Cell Blood Count Alterations and Patterns of Anaemia in Autoimmune Atrophic Gastritis at Diagnosis: A Multicentre Study

Background: Autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AAG) leads to iron and/or vitamin B12 malabsorption, with subsequent haematological alterations which could represent the sole clinical manifestation. We aimed to assess patterns of anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies in patients with AAG at the time of diagnosis. Methods: Observational, multicentre, cross-sectional study including consecutive adult patients diagnosed with AAG within the last ten years. Cell blood count, red cell distribution width, serum vitamin B12, and ferritin were collected. Multivariate analysis for predictive factors of anaemia was computed. Results: 654 AAG patients (mean age 59.2 \ub1 13.8 years, female (F): male (M) ratio = 2.3:1) were included. Anaemia was present in 316 patients (48.3%; mean age 60.1 \ub1 15.8 years, F:M ratio = 2.3:1). Pernicious anaemia (132/316 cases, 41.7%) was more common in males (27.1% versus 12.4%; p = 0.001) and in older patients (63.0 \ub1 14.6 versus 58.9 \ub1 14.9 years; p = 0.014), while iron deficiency anaemia (112/316 cases, 35.4%) was more common in females (16.9% versus 10.0%; p = 0.039) and in younger patients (56.8 \ub1 16.6 versus 60.2 \ub1 14.6 years; p = 0.043). The prevalence of iron deficiency was equally distributed between anaemic and non-anaemic patients (p = 0.9). Anisocytosis (odds ratio: 10.65, 95% confidence interval: 6.13-18.50, p < 0.0001) was independently associated with anaemia. Conclusions: Anaemia is a common manifestation in AAG patients, mostly due to micronutrient deficiencies. Scant haematologic alterations and micronutrient deficiencies may precede overt anaemia

Increase in chromogranin A- and serotonin-positive cells in pouch mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing proctocolectomy

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia. Aims: We investigated neuroendocrine cells in J-pouches of patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Methods: Sections from pouch biopsies of 17 patients and ileal biopsies of 17 active IBD patients and 16 controls were processed by immunohistochemistry for chromogranin A (CgA) and serotonin. Mucosal tryptophan hydroxylase (TpH)-1 and serotonin-selective reuptake transporter (SERT) transcripts were measured by quantitative RT-PCR. TpH-1 and SERT transcripts were detected in pouch biopsies cultured with infliximab or its isotype control, while interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 were measured in biopsy supernatants. Results: A significant increase in CgA-positive cells and serotonin-positive cells was observed in both pouch and IBD ileum compared to control ileum. Significantly raised transcripts of TpH-1, but not SERT, were found in IBD ileum in comparison to control ileum, with no significant difference between pouch and IBD ileum. Infliximab had no influence on ex vivo pouch expression of TpH-1 and SERT, nor on the production of IL-6 and IL-8. Conclusion: We here demonstrated neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia in pouch mucosa. Further studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiological implication of this finding

Outcomes of COVID-19 in 79 patients with IBD in Italy : an IG-IBD study

COVID-19 has rapidly become a major health emergency worldwide. Patients with IBD are at increased risk of infection, especially when they have active disease and are taking immunosuppressive therapy. The characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with IBD remain unclear. Design: This Italian prospective observational cohort study enrolled consecutive patients with an established IBD diagnosis and confirmed COVID-19. Data regarding age, sex, IBD (type, treatments and clinical activity), other comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)), signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and therapies were compared with COVID-19 outcomes (pneumonia, hospitalisation, respiratory therapy and death). Results: Between 11 and 29 March 2020, 79 patients with IBD with COVID-19 were enrolled at 24 IBD referral units. Thirty-six patients had COVID-19-related pneumonia (46%), 22 (28%) were hospitalised, 7 (9%) required non-mechanical ventilation, 9 (11%) required continuous positive airway pressure therapy, 2 (3%) had endotracheal intubation and 6 (8%) died. Four patients (6%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 while they were being hospitalised for a severe flare of IBD. Age over 65 years (p=0.03), UC diagnosis (p=0.03), IBD activity (p=0.003) and a CCI score >1 (p=0.04) were significantly associated with COVID-19 pneumonia, whereas concomitant IBD treatments were not. Age over 65 years (p=0.002), active IBD (p=0.02) and higher CCI score were significantly associated with COVID-19-related death. Conclusions: Active IBD, old age and comorbidities were associated with a negative COVID-19 outcome, whereas IBD treatments were not. Preventing acute IBD flares may avoid fatal COVID-19 in patients with IBD. Further research is needed

