Porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder in surgical candidates for liver metastases: Prevalence, noninvasive diagnosis, and burden on surgical outcomes.

Chemotherapy can cause vascular and metabolic liver injury in patients with liver metastases, but scarce data are available. We aimed to (i) describe the prevalence of porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD) among patients undergoing resection for liver metastases; and (ii) assess whether liver (LSM) and spleen stiffness measurements could diagnose PSVD and predict postoperative complications. This is a prospective single-center study enrolling consecutive patients undergoing hepatic resection for metastases at a tertiary center.

Functional Abdominal Bloating and Gut Microbiota: An Update.

(1) Background: Functional abdominal bloating and distension (FAB/FAD) are common disorders of the gut-brain interaction. Their physiopathology is complex and not completely clarified, although gut microbiota imbalances play a central role. The treatment of FAB/FAD still represents a clinical challenge for both patients and healthcare providers.

Insights into Probiotic Prescription among Gastroenterologists and Other Healthcare Professionals: Evidence from an Italian Survey.

: Probiotics, which are live microorganisms that provide health benefits, have been extensively studied for their various clinical applications. However, despite their potential, high-quality data supporting their use in several gastrointestinal diseases are often lacking, and prescription behaviors can widely differ. This study aimed to assess different behaviors in probiotics knowledge and prescriptions among Italian gastroenterologists and healthcare professionals (HPs).

Endoluminal radiofrequency ablation with stenting versus stenting alone in patients with malignant biliary obstruction: a meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Background: Endoluminal radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a palliative treatment for patients suffering from malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of RFA on stent patency, patient survival, and adverse events.

Methods: Major databases were searched through December 2023 for patients who had undergone stenting with or without RFA for extrahepatic MBO.

Sarcopenia evaluated by EASL/AASLD computed tomography-based criteria predicts mortality in patients with cirrhosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: Sarcopenia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis, but its definition in current literature is very heterogeneous. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between mortality and sarcopenia evaluated by computed tomography (CT) in patients with cirrhosis, both overall and stratified for the criteria used to define sarcopenia.

Methods: Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched up to January 2023.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Loss of Vascular and Epithelial Integrity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Background & Aims: The pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifactorial and includes epithelial barrier dysfunction, a key element at the interface between the gut lumen and the deeper intestinal layers. Beneath the epithelial barrier there is the vascular one representing the last barrier to avoid luminal antigen dissemination The aims of this study were to correlate morpho-functional aspects of epithelial and vascular barriers with symptom perception in IBS.

Methods: Seventy-eight healthy subjects (controls) and 223 patients with IBS were enrolled in the study and phenotyped according to validated questionnaires.

Unmet needs in treatment of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease and prevention of recurrent acute diverticulitis: a scoping review.

Background: Diverticular disease (DD) represents a common gastrointestinal condition that poses a heavy burden on healthcare systems worldwide. A high degree of uncertainty surrounds the therapeutic approaches for the control of symptoms in patients with symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) and primary and secondary prevention of diverticulitis and its consequences.

Objectives: To review the current knowledge and discuss the unmet needs regarding the management of SUDD and the prevention of acute diverticulitis.

Microbiota modulation in disorders of gut-brain interaction.

Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) are common chronic conditions characterized by persistent and recurring gastrointestinal symptoms triggered by several pathophysiological factors, including an altered gut microbiota. The most common DGBI are irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation (FC) and functional dyspepsia (FD). Recently, a deep understanding of the role of the gut microbiota in these diseases was possible due to multi-omics methods capable to provide a comprehensive assessment.

Site and duration of abdominal pain discriminate symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease from previous diverticulitis patients.

Abdominal pain in patients with diverticular disease (DD) can be challenging in clinical practice. Patients with symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) and patients with a previous acute diverticulitis (PD) may share a similar clinical pattern, difficult to differentiate from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We used standardized questionnaires for DD (short and long lasting abdominal pain) and IBS (following Rome III Criteria) to assess clinical features of abdominal pain, in terms of presence, severity and length, in SUDD and PD patients.

Italian guidelines for the management of irritable bowel syndrome in children and adolescents : Joint Consensus from the Italian Societies of: Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Pediatric Nutrition (SIGENP), Pediatrics (SIP), Gastroenterology and Endoscopy (SIGE) and Neurogastroenterology and Motility (SINGEM).

The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), whose prevalence has widely increased in pediatric population during the past two decades. The exact pathophysiological mechanism underlying IBS is still uncertain, thus resulting in challenging diagnosis and management. Experts from 4 Italian Societies participated in a Delphi consensus, searching medical literature and voting process on 22 statements on both diagnosis and management of IBS in children.

The Role of the FODMAP Diet in IBS.

The low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide, and polyol) diet is a beneficial therapeutic approach for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, how the low FODMAP diet works is still not completely understood. These mechanisms encompass not only traditionally known factors such as luminal distension induced by gas and water but also recent evidence on the role of FOMAPs in the modulation of visceral hypersensitivity, increases in intestinal permeability, the induction of microbiota changes, and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as well as metabolomics and alterations in motility.

Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology Lectureship Dubai 2022 : Management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Diarrhea.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diarrhea (IBS-D) affects ~1% of the general population and is characterized by abdominal pain associated with diarrhea. IBS-D symptoms significantly impact the quality of life of patients. Major uncertainties remain regarding the optimal management of these patients.

as a predictive marker of response to probiotic treatment in non-constipated irritable bowel syndrome.

Probiotics are exploited for adjuvant treatment in IBS, but reliable guidance for selecting the appropriate probiotic to adopt for different forms of IBS is lacking. We aimed to identify markers for recognizing non-constipated (NC) IBS patients that may show significant clinical improvements upon treatment with the probiotic strain DG (LDG). To this purpose, we performed a post-hoc analysis of samples collected during a multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial in which NC-IBS patients were randomized to receive at least 24 billion CFU LDG or placebo capsules .

Identification and management of gastrointestinal manifestations of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis: Recommendations from an Italian group of experts.

Gastrointestinal manifestations are common across all hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv) genotypes. However, they are poorly specific, and their recognition as part of ATTRv is difficult, resulting in misdiagnosis with more common conditions. Moreover, delays in diagnosis occur because of fragmented knowledge, a shortage of centers of excellence and specialists dedicated to ATTRv management, and the scarce involvement of gastroenterologists in multidisciplinary teams.

Fecal short-chain fatty acids in non-constipated irritable bowel syndrome: a potential clinically relevant stratification factor based on catabotyping analysis.

The gut microbiota is believed to be a critical factor in the pathogenesis of IBS, and its metabolic byproducts, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are known to influence gut function and host health. Despite this, the precise role of SCFAs in IBS remains a topic of debate. In this study, we examined the bacterial community structure by 16S rRNA gene profiling and SCFA levels by UPLC-MS/MS in fecal samples from healthy controls (HC;  = 100) and non-constipated patients (IBS-D and IBS-M; NC-IBS;  = 240) enrolled in 19 hospitals in Italy.

Current and Novel Therapies for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases.

Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs) are an emerging group of pathological entities characterized by an eosinophil-predominant infiltration of different tracts of the gut in the absence of secondary causes of eosinophilia. According to the specific tract of the gut involved, EGIDs can be classified into eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), eosinophilic gastritis (EoG), eosinophilic enteritis (EoN), and eosinophilic colitis (EoC). The epidemiology of EGIDs is evolving rapidly.