Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is a devastating disorder that can significantly affect the morbidity and mortality of both mother and fetus. This Viewpoint discusses the prevalence and implications of this disorder and examines the role of genetic screening in helping to identify patients at risk for this disease.
The demonstration that endoscopic band ligation has a greater efficacy and fewer side effects than endoscopic injection sclerotherapy has renewed interest in endoscopic treatments for esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis. This Review focuses on the role of endoscopic band ligation in the primary and secondary prevention of variceal bleeding as well as in the treatment of acute bleeding episodes.
Smoking can have a detrimental and beneficial effect on gastrointestinal disease—it has such a 'polarizing effect' in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Studies in tobacco smokers have made it difficult to identify which agents are responsible for these effects, but work on the action of nicotine alone might help to explain some of the positive and negative links between smoking and gastrointestinal disease.
Fecal incontinence is a common symptom that is generally caused by conditions associated with anorectal sensorimotor dysfunction or diarrhea. Clinical assessment and diagnostic testing should be tailored to the patient's age and symptom severity. Management options, including modulation of disordered bowel habits, biofeedback and surgery, must be tailored to the clinical manifestations, and include treatment of underlying diseases.