Evaluating no fixation, endoscopic suture fixation, and an over-the-scope clip for anchoring fully covered self-expanding metal stents in benign upper gastrointestinal conditions: a comparative multicenter international study (With Video).

Background And Aims: Fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMSs) are widely used in benign upper gastrointestinal (GI) conditions, but stent migration remains a limitation. An over-the-scope clip (OTSC) device (Stentfix {SF], Ovesco Endoscopy) for stent anchoring has recently been developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of OTSC fixation on FCSEMS migration rate.

Symptomatic gallstone disease: Recurrence patterns and risk factors for relapse after first admission, the RELAPSTONE study.

Background: Delayed cholecystectomy in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease is associated with recurrence. Limited data on the recurrence patterns and the factors that determine them are available.

Objective: We aimed to determine the pattern of relapse in each symptomatic gallstone disease (acute pancreatitis, cholecystitis, cholangitis, symptomatic choledocholithiasis, and biliary colic) and determine the associated factors.

Antiviral treatment does not improve subclinical atheromatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus.

Introduction: Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus is a risk factor for developing atheromatous plaques, although the possible effect of virus clearance is unknown. Our aim was to determine whether or not subclinical atheromatosis improved and there was any modification in the composition of the plaques 12 months after eradication of hepatitis C virus by direct-acting antiviral agents.

Materials And Methods: Prospective study that included 85 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection in different stages of fibrosis who were on direct-acting antiviral agents.

Predictive variables of sustained virological response after early discontinuation of triple therapy with telaprevir for genotype-1 HCV infection.

Background: Pivotal phase studies of telaprevir (TLV) and boceprevir (BOV) showed 10-56% rates of early treatment interruption. However, there have been no reports on the sustained virological response (SVR) rates of these patients.

Aim: To assess the SVR rate in a large cohort of patients who discontinued triple therapy with TLV or BOV for reasons other than stopping rules and to identify variables predicting SVR.