Published online Apr 28, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i16.2948
Peer-review started: January 8, 2017
First decision: January 19, 2017
Revised: February 1, 2017
Accepted: March 30, 2017
Article in press: March 30, 2017
Published online: April 28, 2017
Processing time: 112 Days and 20.3 Hours
To investigate the association between a recent gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and the subsequent risk of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA).
We designed a nested case control study. Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, 2135 patients with a first diagnosis of PLA were identified from 1998 to 2011. Another 10675 patients without PLA matched by age and sex were selected as reference controls. We identified and compared the possible risk factors for PLA and GI endoscopies performed before the index date (when PLA was diagnosed) between the two cohorts. Multivariate analysis was conducted to examine the risk of PLA within the 90 d after the GI endoscopies.
Patients with a history of diabetes [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.92, 95%CI: 1.78-13.61], end-stage renal disease (aOR = 3.98, 95%CI: 1.45-10.91), biliary tract infection (aOR = 2.68, 95%CI: 2.11-3.40), liver cirrhosis (aOR = 2.19, 95%CI: 1.39-3.46), GI malignancies (aOR = 5.68, 95%CI: 4.23-7.64), appendicitis (aOR = 3.16, 95%CI: 2.27-4.41), diverticulitis (aOR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.01-2.64), and recent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (aOR = 27.04, 95%CI: 11.65-62.72) were significantly associated with an increased risk of PLA. After adjusting for the above risk factors and the frequency of outpatient department visits and abdominal ultrasounds during 90 d before the index date, an upper GI panendoscopy (aOR = 2.75, 95%CI: 2.05-3.69) but not a lower GI endoscopy (aOR = 1.07, 95%CI: 0.62-1.86) was significantly associated with PLA.
An upper GI panendoscopy performed before 90 d may increase the risk of PLA.
Core tip: A pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is a potential lethal disease with known pathogeneses, including biliary tract infection and portal venous bacterial spreading. Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopies are common procedures that sometimes have complications of mucosa trauma, local infection, and bacteremia. The relationship between GI endoscopy and subsequent PLA has not yet been documented. This large nested case-control study has shown a significant association between a recent upper GI panendoscopy and increased risk of PLA, though a lower GI endoscopy and the invasive procedure itself of a GI endoscopy did not increase the risk of PLA. Furthermore, patients with diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infection, and GI malignancies could also have a higher risk of PLA. In summary, clinical physician should not ignore the risk of development of PLA after patients receiving an upper GI panendoscopy, especially in those with diabetes mellitus, end-stage renal disease, liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infection, and GI malignancies.