In the News
Clinical practice update focuses on belching, bloating, distention
The American Gastroenterological Association offered 15 best practices for physicians caring for patients with these common GI symptoms.
Lactated Ringer's associated with better outcomes from acute pancreatitis
Patients who received only lactated Ringer's during their first 24 hours of hospitalization had about half the odds of moderately severe or severe pancreatitis as those who received only normal saline, according to a prospective international study.
Less frequent dosing of bismuth quadruple therapy appears effective for H. pylori therapy
A study of Spanish patients found that single-capsule bismuth quadruple therapy administered three times a day was more effective for treating Helicobacter pylori than four times a day, with no differences in adherence or safety.
MKSAP Quiz: Exposure to hepatitis A virus
This month's quiz asks readers to determine the most appropriate preventive measure for a 22-year-old patient who was recently exposed to hepatitis A virus.
Spotlight on psychological factors and GERD
Studies published in the past month found a relationship between psychological factors, including anxiety and depression, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
About one-third of Americans with HCV had evidence of viral clearance in past decade
The highest proportion of hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure or clearance among all age groups and payers was 49% among commercially insured patients ages 60 years and older, a study found.
In moderately to severely active UC, etrasimod increased remission at 12 and 52 wk but increased adverse events
Given their overall safety and convenience, etrasimod and other oral sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulators can be considered as first-line therapy in clinically appropriate patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who do not respond to 5-aminosalicylic acid medications, an ACP Journal Club commentary said.
Case reports published on gastroenterology topics
One case report discussed a patient with sevelamer-associated colitis, while the other presented a rare case of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis secondary to glycogen storage disease type Ia.