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Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) is the established endoscopic treatment for short strictures in Crohn's disease. Fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMS) have been used for endoscopic treatment of patients for whom EBD was unsuccessful. We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of the two endoscopic treatments in patients with Crohn's disease with stenosis and compare the mean cost of both treatments.This multicentre, open-label, randomised trial was done in 19 tertiary and secondary hospitals in Spain. Patients with Crohn's disease with obstructive symptoms and predominantly fibrotic strictures of less than 10 cm in length were eligible for inclusion. We excluded patients with stenosis treated with SEMS or EBD in the previous year and stenosis not accessible to a colonoscope. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either EBD (EBD group) or FCSEMS (FCSEMS group) using a digital en-block randomisation system (block size of four). In the EBD group, dilation was done with a CRE Boston Scientific (Marlborough, MA, USA) pneumatic balloon with the diameter set at the discretion of the endoscopist; a maximum of two sessions of dilation were allowed with a minimum interval of 15-30 days between them. In the FCSEMS group, a 20 mm diameter Taewoong (Gimpo-si, South Korea) fully covered metal stent was placed; stent length was set at the discretion of the endoscopist. The primary outcome was to assess the efficacy of the endoscopic treatment, defined by the proportion of patients free of a new therapeutic intervention (EBD, FCSEMS, or surgery) due to symptomatic recurrence at 1 year of follow-up. Patients were analysed according to the intention-to-treat principle. Adverse events were recorded for all the patients; events were considered associated to be with the procedure when a causal association was possible, probable, or definite. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02395354.From Aug 28, 2013, to Oct 9, 2017, we assessed the eligibility of 99 patients, of whom 19 (19%) patients were excluded. Thus, 80 (81%) patients were randomly assigned to treatment: 39 (49%) patients to the FCSEMS group and 41 (51%) patients to the EBD group. 33 (80%) of 41 patients in the EBD group and 20 (51%) of 39 patients in the FCSEMS group were free of a new therapeutic intervention at 1 year (odds ratio [OR] 3·9 [95% CI 1·4-10·6]; p=0·0061). Two (3%) of 80 patients had severe adverse events (one [2%] patient in the EBD group and one [3%] patient in the FCSEMS group); both patients had perforations.EBD is more effective than FCSEMS for Crohn's disease strictures, with a good safety profile for both treatments.Spanish National Institute of Health, Foundation of Spanish Society of Digestive Endoscopy, Catalan Society of Gastroenterology, and Taweoong.

Despite pharmacological advances, strictures in Crohn's Disease (CD) continues to be an important problem that leads in a high percentage of patients to undergo endoscopic and/or surgical treatments. There are currently no clinical scores or diagnostic tools that allow predicting which patients will develop this complication, and when a stricture is diagnosed, it is usually already well established and clinically relevant. The current role of pharmacological treatment is limited to treat inflammation and once there is significant fibrosis, the only therapeutic options are endoscopic and/or surgical. To establish a correct therapeutic algorithm and based on the current scientific evidence available, the Spanish Group Working on Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (GETECCU) has decided to conduct this position statement on the treatment of strictures in CD. This document embraces the three mentioned therapeutic approaches, medical, endoscopic and surgical. Recommendations and therapeutic algorithms are established to help us to choose the most appropriate option based on the characteristics of the stricture and the patient.

BACKGROUND: There is no information regarding the outcome of Crohn's disease (CD) patients treated with endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) in non-referral hospitals, nor on the efficacy of EBD in ulcerative colitis (UC). We report herein the results of the largest series published to date.; AIM: To assess the efficacy and safety of EBD for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) stenosis performed in 19 hospitals with different levels of complexity and to determine factors related to therapeutic success.; METHODS: We identified IBD patients undergoing EBD in the ENEIDA database. Efficacy of EBD was compared between CD and UC and between secondary and tertiary hospitals. Predictive factors of therapeutic success were assessed with multivariate analysis.; RESULTS: Four-hundred dilations (41.2% anastomotic) were performed in 187 IBD patients (13 UC/Indeterminate colitis). Technical and therapeutic success per dilation was achieved in 79.5% and 55.3%, respectively. Therapeutic success per patient was achieved in 78.1% of cases (median follow-up: 40months) with 49.7% requiring more than one dilation. No differences related to either diagnosis or hospital complexity was found. Technical success [OR 4.12 (95%CI 2.4-7.1)] and not receiving anti-TNF at the time of dilation [OR 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.6)] were independently related to therapeutic success per dilation. A stricture length=2cm [HR 2.43 (95% CI 1.11-5.31)] was a predictive factor of long-term success per patient. The rate of major complications was 1.3%.; CONCLUSIONS: EBD can be performed with similar efficacy and safety in hospitals with differing levels of complexity and it might be a suitable treatment for UC with short stenosis. To achieve a technical success and the short length of the stenosis seem to be critical for long-term therapeutic success.

