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Helicobacter pylori, first described in 1983 (1), is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections worldwide (2). It is mainly acquired in childhood, persists for life if left untreated, and can cause chronic gastritis, peptic ulcers and, in some cases, contribute to the development of gastric cancer later in adulthood (3–5). Vietnam has a high prevalence of H. pylori infection in adults and children (70%) (2). The incidence of peptic ulcer disease in children is on the rise (6–8), while the eradication effectiveness is decreasing mainly due to high antibiotic resistance (6,9,10). The important questions in H. pylori research remain what is the true burden of H. pylori infection in terms of its prevalence, the incidence of H. pylori-associated gastroduodenal complications, its antibiotic resistance patterns, and the effectiveness of treatment in Vietnamese symptomatic children?In this context, a prospective multicenter clinical series study was conducted at the two tertiary Children’s Hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest city to investigate the burden of H. pylori infection among Vietnamese children. Between October 2019 and May 2021, a total of 394 children were included with a mean age of 9.4 ± 2.5 years and 217 were girls (55%). Five gastric biopsies were obtained during endoscopy to perform H. pylori culture, histological examination, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect urease gene (ureA), virulence genes (cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA), vacuolating cytotoxin A (vacA genotypes)), and point mutations on 23S rRNA gene conferring clarithromycin resistance. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection was based on a positive culture or histological evidence in combination with a positive rapid urease test or a positive PCR assay of ureA according to internationally recognized criteria. An eradication treatment was prescribed for patients with confirmed H. pylori infection. After completion of therapy, a monoclonal stool antigen test was performed to, Doctorat en Sciences médicales (Médecine), info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease that typically affects the bowels but can also have many different extraintestinal manifestations. One of those complications is immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), which is one of the most encountered renal lesions in the setting of Crohn’s disease. Another point of focus for Crohn’s patients is the risk of cancer, with a higher risk of colorectal cancer but also extraintestinal neoplasia such as hepatobiliary, hematological, and urinary tract neoplasia. We present the case of a young patient suffering from long-term Crohn’s disease and subsequent IgAN leading to end-stage kidney disease and hemodialysis. The patient was diagnosed young and had undergone multiple surgeries and different treatments in various countries. He then presented in our center already with advanced chronic renal failure from IgAN that was unknown due to poor multidisciplinary follow-up. Shortly after starting hemodialysis, he developed a large abdominal mass, first thought to result from Crohn’s-related fistula. This mass turned out to be a urachal adenocarcinoma, a rare type of bladder cancer with an especially poor prognosis. It is not known whether this type of cancer is associated with either Crohn’s disease or IgAN, and no such association has been previously described. The treatment of urachal cancer usually relies on surgery, with the addition of chemotherapy in some cases. Unfortunately for our patient, his case was already so advanced at the moment of diagnosis that he was excluded from curative treatment and quickly passed away thereafter. This case illustrates many important aspects of the rigorous follow-up that is needed for Crohn’s patients, with regular checkups, screening investigations, and the need for multidisciplinary evaluation. Furthermore, it describes the development of a rare type of cancer in the setting of Crohn’s disease and IgAN, with no prior established link between these different pathologies., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Objective: This study evaluates the application of a plasma discharge for the decontamination and removal of bacterial biofilms in small-diameter polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubes. The latter simulates the environments of an endoscope working channel., info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Chronic liver disease (CLD) accounts for 2 million deaths yearly worldwide. Fatty liver disease (FLD) is the most prevalent cause of CLD and includes alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). FLD affects nearly 30% of the world's population. The two major risk factors for FLD are alcohol misuse and metabolic syndrome, including obesity and diabetes. Among that large population, only a fraction will progress to more severe stages. It includes decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Decompensated cirrhosis and HCC are highly refractory to therapeutic intervention. Identifying and characterizing at-risk populations for CLD-related complications are needed for proper and impactful prevention strategies and treatment. However, identifying at-risk patients is challenging due to the scarcity of relevant biomarkers. We aim through this thesis to identify risk factors associated with liver-related complications, specifically in patients with diabetes, severe forms of ALD, and decompensated cirrhosis. Firstly, we evaluated