Gastroenterology

Although it is widely understood that hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the leading causes of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, an alarming number of HBV and HCV carriers have unhealthy habits that result in poor liver health.

The patients who are most likely to develop a hospital-acquired condition after bariatric surgery are precisely those who stand to benefit the most from undergoing the procedure.

Japanese regulators have approved an all-oral daclatsvir plus asunaprevir drug regimen developed by Bristol-Meyers Squibb to treat patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

Although hospitals routinely implement peer review processes to ensure that physicians are meeting the prevailing standards of care, the procedure has been associated with controversy.

Stephen Vogt, PharmD, Chief Executive Officer and President of BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy, discusses the ongoing debate surrounding the high price of Hepatitis C treatments versus the efficacy of the drug.

Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have released a study showing the potential of a dangerous interaction between a common supplement and prescription medication.

Under current quality measures, colorectal screenings are being overused in sick elderly patients and underused in healthy ones.

A new pill could be the next tool in a patient's fight to lose weight, according to a recent study.

In Europe and the United States, more than 3 million people suffer from either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, and while they are becoming more common diagnoses, the root causes and triggers are not completely clear to researchers.

A drug which has already been approved for patients with diabetes could have more benefits for people at risk of having heart disease, according a recent study.

A recent study found that the hepatitis C virus decays during treatment with telaprevir faster in the bloodstream than it does in the liver, a discovery that could help pinpoint how long a patient needs to take medicine to rid the virus from the body.

A recent study of patients who underwent bariatric surgery showed that even while their weight settled following their procedure their bone loss continued even two years after the operation.

An experimental, first-in-class drug that affects the gut microbiota has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in adults with prediabetes.

Intestinal bacteria levels may be a good marker for determining risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Revising the definition of chronic kidney disease progression that is currently used in clinical trials could speed the development of new therapies.

Study results show hepatic decompensation is more common in people who have both HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) compared to those infected only with HCV, an indication that early HCV treatment among coinfected patients is needed.

Saliva tests for detecting anti–hepatitis C antibodies may not be as effective in patients who also have an HIV infection.

Scientists have mapped the structure of a hepatitis C virus surface protein that is responsible for binding to host liver cells, leading to virus entry.

Study shows bariatric surgery can not only help obese patients lose weight, but also reduce their risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

Most children with hepatitis C contract the virus through transmission from their chronically infected mothers, either in the womb or at birth, particularly when an expectant mother also is HIV-positive.

The FDA has granted priority review for a New Drug Application submitted by AbbVie Inc. for its all-oral, interferon-free therapy for patients with chronic genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection.

Results from the largest population-based, case-control study on the link between incretin therapy and pancreatitis conducted to date indicate that treatment with this class of medications does not confer increased risk of developing pancreatitis.

The US Food and Drug Administration partially lifted a clinical hold on a hepatitis C drug under development by Achillion Pharmaceuticals, clearing the way for a restart of the company's clinical trials of sovaprevir.

People from the Baby Boom generation covered under Medicare can now get one-time screening for hepatitis C, according to a memo from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Prebiotics and probiotics have been discussed frequently in the media for supposedly improving overall health, especially diseases related to the gut. However, the evidence on the efficacy and use of these dietary supplements is rather complicated.

Children delivered by cesarean section and those given antibiotics early in infancy may be more prone to developing allergic inflammation of the esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus is frequently overdiagnosed in clinical settings, which has broad implications for patient health, medical costs, and psychological stress due to perceived cancer risk.

Noting that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the discovery of hepatitis C, health officials ramped up a public awareness campaign during the month of May to encourage more testing for hepatitis among at-risk populations.

An oral, interferon-free regimen comprised of several agents cured hepatitis C in more than 90% of patients who also had liver cirrhosis, according to the results of an international study.

Although the primary outcomes of the US National Institutes of Health Women's Health Initiative trial suggested daily calcium plus vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced hip fracture in postmenopausal women, a follow-up investigation found no difference in hip fracture incidence between the study's supplement and placebo groups nearly 5 years after the intervention phase ended.