Objectives The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the pancreatographic findings and dynamics of pancreatic duct diameter, as determined by secretin-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (S-MRCP), in patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis or chronic alcoholic pancreatitis and in a control group. Methods S-MRCP was performed in patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis who did not manifest the functional and radiological (ultrasonography and computed tomography) criteria of chronic pancreatitis (n = 21), in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (n = 28) and in a control group (n = 16). The diameter of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) was monitored before secretin administration and at 3 and 10 min after secretin administration. Morphological features were also assessed before and after the administration of secretin. Results All ductal diameters were significantly larger in chronic alcoholic pancreatitis (P < 0.0001). There were no differences in MPD caliber between patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis and the control group. The percentage of variation between basal MPD diameter and at 3 min post-secretin administration was lower in patients with chronic (35.5%) pancreatitis than in those with acute alcoholic pancreatitis (52.3%) and the control group (52.5%). There were no significant differences between patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis and the control group in terms of the frequency of visualization of side branches, ductal narrowing, intraluminal filling defects, and ductal irregularity. One patient with acute alcoholic pancreatitis presented ductal criteria of chronic pancreatitis following the administration of secretin. Conclusions The dynamics of MPD visualized on S-MRCP in patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis is similar to that observed in the control group and different from that observed in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis. There were no significant differences between patients with acute alcoholic pancreatitis and the control group in terms of morphological pancreatographic features.

To determine the prevalence of recurrence of gallstone pancreatitis, its clinical features, and the presence of prognostic factors of recurrence.From January 1, 2000 to August 31, 2003, 233 patients admitted with acute gallstone pancreatitis (AGP) were prospectively studied. Patients were divided into two groups: recurrent and nonrecurrent group. Clinical, analytical, radiological, prognostic parameters, and severity (Atlanta criteria) were assessed, along with the performance of cholecystectomy or endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES). Clinical features of recurrence were analyzed. Univariate (chi(2), Student's t-test) and multivariate tests were performed. Statistical significance was assumed if p0.05.Two hundred and eighty-six attacks were identified. Forty-two patients (18.2%) recurred, suffering 53 recurrent attacks, which took place within 30 days in 23.3%. Patients who did not undergo surgery after the first attack had 31-fold risk of recurrence (OR = 31.5%, CI = 95%[7.22-137.84], p0.001). In patients not operated, recurrence was more frequent if ES was not performed (37.04%vs 0%, p= 0.019). Among patients with surgical risk, none who recurred underwent ES, compared with 27.9% of those who did not recur. Patients in the nonrecurrent group underwent cholecystectomy within the first 30 days or ES more frequently (31.2%vs 7.3%, p= 0.001).Recurrence of gallstone pancreatitis is a frequent event. Delay of cholecystectomy implies an increased risk of recurrence. ES could be an acceptable option to prevent recurrence in patients who are not candidates for surgery or who do not desire to undergo cholecystectomy.

Background & Aims: The aim of this study was to establish a simple method to exclude the possibility of pelvic floor dyssynergia (PFD) in constipated patients and thus avoid unnecessary expensive physiologic studies. Methods: Patients with suspicion of functional constipation (FC) were studied prospectively between 1994 and 2002, excluding those with severe systemic, psychological, or symptomatic anorectal/colonic disorders or taking medications that might modify symptoms or results of studies. Diagnosis of PFD was established retrospectively by manometric plus defecographic findings according to Rome II criteria. Two groups of patients were identified: FC without PFD (FC group) and PFD group. A 30-day symptom diary and balloon expulsion test results were evaluated in all patients. Clinical differences and results of the expulsion test were statistically compared between groups. Results: Of 359 patients evaluated, 130 were included (FC group, 106; PFD group, 24). According to data from the diary, only anal pain was more frequent in the PFD group compared with the FC group (anal pain in >25% of defecations, 70.8% vs. 40.6%; P 2 test). The expulsion test was pathologic in 21 of 24 patients with PFD and 12 of 106 without PFD. The specificity and negative predictive value of the test for excluding PFD were 89% and 97%, respectively. Conclusions: The balloon expulsion test is a simple and useful screening procedure to identify constipated patients who do not have PFD. Symptoms are not enough to differentiate between subtypes of constipation.

