Adherence to guideline recommendations for Barrett's esophagus (BE) surveillance endoscopies: Effects of dedicated BE endoscopy lists.

For non-dysplastic Barrett's Esophagus (BE) patients, guidelines recommend endoscopic surveillance every 3 to 5 years with four-quadrant random biopsies every 2 cm of BE length. Adherence to these guidelines is low in clinical practice. Pooling BE surveillance endoscopies on dedicated endoscopy lists performed by dedicated endoscopists could possibly enhance guideline adherence, detection of visible lesions, and dysplasia detection rates (DDRs).

The Effectiveness and Safety of First-Line Thioguanine in Thiopurine-Naïve Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background: Currently thioguanine is solely used as treatment for inflammatory bowel disease after azathioprine and/or mercaptopurine failure. This study aimed to determine the safety, effectiveness, and 12-month drug survival of thioguanine in thiopurine-naïve patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in thiopurine-naïve patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with thioguanine as first thiopurine derivate.

Healthy Cotwins Share Gut Microbiome Signatures With Their Inflammatory Bowel Disease Twins and Unrelated Patients.

Background & Aims: It is currently unclear whether reported changes in the gut microbiome are cause or consequence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Therefore, we studied the gut microbiome of IBD-discordant and -concordant twin pairs, which offers the unique opportunity to assess individuals at increased risk of developing IBD, namely healthy cotwins from IBD-discordant twin pairs.

Methods: Fecal samples were obtained from 99 twins (belonging to 51 twin pairs), 495 healthy age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls, and 99 unrelated patients with IBD.

Associations of Pathogenic Variants in MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 With Risk of Colorectal Adenomas and Tumors and With Somatic Mutations in Patients With Lynch Syndrome.

Background & Aims: Lynch syndrome is caused by variants in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes and associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). In patients with Lynch syndrome, CRCs can develop via different pathways. We studied associations between Lynch syndrome-associated variants in MMR genes and risks of adenoma and CRC and somatic mutations in APC and CTNNB1 in tumors in an international cohort of patients.

Pre-to-post diagnosis weight trajectories in colorectal cancer patients with non-metastatic disease.

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that > 50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy gain weight after diagnosis. This may affect long-term health. Therefore, prevention of weight gain has been incorporated in oncological guidelines for CRC with a focus on patients that undergo adjuvant chemotherapy treatment.

No Difference in Colorectal Cancer Incidence or Stage at Detection by Colonoscopy Among 3 Countries With Different Lynch Syndrome Surveillance Policies.

Background & Aims: Patients with Lynch syndrome are at high risk for developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Regular colonoscopic surveillance is recommended, but there is no international consensus on the appropriate interval. We investigated whether shorter intervals are associated with lower CRC incidence and detection at earlier stages by comparing the surveillance policies in Germany, which evaluates patients by colonoscopy annually, in the Netherlands (patients evaluated at 1-2-year intervals), and Finland (patients evaluated at 2-3-year intervals).

Consequences of CT colonography in stenosing colorectal cancer.

Background: In patients with stenosing colorectal cancer (CRC), visualization of the entire colon prior to surgery is recommended to exclude synchronous tumors. Therefore, most centers combine computed tomographic colonography (CTC) with staging CT. The aims of this study were to evaluate the yield and clinical implications of CTC.

Smoking is Associated with Higher Disease-related Costs and Lower Health-related Quality of Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Smoking affects the course of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. We aimed to study the impact of smoking on IBD-specific costs and health-related quality-of-life [HrQoL] among adults with Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC].

Methods: A large cohort of IBD patients was prospectively followed during 1 year using 3-monthly questionnaires on smoking status, health resources, disease activity and HrQoL.

The Polyp Manager: a new tool for optimal polyp documentation during colonoscopy. A pilot study.

Background And Study Aims: Conventional reporting of polyps is often incomplete. We tested the Polyp Manager (PM), a new software application permitting the endoscopist to document polyps in real time during colonoscopy. We studied completeness of polyp descriptions, user-friendliness and the potential time benefit.

Evolution of Costs of Inflammatory Bowel Disease over Two Years of Follow-Up.

Background: With the increasing use of anti-TNF therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a shift of costs has been observed with medication costs replacing hospitalization and surgery as major cost driver. We aimed to explore the evolution of IBD-related costs over two years of follow-up.

