Background & Aims: The prevalence and significance of digestive manifestations in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain uncertain. We aimed to assess the prevalence, spectrum, severity, and significance of digestive manifestations in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
Methods: Consecutive patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were identified across a geographically diverse alliance of medical centers in North America.
Background/aims: Fecal incontinence (FI) is a common complaint that increases in prevalence with age. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of FI and assess its severity by self-report in a male-predominant Veteran outpatient clinic setting.
Methods: An anonymous 28 item questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of veterans awaiting appointments.
Background And Aims: Reimbursement often presents a significant barrier to widespread adoption of innovative endoscopic devices. We aimed to determine the value (defined as cost savings to a payer) of endoscopic suturing devices in preventing the migration of esophageal stents placed for benign esophageal diseases.
Methods: A decision-analytic model was constructed from a payer perspective evaluating fully covered metal stent placement for benign esophageal diseases (fistula, leak, perforation, or stricture) in a hospital outpatient setting.
Background And Aims: Acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) is associated with increased rates of morbidity in pregnancy. Because there is a paucity of population-based studies evaluating ABP in pregnancy, we sought to investigate clinical outcomes in hospitalized pregnant women on a national level.
Methods: By using the Nationwide Readmission Database (2011-2014), we identified all women (age ≥18 years) with an index admission for ABP in the United States.
Background: Existing guidelines aim to stratify the likelihood of choledocholithiasis to guide the use of ERCP versus a lower-risk diagnostic study such as EUS, MRCP, or intraoperative cholangiography.
Objective: To assess the performance of existing guidelines in predicting choledocholithiasis and to determine whether trends in laboratory parameters improve diagnostic accuracy.
Design: Retrospective cohort study.