Endorectal advancement flap repair is a well-recognized method for the treatment of complex anorectal fistula. The purpose of this study was to prospectively assess the clinical and functional results of endorectal advancement flaps for complex anorectal fistula and to identify factors that affect outcome.A prospective study of 56 patients was performed. Clinical and functional results were studied using the Wexner continence scale and anal manometry before and after surgery. Factors associated with recurrence and incontinence were analyzed by univariate and multivariate regression analysis.Sixty endorectal flaps were constructed in 56 patients. Mean age was 49 years (range 24-74). The fistula was of cryptoglandular origin in 91.1% cases. Mean follow-up was 43.8 months. The technique was repeated in four patients because of recurrence (7.1%), with subsequent healing in all cases. There were significant reductions in maximum resting pressure 3 months after surgery (83.6+/-33.2 vs 45.6+/-18.3, p0.001) and maximum squeeze pressure (208.8+/-91.5 vs 169.5+/-75, p0.001). Before surgery, five patients (8.9%) reported incontinence symptoms. After surgery, 78.6% patients had normal continence, seven patients (12.5%) complained of minor incontinence, and five (9%) had major continence disturbances. None of the variables studied (age, sex, previous fistula surgery, rectovaginal fistula, and Crohn's disease) affected the outcome of the procedure in multivariate analysis.Endorectal advancement flap repair is an effective technique for complex anal fistula, with a low recurrence rate (7.1%). Patients (21.4%) reported disturbed anal continence. It is still not possible to identify factors that are predictive of failure or incontinence.

Dental erosion has been considered an extraesophageal manifestation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, but few reports have studied the relationship between this disease and other periodontal or dental lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of dental and periodontal lesions in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.A total of 253 subjects were prospectively studied between April 1998 and May 2000. Two study groups were established: 181 patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and 72 healthy volunteers. Clinical assessment, including body mass index and consumption of tobacco and alcohol, was performed in all subjects, as well as a dental and periodontal examination performed by a dentist physician, blind as to the diagnosis of subjects. Parameters evaluated were: (a) presence and number of dental erosion, location and severity, according to the Eccles and Jenkins index [Prosthet Dent 1979;42:649-53], modified by Hattab [Int J Prosthes 2000;13:101-71; (b) assessment of dental condition by means of the CAO index; and (c) periodontal status analysed by the plaque index, the haemorrhage index, and gingival recessions.Clinical parameters were similar in both groups (p0.05). Age was statistically associated with the CAO index, presence of dental erosion, and gingival recession (p0.001, Student's t-test). Compared with the control group, the percentage of dental erosion was significantly higher in the gastro-oesophageal reflux disease group (12.5 vs. 47.5%, p0.001, chi2-test), as was the number and severity of dental erosions (p0.001, Student's t-test). Location of dental erosion was significantly different between groups. Age was not statistically related to either the amount or severity of dental erosion. CAO and periodontal indices were similarly distributed between groups.Dental erosion may even be considered as an extraesophageal manifestation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The fact that the prevalence of caries and periodontal lesions is similar in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and in healthy volunteers suggests a lack of relationship with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Background & Aims: Botulinum toxin is an effective treatment in idiopathic chronic anal fissure, but the long-term outcome after healing is not well documented. We analyzed the long-term outcome of patients in whom an anal fissure had healed after botulinum toxin injection and the factors contributing to recurrence. Methods: Fifty-seven patients who had completely healed 6 months after injection of botulinum toxin were reassessed every 6 months. The follow-up was 42 months in all patients. Clinical and manometric differences between the permanently healed and the relapsed group were statistically analyzed. Results: Four patients were lost to follow-up. A fissure recurrence was shown in 22 patients (41.5%). Statistical differences between the permanently healed and the relapsed group were detected when analyzing the anterior location of the fissure (6% vs. 45%), a longer duration of the disease (38% vs. 68%), the need for reinjection (26% vs. 59%), a higher total dose injected to achieve definitive healing (13% vs. 45%), and the percentage decrease of maximum squeeze pressure after injection (−28% vs. −13%; P Conclusions: The late recurrence rate of chronic anal fissure is high when the effect of botulinum toxin disappears. The highest risk of recurrence is associated with anterior location of the anal fissure, prolonged illness, the need for reinjection and for high doses to achieve healing, and a lower decrease of maximum squeeze pressure after treatment. GASTROENTEROLOGY 2002;123:112-117

