Clinical Trial: Precise Administration of Sucralfate Powder in Prevention of Delayed Postpolypectomy Bleeding. A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background/aims: Delayed postpolypectomy bleeding occurs in approximately 1% to 2% of all patients undergoing colonoscopic polypectomy, and this rate increases to 6% in patients with large (>2 cm) colon polyps. Sucralfate can protect the mucosa and promote its healing. This study was conducted to investigate whether colonoscopic spraying of sucralfate powder on polypectomy wounds can prevent delayed postoperative bleeding.

Comparing immunotherapy effectiveness for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: infiltrative versus non-infiltrative types in real-world settings.

Background: Infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often associated with an unfavorable prognosis, posing a challenge in determining the optimal therapeutic approach. Immunotherapy, employing immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), has become a preferred first-line treatment for advanced HCC. However, the overall effectiveness of ICIs in patients with infiltrative HCC remains unclear.

The nonadherence and risk factors of eradication failure by sequential therapy as first-line anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment in real-world clinical practice.

Background: The eradication rates of sequential therapy are high in clinical trials; however, the adherence for follow-up or the patient population in a real-world setting might be different from those in trails. This study investigates the effectiveness of sequential therapy in a real-world setting and the factors that lead to treatment failure.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, patients receiving sequential therapy as a first-line anti-Helicobacter pylori (H.

Improving detection of obstructive coronary artery disease with an artificial intelligence-enabled electrocardiogram algorithm.

Background And Aims: To evaluate the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), the traditional approach involves assessing the patient's symptoms, traditional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs), and a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). However, currently, there are no established criteria for interpreting an ECG to diagnose CAD. Therefore, we sought to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled ECG model to assist in identifying patients with CAD.

Precise application of topical tranexamic acid to enhance endoscopic hemostasis for peptic ulcer bleeding: a randomized controlled study (with video).

Background And Aims: Peptic ulcer recurrent bleeding occurs in 20% to 30% of patients after standard endoscopic hemostasis, particularly within 4 days after the procedure. The application of additional tranexamic acid (TXA) to the ulcer may enhance hemostasis. This study investigated the effectiveness of TXA powder application on bleeding ulcers during endoscopic hemostasis.

Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors, alone or in combination, in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with macrovascular invasion: a single-centre experience in Taiwan.

Background: The presence of vascular invasion is associated with poor survival in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We compared the effectiveness of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), alone or in combination, in patients with advanced HCC.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of adult patients with unresectable HCC and macrovascular invasion (MVI) who were treated with HAIC or ICIs alone or in combination at a single centre in Taiwan.

Real-World Effectiveness of Sorafenib versus Lenvatinib Combined with PD-1 Inhibitors in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitors (MTKIs) exert a synergistic effect and are effective in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, precise data regarding the real-world clinical applications of these combination therapies in uHCC are lacking. This study compared the treatment efficacy of sorafenib versus lenvatinib in combination with programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors in patients with uHCC in a clinical setting.

Real-World Comparative Effectiveness of Nivolumab versus Pembrolizumab in Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are effective therapies for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, comparisons of the clinical efficacy and safety profile for these drugs are still scarce. Thus, the aims of this study were to investigate the differences in efficacy and safety between nivolumab and pembrolizumab in unresectable HCC patients in a real-world setting.

Patients And Methods: A total of 115 patients who received treatment with nivolumab (n = 73) or pembrolizumab (n = 42) in combination with or without tyrosine kinase inhibitors was enrolled.

Endoscopic ultrasound avoids adverse events in high probability choledocholithiasis patients with a negative computed tomography.

Background: The current guideline recommends patients who meet high probability criteria for choledocholithiasis to receive endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). However, adverse events can occur during ERCP. Our goal is to determine whether endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) before ERCP can avoid unnecessary ERCP complications, especially in patients with a negative CT scan.

Optimizing the MIC breakpoints of amoxicillin and tetracycline for antibiotic selection in the rescue therapy of H. pylori with bismuth quadruple regimen.

Purpose: H. pylori with triple-drug resistance (TR) to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin limits the success of rescue therapy. We aimed to identify the optimal breakpoints of antibiotic minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) to predict the success of rescue therapy for TR H.

Air kerma standard and measurement comparison on source strength determination for high-dose rate 192Ir brachytherapy in Taiwan.

This paper describes the establishment by the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER, Taiwan) of the reference air kerma rate (RAKR) calibration standard for measurement of high-dose rate (HDR) (192)Ir brachytherapy source strength. A bilateral comparison has been made in the RAKR standards for HDR (192)Ir brachytherapy sources at the INER and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB, Germany) and the measurement difference was within the overall standard uncertainty and showed good agreement between the two calibration standard systems established at the INER and the PTB. Besides, INER also worked with 20 domestic hospitals to organise an on-site measurement comparison programme to explore the status of HDR (192)Ir brachytherapy source strength determination in Taiwan.