whether a novel machine learning-based classification of patients with diabetes could identify individuals with an increased risk of liver-related complications. In this study, we included 1,068 adult patients with diabetes. Using competing-risk analysis, we observed that patients allocated to the severe-insulin resistant (SIR) group and patients with excessive alcohol consumption at baseline have the highest risk for liver-related events. Furthermore, being a member of the SIR group, excessive alcohol consumption and hypertension were independently associated with clinically significant fibrosis, evaluated by liver biopsy or FibroScan. Secondly, we evaluated in another retrospective study whether, in ALD patients, severe alcoholic hepatitis (sAH) modified the risk and severity of infection compared to an alcohol-related cirrhosis (DAC) without sAH. A total of 207 patients were included (139 with, Doctorat en Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques (Médecine), info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Background and Aims: A biological papilla made of chicken heart tissue, incorporated into the Boškoski-Costamagna ERCP Trainer simulator, was recently designed to allow training in sphincterotomy. This study aimed to evaluate the face and content validity of this tool. Method: Participants from 2 groups (nonexperienced and experienced [<600 or >600 lifetime ERCPs, respectively]) were invited to perform standardized assignments on the model: sphincterotomy and precut for both groups and papillectomy for the experienced group. Following these assignments, all participants filled out a questionnaire to rate their appreciation of the realism of the model, and experienced endoscopists were also asked to evaluate its didactic value using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A total of 19 participants were included (nonexperienced, n = 10; experienced, n = 9). Parameters regarding the realism of the tool in terms of general appearance, sphincterotomy, precut, and papillectomy were overall considered realistic (4 of 5), with good agreement rates in terms of overall realism between groups. Experienced operators reported the highest realism for “positioning the scope and needle-knife in the field of view” and “during precut,” “cutting in small increments during precut,” and “controlling the scope during papillectomy,” and they highly agreed that this papilla should be included for training novice and intermediate trainees in sphincterotomy, precut, and papillectomy. Conclusions: Our results show good face validity and excellent content validity of this biological papilla combined with the Boškoski-Costamagna ERCP Trainer. This new tool provides a useful, inexpensive, versatile, and easy tool for training regarding sphincterotomy, precut, and papillectomy. Future studies should explore whether including this model in real-life training improves the learning curve of endoscopy trainees., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Portobiliary fistulas are rare but may lead to life-threatening complications. Biliary plastic stent-induced portobiliary fistulas during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography have been described. Herein, we present a case of portal cavernography and recurrent hemobilia after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in which a portobiliary fistula was detected in a patient with portal biliopathy. This likely indicates a change in clinical presentation (from bilhemia to hemobilia) after biliary drainage that was successfully treated by placement of a fully covered, self-expandable metallic stent., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterised by recurrent abdominal pain related to defaecation or associated with altered stool frequency or consistency. Despite its prevalence, major uncertainties in the diagnostic and therapeutic management persist in clinical practice. Methods: A Delphi consensus was conducted by 20 experts from Belgium, and consisted of literature review and voting process on 78 statements. Grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation criteria were applied to evaluate the quality of evidence. Consensus was defined as > 80 % agreement. Results: Consensus was reached for 50 statements. The Belgian consensus agreed as to the multifactorial aetiology of IBS. According to the consensus abdominal discomfort also represents a cardinal symptom, while bloating and abdominal distension often coexist. IBS needs subtyping based on stool pattern. The importance of a positive diagnosis, relying on history and clinical examination is underlined, while additional testing should remain limited, except when alarm features are present. Explanation of IBS represents a crucial part of patient management. Lifestyle modification, spasmolytics and water-solube fibres are considered first-line agents. The low FODMAP diet, selected probiotics, cognitive behavioural therapy and specific treatments targeting diarrhoea and constipation are considered appropriate. There is a consensus to restrict faecal microbiota transplantation and gluten-free diet, while other treatments are strongly discouraged. Conclusions: A panel of Belgian gastroenterologists summarised the current evidence on the aetiology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of IBS with attention for the specificities of the Belgian healthcare system (Acta gastroenterol. belg. 2022, 85, 360-382)., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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Background Motorized spiral enteroscopy (MSE) has been