In the News

New practice guidance released for NAFLD

The recommendations from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases cover the clinical assessment and management of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

ACG updates its guideline on acute lower GI bleeding

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) now recommends risk stratification to identify patients who can be discharged early and advises on the use of anticoagulant reversal agents, among other changes.

Mesalamine moderately useful in IBS, but confidence in evidence is low

The authors of a recent meta-analysis wrote that guidelines for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) management should not recommend the drug until adequately powered studies are available.

MKSAP Quiz: Confusion and a history of cirrhosis

This month's quiz asks readers to determine the most appropriate next step in evaluation in the ED for a 56-year-old patient with symptoms of progressive confusion and a history of cirrhosis due to alcohol use, as well as depression and anxiety.

Spotlight on National CRC Awareness Month

For National Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Awareness Month, this Spotlight reviewed recent studies reporting “a rapidly changing landscape of disease that foreshadows less favorable trends ahead” and comparing time to CRC diagnosis and treatment between younger and older adults.

CDC calls for all U.S. adults to be screened for hepatitis B

All adults should undergo triple-panel screening at least once in their lives, and screening should be repeated during the first trimester of every pregnancy, the CDC said.

Colonoscopies often recommended to patients with limited life expectancy

A study of patients ages 65 years and older found that 58.1% of those with life expectancy of less than five years and no polyps or only small hyperplastic polyps were told to return for future surveillance, as were 74.8% of those with life expectancy of five to 10 years.

Most asymptomatic C. difficile carriers in health care settings did not progress to infection

In a study at three U.S. hospitals and affiliated long-term care facilities, most patients who were found to be carriers of Clostridioides difficile had cleared the bacteria on subsequent testing, and only 13.4% were subsequently diagnosed with infection.

Panel discusses clinical challenges in overweight, obesity management

Earlier this month, ACP and Annals hosted an expert panel that discussed current clinical challenges in the care of patients with overweight and obesity.

Over-the-scope clips may be better initial treatment than standard hemostatic treatment in patients with nonvariceal upper GI bleeding

In a randomized controlled trial of 190 adults, 30-day probability of further bleeding was significantly lower in patients who received over-the-scope clips than in those who received standard endoscopic hemostatic treatment.

In adults receiving mechanical ventilation, selective decontamination of the digestive tract reduces hospital mortality

While findings of the meta-analysis did not show evidence of increased incidence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms, the review included data from regions that have very low levels of antimicrobial resistance, an ACP Journal Club commentary noted.