Diagnostics and evaluation of biliary deposit at ultrasound investigation

National college of gastroenterologists, hepatologist

Efficacy of Hymecromone in Post-Cholecystectomy Patients

Background. The cholecystectomy is the major cause of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD), that may be classified as post-cholecystectomy syndrome (PCES). Treatment of PCES requires in most of the cases application of selective antispasmodic drugs.Aim. To evaluate efficacy and safety of hymecromone in patients with post-cholecystectomy SOD, to compare standard and reduced doses of hymecromone.Methods. Overall, 26 patients were enrolled in non-interventional comparative study: 2 males, 24 females, aged from 25 to 74 years. All patients underwent cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstone disease within 1 to 10 years prior to beginning of the study. All patients were diagnosed to have SOD according to Rome IV Diagnostic Criteria for functional biliary sphincter of Oddi disorder (E1b). All patients underwent hymecromone monotherapy for 3 weeks. Patients were randomized to group A and B to receive full-dose or half-dose of the drug respectively.Results. Abdominal pain completely subsided in 85 % of patients, significant improvement was found for bloating and diarrhea. Mild increase in fasting common bile duct (CBD) diameter after treatment (7.23 ± 0.99 vs 6.78 ± 1.01; p = 0.029) was attributed to choleretic action of hymecromone. Hymecromone resulted in significant improvement of CBD response to fatty meal stimulation (ΔCBD): –1.08 ± 0.46 mm vs –0.10 ± 0.33 mm pretreatment (p = 0.016). Degree of improvement was more pronounced in the group A (full-dose) as compared to group B (half-dose) for abdominal pain (Z = 2.74, p = 0.031), bloating (Z = 2.63, p = 0.035) and constipation (Z = 2.61, p = 0.038)Conclusion. Hymecromone demonstrated itself to be an effective and safe drug, that may be applied both in standard and half dose. However, the efficacy of full-dose is higher both for the treatment of biliary pain and dyspeptic symptoms. Transabdominal ultrasound may be applied as a reliable test for both prediction of treatment efficacy and to monitor patients state during treatment course

Severe Diverticulitis Associated to <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> Infection in a 91 Year Old Patient (Clinical Case)

Aim. To present a clinical case of a 91-year-old patient with a severe course of diverticulitis combined with the development of Clostridioides difficile-associated disease.Key points. On admission the patient complained of pain in the left iliac region, increased body temperature, constipation and bloating. The medical history showed that constipation increased on the background of prolonged bed rest and discontinuation of psyllium. According to the laboratory and instrumental examinations, the patient had signs of acute diverticulitis, antibacterial therapy was corrected twice, positive dynamics of the condition was noted. However, a few days later, the patient developed a clinic of C. difficile-associated disease, which required the prescription of anticlostridial therapy (vancomycin), until the laboratory confirmation of the accession of this infection was obtained. Combined therapy of exacerbation of diverticular disease and C. difficile-associated disease made it possible to achieve a steady improvement of the condition.Conclusion. The exclusion of possible development of C. difficile-associated disease on the background or prior antibiotic therapy is an important condition for correct and adequate management of a patient with exacerbation of diverticular disease. If the patient develops a clinical picture of C. difficile-associated disease, treatment may be initiated before laboratory confirmation

New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) and Digestive System

Aim. The study reviews current evidence on digestive system lesions provoked by the new COVID-19 coronavirus infection.Key points. Alongside the destructive impact on respiratory system, COVID-19 manifests itself in gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) that may precede respiratory signs and prevail in the clinical picture of infection. Patients with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases receiving immunosuppressive therapy are at elevated risk of severe COVID-19 progression. The new coronavirus infection may induce liver damage with increased transaminase activity.Conclusion. Association of digestive system lesions with COVID-19 remains understudied and requires further research

European guideline on IgG4-related digestive disease – UEG and SGF evidence-based recommendations

The overall objective of these guidelines is to provide evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related digestive disease in adults and children. IgG4-related digestive disease can be diagnosed only with a comprehensive work-up that includes histology, organ morphology at imaging, serology, search for other organ involvement, and response to glucocorticoid treatment. Indications for treatment are symptomatic patients with obstructive jaundice, abdominal pain, posterior pancreatic pain, and involvement of extra-pancreatic digestive organs, including IgG4-related cholangitis. Treatment with glucocorticoids should be weight-based and initiated at a dose of 0.6–0.8 mg/kg body weight/day orally (typical starting dose 30-40 mg/day prednisone equivalent) for 1 month to induce remission and then be tapered within two additional months. Response to initial treatment should be assessed at week 2–4 with clinical, biochemical and morphological markers. Maintenance treatment with glucocorticoids should be considered in multi-organ disease or history of relapse. If there is no change in disease activity and burden within 3 months, the diagnosis should be reconsidered. If the disease relapsed during the 3 months of treatment, immunosuppressive drugs should be added

