Adding cetuximab to pre-operative concurrent capecitabine and radiotherapy provides modest efficacy with manageable toxicity.

Background Investigators from different parts of the world are calling for a re-evaluation of the role of liver biopsy (LB) in the evaluation of infantile cholestasis (IC), especially in the light of emerging non-invasive diagnostic technologies. Therefore, this retrospective single-center study was conducted to determine the impact of LB on the diagnosis and management of IC in a cohort from Arabs. Methods From 2007 until 2019, 533 cases of IC were referred for evaluation. All infants who underwent LB were included in the study. We categorized the yield of LB into: (1) defined specific diagnosis; (2) excluded an important diagnosis. A single pathologist reviewed and made the histology report. Results 122 LB specimens met the inclusion criteria. The main indication for LB was a high suspicion of biliary atresia (BA) [high gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) cholestasis and pale stool] in 46 cases (37.8%). Liver biopsy had sensitivity of 86.4%, specificity (66.7%), PPV (70.4%), NPV (84.2%) in diagnosing BA. LB had a direct impact on clinical management in 52 cases (42.6%): (1) The true diagnosis was suggested by LB in 36 cases; (2) LB excluded BA and avoided intraoperative cholangiogram in 16 cases with high suspicion of BA. Among the 76 cases with low suspicion of BA, LB suggested the true diagnosis or helped to initiate specific management in 8 cases only (10.5%). In contrast, molecular testing confirmed the diagnosis in 48 (63%). Conclusion LB continues to be an important tool in the workup of cases with a high suspicion of BA. The low yield of LB in cases with low suspicion of BA calls for a re-evaluation of its role in these cases in whom early incorporation of cholestasis sequencing gene  panels can have a better diagnostic yield.

Gastrointestinal sarcoidosis is a rare disease with very limited data in children. Here we report the first pediatric case of successful treatment with infliximab. The first case was an 8-year-old Saudi girl who presented with fever, weight loss, and abdominal pain that was followed in a few months with hematemesis and development of hepatosplenomegaly. The second case was a 9-year-old Sudanese boy who manifested with vomiting, epigastric pain, and weight loss. On upper endoscopy, both cases demonstrated severe erosive nodular gastric mucosa. Gastric and esophageal biopsies had shown noncaseating granulomatous inflammation. The first case had histopathological evidence of granulomatous hepatitis, and both cases demonstrated lung nodularity on computed tomography chest. The boy had elevated angiotensin-converting enzyme level. Given the multisystem involvement with significant chest findings, tissue findings of granulomatous disease, and negative workup for other causes of granulomatous inflammation, both cases were diagnosed with active disseminated sarcoidosis, and treated with corticosteroids. The girl continued to be symptom-free for 4 years after tapering steroid therapy. The boy had relapses off steroids and the disease was brought into remission for 5 years off steroid therapy by infliximab. Pediatric GI sarcoidosis is a rare disease that exhibits heterogeneity in natural course. The chronic relapsing progressive form of the disease might benefit from infliximab therapy.

Background Primary healthcare centers (PHC) ensure that patients receive comprehensive care from promotion and prevention to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care in a familiar environment. It is designed to provide first-contact, continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated patient care that will help achieve equity in the specialty healthcare system. The healthcare in Saudi Arabia is undergoing transformation to Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) model. In order for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to achieve its transformational goals in healthcare, the improvement of PHCs’ quality and utilization is crucial. An integral part of this service is the laboratory services. Methods This paper presents a pilot model for the laboratory services of PHC's in urban cities. The method was based on the FOCUS-PDCA quality improvement method focusing on the pre-analytical phase of the laboratory testing as well as the Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutes (CBAHI) gap analysis and readiness within the ten piloted primary healthcare centers. Results The Gap analysis, revealed in-consistency in the practice, lead to lower the quality of the service, which was seen in the low performance of the chosen key performance indicators (KPI's) (high rejection rates, lower turn-around times (TAT) for test results) and also in the competency of the staff. Following executing the interventions, and by using some of the ACO Laboratory strategies; the KPI rates were improved, and our results exceeded the targets that we have set to reach during the first year. Also introducing the electronic connectivity improved the TAT KPI and made many of the processes leaner. Conclusions Our results revealed that the centralization of PHC's laboratory service to an accredited reference laboratory and implementing the national accreditation standards improved the testing process and lowered the cost, for the mass majority of the routine laboratory testing. Moreover, the model shed the light on how crucial the pre-analytical phase for laboratory quality improvement process, its effect on cost reduction, and the importance of staff competency and utilization.