Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Gastroenterology for June 2006. 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.
FDA Warns of Ketek-Associated Liver Problems
FRIDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to health care professionals and patients to be aware of the potential of rare, but serious risks of liver injury with the antibiotic Ketek (telithromycin).
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Barrett's Esophagus Incidence Increasing in Australia
FRIDAY, June 30 (HealthDay News) -- In an Australian population undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGD), new cases of Barrett's esophagus have significantly increased since 1990, with the biggest increase seen in diagnoses of short-segment Barrett's esophagus (SSBE), according to a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease Linked to Eye Inflammation
THURSDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- A family history of inflammatory bowel disease is associated with idiopathic ocular inflammation, according to a report in the June issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
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H. pylori Test-and-Treat Strategy Best for Dyspepsia
THURSDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Testing for Helicobacter pylori may be the best initial management strategy for patients presenting with dyspepsia, according to a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
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New Model Identifies Mutations in Colorectal Cancer
WEDNESDAY, June 28 (HealthDay News) -- A new predictive model developed by multivariate logistic regression accurately identifies patients with colorectal cancer who are carriers of mutations in DNA repair genes, according to a study published in the June 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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NEJM Issues Correction on 2005 Vioxx Study
MONDAY, June 26 (HealthDay News) -- The New England Journal of Medicine has issued a correction to the Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) trial, a 2005 publication that suggested that thrombotic events in rofecoxib-treated patients only diverged from placebo after 18 months of treatment. However, an error in the analysis now indicates that adverse events diverged from the placebo group prior to 18 months, the authors report.
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Genome of Atrophic Gastritis Helicobacter pylori Sequenced
WEDNESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have sequenced the genome of Helicobacter pylori using a strain isolated from a patient with chronic atrophic gastritis, according to a report published online June 20 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
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FDA Warns About Reusable Ultrasound Biopsy Equipment
WEDNESDAY, June 21 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to health care professionals to properly clean and sterilize reusable ultrasound biopsy transducer assemblies to avoid patient infections due to contaminated equipment.
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Sentinel Node Analysis Accurate in Colorectal Cancer
TUESDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- Lymphatic mapping and the analysis of sentinel nodes can be a reliable way to stage colorectal cancer (CRC) and to select patients for chemotherapy, according to a report in the June issue of the Archives of Surgery.
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Macrophages in Fat Linked to Liver Damage in Obesity
MONDAY, June 19 (HealthDay News) -- The accumulation of macrophages in the omental white adipose tissue of morbidly obese patients is associated with severe hepatic inflammatory damage, according to a report in the June issue of Diabetes.
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Researchers Isolate Human Liver Stem Cells
FRIDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- A human fetal liver stem cell line has been established that can repopulate damaged livers in mice and may be useful for studying liver development, disease and regeneration, according to a report published online June 16 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
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Metformin Protects Mice from Alcohol Liver Damage
THURSDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Metformin dramatically reduces alcohol-induced liver damage in mice after both acute and chronic exposure, according to a report in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
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Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis Increases Risk of Infertility
THURSDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Women who are treated for ulcerative colitis with ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) have a threefold higher risk of infertility compared with women treated with drug therapy, according to a study published online June 13 in Gut.
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Liver Cuts Peripheral Fat Through Neuronal Signaling
THURSDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- The liver can control energy expenditure, fat distribution and insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues through a neuronal pathway involving the vagus nerve and a receptor found in the liver, according to the results of an animal study published in the June 16 issue of Science.
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Intestinal Surgery Can Lead to Vitamin A-Linked Vision Loss
THURSDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who have undergone intestinal surgery can experience vision problems due to vitamin A deficiency many years later, particularly if they have liver disease or other comorbidities, according to a series of case reports published online June 14 in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
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Estrogen Receptor Genes Linked to Liver Carcinoma
THURSDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) may play a role in mediating risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B virus carriers, according to a study conducted in China and published in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
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Milk Intake Has No Impact on HIV-Related Diarrhea
WEDNESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- HIV-infected patients can consume moderate amounts of dairy products, regardless of their lactase status, without risking a worsening of HIV-related diarrhea, according to a study published in the June issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Colorectal Cancer Factors in Ulcerative Colitis Identified
WEDNESDAY, June 14 (HealthDay News) -- Surveillance colonoscopy and use of anti-inflammatory medications may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer for patients with ulcerative colitis, according to a report in the June issue of Gastroenterology.
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Coffee Intake May Protect Against Liver Cirrhosis
MONDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- Coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of liver cirrhosis, particularly cirrhosis due to alcohol consumption, as well as a reduced risk of having elevated aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, according to a report in the June 12 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Folic Acid May Slow or Stop Premalignant Lesions
MONDAY, June 12 (HealthDay News) -- Folic acid supplementation may slow progression and reduce the size of precancerous laryngeal lesions, according to a study published online June 12 in Cancer.
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Male Sexual Dysfunction Can Occur After Hernia Operation
FRIDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- About 3 percent of men who have undergone inguinal herniorrhaphy experience pain that moderately or severely affects their sexual function, according to a study in the June issue of Pain.
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Single-Dose Azithromycin Treats Severe Cholera in Adults
WEDNESDAY, June 7 (HealthDay News) -- A single dose of azithromycin is more effective than a single dose of ciprofloxacin to treat cholera in adults, according to a report in the June 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Human Gut Teems with Over 1,000 Bacterial Species
THURSDAY, June 1 (HealthDay News) -- The human colon contains up to 100 trillion organisms representing over 1,000 species of bacteria, and they provide a host of genes necessary for the metabolism of vitamins, sugars and fiber, according to an analysis of the colon's microbiome published in a report in the June 2 issue of Science.
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