A recent cross-sectional study has revealed a connection between Body Mass Index (BMI) and the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The findings indicate that the risk of metabolic syndrome and the severity of NAFLD rise with an increase in BMI. Although non-obese NAFLD patients have similar clinical outcomes as their obese counterparts, there’s limited evidence on the cardiometabolic status and disease severity in lean NAFLD. Obesity is often associated with potential risk factors for NAFLD, even in patients with a normal weight. It’s also linked to metabolic syndrome risk factors like high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and high blood…
Author: Abhay Panchal
Iterative Health and Gastro Health have formed a partnership to integrate Iterative Health’s AI-driven gastroenterology technology into Gastro Health’s endoscopy centers nationwide. The collaboration aims to standardize GI care across various demographics and conditions. Jonathan Ng, the founder of Iterative Health, was inspired to bridge the gap in medical training across countries after witnessing disparities in Cambodia. The company’s AI technology, designed to standardize the interpretation of visual health data, recently received FDA clearance for its ability to detect suspicious polyps during colonoscopies. Their Skout system can identify over two dozen clinical features in real-time, including inflammation and ulcers. Partnering…
Novel biomarker tests have met or exceeded the performance of common lab tests for diagnosing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH, now known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis or MASH), laying the groundwork for noninvasive alternatives to liver biopsy, new research suggests. The blood-based tests could expand diagnostic options at healthcare facilities and facilitate enrollment in NASH clinical trials, which now require a biopsy for inclusion. “The current study meets a key milestone for qualification of the biomarker panels studied for identification of at-risk NASH,” Arun Sanyal, MD, of the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, told…
In a video exclusive by Healio, Dr. Edward V. Loftus Jr. highlighted the advantages of using a multidisciplinary approach in treating intricate gastrointestinal (GI) cases, especially those involving inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Often, gastroenterologists handle patients with challenging GI conditions that may be beyond their specific expertise. A multidisciplinary approach ensures that they aren’t isolated in this endeavor. In a discussion with Healio Gastroenterology, experts from various GI care areas deliberated on how to make multidisciplinary care more accessible to all. Dr. Loftus, the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Professor of Gastroenterology at the Mayo…
Guardant Health, a prominent precision oncology company, has announced that Geisinger Health Plan will now cover its Guardant Reveal™ minimal residual disease (MRD) test. This blood test identifies circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) post-treatment, assisting oncologists in pinpointing patients with lingering or recurring disease who might benefit from further therapy or monitoring. Specifically, Geisinger will cover the test for individuals with stage II or III colorectal cancer after curative treatment. The coverage aligns with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network’s monitoring guidelines for colorectal cancer. Helmy Eltoukhy, Guardant Health’s chairman and co-CEO, expressed his satisfaction with Geisinger’s decision, emphasizing its potential to…
TOPLINE:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an independent risk factor for precancerous colorectal adenomatous polyps in men and women, according to results of a large study. METHODOLOGY:Researchers conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of adults who underwent abdominal ultrasound and colonoscopy at a single hospital in China from January 2018 to December 2022 to determine NAFLD status and presence of polyps. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to detect associations between NAFLD and adenomatous and non-adenomatous polyps.
Guardant Health has prematurely halted a trial for its minimum residual disease (MRD) blood test after reviewing interim analysis results. The COBRA study was assessing the efficacy of Guardant’s MRD blood test in enhancing outcomes for stage II colon cancer patients post-surgery. The test was designed to detect circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid to guide subsequent treatments. Although specific data from the trial hasn’t been disclosed, Guardant’s shares dropped by approximately 13% following the news. The trial, initiated in collaboration with NRG Oncology in 2020, was based on evidence suggesting the LUNAR-1 blood test could pinpoint patients likely to benefit from…
Researchers are exploring the potential of liquid biopsy as a diagnostic tool for colorectal and lung cancers. A method called methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme digestion followed by sequencing (MRE-Seq) has been identified as a promising technique for detecting global hypomethylation patterns in liquid biopsy samples. This method can accurately diagnose colorectal and lung cancers and determine the cancer signal origin (CSO) using deep neural network (DNN) analysis. Methylation patterns in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) are being viewed as a potential genomic feature to detect the presence and origin of cancer. The study involved 191 patients with stage I-IV cancers (95 lung cancers…
Colorectal cancers, which encompass cancers of the colon or rectum, have been on the rise among young individuals globally since the 1990s. While the exact reasons for this increase remain elusive, potential risk factors identified by the Center for Disease Control include inactivity, obesity, low dietary fiber intake, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and “Western dietary patterns” characterized by high amounts of red and processed meats, added sugars, and refined grains. Due to the growing prevalence, the American Cancer Society revised its guidelines in 2018, recommending colorectal cancer screenings for average-risk individuals to begin at age 45 instead of the previous…
Female surgeons have demonstrated better outcomes in elective and acute care cholecystectomies, a common surgical procedure, compared to their male counterparts, as per a study published in JAMA Surgery. However, they also had longer operating times. The research, which utilized data from the Swedish National Registry of Gallstone Surgery, encompassed 150,509 patients who underwent the procedure between January 2006 and December 2019. The findings revealed that male surgeons encountered more surgical complications, including bleeding, visceral perforation, bile duct injury, and postoperative bile leakage. Additionally, their patients had longer hospital stays. In contrast, female surgeons had longer operating durations for both…