Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Gene therapy to treat erectile dysfunction shows promise

The first human study using gene transfer to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) shows promising results and suggests the potential for using the technology to treat overactive bladder, irritable bowel syndrome and asthma, according to the researchers.

2 Dec 2006

SpectraScience files new patent application

SpectraScience has announced that it has filed for a new patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

13 Nov 2006

Liver damage can be reversed

Saint Louis University Liver Center scientists are presenting research today on a more effective way to treat hepatitis C patients who have been unresponsive to current drug therapies.

30 Oct 2006

Compliance with medications lowers health care costs

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who take medications as directed have decreased medical costs, researchers from the University of Chicago researchers report at the American College of Gastroenterology annual scientific meeting in Las Vegas. A second study from the same group, however, suggests that there is no simple way to improve compliance.

23 Oct 2006

Researchers discover new method of mapping how bacteria spread within the body

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered a new, more accurate, method of mapping how bacteria spread within the body, a breakthrough that could lead to more effective treatments and prevention of certain bacterial infections.

20 Oct 2006

Antibiotic gives long acting relief to irritable bowel sufferers

Researchers in the U.S. say that a long-acting antibiotic can help treat the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

19 Oct 2006

New technique allows partial-match cell transplants for children with most resistant leukemia

Clinicians at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have successfully demonstrated an improved technique for blood stem cell transplantations in children that shows promise for those most likely to fail standard treatment for leukemia.

16 Oct 2006

Quality indicators for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures

Defining measurements and identifying quality standards in the delivery of colonoscopic care is a major priority for the nation's leading gastrointestinal endoscopic healthcare association.

13 Sep 2006

New Yorkers lied to in aftermath of 9/11

A new study released this week says thousands of World Trade Center responders have developed chronic and disabling illnesses that are likely to be permanent.

12 Sep 2006

Drug infliximab may help ease ulcerative colitis

In good news for patients with stubborn cases of ulcerative colitis, a serious intestinal disorder, a new research review suggests that the drug infliximab can be a useful alternative if other treatments don't work.

12 Sep 2006

Children with lactose intolerance still need dairy's nutrients

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is recommending in a new report that children with lactose intolerance should include dairy foods as part of a healthy diet in order to get enough calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrients essential for bone health and overall growth.

6 Sep 2006

Messy nappies may be sign of severe intestinal infection

Anyone who's ever cared for an infant or young child knows what it's like to change the occasional smelly, messy diaper.

5 Sep 2006

New test for acetaminophen poisoning

A new test for acetaminophen poisoning is effective with children as well as adults, according to a study published this month by researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI).

5 Sep 2006

VIOXX reduces risk of colorectal polyps

A researcher from Dartmouth reports the results of a clinical trial that shows that the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor rofecoxib (VIOXX.) reduces the risk of colorectal adenomas, or polyps.

30 Aug 2006

Celebrex shown to reduce incidence of potentially pre-malignant colorectal polyps

An international team of scientists reports that a single 400-milligram daily dose of celecoxib, commonly called Celebrex. and manufactured by Pfizer, significantly reduced recurrence of adenomas, or pre-malignant colon tumors - within three years of previous adenoma removal.

30 Aug 2006

Racial differences in hepatitis C viral responses

African American patients with hepatitis C (HCV) infections experience a lower response rate to the peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin combination treatment than Caucasian Americans, according to a study published in the August issue of Gastroenterology.

16 Aug 2006