Clinical Guidelines of the Russian Society of Surgeons, the Russian Gastroenterological Association, the Association of Surgeons-Hepatologists and the Endoscopic Society “REndO” on Diagnostics and Treatment of Chronic Pancreatitis

Aim: to present modern methods of diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis for gastroenterologists, general practitioners and physicians.Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a long-term inflammatory disease of the pancreas, manifested by irreversible morphological changes in the parenchyma and pancreatic ducts, which cause pain and/or persistent impairment of function. Current concept on the etiology of CP is reflected by the TIGAR-O classification. The criteria for establishing the diagnosis of CP include typical attacks of abdominal pain and/or clinical and laboratory signs of exocrine, endocrine insufficiency with the mandatory detection of characteristic morphological changes (calcifications in the parenchyma and pancreatic ductal stones, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct and its branches). CT, MRCP, and pancreatobiliary endosonography are recommended as the methods of choice to verify the diagnosis of CP. Conservative treatment of patients with CP is provided for symptom relief and prevention of complications. Individual cases with severe non-interactable abdominal pain, as well as a complicated course of the disease (development of ductal hypertension due to main pancreatic duct stones or strictures, obstructive jaundice caused by compression of the common bile duct, symptomatic postnecrotic cysts, portal hypertension due to compression of the portal vein or thrombosis of the splenic vein, persistent duodenal obstruction, pseudoaneurysm of the celiac trunk basin and the superior mesenteric artery) serve as an indication for endoscopic or surgical treatment. The Guidelines set out modern approaches to the diagnosis, conservative, endoscopic and surgical treatment of CP, and the prevention of its complications.Conclusion. The implementation of clinical guidelines can contribute to the timely diagnosis and improve the quality of medical care for patients with chronic pancreatitis

The Russian consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis: Enzyme replacement therapy

The Russian consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis has been prepared on the initiative of the Russian Pancreatology Club to clarify and consolidate the opinions of Russian specialists (gastroenterologists, surgeons, and pediatricians) on the most significant problems of diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis. This article continues a series of publications explaining the most significant interdisciplinary consensus statements and deals with enzyme replacement therapy

Современный взгляд на проблему постхолецистэктомического синдрома (по материалам Экспертного совета, состоявшегося 4 мая 2019 г. в городе Алматы, Казахстан)

