N Gestels, E Bottieau, A De Vooght, S van Ierssel, S Libbrecht, A Driessen, S Francque, T Vanwolleghem, W J Kwanten
{"title":"An unusual case of acute cholestatic hepatitis: visceral leishmaniasis with secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.","authors":"N Gestels, E Bottieau, A De Vooght, S van Ierssel, S Libbrecht, A Driessen, S Francque, T Vanwolleghem, W J Kwanten","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13361","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13361","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe vector-borne parasiti disease, endemic in various tropical countries but also in the Mediterranean Basin. We report the case of a 64-year-old immunocompetent male, who presented with jaundice, fever, splenomegaly, hyperferritinaemia and cytopenias after a recent trip to Portugal. Clinical and biochemical findings were consistent with the diagnosis of an acute cholestatic hepatitis and haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), secondary to visceral Leishmania infantum which was later confirmed by bone marrow examination. Despite adequate therapy with liposomal amphotericin B, the disease and HLH relapsed. Retreatment with higher dosing was eventually successful. This case highlights the risk of acquiring VL in southern Europe and its possible unusual presentations, causing diagnostic delay, as well as its complex management that requires appropriate multidisciplinary communication.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"78-84"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D Briol, A Ceratti, R Lhommel, L Annet, C Dragean, E Danse, P Trefois, M Van Den Eynde, A De Cuyper, P Goffette, I Borbath
{"title":"Selective internal radiation therapy for neuroendocrine liver metastases: efficacy, safety and prognostic factors. A retrospective single institution study.","authors":"D Briol, A Ceratti, R Lhommel, L Annet, C Dragean, E Danse, P Trefois, M Van Den Eynde, A De Cuyper, P Goffette, I Borbath","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13706","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13706","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and study aims: </strong>Selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) has shown good results in unresectable liver metastases from neuroendocrine neoplasms (NELM) with a high disease control rate (DCR) reported. The aims of the study is to assess retrospectively the efficacy and safety of 10y of SIRT for NELM.</p><p><strong>Patients and methods: </strong>Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) and DCR by RECIST 1.1 at 2, 4 and 12 months (m). Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), liver progressionfree survival (liver-PFS), clinical response (NEN-related symptoms improvement) and safety.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>50 consecutive patients with NELM who got SIRT from 2011 to 2021 in one center. The two major NEN primary sites were pancreas (46%) and small intestine (36%). Histological NEN grades were 10%, 46% and 44% for grades 1, 2 and 3 respectively. ORR and DCR were 16% and 80% at 2m, 22% and 92% at 4m and 32% and 82% at 12m. Survival rates at 1 and 2 y were 76% and 72% respectively. Prognostic factors for OS and liver-PFS were NEN histological grade (3 vs 1+2) (hazard ratio (HR) for OS: 4.33 [1.8-10.6], for liver-PFS: 3.91 [1.3-11.4]), and early (2m) DCR (HR for OS: 0.14 [0.1-0.4], for liver-PFS: 0.016 [0.003-0.08]). Clinical response occurred in 7 of the 10 symptomatic patients. One patient died from radioembolization-induced liver disease.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>SIRT showed efficacy in NELM pts, with a high DCR and an good safety profile. G1-2 grade and early DCR were associated with a better OS and liver-PFS.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"3-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L Cornelis, E De Jonckere, J Bossuyt, H Vanpoucke, L Desomer, D De Wulf, F Baert
{"title":"Switching intravenous to subcutaneous infliximab was safe and successful during 1-year follow up in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn patients - a Belgian single center experience.","authors":"L Cornelis, E De Jonckere, J Bossuyt, H Vanpoucke, L Desomer, D De Wulf, F Baert","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13222","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13222","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Subcutaneous (SC) infliximab CT-P13 (IFX) has recently been registered for the treatment of moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The SC route is an attractive option for patients. However, many open questions remain on how to safely switch patients from maintenance IV to SC administration.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>to assess switching from IV to SC IFX therapy in IBD patients through clinical and biochemical evaluation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Patients in durable remission on eight-weekly (or six-weekly) IV infliximab and therapeutic IFX trough levels were switched to SC therapy every two weeks. All patients were monitored prospectively every 3 months with patient reported outcomes (PRO), labs including IFX concentrations and faecal calprotectin every 6 months for minimum one-year follow up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>55 patients (21 UC, 34 CD) agreed to switch to SC therapy. The median follow up in CD patients was 15.5 months, respectively 20 months in UC patients. All patients remained in deep remission according to PRO2, CRP and calprotectin. IFX serum concentrations more than tripled 3 months after the switch (18.31 ± 10.53 μg/mL vs. 4.82 ± 3.06 μg/mL at the start) and remained stable during further follow up. Local pain and injection site reactions both transient were reported in 47% and 42% patients respectively but disappeared in > 50% when injecting in the abdomen or when changing pen to syringe.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Switching UC and Crohn patients in clinical remission and adequate trough levels from maintenance IV tot SC infliximab therapy was successful for at least one year. A proportion of patients experienced pain and or injection site reactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"18-22"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
