Comparison Between Transient Elastography and Point Shear Wave Elastography in the Assessment of Liver Fibrosis According to the Grade of Liver Steatosis.

: Transient elastography (TE), using Fibroscan and point shear wave elastography (pSWE), are two techniques used to estimate liver fibrosis. The aim of our study was to compare, for the first time, these two techniques in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), stratifying the analysis on the basis of the grades of steatosis. : We recruited 85 consecutive MAFLD patients who underwent liver stiffness (LS) measurement performed by Fibroscan and pSWE on the same day.

External multicenter validation of the FAMISH score for predicting metachronous gastric lesions after endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background And Objectives: Surveillance after gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is crucial due to the high risk of metachronous gastric lesions (MGL), although this risk may differ between patients. We sought to validate the FAMISH score - a prediction score to estimate MGL risk after gastric ESD - within a multicentric framework.

Materials And Methods: Performance measures of the FAMISH score were assessed in a retrospective analysis of a multicenter cohort, which included consecutive adult patients undergoing ESD for a primary gastric superficial lesion at 15 international centers, with a minimum endoscopic follow-up of at least 3 years.

Utility, Performance and Safety of Single Balloon Enteroscopy in Patients with Hereditary Polyposis Syndromes.

Background And Aims: Patients with hereditary polyposis syndromes are at high risk of developing small bowel polyps. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) in detecting and removing such polyps and to compare its diagnostic yield to videocapsule endoscopy (VCE).

Methods: We retrospectively recruited patients undergoing SBE and VCE in our center for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), Cowden syndrome (CS) and juvenile polyposis syndrome (JPS).

Clinical and Endoscopic-Histological Features of Multifocal and Corpus-Restricted Atrophic Gastritis Patients With Non-Cardia Gastric Cancer or Dysplasia: A Multicenter, Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-related atrophic gastritis (AG) affects corpus and antral mucosa, resulting in multifocal AG (MF-AG); autoimmunity-driven AG is corpus-restricted (CR-AG). AG carries increased gastric dysplasia (GD) and gastric cancer (GC) risk, well established in MF-AG, but debated in CR-AG. This study aimed to assess clinical, endoscopic-histological characteristics of GD-GC in patients with MF-AG and CR-AG.

Role of conservative management of acute appendicitis in pediatric age: a monocentric experience.

Historically, appendectomy was the standard treatment for acute appendicitis (AA). Recently, interest has grown in conservative management of uncomplicated AA (UA). This study compared outcomes between non-operative management (NOM) and appendectomy, exploring preoperative factors to guide optimal UA management.

Ultrasound Features of -Related Gastritis.

Abdominal ultrasound (US) is a reliable method for visualizing gastric wall layers and measuring their thickness. The objective of this study is to characterize the ultrasound features of -induced gastritis and assess its predictive potential role for this condition. A cohort of 119 patients underwent gastroscopy with biopsy and abdominal US to evaluate antral wall thickness (AWT), submucosal wall thickness (SLT), mucosal wall thickness (MLT), gastric motility, and the presence of ingested material.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Reduces the Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Females but Not in Males: Results from the NUTRIHEP Cohort.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide. One way to resolve this reversible condition is by making dietary changes. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is often associated with an improvement in this disease.

Concomitant and Bismuth Quadruple Therapy for Eradication in Southern Italy: Preliminary Data from a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Concomitant therapy (CT) and bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) are recommended in geographical areas with high clarithromycin resistance for () eradication. We compared CT and BQT as the first lines of treatment in a randomized controlled trial. Consecutive patients with H.

Secondary Antibiotic Resistance after One or More Eradication Failure: A Genotypic Stool Analysis Study.

() antibiotic resistance is the leading cause for unsuccessful eradication therapy. After one or more failures, the chance of encountering secondary antibiotic resistance increases. The aim of this study was to characterize genotypic secondary resistance in a cohort of southern Italian patients with at least one previous failure.

Opioid-induced Constipation: Old and New Concepts in Diagnosis and Treatment.