Gallstone disease is revealed in 10–20% of the population with a clear tendency to affect the younger population. In a clinically manifested course, cholecystectomy remains the treatment of choice. Symptoms and signs persist or even become more severe after gallbladder surgery in 10-15% of cases (“postcholecystectomy syndrome”). Postcholecystectomy syndrome includes heterogeneous disorders of liver, pancreas, duodenum, sphincter of Oddi, etc. that can be associated with errors or negative consequences of surgical intervention. Often, symptoms may persist because of previously unrecognized chronic diseases of neighboring organs. The spectrum of effective conservative measures is rather limited. The Advisory Board was held on May 4, 2019, in Almaty (Kazakhstan) to re-estimate the definitions and categories related to the issue of the postcholecystectomy syndrome and to develop the diagnostic and treatment algorithm for patients with the postcholecystectomy dysfunction of the sphincter of Oddi. The statements discussed by the interdisciplinary team of gastroenterologists and surgeons were addressed to general practitioners, therapists, gastroenterologists, and surgeons. The Advisory Board emphasized that organic and functional biliary diseases manifest mainly by biliary pain, main characteristics of which were defined in the Rome IV consensus based on the statistical analysis of a large pool of clinical data. For a more accurate bile duct system assessment and the exclusion of cholelithiasis, the examination algorithm was proposed, which included abdominal ultrasound investigation, endoscopic ultrasound investigation of the pancreatobiliary area, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. Diagnostic algorithm for differentiation of functional biliary disorders from organic gastrointestinal pathology was developed. Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction may be considered as a postcholecystectomy syndrome manifestation in 1.5-3% of cases. Apart from rational nutrition, conservative management of functional gastrointestinal diseases implies  pharmacological therapy. The efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, prokinetics, nitrates, antispasmodics, calcium channel antagonists, botulinum toxin, and hymecromone was demonstrated in previous studies. Papillosphincterotomy is not effective in relieving biliary pain in cases of the sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. The proposed algorithm for the management of patients with the postcholecystectomy syndrome was presented.Желчнокаменная болезнь выявляется у 10–20% населения и имеет четкую тенденцию к «омоложению». При наличии клинических симптомов основным методом лечения остается холецистэктомия, после которой у 10–15% пациентов клинические проявления сохраняются либо усиливаются (для обозначения таких ситуаций применяют термин «постхолецистэктомический  синдром»). Постхолецистэктомический синдром объединяет неоднородные расстройства, включая  нарушения функции печени, поджелудочной железы, двенадцатиперстной кишки, сфинктера Одди  пр., которые могут быть связаны с погрешностями или последствиями хирургических манипуляций. Зачастую причиной сохранения жалоб оказываются ранее нераспознанные хронические заболевания других органов. Арсенал эффективных средств медикаментозной и  немедикаментозной коррекции относительно невелик. С целью стандартизировать определения и  категории, касающиеся проблемы постхолецистэктомического синдрома, и разработать алгоритм обследования и лечения пациентов с постхолецистэктомической дисфункцией сфинктера  Одди 4 мая 2019 г. в городе Алматы (Казахстан) состоялся совет экспертов – представителей  междисциплинарной команды из гастроэнтерологов и хирургов. Целевая аудитория – врачи общей  практики, терапевты, гастроэнтерологи, хирурги. Согласно решению Экспертного совета, основным  клиническим проявлением органических и функциональных заболеваний желчных путей  является билиарная боль, подробные характеристики которой были выделены в материалах IV Римского консенсуса на основании статистического анализа большого объема клинических данных. Для более точной оценки состояния протоковой системы и исключения желчнокаменной болезни в план обследования включают ультразвуковое исследование органов брюшной полости,  эндоскопическое ультразвуковое исследование панкреато-билиарной зоны, магнитно-резонансную  холангиопанкреатографию. Функциональные билиарные расстройства необходимо дифференцировать с органическими заболеваниями органов пищеварения; с этой целью  рекомендован план обследования пациентов. Дисфункцию сфинктера Одди можно рассматривать как вариант постхолецистэктомического синдрома; на долю таких случаев приходится 1,5–3%. Консервативное ведение при функциональных заболеваниях органов пищеварения, помимо  рационального питания, подразумевает лекарственную терапию. Показана эффективность  нестероидных противовоспалительных препаратов, прокинетиков, нитратов, спазмолитиков, антагонистов кальциевых каналов, ботулотоксина и гимекромона. Папиллосфинктеротомия при  дисфункции сфинктера Одди не обладает должной эффективностью в купировании билиарной  боли. Разработан алгоритм ведения пациентов при появлении билиарной боли и другой  симптоматики после холецистэктомии

Type 1 Autoimmune Pancreatitis in Europe: Clinical Profile and Response to Treatment.

Background and aimsAutoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an immune-mediated disease of the pancreas with distinct pathophysiology and manifestations. Our aims were to characterize type 1 AIP in a large pan-European cohort and study the effectiveness of current treatment regimens.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed adults diagnosed since 2005 with type 1 or not-otherwise-specified AIP in 42 European university hospitals. Type 1 AIP was uniformly diagnosed using specific diagnostic criteria. Patients with type 2 AIP and those who had undergone pancreatic surgery were excluded. The primary endpoint was complete remission, defined as the absence of clinical symptoms and resolution of the index radiological pancreatic abnormalities attributed to AIP.ResultsWe included 735 individuals with AIP (69% male; median age 57 years; 85% White). Steroid treatment was started in 634 patients, of whom 9 (1%) were lost to follow-up. The remaining 625 had a 79% (496/625) complete, 18% (111/625) partial, and 97% (607/625) cumulative remission rate, while 3% (18/625) did not achieve remission. No treatment was given in 95 patients, who had a 61% complete (58/95), 19% partial (18/95), and 80% cumulative (76/95) spontaneous remission rate. Higher (≥0.4 mg/kg/day) corticosteroid doses were no more effective than lower ( 2 weeks (OR 0.908; 95%CI 0.818-1.009). Elevated IgG4 levels were independently associated with a decreased chance of complete remission (OR 0.639; 95%CI 0.427-0.955). Relapse occurred in 30% of patients. Relapses within 6 months of remission induction were independent of the steroid tapering duration, induction treatment duration, and total cumulative dose.ConclusionPatients with type 1 AIP and elevated IgG4 level may need closer monitoring. For remission induction, a starting dose of 0.4 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks followed by a short taper period seems effective. This study provides no evidence to support more aggressive regimens