Diabetes Mellitus Negatively Impacts Outcomes of HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Thermal Ablation.

Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (DM) negatively impacts chronic hepatitis B patients, but its role in those with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing ablation remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the influence of DM on recurrence patterns and overall survival (OS) among patients with HBV-related HCC undergoing ablation.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 372 patients receiving thermal ablation for HBV-related HCC, including 96 (25.

Prolonged video capsule endoscopy examination durations can improve capsule endoscopy completeness.

Background: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is useful for managing patients with suspected small bowel diseases. However, the effect of prolonged CE examination time on CE performance is unknown.

Aim: To evaluate the completeness and diagnostic yield of prolonged CE imaging in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

Impact of HCV eradication on recurrence pattern and long-term outcomes in patients with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing radiofrequency ablation.

Background: The benefits of HCV eradication on distinct recurrence patterns and long-term hepatic outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) remain uncertain. This study aims to assess the impact of HCV eradication on HCC recurrence patterns and long-term hepatic outcomes after RFA and to identify predictors of recurrence in patients achieving sustained virological response (SVR).

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 274 patients receiving RFA for HCV-related HCC, including 73 and 88 patients treated with interferon-based (IFN) and direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy, respectively.

The alteration of fecal microbial and metabolic profile of gallstone patients in Taiwan: Single-center study.

Background: Gallstone disease is a common health problem worldwide. The role of the gut microbiota in gallstone pathogenesis remains obscure. Our aim was to evaluate the association and crosstalk between gut microbiota, gut metabolomic, and metabolic parameters in cholesterol gallstone patients, pigmented gallstone patients, and controls.

Early double-balloon enteroscopy was not related to better clinical outcomes in patients with suspected overt small bowel bleeding.

Background: Device-assisted enteroscopy has been used for over 20 years for the management of patients with suspected small bowel bleeding. Unlike esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy, the appropriate timing of enteroscopy is still unknown. In recent guidelines, early enteroscopy is suggested to maximize diagnostic yield and therapeutic yield in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

Assuring safety of fecal microbiota transplantation in the COVID-19 era: A single-center experience.

Background And Aim: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is used to treat recurrent or refractory infection (CDI). In the past, screening of fecal donors required surveillance of personal behavior, medical history, and diseases that could be transmitted by the blood or fecal-oral route. In addition, the exclusion of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) has been recommended since 2018.

Molecular testing-guided therapy versus susceptibility testing-guided therapy in first-line and third-line Helicobacter pylori eradication: two multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trials.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is an important causal factor of gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease and is associated with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and functional dyspepsia. In H pylori strains, point mutations in the 23S rRNA and gyrA genes are associated with clarithromycin resistance and levofloxacin resistance, respectively. Whether the efficacy of molecular testing-guided therapy is non-inferior to that of susceptibility testing-guided therapy for H pylori eradication is unclear.

Second-line levofloxacin-based quadruple therapy versus bismuth-based quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication and long-term changes to the gut microbiota and antibiotic resistome: a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Levofloxacin-based therapy or bismuth-based quadruple therapy are the recommended second-line regimens for Helicobacter pylori eradication after failure of clarithromycin-based therapy. However, resistance to levofloxacin has increased in the past decade. Furthermore, little is known about the long-term effects of H pylori eradication on the antibiotic resistome.

Gut microbiota and metabolites associate with outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitor-treated unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are promising agents for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC), but lack effective biomarker to predict outcomes. The gut microbiome can modulate tumor response to immunotherapy, but its effect on HCC remains unclear.

Methods: From May 2018 to February 2020, patients receiving ICI treatment for uHCC were prospectively enrolled; their fecal samples were collected before treatment.

Safety and importance of colonoscopy in nonagenarians.

Background: With the growth of the aging population, the need for colonoscopies in nonagenarians is rising. However, few data on colonoscopies in extremely elderly individuals are available. To better acknowledge the role of colonoscopies in this specific group of patients, we conducted this study to evaluate the safety and clinical impact of colonoscopy in nonagenarian patients.

