Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Gastroenterology for October 2017. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Depressive Symptoms Increase During Internship Year
TUESDAY, Oct. 31, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Depressive symptoms increase during the internship year for training physicians, with a greater increase among women, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Fish Can Trigger Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome
MONDAY, Oct. 30, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Fish is an important trigger of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), according to a study published online Oct. 20 in Allergy.
Probiotics Linked to Weight Loss in Obese, Overweight
FRIDAY, Oct. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Short-term probiotics are associated with reductions in body weight, body mass index (BMI), and fat percentage in overweight or obese subjects, according to research published online Oct. 18 in Obesity Reviews.
Gastric Cancer Incidence Down, Survival Up
FRIDAY, Oct. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Since 1984, there has been decreased incidence and increased survival rates for gastric cancer (GC), but long-term survival remains low, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
HER3 Linked to Improved Survival With Panitumumab
THURSDAY, Oct. 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Higher HER3 expression is associated with improved survival with the addition of panitumumab treatment for patients with RAS wild-type (wt) advanced colorectal cancer, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Oncology.
Gifts From Pharma Companies Influence Prescribing Behavior
THURSDAY, Oct. 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Receipt of gifts from pharmaceutical companies is associated with more prescriptions per patient and more costly prescriptions, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in PLOS One.
Robotic Radical Nephrectomy Becoming More Common
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — From 2003 to 2015 there was an increase in use of robotic-assisted radical nephrectomy, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In a separate study, researchers found that robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery for resection of rectal adenocarcinoma does not significantly reduce the risk of conversion to open surgery when compared with conventional laparoscopy.
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Most Patients Satisfied With Relationship With Physician
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Results of the Physicians Foundation 2017 Patient Survey show that most patients are satisfied with their overall relationship with their physician, according to an article published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Alterations in Gut Microbiome Noted Within 72 Hours of Injury
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Critically injured patients develop changes in the composition of the gut microbiome within 72 hours, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open.
Mechanism ID’d for Chemo-Related Peripheral Neuropathy
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 25, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Researchers may have uncovered the mechanism for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) related to paclitaxel, according to a study published online Oct. 11 in Neuron.
DEA Taking Back Unwanted Prescription Drugs on Oct. 28
TUESDAY, Oct. 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The public is being given its 14th opportunity to safely dispose of pills and patches at collection points operated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and its partners.
Ramucirumab Shows Promise in Care of Advanced Gastric Cancer
TUESDAY, Oct. 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Ramucirumab appears to be safe and effective for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer, according to a study published online Sept. 29 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Design Thinking Enables Med Students to Solve Challenges
MONDAY, Oct. 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A joint effort between students at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is training future physicians in design thinking to help identify and repair health system issues that contribute to physician burnout, according to an article by the American Medical Association.
Alcoholic Cirrhosis Linked to Increased Admissions, Costs
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Compared with patients who have non-alcoholic cirrhosis, those with alcoholic cirrhosis are sicker at presentation, have more admissions and readmissions, and have nearly double the health care costs, according to a study scheduled for presentation at The Liver Meeting, being held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases from Oct. 20 to 24 in Washington, D.C.
Herbal and Dietary Supplements Are Commonly Mislabeled
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Mislabeling of herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) is common, occurring in more than half of products tested, according to a study scheduled for presentation at The Liver Meeting, being held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases from Oct. 20 to 24 in Washington, D.C.
Clinician Job Satisfaction Linked to Improved Burnout Scores
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Clinicians’ job satisfaction is associated with improved burnout scores and reduced intention to leave their practices, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
For Hepatitis B Patients, Aspirin Tied to Lower Risk of HCC
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Aspirin therapy is associated with a reduced risk of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study scheduled for presentation at The Liver Meeting, held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases from Oct. 20 to 24 in Washington, D.C.
In Norway, Risk of SCC After Organ Transplant Has Fallen
FRIDAY, Oct. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For organ recipients in Norway, the risk of skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), has decreased since the mid-1980s, according to a study published online Oct. 18 in JAMA Dermatology.
Conditions Tied to Clinician Dissatisfaction Are Modifiable
THURSDAY, Oct. 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Modifiable conditions, like chaos, incohesiveness, and lack of communication, contribute to unsatisfying workplaces for clinicians, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
Key Stakeholders Discuss How to Make EHRs More Usable
THURSDAY, Oct. 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Key stakeholders and physicians discussed electronic health record (EHR) usability and optimization in the American Medical Association Running Your Practice Community.
Oral Antibiotics Cut Risk of SSI in Colorectal CA Resection
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing left colon and rectal cancer resections, the addition of oral antibiotics to mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) is associated with a reduced rate of surgical site infections (SSIs), according to a study published online Oct. 18 in JAMA Surgery.
Sharing Passwords Is Widespread Among Medical Staff
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Sharing of passwords to access electronic medical records is common among medical staff members, according to a study published in the July issue of Healthcare Informatics Research.
PPI Use Linked to Increased Risk of Ischemic Stroke, MI
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use is associated with increased risk of first-time ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online Oct. 12 in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
Visceral Adipose Tissue Index IDs Risk of HCC in Cirrhosis
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For male patients with cirrhosis, visceral adipose tissue index (VATI) is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study published online Oct. 10 in Hepatology.
