In the News

Infliximab or tofacitinib for IBD associated with lower response to COVID-19 vaccination

An industry-funded study in England looked at SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentrations after two vaccine doses among patients taking infliximab, tofacitinib, thiopurine, ustekinumab, or vedolizumab for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), comparing them to healthy controls.

U.S. sees decrease in HCC disease burden

Incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) decreased sharply by 2.3% annually after 2011, while incidence-based mortality saw a 3.2% annual decrease after 2013, according to a study based on national data.

Pandemic may have led to later presentation of colorectal, breast cancers

A single-center study in California found that more patients presented with stage I disease and fewer presented with stage IV disease in 2019 versus 2020, but the changes were statistically significant only for breast cancer.

MKSAP Quiz: Chronic pain and a history of cirrhosis

This month's quiz asks readers to determine the most appropriate treatment for a 66-year-old patient with chronic back pain and a history of cirrhosis, osteoporosis, and stage 2 chronic kidney disease.

Spotlight on noninvasive CRC screening

The American Gastroenterological Association released a clinical practice update on using noninvasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening options, and recent studies focused on fecal immunochemical test screening programs.

AGA clinical practice update offers guidance on PPI deprescribing

All patients taking a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) should have a regular review and documentation of ongoing indications for use, which should be the responsibility of the primary care clinician, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) said.

Computerized clinical decision support may help reduce unnecessary C. diff testing

A two-year cohort study of nine academic and six community hospitals in the U.S. found that testing for Clostridioides difficile decreased when the electronic health record stopped a clinician from proceeding with a test order if the patient had already been tested or had recently received laxatives.

Spotlight on the gut microbiome

A Finnish study found that certain gut bacteria were more common in people who later developed type 2 diabetes, while an Israeli study identified a distinct microbial signature in adults with type 1 diabetes compared with healthy controls.

In mild acute diverticulitis, outpatient therapy without antibiotics was noninferior to antibiotics

The DINAMO-study is the first outpatient trial to show that withholding antibiotics may not have inferior outcomes, although the results may be partly explained by use of NSAIDs and/or acetaminophen in both groups, an ACP Journal Club commentary noted.