Gastroenterology

Primary prevention measures for upper GI bleeding should include NSAIDs, antiplatelet therapy, and anticoagulants appropriately, while secondary preventive measures should include testing and treating H. pylori and using long-term PPIs when appropriate.

Although 3-year survival and cancer recurrence rates are comparable for patients who have laparoscopic or open surgery at any stage of colon cancer, older patients who undergo a laparoscopic procedure have a significantly less likelihood of being admitted to a nursing home compared to those who have open surgical resection.

A study presented at the 2013 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons has demonstrated that a simple postoperative pain treatment decreases both pain and the use of narcotic pain relievers.

Case study presented at CHEST 2013 details the experience of a patient with hepatitis C who, after undergoing liver transplant, died after developing a serious lung infection and other complications.

Noting that it takes an average of 5 years before a fibromyalgia patient receives a diagnosis, researchers conducted a retrospective data analysis to identify significant variables that may enable earlier detection and diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

With 10% of Americans contracting ulcers, pharmacists can be a valuable source of education for patients regarding the causes of peptic ulcer and the pros and cons of available treatments.

Patients on antithrombotic therapy must be monitored for increased risk of upper GI bleeding.

Study results indicate that diabetes mellitus is independently associated with the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma among patients who have fatty liver disease.

Results from a clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a hepatitis C educational program delivered by the Hepatology Centers of Educational Expertise, a hepatologist-led working group dedicated to educating healthcare professionals on the latest developments in the management of chronic liver disease.

Case study results indicate boceprevir-based triple therapy could be a viable treatment option for patients with acute hepatitis C virus who fail to respond to standard treatment.

Study results show that patients currently taking opioids and those who were previously on chronic opioid therapy experienced induced esophageal dysfunction, with outflow obstruction and spastic esophageal dysmotility patterns more prevalent among current users.

Researchers report a cure rate of greater than 90 percent among patients with recurrent C. difficile infection treated with fecal microbiota transplantation at a community hospital.

Study results show that improvement in short-term mortality was seen in patients who receive corticosteroids for treatment of severe alcoholic hepatitis without an increased risk of infection occurrence.

A large majority of patients with chronic hepatitis C cleared their virus after receiving triple therapy of pegylated interferon, ribavirin, and boceprevir for 24 weeks. No patients in the study cohort discontinued treatment due to medication-related side effects.

Study results show that SIRS on admission and at 72 hours after is associated with a higher incidence of pancreatic necrosis, an important risk factor contributing to death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

A literature search found no well-documented evidence showing that implementing a gluten-and-casein-free diet in children with autism produces statistically significant differences in autism-related behaviors.

Two studies at the American College of Gastroenterology's 78th Annual Scientific Meeting analyzed the health outcomes of inflammatory bowel disease in the U.S. and Canada.

Even though they reviewed dozens of scoring tools, researchers concluded that surgeons still don't have an ideal tool to predict severity in early acute pancreatitis.

Although fecal microbial transplant is highly effective in treating recurrent C. difficile infection, a survey of infectious disease specialists shows that several barriers prevent the treatment from being available at most institutions.

Acid reduction from PPI treatment may alter bacterial flora in the digestive system, which may increase an individual's susceptibility to infection.

Study finds men with HIV and chronic HCV infection are more likely to receive treatment than women. The same study also indicates Caucasians with HIV and HCV co-infection are more likely to receive treatment than their African-American counterparts.

Steven P. Levine, MD, says the implications of altering the microbiome may extend beyond C. difficile to mental health, given the new insight into the connection between the gut and mind.

Study finds there are often long delays between diagnosis and referral for treatment by a specialist for patients with hepatitis C, and also long delays from the time of referral to initiation of treatment.

At what age should solid foods be introduced to infants in order to alter their risk of atopic disorders?

Researchers in Denmark evaluated the quality of hospital care delivered to more than 13,500 patients with peptic ulcer bleeding as part of a large-scale quality improvement initiative.

New measures enhance practices' ability to track and improve performance and quality.

Researchers have developed a pig model that mimics the human immune response to H. pylori infection, enabling them to better predict the progression and outcomes of infection.

Acknowledging that C-reactive protein (CRP) is a known infection or inflammation indicator, a team of researchers investigated preoperative CRP level's predictive value with regard to postoperative infectious complications after colorectal surgery.

The increasing incidence of C. difficile infection in hospitals and other settings, coupled with the emergence of new high-virulence strains, requires physicians to understand the risk factors associated with this condition and be prepared to effectively diagnose and manage it.

Patients who undergo open and minimally-invasive colon surgery on Monday have significantly shorter lengths of hospital stay compared to operations performed on any other day of the week.