Turkish Society of Gastroenterology: Pancreas Working Group, Acute Pancreatitis Committee Consensus Report.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a clinical condition that arises acutely in the pancreas through various inflammatory pathways due to multiple causes. Turkish Society of Gastroenterology Pancreas Working Group developed comprehensive guidance statements regarding the management of AP that include its epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, disease severity, treatment, prognosis, local and systemic complications. The statements were developed through literature review, deliberation, and consensus opinion.

Validity and Diagnostic Ability of Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency Questionnaire in Turkish Patients.

Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) is a prevalent disease that is often underdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to resulting in diminished health-related quality of life. The PEI questionnaire (PEI-Q), a patient-reported outcome questionnaire developed to diagnose and evaluate PEI, is available only in English. The study aimed to provide a Turkish translation of PEI-Q and validate its reliability and diagnostic performance in a Turkish-speaking population with PEI.

How effective are APRI, FIB-4, FIB-5 scores in predicting liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B patients?

Liver fibrosis is the most important factor in the prognosis and treatment plan of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis index based on 4 factors (FIB-4), and fibrosis index based on 5 factors (FIB-5) scores are noninvasive fibrosis markers, and previous comparative studies have shown that they are as effective as liver biopsy in detecting liver fibrosis in different liver diseases. The aim of our study is to investigate whether existing scoring systems are effective in demonstrating fibrosis in CHB patients and to compare the APRI, FIB 4, and FIB 5 scores in differentiating early and advanced fibrosis in 123 patients who underwent liver biopsy for CHB infection.

Parenteral Methotrexate Is Efficient in the Treatment of Azathioprine Refractory Crohn's Disease.

Background: There is limited data in the literature analyzing the efficacy of methotrexate in Crohn's disease used after thiopurine analogs. We aimed in our study to show the efficacy of methotrexate in Crohn's disease patients who failed to respond to thiopurine treatment.

Methods: The study included 29 azathioprine refractory patients with Crohn's disease.

The Efficacy of Biofeedback Therapy in Patients with Solitary Rectal Ulcer and Dyssynergic Defecation.

Background: The treatment of solitary rectal ulcer (SRU) is challenging and controversial; generally, no response to conventional treatments can be obtained, particularly in patients with dyssynergic defecation (DD). We assessed the efficiency of biofeedback therapy (BFT) in patients who did not respond to conservative treatments and had coexistence of SRU and DD.

Methods: BFT responses, as well as anorectal manometry and rectoscopy results of 20 patients with the coexistence of SRU and DD, were assessed.

Turkish IBD Organization's Position Statement on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Management Recommendations During COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has resulted in high mortality and morbidity worldwide and is still a growing problem. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease for which a substantial number of patients are treated with immunosuppressive medications, either occasionally or long-term. Despite the accumulating evidence, there is still a lack of knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on IBD patients, especially those who are under immunosuppressive treatment.

Comparison of clinical outcomes and FOXP3, IL-17A responses in Helicobacter pylori infection in children versus adults.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical symptoms and pathological consequences of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection between children and adults and determine the levels of expression of FOX3P and IL-17A to examine the Th17/Treg balance.

Methods: Forty pediatric and 40 adult patients who were followed up at the Pediatric Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Gastroenterology Departments were enrolled in the study.

Platelet-to-lymphocyte Ratio and Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte Ratio Predict Mucosal Disease Severity in Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: We investigated the sensitivity of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as well as a combination of NLR and PLR to predict endoscopic disease severity based on mucosal assessment in ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: The study group consisted 104 patients with active UC, 104 patients in remission, and 105 healthy individuals. Disease activity was described with Rachmilewitz endoscopic activity index (EAI).

Treatment of reflux disease during pregnancy and lactation.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is frequently seen during pregnancy. In the medical treatment of pregnant women with GERD, alginic acid and sucralfate can be used. Calcium- and magnesium-based antacids can also be used, particularly for patients with preeclampsia.

Medical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most effective agents in the first-line and maintenance treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. As the grade of esophagitis increases, an increase is also observed in the level of endoscopic response to PPIs. In the first-line therapy of patients with severe esophagitis (Los Angeles (LA) Grade C-D), administration of a standard dose of PPIs bid has been reported to be more beneficial than PPIs qd.

The role of lifestyle changes in gastroesophageal reflux diseases treatment.

Lifestyle modification has an important role in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The development of GERD symptoms with various foods shows individual differences. Although there is not enough evidence that certain substances in a diet could lead to GERD symptoms, the literature suggests that there might be a relationship between reflux development and salt, salted foods, chocolate, fatty foods, and fizzy drinks.

Is Gastric Xanthelasma an Alarming Endoscopic Marker for Advanced Atrophic Gastritis and Intestinal Metaplasia?

Background/aim: The clinical significance of gastric xanthelasmas is unknown. We conducted a case-control study in order to evaluate whether gastric xanthelasma is an indicator of advanced atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia.

Material And Method: The study was conducted among 1400 patients who underwent elective upper endoscopy.

The impact of Helicobacter pylori eradication on serum hepcidin-25 level and iron parameters in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

Background And Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bismuth-based quadruple regiment as a first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication in patients with unexplained iron deficiency anemia (IDA). The serum hepcidin-25, iron, ferritin levels and total iron-binding capacity were evaluated at baseline and after H.

Severe gastritis decreases success rate of Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Background: In several studies, different risk factors other than antibiotic resistance have been documented with Helicobacter pylori eradication failure. We aimed in this study to investigate the relationship of gastric density of H. pylori, the occurrence/degree of gastric atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia (IM) with success rate of H.

Can Serum ST2 Levels Be Used as a Marker of Fibrosis in Chronic Hepatitis B Infection?

Interleukin 33 (IL-33) is a cytokine belonging to the IL-1 superfamily. Soluble ST2 (sST2) binds to IL-33 and by functioning as trap receptor inhibits signal sending to Th2 via transmembrane ST2. Because Th2-type cytokines play an important role in fibrosis, the aim of this study is to determine whether sST2 can be used as a marker of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients or not.

Comparative assessment of prognostic value for revised-Mayo risk model and Child-Pugh score in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to compare the utility of the revised Mayo risk model (rMRM) and Child-Pugh scores (CPSs) for predicting the prognosis of disease in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).

Materials And Methods: Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group I (37 patients; alive and not requiring liver transplantation) and Group II (8 patients; deceased or requiring liver transplantation). rMRM suggests the possible survival percentage over a 4-year period.

Clinical course and predictors of total colectomy in ulcerative colitis; a referral center experience from Turkey.

Background/aims: We aimed to describe the clinical course of Ulcerative colitis (UC) and the factors that predict the need for total colectomy in Turkish patients with severe UC receiving regular follow up.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics of 612 patients with UC receiving regular follow up between 1994 and 2010 in a tertiary referral center in Ankara.

Results: Men accounted for 58% of patients (M:F ratio, 1.