shown to be safe and effective for deep enteroscopy in studies performed at expert centers with limited numbers of patients without previous abdominal surgery. This study aimed to investigate the safety, efficacy, and learning curve associated with MSE in a real-life scenario, with the inclusion of patients after abdominal surgery and with altered anatomy. Methods Patients with indications for deep enteroscopy were enrolled in a prospective observational multicenter study. The primary objective was the serious adverse event (SAE) rate; secondary objectives were the diagnostic and therapeutic yield, procedural success, time, and insertion depth. Data analysis was subdivided into training and core (post-training) study phases at centers with different levels of MSE experience. Results 298 patients (120 women; median age 68, range 19-92) were enrolled. In the post-training phase, 21.5 % (n = 54) had previous abdominal surgery, 10.0 % (n = 25) had surgically altered anatomy. Overall, SAEs occurred in 2.3 % (7/298; 95 %CI 0.9 %-4.8 %). The SAE rate was 2.0 % (5/251) in the core group and 4.3 % (2/47) in the training group, and was not increased after abdominal surgery (1.9 %). Total enteroscopy was achieved in half of the patients (n = 42) undergoing planned total enteroscopy. In 295/337 procedures (87.5 %), the anatomical region of interest could be reached. Conclusions This prospective multicenter study showed that MSE was feasible and safe in a large cohort of patients in a real-life setting, after a short learning curve. MSE was shown to be feasible in postsurgical patients, including those with altered anatomy, without an increase in the SAE rate., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Endoscopic Mucosal Ablation (EMA) is a minimally invasive procedure which eradicates adiseased mucosa to enable regeneration to a healthy state. The procedure is used in clinical practiceto treat a precancerous condition of the esophagus called Barrett’s Esophagus (BE). Anotherpromising indication being studied is the treatment of the mucosa in the first part of the intestine(the duodenum) to improve conditions linked to insulin resistance, including Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus(T2DM) and Non-Alcoholic SteatoHepatitis (NASH). This work aims to propose an alternativetechnique for EMA, in order to improve the treatment of BE and propose a new treatment modalityfor T2DM and NASH. To this end, Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) is considered. CAP is anionized gas containing reactive species which produces a biochemical effect on tissues at ambienttemperature. Over the past two decades plasma treatment has proliferated mainly for the propertiesof its Reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen Species (RONS) on cells. RONS induce an oxidative stressand trigger signaling cascades, resulting in a large range of effects from stimulation (proliferation,regeneration) to cell death, notably by apoptosis, a natural programmed cell death which can reduceinflammation and post-op burden. CAP being a reactive gaseous medium, its diffusion would offera homogeneous, fast, safe, versatile and convenient way of treating large portions of mucosa withminimal complications. In order to assess the potential of CAP EMA, this thesis presents thedesign and optimization of a cold plasma generation, transport and application system followedby an assessment of safety, feasibility and efficacy of the procedure. After establishing the clinical,functional, and safety requirements, a plasma generation and transport system is presented. Itincludes a helium carrier gas ignited by a nanosecond pulsed high voltage generator in a DielectricBarrier Discharge chamber. The latter contains a copper wire to maintain the plasma activ, Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur et technologie, info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Background: Blind positioning of a high-resolution manometry (HRM) probe across the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) is not always possible. We report our experience using guidewire-assisted water-perfused HRM probe insertion when the EGJ could not be traversed. Methods: Retrospective study analyzing the failure rate of EGJ insertion during HRM, and reporting a series of guidewire-assisted procedures. Key Results: Among 2727 HRM procedures, the failure rate for traversing the EGJ was 2.7% (73 patients). The technique of guidewire-assisted placement of the HRM probe was used in 25 patients; it was well-tolerated and successful in all patients. No motility disorder was found in 6 patients. In four patients with previously diagnosed achalasia, achalasia subtype changed to type III in one patient. While a suspected motility disorder at barium esophagram and/or initial imperfect HRM tracing was confirmed in 10 patients, a new motility disorder was diagnosed in five patients using guidewire-assisted placement of the HRM probe. Conclusions and Inferences: In cases of inability to traverse the EGJ, insertion of a water-perfused HRM probe using an endoscopically-placed nasogastric guidewire allows successful EGJ and esophageal peristalsis assessment. Although motility disorders are often suspected using alternative diagnostic modalities, guidewire-assisted placement of HRM may be helpful for revealing them in patients where alternative diagnostic modalities are either unavailable or inconclusive., SCOPUS: no.