Intestinal Barrier Healing Is Superior to Endoscopic and Histologic Remission for Predicting Major Adverse Outcomes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Prospective ERIca Trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Endoscopic and histologic remission have emerged as key therapeutic goals in the management of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that are associated with favorable long-term disease outcomes. Here, we prospectively compared the predictive value of barrier healing with endoscopic and histologic remission for predicting long-term disease behavior in a large cohort of patients with IBD in clinical remission.

METHODS

At baseline, patients with IBD in clinical remission underwent ileocolonoscopy with assessment of intestinal barrier function by confocal endomicroscopy. Endoscopic and histologic disease activity, as well as barrier healing, was prospectively assessed along established scores. During subsequent follow-up, patients were closely monitored for clinical disease activity and the occurrence of major adverse outcomes (MAOs): disease flares, IBD-related hospitalization or surgery, and initiation or dose escalation of systemic steroids, immunosuppressants, small molecules, or biological therapy.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 181 patients, 100 with Crohn's disease [CD] and 81 with ulcerative colitis (UC). During a mean follow-up of 35 (CD) and 25 (UC) months, 73% of patients with CD and 69% of patients with UC experienced at least 1 MAO. The probability of MAO-free survival was significantly higher in patients with IBD with endoscopic remission compared with endoscopically active disease. In addition, histologic remission predicted MAO-free survival in patients with UC but not CD. Barrier healing on endomicroscopy was superior to endoscopic and histologic remission for predicting MAO-free survival in both UC and CD.

CONCLUSIONS

Barrier healing is associated with decreased risk of disease progression in patients with clinically remittent IBD, with superior predictive performance compared with endoscopic and histologic remission. Analysis of barrier function might be considered as a future treatment target in clinical trials.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov number, NCT05157750.

Image-Enhanced Endoscopy and Molecular Biomarkers Vs Seattle Protocol to Diagnose Dysplasia in Barrett's Esophagus

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus often is invisible on high-resolution white-light endoscopy (HRWLE). We compared the diagnostic accuracy for inconspicuous dysplasia of the combination of autofluorescence imaging (AFI)-guided probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) and molecular biomarkers vs HRWLE with Seattle protocol biopsies.

METHODS

Barrett's esophagus patients with no dysplastic lesions were block-randomized to standard endoscopy (HRWLE with the Seattle protocol) or AFI-guided pCLE with targeted biopsies for molecular biomarkers (p53 and cyclin A by immunohistochemistry; aneuploidy by image cytometry), with crossover to the other arm after 6 to 12 weeks. The primary end point was the histologic diagnosis from all study biopsies (trial histology). A sensitivity analysis was performed for overall histology, which included diagnoses within 12 months from the first study endoscopy. Endoscopists were blinded to the referral endoscopy and histology results. The primary outcome was diagnostic accuracy for dysplasia by real-time pCLE vs HRWLE biopsies.

RESULTS

Of 154 patients recruited, 134 completed both arms. In the primary outcome analysis (trial histology analysis), AFI-guided pCLE had similar sensitivity for dysplasia compared with standard endoscopy (74.3%; 95% CI, 56.7-87.5 vs 80.0%; 95% CI, 63.1-91.6; P = .48). Multivariate logistic regression showed pCLE optical dysplasia, aberrant p53, and aneuploidy had the strongest correlation with dysplasia (secondary outcome). This 3-biomarker panel had higher sensitivity for any grade of dysplasia than the Seattle protocol (81.5% vs 51.9%; P < .001) in the overall histology analysis, but not in the trial histology analysis (91.4% vs 80.0%; P = .16), with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.83.

CONCLUSIONS

Seattle protocol biopsies miss dysplasia in approximately half of patients with inconspicuous neoplasia. AFI-guided pCLE has similar accuracy to the current gold standard. The addition of molecular biomarkers could improve diagnostic accuracy.

Atlas of Ex Vivo Prostate Tissue and Cancer Images Using Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy: A Project for Intraoperative Positive Surgical Margin Detection During Radical Prostatectomy

BACKGROUND

Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is an optical device that aims to image histological architecture and may be used to reduce positive surgical margins. The ability of CLE to describe prostatic and periprostatic tissues, and prostate cancer (PCa) is still an object of investigation.

OBJECTIVE

To create an atlas of ex vivo CLE images of prostatic and periprostatic tissues, and PCa in order to recognise different prostatic structures.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

From November 2017 to February 2018, 15 patients underwent radical prostatectomy for biopsy-proven PCa.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Based on preoperative data and macroscopic examination, tumour location was assessed and confirmed on frozen sections. Prior to ex vivo CLE analysis, prostates were stained with fluorescein 10%. We used a GastroFlex probe to collect images of periprostatic tissue (adipose tissue, fibrous and connective tissues, vessels, nerve sheets, seminal vesicles, and urethra). Normal prostatic glands and tumour tissue according to the Gleason grade were analysed. Each PCa Gleason score was represented.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

A total of 139 video clips and 237 pictures of prostatic and periprostatic tissues were collected. Among them, we selected 16 highly representative images. Adipose tissue, fibrous tissue, and connective tissue were supposable in all 15 specimens. PCa glands captured fluorescein in their cytoplasm, normal prostatic glands did not capture fluorescein, and glandular structures were easily recognisable. The principal limitation of this study is its ex vivo nature of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

Each CLE image was correlated with the corresponding haematoxylin/eosin/saffron definitive pathology image, allowing building of an atlas as a necessary tool to assess the diagnostic performance of CLE during radical prostatectomy in achieving negative surgical margins.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this study, we aim to provide an atlas of images illustrating prostatic, periprostatic, and PCa tissues obtained using Cellvizio confocal laser endomicroscopy as a tool for further interpretation of intraoperative surgical margins during radical prostatectomy.

White Paper AGA: Advanced Imaging in Barrett's Esophagus

Enhanced imaging technologies such as narrow band imaging, flexible spectral imaging color enhancement, i-Scan, confocal laser endomicroscopy, and optical coherence tomography are readily available for use by endoscopists in routine clinical practice. In November 2014, the American Gastroenterological Association's Center for GI Innovation and Technology conducted a 2-day workshop to discuss endoscopic image enhancement technologies, focusing on their role in 2 specific clinical conditions (colon polyps and Barrett's esophagus) and on issues relating to training and implementation of these technologies (white papers). Although the majority of the studies that use enhanced imaging technologies have been positive, these techniques ideally need to be validated in larger cohorts and in community centers. As it stands today, detailed endoscopic examination with high-definition white-light endoscopy and random 4-quadrant biopsy remains the standard of care. However, the workshop panelists agreed that in the hands of endoscopists who have met the preservation and incorporation of valuable endoscopic innovation thresholds (diagnostic accuracy) with enhanced imaging techniques (specific technologies), use of the technique in Barrett's esophagus patients is appropriate.