Vonoprazan as a Long-term Maintenance Treatment for Erosive Esophagitis: VISION, a 5-Year, Randomized, Open-label Study.

Background & Aims: Acid secretion inhibitors are associated with hypergastrinemia, which can lead to gastric mucosal changes. Potassium-competitive acid blockers, such as vonoprazan, are more potent than proton pump inhibitors, but long-term safety data are lacking.

Methods: In this phase IV, randomized trial, patients with erosive esophagitis (EE) received induction therapy (once daily vonoprazan 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg; ≤8 weeks).

Construction of an Explanatory Model for Quality of Life in Outpatients with Ulcerative Colitis.

Introduction: To date, no studies have reported explanatory models of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with ulcerative colitis. Therefore, this study aimed to examine HRQoL and its related factors in outpatients with ulcerative colitis to construct an explanatory model.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey at a clinic in Japan.

Upadacitinib Induction and Maintenance Therapy Improves Abdominal Pain, Bowel Urgency, and Fatigue in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: A Post Hoc Analysis of Phase 3 Data.

Background: This post hoc analysis of a large, phase 3 program evaluated the effects of upadacitinib on fatigue, bowel urgency, and abdominal pain in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.

Methods: Induction data were pooled from 2 identical studies, the U-ACHIEVE induction and U-ACCOMPLISH studies. Patients in these studies received upadacitinib 45 mg once daily or placebo as induction treatment.

Exploratory Study of the Effectiveness of Granulocyte and Monocyte Adsorptive Apheresis Before Initiation of Steroids in Patients With Active Ulcerative Colitis (EXPECT Study): A Multicenter Prospective Clinical Trial.

Background: Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) has been used for therapy of steroid-dependent/refractory ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of GMA in UC patients not receiving steroids.

Methods: We conducted a single-arm, open-label, and multicenter prospective clinical trial.

Approach to the Seamless Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Considering Special Situations, Shared Decision-Making, and Disease Burden.

Background: While the number of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients has been steadily increasing, a lot of effective treatments have become available, including biological drugs. However, there still exists no effective treatment universally for all types of IBD patients. We have continuously discussed "Total Care" for IBD patients in the 3 consecutive annual meetings of the Japanese Gastroenterological Association from the 14th meeting to the 16th meeting in 2018-2020.

Efficacy of Granulocyte and Monocyte Adsorptive Apheresis in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Showing Lost Response to Infliximab.

Background And Aims: In inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients, antibody-to-infliximab [ATI] generation is responsible for loss of response [LOR] and infusion reaction [IR] to infliximab. An immuno-therapeutic approach is considered an option to overcome LOR. Granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis [GMA] using an Adacolumn has been shown to have clinical efficacy together with immunomodulatory effects in IBD patients.

Safety and effectiveness of granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in special situations: a multicentre cohort study.

Background: The available information on granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) under special situations remains unclear. We conducted a retrospective, multicentre cohort study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of GMA in patients with IBD under special situations.

Methods: This study included patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease who had at least one special situation feature and who had received GMA between November 2013 and March 2017.

Middle-term prognosis in patients with ulcerative colitis who achieved clinical and endoscopic remission by budesonide rectal foam.

Background: Budesonide foam is effective in inducing clinical remission in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with active proctosigmoiditis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the duration of remission and predictors of relapse in UC patients who achieved clinical remission and mucosal healing by 6-week treatment with topical budesonide.

Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, multicenter study with a 2-year follow-up period.

Development of a C1q-immobilized (Cim) assay to measure total antibodies to infliximab and its clinical relevance in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Determination of antibodies to infliximab (ATI) is desirable for the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who receive infliximab. Conventional ligand-binding ATI-assays detect only free-form of ATI, potentially increasing the proportion of patients with undetectable ATI, but with adequate trough infliximab (TRI) level who experience loss of response (LOR) to infliximab. We investigated this assertion using a novel ATI-Cim assay.

Correction to: Complete mucosal healing of distal lesions induced by twice-daily budesonide 2-mg foam promoted clinical remission of mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis with distal active inflammation: double-blind, randomized study.

In Fig. 2(c) of this article, the length of the "95% CI difference bars" under the items labelled "Left-sided and Pancolitis" and "Left-sided" under the heading "Disease type" was corrected. The correct figure is shown in the following page.

Complete mucosal healing of distal lesions induced by twice-daily budesonide 2-mg foam promoted clinical remission of mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis with distal active inflammation: double-blind, randomized study.