Constraints on the cosmic expansion history from GWTC–3

We use 47 gravitational wave sources from the Third LIGO–Virgo–Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector Gravitational Wave Transient Catalog (GWTC–3) to estimate the Hubble parameter H(z), including its current value, the Hubble constant H0. Each gravitational wave (GW) signal provides the luminosity distance to the source, and we estimate the corresponding redshift using two methods: the redshifted masses and a galaxy catalog. Using the binary black hole (BBH) redshifted masses, we simultaneously infer the source mass distribution and H(z). The source mass distribution displays a peak around 34 M⊙, followed by a drop-off. Assuming this mass scale does not evolve with the redshift results in a H(z) measurement, yielding ${H}_{0}={68}_{-8}^{+12}\,\mathrm{km}\ \,\ {{\rm{s}}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{-1}$ (68% credible interval) when combined with the H0 measurement from GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart. This represents an improvement of 17% with respect to the H0 estimate from GWTC–1. The second method associates each GW event with its probable host galaxy in the catalog GLADE+, statistically marginalizing over the redshifts of each event's potential hosts. Assuming a fixed BBH population, we estimate a value of ${H}_{0}={68}_{-6}^{+8}\,\mathrm{km}\ \,\ {{\rm{s}}}^{-1}\,{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{-1}$ with the galaxy catalog method, an improvement of 42% with respect to our GWTC–1 result and 20% with respect to recent H0 studies using GWTC–2 events. However, we show that this result is strongly impacted by assumptions about the BBH source mass distribution; the only event which is not strongly impacted by such assumptions (and is thus informative about H0) is the well-localized event GW190814

Chronic atrophic gastritis: Natural history, diagnosis and therapeutic management. A position paper by the Italian Society of Hospital Gastroenterologists and Digestive Endoscopists [AIGO], the Italian Society of Digestive Endoscopy [SIED], the Italian Society of Gastroenterology [SIGE], and the Italian Society of Internal Medicine [SIMI]

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is an underdiagnosed condition characterised by translational features going beyond the strict field of gastroenterology as it may manifest itself by a variable spectrum of gastric and extra-gastric symptoms and signs. It is relatively common among older adults in different parts of the world, but large variations exist. Helicobacter pylori-related CAG [multifocal] and autoimmune CAG (corpus-restricted) are apparently two different diseases, but they display overlapping features. Patients with cobalamin and/or iron deficiency anaemia or autoimmune disorders, including autoimmune thyroiditis and type 1 diabetes mellitus, should be offered screening for CAG. Pepsinogens, gastrin-17, and anti-H. pylori antibodies serum assays seem to be reliable non-invasive screening tools for the presence of CAG, helpful to identify individuals to refer to gastroscopy with five standard gastric biopsies in order to obtain histological confirmation of diagnosis. Patients with CAG are at increased risk of developing gastric cancer, and they should be estimated with histological staging systems (OLGA or OLGIM). H. pylori eradication may be beneficial by modifying the natural history of atrophy, but not that of intestinal metaplasia. Patients with advanced stages of CAG (Stage III/IV OLGA or OLGIM) should undergo endoscopic surveillance every three years, those with autoimmune CAG every three-five years. In patients with CAG, a screening for autoimmune thyroid disease and micronutrient deficiencies, including iron and vitamin B12, should be performed. The optimal treatment for dyspeptic symptoms in patients with CAG remains to be defined. Proton pump inhibitors are not indicated in hypochlorhydric CAG patients

