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The primary mission of the ACG Institute for Clinical Research & Education is to advance the field of clinical gastroenterology through education and research. Founded in 1994, the ACG Institute has evolved into a major source of funding for patient care oriented gastroenterology research, and an active and effective sponsor of educational programming for consumers and physicians alike.
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News
Need for liver transplants rises as patients with HCV age
People born from 1941 to 1960 made up 81% of all new liver transplant registrants who have hepatitis C, University of Colorado researchers reported. Between 2000 and 2010, the number of new liver transplant candidates with hepatitis C and liver cancer increased fourfold in those born from 1941 to 1960, the study said. “Over the coming decade, the aging of those infected with [hepatitis C virus] will challenge the transplant community to reconsider current treatment plans given the projected increase in liver transplantation demand, particularly from patients with [hepatitis C virus] and liver cancer,” said lead author Dr. Scott Biggins. U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (12/19)
Bacteria thought to protect gut may play role in Crohn’s
A study from the University of Aberdeen found Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties thought to protect the gut, may play a role in the development of Crohn’s disease. The study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology found children with Crohn’s had elevated levels of the microbe, and while researchers expressed surprise, they cautioned that more studies are needed. NetDoctor (U.K.) (12/11)
More hospitals require older doctors to undergo screenings
Some 42% of physicians in the U.S. are older than 55, according to data from the American Medical Association, while 21% are older than 65. With the number of older doctors increasing, some hospitals have adopted policies prompting senior physicians to undergo periodic cognitive and physical assessments in exchange for renewed privileges. The Washington Post/Kaiser Health News (12/10)
Study links H. pylori gastritis to hyperplastic polyps
U.S. researchers reported in The American Journal of Gastroenterology that hyperplastic polyps are associated with Helicobacter pylori gastritis. Researchers said the risk increased with the stage of the neoplasm, as well as with the size and numbers of adenomas, but that location of lesions was not a factor. Read the abstract. MedWire News (U.K.) (12/6)
Experts: Fecal transplant may become standard for C. diff
Within the next couple of years, fecal transplants could become the primary therapy for recurrent Clostridium difficile infections, according to CDC epidemiologist Dr. Cliff McDonald and other experts. Drugmakers also are working on treatments for C. diff, but Ontario physician Dr. Christine Lee says the more than 100 fecal transplant procedures she has done have resolved the condition and prevented recurrences in 90% of cases. Reuters (11/30)
Cuts to provider pay won’t “reform” anything, insiders say
Doctors face the prospect of payment cuts regardless of whether a deal is made to avoid the impending “fiscal cliff,” experts warn, and cuts may still be part of any deal. In the absence of a deal, doctors will see reimbursements from Medicare cut by 2% as part of sequestration, but also on the horizon is a 27% reduction in pay if the program’s payment formula is not addressed. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (11/29)
Guidelines call for fewer upper endoscopies for GERD
Fewer patients need an upper endoscopy for gastroesophageal reflux disease, and reducing use of the procedure will improve care and cut costs, according to clinical guidelines issued by the American College of Physicians. Following these types of recommendations could yield significant annual health care system savings, gastroenterologist John Allen wrote in an editorial accompanying the report. MedPage Today (free registration) (12/3)
USPSTF lukewarm on HCV screening for all boomers
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said primary care physicians should “consider” hepatitis C screening for adults born between 1945 and 1965 and gave the recommendation a grade of “C.” USPSTF recommended people with a history of IV drug use or blood transfusions prior to 1992 should be tested. The draft recommendations come after the CDC in August recommended that all adults in the baby boomer birth cohort get screened. Reuters (11/26), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (11/26)
Prevalence and risk factors associated with H. pylori-negative gastritis
In a study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology advanced online, researchers sought to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori among individuals with histologic gastritis. Nearly 500 subjects between the ages of 40 and 80 underwent elective EGD and gastric biopsies were mapped from seven prespecified sties. Read the abstract.
Higher risk of liver disease seen with type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes patients showed a lower prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, but more diagnoses of glycogenosis than those with type 2 diabetes, a British study indicated. However, researchers found the prevalence of cirrhosis during follow-up was 301.5 per 100,000 in type 1 diabetes patients compared with only 76.3 per 100,000 in the general population. The results were presented at The Liver Meeting. Healio (11/20)
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