inter-observer agreement was lower (K = 0.46) for beginners than for intermediate and advanced (K > 0.6). For all physicians, good inter-observer agreement in endoscopic findings was seen for atrophic change (K = 0.69), regular arrangement of collecting venules (K = 0.63), and hemorrhage (K = 0.62). For beginners, the diagnostic yield of H. pylori-infected/eradicated status and inter-observer agreement of endoscopic findings were improved after two years of training.ConclusionsThe diagnostic yield of endoscopic diagnosis was high for H. pylori-uninfected cases, but was low for H. pylori-eradicated cases. In beginners, daily training on endoscopic findings improved the low diagnostic yield.

Procalcitonin as a useful biomarker for determining the need to perform emergency biliary drainage in cases of acute cholangitis

It is important to identify biomarkers for sepsis and organ damage in acute cholangitis patients. We investigated the usefulness of procalcitonin (PCT) as a biomarker of inflammation based on the Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13).

Histological features of nodular gastritis and its endoscopic classification

OBJECTIVES:  To clarify the histological features and endoscopic classifications of nodular gastritis (NG).

Assessment of Antigenemia Assay for the Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Gastrointestinal Diseases in HIV-Infected Patients

We conducted a single-center prospective study to evaluate the utility of cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigenemia assay for the diagnosis of CMV-gastrointestinal disease (GID). The study subjects were HIV-infected patients with CD4 count ≤200 μL/cells who had undergone endoscopy. A definite diagnosis of CMV-GID was made by histological examination of endoscopic biopsied specimen. CMV antigenemia assay (C10/C11 monoclonal antibodies), CD4 count, HIV viral load, history of HAART, and gastrointestinal symptoms as measured by 7-point Likert scale, were assessed on the same day of endoscopy. One hundred cases were selected for analysis, which were derived from 110 cases assessed as at high-risk for CMV-GID after endoscopy screening of 423 patients. Twelve patients were diagnosed with CMV-GID. Among the gastrointestinal symptoms, mean bloody stool score was significantly higher in patients with CMV-GID than in those without (2.5 vs. 1.7, p=0.02). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of antigenemia was 0.80 (95%CI 0.64-0.96). The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR), and negative LR of antigenemia were 75.0%, 79.5%, 3.7, and 0.31, respectively, when the cutoff value for antigenemia was ≥1 positive cell per 300,000 granulocytes, and 50%, 92.0%, 5.5, and 0.55, respectively, for ≥5 positive cells per 300,000 granulocytes. In conclusion, CMV antigenemia seems a useful diagnostic test for CMV-GID in patients with HIV infection. The use of ≥5 positive cells per 300,000 granulocytes as a cutoff value was associated with high specificity and high positive LR. Thus, a positive antigenemia assay with positive endoscopic findings should allow the diagnosis of CMV-GID without biopsy.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection under general anesthesia.

AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) under general anesthesia. METHODS From January 2011 to July 2014, 206 consecutive patients had undergone ESD under general anesthesia for neoplasms of the stomach, esophagus, and colorectum were enrolled in this retrospective study. The efficacy and safety of ESD under general anesthesia were assessed. RESULTS The en bloc resection rate of esophageal, gastric, and colorectal lesions was 100.0%, 98.3%, and 96.1%, respectively. The complication rate of perforation and bleeding were 0.0% and 0.0% in esophageal ESD, 1.7% and 1.7% in gastric ESD, and 3.9% and 2.0% in colorectal ESD, respectively. No cases of aspiration pneumonia were observed. All complications were managed by conservative treatment, with no surgical intervention required. CONCLUSION With the cooperation of an anesthesiologist, ESD under general anesthesia appears to be a useful method, decreasing the risk of complications.

Long‐term outcome of peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia treatment in a 9‐year‐old female patient

Achalasia is a primary motility disorder with incomplete lower esophageal sphincter relaxation; it has an annual incidence of 0.11 cases per 100 000 children. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a new endoscopic treatment method for achalasia. Reports about POEM in pediatric patients are rare. We herein report the case of a 9‐year‐old female patient with achalasia who underwent POEM. The patient underwent endoscopic balloon dilatation because medication was not effective at a previous hospital; however, endoscopic balloon dilatation was not effective either. She then underwent successful POEM upon admission at our hospital. The patient was symptom‐free at 2 years postoperatively with no signs of esophagitis in the absence of proton‐pump inhibitor therapy.

Tu1496 Treatment Strategy for Chronic Pancreatitis: Dissolution Therapy for Pancreatic Stones

(12.2% vs. 3.1%; p<0.05). There was no difference in surgical interventions (12% vs. 14.3%; p<0.05) and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (17% vs. 16,5%, NS) between both groups. Diabetes was observed more frequent in HP group (14.6% vs. 7.6%, p<0.05). Limitations: Retrospective analysis based on medical history. Conclusions: Hereditary pancreatitis in children has worse clinical course than CP in children without PRSS1 mutations.