Table 2.
Characteristics of study subjects providing stool samples after QC.
| Diagnosis | PSC (n = 31) |
CCA w PSC (n = 16) |
CCA wo PSC (n = 11) |
p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female, n (%) | 12 (39) | 5 (31) | 3 (27) | NS |
| Race, white, n (%) | 30 (97) | 14 (88) | 10 (91) | NS |
| Age (years), Median (IQR) | 51 (43–60) | 52 (45–55) | 60 (51–64) | NS |
| BMI (kg/m2), Median (IQR) | 26 (23–28) | 25 (23–28) | 26 (23–29) | NS |
| PSC duration (years), Median (IQR) | 10 (4–18) | 7 (3–12) | NA | NS |
| CCA site, perihilar, n (%) | NA | 12 (75) | 9 (82) | NS |
| Cholelithiasis, n (%) | 2 (6) | 1 (6) | 1 (9) | NS |
| Choledocholithiasis, n (%) | 3 (10) | 1 (6) | 3 (27) | NS |
| Leukocytosis, n (%) | 2 (7) | 5 (31) | 0 (0) | 0.019 |
| Antibiotic use, n (%) | 11 (36) | 4 (25) | 2 (18) | NS |
| Use for more than a month | 8 (26) | 3 (19) | 0 (0) | NS |
| MELD score, Median (IQR) | 9 (7–15) | 16 (9–22) | 11 (8–18) | NS |
| Surgical Procedures | NS | |||
| Ileal pouch, n (%) | 8 (26) | 5 (31) | 2 (18) | NS |
| Ileostomy, n (%) | 5 (16) | 2 (14) | 2 (18) | NS |
| Cholecystectomy, n (%) | 10 (32) | 6 (38) | 3 (27) | NS |
| Treatments | ||||
| Chemotherapy, n (%) | 0 (0) | 6 (38) | 2 (18) | 0.002 |
| Radiotherapy, n (%) | 0 (0) | 4 (25) | 2 (18) | 0.018 |
| Stent Placement, n (%) | 3 (10) | 5 (31) | 9 (82) | <0.001 |
| Plastic stent *, n (%) | 3 (10) | 5 (31) | 7 (64) | 0.002 |
| Metallic stent *, n (%) | 1 (3) | 0 (0) | 3 (27) | 0.011 |
| Steroid use (for IBD), n (%) | 4 (13) | 5 (31) | 1 (9) | NS |
| Immunosuppressant, n (%) | 3 (10) | 2 (13) | 1 (9) | NS |
| Lifestyle Factors | NS | |||
| Alcohol use, n (%) | 17 (55) | 9 (56) | 7 (64) | NS |
| Current smoker, n (%) | 1 (3) | 4 (25) | 3 (27) | 0.043 |
| Comorbidities | NS | |||
| IBD, n (%) | 24 (77) | 12 (75) | 1 (9) | <0.001 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 8 (26) | 3 (19) | 4 (36) | NS |
| Hypercholesterolemia, n (%) | 12 (39) | 6 (38) | 3 (27) | NS |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 4 (13) | 4 (25) | 4 (36) | NS |
QC, quality control; BMI, body mass index; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; NA, not available; NS, not significant; *, some patients had both plastic and metallic stents. Comparisons among groups were performed using Chi-square test for categorical variables and Kruskal–Wallis test for continuous variables.