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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Background & Aims: Severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a highly lethal condition and it is still a challenge to predict the outcome. We previously identified and validated a composite score of hepatic 123-gene prognostic signature and the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score: gene signature–MELD. However, the need for liver biopsy limits its clinical application. Therefore, we aimed to identify a plasma protein–based surrogate of the gene signature and independently validate its prognostic capability. Methods: All patients were diagnosed with severe AH at Cliniques universitaires de Bruxelles Hôpital Erasme (Brussels, Belgium), and the plasma samples were collected at admission before any treatment. The primary outcome was death or liver transplantation within 90 days. Using our computational pipeline, named translation of tissue expression to secretome (TexSEC), a hepatic-transcriptome–based prognostic signature was converted to a plasma-based secretome signature, which was optimized in 50 patients by comparing their hepatic molecular dysregulation status and combining it with the MELD score. The composite score was validated independently in 57 patients. Results: The TexSEC and optimization process identified a 6-plasma-protein panel as a surrogate for the 123-gene signature. A composite score with the MELD score, the plasma-signature (ps)-MELD score, was created by using the coefficients of the gene signature–MELD equation. In the validation cohort, the high-risk ps-MELD (n = 23; 40%) was associated significantly with death or liver transplantation within 90 days (adjusted hazard ratio, 4.57; 95% CI, 2.15–9.30; P <.001). The ps-MELD score showed a stable, high prognostic association (time-dependent area under receiver operating characteristics curve, >0.80) and was well calibrated over time; it consistently outperformed existing clinical scores as indicated by various model performance indices. Conclusions: The high-risk ps-MELD score was associated with, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background: Despite the therapeutic efficacy of Ustekinumab (UST) in Crohn's disease (CD), loss of response (LOR) is observed over time. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the UST pharmacokinetics (PK) at induction on clinical and endoscopic outcomes, as well as to find predictive markers of UST response. Methods: This retrospective study included 80 CD patients. Pharmacokinetics data (trough levels (TLs)) combined with clinical and biological parameters were fed into tailored logistic regression and tree-based ensemble techniques to predict clinical and endoscopic outcomes at one year of follow-up. Results: TLs at week 16 were significantly lower among patients with moderate to severe endoscopic activity during the follow-up (p = 0.04). The best model to predict endoscopic outcome was obtained at week 16 by Random Forest with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.92 ± 0.08, sensitivity 91% and specificity 75%, with key inputs such as lymphocyte and monocyte counts at week 8, and UST TLs and CRP at week 16. Conclusions: This real-world study confirms the relationship between early UST TLs and both clinical and endoscopic outcomes. Models were developed for the task of predicting clinical and endoscopic remission in CD patients treated with UST, highlighting the clinical relevance of UST TLs at week 16., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

La maladie du foie liée à l’alcool correspond à un large éventail de lésions hépatiques induites par la consommation chronique et excessive d’alcool s’étendant de la simple stéatose, à la stéatohépatite et la fibrose ainsi qu’à des formes plus graves comprenant l’hépatite alcoolique, la cirrhose et le carcinome hépatocellulaire. La consommation excessive d’alcool est un problème majeur de santé publique et la cirrhose alcoolique est actuellement la deuxième indication la plus fréquente de transplantation hépatique dans le monde. Evaluer le pronostic des malades porteurs de formes sévères de maladie du foie liée à l’alcool est une étape capitale afin d’optimaliser leur prise en charge. L’abstinence a un impact majeur sur l’évolution des malades quel que soit le stade de la maladie hépatique. Les malades hautement sélectionnés et présentant une forme sévère d’hépatite alcoolique ne répondant pas au traitement médical peuvent bénéficier d’une transplantation hépatique précoce. Les travaux réalisés dans le cadre de cette thèse ont permis de montrer que :- Les malades porteurs d’une cirrhose alcoolique ont un moins bon pronostic et développent moins fréquemment un carcinome hépatocellulaire que les malades porteurs d’une cirrhose d’origine virale C ou secondaire à une NAFLD. - Un modèle pronostique combinant l’abstinence, le score de Child-Pugh et l’âge prédit mieux la mortalité hépatique à 5 ans chez des malades porteurs d’une cirrhose alcoolique que le score de Child-Pugh ou de MELD qui sont les scores de référence actuellement utilisés en pratique clinique. - Il est possible d’utiliser des modèles de prédiction du risque de développement d’un carcinome hépatocellulaire en tenant compte de l’impact de la cirrhose alcoolique et en stratifiant les malades en différents niveaux de risque. - L’abstinence est un facteur pronostique majeur dans la cirrhose alcoolique impactant le devenir des malades à différents stades de leur maladie y compris lors de la survenue d’un carci, Doctorat en Sciences médicales (Médecine), info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Synchronization in pulse-coupled oscillators has been broadly studied under different perspectives. We