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Background Cyanoacrylate (CYA) injection can be performed using a standard upper endoscopy technique or under endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) guidance alone or in combination with coils. There is little information available on the economic impact of these treatment methods. Aim To compare the cost-effectiveness of treating gastric varices by CYA injection via upper endoscopy vs coils plus CYA guided by EUS. Methods This was an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study. Patients were allocated into two groups: A CYA group and coils plus CYA group. The baseline characteristics were compared, and a cost analysis was performed. Results Overall, 36 patients were included (19 in the CYA group and 17 in the coils + CYA group). All patients in the CYA group had acute bleeding. They underwent a higher mean number of procedures (1.47 vs 1, P = 0.025), and the mean volume of glue used was 2.15 vs 1.65 mL, P = 0.133. The coils + CYA group showed a higher technical success rate (100% vs 84.2%), with a complication rate similar to the CYA group. The majority of CYA patients required hospitalization, and although the mean total per procedure cost was lower (United States $ 1350.29 vs United States $ 2978), the mean total treatment cost was significantly different (United States $ 11060.89 for CYA vs United States $ 3007.13 for coils + CYA, P = 0.03). Conclusion The use of EUS-guided coils plus cyanoacrylate is more cost-effective than cyanoacrylate injection when the total costs are evaluated. Larger, randomized trials are needed to validate the cost-effectiveness of the EUS-guided approach to treat gastric varices.

BACKGROUND Accurate detection of gastric infection by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and premalignant lesions are important for effective provision of treatment, preventing the development of gastric neoplasia. Optical enhancement systems with optical magnification improved the identification of mucosal superficial and vascular patterns in patients with dyspepsia. AIM To evaluate an optical enhancement system with high-definition magnification, for diagnosis of normal gastric mucosa, H. pylori-associated gastritis, and gastric atrophy. METHODS A cross-sectional, nonrandomized study from November 2015 to April 2016 performed in a single-tertiary academic center from Ecuador. Seventy-two consecutive patients with functional dyspepsia according to the Rome III criteria, were tested for H. pylori using a stool antigen test and were assigned to an Hp+ group or an Hp− control group. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy with high-definition optical magnification and digital chromoendoscopy was performed, and patients were classified into 4 groups, in accordance to the microvascular-architecture pattern of the mucosa. Interobserver and intraobserver agreement among operators were calculated. RESULTS Of the 72 participants, 35 were Hp+ and 37 were Hp−. Among 10 patients with normal mucosal histology in biopsy samples, 90% had a Type I pattern of microvascular architecture by endoscopy. Among participants with type IIa and type IIb patterns, significantly more were Hp+ than Hp− (32 vs 8), and most (31 out of 40) had histological diagnoses of chronic active gastritis. Two of the three participants with a histological diagnosis of atrophy had a type III microvascular pattern. The type I pattern predicted normal mucosa, type IIa–IIb predicted H. pylori infection, and type III predicted atrophy with sensitivities of 90.0%, 91.4%, and 66.7%, respectively. The intraobserver and interobserver agreements had kappa values of 0.91 and 0.89, respectively. CONCLUSION High-definition optical magnification with digital chromoendoscopy is useful for diagnosis of normal gastric mucosa and H. pylori-associated gastritis with high accuracy, but further studies are needed to determine whether endoscopic diagnosis of gastric atrophy is feasible.