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Gastroenterology

News, opinions and meeting coverage in gastroenterology.

Surgery Boosts Outcomes in Esophageal Cancer

SAN FRANCISCO -- Surgery after chemoradiotherapy increased overall and disease-free survival compared with chemoradiotherapy alone in advanced esophageal cancer treatment, researchers reported here.

Pfizer Will Pay $55 Million in Off-Label Case

Pfizer subsidiary Wyeth has agreed to pay $55 million plus interest to settle allegations it promoted off-label use of the acid reflux drug pantoprazole (Protonix), the company and government officials announced.

C. Difficile Inpatient Stays Long, Costly

LAS VEGAS -- Among the many factors that contribute to the burgeoning costs associated with Clostridium difficile infections are long hospital stays, particularly in intensive care units, and the need for multiple specialist consultations, a chart review determined.

Type of Contrast May Mean More Comfortable CT

CHICAGO -- Patients who underwent abdominal or pelvic CT imaging with a low-osmolar contrast agent reported more discomfort during the exam than patients who received an iso-osmolar agent, researchers said here.

Colon Cancer Risk Rises After Endometrial Ca

LAS VEGAS -- A history of endometrial cancer at a younger age quadrupled the likelihood of a subsequent diagnosis of colorectal cancer, a retrospective analysis of administrative data showed.

Drug Relieves Opioid-Induced Constipation

LAS VEGAS -- An investigational opioid antagonist provided effective and durable relief from opioid-induced constipation in patients with chronic pain without interfering with analgesia, a randomized trial showed.

BP Drug Linked to Severe Diarrheal Illness

LAS VEGAS -- A patient's insightful question led to the identification of almost two dozen cases of severe enteropathy associated with use of blood pressure medication, investigators reported here.

Recall: Device Sucks Life From Patient

A suction system for collecting surgical waste apparently killed one patient and seriously injured another, prompting its maker to recall it and several related devices, the FDA said.

Gallbladder Polyp Size Can Guide Treatment

The follow-up strategy for patients with gallbladder polyps should be based on the size of the lesions, which can influence progression and malignancy potential, British researchers advised.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. Responding to Bipolar Therapy

After months of silence from his office about his absence from Congress, the Mayo Clinic has announced that Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., (D-Ill.) is being treated at the facility for bipolar disorder.

Estrogen a Culprit in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

SAN DIEGO -- Postmenopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy are at increased risk for developing ulcerative colitis, while younger women using oral contraceptives are more likely to develop Crohn's disease.

Doctors Say 45 Common Tests 'Overused'

Nine specialty groups have listed tests and treatments that are frequently overused, such as antibiotics for sinus attacks and CT scans for low back pain, in the first phase of a long-term project.

Cheney's Heart Makes Him a Million Dollar Man

Keeping former Vice President Dick Cheney's heart beating probably will cost the healthcare system at least a million dollars, cardiac transplantation experts told 番茄社区.

Interferon-Free Hepatitis C Tx Hits Snag

SEATTLE -- Results in a hard-to-treat patient population have clouded the future of a closely watched agent that acts against hepatitis C directly.

FDA Adds More Warnings for Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor

WASHINGTON -- Statins may cause drug-drug interactions for patients taking drugs to treat HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C, according to a new statin warning from the FDA.

H. Pylori Breath Test OK for Kids, FDA Says

A breath test for Helicobacter pylori infection available for adults may also be used in children and teens.

FDA Issues Warning on Acid Reflux Drugs

The FDA warned today that use of proton pump inhibitors -- including popular brands such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid -- may increase the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea.

ER Presentation Not the End for Colon Cancer Patients

SAN FRANCISCO -- Curative therapy is still a possibility, even if a colon cancer patient is seen for the first time in the emergency department with acute symptoms, researchers said here.

Gastric Ca Survival Rates Down, Chemo Use Up

SAN FRANCISCO -- A decline in survival rates in stage IV gastric cancer coincides with the increased use of chemotherapy rather than radiation and surgery, researchers found.

'Upset Stomach' Feels Better After Killing H. pylori

Eradicating Helicobacter pylori with antibiotics provided significant benefits to primary care patients with functional dyspepsia, according to results of a randomized trial.