Methods And Findings: In total 1,307 Crohn's disease (CD) patients and 915 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients were prospectively followed for two years by three-monthly web-based questionnaires.

Equivalent Helicobacter pylori infection rates in Lynch syndrome mutation carriers with and without a first-degree relative with gastric cancer.

Background: Patients with Lynch syndrome (LS) are at an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. In 2010, a guideline that recommended to screen all patients for Helicobacter pylori was implemented in the Netherlands. H.

Smoking is Associated With Extra-intestinal Manifestations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Smoking affects the course of disease in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to study the association between smoking and extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: We cross-sectionally explored the association between smoking and EIMs in IBD in three cohort studies: (1) the COIN study, designed to estimate healthcare expenditures in IBD; (2) the Groningen study, focused on cigarette smoke exposure and disease behaviour in IBD; and (3) the JOINT study, evaluating joint and back manifestations in IBD.

Increased Belching After Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Introduction: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is considered to be an effective procedure for patients with morbid obesity. Belching is frequently reported after this procedure, but it has not been well studied in the bariatric population. This study aims to assess the changes in belching before and after sleeve gastrectomy, as measured with impedance monitoring.

Self-reported disability in patients with inflammatory bowel disease largely determined by disease activity and illness perceptions.

Background: The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) disability index has recently been introduced to measure patients' physical, psychological, familial, and social limitations associated with IBD. We assessed factors related to self-reported disability and the relationship between disability and direct health care costs.

Methods: A large cohort of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) was prospectively followed for 2 years by 3 monthly web-based questionnaires.

Association between postprandial symptoms and gastric emptying after sleeve gastrectomy.

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is an effective bariatric procedure. However, postprandial symptoms can compromise its beneficial effect. It is not known if a changed gastric emptying and these symptoms are related.

Effect of sleeve gastrectomy on gastroesophageal reflux.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is effective as a stand-alone bariatric procedure. Despite its positive effect with regard to weight loss and improvement of obesity-related co-morbidities, some patients develop gastroesophageal reflux symptoms postoperatively. The pathogenesis of these symptoms is not completely understood.

Effect of aging on healthcare costs of inflammatory bowel disease: a glimpse into the future.

Background: Population aging is expected to result in a substantial additional burden on healthcare resources in the near future. We aimed to assess the current and future impact of aging on direct healthcare costs (DHC) attributed to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: Patients with IBD from a Dutch multicenter cohort filled out 3-monthly questionnaires for 2 years.

Risk factors of work disability in patients with inflammatory bowel disease--a Dutch nationwide web-based survey: work disability in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with high costs to society. Few data on the impact of IBD on work disability and potential predictive factors are available.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of and predictive factors for work disability in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Nocturnal and daytime esophageal acid exposure in normal-weight, overweight, and obese patients with reflux symptoms.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between BMI and esophageal acid exposure in a cohort of patients referred for esophageal pH monitoring. The contributing roles of hiatal hernia, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, and intragastric pressure (IGP) were investigated, with an emphasis on reflux in the supine position.

Methods: Esophageal manometry and 24-h pH-metry results were extracted from a prospectively collected database, and supplemental data (body mass, endoscopy results) from patient files.

Esophageal motor responses to increasing adjustment of an implanted gastric band.

Background: The adjustable gastric band is an effective surgical treatment to induce weight loss in patients with morbid obesity. We aimed to assess the effects of band placement and stepwise adjustment on esophageal motility, using high-resolution manometry (HRM).

Methods: Patients underwent esophageal HRM before and 6 weeks after gastric band placement.

Healthcare costs of inflammatory bowel disease have shifted from hospitalisation and surgery towards anti-TNFα therapy: results from the COIN study.

Objective: The introduction of anti tumour necrosis factor-α (anti-TNFα) therapy might impact healthcare expenditures, but there are limited data regarding the costs of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) following the introduction of these drugs. We aimed to assess the healthcare costs and productivity losses in a large cohort of IBD patients.

Design: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients from seven university hospitals and seven general hospitals were invited to fill-out a web-based questionnaire.

Quality of life after surgery for colon cancer in patients with Lynch syndrome: partial versus subtotal colectomy.

Background: Lynch syndrome is a disorder caused by mismatch repair gene mutations. Mutation carriers have a high risk of developing colorectal cancer. In patients with Lynch syndrome in whom colon cancer has been diagnosed, in general, subtotal colectomy instead of partial colectomy is recommended because of the substantial risk of metachronous colorectal cancer.