OBJECTIVE: Eotaxin is a recently characterized chemokine with potent and selective chemotactic activity for eosinophils. Previous studies indicating that eosinophils accumulate and become activated in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) led us to hypothesize that eotaxin is potentially involved in the pathophysiology of IBD and, therefore, that eotaxin would be increased in the serum of patients with IBD. The objective of this study was to test those assumptions. METHODS: We investigated 72 patients with IBD, 35 with ulcerative colitis, and 37 with Crohn’s disease. A total of 27 patients had active and 45 inactive disease; 26 were receiving corticosteroids. Eotaxin serum levels were determined by solid phase sandwich ELISA. Lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocyte subpopulations were determined in fresh blood samples with an automated autoanalyzer. RESULTS: Serum eotaxin levels were significantly higher in patients with Crohn’s disease and in those with ulcerative colitis than in the control subjects (p < 0.0001). Patients with inactive Crohn’s disease had significantly higher levels of eotaxin than patients with inactive ulcerative colitis (p < 0.05). We did not find significant differences for activity or inactivity of disease, nor for treatment with prednisone. A negative correlation (p < 0.05) was found between eotaxin serum level and eosinophil counts in peripheral blood in patients with Crohn’s disease. CONCLUSIONS: There is an increased expression of eotaxin in IBD patients, suggesting that eotaxin may be involved in the pathogenesis of IBD. This increase is more accentuated in Crohn’s disease and negatively correlates with the eosinophil number in peripheral blood. Our data support the increasing evidence that eosinophil are functionally involved in the pathophysiology of IBD.

Antecedentes El examen de la Latencia Motora Terminal de Nervios Pudendos (LMTNP) se utiliza habitualmente para valorar la existencia o no de Neuropatia Pudenda (NP). Sin embargo, la utilidad de esta tecnica es motivo de controversia dado que unicamente evalua las fibras nerviosas de conduccion rapida. Objetivos Establecer la prevalencia de NP medida mediante la LMTNP en pacientes con Incontinencia anal (IA) y evaluar la relacion existente entre NP y funcion ano-rectal en estos pacientes. Metodos Se revisaron un total de 380 pacientes con IA, 348 (91,6%) mujeres, con edad media de 59 anos (rango 15–84 anos). Todos ellos fueron estudiados mediante ecografia endoanal, manometria ano- rectal, estudio de sensibilidad rectal, test de retencion intra-rectal de liquidos (1500 ml), asi como LMTNP. Ademas, un subgrupo de 121 pacientes completaron tratamiento con biofeedback (BF). Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados mediante el test t de Student para dos muestras independientes asi como el estadistico chi-cuadrado. Resultados Para un punto de corte menor de 2,2 ms como valor normal del estudio de LMTNP, 150 pacientes (39,5%) presentaron NP, siendo esta bilateral en 82 pacientes (21,6%). La NP, sea unilateral (unilateral vs no NP) o bilateral (bilateral vs no NP), no se asocia a una disminucion de la presion media de reposo, presion media de contraccion voluntaria o del indice de gravedad de la incontinencia (score de Miller). Tampoco se objetiva asociacion significativa entre la existencia de NP y anormalidades en la sensibilidad rectal ni con un menor porcentaje de retencion en el test de perfusion intra-rectal de liquidos (ver tabla adjunta). De los 107 pacientes que en ecografia endoanal presentaban un aparato esfinteriano anal intacto, un 35% mostraban un alargamiento de la LMTNP de forma unilateral, y un 20% bilateralmente, porcentajes similares a los encontrados en pacientes con lesion esfinteriana. Tampoco se ha observado relacion entre la existencia de NP y resultados clinicos tras tratamiento con BF. Se han obtenido resultados similares, al aplicar en el test de LMTNP un valor de corte de normalidad de menos de 2,4 ms. Conclusiones La NP evaluada mediante el test de LMTNP es una alteracion frecuente en individuos con IA y su presencia no se asocia con descensos en las presiones del canal anal, existencia de sensibilidad rectal patologica ni con disminucion del porcentaje de retencion intra-rectal de liquidos. Los hallazgos del estudio de LMTNP no son predictores de los resultados obtenidos con BF. Por todo ello, la LMTNP no puede ser recomendada para la evaluacion de pacientes con IA. PNTML resultados Presion basal (mmHg) Presion Contraccion Voluntaria (mmHg) Sensibilidad Rectal (ml) Retencion Liquidos (%) Bilateral ⩾ 2.2 ms (n=82) 52±28 105±52 35±19 47±27 Normal 51±26 104±54 34±21 49±28 Unilateral ⩾ 2.2 ms (n=150) 50±25 107±48 35±18 47±29

