Gastroenterology News and Research

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

Common blood pressure drugs may improve ulcerative colitis therapy

A class of blood pressure medications may improve a widely used treatment for ulcerative colitis, the most common type of inflammatory bowel disease, suggests a new study, led by Northwestern Medicine and Kiel University in Germany, of thousands of patients with the disease.

10 Nov 2026

Tobacco use independently linked to anorectal sensorimotor dysfunction and fecal incontinence

Tobacco use is independently associated with anorectal sensorimotor dysfunction and fecal incontinence, according to a recent study published ahead of print in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

10 Nov 2026

Late night eating and sleep habits damage gut health, increase metabolic disease risk

A new study led by UTHealth Houston identified a link between late-night eating and sleeping habits, gut health, and metabolic disease, offering new insights into why some individuals with obesity may face risk of inflammation and related health problems.

9 Nov 2026

Complex procedure offers relief for children with chronic pancreatitis

Acute recurrent pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis can take an enormous toll on children, causing severe pain and repeated hospitalizations.

9 Nov 2026

Exercise, diet or stress? One lifestyle habit stood out in a heart disease study

A hospital-based case-control study involving 495 adults in Iran found that higher healthy lifestyle scores were associated with lower odds of cardiovascular disease, even after adjustment for demographic and socioeconomic factors. Physical activity and recreation showed the strongest numerical association per questionnaire point, although the observational design could not establish whether healthier habits prevented cardiovascular disease.

8 Nov 2026

Study reveals how breast milk sugar may help protect infants against jaundice

A new study by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine sheds light on the role of breast milk in supporting intestinal development and preventing hyperbilirubinemia, a condition in which bilirubin, a waste product from broken-down red blood cells, builds up in the blood and causes yellowing of the skin and eyes known as jaundice.

3 Nov 2026

Compounds that give citrus fruits their scent may affect gut health

A review published in Food & Function found that dietary terpenoids, naturally occurring compounds in fruits, herbs, and vegetables, can suppress inflammatory signalling and improve intestinal barrier function in laboratory and animal studies. However, human evidence remains limited to two small studies of geraniol-based interventions for irritable bowel syndrome, with further research needed to establish clinical efficacy, appropriate dosing, and long-term safety.

3 Nov 2026

Gene therapy successfully corrects genetic defect in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

In a landmark achievement in the field of genetic medicine, researchers have reported the very first published case in a peer-reviewed journal of a successful clinical treatment of a patient with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (PiZZ) using in vivo gene therapy.

2 Nov 2026

Aspirin fails to prevent recurrence after surgery for colorectal cancer liver metastases

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in Norway, which also has one of the highest incidence rates in the world.

2 Nov 2026

New host target identified to block hepatitis E virus

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute viral hepatitis, yet antiviral treatment remains largely limited to the off-label use of ribavirin. Ribavirin can cause substantial toxicity, is contraindicated during pregnancy and does not reliably benefit every patient.

29 Oct 2026

New score predicts thrombosis risk in hospitalized pancreatitis patients

Professor Julia Mayerle and colleagues from LMU University Hospital Munich have developed an admission-based score intended to identify pancreatitis patients more likely to be diagnosed with thrombosis during hospitalization.

28 Oct 2026

Digital tools and phone coaching boost cancer genetic testing uptake

About 10% of cancers are linked to an inherited genetic variant, but as few as 1 in 15 cancer patients eligible for genetic testing complete it.

23 Oct 2026

AGA/AASLD joint guideline evaluates newer medications for primary biliary cholangitis

For the first time, a joint guideline from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) evaluates newer medications for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), the most common cholestatic disease in adults.

22 Oct 2026

Prehabilitation program reduces death risk for frail transplant candidates

When transplant candidates become frail, doctors often worry that they are too weak to survive transplantation.

21 Oct 2026

Routine liver cancer screening extends lives for patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis

A new study led by investigators from Mass General Brigham found routine liver cancer screening to be cost-effective and life-extending for individuals with alcohol-associated cirrhosis, even when their annual risk of developing liver cancer is less than half the risk level guiding current screening recommendations.

20 Oct 2026

Antibody patterns may predict inflammatory bowel disease years before diagnosis

A large-scale study, presented today at UEG Week 2026, has identified distinct antibody patterns up to 10 years before the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), potentially opening new avenues for earlier risk detection and providing insights into future disease course.

19 Oct 2026

Antibiotic exposure during childhood linked to higher risk of IBS in young adults

Antibiotic use from childhood through early adulthood was associated with higher odds of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) at age 24, with the odds increasing as the number of antibiotic prescriptions rose, according to a new study presented today at UEG Week 2026.

19 Oct 2026

Mediterranean-style diet during pregnancy lowers risk of infant colic and eczema

Infants born to mothers who ate a healthy, Mediterranean-style diet during pregnancy were at lower risk for colic and eczema, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston Children's Hospital, and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.

12 Oct 2026

Late-night snacking may affect liver health

New research led by Oregon Health & Science University suggests you should think twice about indulging in a late-night snack if you'd like to preserve liver health.

9 Oct 2026

Lynch syndrome patients rarely use aspirin for cancer prevention

According to international studies, taking Acetylsalicylic acid daily can protect people with Lynch syndrome from developing colorectal cancer - even at low doses. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn, and the Center for Integrated Oncology (CIO) Bonn, in collaboration with the self-help organization SemiColon, have now found that these scientific findings have so far been insufficiently incorporated into clinical practice.