Citations

Several bacterial taxa enriched in inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer (CRC) are found in the oral cavity. We conducted a pilot study nested within a six-week aspirin intervention in a randomized placebo-controlled trial to test their response to aspirin intervention. Fifty healthy subjects, 50–75 years old, were randomized to receive 325 mg aspirin (n = 30) or placebo (n = 20) orally once daily for six weeks. Oral tongue swabs were collected at baseline and week six. We estimated the association between aspirin use and the temporal changes in the relative abundance of pre-specified genus level taxa from pre- to post-treatment. The temporal change in relative abundance differed for eight genus level taxa between the aspirin and placebo groups. In the aspirin group, there were significant increases in the relative abundances of Neisseria, Streptococcus, Actinomyces, and Rothia and significant decreases in Prevotella, Veillonella, Fusobacterium, and Porphyromonas relative to placebo. The log ratio of Neisseria to Fusobacterium declined more in the aspirin group than placebo, signaling a potential marker associated with aspirin intervention. These preliminary findings should be validated using metagenomic sequencing and may guide future studies on the role of aspirin on taxa in various oral ecological niches.

Background Cold snare endoscopic mucosal resection (CS-EMR) can reduce the risks associated with electrocautery during colon polyp resection. Data on efficacy are variable. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled efficacy and safety rates of CS-EMR. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature search of multiple databases, from inception to March 2023, for studies addressing outcomes of CS-EMR for colon polyps. The weighted pooled estimates with 95 %CIs were calculated using the random effects model. I2 statistics were used to evaluate heterogeneity. Results 4137 articles were reviewed, and 16 studies, including 2592 polyps in 1922 patients (51.4 % female), were included. Overall, 54.4 % of polyps were adenomas, 45 % were sessile serrated lesions (SSLs), and 0.6 % were invasive carcinomas. Polyp recurrence after CS-EMR was 6.7 % (95 %CI 2.4 %–17.4 %, I2 = 94 %). The recurrence rate was 12.3 % (95 %CI 3.4 %–35.7 %, I2 = 94 %) for polyps ≥ 20 mm, 17.1 % (95 %CI 4.6 %–46.7 %, I2 = 93 %) for adenomas, and 5.7 % (95 %CI 3.2 %–9.9 %, I2 = 50 %) for SSLs. The pooled intraprocedural bleeding rate was 2.6 % (95 %CI 1.5 %–4.5 %, I2 = 51 %), the delayed bleeding rate was 1.5 % (95 %CI 0.8 %–2.7 %, I2 = 18 %), and no perforations or post-polypectomy syndromes were reported, with estimated rates of 0.6 % (95 %CI 0.3 %–1.3 %, I2 = 0 %) and 0.6 % (95 %CI 0.3 %–1.4 %, I2 = 0 %), respectively. Conclusion CS-EMR demonstrated an excellent safety profile for colon polyps, with variable recurrence rates based on polyp size and histology. Large prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.

Summary Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) develops in a step-wise manner, from low-grade dysplasia (LGD) to high-grade dysplasia (HGD), and ultimately to invasive EAC. However, there remains diagnostic uncertainty about LGD and its risk of progression to HGD/EAC. The aim is to investigate the role of Ki-67, immune-histochemical marker of proliferation, surface expression in patients with confirmed LGD, and risk stratify progression to HGD/EAC. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Patients with confirmed LGD and indefinite for dysplasia (IND), with a mean follow-up of ≥1 year, were included. Pathology specimens were stained for Ki-67 and analyzed for evidence of surface expression. Our results reveal that 29% of patients with confirmed LGD who stained positive with Ki-67 progressed to HGD/EAC as opposed to none (0%) of the patients who stained negative, a statistically significant result (P = 0.003). Similarly, specimens from patients with IND were stained and analyzed revealing a nonsignificant trend toward a higher rate of progression for Ki-67 positive cases versus Ki-67 negative, 30% versus 21%, respectively. Ki-67 expression by itself can identify patients with LGD at a high risk of progression.

INTRODUCTION: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs based on the fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and guaiac-based fecal occult blood (gFOBT) are associated with a substantial reduction in CRC incidence and mortality. We conducted a systematic review and comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate colonoscopy-related adverse events in individuals with a positive FIT or gFOBT. METHODS: A systematic and detailed search was run in January 2021, with the assistance of a medical librarian for studies reporting on colonoscopy-related adverse events as part of organized CRC screening programs. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model, and the results were expressed for pooled proportions along with relevant 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: A total of 771,730 colonoscopies were performed in patients undergoing CRC screening using either gFOBT or FIT across 31 studies. The overall pooled incidence of severe adverse events in the entire patient cohort was 0.42% (CI 0.20–0.64); I 2 = 38.76%. In patients with abnormal gFOBT, the incidence was 0.2% (CI 0.1–0.3); I 2 = 24.6%, and in patients with a positive FIT, it was 0.4% (CI 0.2–0.7); I 2 = 48.89%. The overall pooled incidence of perforation, bleeding, and death was 0.13% (CI 0.09–0.21); I 2 = 22.84%, 0.3% (CI 0.2–0.4); I 2 = 35.58%, and 0.01% (CI 0.00–0.01); I 2 = 33.21%, respectively. DISCUSSION: Our analysis shows that in colonoscopies performed after abnormal stool-based testing, the overall risk of severe adverse events, perforation, bleeding, and death is minimal.

Abstract Many gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune diseases, and pregnancy-related conditions preferentially impact women. This issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology focuses on women's health in the context of gastrointestinal and liver disease. This editorial highlights the current issue's contents and seeks to spark the conversations to bring awareness to the many issues faced by women as both patients and practitioners.