Cutaneous Manifestations of Nutritional Deficiencies in the Context of Food Deserts of United States.

Food deserts exist due to a multitude of factors ranging from socioeconomic status, racial disparities, geography, cost, and healthful food access. Given the vast biological function of vitamins and minerals, the clinical presentation for nutritional deficiencies ranges from benign to life-threatening. Often, the first indicators of underlying nutritional deficiencies are cutaneous manifestations. The first patient case is a 36-year-old female at 25 weeks gestation with a pruritic and painful rash that began in the genital region and spread centrifugally to her legs. The second patient case is a 42-year-old male with a pruritic rash that began at his abdomen and progressed to his thighs. The third patient case is a 48-year-old female with scattered lower extremity ecchymoses in different healing stages and scattered perifollicular erythema with corkscrew hairs. All three patients were found to have nutritional deficiencies and lived in identified food deserts. Deficiencies of zinc, vitamin A, thiamine, pyridoxine, and vitamin C and their subsequent cutaneous manifestations have scarce documentation within food deserts. These cases provide further insight into nutritional deficiencies and offer an opportunity for providers to identify patients at risk. To promote wellness, patients suffering from food insecurity must be identified efficiently and connected with essential resources

An international experience with single-operator cholangiopancreatoscopy in patients with altered anatomy

Background and study aims: The utility of digital single- operator cholangiopancreatoscopy (D-SOCP) in surgically altered anatomy (SAA) is limited. We aimed to evaluate the technical success and safety of D-SOCP in patients SAA. Patients and methods: Patients with SAA who underwent D-SOCP between February 2015 and June 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Technical success was defined as completing the intended procedure with the use of D-SOCP. Results: Thirty-five patients underwent D-SOCP (34 D-SOC, 1 D-SOP). Bilroth II was the most common type of SAA (45.7 %), followed by Whipple reconstruction (31.4 %). Twenty-three patients (65.7 %) patients had prior failed ERCP due to the presence of complex biliary stone (52.2 %). A therapeutic duodenoscope was utilized in the majority of the cases (68.6 %), while a therapeutic gastroscope (22.7 %) or adult colonoscope (8.5 %) were used in the remaining procedures. Choledocholithiasis (61.2 %) and pancreatic duct calculi (3.2 %) were the most common indications for D-SOCP. Technical success was achieved in all 35 patients (100 %) and majority (91.4 %) requiring a single session. Complex interventions included electrohydraulic or laser lithotripsy, biliary or pancreatic stent placement, stricture dilation, and target tissue biopsies. Two mild adverse events occurred (pancreatitis and transient bacteremia). Conclusions: In SAA, D-SOCP is a safe and effective modality to diagnose and treat complex pancreatobiliary disorders, especially in cases where standard ERCP attempts may fail

Interstitial lung disease in children - genetic background and associated phenotypes

Interstitial lung disease in children represents a group of rare chronic respiratory disorders. There is growing evidence that mutations in the surfactant protein C gene play a role in the pathogenesis of certain forms of pediatric interstitial lung disease. Recently, mutations in the ABCA3 transporter were found as an underlying cause of fatal respiratory failure in neonates without surfactant protein B deficiency. Especially in familiar cases or in children of consanguineous parents, genetic diagnosis provides an useful tool to identify the underlying etiology of interstitial lung disease. The aim of this review is to summarize and to describe in detail the clinical features of hereditary interstitial lung disease in children. The knowledge of gene variants and associated phenotypes is crucial to identify relevant patients in clinical practice

Role of endoscopic functional luminal imaging probe in predicting the outcome of gastric peroral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (with video)

© 2020 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Background and Aims: Endoluminal functional luminal imaging probe (EndoFLIP) is an imaging tool that measures the physiologic characteristics of GI sphincters. In this study, we used EndoFLIP to evaluate the association between the pyloric physiologic measurements and the clinical outcomes of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) in patients with refractory gastroparesis. Methods: Thirty-seven patients from 5 centers who underwent G-POEM for management of refractory gastroparesis and had EndoFLIP measurements were evaluated. Cross-sectional area (CSA), balloon pressure, and the distensibility index (DI) of the pylorus were evaluated by EndoFLIP at 40 mL and 50 mL balloon fills before and after G-POEM. One-year clinical success and change in gastric emptying study 3 months after the G-POEM procedure were compared with the EndoFLIP measurements. Results: Clinical success was achieved in 26 (70%) patients. Post–G-POEM CSA and DI were significantly higher in the clinical success group with both 40-mL volume distension (CSA: 89.9 ± 64.8 vs 172.5 ± 71.9 mm2, P =.003; DI: 5.8 ± 4.4 vs 8.8 ± 6.1 mm2/mm Hg, P =.043) and 50-mL volume distention (CSA: 140.1 ± 89.9 vs 237.5 ± 80.3 mm2, P =.003; DI: 5.6 ± 3.3 vs 9.9 ± 6.6 mm2/mm Hg, P =.049). CSA using 40-mL volume distention with an area under the curve of 0.83 yielded a specificity of 91% and a sensitivity of 71% at a cutoff point of 154 mm2. Conclusions: Post–G-POEM CSA of the pylorus is associated with clinical success and improvement in a gastric emptying scan after G-POEM. EndoFLIP measurements of the pylorus have the potential to be used as a tool to predict the clinical outcome of G-POEM

Non-Alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and Cardiovascular Risk: Is Imaging helpful?