Introduccion El estrenimiento es un sintoma relatado por el paciente y el medico verifica que cumple los criterios consensuados para sentar el diagnostico de ECF. Para algunos autores el TTC seria el metodo objetivo para la definicion de estrenimiento. Objetivos Relacionar los datos clinicos recogidos mediante diario de 30 dias con el TTC determinado por marcadores radioopacos en pacientes con ECF. Material y metodos Grupo de estudio constituido por 220 pacientes diagnosticados de ECF (Roma II) de edad media 38,3±15 anos (IC95% 36,3–40,3, mediana 37 anos), integrado por 204 mujeres (38,4±15,2, IC95% 36,3–40,5, mediana 37) y 16 hombres (36,1±12,9, IC95% 29,2–43, mediana 31,5 anos). Se han recogido los datos sobre habito intestinal (frecuencia, consistencia de las heces, sintomas defecatorios, uso y tipo de laxantes) mediante diario de 30 dias y se ha determinado tiempo de transito colonico (TTC) con marcadores radioopacos; como valores de normalidad se han tomado los referidos por el Grupo Espanol de Motilidad Digestiva (GEMD) (transito lento > IC95%), ajustados por sexo. La comparacion de variables cualitativas se ha realizado mediante el estadistico chi-cuadrado y las variables cuantitativas por la t de Student para muestras independientes; se ha tomado como limite de significatividad estadistica una p Resultados El TTC medio es de 76,6±54,4 horas (IC95% 69,4–83,7, mediana 69,6 horas); superior en las mujeres (78,5±53,5) respecto a los hombres (51,9±47,1), sin alcanzar significatividad estadistica (p=0,055). Solo en el 32,7% de los pacientes se objetiva un TTC superior al IC95% del grupo de sujetos sanos (64,4 horas en hombres y 92,5 horas en mujeres) (GEMD): 33,8% en mujeres y 31,5% en hombres. En nuestro grupo de estudio, el sexo y la edad (cuartiles) no se relacionan con un TTC alargado (p=1.000 y p=0,652, respectivamente). En la Tabla se especifican las relaciones entre los datos recogidos en el diario (30 dias) y el resultado del TTC (normal/lento). Datos diario 30 dias TTC TTC > IC95% (n. 74) P Toma laxantes 84,9% 87,8% 0,425 Deposiciones/semana 5,90±3,79 4,53±2,10 0,005 Numero dias sin deposicion 10,43±6,62 14,49±6,17 0,000 % dias sin deposicion 36,97±22,74 51,39±21,39 0,000 % deposiciones bolas/duras 45,58±33,84 48,87±34,05 0,952 % deposiciones normales/blandas 51,39±33,52 51,23±30,07 0,974 % esfuerzo defecatorio 62,68±30,53 65,43±35,19 0,556 % evacuacion incompleta 47,32±37,62 41,99±39,60 0,337 % dolor anal con deposicion 35,34±35,29 35,85±40,13 0,925 % dolor abdominal con deposicion 30,08±34,64 42,56±39,91 0,026 Conclusiones El TTC aisladamente no puede utilizarse para la definicion de ECF en pacientes que cumplen criterios clinicos segun Roma II. Solo se observa relacion del TTC lento con la frecuencia defecatoria y dolor abdominal, pero no con las caracteristicas de las heces y sintomas defecatorios.

Late Recurrence Of Anal Fissure ARer Conservative Therapy With Botufinum Toxin Miguel Minguez, Dept of Gastroenterology, Univ Clin Hosp, Valencia Spain; Alejandro Espi, Dept of Surg, Univ Clio Hosp, Valencia Spain; Vicente Sanchiz, Isabel Pascual, Dept of Gastroenterology, Univ Clin Hosp, Valencia Spain; Eduardo Garcia-Granero, Dept of Surg, Univ Clin Hosp, Valencia Spain; Andres Pena, Francisco Mora, Pedro Almela, Vicente Hernandez, Paloma Lluch, Cirilo Amoros, Adolfo Benages, Dept of Gastroenterology, Univ Clin Hosp, Valencia Spain