Ulcerative Colitis

Researchers have made several impressive advances in gastrointestinal medicine in recent years, including the use of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. Following the success of that approach, researchers have been evaluating FMT for the treatment of other conditions, with one team recently conducting the first randomized controlled trial of FMT to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Immune cells responsible for intestinal movement may be the key to an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome.

Although tumor necrosis factor inhibitors have dramatically improved management strategies for autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, the biologic agents also pose a number of significant side effects that physicians must consider.

Although small-bowel capsule endoscopy is often used to evaluate unexplained abdominal pain, a new analysis has found the procedure's diagnostic yield is limited.

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.

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.

Although many studies have found Crohn's disease (CD) patients are more likely to smoke than the general population, only a few have examined CD prevalence as it relates to regional smoking rates.

Patients with IBS-D in two phase II trials of eluxadoline experienced sustained improvements in abdominal pain and bowel symptoms at 26 weeks of treatment, with mild side effects.

Fecal microbiota transplants appear safe and patients tolerate them well in trials, but the evidence isn't there yet to establish overall benefit for treating ulcerative colitis.

Phase 2 study results show patients with ulcerative colitis treated with an investigational oral compound achieved higher rates of remission, reduced rectal bleeding, and increased mucosal healing compared to patients who received placebo.

Though constipation as a side effect of opioid therapy is generally considered a tolerability issue that can be treated with over-the-counter laxatives, opioid-induced constipation may still lead to serious gastrointestinal complications.

Children with irritable bowel syndrome are 4 times more likely to have co-occurring celiac disease, according to research published in JAMA Pediatrics.

IBS symptoms play a minor role, according to a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, which asked patients to rate their overall health.

Isotretinoin, a treatment for severe acne, has been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in some case reports and 1 study. To investigate whether isotretinoin can induce IBD, French researchers conducted a 2-year nationwide registry study.

A new retrospective study suggests that patients with autoimmune disorders should be monitored for epilepsy, and vice versa.

Postoperative surgical site infection is exceedingly rare after hemorrhoidectomy, and routine antibiotic prophylaxis seems to be unnecessary.

Genetics, diet, past trauma, and anxiety have all been thought to play a role in the cause of irritable bowel syndrome, but new research has found a clue to the disease.

Fear avoidance contributes to disability and pain in children with functional abdominal pain but not inflammatory bowel disease, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society.

Aggressive medical therapy might be more closely linked to mortality and malignancy in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease than the condition itself, according to a new study.

Recent studies suggest that combination therapy with infliximab and azathioprine is more effective than monotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease, but patients with more established Crohn's disease do not derive any extra benefit from triple therapy with infliximab, methotrexate, and prednisone compared to double therapy with infliximab and prednisone.

In a meta-analysis of 6 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical studies, researchers concluded that acupuncture is effective in controlling the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

The nutritionally skewed "Western" diet relies on processed foods that foster obesity and may even promote autoimmune diseases.

Frequency phone calls were a predictor of future visits to the emergency department or hospitalization for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, according to a new study.

Clinicians should be familiar with all current testing options and assessment tools and be prepared to offer support and guidance to patients who may be embarrassed or unwilling to discuss this aspect of their health.

Without proper assessment and treatment, a patient with mild colitis or Crohn's disease can easily transition into more severe disease.

With renewed attention on maximizing return on every dollar spent on health care, gastroenterologists need to take a thoughtful approach that takes cost and the overall patient experience into account when they make testing and treatment decisions with patients who have inflammatory bowel disease.

Polyethylene glycol in conjunction with fiber supplementation is an effective treatment for occasional constipation in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Following a low-FODMAPs diet reduced symptoms for patients suffering from IBS, according to a study of 38 patients. Unfortunately,the diet might not be realistic for all IBS patients to take on.

In an attempt to close the knowledge gap on anal abscess and fistula, 2 surgeons have published a comprehensive review on those topics.

To analyze the risk factors for colectomy and post-operative mortality among Clostridium difficile colitis (CDC) patients, a group of surgeons retrospectively reviewed CDC trends between 2001 and 2010.