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Gastrointestinal Disorders - Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Risk Factors

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A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Gastroenterology & Hepatology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2024) | Viewed by 3273

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Tamara Milovanović

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Guest Editor

Internal Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology), Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: rare liver diseases; alcohol-related liver disease; metabolic-associated liver disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Gastrointestinal disorders comprise a wide variety of different clinical entities, which affect all age groups and both sexes equally, and whose severity can range from mild to highly debilitating. Additionally, depending on the condition, both incidence and mortality rates greatly differ. However, during the previous years we have witnessed the change in epidemiology trends, as well as in the relative contribution of different risk factors in various gastrointestinal disorders development (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic, Western lifestyle…). Moreover, during the era of basic and translational research, the significance of individual predisposition and its interaction with environmental factors should not be omitted.

The aim of this special issue is to present the latest epidemiology trends and risk factors in various gastrointestinal disorders, by including as many different disorders as possible, both benign and malignant.

Therefore, we welcome authors to submit manuscripts that address incidence, mortality, survival, and risk factors of a wide spectrum of gastrointestinal disorders, which could contribute to a better understanding of the diseases in this field. We are welcoming high-quality original research, as well as exquisite review articles.

Prof. Dr. Tamara Milovanović
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

gastroenterology
incidence
mortality
risk factors
disease burden

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 568 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Paraneoplastic Syndromes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Epidemiology, and Survival: A Retrospective Seven Years Study

by Calin Burciu, Roxana Sirli, Renata Bende, Deiana Vuletici, Bogdan Miutescu, Tudor Moga, Felix Bende, Alina Popescu, Ioan Sporea, Oana Koppandi, Eftimie Miutescu, Dana Iovanescu and Mirela Danila

Medicina 2024, 60(4), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60040552 - 28 Mar 2024

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Abstract

Background and Objectives: Liver cancer poses a significant global health threat, ranking among the top three causes of cancer-related deaths. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often present with symptoms associated with neoplasms or unusual clinical features such as paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS), including hypoglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, thrombocytosis, and erythrocytosis. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and survival outcomes associated with PNS in HCC patients and assess each PNS’s impact on patient survival. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of PNS clinical features and survival among consecutive HCC patients diagnosed at our department over seven years, comparing them with HCC patients without PNS. The study involved a retrospective data evaluation from 378 patients diagnosed with HCC between January 2016 and October 2023. Results: We obtained a PNS prevalence of 25.7%, with paraneoplastic hypercholesterolemia at 10.9%, hypoglycemia at 6.9%, erythrocytosis at 4.5%, and thrombocytosis at 3.4%. Patients with PNS tended to be younger and predominantly male. Multivariate analysis revealed a strong correlation between PNS and levels of alpha-fetoprotein and tumor size, with diabetes also showing a significant statistical association (p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis based on specific paraneoplastic syndromes demonstrated shorter survival in patients with PNS, albeit without significant statistical differences, except for hypoglycemia (p < 0.0001). Matched analysis indicated a shorter survival rate for patients with PNS, although no significant statistical differences were observed. Conclusions: PNS are frequently observed in HCC cases and are associated with unfavorable prognoses and decreased survival rates due to their correlation with increased tumor burdens. However, they do not independently predict poor survival. The impact of individual PNS on HCC prognosis varies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Disorders - Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Risk Factors)

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13 pages, 1173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ranking as a Procedure for Selecting a Replacement Variable in the Score Predicting the Survival of Patients Treated with Curative Intent for Colorectal Liver Metastases

by Irena Plahuta, Matej Mencinger, Iztok Peruš, Tomislav Magdalenić, Špela Turk, Aleks Brumec, Stojan Potrč and Arpad Ivanecz

Medicina 2023, 59(11), 2003; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59112003 - 15 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1063

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The issue of a missing variable precludes the external validation of many prognostic models. For example, the Liverpool score predicts the survival of patients undergoing surgical therapy for colorectal liver metastases, but it includes the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio, which cannot be measured retrospectively. Materials and Methods: We aimed to find the most appropriate replacement for the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio. Survival analysis was performed on data representing 632 liver resections for colorectal liver metastases from 2000 to 2020. Variables associated with the Liverpool score, C-reactive protein, albumins, and fibrinogen were ranked. The rankings were performed in four ways: The first two were based on the Kaplan-Meier method (log-rank statistics and the definite integral

I_{S}

between two survival curves). The next method of ranking was based on univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Results: The ranks were as follows: the radicality of liver resection (rank 1), lymph node infiltration of primary colorectal cancer (rank 2), elevated C-reactive protein (rank 3), the American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification grade (rank 4), the right-sidedness of primary colorectal cancer (rank 5), the multiplicity of colorectal liver metastases (rank 6), the size of colorectal liver metastases (rank 7), albumins (rank 8), and fibrinogen (rank 9). Conclusions: The ranking methodologies resulted in almost the same ranking order of the variables. Elevated C-reactive protein was ranked highly and can be considered a relevant replacement for the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio in the Liverpool score. These methods are suitable for ranking variables in similar models for medical research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Disorders - Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Risk Factors)

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8 pages, 1428 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Mesenteric Ischemia in a Splenectomized Patient with Auto-Immune Hemolytic Anemia: Case Report

by Sinthia Vidal-Cañas, Cristian Zuñiga-Jaramillo, Esteban Artunduaga-Cañas, Valentina Pérez-Garay and Yamil Liscano

Medicina 2023, 59(7), 1325; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina59071325 - 18 Jul 2023

Viewed by 1152

Abstract

Mesenteric ischemia is a serious complication that can occur after splenectomy for hemolytic anemia, potentially leading to lifelong intestinal problems such as ischemia and/or portal hypertension. We present the case of a 33-year-old man with a history of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and splenectomy who developed mesenteric ischemia. The patient experienced abdominal pain and diarrhea, and imaging studies revealed mesenteric vein thrombosis. Surgical intervention confirmed the diagnosis. This case significantly contributes to the existing literature by providing insights into the occurrence of mesenteric ischemia in younger individuals with predisposing factors, as well as its clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and severity. Moreover, it has implications for the future diagnosis and management of long-term mesenteric ischemia in patients who have undergone splenectomy for hemolytic anemia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gastrointestinal Disorders - Incidence, Mortality, Survival, and Risk Factors)

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