European Society of Coloproctology: guidelines for the management of diverticular disease of the colon

Aim: The goal of this European Society of Coloproctology (ESCP) guideline project is to give an overview of the existing evidence on the management of diverticular disease, primarily as a guidance to surgeons. Methods: The guideline was developed during several working phases including three voting rounds and one consensus meeting. The two project leads (JKS and EA) appointed by the ESCP guideline committee together with one member of the guideline committee (WB) agreed on the methodology, decided on six themes for working groups (WGs) and drafted a list of research questions. Senior WG members, mostly colorectal surgeons within the ESCP, were invited based on publication records and geographical aspects. Other specialties were included in the WGs where relevant. In addition, one trainee or PhD fellow was invited in each WG. All six WGs revised the research questions if necessary, did a literature search, created evidence tables where feasible, and drafted supporting text to each research question and statement. The text and statement proposals from each WG were arranged as one document by the first and last authors before online voting by all authors in two rounds. For the second voting ESCP national representatives were also invited. More than 90% agreement was considered a consensus. The final phrasing of the statements with < 90% agreement was discussed in a consensus meeting at the ESCP annual meeting in Vienna in September 2019. Thereafter, the first and the last author drafted the final text of the guideline and circulated it for final approval and for a third and final online voting of rephrased statements. Results: This guideline contains 38 evidence based consensus statements on the management of diverticular disease. Conclusion: This international, multidisciplinary guideline provides an up to date summary of the current knowledge of the management of diverticular disease as a guidance for clinicians and patients

Electrochemical lesions in the rat liver support its potential for treatment of liver tumors

BackgroundAn effective therapy is needed for patients with surgically unresectable liver tumors who have very limited life expectancy. One possible treatment is electrochemical tumor necrosis. This study investigated the natural history of electrochemical lesions in the normal rat liver.Materials and methodsA direct current generator, connected to platinum electrodes, was used to create controlled areas of liver necrosis. Animals were sacrificed 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months, and 6 months after treatment and the macroscopic and histological appearance of the necrotic lesions was followed.ResultsNo animal died as a result of electrolysis; postoperatively, all gained weight normally. Liver enzymes were significantly (P ConclusionsElectrolysis is a safe method for creating defined areas of liver necrosis that heal well with no associated mortality. This study supports the potential of electrolysis for treating patients with unresectable liver tumors.Wemyss-Holden, Simon A. ; Robertson, Gavin S.M. ; Dennison, Ashley R. ; de la M. Hall, Pauline ; Fothergill, John C. ; Jones, B. ; Maddern, Guy J

Association between Sleep Duration and Mortality Is Mediated by Markers of Inflammation and Health in Older Adults: The Health, Aging and Body Composition Study

Study Objective: Inflammation may represent a common physiological pathway linking both short and long sleep duration to mortality. We evaluated inflammatory markers as mediators of the relationship between sleep duration and mortality in community-dwelling older adults. Design: Prospective cohort with longitudinal follow-up for mortality outcomes. Setting: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Memphis, Tennessee. Participants: Participants in the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study (mean age 73.6 ± 2.9 years at baseline) were sampled and recruited from Medicare listings. Measurements and Results: Baseline measures of subjective sleep duration, markers of inflammation (serum interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein) and health status were evaluated as predictors of all-cause mortality (average follow-up = 8.2 ± 2.3 years). Sleep duration was related to mortality, and age-, sex-, and race-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were highest for those with the shortest (< 6 h HR: 1.30, CI: 1.05-1.61) and longest (> 8 h HR: 1.49, CI: 1.15-1.93) sleep durations. Adjustment for inflammatory markers and health status attenuated the HR for short (< 6 h) sleepers (HR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.83-1.34). Age-, sex-, and race-adjusted HRs for the > 8-h sleeper group were less strongly attenuated by adjustment for inflammatory markers than by other health factors associated with poor sleep with adjusted HR = 1.23, 95% CI = 0.93-1.63. Inflammatory markers remained significantly associated with mortality. Conclusions: Inflammatory markers, lifestyle, and health status explained mortality risk associated with short sleep, while the mortality risk associated with long sleep was explained predominantly by lifestyle and health status

Effect of rosuvastatin on outcomes in chronic haemodialysis patients - Design and rationale of the AURORA study.

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Aims AURORA (A study to evaluate the Use of Rosuvastatin in subjects On Regular haemodialysis: an Assessment of survival and cardiovascular events) is the first large-scale international trial to assess the effects of statins on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ESRD on chronic haemodialysis. Preliminary baseline data from the randomised population are presented. Methods A total of 2,775 patients from 280 centres in 25 countries were randomised into the study. Patients aged 50–80 years on regular chronic haemodialysis for at least 3 months before screening were eligible for inclusion. They were randomised 1:1 to receive either rosuvastatin 10 mg or placebo daily and assessed throughout the study. Results The mean age at baseline was 64 years. Most patients were male (62%) and 85% were white. The median time since commencing renal replacement was 32 months. Mean total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were 4.53 mmol/l (175 mg/dl) and 2.57 mmol/l (99 mg/dl), respectively. Conclusion Results from the AURORA trial will impact on the current guidelines and use of statins in this patient population