Gastroenterology News and Research

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Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine where the digestive system and its disorders are studied.

More appendicitis hospitalizations on "high ozone" days

Could there be a link between high levels of air pollution and the risk of appendicitis? New research presented at the 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Orlando, suggests a novel connection.

6 Oct 2008

Most young adults under 50 unlikely need colorectal screening

Young adults without a family history of bowel disease are unlikely to develop adenomas, the colorectal polyps most likely to lead to cancer, according to new research directed by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. The finding supports current cancer screening guidelines recommending adults in general undergo screening colonoscopies starting at age 50.

2 Oct 2008

Innovative technology to improve colon cancer prevention

Researchers at NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) and Northwestern University have discovered that fiber optic technology can for the very first time effectively measure blood levels in the colonic lining (mucosa) in humans, thus having potential applications for analyzing risk of colon cancer. The study appears in the October 2008 issue of Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

30 Sep 2008

Discovery may help complications of diabetes - delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis

Mayo Clinic researchers have found what may provide a solution to one of the more troubling complications of diabetes -- delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis.

25 Sep 2008

Trastuzumab-DM1 - a 'smart bomb' for breast cancer treatment

Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) investigators have found that "smart bomb" therapies are effective in treating breast cancer patients while minimizing side effects.

7 Sep 2008

Non-invasively measuring liver stiffness with transient elastography accurately identifies advanced liver disease without biopsy

Non-invasively measuring liver stiffness with transient elastography accurately diagnoses patients with late-stage liver disease, reports a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

1 Sep 2008

Anti-itching drug clemizole shows promise against hepatitis C

The fight against the liver disease hepatitis C has been at something of an impasse for years, with more than 150 million people currently infected, and traditional antiviral treatments causing nasty side effects and often falling short of a cure. Using a novel technique, medical and engineering researchers at Stanford University have discovered a vulnerable step in the virus' reproduction process that in lab testing could be effectively targeted with an obsolete antihistamine.

31 Aug 2008

Obesity raises risks of serious gastrointestinal diseases

The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

19 Aug 2008

Wake Forest University launches major initiatives in bioethics

Responding to a looming 'bioethics crisis,' Wake Forest University is launching several initiatives in bioethics to address the ethical and social aspects of medical care and technology.

18 Aug 2008

Aspirin, acid-blocker a-day keeps GI bleeding at bay

For patients with clogged heart arteries who take long-term, low-dose aspirin to prevent a cardiac event, adding a stomach acid-blocking drug to their daily routine has been shown to reduce their risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding - an infrequent, but serious side-effect of regular aspirin use.

11 Aug 2008

Knowing means simplifying: gluten-free diet alone is enough to cure the bones of pediatric patients with celiac disease

Individuals affected by celiac disease (gluten intolerance) often present an altered calcium (Ca2+) metabolism that can cause osteopenia, a bone mass decrease due to the impaired adsorption of this mineral, which can lead to osteoporosis (in 35-85% of the cases).

27 Jul 2008

Trial of treatment of inflammatory bowel disease begins at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

Anadis Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company focused on research, development and production of immune milk (colostrum)-derived polyclonal antibodies and other proteins to address major diseases, today announces the initiation of a clinical trial with top clinical scientists at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Israel.

22 Jul 2008

HALO Ablation System shows great promise for precancerous esophagus disease

BARRX Medical, Inc. has announced that 98.4 percent of patients having a precancerous condition of their esophagus called Barrett's esophagus were free of the disease 2.5 years after non-surgical, endoscopic treatment with the HALO ablation system.

21 Jul 2008

Home-based cognitive behavioral therapy relieves irritable bowel syndrome symptoms

Persons with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can relieve their symptoms as effectively by following a self-administered, at-home cognitive behavioral program as they can by undergoing a 10-week in-office program administered by a trained therapist, a new pilot study has shown.

25 Jun 2008

American Medical Association members say 'secret shoppers' should not be used to gauge quality at physicians' offices

Using "secret shoppers" to evaluate the way physicians manage relationships with patients could get in the way of providing needed care to actual patients, according to more than 12 doctors who testified before an American Medical Association panel, the Chicago Tribune reports. AMA on Sunday held its annual House of Delegates meeting in Chicago.

17 Jun 2008

Scientists identify molecular trick that may explain part of Salmonella's fierceness

Salmonella is serving up a surprise not only for tomato lovers around the country but also for scientists who study the rod-shaped bacterium that causes misery for millions of people.

15 Jun 2008

Irritable bowel syndrome linked to chilli pepper pain receptor

People with irritable bowel syndrome have a higher than usual number of chilli pepper pain receptors, according to a new study published tomorrow (Wednesday 11 June).

10 Jun 2008

New approach to treating autoimmune disease offered by Weizmann scientists

In autoimmune diseases, the immune system turns against the body's own tissues and organs, wreaking havoc and destruction for no apparent reason. Partly because the origins of these diseases are so obscure, no effective treatment exists, and the suffering they inflict is enormous.

2 Jun 2008

Prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon same in patients in their 40s and 50s

The prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon is the same for average-risk patients who are 40 to 49 years of age and those who are 50 to 59 years of age, reports a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.