Gastroenterology: Archives

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Predicting Response to Hepatitis B Virus Therapy

• August 7, 2009
• Atif Zaman, MD, MPH

Hepatitis B virus surface antigen levels during and after pegylated interferon alfa-2a therapy might be predictors of sustained virologic response. CME

• Reviewing:
• Moucari R et al., Hepatology 2009 Apr; 49:1151 Brunetto MR et al., Hepatology 2009 Apr; 49:1141

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Double-Balloon Enteroscopy for Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

• July 30, 2009
• David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)

More than half of patients treated with DBE continued to bleed at 12 months.

• Reviewing:
• Gerson LB et al., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009 Jun; 7:664

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Total Pancreatectomy for Chronic Pancreatitis

• July 30, 2009
• Stuart Sherman, MD

Concomitant islet cell transplantation reduced 24-hour insulin requirements. CME

• Reviewing:
• Garcea G et al., Pancreas 2009 Jan; 38:1

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Prevention of Aspirin-Associated Gastroduodenal Ulcers

• July 24, 2009
• David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)

Patients who received famotidine, a histamine-2–receptor antagonist, had lower risk for ulcers or erosive esophagitis than those who received placebo.

• Reviewing:
• Taha AS et al., Lancet 2009 Jul 11; 374:119

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Antidepressants and Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

• July 24, 2009
• David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPH (HSA), SM (Epid.)

Risks for bleeding were increased with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors but mitigated by proton-pump inhibitors.

• Reviewing:
• Targownik LE et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2009 Jun; 104:1475

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Antioxidants for Pancreatitis-Related Abdominal Pain

• July 24, 2009
• Stuart Sherman, MD

Six months of therapy reduced pain and oxidative stress. CME

• Reviewing:
• Bhardwaj P et al., Gastroenterology 2009 Jan; 136:149

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Overuse and Underuse of Surveillance Colonoscopy

• July 17, 2009
• Douglas K. Rex, MD

Low-risk patients might undergo too many colonoscopies; high-risk patients, too few. CME

• Reviewing:
• Laiyemo AO et al., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009 May; 7:562

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Capsule Endoscopy vs. Colonoscopy for Detecting Colonic Lesions

• July 17, 2009
• Douglas K. Rex, MD

With colonoscopy as the standard of comparison, a new capsule endoscopy system adequately imaged the colon and rectum in 93% of patients.

• Reviewing:
• Van Gossum A et al., N Engl J Med 2009 Jul 16; 361:264

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Wire-Guided vs. Conventional Cannulation of the Bile Duct

• July 17, 2009
• Stuart Sherman, MD

Wire-guided cannulation was associated with lower rates of post–endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis.

• Reviewing:
• Lee TH et al., Gastrointest Endosc 2009 Mar; 69:444

SUMMARY AND COMMENT

Should We Ablate Nondysplastic Barrett Esophagus?

• July 10, 2009
• David A. Johnson, MD

In an opinion paper, experts disputed the reasons for using endoscopic ablation to reduce risk for cancer. CME

• Reviewing:
• Sharma P et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2009 Apr; 104:805