The Italian Society of Internal Medicine choosing wisely campaign

Appropriateness is one of the critical aspects of medicine. For this reason, the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI) decided to adhere to the Choosing Wisely Campaign. A bottom-up approach was chosen. All the recommendations published in the US and Canadian Choosing Wisely campaign have been screened, and an e-mail was sent to all the SIMI members for new suggestions. The thirty interventions that were judged as the highest priority by a committee were sent to all the SIMI members for voting. The first procedures selected were then revised, and constituted the five points of the SIMI choosing wisely campaign. The identified procedures were: (1) avoid prescribing bed rest unless an acceptable indication exists. Promote early mobilization; (2) Do not perform a D-dimer test without a precise indication; (3) Do not prescribe long term intravenous antibiotic therapy in the absence of symptoms; (4) Do not indefinitely prescribe proton pump inhibitors in the absence of specific indications; (5) Do not place, or leave in place, peripherally inserted central catheters for patient's or provider's convenience. Four of these points were not present in any other campaign, while one, the fifth, was already present. The bottom-up approach of the SIMI "Choosing Wisely" campaign favored the identification of different priorities compared to other campaigns. Future studies should now evaluate if the application of these "not-to-do" recommendations will be associated with an improvement of clinical outcome and a subsequent direct and indirect health care cost reduction

Are we choosing wisely for inflammatory bowel disease care? The IG-IBD choosing wisely campaign

Background: The \u201cChoosing Wisely\u201d campaigns have the aim of promoting a better clinician-patient relationship. Aims: The Italian Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IG-IBD) conducted a choosing wisely campaign for IBD. Methods: Ten IG-IBD panellists conducted the campaign through a modified Delphi process. All IG-IBD members were asked to submit five statements starting with \u201cDo not\u2026\u201d addressing any IBD-related procedure or treatment the necessity of which should be questioned. All recommendations were evaluated by the panellists who prioritised each item. The top ten recommendations were prioritised again by IG-IBD members, and the top five recommendations were identified. Results: 110 members (mean age 42 \ub1 12; 62 males) participated in the campaign. The top five recommendations were as follow: 1. Do not use corticosteroids for maintenance therapy, or without a clear indication; 2. Do not forget venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in hospitalised patients with active disease; 3. Do not treat perianal Crohn's disease with biologics without prior surgical evaluation; 4. Do not discontinue IBD-related medications during pregnancy unless specifically indicated; 5. Do not delay surgery. Conclusion: The IG-IBD promoted a campaign with a bottom-up approach, identifying five recommendations that could be useful for providing a better IBD care, especially among non-IBD experts

Are we choosing wisely for inflammatory bowel disease care? The IG-IBD choosing wisely campaign

Background: The \u201cChoosing Wisely\u201d campaigns have the aim of promoting a better clinician-patient relationship. Aims: The Italian Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IG-IBD) conducted a choosing wisely campaign for IBD. Methods: Ten IG-IBD panellists conducted the campaign through a modified Delphi process. All IG-IBD members were asked to submit five statements starting with \u201cDo not\u2026\u201d addressing any IBD-related procedure or treatment the necessity of which should be questioned. All recommendations were evaluated by the panellists who prioritised each item. The top ten recommendations were prioritised again by IG-IBD members, and the top five recommendations were identified. Results: 110 members (mean age 42 \ub1 12; 62 males) participated in the campaign. The top five recommendations were as follow: 1. Do not use corticosteroids for maintenance therapy, or without a clear indication; 2. Do not forget venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in hospitalised patients with active disease; 3. Do not treat perianal Crohn's disease with biologics without prior surgical evaluation; 4. Do not discontinue IBD-related medications during pregnancy unless specifically indicated; 5. Do not delay surgery. Conclusion: The IG-IBD promoted a campaign with a bottom-up approach, identifying five recommendations that could be useful for providing a better IBD care, especially among non-IBD experts