The study involved 9,631 adults aged 35–65 years and analyzed various factors like demographic characteristics, behavioral habits, nutritional intake, physical activity, anthropometric indices, and GERD data. Key Findings: Conclusions:The study concludes that lifestyle and behavioral habits significantly influence the risk of developing GERD. Modifying these factors, such as reducing smoking and alcohol consumption, increasing physical activity, and adjusting dietary habits, can help prevent GERD. Additionally, addressing depression and managing obesity are important in reducing GERD risk.
Author: Abhay Panchal
Dive deep with Dr. Austin Lee Chiang, Chief Medical Officer at Medtronic Endoscopy, as he shares his journey and insights on the intersection of healthcare, social media, and technology. This interview is a must-watch for anyone interested in the evolving landscape of gastroenterology, digital health, and the power of social media in medicine. Highlights: Austin, with his unique blend of medical expertise and social media influence, brings a fresh and impactful perspective to the field of gastroenterology. His insights provide valuable lessons on the importance of embracing technology and social media to advance healthcare. Plus he has a cool new…
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) impacts 1.6 million people in the U.S. — and a new artificial intelligence-generated drug could help alleviate symptoms. Insilico Medicine, an AI-driven biotech company based in Hong Kong and in New York City, recently announced that its new AI-designed IBD drug — ISM5411 — has entered Phase I clinical trials. This is Insilico’s fifth AI-designed drug to enter the pipeline. If approved, it would be the first medication to treat IBD by blocking prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD), a protein that regulates the body’s gut barrier protection genes, according to Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and CEO of…
The Board of Directors of Satisfai Health Inc., a Canada-based leading medical solutions provider specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in Gastroenterology, GI Endoscopy, and Intestinal Ultrasound, today announced that Ms. Solveig Johannessen, the company’s former Chief Operating Officer, is appointed to the Chief Executive Officer position. Accordingly, Dr. Michael Byrne, the company’s founder, will move up to become Executive Chairman and will also serve as Chief Medical Officer. The board of Satisfai Health expressed its deep appreciation to Dr. Byrne for his leadership as CEO since the company’s founding in 2015. Ms. Johannessen is an accomplished leader with over…
Medicare Advantage (MA) payments are set to decrease yet again in 2025 as the feds phase in significant changes to risk adjustment. As those overhauls begin to take effect, benchmark payments are set to decline by about 0.2% on average, according to the latest advance notice released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Despite this, the feds said Wednesday that payments to MA plans are expected to increase by 3.7% in 2025, a $16 billion increase over 2024. The payment rate announced today could change by the time the final rate announcement is published, no later than…
Atlantic, Iowa-based Cass Health has partnered with Omaha, Neb.-based Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates to bring two GI specialists to Cass, according to a Jan. 25 report from Western Iowa Today. Beginning on Feb. 1, Benjamin Hall, MD, and Helen Fasanya-Uptagraft, MD, will travel to Cass monthly to care for patients experiencing ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis C, diverticulitis and other GI issues. They will also perform colonoscopy and EGD procedures.
Faced with an opportunity to advocate for patients, Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, is never afraid to speak up. He recently spoke out publicly against a major payer’s new advance notification process for colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures, cautioning it was a glidepath toward far-reaching prior authorization requirements. UnitedHealthcare plans to collect a larger scope of data for this new policy, “which I fear will disrupt and deny patients’ access to lifesaving care,” Dr. Jain, a gastroenterologist with Texas Digestive Disease Consultants and a member of the American Gastroenterological Association’s (AGA) Prior Authorization Reform Task Force, wrote in an opinion piece in…
Measuring disease status in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients generally requires invasive blood draws or procedures, but a novel wearable device shows initial promise at providing similar information from perspiration. The device, in development by EnLiSense, can rapidly detect calprotectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), using miniaturized versions of biochemical lab tests. Patient monitoring relies on identifying trends, whether biomarker levels are increasing or decreasing, according to Shalini Prasad, PhD, who presented the study during a poster session at the annual Crohn’s & Colitis Congress®, a partnership of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and the American Gastroenterological Association. “In…
A presenter at the Crohn’s & Colitis Congress outlined some of the newer therapies that have expanded the current “arsenal of tools” for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. “When we think about these therapies, we know that they have truly revolutionized our management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease,” David Choi, PharmD, clinical pharmacy specialist and associate director at the University of Chicago Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, said. “The landscape really has improved, and more and more therapies have come to market. … But I think sometimes we can be a little hesitant to use some of these newer…
A previously unknown type of replicating agent named “obelisks” has been found in genomic data from stool samples – but we know little about what these entities do. A previously unknown type of replicating agent, far smaller and simpler than a virus, has been found in the human gut. These entities have been called “obelisks” by their discoverers.