Men Now Comprise ~10 Percent of RN Workforce
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 18, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The increasing participation of men in registered nursing can be attributed to multiple factors, including increasing educational attainment, rising labor demand in health care, and liberalizing gender role attitudes, according to a working paper published by the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
Potentially Preventable Spending Concentrated in Frail Elderly
TUESDAY, Oct. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Much of the total potentially preventable spending for Medicare beneficiaries is concentrated among frail elderly individuals, according to a study published online Oct. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Female Physicians May Be Especially at Risk of Burnout
TUESDAY, Oct. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Female physicians are more burned out than their male colleagues, but there are steps they can take to reduce the stress associated with burnout, according to a blog post published in Medical Economics.
Screening Tools Identify Potentially Inappropriate Meds
TUESDAY, Oct. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Internal medicine patients are frequently prescribed potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs), but screening tools can detect clinically relevant PIMs, according to a study published online Oct. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
Gastric Acid Suppression May Promote Liver Injury
TUESDAY, Oct. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Based on data from mouse models and humans, a decrease in gastric acid secretion due to use of gastric acid suppressive medications seems to promote overgrowth of intestinal Enterococcus, which promotes liver disease, according to a study published online Oct. 10 in Nature Communications.
‘Liquid Biopsy’ Shows Promise for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
TUESDAY, Oct. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — ‘Liquid biopsy’ technology holds promise for diagnosing, monitoring, and predicting prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study published online Oct. 9 in Nature Materials.
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Online Ratings Not Aligned With Objective Quality Measures
MONDAY, Oct. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Online consumer ratings of specialist physicians do not predict objective measures of quality of care or peer assessment of clinical performance, according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.
Most Female Physicians Have Faced Sexist Patient Comments
MONDAY, Oct. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Most female physicians have been sexually harassed by patients at some point in their careers, according to a blog post published in Medical Economics.
Pre-Retirement Morbidity Higher in Later Birth Cohorts
FRIDAY, Oct. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Americans who must work longer to reach Social Security retirement age have worse measures of health in the years leading up to retirement, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
Serious Suffering Affects Almost Half of Those Who Die Yearly
FRIDAY, Oct. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — In 2015, more than 25.5 million people who died worldwide experienced serious health-related suffering (SHS), and the vast majority lacked access to palliative care and pain relief, according to a report published online Oct. 12 in The Lancet.
Quality Issues for Both Paper-, Electronic-Based Health Records
FRIDAY, Oct. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Both paper-based and electronic health records (EHRs) have shortcomings in terms of quality of content, process, and structure, with poor quality of nursing documentation seen for both methods, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Court Considering Fate of Noneconomic Damages Cap
THURSDAY, Oct. 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court is considering whether it will hear a case that will determine the fate of the state’s $750,000 cap on noneconomic damages, according to an article published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
High Sustained Response Rate for Glecaprevir, Pibrentasvir in HCV
THURSDAY, Oct. 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with stage 4 or 5 chronic kidney disease and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, 12 weeks of treatment with glecaprevir and pibrentasvir results in a high rate of sustained virologic response, according to a study published online Oct. 11 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
New System Streamlines CME Credit Approval Process
THURSDAY, Oct. 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) have launched a new performance improvement activity credit reporting process called the AAFP Credit System, according to an article published by the AAFP.
Low-Cost Services a Major Player in Unnecessary Health Spending
THURSDAY, Oct. 12, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The costs associated with low-cost, low-value health services are nearly twice as high as those of high-cost, low-value services, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
Physician Salaries Appear to Be Flat or Declining
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Anecdotally, physician career coaches report that physician salaries are flat at best, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
Medical License Questions Sway Doctors’ Mental Health Help
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medical licensure application questions (MLAQs) regarding mental health contribute to physicians’ reluctance to seek help for mental health, according to a study published in the October issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Critical Care Nurses Should Be Prepared for Open Abdomen
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 11, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Critical care nurses need to be prepared to manage patients with open abdomen, according to a report published in the October issue of Critical Care Nurse.
Autoimmunities for T1D, Celiac Co-Occur More Than Expected
TUESDAY, Oct. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Co-occurrence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and celiac disease (CD) autoimmunities significantly exceeds the expected rate, according to a study published online Oct. 10 in Pediatrics.
Guide Offers Doctors Tips for Choosing a Health System
TUESDAY, Oct. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A guide has been developed to assist physicians considering joining a physician-led integrated health system, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Higher Levels of Fungus ID’d in Patients With Crohn’s
TUESDAY, Oct. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Higher levels of Candida tropicalis, as well as Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens, are seen in patients with Crohn’s disease, indicating a role for the mycobiome in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a study published online Oct. 4 in Digestive and Liver Disease.
