Evaluation of epicardial adipose tissue and carotid intima-media thickness as a marker of atherosclerosis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background and aim: this study aimed to compare carotid intima media (CIMT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) measurements, which are considered as markers for the detection of early atherosclerosis in healthy controls and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cases. Methods: a total of 60 IBD patients (25 Crohn’s disease and 35 ulcerative colitis) and 60 healthy patients (as a control group) were included in the study. The measurements of CIMT and EAT were performed using echocardiography and ultrasonography, respectively. Statistical analysis was used to determine the relationship between the parameters. Results: the thickness of bilateral (right and left) CIMT and EAT were significantly higher in IBD than in the control group (p < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between EAT and bilateral (right and left) CIMT in IBD patients (p < 0.05)

Twelve years of experience using double-balloon enteroscopy for diagnosing and treating patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aim: &lt;/strong&gt;Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a medical procedure employed for the assessment of small intestines that are inaccessible by standard endoscopes and colonoscopes. This study aimed to assess the data obtained from DBE procedures conducted to investigate the underlying causes of iron deficiency anemia and gastrointestinal bleeding when traditional diagnostic approaches were inconclusive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Material and Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;The present investigation is a retrospective study conducted at a single center. The medical data pertaining to DBE procedures conducted at the Gastroenterology Clinic of Ankara Türkiye Yüksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital was collected by the researchers for the period spanning from January 2007 to December 2018. The present investigation employed exclusion criteria to eliminate individuals with inadequate medical records and those who were transferred to another institution without a confirmed diagnosis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The study comprised a sample size of 118 individuals, with 45 (38.1%) being female and 73 (61.9%) being male. The average age of the participants was found to be 54.98 ± 16.1 years. A total of 88 patients received the procedure utilizing an anterograde (oral) method, while in 13 patients it was performed retrograde (anal). Additionally, 17 patients got the procedure utilizing both approaches. The observed lesions consisted of 18 (31.5%) inflammatory, 26 (45.6%) vascular, 9 (15.7%) neoplastic, and 4 (7%) diverticular kinds. Using double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE), it was found that 49.1% of the patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) had a positive result. A total of 22 instances (18.6%) necessitated the use of interventional techniques.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;Consequently, the diagnostic efficacy of double-balloon enteroscopy in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding was very limited. The frequent location of the lesion varied depending on its nature; however, this variation did not yield a statistically significant difference when considering the presence of overt or occult bleeding.&lt;/p&gt

Characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: A multicenter study

Background and Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by underlying cause and determine the characteristics and clinical features of patients with HCC. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 1802 HCC patients diagnosed and followed up by Liver Diseases Outpatient Clinics in 14 tertiary centers in Turkey between 2001 and 2020. Results: The mean age was 62.3 +/- 10.7 years, and 78% of them were males. Of the patients, 82% had cirrhosis. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection was the most common etiology (54%), followed by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (19%) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (10%). Of the patients, 56% had a single lesion. Macrovascular invasion and extrahepatic spread were present in 15% and 12% of the patients, respectively. The median serum alpha-fetoprotein level was 25.4 ng/mL. In total, 39% of the patients fulfilled the Milan Criteria. When we compared the characteristics of patients diagnosed before and after January 2016, the proportion of NAFLD-related HCC cases increased after 2016, from 6.6% to 13.4%. Conclusion: Chronic HBV and HCV infections remain the main causes of HCC in Turkey. The importance of NAFLD as a cause of HCC is increasing

Covid-19 in liver transplant recipients: A national cohort

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