B Rombouts, E Van der Wijst, P Schoeters, A Driessen, T Steinhauser, T Vanwolleghem, W Kwanten, J Derdeyn, L Vonghia, S Francque
{"title":"Unexplained portal hypertension and confusion in an elderly patient: a late presentation of congenital hepatic fibrosis.","authors":"B Rombouts, E Van der Wijst, P Schoeters, A Driessen, T Steinhauser, T Vanwolleghem, W Kwanten, J Derdeyn, L Vonghia, S Francque","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13474","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13474","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A 71-year old male patient with myelodysplastic syndrome presented with severe signs of portal hypertension. There was no underlying cirrhosis nor portal vein thrombosis. Despite liver stiffness being high, hepatic vein catheterisation failed to show an increased hepatic venous pressure gradient compatible with clinically significant portal hypertension. Finally, a liver biopsy showed enlarged fibrotic portal tracts with multiple dilated immature bile ducts compatible with congenital hepatic fibrosis - there was no macroscopic biliary disease. Mostly presenting in childhood or adulthood, congenital hepatic fibrosis is an uncommon cause of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension that can also have a late presentation. Treatment is supportive with management of portal hypertension (and its complications); liver transplantation is curative but is reserved for cases with liver failure or recurrent cholangitis (mostly in Caroli syndrome).</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"75-78"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T Hendrickx, F Van Herpe, A D'Hoore, R C Dresen, J Sabino
{"title":"An unusual hidden secret of a Meckel's diverticulum: a rare case of small bowel adenocarcinoma.","authors":"T Hendrickx, F Van Herpe, A D'Hoore, R C Dresen, J Sabino","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13489","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13489","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is the most prevalent congenital anomaly of the gastro-intestinal tract and the life-long risk for complications is estimated to be around 4%, mostly resulting in bleeding, obstruction, diverticulitis or intussusception. Although rare, about 3.1-5.1% of the complications are due to malignant evolution of the MD. Case: We present a 50-year old patient with progressive subobstructive symptoms leading the diagnosis of a complicated MD. Peroperative findings were suggestive for malignancy and the histopathological samples confirmed the presence of a metastatic adenocarcinoma, arising from the MD. Conclusion: This case illustrates a rare, malignant complication of a MD. This finding is of utmost clinical importance because the diagnosis may be challenging and early detection may improve the outcome of these patients. The clinician should be aware that malignant evolution of a MD exists and should be excluded in complicated cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"71-74"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A Couret, F Rannou, B Pereira, M Duclos, S Mazeaud, J A King, A Abergel, G Ennequin
{"title":"Knee extension strength in patients with liver cirrhosis and the impact of interventions: systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"A Couret, F Rannou, B Pereira, M Duclos, S Mazeaud, J A King, A Abergel, G Ennequin","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13033","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13033","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sarcopenia is common in patients with cirrhosis and lower limb muscle strength could represent a factor of morbidity. A systematic review with meta-analysis on knee extension muscle strength in patients with cirrhosis was performed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Literature was reviewed in electronic databases from inception until March 2023. Two independent researchers applied the inclusion criteria to assess the eligibility of articles. Of the 28 retrieved articles; 21 of them met the eligibility requirements.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Muscle strength was impaired in patients with cirrhosis versus age-matched control (standardized mean difference, SMD: 3.48, 95% CI 2.35-4.61, I² = 96.5%, p<0.001) and was negatively influenced by increasing disease severity, with Child-Pugh A and B superior to C (SMD: 2.62, 95% CI 0.54-4.71, p<0.014; SMD 0.71, 95% CI 0.29-1.13, p<0.001, respectively). Exercise training tended to increase (SMD: 1.21, 95% CI 0.16-2.59, p=0.085), while liver transplantation decreased knee extension strength (SMD: -0.45, 95% CI -0.88 -0.01, p=0.045).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The negative impact of liver cirrhosis on knee extension strength is worsened by the severity of the disease. Transplantation leads to impaired knee extension strength. Conversely, exercise training tends to be beneficial, making rehabilitation pre and post-transplantation an attractive strategy to prevent muscle mass and strength loss.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"43-60"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F Fortunati, L Monino, P Deprez, H Piessevaux, T Moreels