Patient, Provider Interventions May Up Colonoscopy Rates
TUESDAY, Oct. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For asymptomatic adults with positive fecal blood test results, patient navigators and provider reminders or performance data may help improve colonoscopy rates; however, current evidence about useful system-level interventions is insufficient, according to a review published online Oct. 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Novel Metrics Suggested for Assessing EHR Use
TUESDAY, Oct. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Novel metrics have been developed to assess electronic health record (EHR) use and are described in an opinion article published online Oct. 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Antibiotic Use Not Linked to Islet, Celiac Disease Autoimmunity
MONDAY, Oct. 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of antibiotics in early life is not associated with islet or celiac disease (CD) autoimmunity in children at risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D) or CD, according to a study published online Oct. 9 in JAMA Pediatrics.
2016 Physician Quality Reporting System Reports Available
MONDAY, Oct. 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The 2016 Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) and the 2016 annual Quality and Resource Use reports have been released for individuals and group practices, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Injured Patients Want More Info on Safety Improvement Efforts
MONDAY, Oct. 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Communication-and-resolution program (CRP) experiences are positive overall for a small majority of patients and families, but they report that hospitals rarely share information about preventing recurrences, according to a study published online Oct. 9 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Short-Lived Benefits for Abusive Supervisory Behavior
FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Engaging in abusive supervisory behavior may be associated with short-term beneficial effects, but over longer periods of time, abusive supervisory behavior is negatively related to supervisors’ recovery level and engagement, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in the Academy of Management Journal.
Electrolyte Issues With Chronic Alcohol Use Span Social Spectrum
FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Electrolyte disturbances and acid-base disorders are common occurrences in patients with chronic alcohol-use disorder regardless of social circumstances, according to a review published online Oct. 4 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Stronger Nocebo Effect When Inert Rx Labeled As Expensive
FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Nocebo hyperalgesia is stronger when an inert treatment is labeled as being an expensive medication rather than a cheap one, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Science.
Liver Cancer Remains a Major Public Health Burden Globally
FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Causes of primary liver cancer differ widely among populations globally, but most cases can be prevented, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Oncology.
Most Cancer Drugs Approved in Europe Show No Survival Benefit
FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Most cancer drugs that enter the market in Europe have no evidence of benefit for survival or quality of life, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in BMJ.
Enrolling in Aerodigestive Clinic Cuts Children’s Inpatient Days
FRIDAY, Oct. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For children with special health care needs, enrollment in a multidisciplinary aerodigestive clinic may improve health care outcomes, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery.
21 Percent of Americans Report Experiencing a Medical Error
THURSDAY, Oct. 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — More than one in five patients report having experienced a medical error, according to a survey released Sept. 28 by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)/National Patient Safety Foundation Lucian Leape Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago.
Reasons Physicians Are Delaying Retirement Vary
THURSDAY, Oct. 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Physicians are delaying retirement, often because they feel they are providing a useful service to patients or because of concerns about social interaction in retirement, according to an article published online Sept. 25 in Medical Economics.
Health Literacy Linked to Length of Stay After Abdominal Surgery
THURSDAY, Oct. 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, lower health literacy levels are independently associated with longer index hospitalization length of stay, according to a study published online Oct. 4 in JAMA Surgery.
Pay Inequality, Work-Life Balance Top Concerns for Female Docs
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Many female physicians report feeling disadvantaged when negotiating contracts and feel that they are assessed for promotion using different criteria than those used for men, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Rate of Obesity-, Overweight-Related Cancers High in the U.S.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The burden of overweight- and obesity-related cancer is high in the United States, and incidence has increased in some states and age groups, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Scientists Support Genome Editing to Prevent Disease
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Many basic scientists and clinical researchers support somatic genome editing in adults for prevention of serious disease but not for human enhancement; they also believe the public should be consulted before any clinical application of germline gene editing proceeds, according to survey results published online Oct. 3 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.
Communication Program Doesn’t Raise Hospital Liability Costs
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A communication-and-resolution program, in which hospitals and liability insurers communicate with patients when adverse events occur, does not lead to higher liability costs, according to a study published online Oct. 2 in Health Affairs.
Adding Surveillance to FIT Screening Cuts CRC Mortality
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Adding surveillance to fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening reduces colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality and increases colonoscopy demand, according to a study published online Oct. 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
High Epsom Salt Intake Can Lead to Severe Liver Injury
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Epsom salt intake can lead to severe liver injury in predisposed patients, according to a case study published online Oct. 2 in BMJ Case Reports.
High Coffee Intake Tied to Lower Mortality in HIV/HCV
MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Drinking three or more cups of coffee per day halves all-cause mortality risk in patients co-infected with HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a study published online Sept. 21 in the Journal of Hepatology.
Azathioprine Appears to Improve Disease Course in Early Crohn’s
MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Long-term use of azathioprine (AZA) is associated with a better disease course in patients with early Crohn’s disease (CD), according to a study published online Sept. 22 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
State Laws Can Promote Hepatitis C Virus Screening
MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Mandating health care providers to offer hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening can increase screening rates and linkage to care among those with newly diagnosed infection, according to research published in the Sept. 29 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Liraglutide Tied to Significant Weight Loss in Obese
MONDAY, Oct. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Liraglutide significantly increases weight loss in obese patients, likely by slowing gastric emptying of solids, according to a pilot study published online Sept. 25 in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
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