The high rates of both acute hemostasis and recurrent bleeding suggest that Hemospray may be used in high-risk cases as a temporary measure or a bridge toward more definitive therapy.

Extending the operating time of CE may be a simple method to improve completion rate although it does not affect the rate of positive findings.

Background. Infliximab (IFX) therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) allows for objective decision making in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and loss of response. Questions remain about whether IFX TDM improves outcomes. Methods. Patients with IBD who had IFX TDM due to concerns for loss of response were considered for inclusion. Serum IFX trough concentration and anti-drug antibody (ADA) concentrations were measured. Patients were grouped by TDM results: group 1, low IFX/high ADA; group 2, low IFX/low ADA; group 3, therapeutic IFX. Changes in management were analyzed according to groupings; remission rates were assessed at 6 months. Results. 71 patients were included of whom 37% underwent an appropriate change in therapy. Groups 1 (67%) and 2 (83%) had high adherence compared to only 9% in group 3. At 6 months, 57% had achieved remission. More patients who underwent an appropriate change in therapy achieved remission, though this did not reach statistical significance (69% versus 49%; P = 0.098). Conclusions. A trend towards increased remission rates was associated with appropriate changes in management following TDM results. Many patients with therapeutic IFX concentrations did not undergo an appropriate change in management, potentially reflecting a lack of available out-of-class options at the time of TDM or due to uncertainty of the meaning of the reported therapeutic range.

Background:Corticosteroid is an effective therapeutic option for inflammatory bowel disease flares, but its adverse effects may compromise treatment adherence and reduce patients' quality of life. There is lack of data on the incidence of corticosteroid-induced mood changes in this patient population, which may be underappreciated by healthcare providers in clinical practice and interfere with optimal care. This study aimed to determine the rate of mood changes in this patient population. Methods: In this prospective observational study, adult outpatients treated with prednisone for inflammatory bowel disease flares were considered for inclusion. Participants completed validated questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory-II and Activation Subscale of Internal State Scale version two) before starting prednisone, after two weeks of prednisone, and at the end of prednisone taper to assess for mood changes. Harvey-Bradshaw Index and Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index were used to monitor clinical disease activity. Results: Fifty-three subjects were included in the analyses. The rate of mood change after two weeks of prednisone was 49.1%, primarily driven by increase in mood towards (hypo)mania. Younger age was an independent risk factor. Mood state returned to pretreatment level at the end of treatment. There was no correlation between clinical disease activity change and mood change. Conclusions: Oral prednisone for inflammatory bowel disease flare is associated with high rate of mood change. As prednisone is a critical part of induction therapy, ways to minimize this adverse event must be studied. For now, healthcare providers should inform patients and monitor closely for this adverse event.

No abstract

We report a case of severe, refractory gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in a patient with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) whose massive transfusion dependence was lifted shortly after treatment with bevacizumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor. The patient’s bleeding had been refractory to repeated endoscopic interventions, tranexamic acid, and tamoxifen. However, following treatment with bevacizumab at 5 mg/kg every other week, nearly 300 units of packed red blood cell transfusions were avoided in one year’s time. Despite its relatively high cost, bevacizumab may have a more active role in the management of severe GI bleeding in HHT if such remarkable response can be consistently demonstrated.

Background CapsoCam Plus is a capsule endoscopy (CE) system that utilizes four cameras to capture a panoramic view. This has theoretical advantage over conventional forward-viewing CE with limited field of view. Its ease of administration without requiring any additional equipment during the recording also provides a unique opportunity for patients to self-administer the test. We aimed to evaluate real-life experience using this novel system and to determine feasibility of a remote access program. Methods Retrospective chart review was conducted for consecutive adult outpatients who underwent CE using CapsoCam Plus. Patients with significant challenges for in-person procedures were selected for remote access through mail courier services. Gastric transit time, small bowel transit time, completion rate, diagnostic yield and adverse events were compared between remote access versus usual practice. Results Ninety-four patients (52.1% male) were included, with 28 in remote access program. Most common indication was gastrointestinal bleeding (85.1%). Complete examination was achieved in 87 patients. Five (5.3%) patients’ capsule remained in stomach during the recording, while two (2.1%) patients missed capsule retrieval. Median small bowel and gastric transit times were 231.9 (interquartile range [IQR] 169.5–308.2) and 27.6 (IQR 13.8–63.5) minutes, respectively. Diagnostic yield was 23.4%. There was no difference in completion rate or transit times between two groups, but diagnostic yield was higher in remote access group (odds ratio 3.80, 95% confidence interval 1.28–11.31). One patient required elective endoscopic retrieval of capsule. Conclusion CapsoCam Plus can be safely administered remotely with a high degree of success, which may facilitate timely investigations while limiting nonessential physical interactions during pandemic.

Background It is unclear if the availability of new techniques for removal of large colonic polyps has affected the use of segmental colon resection. We sought to evaluate the characteristics of polyps undergoing surgical resection, including involvement of therapeutic gastroenterologists (TG). Methods 484 patients had a colonic resection; 165 (34%) were identified from the pathology database with polyp, adenoma, or mass in the clinical history field; these charts were reviewed. Results 128 patients (mean age 68 yrs, 72% male) were included. The mean polyp size was 2.9 cm (0.4 cm–12.0 cm). Adenocarcinoma was diagnosed in 50 (39.1%). 97 (75.8%) patients had a polyp that was felt to be unresectable by EMR, and 31 (24.2%) underwent successful EMR followed by surgery for adenocarcinoma (n = 29). The indication for surgery in those with unresectable polyps was variable and was not clearly documented in 51 (52.6%); only 17 of these patients (17.5%) had a TG involved. Conclusion A high proportion of polyps managed by segmental resection did not contain adenocarcinoma. This data suggests that even in a tertiary care center where advanced endoscopic techniques are easily available, they are not always utilized. Educational endeavors to ensure that ideal pathways of intervention are utilized require implementation.