BACKGROUND Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)is an essential diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for pancreatobiliary disorders.However,few large-scale studies from South Asia have examined long-ter...BACKGROUND Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)is an essential diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for pancreatobiliary disorders.However,few large-scale studies from South Asia have examined long-term ERCP outcomes,particularly using established quality benchmarks.AIM To evaluate ERCP indications,success rates,complications,and quality performance at a high-volume tertiary care center in Pakistan over a 17-year period.METHODS This retrospective study analyzed 13215 ERCP procedures performed between 2006 and 2023.Data included demographics,indications,cannulation rates,complications,and pediatric cases.Findings were assessed against American Society of Gastroenterology/European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy quality indicators.RESULTS Biliary ERCP accounted for 93.1%of procedures;choledocholithiasis was the most common indication(40%).Cannulation success was 93.9%for biliary and 94.2%for pancreatic ERCP.Pediatric ERCP comprised 4%of cases,mostly for stones and chronic pancreatitis.Bleeding(1.7%)and post-ERCP pancreatitis(2.3%)were the most frequent complications.Performance met or exceeded most American Society of Benchmarks.CONCLUSION This study offers insight into nearly two decades of ERCP practice within a public sector hospital.Our experience echoes the quality and efficiency of ERCP not previously available in Pakistan.As healthcare systems in resourcelimited sectors expand,our findings serve as a reference point.Continued training and quality improvement studies can further enhance ERCP effectiveness in the region and beyond.展开更多
BACKGROUND Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),a commonly used biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),is normal in up to one-third of patients.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic performance of des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin(DCP)al...BACKGROUND Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),a commonly used biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),is normal in up to one-third of patients.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic performance of des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin(DCP)alone and in combination with AFP.METHODS In this study,202 patients with radiologically proven HCC were enrolled,and their DCP and AFP levels were evaluated for their diagnostic performance.RESULTS The mean age of the enrolled patients was 58.5 years;72.0%were male.DCP was elevated in 86.6%(n=175)of all patients,100.0%(n=74)of patients with portal vein thrombus,and 87.4%(n=111)of patients with multicentric HCC.AFP was elevated in 64.3%(n=130)of all the patients,74%(n=55)of the patients with portal vein thrombus,and 71.6%(n=91)of the patients with multicentric HCC(P=0.030,0.001,and 0.015,respectively).In tumors less than 2 cm in size(n=46),DCP was increased in 32(69.5%)patients,and AFP was increased in 25(54.3%)patients(P=0.801).There was good pairing between DCP and AFP for HCCs of 2 cm size or larger(P<0.001);however,the pairing among tumors<2 cm size was not significant(P=0.210).In 69 of the patients(34.1%),only one of the tumor markers was positive;DCP was elevated alone in 57/202(28.2%)of all patients,and AFP alone was elevated in 12/202(5.9%)of the patients.The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves(AUROC)for tumors>2 cm was 0.74 for DCP and 0.59 for AFP;combining both markers resulted in an AUROC of 0.73.For tumors<2 cm,the AUROC was 0.25 for DCP and 0.40 for AFP.CONCLUSION DCP,as an individual marker,had a better diagnostic performance in many cases of HCC.Hence,DCP may replace AFP as the primary HCC biomarker.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)is an essential diagnostic and therapeutic procedure for pancreatobiliary disorders.However,few large-scale studies from South Asia have examined long-term ERCP outcomes,particularly using established quality benchmarks.AIM To evaluate ERCP indications,success rates,complications,and quality performance at a high-volume tertiary care center in Pakistan over a 17-year period.METHODS This retrospective study analyzed 13215 ERCP procedures performed between 2006 and 2023.Data included demographics,indications,cannulation rates,complications,and pediatric cases.Findings were assessed against American Society of Gastroenterology/European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy quality indicators.RESULTS Biliary ERCP accounted for 93.1%of procedures;choledocholithiasis was the most common indication(40%).Cannulation success was 93.9%for biliary and 94.2%for pancreatic ERCP.Pediatric ERCP comprised 4%of cases,mostly for stones and chronic pancreatitis.Bleeding(1.7%)and post-ERCP pancreatitis(2.3%)were the most frequent complications.Performance met or exceeded most American Society of Benchmarks.CONCLUSION This study offers insight into nearly two decades of ERCP practice within a public sector hospital.Our experience echoes the quality and efficiency of ERCP not previously available in Pakistan.As healthcare systems in resourcelimited sectors expand,our findings serve as a reference point.Continued training and quality improvement studies can further enhance ERCP effectiveness in the region and beyond.
文摘BACKGROUND Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),a commonly used biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),is normal in up to one-third of patients.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic performance of des-gamma-carboxy-prothrombin(DCP)alone and in combination with AFP.METHODS In this study,202 patients with radiologically proven HCC were enrolled,and their DCP and AFP levels were evaluated for their diagnostic performance.RESULTS The mean age of the enrolled patients was 58.5 years;72.0%were male.DCP was elevated in 86.6%(n=175)of all patients,100.0%(n=74)of patients with portal vein thrombus,and 87.4%(n=111)of patients with multicentric HCC.AFP was elevated in 64.3%(n=130)of all the patients,74%(n=55)of the patients with portal vein thrombus,and 71.6%(n=91)of the patients with multicentric HCC(P=0.030,0.001,and 0.015,respectively).In tumors less than 2 cm in size(n=46),DCP was increased in 32(69.5%)patients,and AFP was increased in 25(54.3%)patients(P=0.801).There was good pairing between DCP and AFP for HCCs of 2 cm size or larger(P<0.001);however,the pairing among tumors<2 cm size was not significant(P=0.210).In 69 of the patients(34.1%),only one of the tumor markers was positive;DCP was elevated alone in 57/202(28.2%)of all patients,and AFP alone was elevated in 12/202(5.9%)of the patients.The areas under receiver operating characteristic curves(AUROC)for tumors>2 cm was 0.74 for DCP and 0.59 for AFP;combining both markers resulted in an AUROC of 0.73.For tumors<2 cm,the AUROC was 0.25 for DCP and 0.40 for AFP.CONCLUSION DCP,as an individual marker,had a better diagnostic performance in many cases of HCC.Hence,DCP may replace AFP as the primary HCC biomarker.
