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Objective: Asymptomatic pancreatic cysts are frequently diagnosed on cross-sectional imaging. Recently, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has put forth guidelines regarding management of these cysts. To date, there is no strong data to indicate whether these guidelines will accurately identify malignancy and mitigate unnecessary endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) procedures. The aim of this investigation was to apply the 2015 AGA guidelines to a retrospective cohort of asymptomatic pancreatic cysts in a large regional referral center. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with asymptomatic pancreatic cysts who underwent EUS with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) over a 3-year period. We applied current AGA guidelines to determine how many EUS procedures would be avoided, and further assessed whether the guidelines adequately identified cases of malignancy. Results: Forty-five patients were identified who underwent EUS FNA for an asymptomatic pancreatic cyst from 2011 to 2014. The mean age was 65 years, and the mean size cyst size was 2.8 cm. According to the 2015 AGA guidelines, EUS was indicated in 13 of the 45 patients and surveillance imaging in the remaining 32 patients. 3 of these 32 patients had atypical cytology on EUS FNA, and final histology showed adenocarcinoma in 2 patients and IMPN with high-grade dysplasia in 1 patient. Conclusion: Applying AGA guidelines in this study cohort would have prevented 32 out of 45 (71%) EUS procedures; however, 3 of these 32 patients had early occult malignancy. This data suggest that additional strategies are needed to identify those patients at high risk.

Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS), also known as encephalotrigeminal angiomatosis, a sporadic, non-familial, congenital disorder consists of congenital hamartomatous malformations that may affect the eye, skin and central nervous system at different times. Sturge-Weber syndrome is classified as 1) Complete trisymptomatic: - when all three organ systems i.e. eye, skin and CNS are involved 2) Incomplete bisymptomatic:- when the involvement is either oculocutaneous or neurocutaneous, and 3) Incomplete monosymptomatic: when there is only neural or cutaneous involvement. Failure of proper vascular development is believed to be the most likely cause of this condition. The malformed blood vessels or hemangiomas may lead to port-wine stain, epilepsy and glaucoma depending on its location. Three classic variants with typical findings are discussed.

Lettera: non c'e' abstract

Background and Aims: The GEMINI long-term safety (LTS) study is a continuing phase 3 trial investigating the safety and efficacy of vedolizumab, an α4β7 integrin antagonist for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease. We provide an interim analysis of efficacy in patients with UC. Methods: Patients from the C13004 and GEMINI 1 studies and a cohort of vedolizumab-naive patients received open-label vedolizumab every 4 weeks. Interim data were collected from 22 May 2009 to 27 June 2013. Clinical response and remission, evaluated using partial Mayo scores, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) were assessed for up to 152 weeks of cumulative treatment in the efficacy population. Results: As of 27 June 2013, 63% of the efficacy population (n=532/845) were continuing treatment. Among patients who responded to vedolizumab induction and had data available, 88% (n=120/136) were in remission after 104 weeks of exposure (96% [n=70/73] after 152 weeks). Among patients who withdrew from every-8-week vedolizumab maintenance in GEMINI 1 (n=32) before week 52, increased dosing to every 4 weeks in GEMINI LTS resulted in response and remission rates of 41% and 28%, respectively, after 52 weeks, an increase from 19% and 6%, respectively, from before the dose increase. Similar benefits were demonstrated regardless of prior tumour necrosis factor-antagonist exposure. Durable benefits on HRQL were also observed. Conclusions: Patients with UC experienced clinical and HRQL improvements with continued vedolizumab treatment. Increased dosing frequency to every 4 weeks was beneficial in patients who had loss of response to 8-weekly dosing. ClinicalTrials.gov ID [NCT00790933][1] [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT00790933&atom=%2Feccojc%2Fearly%2F2016%2F09%2F28%2Fecco-jcc.jjw177.atom

Background and Aims: Vedolizumab is a gut-selective α4β7 integrin antagonist therapy for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The GEMINI long-term safety (LTS) trial is an ongoing open-label study investigating the safety of vedolizumab. We present interim exploratory analyses of efficacy in patients with Crohn’s disease. Methods: Patients from the C13004, GEMINI 2, and GEMINI 3 studies and vedolizumab-naive patients could enrol in GEMINI LTS and received vedolizumab every 4 weeks. Data were collected from 22 May 2009 to 27 June 2013. Outcomes of clinical response and remission, defined by the Harvey-Bradshaw Index, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) were assessed for up to 152 weeks of treatment in the efficacy population. Results: Among patients with response at week 6 in GEMINI 2 who received vedolizumab continuously, 83% (n=100/120) and 89% (n=62/70) of patients with available data were in remission after 104 and 152 weeks, respectively. Increased dosing frequency from every 8 weeks (GEMINI 2) to every 4 weeks (GEMINI LTS) improved outcomes in patients who had withdrawn early from GEMINI 2, with 47% (n=27/57) experiencing clinical response and 32% (n=18/57) in remission at week 52 of GEMINI LTS (up from 39% and 4% before the dose increase). Similar improvements were observed regardless of prior tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-antagonist exposure. Long-term benefits of HRQL were also observed. Conclusions: The clinical benefits of vedolizumab continued with long-term treatment regardless of prior TNF antagonist exposure. Increased dosing frequency might improve outcomes in patients who lose response to conventional 8-weekly dosing. ClinicalTrials.gov ID [NCT00790933][1] [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT00790933&atom=%2Feccojc%2Fearly%2F2016%2F09%2F28%2Fecco-jcc.jjw176.atom