Outcomes in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices, Pacemakers, and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators Undergoing Single Balloon Enteroscopy.

Objectives: Obscure overt gastrointestinal bleeding can be challenging to evaluate in patients with electronic cardiac devices such as continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), pacemakers (PPMs), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Limited data exist on the utility and safety of single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) in patients with cardiac devices. We aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, diagnostic, and therapeutic outcomes of the aforementioned devices in patients undergoing SBE.

Role of Esophageal Metal Stents Placement and Combination Therapy in Inoperable Esophageal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Introduction: More than 50% of patients with esophageal cancer already have inoperable disease at the time of diagnosis. Controversy surrounds the outcomes of patients with advanced esophageal cancer who receive palliative care by either stent alone or stent plus an additional modality. We set out to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the use of metal stents as treatment options for symptomatic improvement, survival, and adverse events.

Efficacy of Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication vs Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication or Proton Pump Inhibitors in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: The effects of transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF) have been compared with those of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) or a sham procedure in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but there has been no direct comparison of TIF vs LNF. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the relative efficacies of TIF vs LNF in patients with GERD.

Methods: We searched publication databases and conference abstracts through May 10, 2017 for randomized controlled trials that compared the efficacy of TIF or LNF with that of a sham procedure or PPIs in patients with GERD.

Successful Esophageal Dilation of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) Patients With a Previous Postdilation Complication: Start Low and Go Slow.

Introduction: Esophageal dilation is an effective and safe treatment option for fibrostenotic eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Despite the safety, adverse events occur, yet there is scarce literature on the best treatment postcomplications.

Methods: Patients with diagnosis of EoE (≥15 eosinophils per high-power field) from 2011 to 2015 treated at our center were included.

The Use of a Stylet in Endoscopic Ultrasound With Fine-Needle Aspiration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is the most efficacious way to collect specimens from a solid lesion adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract and is performed with an internal stylet during puncture. However, its reinsertion into the needle is time-consuming. Controversy surrounds whether quality of cytology specimen improves with stylet use.

PPI Trial for Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Chaos in the Community.

Introduction: Despite consensus eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) statement published in 2011 calling for a 2-month trial of protons pump inhibitor (PPI), the guidelines are not followed by many. We studied the practice patterns in our community and response to a PPI retrial in patients previously diagnosed with "idiopathic EoE."

Methods: All patients presenting to the senior author's practice with suspected EoE from 2011 to 2015.

Carbon dioxide versus room air insufflation during balloon-assisted enteroscopy: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

 Carbon dioxide (CO) insufflation has been suggested to be an ideal alternative to room air insufflation to reduce trapped air within the bowel lumen after balloon assisted enteroscopy (BAE). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the safety and efficacy of utilizing CO insufflation as compared to room air during BAE.  The primary outcome is mean change in visual analog scale (VAS; 10 cm) at 1, 3, and 6 hours to assess pain.

Association between chronic hepatitis C and hepatitis C/HIV co-infection and the development of colorectal adenomas.

Background: Limited knowledge exists about the effects chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has in the development of colorectal adenomas (CRA). Data regarding the association between chronic HIV infection and the development of CRA is scarce as well. We aim to determine if there is an association between the development of CRA and chronic infection with HCV and HCV/HIV co-infection.

Timing of single balloon enteroscopy: significant or not?

Background: The development of balloon assisted enteroscopy (BAE) has revolutionized diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for small-bowel disorders. Although the role of emergent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy for upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding is well defined, there is scarce data with regard to emergent BAE for gastrointestinal bleeding.

Study: We performed a retrospective cohort study including 110 hospitalized patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding who underwent single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) between January 2010 and August 2013.

A Frameshift in CSF2RB Predominant Among Ashkenazi Jews Increases Risk for Crohn's Disease and Reduces Monocyte Signaling via GM-CSF.

Background & Aims: Crohn's disease (CD) has the highest prevalence in Ashkenazi Jewish populations. We sought to identify rare, CD-associated frameshift variants of high functional and statistical effects.

Methods: We performed exome sequencing and array-based genotype analyses of 1477 Ashkenazi Jewish individuals with CD and 2614 Ashkenazi Jewish individuals without CD (controls).

Erosive Esophagitis in the Obese: The Effect of Ethnicity and Gender on Its Association.

Background. Data examining the association between obesity and erosive esophagitis (ErE) have been inconsistent, with very little known about interracial variation. Goals.

The safety and efficacy of single balloon enteroscopy in the elderly.

