Medscape Gastroenterology Headlines

Infant Rotavirus Vaccine Reduced Diarrhea-Related Hospitalizations, ED Visits, and Outpatient Visits

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:56:32 EST

The pentavalent rotavirus vaccine is safe and effective and greatly reduces resource use and expenditures related to diarrheal illness in infants younger than 1 year of age.
Medscape Medical News

Natalizumab Reduces Hospitalization Rates for Crohn's DiseaseNatalizumab Reduces Hospitalization Rates for Crohn's Disease

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:50:20 EST

Anti-tumor necrosis factor-resistant Crohn's disease responds to treatment with natalizumab.
Medscape Medical News

Epidemic of Sexually Transmitted HCV in HIV-Infected Men Reported in New York

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:43:31 EST

Sexual transmission has been a rare route of HCV transmission, but epidemic rates are being reported in New York City in HIV-infected men, characterized by rapid progression to hepatitis fibrosis.
Medscape Medical News

Changes in Growth Seen in Children on Peginterferon for Chronic HCV Infection

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 14:36:13 EST

Even 1 year off-treatment, linear growth has not recovered in children younger than 16 years of age given peginterferon alfa for chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
Medscape Medical News

New Combination Drug Improves Gastroprotection, Adherence Compared With EC Naproxen Alone

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:53:02 EST

Enteric-coated naproxen 500 mg + immediate-release esomeprazole 20 mg improves gastrointestinal symptoms, and the fixed-dose combination promotes adherence to long-term NSAID therapy.
Medscape Medical News

Analysis of the Efficacy of Treatment With Peginterferon Alpha-2a and Ribavirin in Patients Coinfected With Hepatitis B Virus And Hepatitis C Virus

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Investigators examined the virologic features of patients coinfected with HBV and HCV and the efficacy of combination therapy with peginterferon alpha-2a and ribavirin in these patients.
Liver International

Vitamin D Has Benefits in Chronic HCV Infection

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:25:18 EST

Vitamin D supplementation improved standard antiviral treatment efficacy in a small study.
Medscape Medical News

Low Factor V Levels Signal Poor Prognosis With Hepatitis B-Induced Acute Liver Failure

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 10:33:15 EST

Factor V level on day 3 of hospitalization was strongly associated with survival in HBV-associated acute liver failure, with levels of 0% to 10% among those who died and 7% to 25% for survivors.
Medscape Medical News

Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2b (Peg-IFN alpha-2b) Affects Early Virologic Response Dose-Dependently in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis C Genotype 1 During Treatment With Peg-IFN Alpha-2b Plus Ribavirin

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 08:32:46 EST

This study sought to evaluate how reducing drug doses affects complete early virologic response (c-EVR), defined as hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA negativity at week 12.
Journal of Viral Hepatitis

Serum BLyS/BAFF Predicts the Outcome of Acute Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 13:04:30 EST

This study examined serum levels of BLyS/BAFF in patients with acute hepatitis C (AHC) and sought to correlate them with disease outcome.
Journal of Viral Hepatitis

HBV Reduces Recurrence-Free Survival After Surgery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 11:52:59 EST

In cirrhotic patients, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is associated with a poorer long-term prognosis after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma, according to Italian researchers.
Reuters Health Information

Physicians Are Talking About: A Death Foretold

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 11:14:29 EST

Would you operate on a patient who experienced a premonition of death? Is this a contraindication surgery? Medscape Physician Connect members discuss whether to ignore or heed premonitions.
Medscape Family Medicine

Many Common Loci Associated With Early- and Adult-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:42:12 EST

Colonic expression of interleukin-27 is lower in patients with Crohn's disease than in normal control subjects.
Medscape Medical News

Virulent Strain of C difficile on the Rise in Hospital and Community Settings

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:19:03 EST

Physicians need to consider Clostridium difficile in patients with diarrhea, even those with no history of recent antibiotic use or hospitalization.
Medscape Medical News

Once-Daily Mesalamine as Effective as Twice-Daily Treatment for Maintenance of Remission in UC

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:14:38 EST

Patients with ulcerative colitis are more compliant with once-daily delayed-release mesalamine without a loss of efficacy in maintaining remission over the standard twice-daily regimen.
Medscape Medical News

Prospective Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Cetuximab in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Prospectively collected resource utilization and health utility data for patients with CRC in the CO.17 study who received best supportive care +/- cetuximab were assessed for cost effectiveness.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute

LAC and LOAD: 4-Drug Regimen Better at Eliminating H Pylori Than Standard 3-Drug Treatment

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:02:58 EST

LOAD (levofloxacin, omeprazole, nitazoxanide, and doxycycline) is more effective at eradicating Helicobacter pylori than LAC (lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin).
Medscape Medical News

Extended HCV Treatment After Liver Transplant Has Benefits

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:15:54 EST

A new study challenges "stop rules" on antiviral treatment after transplantation when there is no response by 24 weeks.
Medscape Medical News

Children's Hospitals Often Do Not Follow Gastroenteritis Guidelines

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 14:42:36 EST

Children's hospitals in the US commonly use resources not routinely recommended by published guidelines for the management of acute gastroenteritis, according to results of a study published online Monday in Pediatrics.
Reuters Health Information

Drinking Coffee Daily Linked to Lower Risk for Progression of Chronic Hepatitis C

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 13:40:05 EST

In a large prospective study, regular coffee drinking consumption was associated with lower rates of progression of advanced hepatitis C–related liver disease.
Medscape Medical News