Daily use of opioid analgesics has significantly increased in recent years due to an increasing prevalence of conditions associated with chronic pain. Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is one of the most common, under-recognized, and under-treated side effects of opioid analgesics. OIC significantly reduces the quality of life by causing psychological distress, lowering work productivity, and increasing access to healthcare facilities.

Small Intestinal Contrast Ultrasonography (SICUS) in Crohn's Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (CD) is based on a combination of clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, endoscopy, and imaging data. In Small Intestine Contrast Ultrasonography (SICUS), the ingestion of a macrogol solution as an oral contrast medium may optimize image quality. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of SICUS for CD.

The Role of Intestinal Barrier Function in Overweight Patients with IBS with Diarrhea Undergoing a Long-Term Low Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, and Monosaccharide and Polyol Diet.

Overweight and obesity have been suggested as significant factors in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) development. However, the relationship between overweight/obesity and IBS is unclear. It is known that a modified intestinal barrier, especially the permeability of the small intestine (s-IP), can play a significant role in the pathogenesis of both obesity and IBS.

Strongyloidiasis in humans and dogs in Southern Italy: an observational study.

Strongyloidiasis is a clinical issue both in humans and in dogs. Moreover, there are concerns about its zoonotic potential. We aimed to explore Strongyloides stercoralis epidemiology in Southern Italy in humans and dogs sharing the same environment in three different settings: (1) kennels (group K); (2) livestock farms (group L) and (3) agricultural farms (group A).

Familial intestinal polyposis and device assisted enteroscopy: where do we stand?

Introduction: Hereditary polyposis syndromes are a group of inherited disorders associated with a high risk of developing colorectal cancer. The best known ones are familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Peutz-Jeghers (PJS), juvenile polyposis and Cowden syndromes, as well as conditions predisposing to cancer, such as Lynch syndrome. Some of them are characterized by an increased risk of small bowel polyps occurrence.

Effect of Visual Booklets to Improve Bowel Preparation in Colonoscopy: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

An optimal bowel preparation for colonoscopy is essential to increasing the quality of the examination. Visual booklets have been proposed with conflicting results to enhance bowel preparation. A literature search was performed in March 2023 in the most important databases.

Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Colitis: An Update.

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) nowadays has indications for several solid tumors. The current targets for ICIs are CTLA-4, PD-1, and PD-L1 receptors. Despite the clinical advantages derived from ICIs, a variety of side effects are linked to overstimulation of the immune system.

Effect of Long-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use on Blood Vitamins and Minerals: A Primary Care Setting Study.

Background And Objectives: Long-term proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use is frequently encountered in primary care. Its effect on micronutrient absorption is known, as vitamin B12, calcium or vitamin D insufficiency may occur in such patients.

Materials And Methods: We recruited patients using a PPI (pantoprazole) for >12 months.

Molecular Pathways of Carcinogenesis in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a genetic syndrome characterized by the presence of multiple polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and a wide range of systemic extra-intestinal manifestations. Patients affected will inevitably undergo abdominal surgery due to the malignant transformation of one or more adenomas. The pathogenesis of the disease is based on a loss of function mutation in adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), a tumor-suppressor gene, inherited following a Mendelian pattern.

The State of the Art of Molecular Fecal Investigations for () Antibiotic Resistances.

A new paradigm shift for the treatment of () infection would be timely due to a progressive increase in antibiotic resistance. Such a shift in the perspective of the approach should include the preliminary assessment of antibiotic resistance. However, the availability of sensitivity tests is not widespread and the guidelines have always indicated empirical treatments without taking into account the need to make sensitivity tests accessible, i.

Effectiveness of first and second-line empirical treatment in Italy: Results of the European registry on Helicobacter pylori management.

Background And Aims: The optimal management of naïve and not naïve Helicobacter pylori patients remains unclear. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate whether the actual clinical practice mirrors the indications suggested by the guidelines. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness and the safety of the empirical first- and second-line treatments prescribed to patients enroled at Italian centres participating in the European Registry on H.

Rifabutin as salvage therapy for eradication: Cornerstones and novelties.

When several eradication treatments fail, guidelines recommend a cultured guided approach; however, culture is not widely available. Therefore, a rifabutin based regimen could be the best solution. Rifabutin indeed shows a low rate of antibiotic resistance.