Gastroenterology

A team from Argentina reports that reusing certain medical devices saved 90% of the cost of use of single-use devices without causing complications for patients.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a proven therapy for recurrent C. difficile infection. A team of researchers from OpenBiome outlined plans for a depository for frozen stool from screened donors. The goal is to have a consistent and safe product for use by clinicians who treat patients with this ailment.

Newer tests for Clostridium difficile can detect the infection in pediatric patients even when there is no blood in the stool.

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases are sometimes treated with immunosuppressive drugs, particularly if they have a significant co-morbidity. A Boston team of researchers found that when that co-morbidity is diabetes, patients are at greater risk of coming down with infections.

The essential medicines list put out by the World Health Organization (WHO) now includes five new hepatitis C drugs that show great promise in curing the disease in millions of people. However, the WHO also warned financial stumbling blocks could greatly hinder efforts to make treatment equitable throughout the world.

In a continuing effort to curb the spread of hepatitis C among the riskiest populations, government health officials recently held a webinar to discuss links between opioid injection drug use and increased cases of the liver disease.

The authors of a study that explored an association between heart disease and hepatitis C say chronic infection of the virus should be considered a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease.

China's type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) epidemic continues to be a pervasive, costly health care issue, with proportions surpassed only by epidemic here in the US. The majority of T2DM treatment guidelines recommend metformin as the first-line anti-hyperglycemic agent for diabetes management due to its relative safety, tolerability, and cost-effectiveness.

Studies show that nutrient-dense yogurt may benefit individuals with lactose intolerance, constipation and diarrheal diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

This was a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials regarding the relationship between dietary fat consumption, serum cholesterol levels, and subsequent coronary heart disease development.

This study was a randomized, controlled trial of 240 adults with metabolic syndrome who were assigned to follow either the single-component dietary recommendation of increased fiber consumption (≥30g/d), or the multi-component American Heart Association (AHA) dietary guidelines. The primary outcome measure was weight loss at 12 months.

As the usage of fecal microbiota transplant becomes more common doctors are also seeing patients referred to them who may not be ideal candidates for the procedure. Work is also being done to find new ways to treat the condition.

Researchers from Canada recently published an updated set of guidelines for patients afflicted with mild to severe Ulcerative colitis (UC).

What once was viewed to be an unscientific approach to help treat C-difficile, fecal microbiota transplant has become not only an accepted method of treatment, but also the preferred method in many patients.

C-Difficile may be a growing problem in the healthcare community, but there are also a number of very successful ways to treat the condition including medications and fecal microbiota transplant.

A growing concern in the field of gastroenterology has been the growing number of patients diagnosed with Clostridium Difficile. The condition, which can have a negative impact on a patient's quality of life can include symptoms like severe diarrhea.

For more than a decade, it has been an annual ritual to read headlines about a crisis brewing in Congress as it struggled to avert a looming Medicare disaster stemming from the imminent pay cut to Medicare physicians mandated by the "SGR". Like a broken record each time, spurred by warnings of physician groups of the dire consequences the slash in Medicare fees would have on medical practices and Medicare patients, Congress scrambled at the 12th hour to put off the mandated cuts for another year.

Clostridium (C) difficile infections (CDIs) are at their highest during the spring and in the Northeast region of the US, a study published May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) found.

Relaxation responses physiologic states of deep rest induced by practices such as meditation, yoga, and prayer were reported to positively trigger symptom improvement and gene expression changes within patients afflicted with gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

With several new antivirals for hepatitis C infection available and more in the pipeline, the need for liver transplantation could drop, making more donor organs available for those who do need them, a Philadelphia team reports.

There have been demonstrated benefits to implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in medical facilities of all sizes. While they have become more popular, there are several factors that need to be considered before making that move.

When a patient goes to see their primary care physician they often do so with the hopes of getting the care they need with their doctor. Whether they need to be seen by a specialist is often a more subjective decision by their healthcare provider.

When doctors are considering medications to prescribe to patients there are several factors they need to consider, not the least of which is cost.

Chronic itch (itch last 6 weeks or longer) is a clinical challenge, and is associated with a number of dermatologic, systemic, neuropathic, and psychogenic causes. Transmission of the itch sensation is similar to that of pain, but distinct in several ways. Scientists have found itch-specific neuronal pathways that when activated, cause considerable discomfort for patients. Current available treatments, however, are still more trial-and-error than evidence-based.

A survey of 571 US hospitals regarding practices used to prevent Clostridium difficile infection indicates that nearly half of the facilities appear to not be taking steps to prevent the infection that kills nearly 30,000 people and sickens hundreds of thousands more each year, despite strong evidence that these steps work.

Approximately 1 in 6 patients suffering from gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are likely to develop malignant cancers before or after diagnosis, according to the inaugural population-based study recently conducted by researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

A study in JAMA Surgery identified several factors that cause a frequently used antireflux surgery to be unsuccessful.

Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported a vast improvement in survival rates despite a decrease in primary tumor resection (PTR) to treat stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC).

Researchers are investigating whether microbial therapy can be an effective treatment for several skin and allergic conditions.

The gut microbiota modulates immune development and is an important component of neuroendocrine system. These interactions interfere with neuroendocrine development and, consequently, the patient's immune function.