In the News


AGA issues guideline on opioid-induced constipation

Opioid-induced constipation differs mechanistically from other forms of the disorder, and its medical management deserves dedicated attention, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) said.

PPI prophylaxis didn't affect 90-day mortality rates among ICU patients

Gastrointestinal bleeds were less common among at-risk ICU patients who received IV pantoprazole instead of placebo, but rates of clinically important events were similar overall.

Antidepressants may mitigate link between inflammatory bowel disease and depression

Patients with depression had more than double the risk of developing Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis over a median follow-up of more than six years.

MKSAP Quiz: Constant low-grade epigastric pain

This month's quiz asks readers to determine the most appropriate initial treatment for a 60-year-old man with constant low-grade epigastric pain radiating to his back and a history of chronic pancreatitis.

Spotlight on IBD sequelae

One recent study found a threefold increase in mortality among patients with childhood-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) compared to individuals without the disease, while another found that patients with IBD have a higher risk of certain malignancies compared to the general population.

FIT screening may not be the best method to find right-sided cancers, study indicates

An accompanying editorial noted that fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) may be less effective in the right colon in part because lesions grow more rapidly and bleed less.

After surgery for stage II or III colorectal cancer, more vs less frequent follow-up did not differ for 5-year mortality

The findings help clarify the ideal process for surveillance of clinical recurrence of colorectal cancer, an ACP Journal Club commentary said.

In primary biliary cholangitis, adding bezafibrate to ursodeoxycholic acid increased complete biochemical response

Bezafibrate is currently unavailable in the U.S., but fenofibrate can be offered off-label in these patients with close monitoring of adverse effects, an ACP Journal Club commentary said.