Researchers observed high helicobacter pylori infection seroprevalence among Hispanic/Latino individuals, which varied by nativity and background, according to study results. “Our findings demonstrated a high burden of H. pylori infection in all Hispanics/Latinos and identify specific vulnerable groups by self-reported background and sociodemographic/clinical characteristics,” Sabrina H. Tsang, PhD, MPH, from the division of cancer epidemiology and genetics at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland, and colleagues wrote. “This study highlights the lack of progress and the importance of this bacterial infection in the U.S. and suggests opportunities for prevention measures in the Hispanic/Latino population.”
Author: Praveen Suthrum
The year started strong for gastroenterology with several topics defining the specialty’s first quarter. Here are seven recent developments in the specialty: 1. Colorectal cancer developments take center stage. As the U.S. recognizes National Colorectal Awareness Month, several developments on the disease have taken the main stage: The American College of Gastroenterology updated its 2009 guidelines around CRC screening, making 21 recommendations. ACG emphasized the importance of screening, alternative testing, and potentially lowering the age to start CRC screening. A study published in Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology examined CMS’ colonoscopy quality measure, finding it may be inaccurate. A study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology identified the first risk…
Researchers at Rutgers University and Cleveland Clinic are following more than 850 people to see whether their baseline microbiome characteristics and metabolomic traits correlate with their risk for contracting COVID-19 and the severity of the infection. “We hope this work will produce insights into how the microbiome status can predict the ability to produce an immune response to COVID-19, [and] we hope this will lead to an understanding of COVID-19 management strategies, including treatment and prevention through dietary intervention,” lead researcher Martin Blaser, MD, the Henry Rutgers Chair of the Human Microbiome at Rutgers, in Piscataway, N.J., said during a…
In this episode of the AGA podcast, Small Talk, Big Topics, hosts Drs. Matthew Whitson and CS Tse are joined by Drs. Sandra Quezada and Carlos Diaz. Sandra is the associate dean for medical school admissions & assistant dean for academic and multicultural affairs at the University of Maryland. Carlos is a gastroenterology fellow at the University of Miami Hospital. They’re both leaders in the AGA Equity Project. Today they’re here to discuss their experience and insights related to equity and diversity and provide actionable tips to help you become a better doctor. Sandra begins by sharing her definition of diversity, equity…
his transcript has been edited for clarity. Hello. I’m Dr David Johnson, professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. Kudos to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) for their latest expert consensus document. Among the several topics covered in these 48-page guidelines are vascular anomalies such as portal vein and hepatic vein thrombosis, and hepatic and splenic aneurysms. However, today I wanted to highlight for you the section dealing with coagulation management in patients with cirrhosis, including how it relates to interventions we commonly deal with as gastroenterologists, such as…
Researchers from MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently set out to answer that question. In a study performed in the emergency department at Brigham and Women’s, the team found that a large majority of patients reported that interacting with a health care provider via a video screen mounted on a robot was similar to an in-person interaction with a health care worker. “We’re actively working on robots that can help provide care to maximize the safety of both the patient and the health care workforce. The results of this study give us some confidence that people are ready and…
CMS and HHS made adjustments to the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute Jan. 19, affecting calculations of fair market value for physician pay. Jen Johnson, managing director, chief commercial officer and head of compensation arrangements, and Anthony Domanico, director of compensation design and consulting at VMG Health, outlined how organizations should think about physician pay in a Feb. 24 article. Four takeaways: 1. CMS unveiled three definitions for fair market value in the new rule, focused on general services, equipment rental and office space. 2. The final rule defines general market value of compensation as “compensation that would be paid at…
A new machine learning algorithm seems to be able to use pulse oximeter waveforms to estimate volume status in patients with cirrhosis. Researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago, found that analyzing fingertip photoplethysmography waveforms during breath-holding estimates intravascular volume overload more accurately than measuring serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Nikhilesh R. Mazumder, MD, MPH, a transplant hepatology fellow at Northwestern, said inaccurate estimation of the intravascular space can lead to adverse events in patients with cirrhosis who are taking diuretics for volume overload. “Seeing all these patients in clinic can be challenging, so I was…
Assessment of position and posture by a physical therapist can help reduce and prevent injury in endoscopists, based on data from a pilot study of eight individuals. Musculoskeletal injuries among endoscopists are gaining more attention: One technical review indicated that the “prevalence of musculoskeletal pain or injuries ranged from 29% to 89% of gastroenterologists.” While data on avoiding musculoskeletal injury related to endoscopy are limited, recognition of the role of ergonomics is increasing, Stacy A. Markwell, a physical therapist in Chapel Hill, N.C., and colleagues, wrote in a study published in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
The pandemic affected ASC case volume and operations in several ways in the last year, with some centers adapting while others are struggling to stay afloat. Here are the factors that could make or break an ASC within the next two years, according to seven administrators and physicians. 1. Case volume. ASCs base desired payer rates and budget projections on expected volume, which drives the surgery center’s revenue. If case volume falls short of expectations, the center will miss financial goals. LuAnne Jordan, administrator of Savannah (Ga.) F&A ASC, said her center will depend on boosting case volume to succeed in…