Volume 16 Issue 8, August 2019

Late presentation to hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus care is common, hindering global efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with liver disease. Models of care promoting and simplifying early testing of viral hepatitis are needed if we are to eliminate viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) has been linked to common gastrointestinal symptoms; yet its precise definition remains elusive. A new study shows that, when it comes to symptom prediction in functional gastrointestinal disorders, high-throughput sequencing analysis of the microbiome and not jejunal aspiration and culture is the clear winner.

A new study shows that a real-world care pathway for patients with NAFLD in primary care can increase the detection of patients with clinically significant liver disease and decrease referrals for patients who could be managed in the community.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are speculated to have a key role in microbiota–gut–brain crosstalk, but the pathways influencing psychological functioning have not been fully elucidated. This Review summarizes existing knowledge of how SCFAs might indirectly or directly mediate psychological processes.

The incidence of acute pancreatitis is increasing worldwide, and it is one of the most common gastrointestinal causes for hospital admission. In this Review, the authors provide a summary of advances in acute pancreatitis with an emphasis on pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical management.

New knowledge has been steadily acquired in genetic and congenital cholangiopathies. Here, the authors discuss Alagille syndrome, polycystic liver diseases, fibropolycystic liver diseases and cystic fibrosis-related liver disease and the insights that these conditions provide into the mechanisms of acquired cholangiopathies.