Lactose intolerance is almost four times more common among patients with inflammatory bowel disease compared with the general population in the United States, a large database study has shown. The researchers said health care providers should start screening for lactose intolerance in symptomatic IBD patients to ensure the condition isn’t mimicking IBD symptoms. “It’s important for GIs to know that lactose intolerance is common in IBD and may cause symptoms,” Miguel Regueiro, MD, of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, told Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News. “When patients have symptoms—especially diarrhea, flatulence, bloating and…
Author: Praveen Suthrum
A new study showed that fecal microbiota transplantation appeared to be safe and effective against Clostridioides difficile infection during a 2-year follow-up period. It was the top story in gastroenterology last week. Another top story explored the use of pneumatic vs. sham dilation in patients with persistent dysphasia who underwent antireflux surgery.
A presenter at the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress highlighted the importance of biomarkers in determining disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease, especially in the era of COVID-19. “Calprotectin is the most useful biomarker available certainly for the current COVID-19 pandemic but absolutely also beyond the pandemic,” Britta Siegmond, Dr. Med, from Charité, Berlin University of Medicine, said during her presentation.
Here are the most-read GI stories during the week of Jan. 25-29: 1. What patients pay for 10 gastroenterology procedures2. 10 GI physicians to know3. 8 insights from Brigham and Women’s Dr. Linda Lee for GI practice success in 20214. Text message reminders don’t increase colonoscopy adherence, study finds5. At-home options boost CRC screening rates, study finds
Older patients with inflammatory bowel disease who initiate Entyvio therapy had lower risk for hospitalization than those treated with anti-TNF, according to research presented at the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress. Bharati Kochar, MD, from Massachusetts General Hospital, said that while older adults make up a large portion of patients with IBD in the United States, they are not well represented in clinical trials.
Multicenter and population cohort studies suggest that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not at unique risk of contracting COVID-19 or experiencing worse outcomes, with the exception of a few risk factors such as corticosteroid use and combination therapy that appear tied to greater risk of hospitalization and mortality. The findings line up well with previous experience with infectious disease and are reassuring, but they also underscore the need to taper steroids and de-escalate from combination therapy, when possible.
Hello. I’m Dr David Johnson, professor of medicine and chief of gastroenterology at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia. Welcome back to another GI Common Concerns. I wanted to chat with you today about new recommendations for best practice strategies in the management of colonic diverticulitis from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), which build upon guidelines from 2015. In this latest update, the authors provide 14 recommendations for changes to common practices that I think are very sensible. Diverticulitis is a common disease in the United States, accounting for approximately 1.9 million outpatient visits and over 200,000 inpatient hospitalizations, with an economic burden over $5.5…
Klaus Mergener, MD, PhD, MBA, the president of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, discusses the January 11, 2021, article in the New York Times on the virtues of FIT testing.
J. DeWayne Tooson, MD, president of Tuscaloosa-based GI Associates of West Alabama, shared insights into the lasting effect of the pandemic and what success will look like in 2021. Note: Responses were edited for style and content. Question: What will make or break your practice in 2021? Dr. J. DeWayne Tooson: Three things immediately come to mind: 1. Illness, absenteeism, disability and death of healthcare workers, physicians and nurses due to COVID-192. The increased cost of operating healthcare facilities3. Price-gouging of medical supplies and personal protective equipment
Louis Wilson, MD, managing partner of Wichita Falls (Texas) Gastroenterology and president of the Texas Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, shares six insights he thinks will be crucial for gastroenterology practices to achieve success in 2021. Note: Response was edited for style and content. Question: What will make or break your practice in 2021? Dr. Louis Wilson: 1. Nothing will determine which practices survive and thrive in 2021 [more] than their relationship with the local or regional hospital. Now is the time to visit and revisit your professional services agreement with your local hospital.