NAFLD is proving to be a globally prevalent condition and is on the rise. Moreover, NAFLD might be an independent risk factor associated with higher CVD morbidity and mortality. More studies need to assess whether NAFLD needs to be included in the atherosclerotic risk score algorithms or whether patients with NAFLD need to be screened early on to assess their CVD risk especially since imaging such as positron emission tomography can be used to assess both NAFLD and CV disease at the same time. Hence, employing cardiovascular imaging modalities to investigate the incidence, extent and nature of atherosclerotic lesions In NAFLD may be beneficial. Additionally, whether treating NAFLD halts the progression of CAD on imaging remains to be seen. Further research to delineate NAFLD and CVD associations, deciphering screening imaging modalities and investigating targeted interventions could improve CVD morbidity and mortality in NAFLD

Gastric Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy for Management of Refractory Gastroparesis in Patients with Gastric Neurostimulator Devices: A Multicenter Retrospective Case Control Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gastric neurostimulation (GNS) and gastric peroral myotomy (G-POEM), therapies for refractory gastroparesis, are associated with suboptimal outcomes. We studied the role of G-POEM as a salvage therapy in patients with refractory symptoms after GNS implantation. METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective, matched-case control study. Consecutive patients with GNS device and underwent G-POEM as a salvage therapy for clinical failure (cases) and patients without GNS implantation and underwent G-POEM for refractory gastroparesis (control) between 10-2018 and 08-2021 were included. The primary outcome was clinical success after G-POEM. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients (mean age 45.7 ± 14.7 years; 88 females [72%]) underwent G-POEM therapy during the duration of the study: 41 cases and 82 controls. Clinical success was achieved in 66% in the case group and 65% in the control, (P=0.311), during a median total clinical follow-up time of 11.8 (IQR: 2.4-6.3) months. In the case group, the mean Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) decreased from 2.8 ± 1.8 to 1.5 ± 1.9, (P=0.024), and gastric retention at 4 hours improved from 45% ± 25.8 to 16.6% ± 13.1, (P=0.06). The mean delta improvement in the subscales of nausea/vomiting (1.3 ± 0.6 vs. 0.9 ± 1.1; P=0.044) and bloating (1.6 ± 1.3 vs. 1.2 ± 1.4; P=0.041) were significantly higher in cases than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with refractory symptoms after GNS, G-POEM can be a reasonable salvage therapy to provide further symptomatic relief with evidence of a potential additive effect of both G-POEM and GNS

Role of Functional Luminal Imaging Probe (FLIP) in the Management of post Myotomy Clinical Failure

INTRODUCTION: Small percentage of patients with esophageal dysmotility disorders (EDD) fail to improve or relapse following management by laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) and peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). In this study, we aimed to describe the role of functional luminal imaging probe (FLIP) in identifying the patients who might benefit from LES-directed re-treatment. METHODS: This was a retrospective study at 6 tertiary care centers (4 USA, 1 Europe, 1 Asia) between 01/2015 and 04/2021 involving patients with prior failed myotomy. The primary outcome was the impact of FLIP utilization on the management of patients with prior failed myotomy. RESULTS: A total of 123 patients [F 62 (50%), mean age 53±21.1 years] who underwent LHM (n=53, 43%) or POEM (n=70, 57%) for the management of achalasia, (n=98) or other EDD (n=25) had clinical failure at a median time of 10.8 (IQR: 0.8-17.3) months post-procedure. A total of 29 patients had apposing abnormal diagnoses in terms of integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) \u3e 15mmHg on HRM and distensibility index (DI) \u3c 2.8 mm(2)/mmHg on FLIP, with ultimate change in management noted in 15 patients (10 directed towards conservative management, 5 directed towards LES directed re-treatment). The impact of FLIP on both the diagnosis and management was noted in 15/29 (52%) patients. In the subgroup analysis of patients who underwent LES-directed re-treatment (n=44), clinical success was highest among patients with both abnormal IRP and DI, 21/25 (84%) vs. patients with only abnormal IRP, 8/14 (57%), or only abnormal DI, 3/5 (60%), (p=0.04), with DI at 40 ml distension volume on FLIP identified as an independent predictor of clinical success, (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.02-2.1, p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The finding of this study further suggests the important role of using FLIP in addition to HRM in evaluating patients with clinical failure post myotomy