In the News
Cirrhosis puts COVID-19 patients at higher risk of hospitalization, death
An analysis of U.S. veterans with and without cirrhosis who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 this spring found a 30-day mortality rate of 17.1% in patients with both conditions, compared to 2.3% in those with neither COVID-19 nor cirrhosis.
Practice guidance addresses vascular liver disorders, portal vein thrombosis, procedural bleeding
Among other statements, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases said that modifiable risk factors for bleeding, such as use of antithrombotic drugs, should be identified and corrected before procedures in patients with cirrhosis.
Three rounds of FIT had higher CRC detection rates than one sigmoidoscopy, study finds
Participation was higher and more colorectal cancer (CRC) and advanced adenomas were detected with repeated fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) compared to sigmoidoscopy, although the risks of perforation and bleeding were comparable.
MKSAP Quiz: A 2-month history of diarrhea, cramps
This month's quiz asks readers to determine the most likely diagnosis for a 26-year-old woman who presents with a history of diarrhea characterized by two to three semibloody stools per day associated with cramping lower abdominal pain.
Spotlight on alcohol-related liver disease
Recent research identified risk factors that predict the severity of alcohol-related liver disease, distinct patterns of alcohol use that may affect survival after liver transplantation for alcoholic hepatitis, potential effects on the microbiome, and more.
Carcinoids contributed to recent increase in early-onset colorectal cancer rates
While colorectal carcinoid rates are increasing more quickly than colorectal adenocarcinoma rates in younger patients, adenocarcinomas are steadily increasing in almost all early-onset subgroups, including those in their 40s, a U.S. study found.
PPIs started for stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients often continued after ICU, hospital discharge
A study at one U.S. academic medical center found that nearly half of patients who started proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the ICU without an indication for outpatient use continued them after transfer to the floor, and 27% continued them after discharge.
Diabetes remission after bariatric surgery may be more likely in younger patients with shorter disease duration
Long-term results from the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery suggested that diabetes remission is more likely after bariatric surgery performed soon after diagnosis, when diabetes medication burden is low and beta-cell function is preserved, study authors noted.