Table of contents
November 2005 Volume 2 No 11
Editorial
Viewpoints
Role of genetic screening in identifying susceptibility to acute fatty liver of pregnancy
494Acute 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.
Selecting livers for transplantation: can beggars be choosers?
496In this era of critical organ shortage, how should physicians and patients decide whether to accept or decline the offer of a specific deceased-donor liver? The author of this Viewpoint article considers recent data evaluating the impact of donor characteristics and severity of recipient disease on the decision-making process.
Research Highlights
Improved prediction of nontransplant surgical mortality in patients with cirrhosis
498A population-based study of fecal incontinence in women
498Long-term use of aspirin and NSAIDs reduces the risk of colorectal cancer
498Liver transplantation or resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma?
499Teduglutide and gut function in patients with short-bowel syndrome
499Survival, and weaning off parenteral nutrition, in pediatric short-bowel syndrome
500A novel, catheter-free method for measuring intragastric pH
500Obesity is linked with increased risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease
501Surgery is recommended for all types of pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous tumors
501Most hospital deaths from gastrointestinal events occur in the elderly: the role of NSAIDs
501A new measure of disease-specific quality of life in achalasia
502Safe and successful Rigiflex® balloon dilation of achalasia without fluoroscopy
502Practice Points
Is esomeprazole useful for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in patients on NSAIDs?
504How useful are proton-pump inhibitors for diagnosis and therapy of patients with noncardiac chest pain?
506How effective is Enteryx® implantation for the treatment of patients with GERD?
508Incidence of adverse reactions to azathioprine in patients with Crohn's disease
510Is ursodeoxycholic acid effective for the prevention of colorectal adenoma recurrence?
512Reviews
The etiology, assessment, and treatment of fecal incontinence
516Fecal 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.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0315 | Full Text | PDF (230K)
Endoscopic band ligation in the treatment of portal hypertension
526The 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.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0323 | Full Text | PDF (293K)
Mechanisms of Disease: nicotine—a review of its actions in the context of gastrointestinal disease
536Smoking 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.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0316 | Full Text | PDF (164K)
Case Study
Acute deterioration of a woman following acute pancreatitis with pseudocysts
545doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0317 | Full Text | PDF (192K)
