Should you "just say 'no'"?

Stephen B Hanauer and Julie Solomon

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0058 | Full Text | PDF (62K)

Is the use of COX-2 inhibitors in gastroenterology cost-effective?

David Y Graham and Francis KL Chan

The development of COX-2 inhibitors promised to achieve the benefits of NSAIDs without gastrointestinal complications. Although clinical outcome studies have demonstrated a reduction in ulcer complications with COX-2 inhibitors the magnitude of these benefits in terms of cost-effectiveness is unclear. The cardiovascular safety of these drugs also needs to be taken into account in cost-effectiveness comparisons.

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0043 | Full Text | PDF (109K)

Can NOD2/CARD15 mutations predict intestinal graft-versus-host disease and aid our understanding of Crohn's disease?

Gerhard Rogler and Ernst Holler

A central role is proposed for the gastrointestinal tract in graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) because the occurrence of NOD2/CARD15 mutations in the gut can predict severe GvHD. These findings could influence current therapeutic strategies for GvHD and Crohn's disease and change our understanding of their pathophysiology.

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0042 | Full Text | PDF (113K)

Health-related quality of life in IBS

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0052 | Full Text | PDF (56K)

Live donor liver transplantation: graft and patient survival

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0053 | Full Text | PDF (56K)

Extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma without jaundice

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0054 | Full Text | PDF (73K)

Preventing acute rejection in pediatric liver transplantation

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0033 | Full Text | PDF (54K)

Tegaserod for chronic constipation

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0034 | Full Text | PDF (77K)

Valdecoxib reduces upper gastrointestinal ulcer complications

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0035 | Full Text | PDF (59K)

HCV recurrence after liver transplantation

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0046 | Full Text | PDF (59K)

Celiac disease: malignancy and mortality

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0036 | Full Text | PDF (55K)

Adenoma miss rate in optical colonoscopy

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0045 | Full Text | PDF (55K)

Avoiding false positives in H. pylori detection

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0047 | Full Text | PDF (78K)

Crohn's disease: new evidence of mycobacterial involvement

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0040 | Full Text | PDF (60K)

High-dose imatinib in metastatic GIST

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0041 | Full Text | PDF (60K)

Surgical practice patterns in stage IV colorectal cancer

doi:10.1038/ncponc0028 | Full Text | PDF (53K)

Single-agent cyclophosphamide in hepatoblastoma

doi:10.1038/ncponc0038 | Full Text | PDF (53K)

Is the current standard therapy for hepatitis C of peginterferon and ribavirin an option for patients coinfected with HIV?

John McHutchison and Amany Zekry

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0050 | Full Text | PDF (108K)

Can the addition of bevacizumab to IFL chemotherapy improve outcome in colorectal cancer?

Eric Van Cutsem

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0051 | Full Text | PDF (101K)

Are miniature ultrasonic probes of clinical value for diagnosis and treatment of digestive tract diseases?

Vanessa M Shami

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0049 | Full Text | PDF (102K)

Long-term outcome improvement in patients with chronic hepatitis D treated with interferon

Vlad Ratziu and Thierry Poynard

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0044 | Full Text | PDF (96K)

Is transarterial chemoembolization an option for all patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma?

Andrew Burroughs and Dimitrios Samonakis

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0038 | Full Text | PDF (105K)

Maintenance therapy versus episodic therapy with infliximab for Crohn's disease

Subrata Ghosh

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0039 | Full Text | PDF (90K)

Treating chronic anal fissure with botulinum neurotoxin

Giuseppe Brisinda, Federica Cadeddu, Francesco Brandara, Donatella Brisinda and Giorgio Maria

During the past few years there has been renewed interest in the management of chronic anal fissure. Treatment with botulinum neurotoxin is less expensive and easier to perform than surgery and does not require anesthesia. It is also more efficacious than nitrate therapy and is not related to the patient's willingness to complete treatment.

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0048 | Full Text | PDF (317K)

Drug Insight: nucleoside and nucleotide analog inhibitors for hepatitis B

Scott K Fung and Anna SF Lok

The past decade has witnessed substantial advances in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, and the nucleoside and nucleotide analog inhibitors lamuvidine and adefovir dipivoxil have been a major part of this. This article discusses the benefits and limitations of treatment with lamuvidine and adefovir dipivoxil, and nucleoside and nucleotide analogs being evaluated in phase II/III clinical trials.

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0056 | Full Text | PDF (851K)

Mechanisms of Disease: mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis and therapeutic implications

Scott L Friedman

Basic research has led to rapid progress in understanding the mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis. Fibrogenic hepatic cell types have been characterized, as have general and disease-specific mechanisms. Studies also indicate that hepatic fibrosis is reversible. The impact of this work on clinical practice is that treating hepatic fibrosis is now emerging as a real possibility.

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0055 | Full Text | PDF (361K)

Mechanisms of Disease: carcinogenesis in Barrett's esophagus

Navtej S Buttar and Kenneth K Wang

Our understanding of carcinogenesis in Barrett's esophagus has markedly increased in the past decade, thanks to the close interaction of clinicians, epidemiologists and basic scientists. This review discusses how reflux of gastroduodenal contents, dietary habits, obesity, upper gastrointestinal infections and exposure to carcinogens might contribute to the development of cancer in Barrett's esophagus.

doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0057 | Full Text | PDF (431K)