Recent upper gastrointestinal panendoscopy increases the risk of pyogenic liver abscess

Core Tip

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.