present a game with simple rules to describe synchronization in such kinds of oscillators. This game, intended to describe easily how fireflies synchronize, constitutes a discrete model different from those based on maps, ordinary differential equations, or multi-agent systems. Our results on complete synchronization depend strongly on the used rules that we compare statistically. We also calculate the basins of attraction to quantify the importance of the initial conditions in reaching or not synchronization and the time intervals required for that., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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Background & Aims: The SALVE Histopathology Group (SHG) developed and validated a grading and staging system for the clinical and full histological spectrum of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) and evaluated its prognostic utility in a multinational cohort of 445 patients. Methods: SALVE grade was described by semiquantitative scores for steatosis, activity (hepatocellular injury and lobular neutrophils) and cholestasis. The histological diagnosis of steatohepatitis due to ALD (histological ASH, hASH) was based on the presence of hepatocellular ballooning and lobular neutrophils. Fibrosis staging was adapted from the Clinical Research Network staging system for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the Laennec staging system and reflects the pattern and extent of ALD fibrosis. There are 7 SALVE fibrosis stages (SFS) ranging from no fibrosis to severe cirrhosis. Results: Interobserver κ-value for each grading and staging parameter was >0.6. In the whole study cohort, long-term outcome was associated with activity grade and cholestasis, as well as cirrhosis with very broad septa (severe cirrhosis) (p <0.001 for all parameters). In decompensated ALD, adverse short-term outcome was associated with activity grade, hASH and cholestasis (p = 0.038, 0.012 and 0.001, respectively), whereas in compensated ALD, hASH and severe fibrosis/cirrhosis were associated with decompensation-free survival (p = 0.011 and 0.001, respectively). On multivariable analysis, severe cirrhosis emerged as an independent histological predictor of long-term survival in the whole study cohort. Severe cirrhosis and hASH were identified as independent predictors of short-term survival in decompensated ALD, and also as independent predictors of decompensation-free survival in compensated ALD. Conclusion: The SALVE grading and staging system is a reproducible and prognostically relevant method for the histological assessment of disease activity and fibrosis in ALD. Lay summary: Patients with alcohol-re, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Objective: The aggressive basal-like molecular subtype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) harbours a ΔNp63 (p40) gene expression signature reminiscent of a basal cell type. Distinct from other epithelia with basal tumours, ΔNp63+ basal cells reportedly do not exist in the normal pancreas. Design: We evaluated ΔNp63 expression in human pancreas, chronic pancreatitis (CP) and PDAC. We further studied in depth the non-cancerous tissue and developed a three-dimensional (3D) imaging protocol (FLIP-IT, Fluorescence Light sheet microscopic Imaging of Paraffin-embedded or Intact Tissue) to study formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples at single cell resolution. Pertinent mouse models and HPDE cells were analysed. Results: In normal human pancreas, rare ΔNp63+ cells exist in ducts while their prevalence increases in CP and in a subset of PDAC. In non-cancer tissue, ΔNp63+ cells are atypical KRT19+ duct cells that overall lack SOX9 expression while they do express canonical basal markers and pertain to a niche of cells expressing gastrointestinal stem cell markers. 3D views show that the basal cells anchor on the basal membrane of normal medium to large ducts while in CP they exist in multilayer dome-like structures. In mice, ΔNp63 is not found in adult pancreas nor in selected models of CP or PDAC, but it is induced in organoids from larger Sox9low ducts. In HPDE, ΔNp63 supports a basal cell phenotype at the expense of a classical duct cell differentiation programme. Conclusion: In larger human pancreatic ducts, basal cells exist. ΔNp63 suppresses duct cell identity. These cells may play an important role in pancreatic disease, including PDAC ontogeny, but are not present in mouse models., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal types of cancer with a dismal prognosis. The five-year survival rate has not changed significantly in over 40 years. Current first-line treatments only offer a modest increase in overall survival in unselected populations, and there is an urgent need to personalize treatment in this aggressive disease and develop new therapeutic strategies. Evolving evidence suggests that the human microbiome impacts cancerogenesis and cancer resistance to therapy. The mechanism of action and interaction of microbiome and PDAC is still under investigation. Direct and indirect effects have been proposed, and the use of several microbiome signatures as predictive and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic cancer are opening new therapeutic horizons. In this review, we provide an overview for the clinicians of studies describing the influence and associations of oral, gastrointestinal and intratumoral microbiota on PDAC development, progression and resistance to therapy and the potential use of microbiota as a diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarker for PDAC., info:eu-repo/semantics/published

