In the News
Many patients with ‘refractory’ heartburn successfully treated with PPI regimen
Among study participants whose reflux-related heartburn truly did not respond to a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), surgery (laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication) was more effective than medical therapy (omeprazole and baclofen plus desipramine if needed).
New guideline encourages less colorectal cancer screening for low-risk patients
The guideline, developed by the BMJ Rapid Recommendations project, suggested no screening for individuals ages 50 to 79 years with an estimated 15-year colorectal cancer risk below 3%.
New meta-analysis quantifies risks of colonoscopy
The risk of perforation during colonoscopy is 5.8 per 10,000, while bleeding occurs in 2.4 per 1,000 colonoscopies, according to a committee report from the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
MKSAP quiz: Management of atypical chest pain
This month's quiz asks readers to determine the most appropriate course of management for a 56-year-old woman with chest discomfort that intermittently occurs after meals and while walking up stairs.
Spotlight on hepatitis A, B, and C
The past month's gastroenterology research may not have been simple as ABC, but it did focus on the major types of hepatitis, including a hepatitis A outbreak, a comparison of hepatitis B drugs, and new data on hepatitis C complications and incidence.
New international guideline updates recommendations on managing patients with nonvariceal GI bleeding
The new guideline is “a step forward,” particularly with regard to new endoscopic therapies and management of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in patients on antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs, an editorial noted.
HCV drug approved as 8-week regimen
The combination drug is indicated to treat all treatment-naive adults and some children who have chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1 through 6 infection, either without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis.
Pantoprazole did not reduce risk for a composite of upper gastrointestinal events in stable arterial disease
Given the limitations of this large industry-funded trial, the only definitive conclusion one can draw is that patients on aspirin and rivaroxaban with low risk for bleeding may get a very small benefit from long-term proton-pump inhibitor therapy, an ACP Journal Club commentary said.