{"title":"Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with different types of total and partial gastrectomy.","authors":"F Fortunati, L Monino, P Deprez, H Piessevaux, T Moreels","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13779","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13779","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and study aims: </strong>Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in surgically altered anatomy patients is challenging. We analyzed ERCP procedures after gastric surgery with maintained Vater's papilla: total/partial gastrectomy Roux-en-Y, Billroth II gastrectomy, sleeve gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Monocentric retrospective analysis of prospective ERCP cohort in surgically altered gastric anatomy (SAGA) patients with maintained Vater's papilla between 2006 and 2024.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>186 ERCP procedures in 110 patients with SAGA proportions: 37% total gastrectomy Roux-en-Y, 32% Billroth II partial gastrectomy, 15% partial gastrectomy Roux-en-Y, 11% gastrojejunostomy, 4% sleeve gastrectomy and 1% less common reconstructions. ERCP indications were mainly biliary (87%). Total technical success was 82% with lower technical success in Roux-en-Y gastric surgery (73%) vs gastric surgery without Rouxen- Y (92%). 13 adverse events (GRADE II - IV) were encountered (7%) with 1 mortality due to perprocedural cardiac arrest. Sleeve gastrectomy allowed the use of conventional duodenoscopes with 100% technical success. In Billroth II patients both duodenoscopes, gastroscopes and colonoscopes as well as balloon-assisted enteroscopes were used with high technical success (94-100%), as well as in gastrojejunostomy patients (57-100%). For Roux-en-Y reconstructions, only single-balloon enteroscopes were used with acceptable success (75% in partial and 74% in total gastrectomy Roux-en-Y).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ERCP in SAGA patients is challenging requiring different types of endoscopes, especially after Roux-en-Y total or partial gastrectomy with lower technical success as compared tods Billroth II gastrectomy, sleeve gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy. Adverse event rates are comparable to ERCP procedures in patients with normal anatomy.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"23-30"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Medical malpractice litigations against gastroenterologists in Belgium.","authors":"N Meyten, T G Moreels","doi":"10.51821/88.1.14028","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.14028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Medical malpractice litigations represent a reality for clinical physicians. However, no data are available about the impact on gastroenterologists in Belgium.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>We estimated the number of malpractice litigations against gastroenterologists in Belgium based on the annual reports of the Fund for Medical Accidents (FMA), residing under the Belgian national social security service (RIZIV-INAMI).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>FMA annual reports are available online in the public domain from 2012 onwards. We reviewed all available annual reports, focussing on results within the fields of Gastroenterology and Cardiology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 2010 to 2023 a total of 6884 applications for malpractice litigations were filed resulting in a final decision for 3185 care providers between 2014 and 2023. In this 10 years period claims were filed against 92 gastroenterologists, placing them in the top 10 of care providers at risk for malpractice litigations in Belgium. There are currently 777 practicing gastroenterologists in Belgium, indicating that over 10 years time the cumulative risk of malpractice litigation through the FMA alone is as high as 12%. The subject of the claims is not mentioned in the FMA reports, and therefore remains unknown. Compared to Cardiology, another interventional speciality within the field of Internal Medicine, gastroenterologists are more prone to malpractice litigations. Only 73 (6%; p<0.001 Chi-square) on a total of 1237 practicing cardiologists faced malpractice litigations through the FMA.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the FMA annual reports, Belgian gastroenterologists are considerably at risk of malpractice litigations reaching 12% over a 10 years time period, as compared to only 6% cumulative risk of practicing cardiologists. Endoscopy-related complications are supposedly the most common reason of malpractice litigation and Belgian gastroenterologists should be aware of this risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"38-42"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pancreatic cystic lymphangioma in an adult: a rare clinical entity.","authors":"M Staessens","doi":"10.51821/88.1.13325","DOIUrl":"10.51821/88.1.13325","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We report the case of a 24-year-old patient with abdominal discomfort and weight loss. On imaging, a large unilocular cystic lesion originating from the pancreatic body and tail was seen. Endoscopic fine needle aspiration revealed a slightly elevated lipase, suggesting a connection with the pancreatic duct. Furthermore, the liquid appeared chylous, and markedly elevated triglycerides were noted. A transgastric drainage and biopsies of the cyst wall were performed. The diagnosis of a pancreatic cystic lymphangioma was made. Our patient was successfully managed conservatively by an echoendoscopic transgastric drainage.</p>","PeriodicalId":7322,"journal":{"name":"Acta gastro-enterologica Belgica","volume":"88 1","pages":"68-71"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}