Table of contents
September 2005 Volume 2 No 9
Viewpoints
Endoscopy in pregnancy: risks versus benefits
376Endoscopy in pregnant patients presents unique concerns regarding its safety and benefit to the fetus. This Viewpoint presents an overview of the merits and potential dangers associated with endoscopy in pregnancy and discusses the impact of the latest guidelines for endoscopy in this setting.
Mechanically restricted regional blood flow might explain gastrointestinal pain
378Idiopathic abdominal pain and chest pain of presumed digestive tract origin accounts for a considerable number of hospital admissions each year. The underlying causes of this pain remain unknown. In this Viewpoint the authors propose a novel mechanism for this undefined pain suggesting that ischemic events could be responsible.
Research Highlights
Functional gastrointestinal disorders following salmonella gastroenteritis outbreak
380Benefits of vaccinating children for hepatitis A
380Laparoscopic bowel resection: comparable efficacy to that of open surgery in patients with colon cancer
380Overlap of chronic pelvic pain disorders and neural cross-talk
381Vitamin B6, alcohol and colorectal cancer risk in women
382Prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms and impact on disability days
382Perioperative care for colorectal cancer patients—avoidance of best practice
382New treatment for chronic constipation and soiling in children
383Link between Crohn's disease and month of birth
383A pilot study of endoscopic Doppler OCT in the gastrointestinal tract
384New method for pretransplant islet potency assessment
385Risk factors for gastrointestinal complications after cardiac surgery
385IBD more common in patients with celiac disease
386Predicting outcome after preoperative therapy for rectal cancer
386Prognostic role of survivin expression in pancreatic cancer
386Practice Points
Management of stress-related bleeding: evolution from the era before cimetidine
388Aberrant crypt foci as biomarkers for colonic dysplasia
390What is the best initial therapy for patients with uninvestigated heartburn?
394Reviews
Technology Insight: liver support systems
398Several liver support systems have been described for use as a bridge to orthotopic liver transplantation in patients with fulminant hepatic failure, but no system has gained FDA approval or widespread clinical acceptance. The authors of this Review present an overview of published experience with liver support systems since the 1960s.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0254 | Full Text | PDF (290K)
Mechanisms of Disease: defensins in gastrointestinal diseases
406In the gastrointestinal tract, defensins—endogenous antibiotics with microbicidal activity—help regulate the composition and number of colonizing microbes, and protect against food-borne and water-borne pathogens. Inspired by recent studies of defensins in human disease and animal models, this Review discusses emerging evidence for the importance of defensins in gastrointestinal infections and inflammatory diseases.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0265 | Full Text | PDF (699K)
Mechanisms of Disease: the role of intestinal barrier function in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases
416This article reviews an area of translational research that is currently receiving a great deal of attention—the role of the intestinal epithelial barrier in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disease. In particular, the authors consider the contribution of the intestinal epithelial barrier, with its intercellular tight junctions, to the development of autoimmunity.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0259 | Full Text | PDF (187K)
Mechanisms of Disease: the genetic epidemiology of gallbladder stones
423This Review provides an update on the molecular pathogenesis of gallbladder stones, one of the most prevalent and expensive gastroenterological diseases. The authors discuss evidence supporting the hypothesis that genetic factors are key predisposing elements, and the progress that is being made in human genetic studies of cholesterol gallstones.
doi:10.1038/ncpgasthep0257 | Full Text | PDF (192K)
