Predictive factors of spontaneous common bile duct clearance and unnecessary ERCP in patients with choledocholithiasis.

Background: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the first-line procedure for choledocholithiasis treatment. However, it is associated with a 10 % rate of adverse events. Spontaneous migration of common bile duct (CBD) stones occurs in 6-33 % of choledocholithiasis cases, making ERCP avoidable.

Autoimmune Hepatitis Induced by Hepatitis Delta Virus: A Conundrum.

Introduction: The association of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection with positive autoantibodies and autoimmune features has been known for decades. However, to date, very few cases of clinical autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have been reported in association with HDV infection, most of them being in the context of treatment with peginterferon.

Case Report: This case refers to a 46-year-old woman born in Guinea-Bissau who moved to Portugal in 2018 to investigate complaints of diffuse abdominal discomfort and nausea.

Risk factors for the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms in liver cirrhosis.

Background: Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are a reality that can alter the paradigm of treatment and prevention of infection in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC).

Objective: Identify risk factors for the occurrence of MDROs in patients with LC.

Patients And Methods: Prospective study from October 2017 to March 2018 in consecutively hospitalized patients with decompensated LC with infection.

The role of gastroduodenal stents in palliation of malignant gastroduodenal outlet obstruction, regarding the article by Alcalá-González et al.

We read with great interest the article of Luis Alcalá-González et al. This study reinforces the scientific evidence regarding safety and effectiveness of self-expandable metal stent placement for the palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). Our special interest in this topic makes us want to share the experience of our center and to strengthen some of the key points.

Vitamin D Deficiency in a Portuguese Cohort of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Prevalence and Relation to Disease Activity.

Background And Aims: Vitamin D deficiency is more common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients than in the general population. However, there are conflicting data about predictive factors of vitamin D deficiency and its potential association with disease activity. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of vitamin D deficiency and to evaluate a possible association with disease activity.

A Rare Cause of Abdominal Pain in a Patient with Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis.

Introduction: Walled-off necrosis (WON) is a potentially lethal late complication of acute pancreatitis (AP) and occurs in less than 10% of AP cases. It can be located in or outside the pancreas. When infected, the mortality rate increases and can reach 100% if the collection is not drained.

A rare acute thoracic manifestation of a chronic digestive disease: pancreaticopleural fistula.

Pancreaticopleural fistula is a rare complication of chronic pancreatitis. The diagnosis requires a high suspicion degree and its management frequently involves a multidisciplinary approach between gastroenterology and surgery.

Clinical and microbiological characteristics associated with mortality in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: a multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a prevalent and high mortality complication of cirrhosis. We aimed to describe these patients' clinical and microbiological characteristics and evaluate their impact on outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study including 139 consecutive patients with positive culture SBP from three Portuguese centers diagnosed between 2009 and 2014.