Publications by authors named "Debra J Helper"

Background: Usefulness of thiopurine and scheduled infliximab combination therapy in non-immunomodulator (IM)-naïve Crohn's disease (CD) patients and the optimal length of dual therapy are still debated.

Aims: To determine proportion of patients developing disease flare requiring rescue therapy and risk factors associated with disease flare after de-escalation of IM from combination therapy.

Methods: Adult CD patients in clinical remission on combination therapy were identified from a large single-center database between 2002 and 2009.

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Background And Aims: Crohn's disease (CD) is typically diagnosed with ileocolonoscopy (IC); however, when inflammation is localized solely in the small bowel, visualization of the entire small-bowel mucosa can be challenging. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of a pan-enteric video capsule endoscope (small-bowel colon [SBC] capsule) versus IC in patients with active CD.

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter study.

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Background: The value of narrow-band imaging (NBI) for detecting serrated lesions is unknown.

Objective: To assess NBI for the detection of proximal colon serrated lesions.

Design: Randomized, controlled trial.

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Aims: Previous studies on the risk of lymphoma in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have yielded conflicting results. We aim to determine the incidence and risk factors for lymphoma in a large IBD population.

Methods: Patients with lymphoma were identified from a single-center IBD database.

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The aim of this study was to determine the factors predictive of the depth of maximal insertion (DMI) at double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE). Eligible patients from the DBE database at our institution were stratified based on their anterograde or retrograde approach. The factors predictive of the DMI were calculated using ANOVA, Spearman, univariate, and multivariate regression analysis.

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The choice of therapies for Crohn's disease has expanded greatly over the past 30 years. Increasingly it is important that we attempt to identify subgroups of patients who will benefit most from each type of therapy. This article reviews the therapeutic options currently available, organized by the goal the practitioner hopes to achieve.

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Background & Aims: The population prevalence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) is uncertain. Our aim was to describe the prevalence of BE in a volunteer population.

Methods: Upper endoscopy (EGD) was performed in 961 persons with no prior history of EGD who were scheduled for colonoscopy.

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Objective: Polyps are missed during conventional colonoscopy, even with meticulous technique. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a prototype wide angle colonoscope is associated with a reduced miss rate for polyps.

Methods: Two studies were performed.

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Background: Fundic gland polyps (FGPs) are now the most common gastric polyp encountered by endoscopists. However, they have minimal clinical significance. If they could be reliably predicted by endoscopic features, it might prevent the need for and cost of biopsy.

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