INTRODUCTION: Pangenotypic, all-oral direct-acting antivirals, such as glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P), are recommended for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Concerns exist about the impact on efficacy in patients with suboptimal adherence, particularly with shorter treatment durations. These post hoc analyses evaluated adherence (based on pill count) in patients prescribed 8- or 12-week G/P, the impact of nonadherence on sustained virologic response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12), factors associated with nonadherence, and efficacy in patients interrupting G/P treatment. METHODS: Data were pooled from 10 phase 3 clinical trials of treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype 1-6 without cirrhosis/with compensated cirrhosis (treatment adherence analysis) and 13 phase 3 clinical trials of all patients with HCV (interruption analysis). RESULTS: Among 2,149 patients included, overall mean adherence was 99.4%. Over the treatment duration, adherence decreased (weeks 0-4: 100%; weeks 5-8: 98.3%; and weeks 9-12: 97.1%) and the percentage of patients with ≥80% or ≥90% adherence declined. SVR12 rate in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population was 97.7% (modified ITT SVR12 99.3%) and remained high in nonadherent patients in the modified ITT population (<90%: 94.4%-100%; <80%: 83.3%-100%). Psychiatric disorders were associated with <80% adherence, and shorter treatment duration was associated with ≥80% adherence. Among 2,902 patients in the interruption analysis, 33 (1.1%) had a G/P treatment interruption of ≥1 day, with an SVR12 rate of 93.9% (31/33). No virologic failures occurred. DISCUSSION: These findings support the impact of treatment duration on adherence rates and further reinforce the concept of "treatment forgiveness" with direct-acting antivirals., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Liver transplantation (LT) remains the only curative option for patients suffering from end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure and selected hepatocellular carcinomas and access to the LT-waiting list is limited to certain strict indications. However, LT has shown survival advantages for patients in certain indications such as acute alcoholic hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma outside Milan criteria and colorectal cancer metastases. These newer indications increase the pressure in an already difficult context of organ shortage. Strategies to increase the transplantable organ pool are therefore needed. We will discuss here the use of HCV positive grafts as the use of normothermic isolated liver perfusion. Belgian Liver Intestine Advisory Committee (BeLIAC) from the Belgian Transplant Society (BTS) aims to guarantee the balance between the new indications and the available resources. (Acta gastroenterol. belg. 2021, 84, 347-359)., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated 8, 12, or 24 weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir in patients with hepatitis C virus and end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis. METHODS: Primary efficacy end point was sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment. Primary safety end point was treatment discontinuation because of adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Ninety-four percent (89/95) achieved sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment. Six patients died during treatment (n = 4) or before study completion (n = 2); no deaths were related to treatment. No patients discontinued treatment because of AEs. Thirteen percent had serious AEs; none were related to treatment. DISCUSSION: Treatment with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir was safe and effective in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background and Aims: Motorized spiral enteroscopy (MSE) was recently introduced into clinical practice and shown to be safe and effective for antegrade enteroscopy. The aim of the current trial was to prospectively study the efficacy and safety of MSE for visualization of the entire small bowel. Methods: All consecutive patients with indications for complete enteroscopy meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled in a prospective observational bicentric trial, starting with antegrade MSE; a retrograde approach was performed if MSE remained incomplete from antegrade. The primary objective was to ascertain the total enteroscopy rate (TER); secondary objectives were diagnostic yield, procedural success, time, depth of maximum insertion (DMI), therapeutic yield, and adverse events (AEs). Results: Thirty patients (16 women, 14 men; median age 64 years [range, 37-100]) were enrolled. Technical success rate of antegrade MSE (advancement beyond the ligament of Treitz) and retrograde MSE (advancement beyond the ileocecal valve [ICV]) were 100% and 100%, respectively. Overall TER was 70%: 16.6% antegrade approach alone and 53.4% bidirectional approach. Median antegrade DMI distal from the ligament of Treitz was 490 cm (range, 160-600); median insertion time 26 minutes (range, 15-110). The median retrograde DMI beyond the ICV was 120 cm (range, 40-600), and median insertion time was 17 minutes (range, 1-68). Overall diagnostic and therapeutic yields were 80% and 86.7%, respectively. Overall AE rate was 16.7%. No serious AEs occurred. Conclusions: This prospective study showed that complete enteroscopy is feasible with MSE, either from antegrade alone or bidirectionally, with high success rates and short procedural duration. These results justify further evaluation of MSE in a large prospective multicenter study, preferably with inclusion of a control group. