Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is an eosinophilic pulmonary disorder caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to Aspergillus fumigatus that manifests with uncontrolled asthma, peripheral blood eosinophilia, and radiological findings, such as mucus plugging. Early diagnosis and proper treatment of ABPA are essential to prevent irreversible lung damage such as pulmonary fibrosis and bronchiectasis and improve the quality of life of patients. Beside inhaled medication for asthma, anti-inflammatory agents (i.e., systemic glucocorticoids) and antifungal agents are the mainstay treatment of ABPA. The goal of therapy using glucocorticoids and antifungal agents is to suppress the immune hyperreactivity to A. fumigatus and attenuate the fungal burden. Since the systemic glucocorticoid therapy may lead to serious adverse effects including osteoporosis, avascular necrosis, myopathy, cushingoid appearance, hypertension, insomnia, and increased risk of infection, a glucocorticoid-sparing agent could be considered. Mepolizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to interleukin-5, which is the key mediator for eosinophil differentiation, activation, migration, and survival. We review eight cases of ABPA treated successfully with mepolizumab. Treatment with mepolizumab was not restricted to the total immunoglobulin E level, the limiting factor for omalizumab in ABPA. In addition, mepolizumab therapy improved forced expiratory volume in one second, radiological findings, and patient quality of life.

The primary purpose of screening colonoscopy is the detection and subsequent removal of precancerous polyps. However, effective recognition of appendiceal lesions with a standard endoscope is often challenging and is limited to the base of the cecum and appendiceal orifice. The majority of appendiceal polyps are found incidentally following an appendectomy, though rarely they may be discovered during a colonoscopy. Despite being visualized by colonoscopy, most of these polyps are generally referred for surgical resection. The risk of developing carcinoma in patients with appendiceal polyps is likely similar to that of other colonic polyps, so it is essential for the endoscopist to examine and visualize the appendiceal orifice thoroughly. Various techniques are available to the endoscopist that can increase the accuracy of colonoscopic evaluation. These include luminal inflation and deflation, looking behind and pressing haustral folds, and repetitive passage of the scope over poorly visualized areas. To our knowl- Case Rep Gastroenterol 2020;14:15-26

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Giant inflammatory polyp and thromboembolism are uncommon complications in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Colon mucosal inflammation is possibly the main mechanism of pathogenesis for these two complications. IBD has long been associated with hypercoagulability and thromboembolism. In fact, thromboembolism has been noted in 0.7% to 7.7% of IBD patients, with the deep veins of the legs and the pulmonary veins accounting for 90% of the cases. The proposed mechanism of this hypercoagulability involves the promotion of hemostasis that results from the inflammatory process underlying the IBD, as well as the loss of proteins, including antithrombotic factors, resulting from the inflamed bowel and increased permeability of the colonic mucosa. This process may be exacerbated by the presence of giant inflammatory polyps, which are defined as polyps in the setting of IBD with dimensions greater than 1.5 cm. The presence of these polyps leads to an increase in inflamed colonic surface area, which can accelerate the rate of protein loss, leading to an increased incidence of thrombosis.