Gastrointestinal Tract News and Research

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Allergy expert says expect cure for peanut allergy in five years

The announcement by an American expert that within the next five years some form of immunotherapy will be available to treat peanut allergy, will bring relief to many concerned parents.

5 May 2008

Hepatitis C therapy peginterferon alfa-2b shows promise

The hepatitis C therapy peginterferon alfa-2b, when given as low-dose maintenance therapy, can prevent disease progression in certain patients who failed previous interferon-based hepatitis C therapies and have advanced liver disease, according to findings from a large, four-year study presented today at the 43rd annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).

24 Apr 2008

Potential link found between bacteria found in the human digestive system and obesity

Obesity is more than a cosmetic concern because it increases a person's risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes and many other serious health problems.

2 Apr 2008

The effect of melatonin on colitis

In rats with experimental colitis, the marked increase in bacterial translocation in postcolitis rats has been reversed by melatonin administration.

19 Mar 2008

New imaging technique provides better view of Barrett's esophagus

Novel techniques to improve the quality of imaging are helping doctors get a better look at esophageal conditions such as Barrett's esophagus (BE), but they do not necessarily improve the diagnosis or physician agreement on images, according to a study published this month in Gastroenterology , the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

12 Mar 2008

Nasal polyps from analgesics

If a patient develops respiratory problems after taking analgesics, this indicates that the active substances are poorly tolerated.

11 Mar 2008

Research in diabetes surgery suggests origins of disease

Growing evidence shows that surgery may effectively cure Type 2 diabetes -- an approach that not only may change the way the disease is treated, but that introduces a new way of thinking about diabetes.

5 Mar 2008

Risks of CVD for COX-2 inhibitors lower than previously reported

In an article published in the March issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, researchers from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) assess the totality of evidence, including strengths and limitations of different types of evidence contributing to the debate about cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

27 Feb 2008

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided therapy safe for severe gastrointestinal bleeding patients

A new Mayo Clinic study found that endoscopic ultrasound-guided therapy appears to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with severe gastrointestinal bleeding for whom conventional therapies have failed.

21 Feb 2008

Study shows that a key protein appears to enable spread of melanoma to the small intestine

A study by researchers at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center has shown that a receptor protein found on melanoma cells appears to facilitate the disease's spread to the small intestine.

5 Feb 2008

New approach to cadmium induced hepatoxicity

Cadmium comes from a wide variety of sources in the environment and from industry and is extremely toxic to humans.

17 Jan 2008

Potential new treatment for inflammatory bowel disease

Irish scientists have discovered a new potential therapeutic approach to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a chronic debilitating disease involving inflammation of the intestine which affects more than 15,000 people in Ireland and millions of people worldwide.

15 Jan 2008

Study uncovers clues to cystic fibrosis gene dysfunction and gastrointestinal disease

A new study by researchers at Hasbro Children's Hospital, the pediatric division of Rhode Island Hospital, and Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, offers new insight into the role that the cystic fibrosis gene plays in the development of gastrointestinal disease.

14 Dec 2007

Zebrafish study shows key enzyme in gut is a peacemaker

University of Oregon scientists, using zebrafish to study the gastrointestinal tract, say that an enzyme long assumed to be involved in digestion instead is a detoxifying traffic cop, maintaining a friendly rapport between resident gut bacteria and cells.

13 Dec 2007

Unprecedented increase in the use of radiologic exams on pregnant women

The past decade has seen an unprecedented increase in the use of radiologic exams on pregnant women, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

27 Nov 2007

Lung transplants for cystic fibrosis may not be such a good option

Researchers in the United States say lung transplants do little to improve the outcomes for children with severe cystic fibrosis (CF) and often increases their risk of dying.

22 Nov 2007

Lung transplants do more harm than good to children with cystic fibrosis

Lung transplantation, the therapy almost every cystic fibrosis patient (CF) considers at some point to prolong survival, rarely helps children with the disease live longer and, in fact, often increases their risk of dying, University of Utah researchers conclude in the most extensive study of the issue to date.

21 Nov 2007

CT colonography used in elderly patients detects a high number of abnormalities outside the colon

CT colonography (CTC), when used in elderly patients, can detect a high number of new and significant abnormalities outside the colon (including cirrhosis and tumors) and is well tolerated, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom (UK).

16 Nov 2007

First systemic therapy for fatal childhood disease - recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa

University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview physicians have performed the first bone marrow and cord blood transplant to treat recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB).

5 Nov 2007

New method of oral insulin delivery patented

Syracuse University researchers have designed, tested and patented a new method of oral insulin delivery that can potentially help reduce daily insulin injections for millions of people with diabetes who require therapy for optimal glycemic control.

22 Oct 2007