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03438695.), SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background A medical device that allows simple and safe performance of an endoscopic septotomy could have several applications in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We have developed such a device by combining two magnets and a self-retractable wire to perform a progressive septotomy by compression of the tissues. We describe here the concept, preclinical studies, and first clinical use of the device for the treatment of symptomatic epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum (EED). Methods The MAGUS (MAgnetic Gastrointestinal Universal Septotome) device was designed based on previous knowledge of compression anastomosis and currently unmet needs. After initial design, the feasibility of the technique was tested on artificial septa in pigs. A clinical trial was then initiated to assess the feasibility and safety of the technique. Results Animal studies showed that the MAGUS can perform a complete septotomy at various levels of the GI tract. In two patients with a symptomatic EED, uneventful complete septotomy was observed within 28 and 39 days after the endoscopic procedure. Conclusions This new system provides a way of performing endoluminal septotomy in a single procedure. It appears to be effective and safe for managing symptomatic EED. Further clinical applications where this type of remodeling of the GI tract could be beneficial are under investigation., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background & Aims: Benign biliary strictures (BBS) are complications of chronic pancreatitis (CP). Endotherapy using multiple plastic stents (MPS) or a fully covered self-expanding metal stent (FCSEMS) are acceptable treatment options for biliary obstructive symptoms in these patients. Methods: Patients with symptomatic CP-associated BBS enrolled in a multicenter randomized noninferiority trial comparing 12-month treatment with MPS vs FCSEMS. Primary outcome was stricture resolution status at 24 months, defined as absence of restenting and 24-month serum alkaline phosphatase not exceeding twice the level at stenting completion. Secondary outcomes included crossover rate, numbers of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCPs) and stents, and stent- or procedure-related serious adverse events. Results: Eighty-four patients were randomized to MPS and 80 to FCSEMS. Baseline technical success was 97.6% for MPS and 98.6% for FCSEMS. Eleven patients crossed over from MPS to FCSEMS, and 10 from FCSEMS to MPS. For MPS vs FCSEMS, respectively, stricture resolution status at 24 months was 77.1% (54/70) vs 75.8% (47/62) (P = .008 for noninferiority intention-to-treat analysis), mean number of ERCPs was 3.9 ± 1.3 vs 2.6 ± 1.3 (P < .001, intention-to-treat), and mean number of stents placed was 7.0 ± 4.4 vs 1.3 ± .6 (P < .001, as-treated). Serious adverse events occurred in 16 (19.0%) MPS and 19 (23.8%) FCSEMS patients (P = .568), including cholangitis/fever/jaundice (9 vs 7 patients respectively), abdominal pain (5 vs 5), cholecystitis (1 vs 3) and post-ERCP pancreatitis (0 vs 2). No stent- or procedure-related deaths occurred. Conclusions: Endotherapy of CP-associated BBS has similar efficacy and safety for 12-month treatment using MPS compared with a single FCSEMS, with FCSEMS requiring fewer ERCPs over 2 years. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT01543256.), SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background & Aims: Several endoscopic methods have been proposed for the treatment of large biliary stones. We assessed the comparative efficacy of these treatments through a network meta-analysis. Methods: Nineteen randomized controlled trials (2752 patients) comparing different treatments for management of large bile stones (>10 mm) (endoscopic sphincterotomy, balloon sphincteroplasty, sphincterotomy followed by endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation [S+EPLBD], mechanical lithotripsy, single-operator cholangioscopy [SOC]) with each other were identified. Study outcomes were the success rate of stone removal and the incidence of adverse events. We performed pairwise and network meta-analysis for all treatments, and used Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria to appraise the quality of evidence. Results: All treatments except mechanical lithotripsy significantly outperformed sphincterotomy in terms of stone removal rate (risk ratio [RR], 1.03–1.29). SOC was superior to other adjunctive interventions (vs balloon sphincteroplasty [RR, 1.24; 95% CIs, 1.07–1.45], vs S+EPLBD [RR, 1.23; range, 1.06–1.42] and vs mechanical lithotripsy [RR, 1.34; range, 1.14–1.58]). Cholangioscopy ranked the highest in increasing the success rate of stone removal (surface under the cumulative ranking [SUCRA] score, 0.99) followed by S+EPLBD (SUCRA score, 0.68). SOC and S+EPLBD outperformed the other modalities when only studies reporting on stones greater than 15 mm were taken into consideration (SUCRA scores, 0.97 and 0.71, respectively). None of the assessed interventions was significantly different in terms of adverse event rate compared with endoscopic sphincterotomy or with other treatments. Post-ERCP pancreatitis and bleeding were the most frequent adverse events. Conclusions: Among patients with large bile stones, cholangioscopy represents the most effective method, in particular in patients with larger (>15 mm) stones, whereas S+EPLBD could, SCOPUS: re.