Background: Budesonide foam is used for the topical treatment of distal ulcerative colitis. This phase III study was performed to confirm mucosal healing and other therapeutic effects of twice-daily budesonide 2-mg foam in patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis including left-sided colitis and pancolitis.

Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

Comparison of efficacy of multimatrix mesalazine 4.8 g/day once-daily with other high-dose mesalazine in active ulcerative colitis: a randomized, double-blind study.

Background/aims: This study assessed the efficacy and safety of high-dose multimatrix mesalazine once-daily (QD) compared to another form of high-dose mesalazine.

Methods: In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind study, 280 patients with mildly to moderately active ulcerative colitis (UC) received multimatrix mesalazine 4.8 g/day QD or pH-dependent-release mesalazine 3.

Twice-daily Budesonide 2-mg Foam Induces Complete Mucosal Healing in Patients with Distal Ulcerative Colitis.

Background And Aims: Mucosal healing is an important therapeutic goal for ulcerative colitis. Once-daily administration of budesonide 2-mg foam is widely used for inducing clinical remission. No study has assessed the usefulness of twice-daily budesonide 2mg foam on mucosal healing in ulcerative colitis patients.

Metastatic lobular carcinoma of the breast masquerading as a primary rectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal metastasis of lobular carcinoma of the breast is a diagnostic challenge. It may macroscopically simulate primary colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease. In some cases, the interval between the primary breast cancer and metastatic colorectal lesions is so long that the critical records for diagnosis including history might be lost or missed.

A large-scale nationwide multicenter prospective observational study of triple therapy using rabeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Japan.

Background: In recent years in Japan, the rate of clarithromycin (CAM) resistance in Helicobacter pylori has risen to around 30%, and the eradication rate with triple therapy [proton pump inhibitor + amoxicillin (AMPC) + CAM] has been trending downward to around 70%. In 2007, rabeprazole (RPZ)-based triple therapy (RPZ + AMPC + CAM: RAC therapy) was approved in Japan, and a large-scale nationwide study was therefore initiated to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RAC therapy in clinical practice.

Methods: Patients with H.

A multicenter study of the efficacy and safety of leukocytapheresis therapy without concomitant systemic steroid treatment in patients with active ulcerative colitis.

We conducted a multicenter study to investigate the efficacy of leukocytapheresis (LCAP) without concomitant steroid therapy in active ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Twenty patients were enrolled. LCAP was performed twice a week for 3 weeks.

Endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage for posttraumatic intrapancreatic biliary stenosis in a child.

Bile duct injury caused by blunt abdominal trauma is rare and usually associated with liver parenchymal injury. The authors report the case of a 15-year-old boy with jaundice caused by a posttraumatic isolated common bile duct stricture without associated liver injury. Endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD) was performed and the jaundice disappeared 2 months after drainage commenced.

An open-label prospective randomized multicenter study shows very rapid remission of ulcerative colitis by intensive granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis as compared with routine weekly treatment.

Objectives: Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) has shown efficacy in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC). However, with routine weekly treatment, it may take several weeks to achieve remission, and to date, the efficacy of a more frequent treatment schedule remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of intensive GMA treatment in patients with active UC.

Superficially elevated-type serrated hyperplastic lesion of the stomach with minute adenocarcinoma.

We report a case of gastric serrated hyperplastic lesion with minute adenocarcinoma. A 65-year-old Japanese man underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection to the superficially elevated-type (0-IIa) lesion located at the lesser curvature of the gastric angle. Histological observation revealed hyperplastic change of foveolar epithelium with serrated glandular structure as well as a minute tubular adenocarcinoma component.

VEGF T-1498C polymorphism, a predictive marker of differentiation of colorectal adenocarcinomas in Japanese.

Background: Previously, MDR1 T-129C polymorphism, encoding multidrug resistant transporter MDR1/P-glycoprotein, was reported to be predictive of poorly-differentiated colorectal adenocarcinomas. Here, VEGF T-1498C, C-634G and C-7T polymorphisms, encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), were investigated in terms of their association with differentiation grade.

Methods: VEGF genotypes were determined by TaqMan(R) MGB probe based polymerase chain reaction and evaluated were confirmed by direct sequencing in 36 Japanese patients.

Relationship of BRAF mutation, morphology, and apoptosis in early colorectal cancer.

Background And Aims: Many investigators have reported flat and depressed lesions as a new type of precursor of colorectal cancer. In our previous study, we determined that mutations in the BRAF gene may contribute to colorectal carcinogenesis by inhibiting apoptosis. However, the relationship among BRAF mutations, morphology and apoptosis in early colorectal cancer has not been clear.