Top Story

Correct diagnosis of non-celiac gluten sensitivity may be uncommon, study shows
Italian researchers said a gluten challenge showed 34% of people who met criteria for non-celiac gluten sensitivity experienced a recurrence of symptoms during the test. They concluded that NCGS likely will be a correct diagnosis for a minority of patients who do not have celiac disease but choose to follow a gluten-free diet. Healio (free registration)/Gastroenterology (9/1)

Guide to Healthy Living

People with chronic illnesses may have trouble using health IT

(AFP/Getty Images)

Patients with multiple chronic illnesses, which often include those who are low-income and elderly, may have more trouble using health IT devices, such as blood glucose monitoring tools or diet and exercise applications, researchers reported. The study team said health IT developers should create technology that reduces the inconvenience and burden to patients and should try to reach out to people who may not be technologically sophisticated. Clinical Innovation + Technology online (8/31)

Sustained calorie reduction may lead to weight loss, study says
Healthy adults who reduced their calorie intake for two years saw improvements in risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol, inflammation and blood pressure levels, according to researchers at the National Institute on Aging. Participants lost an average of 10% of body weight in the first year and maintained it over the second year of the trial, according to the study. HealthDay News (9/1)

Anti-smoking efforts continue to chip away at smoking rate
The smoking rate in the US dropped to about 15% in 2015, down from 17% one year ago and close to 18% two years ago, continuing a steady decline that started in 2010, the CDC reports. Experts credit tobacco taxes, stricter smoke-free laws and more powerful anti-smoking messages for the change. The 2015 National Health Interview Survey report also shows that more men smoke than women, and black and white people are more likely to smoke than Hispanic people. HealthDay News (9/1)

Diagnosis & Treatment

Report IDs predictive features of EoE without endoscopic biopsy
A study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology outlines clinical and endoscopic features that are highly predictive of eosinophilic esophagitis and do not require an esophageal biopsy. Researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine studied 81 EoE patients and 144 control patients and found age, sex, dysphagia and food allergy plus endoscopic features such as rings, furrows, plaques and hiatal hernia were factors predictive of EoE. Read the abstract. Healio (free registration)/Gastroenterology (8/31)

Research shows low compliance rates for C. diff treatment guidelines
US public health researchers found low compliance rates for Clostridium difficile infection treatment guidelines, especially in severe cases. The report, presented at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, found that for severe cases, treatment was in compliance for 13% of patients, while 70% received the wrong medication. Among those patients who were given the correct drug, half were prescribed an incorrect dosage and 20% were prescribed the wrong frequency. Medscape (free registration) (8/28)

Study: Metastatic colon cancer requires individualized treatment plans
Patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to other parts of the body require individualized treatment plans to determine whether the tumors should be removed in just one surgery or through two procedures, Mayo Clinic researchers said. About 20% of patients are diagnosed with metastatic cancer, and the liver is the most common place where the cancer has spread, the report said. United Press International (8/31)

Policy Watch

Study: 24.4M more Americans need CRC tests to reach 80% goal
If the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable's goal of increasing colorectal cancer screening to 80% by 2018 is achieved, data estimate that about 277,000 colorectal cancer cases and 203,000 deaths from the disease could be avoided. Researchers said an additional 24.4 million Americans would need to get tested to hit the 80% mark. CancerTherapyAdvisor.com (8/27)

ACG note: Proposed Medicare cuts to colonoscopy may threaten reaching this 80% by 2018 goal. A letter to the CMS is currently being circulated by Reps. Donald Payne, D-N.J., and Leonard Lance, R-N.J. The letter expresses concern over these recently announced reimbursement cuts precisely when Medicare and our country has really started to make progress in the fight against colorectal cancer. Please contact your representative and urge him or her to sign this letter! Help ACG get Medicare and Congress' attention. If you are a GI clinician and you haven't signed this petition -- recently proposed Medicare colonoscopy cuts could soon become reality. ACG and the joint societies continue to work together to achieve this 80% by 2018 goal.

Legislation takes aim at prescription drug prices
Legislation proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., would enable Medicare to negotiate with drugmakers on the cost of prescription medications and would legalize drug imports from Canada. Drug companies would have to disclose price information, such as the cost of research and development, under the measure. The Hill (9/1)

Patient's Perspective

You are not alone and your voice matters
"Know that you don’t have to carry the burden of chronic illness by yourself because there are so many of us out there who have felt similar things or shared similar experiences. ...You have been given something in life that no one should have to deal with but it also makes you unique and gives you a perspective on life that most people do not have. Use that as a gift. You are the only you that there is. You matter, your voice matters, and you can do great things even when limited by challenges." -- blog post from Sara on Inflamed-and-Untamed.com

Keep up-to-date on GI patient information by visiting ACG's Patient Center, patients.gi.org. For the latest College news, read the ACG blog at acgblog.org.

SmartQuote