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Background and aims: Efficiency of a low FODMAPs diet (LFD) to relieve symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been proved in several studies. Our study aimed to evaluate the management of IBS-patients when explanations about LFD are given by the physician without dietician intervention. Patients and methods: Patients with IBS were evaluated prospectively after explanations about the LFD were given with the help of a leaflet. A first questionnaire evaluating trigger foods and diet acceptability was submitted to the patient after the consultation. Six weeks later, a second questionnaire evaluated patient’s understanding and adherence to the diet, the evolution of symptoms, and the need for a specific dietetic support. Results: Thirty-five patients were included (69% female; mean age 45±15). Seventy-four percent of the patients thought that their symptoms were related to food ingestion, and 97% were ready to go on a diet to improve their symptoms. During the second visit, 91% of the patients reported understanding correctly the explanations, 52% followed LFD regularly, 28% sometimes and 20% did not follow LFD at all or barely. Multiple non-adherence factors were reported. All symptoms, except constipation, decreased significantly six weeks after starting LFD. Finally, 77% of the patients reported satisfaction with care and 69% were willing to be supported by a dietician. Conclusions: Most IBS patients understood explanations given by GI physicians, but low compliance to the diet and a wish for dietician support was highlighted, suggesting that a dietician intervention should be scheduled when LFD is implemented. (Acta gastroenterol. belg. 2021, 84, 593-600)., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

In the above-mentioned article, the name of Enrique Rodriguez de Santiago has been corrected. This was corrected in the online version on June 17, 2021., SCOPUS: er.j, DecretOANoAutActif, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Main Recommendations 1 ESGE recommends that the initial assessment of patients presenting with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding should include: a history of co-morbidities and medications that promote bleeding; hemodynamic parameters; physical examination (including digital rectal examination); and laboratory markers. A risk score can be used to aid, but should not replace, clinician judgment. Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 2 ESGE recommends that, in patients presenting with a self-limited bleed and no adverse clinical features, an Oakland score of ≤?8 points can be used to guide the clinician decision to discharge the patient for outpatient investigation. Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 3 ESGE recommends, in hemodynamically stable patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding and no history of cardiovascular disease, a restrictive red blood cell transfusion strategy, with a hemoglobin threshold of ≤?7?g/dL prompting red blood cell transfusion. A post-transfusion target hemoglobin concentration of 7-9?g/dL is desirable. Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 4 ESGE recommends, in hemodynamically stable patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding and a history of acute or chronic cardiovascular disease, a more liberal red blood cell transfusion strategy, with a hemoglobin threshold of ≤?8?g/dL prompting red blood cell transfusion. A post-transfusion target hemoglobin concentration of ≥?10?g/dL is desirable. Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 5 ESGE recommends that, in patients with major acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding, colonoscopy should be performed sometime during their hospital stay because there is no high quality evidence that early colonoscopy influences patient outcomes. Strong recommendation, low quality of evidence. 6 ESGE recommends that patients with hemodynamic instability and suspected ongoing bleeding undergo computed tomography angiography before endoscopic or radiologic treatmen, SCOPUS: ar.j, DecretOANoAutActif, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Various non-invasive methods have been evaluated in chronic hepatitis B, but none of them have been fully validated for the assessment of liver fibrosis. The issued EASL-ALEH 2015 guidelines provide detailed algorithms based on LSM and ALT serum levels. The aim of our study was to validate the diagnostic accuracy of this algorithm and to better understand discrepancies. Four hundred and thirteen patients from 3 centres were retrospectively included. All included patients were classified for fibrosis stage according to results of a liver biopsy. The overall diagnostic value was expressed with AUROCs given with 95% confidence intervals for the diagnostic targets. For each diagnostic target, optimal cut-offs were determined according to the Youden method. For the population of patients with ALT9 kPa, respectively. For patients with ALT>N but ≤5N (n = 306), AUROCs of transient elastography were 0.79 (0.73–0.84) and 0.84 (0.75–0.92) for F ≥ 2 and F ≥ 3 diagnostic targets. The prevalence of significant fibrosis was, respectively, 15%, 52% and 85% when LSM was <6kPa, between 6 and 12 kPa or >12 kPa. Our study independently validates the EASL-ALEH algorithm based on ALT levels and LSM assessed by transient elastography., SCOPUS: ar.j, DecretOANoAutActif, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

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