Falk Gastro Info 5/2022

Associations of body mass index in early adulthood with early-onset colorectal cancer: Results of a German population-based case-control study indicate that obesity at early adulthood is strongly associated with increased risk of early-onset colorectal cancer.

Treat-to-target therapy with ustekinumab for Crohn’s disease: Timely escalation of ustekinumab therapy for patients with Crohn’s disease, based on early endoscopic response, clinical symptoms, and biomarkers, did not result in better endoscopic outcomes at 48 weeks in a randomized phase 3b trial.

Non-invasive fibrosis tests in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): Combination of the fibrosis 4 index and transient elastography allows to rule-out advanced fibrosis (using a lower cut-off) and to rule-in cirrhosis (using a higher cut-off). It can thus reduce the need for liver biopsies.

HBsAg loss after nucleo(s)tide analogue withdrawal in chronic hepatitis B: Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) < 100 IU/ml and/or negative levels of HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg) are associated with a high probability of HBsAg loss after nucleo(s)tide analogue withdrawal. Patients of Asian descent have a reduced chance of HBsAg loss unless they are infected with HBV genotype C.

Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in patients with cirrhosis: Rectal colonization by MDROs is extremely frequent in critically ill patients with cirrhosis. Colonization increases the risk of infection by the colonizing resistant strain.

Endoscopic full-thickness plication (EFTP) for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease:EFTP using a novel device was safe and effective in improving quality of life in PPI-dependent reflux disease at short and long terms.

Severity of gastric intestinal metaplasia predicts the risk of gastric cancer: The results of this prospective cohort study suggest a risk-stratified approach for surveillance endoscopies. Endoscopic surveillance should be planned in high-risk patients (OLGIM III–IV) after 2 years and in intermediate-risk patients (OLGIM II) after 5 years.