April 2006 Vol XXX Issue 4
Introduction to a New Series
by Girish Mishra, Series Editor
Nutrition Concerns of the Patient with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis or Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
by Mustafa Alnounou and Santiago J. Munoz
This article provides and overview of the nutritional assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with chronic cholestatic liver disorders - primary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune cholangiopathy.
Motility and Gastroparesis Experts in the United States
Long-term Remission of Crohn’s Disease Using Infliximab Without Human Anti-chimeric Antibody (HACA) in Absence of Anti-metabolites: A Series of Three Case Reports
by Kevin T. Kao, Amy C. McClune and Chris N. Conteas
A report of three patients who have clinically moderate/severe Crohn’s disease. Each was treated with infliximab or a combination of infliximab and mesalamine. All are in remission clinically.
Pancreatic Cancer: Epidemiology and Pathology
by Kemery Gilbert and Girish Mishra
In the United States, more than 32,000 people develop pancreatic adenocarcinoma each year. There was a steady increase from 1930 to 1980 and although the incidence has leveled off, it is still the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths overall. This paper will give an overview of the burden of pancreatic cancer and pathologic classifications.
Statins Reduce Inflammation, DVT, Osteoporosis, and Colon Cancer: Could They Be of Benefit in IBD?
by Akbar Waljee and Peter D.R. Higgins
Statin medications are used to lower serum cholesterol and effectively reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke. But, do they have an effect on IBD? This paper explores the use of statins in inflammation including inflammatory bowel disease.
Sex-Based Differences in Pancreatic and Biliary Disease
by Sreenivasa Jonnalagadda and Eileen M. Janec
The underlying causes of variations of benign and malignant pancreatic and biliary diseases is poorly understood. This paper will review the differences and discuss algorithms for expediting diagnosis and treatment based on gender differences.
Reflux Reduction Therapy: When PPIs Are Not Enough
by Amit Agrawal and Donald O. Castell
In patients with non-erosive reflux disease - so-called NERD patients - continued symptoms despite PPI therapy, may occur in up to 50 percent of individuals. This group of patients has challenged clinicians to diagnose and treat the abnormality responsible for these symptoms.
Bell’s Palsy of the Gut and Other GI Manifestations of Lyme and Associated Diseases
by Virginia T. Sherr
Gastrointestinal Lyme disease may cause gut paralysis and a wide range of diverse GI symptoms. Borrelia burgdorferi - and other pathogens contained in tick saliva, the microbial agent often behind unexplained GI symptoms can influence health and vitality of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. This article will provide physicians with diagnostic tests to be made and laboratories best suited for these tests.
