Background and AimEndoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle biopsy (EUS‐FNB) is used to diagnose lesions within or adjacent to the digestive tract. However, there is no report on the overall diagnostic accuracy, technical success, and adverse events of FNB. The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis to comprehensively assess the diagnostic accuracy, technical success, and adverse events of FNB.MethodsPubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant articles published in English from January 1998 to May 2019 (No. CRD42019141647). Primary outcomes were EUS‐FNB related diagnostic accuracy rate, technical success rate, and adverse event rate.ResultsA total of 51 articles including 5330 patients met our criteria. The overall EUS‐FNB related diagnostic accuracy rate, technical success rate, and adverse event rate was 90.82% [95% confidence interval (CI) 88.69–92.76%], 99.71% [95% CI 99.35–99.93%], and 0.59% [95% CI 0.29–1.0%], respectively. Biopsy with 22G needle could increase the diagnostic accuracy rate and technical success rate to 92.17% [95% CI 89.32–94.61%] and 99.88% [95% CI 99.64–99.99%], respectively, and decrease the adverse event to 0.37% [95% CI 0.08–0.87%]. Moreover, it showed that 22G needle was an independent factor associated with a higher diagnostic accuracy rate and technical success rate and a lower adverse event rate (P = 0.04, P < 0.001, and P = 0.04, respectively) by univariate and multivariate meta‐regression analyses.ConclusionEndoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle biopsy is a feasible and safe procedure for lesions within or adjacent to the digestive tract. Biopsy using 22G needle could increase the diagnostic accuracy rate and technical success rate and decrease adverse event rate during the FNB procedure.

Gastric cancer is a common malignancy worldwide. The prognosis of early stage gastric cancer patients has significantly improved in recent years. However, in progressive stage gastric cancer patients, the prognosis remains relatively poor due to tumor metastases. In our previous study, we showed that the expression of miR‑711 in gastric cancer tissues is low, and restoration of miR‑711 inhibited the invasion and migration and the occurrence of epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastric cancer cells. Yet, the mechanisms involved in these processes remain unknown. In the present study, we demonstrated that miR‑711‑mediated downregulation of CD44 expression inhibited EMT of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo by downregulating vimentin protein expression and upregulating E‑cadherin protein expression through transfection, qRT‑PCR and western blotting. Therefore, miR‑711 may provide a promising target for EMT‑related therapy for gastric cancer.

Current guidelines recommend temporary cessation of clopidogrel for 7-10 days for patients on clopidogrel undergoing colonoscopy with polypectomy. However, recent prospective randomized controlled trials have advocated for uninterrupted clopidogrel, due to similar post-polypectomy bleeding (PPB) rates with and without continued clopidogrel therapy. Thus, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the risk of PPB rate in patients on continued clopidogrel therapy. Systemically identified publications were used to compare the rate of PPB in patients on continued clopidogrel therapy with those who had interrupted clopidogrel therapy. The primary outcome was the incidence of PPB. The secondary outcomes were immediate PPB, delayed PPB and serious cardio-thrombotic events. This study has been registered in PROSPERO (no. CRD42018118325). A total of five studies were identified, which included 655 patients in the continued clopidogrel group and 6620 patients in the control group. There was an increased risk of PPB with continued clopidogrel [P=0.0003; risk ratio (RR), 1.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.36-2.83). The rate of immediate PPB was slightly higher in the continued clopidogrel group (5.77% vs. 1.77%, respectively), but was not statistically significant (P=0.06; RR, 1.57; 95%CI, 0.98-2.51). The rate of delayed PPB was increased in the continued clopidogrel group (P=0.0008; RR, 3.10; 95%CI, 1.60-5.98). However, no significant difference in serious cardio-thrombotic events was observed within 30 days (P=0.74; RR, 0.78; 95%CI, 0.18-3.40). Although continued clopidogrel therapy decreased the incidence of serious cardio-thrombotic events, the risk of delayed PPB was increased. Therefore, endoscopists should make all preparations to prevent bleeding in the perioperative period for patients at high thrombotic risk and on continued clopidogrel therapy, if polypectomy cannot be reasonably postponed.