OBJECTIVE

To improve our understanding of patients' treatment preferences for chronic hepatitis C (HCV).

METHODS

Subjects with HCV were recruited from 2 VA medical centers. Preferences were ascertained using conjoint analysis. We used segmentation analysis to examine whether there were groups of respondents with similar preferences that were systematically different from the preferences of others. We then measured the associations between treatment preference with subjects' characteristics and their gist principles related to living with HCV and the burden of therapy.

RESULTS

A total of 199 subjects participated in this study. The segmentation analysis demonstrated that subjects could be classified into 2 distinct groups. The larger group [group 1, n=118 (59%)] opted for current treatment and the other [group 2, n=81 (41%)] preferred to defer. Patients with cirrhosis were less likely to belong to group 2 (prefer to defer) compared with those without cirrhosis (40.5% vs. 21.3%), whereas subjects self-identifying as African American were more likely to belong to group 2 than white subjects (51.3% vs. 30.5%). Members of group 1 had a more positive overall gist principles related to HCV compared with members of group 2 [mean (SD) score=28.63 (3.06) vs. 26.46 (2.79), P<0.0001]. These gist principles mediated the relationship between race and treatment preference (Sobel test statistic=-2.68, 2-tailed P=0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that there are groups of HCV patients with similar preferences that are distinct from other groups' preferences. Patients' gist principles related to the significance of having a chronic viral infection and the burdens of therapy are strongly related to their current treatment decisions. These findings help inform how best to initiate and deliver treatment for patients with HCV.

OPINION STATEMENT

Patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis (UC) and extensive Crohn's disease (CD) colitis have a high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and are recommended to undergo surveillance with colonoscopy. Recent data highlights their increased risk of CRC compared to the general population despite colonoscopy surveillance. The proportion of IBD patients diagnosed with interval CRC within 6 to 36 months following a clearing colonoscopy was 15 %. Optimizing colonoscopy surveillance methods is important. Studies have demonstrated that the best endoscopic surveillance strategy to detect dysplasia is chromoendoscopy with surface application of dyes to enhance the mucosal visualization and that visible dysplasia should be endoscopically resected. In this chapter we will summarize the optimal surveillance and management techniques for colorectal dysplasia in IBD patients.

INTRODUCTION

Colonoscopic surveillance guidelines for serrated polyps (SPs) are predicated upon the histologic characteristics of the index polyp. However, discrimination between SP subtypes [hyperplastic polyps vs. sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/P)] is often unreliable.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We studied the impact of (1) a novel tissue orientation method, performed in the endoscopy laboratory, whereby polyps are flattened in a small paper envelope immediately after resection (modified protocol); and (2) 2012 consensus-modified criteria (CM-2012). These interventions were compared with conventional tissue-handling protocol (CP) and traditional 2008 World Health Organization criteria (WHO). Twenty blinded community pathologists from around the United States scored 100, independent, 0.5 to 2.0 cm, proximal colonic SPs randomly selected from a 2-site tissue section archive. We compared interobserver agreement and diagnostic grading.

RESULTS

Interobserver agreement was higher using CM-2012 than WHO criteria (absolute agreement: 13% vs. 4%, P<0.01; 75% agreement: 54% vs. 38%, P<0.01). Interobserver agreement was higher with the modified protocol than with CP (WHO absolute agreement: 6% vs. 2%, P>0.05; WHO 75% agreement: 46% vs. 30%, P>0.05, and CM-2012 absolute agreement: 20% vs. 6%, P=0.07; CM-2012 75% agreement: 66% vs. 42%, P=0.03). Compared with WHO, use of CM-2012 criteria resulted in fewer diagnoses of "indeterminate"; more diagnoses of SSA/P (P<0.01); and "upgraded" the diagnosis from hyperplastic polyps to SSA/P in approximately 7% of cases. These observations were independent of polyp size, patient gender, and study site.

CONCLUSIONS

Simple enhancements to postresection SP handling and diagnostic criteria markedly improve interobserver agreement of SP diagnosis among nongastrointestinal community pathologists. This finding, if confirmed, has important implications for SP colonoscopy surveillance guidelines.