Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Gastroenterology for December 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Recent U.S. Food-Linked Listeriosis Outbreaks Shorter
FRIDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with earlier outbreaks, more recent food-associated listeriosis outbreaks in the United States have been shorter and affected fewer people, according to research published online Dec. 12 in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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Sustained Virological Response Lowers Mortality Risk in Hep C
FRIDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Sustained virological response (SVR) is associated with lower all-cause mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and advanced hepatic fibrosis, according to a study published in the Dec. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Cancer Screening Goals Not Being Met by General Population
THURSDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, the general population only meets the recommended cancer screening goals for colorectal cancer, while cancer survivors meet all requirements except for cervical cancer screening, according to a study published online Dec. 27 in Frontiers in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention.
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Positive Preclinical Results for Smo Inhibitor in Esophageal CA
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- In rats with induced gastroduodenoesophageal reflux, a small molecular inhibitor of smoothened (Smo) can reduce the risk of developing Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in the Annals of Surgery.
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Gattex Approved for Short Bowel Syndrome
FRIDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Gattex (teduglutide) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat nutritional problems caused by short bowel syndrome.
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Motor Vehicle Incidents Common in Medical Residents
FRIDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- During training, internal medicine residents commonly experience motor vehicle incidents, including crashes and near misses, but less commonly experience blood and body fluid (BBF) exposures, according to research published in the December issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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Vertex Announces Boxed Warning on Hepatitis C Drug
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- In the wake of multiple deaths, the oral hepatitis C drug telaprevir (Incivek) will now carry a boxed warning, according to a statement released Dec. 19 by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.
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Many Docs Use Social Media to Find, Share Medical Data
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Most physicians use social media on at least a weekly basis, and report that it improves the quality of patient care they deliver, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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U.K. Criteria May Better Stratify for Colorectal Neoplasia Risk
MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Using U.K. risk stratification criteria might better identify post-polypectomy patients in the United States at high-risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia, according to research published in the Dec. 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Snack Foods Linked to Colorectal Cancer Risk in Lynch Syndrome
MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- People with Lynch syndrome have a higher risk of developing early colon cancer if they eat a diet heavy on snacks such as fried foods and sodas, according to a study published online Dec. 17 in Cancer.
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Health Care Satisfaction Rated As High by Unacculturated Hispanics
MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanic patients, particularly unacculturated Hispanics, rate their health care experience more highly than do other patient groups, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health.
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Tenofovir Effectively Treats Adolescents With Chronic HBV
FRIDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In adolescents infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), once-daily tenofovir treatment for 72 weeks effectively suppresses HBV DNA and normalizes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values, regardless of prior HBV treatment exposure, according to research published in the December issue of Hepatology.
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HCV-Related Transplants Most Needed By Those Born 1941-60
THURSDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Patients born between 1941 and 1960 are creating the largest demand for liver transplants due to hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated liver disease, according to a study published in the December issue of Liver Transplantation.
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Current Health Costs Pushing Docs to Make Urgent Choices
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The current growth in health care's share of the gross domestic product (GDP) and need to implement learning health systems is forcing physicians to make important choices, according to a perspective piece published online Dec. 12 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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NSAIDs Exacerbate Exercise-Induced Small Intestinal Injury
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) aggravate exercise-induced small intestinal injury in athletes, according to a study published in the December issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
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Teduglutide Seems Effective, Safe for Short Bowel Syndrome
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with short bowel syndrome with intestinal failure (SBS-IF), the glucagon-like peptide 2 analogue teduglutide appears to be safe and reduces the number of days off parenteral support, according to a phase 3 study published in the December issue of Gastroenterology.
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Bevacizumab Doesn't Prolong Survival in Stage II-III Colon CA
TUESDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with stage 2 to 3 colon cancer, the addition of bevacizumab to modified fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX6) does not prolong disease-free or overall survival, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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Number of Independent Physicians Continues to Decline
MONDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Physician business models are transforming, with a sustained shift away from independent practice, according to report released by the consulting firm Accenture.
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Anticompetitive Market Power Common in Managed Care Plans
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For each of the three most popular types of managed care plans in the United States (point-of-service plan [POS], health maintenance organization [HMO], and preferred provider organization [PPO]), anticompetitive market power is widespread, according to a Nov. 28 news release from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Health Care Law Boosts Savings on Meds for Medicare Recipients
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Savings on prescription drugs related to the Affordable Care Act have reached $5.1 billion, according to a Dec. 3 news release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Liver Transplant Outcomes No Worse With Echo Abnormalities
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Intracardiac shunts (ICSs), diagnosed using an echocardiogram, or mild or moderate pulmonary hypertension (PH), do not affect short- or long-term mortality in liver transplant candidates, according to research published online in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Breath Test Shows Potential for Detecting Colorectal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from breath samples is able to distinguish healthy patients from those with colorectal cancer with more than 75 percent accuracy, according to a study published in the January issue of the British Journal of Surgery.
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Five-Hour Protected Sleep Feasible for Medical Interns
TUESDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of a five-hour period of protected sleep is feasible for medical interns on long shifts, resulting in interns getting more uninterrupted sleep and feeling more alert the next day, according to a study published in the Dec. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Few Internal Medicine Residents Choosing Primary Care
TUESDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Only about one in five graduating internal medicine residents in the United States plan to enter general internal medicine (GIM), which is more common among graduates of primary care programs, women, and U.S. medical graduates, according to a study published in the Dec. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Use of Upper Endoscopy Should Be Limited in GERD
MONDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), use of upper endoscopy should be considered only in specific clinical situations, according to best practice advice issued by the American College of Physicians and published in the Dec. 4 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Increasing Number of Workers in Self-Insured Health Plans
MONDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- There has been a recent increase in the percentage of workers in the private sector who are enrolled in self-insured health plans, in which the employer assumes the financial risk related to health insurance (unlike a fully-insured plan, where the insurance company assumes the risk), according to research published in the November issue of the Employee Benefit Research Institute's Notes.
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