Robin Gibb Looks at 'Spider Medicine' for Liver Cancer, Sources Say

茂禄驴Robin Gibb, a member of the BeeGees singing group, was hospitalized recently for complications related to liver cancer, a diagnosis that was made several months ago, according to several publications, and is reportedly investigating alternative treatments.

Colonoscopy Pioneer William Wolff Dead at 94

One of the pioneers of modern colonoscopy, William Wolff, MD, has died at the age of 94.

Consumer Group Urges Boxed Warning for PPIs

Citing research showing that withdrawal of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) leads to severe rebound acid secretion -- potentially leaving patients permanently dependent on the drugs -- the consumer group Public Citizen has told the FDA that it should require black-box warnings with the drugs.

No Approval for Rifaximin in IBS

The FDA has indicated that, before the antibiotic drug rifaximin (Xifaxan) can be approved for treating irritable bowel syndrome, its manufacturer must provide data on how the agent should be used in retreating patients with recurrent symptoms, the company said.

FDA Warns GERD Drugs May Deplete Magnesium

WASHINGTON -- Use of prescription or over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for a year or longer may lead to low levels of circulating magnesium, which may increase the risk of leg spasms, arrhythmias, and seizures, according to an FDA warning.

FDA Panel Rejects Cystic Fibrosis Drug

SILVER SPRING, Md. -- An FDA advisory committee has voted against approval of liprotamase (Sollpura), a pancreatic enzyme product for cystic fibrosis and other diseases that cause pancreatic insufficiency, saying there is not enough evidence that the drug works better than agents already on the market.

Complications Common After Endoscopy

Complications after endoscopy may be more common than previously thought, researchers say.

ACG: GI Docs Should Ask About Abuse

SAN ANTONIO -- Gastroenterologists may want to be attuned to signs of possible abuse or trauma among their patients, a researcher suggested here.

ACG: C. Diff No Match for Cheap Spice

SAN ANTONIO -- A component of the inexpensive curry spice turmeric may help ward off infection with Clostridium difficile in hospitals, researchers said here.

DDW: SSRI May Ease Reflux in Select Patients

NEW ORLEANS -- Patients with a hypersensitive esophagus may get relief of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), researchers said here.

ASCO GI: Targeted Agent Slows Neuroendocrine Tumors

ORLANDO -- Patients with progressive pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors lived twice as long without progression when treated with sunitinib (Sutent) compared with placebo, data from a French clinical trial showed.

Once-Chronic Peptic Ulcers Now Curable

Over the past 25 years, peptic ulcer disease went from a costly, chronic condition to one that can be eliminated with little chance of recurrence. But the road from point A to point B was not an easy one.

The Top 10 Medical Advances of the Decade

From genome to hormones, doctors pick the top medical advances of the decade.

AHA: FDA Drops Clopidogrel Bomb at AHA

ORLANDO -- The FDA has issued a public health advisory warning patients and physicians that concommitant use of clopidogrel (Plavix) and omeprazole (Prilosec and Prilosec OTC) blunts the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel, so the combination should be avoided.

Herbal Supplement Suspect in Hepatitis

An herbal supplement containing artemisinin may have triggered hepatitis in a Seattle man who was given the supplement by a naturopathic provider for treatment of a parasitic infection.

DDW: New Guidelines Likely to Permit Low-Dose Aspirin During Endoscopy

CHICAGO -- A revision of guidelines on use of blood thinners in endoscopy patients is likely to recommend against stopping low-dose aspirin therapy, according to a preview offered here at Digestive Disease Week.

Many Barrett's Esophagus Diagnoses Are Inaccurate

LITTLE FALLS, N.J. -- Electronic records indicating a diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus were wrong more than one-third of the time in a new study.

Medicare Finalizes Denial of Virtual Colonoscopy Coverage

BALTIMORE -- CT colonography for colorectal cancer screening will not be covered under Medicare, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has confirmed.

Double-Balloon Enteroscopy Cost-Effective for Obscure GI Bleeding

STANFORD, Calif. -- For patients with difficult-to-detect gastrointestinal bleeding, an initial double-balloon enteroscopy is a cost-effective approach for diagnosis and treatment, researchers here said.

With Boxed Warning, Oral Eltrombopag Okayed by FDA for Chronic ITP

PHILADELPHIA -- The FDA has approved oral eltrombopag (Promacta) for refractory chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), the drug's maker announced.

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