Background: Single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) is an important tool in the management of small bowel disease with limited data available on its performance in the elderly. We aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy, diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes of SBE in the elderly.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 366 patients undergoing 428 SBEs from 2010 to 2014.

Association between caffeine consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Caffeine consumption is reported to be associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver diseases. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between caffeine consumption and prevalence or hepatic fibrosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in observational studies.

Methods: We searched the literature of all languages from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library from 1 January 1980 through 10 January 2015.

Degree of concordance between single balloon enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding after an initial positive capsule endoscopy finding.

Introduction: In patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OBGIB) capsule endoscopy (CE) is the initial diagnostic procedure of choice. Often patients undergo single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) with both diagnostic and therapeutic intention after CE. Although SBE offers a therapeutic benefit, long procedure times, complexity, and invasiveness are drawbacks.

Establishing the link between hepatitis B virus infection and colorectal adenoma.

Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection has been associated with malignancy, most notably hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous research has shown that hepatitis C is associated with increased colorectal adenomas and neoplasia. Currently, there are no studies on the association of CHB and colorectal adenomas.

A single-center United States experience with bleeding Dieulafoy lesions of the small bowel: diagnosis and treatment with single-balloon enteroscopy.

Introduction: A Dieulafoy lesion (DL) of the small bowel can cause severe gastrointestinal bleeding, and presents a difficult clinical setting for endoscopists. Limited data exists on the therapeutic yield of treating DLs of the small bowel using single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE).

Methods: Data were collected from Tampa General Hospital a 1 018-bed teaching hospital affiliated with University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida.

Capsule Studies Performed in a Tertiary Care Center Versus Community Referrals Prior to Single-Balloon Enteroscopy: Does It Matter?

Background And Aims: Within the community, patients with positive capsule endoscopy (CE) are often referred to centers performing balloon-assisted enteroscopy. There is limited data evaluating the concordance and diagnostic/therapeutic yield of CE performed in the community versus CE conducted at institutions experienced with enteroscopy. The primary aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the concordance between CE and SBE after CE was performed either in the community or at our tertiary care center.

Low bone mineral density linked to colorectal adenomas: a cross-sectional study of a racially diverse population.

Background: Epidemiologic studies suggest that lower bone mineral density (BMD) is associated with an increased risk for colorectal adenoma/cancer, especially in postmenopausal women. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between osteopenia and/or osteoporosis and colorectal adenomas in patients from a New York community hospital.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional observational study on 200 patients who underwent screening colonoscopies and bone density scan (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) at Nassau University Medical Center from November 2009 to March 2011.

Impact of Diagnostic Delay and Other Risk Factors on Eosinophilic Esophagitis Phenotype and Esophageal Diameter.

Goals: Endoscopic features of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are variable with at least 2 phenotypes. The goal of this study was to classify adult EoE patients based on esophageal phenotype and diameter, and assess an association between demographical and clinical histories to define EoE phenotypes and overall disease progression.

Methods: All consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of EoE from 1988 to 2013 treated at University of South Florida were included.

The changing faces of eosinophilic esophagitis: the impact of consensus guidelines at the University of South Florida.

Background And Aims: Prior to the consensus guideline conference in 2007, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) was uncommon dominated by the fibrostenotic phenotype, but over the past decade has become a common cause of dysphagia with more inflammatory phenotypes diagnosed. We assessed the impact of guideline definitions on the characteristics of EoE phenotypes over the past 26 years at our institution.

Methods: We reviewed the electronic health record of 75 consecutive patients meeting guideline definition EoE from 1/1988 to 5/2014.

Single versus double balloon enteroscopy for small bowel diagnostics: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) and single balloon enteroscopy (SBE) are 2 types of commonly used balloon-assisted enteroscopic techniques for "deep enteroscopy." Although there are several randomized controlled trials assessing the superiority of DBE compared with SBE, the results from individual randomized controlled trials seem conflicting. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of DBE compared with SBE.

No evidence for efficacy of radiofrequency ablation for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: A radiofrequency ablation technique known as Stretta was recommended by the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons as an alternative treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, randomized controlled trials of the efficacy of Stretta have produced conflicting findings, and those from previous systematic reviews were compromised as a result of deficiencies in study conduct and reporting of findings. We performed a systematic review to evaluate all evidence on the efficacy of Stretta for the management of GERD.

The association of H. pylori and colorectal adenoma: does it exist in the US Hispanic population?

Background: Although data on the association between colorectal adenomas and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) exists in White and Black patients, there is no data on this association in a US Hispanic population. Our aim was to study the association of adenoma detection and biopsy proven H.