Endoscopic Ultrasound Quality Metrics in Clinical Practice.

Recent advances in endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), particularly EUS-guided tissue acquisition, may have affected EUS procedural performance as measured by current American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)/American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) quality indicators. Our study aims to assess how these quality metrics are met in clinical practice. We retrospectively analyzed 732 EUS procedures; data collected were procedural indications, technical aspects and outcomes, completeness of documentation, and malignancy staging.

Improved diagnostic yield of endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle biopsy with histology specimen processing.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) has emerged as a safe, efficacious alternative to fine needle aspiration (FNA) for tissue acquisition. EUS-FNB is reported to have higher diagnostic yield while preserving specimen tissue architecture. However, data on the optimal method of EUS-FNB specimen processing is limited.

Evaluating the risk of adverse events with interventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound procedures in cirrhotic patients.

Background: Hepatic cirrhosis is associated with greater adverse event rates following surgical procedures and is thought to have a higher risk of complications with interventional procedures in general. However, these same patients often require interventional gastrointestinal procedures such as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). While studies examining this scenario exist, the overall body of evidence for adverse event rates associated with ERCP/EUS procedures is more limited.

Optimal Timing of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in Acute Cholangitis.

Objectives: Acute cholangitis mandates resuscitation, antibiotic therapy, and biliary decompression. Our aim was to define the optimal timing of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for patients with acute cholangitis.

Methods: Clinical data on all cases of cholangitis managed by ERCP were prospectively collected from September 2010 to July 2013.

Delayed paracentesis is associated with increased in-hospital mortality in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Objectives: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is associated with high mortality. Early paracentesis (EP) is essential for rapid diagnosis and optimal treatment. The aim of the study is to compare the outcomes of patients with SBP who received EP vs.

Endoscopic treatment options for cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinomas are often locally advanced or have metastasized, and at the time of diagnosis individuals often have a poor prognosis. Endoscopic treatment options traditionally include biliary decompression via stenting to allow for systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with self-expanding metal biliary stents being preferred. Recent developments in locoregional therapy delivered endoscopically, such as photodynamic therapy and radiofrequency abalation, have shown promising results in improving patient survival.

Pre-ERCP imaging of the bile duct and gallbladder.

Advances in biliary imaging have improved making accurate diagnoses of the presence and causes of biliary obstruction. Abdominal ultrasound is a useful screening tool because it is highly specific for choledocholithiasis. New developments in CT and MRI have also been useful in the diagnosis of biliary disease.

Side effects after docetaxel treatment in Taiwanese breast cancer patients with CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and ABCB1 gene polymorphisms.

Background: Breast cancer patients initiating TEC (including docetaxel, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide) treatment were genotyped for CYP3A4, CYP3A5, and ABCB1 to identify variability factors of side effects for docetaxel.

Methods: The planned dose of docetaxel per course was formulated according to each patient's height and weight. Each participant had received TEC treatment for 6 consecutive cycles.

A case-control study of the HER2 Ile655Val polymorphism and risk of breast cancer in Taiwan.

Objectives: To investigate the HER2 Ile655Val polymorphism in relation to risk of breast cancer in a case-control study in Taiwan.

Design And Methods: The HER2 polymorphism at codon 655 was analyzed in 424 patients with breast cancer and 318 controls by using the polymerase chain reaction methodology, followed by the restriction fragment-length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis.

Results: There was a 1.

The association between lipid profiles and breast cancer among Taiwanese women.

Background: Breast cancer incidence increased seven-fold from 1979 to 2002, and it has become the second most common cancer in Taiwanese women. Although the relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and breast cancer has been studied, no consistent association has been explicitly confirmed. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between breast cancer and lipid profiles in Taiwanese women.

Interaction of genetic polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 2E1 and glutathione S-transferase M1 to breast cancer in Taiwanese woman without smoking and drinking habits.

P450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) are involved in the activation and detoxification of many potential carcinogens. Although, the interaction between environmental exposure and genetic polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) in breast cancer has been assessed, the gene-gene interactions between CYP2E1 and GSTM1 related to breast cancer have not been focused on and reported. We conducted a hospital-based case-control study to investigate whether the genetic interaction effects of CYP2E1 and GSTM1 modify the risk of developing breast cancer independent of the effect of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

Association between the apolipoprotein E genotypes and breast cancer patients in Taiwanese.

To display the association between the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and breast cancer patients, a cross sectional study including 291 patients and 148 controls was performed. The APOE genotypes were measured in all participants, and the pathological diagnosis, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) among breast cancer patients were collected. The results showed the APOE allele frequency in breast cancer patients was 11.

A study of glutathione status in the blood and tissues of patients with breast cancer.

Glutathione plays an important role in the antioxidant system that is required for the maintenance of the redox status of the cell, defence against free radicals and detoxification of toxic compounds. Reduced glutathione (redGSH) can be converted to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) during oxidative stress. The ratio of redGSH/total glutathione can be regarded as an index of the redox status and a useful indicator of disease risks.

Superoxide anion radical, lipid peroxides and antioxidant status in the blood of patients with breast cancer.

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide anion radical (O2(-)), plays an important role in carcinogenesis. The human body has developed different antioxidant systems to defend against free radical attacks. We investigated the changes of the antioxidant status in the blood of patients with breast cancer.