An esophageal prick test, in which allergens are injected directly into the esophageal mucosa, appears to identify individuals with esophageal sensitization, researchers report in the January issue of Gastroenterology. In patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), food allergens are believed to induce an inflammatory response that can make swallowing and eating a challenge. Identifying and
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A behavioral intervention designed to increase the postural tone of the abdomino-thoracic wall is effective treatment for abdominal distention of no detectable cause, researchers report in a randomized controlled trial published in the December issue of Clinical Gastroeneterology and Hepatology. Abdominal distension is one of the most common complaints among patients seeking
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Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) provides accurate 3-dimensional images of inflammed intestine of mice with colitis, researchers show in a Gastroenterology in Motion article and video in the October issue of Gastroenterology. The authors demonstrate use of the technology to analyze migration of human T cells in colons of mice with colitis. Improved techniques are
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Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) can detect early-stage gastric cancers developing beneath or within the mucosa that are not visualized by endoscopy in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Researchers report these findings along with a video in the August issue of Gastroenterology. FAP is a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome characterized by colorectal polyps and colorectal cancer. Patients
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In a bioinformatic search for agents that alter the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific gene expression pattern, researchers identified the anthelmintic drug niclosamide as a potential anti-tumor agent, described in the June issue of Gastroenterology. Niclosamide and its ethanolamine salt (NEN), with greater bioavailability, slowed growth of genetically induced liver tumors and
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The panoramic views obtained with full-spectrum endoscopy (FUSE) increase the number of dysplastic lesions detected in the colon, compared with conventional forward-viewing colonoscopy, researchers report in the May issue of Gastroenterology. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Surveillance colonoscopy with chromoendoscopy is recommended, but conventional forward-viewing colonoscopy
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The incidence of achalasia is at least twice as high as previously believed, 2 studies (one from Chicago, the other from Australia) show in the March issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Achalasia is characterized by dysphagia, regurgitation of undigested food, and chest pain. Patients lose weight due to the
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Sterile fecal filtrates—containing bacterial debris, proteins, antimicrobial compounds, metabolic products, and microbial DNA, rather than intact microorganisms—appear to be effective for treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), researchers report in the March issue of Gastroenterology. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective therapy of recurrent CDI—a single treatment resolves
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Extracellular vesicles carry HBV DNA as cargo that can be transmitted to other hepatocytes, researchers report in the March issue of Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Their findings identify an antibody-neutralization–resistant route of HBV infection. Approximately 350 million people are chronically infected by HBV worldwide, and some of these
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Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is more accurate than transient elastography (TE) in identifying liver fibrosis of stage 1 or more, researchers report in the February issue of Gastroenterology, using biopsy analysis as the standard. They also show that MRI-based proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) analysis is more accurate than TE-based
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Dr. Kristine Novak is the science editor for Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. She has worked as an editor at biomedical research journals and as a science writer for 15 years, covering advances in gastroenterology, hepatology, cancer, immunology, biotechnology, molecular genetics, and clinical trials. She has a PhD in cell biology and an interest in all areas of medical research.
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