Bowel
Therapy of chronic fatigue in patients with quiescent inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD
This randomized cross-over pilot trial with 40 CED patients currently in remission showed a significant beneficial effect of high-dose oral thiamine on chronic fatigue as compared to placebo with only few and mild side effects.
Antibiotics for uncomplicated diverticulitis
Antibiotic treatment did not affect length of hospital stay, rates of adverse events and readmission rates after 7 or 30 days as compared to placebo in a randomized placebo-controlled trial comprising 180 patients. These results provide strong evidence that antibiotic therapy may be safely omitted in patients with uncomplicated diverticulitis.
Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on endoscopic activity and cancer detection
A national analysis in the UK revealed that endoscopic activity in spring 2020 was reduced to 12% of pre-Covid-19 levels and resulted in a decrease of tumor diagnoses by 58%.
Liver
Decompensated cirrhosis
In recent years, human albumin substitution in patients with advanced cirrhosis has been the subject of controversy. A current randomized study in patients who were hospitalized with decompensated cirrhosis showed a negative result in this regard: Albumin infusions to increase the albumin level to a target of ≥ 3 g/dl were not superior to the current standard treatment.
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis
A recent cohort study confirms the high benefits of metformin in patients with NASH, type 2 diabetes and Child A cirrhosis. Especially in patients with increased hemoglobin A1c, metformin significantly reduced the risk of death, decompensation of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
A current, highly anticipated vaccination study on the prophylactic vaccination against HCV using a viral vector vaccine with a prime boost regimen showed that this vaccination regimen induced T-cell responses against HCV and decreased HCV viremia in infected people. Unfortunately, however, the vaccination regime was unable to prevent chronic HCV infection.
Oesophagus Stomach Duodenum
Tumor risk in achalasia patients
Patients with achalasia have an excess risk of developing both, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. However, the absolute incidence of esophageal cancer is rather low in this population.
Therapy of patients with diabetic or idiopathic gastroparesis
The tachykinin receptor 1 antagonist tradipitant resulted in a statistically and clinically meaningful improvement in nausea and vomiting as compared to placebo.
Outcomes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (GI) in patients taking oral anticoagulants
Novel oral anticoagulants do not alter the outcomes of upper GI bleeding as compared to vitamin K antagonists in a prospective nationwide study from France. Comorbidities and occurrence of bleeding during hospitalization were the most important risk factors associated with adverse outcomes.
Pancreas
Worldwide burden of, risk factors for, and trends in pancreatic cancer
Analysis of the global GLOBOCAN initiative revealed increasing incidence and mortality trends in pancreatic cancer, especially in women and populations 50 years or older, but also in younger individuals.
Diagnosis of Viral Hepatitis
Diagnosis of Viral Hepatitis Author: J. Rasenack (36 pages) U41e
Read more