WCE is feasible, although rather tiresome, in patients over the age of 80. Though the vast majority of patients older than 80 presented with angiodysplasias, there were no differences between the aged and younger groups in the presence of ulcerative lesions and polyps or tumors.

Background and Aims:Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is used in Crohn's disease (CD) to define disease extent. We aimed to define WCE detection rate of small bowel ulcerative lesions and completion rate in CD patients.Patients and Methods:A total of 102 consecutive CD patients, who successfully passed patency capsule, were matched to 102 controls. WCE was performed in both patients (in acute phase and CD clinical remission) and controls.Results:Eighty-six (84%) controls versus 62 (61%) patients in the acute phase (P = 0.003) and 96 (94%) in remission (P = 0.02) completed WCE study. Gastric passing time was 48 ± 66 min in controls, 66 ± 82 min in CD acute phase (P = 0.03) and 30 ± 21 min in remission (P = 0.07). Small bowel passing time was 276 ± 78 min in controls, 299 ± 78 min in the acute phase of CD (P = 0.04) and 248 ± 89 min in remission (P = 0.01). Mean capsule endoscopy Crohn's disease activity index (CECDAI) score was 14 ± 6 in acute small bowel CD, 12 ± 7 in acute small-large bowel CD (P = 0.08) and 2 ± 2 in both CD types while in remission (P = 1.00). Small bowel ulcerative lesions in the acute phase were more frequently in distal small bowel. Aphthous ulcers were frequent a month after entering clinical remission and tend to disappear gradually later on. No ulcerative lesions were present in deep remission. Patency capsule is rather safe to exclude small bowel obstruction.Conclusions:(1) A high percentage of patients with active CD do not complete small bowel study with WCE. (2) Small bowel ulcerative lesions in clinical remission were less severe, although at least 6 months are needed in order for them to disappear.

Cytology is highly sensitive in the diagnosis of intraanal warts comparable with histopathology. The combination of the 3 examinations (anoscopy, cytology, and PCR HPV typing) improves diagnostic accuracy and offers a global picture of the anorectal HPV disease.

AIM:To define the significance of ischemic heart disease (IHD) (stable angina to infarction) co-existance in Barrett esophagus (BE) patients and patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (AdE). METHODS:All BE/AdE patients in Blackpool-WyreFylde area and Trikala prefecture identified from medical records. Patient clinical details were obtained from hospital and General Practitioner records. Additional information was gathered from validated questionnaire. RESULTS:Forty (33%) AdE and 83 (19%) BE patients had IHD (P = 0.002). Eighteen (15%) AdE and 34 (8%) BE patients had suffered a myocardial infarction (P = 0.03). Three (3%) AdE and 7 (2%) BE patients had severe heart failure (P = 0.82). Thirty-nine (47%) BE with IHD and 8 (20%) AdE patients with IHD consumed aspirin daily (P = 0.004). Seventh-seven (93%) BE patients with IHD and 36 (90%) AdE patients with IHD were on statins (P = 0.86). Logistic regression analysis: AdE was more frequent in the elderly, with long term reflux, long BE and concurrent IHD (odds ratio: 2.086, P = 0.001) not consuming statins. Eighteen (22%) BE patients with IHD [16 (84%) with myocardial infarction] vs 33 (10%) without IHD died from non-neoplastic causes within 24 mo from BE diagnosis (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION:IHD is more prevalent in AdE than BE patients. Increased prevalence of AdE is related with the presence of myocardial infarction but not severe heart failure, possibly because patients with BE and severe IHD have low life expectancy.

The BSS-BSSG mixture gave promising results as an adjuvant to cryotherapy and may be used in patients with refractory warts.