Are Serrated Polyps Markers for Advanced Colorectal Neoplasia?
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Large serrated polyps, tubular adenomas, and increasing age were independent risk factors.
Reviewing:
Li D et al., Am J Gastroenterol 2009 Mar; 104:695
Is Infliximab Safe for Long-Term IBD Therapy?
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Mortality, malignancy, and infection rates were similar for infliximab-treated and control groups.
CME
Reviewing:
Fidder H et al., Gut 2009 Apr; 58:501
Prevalence and Outcome of Outpatient Therapy in UGIB
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Although patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be successfully treated as outpatients, care must be used in selecting candidates.
Reviewing:
Cooper GS et al., Gastroenterology 2009 Jan; 136:108
Serologic Markers for Autoimmune Hepatitis
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Autoantibody status does not seem to influence the clinical or histologic severity of autoimmune hepatitis, nor does it predict responsiveness to immunosuppressant therapy.
CME
Reviewing:
Mehendiratta V et al., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009 Jan; 7:98
Predicting Mortality in Patients with Bleeding Ulcers
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Investigators developed a prediction model for ulcer-related mortality after endoscopic therapy.
Reviewing:
Chiu PW et al., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009 Mar; 7:311
Identifying Cirrhosis in Patients with Hemochromatosis
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
When combinations of other markers failed, a specific concentration of hyaluronic acid paired with serum ferritin levels >1000 µg/L correctly identified cirrhosis in patients with hereditary hemochromatosis.
Reviewing:
Crawford DHG et al., Hepatology 2009 Feb; 49:418
Peginterferon and Ribavirin for Dual HCV and HBV Infection
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Sustained virologic response rates were similar for patients dually infected with any genotype of HCV and HBV and for HCV-monoinfected patients.
CME
Reviewing:
Liu C-J et al., Gastroenterology 2009 Feb; 136:496
Optimal Therapy for UGIB
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Endoscopic monotherapy or combination therapy reduces risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding more than epinephrine alone.
Reviewing:
Laine L and McQuaid KR., Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2009 Jan; 7:33
Predicting Recurrent C. difficile Infection
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
A prediction rule that combines three clinical factors performed well in the derivation cohort but not in the validation cohort.
CME
Reviewing:
Hu MY et al., Gastroenterology 2009 Apr; 136:1206
Perforation During Rectal Retroflexion
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
In a large multicenter study, the rate of rectal perforation during colonoscopic retroflexion was 0.10 per 1000 colonoscopies.
Reviewing:
Quallick MR and Brown WR., Gastrointest Endosc 2009 Apr; 69:960