Fecal microbiota profile in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Taiwan.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with complicated interaction between immune, gut microbiota, and environmental factors in a genetically vulnerable host. Dysbiosis is often seen in patients with IBD. We aimed to investigate the fecal microbiota in patients with IBD and compared them with a control group in Taiwan.

Differences in intestinal microbiota profiling after upper and lower gastrointestinal surgery.

Background: We aimed to investigate the long-term effects of metabolic profiles and microbiota status in patients after upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery and lower GI surgery and compared them with a control group.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in 10 patients who underwent curative total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy (RYEJ) anastomosis, 11 patients who underwent curative partial colectomy with right hemicolectomy (RH), and 33 age- and sex-matched controls. Fecal samples were also analyzed by a next-generation sequencing method.

Comparison of the effect of clarithromycin triple therapy with or without -acetylcysteine in the eradication of : a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Whether adjunctive -acetylcysteine (NAC) may improve the efficacy of triple therapy in the first-line treatment of infection remains unknown. Our aim was to compare the efficacy of 14-day triple therapy with or without NAC for the first-line treatment of .

Material And Methods: Between 1 January 2014 and 30 June 2018, 680 patients with infection naïve to treatment were enrolled in this multicenter, open-label, randomized trial.

Post endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography cholecystitis: The incidence and risk factors analysis.

Background: For decades, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has been widely performed as a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for biliary and pancreatic diseases. Complications of ERCP include pancreatitis, hemorrhage, perforation, cholangitis, and cholecystitis. There are few studies that focus on the incidence of post-ERCP cholecystitis and its potential risk factors.

Endoscopic papillary balloon dilatation less than three minutes for biliary stone removal increases the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis.

Objectives: The adequate duration for EPBD was unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of balloon dilatation duration of EPBD on the occurrence of PEP.

Methods: One hundred and ninety-eight patients with common bile duct (CBD) stone treated by EPBD were retrospectively recruited.

Accuracy of rapid Helicobacter pylori antigen tests for the surveillance of the updated prevalence of H. pylori in Taiwan.

Background: The updated prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is lacking in Taiwan. We aimed to assess the accuracy of Vstrip® H.

Effects of Aspirin or Clopidogrel on Colorectal Cancer Chemoprevention in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The effect of clopidogrel, whose mechanism of action differs from that of aspirin, on CRC risk remains unknown. We investigated the effects of clopidogrel and aspirin, either as monotherapy or combined, on colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We conducted a cohort study using Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.

Long-term changes of gut microbiota, antibiotic resistance, and metabolic parameters after Helicobacter pylori eradication: a multicentre, open-label, randomised trial.

Background: In first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori, we have previously shown that the eradication frequency was 83·7% (95% CI 80·4-86·6) for triple therapy for 14 days (T14; lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, and clarithromycin 500 mg, all given twice daily), 85·9% (82·7-88·6) for concomitant therapy for 10 days (C10; lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg, all given twice daily), and 90·4% (87·6-92·6) for bismuth quadruple therapy for 10 days (BQ10; bismuth tripotassium dicitrate 300 mg four times a day, lansoprazole 30 mg twice daily, tetracycline 500 mg four times a day, and metronidazole 500 mg three times a day). In this follow-up study, we assess short-term and long-term effects of these therapies on the gut microbiota, antibiotic resistance, and metabolic parameters.

Methods: This was a multicentre, open-label, randomised trial done at nine medical centres in Taiwan.

Short-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Hepatic Encephalopathy Risk in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis.

Objective: A window period of approximately 3-6 months is usually adopted in studies that evaluate hepatic encephalopathy (HE) risk in proton pump inhibitor (PPI) users. However, HE risk after short-term PPI exposure remains unclear. We explored the effect of short-term PPI exposure using a case-crossover study design.