Top Story

• Food allergies are costly for patients, profitable for companies
  It is estimated that 12 million Americans have food allergies and annual estimated costs for treating them range from $340 million to $510 million. Food manufacturers have increased revenues from catering to people with food allergies by offering specialty items such as gluten-free products, which accounted for $2.6 billion in sales in 2010, a figure that is expected to double by 2015. CNBC (10/8)

Guide to Healthy Living

• Although we don't fully understand the process, probiotics can help
  Gut bacteria affect the digestive system and while experts don't quite understand how they work, evidence shows probiotics containing healthy bacteria can help keep the GI tract running more smoothly, experts say. The idea of ingesting live microorganisms for health is more than a century old, and dietitian Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo said it could be that probiotics "enhance the intestinal flora and promote a healthier gut environment." Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (10/6)

• Fuller plates may help improve nutrition, dietitians say
  A fuller plate could lead to better nutrition as long as it holds more vegetables and fewer meats and starches, according to experts. Still, registered dietitian Ellie Krieger says she doesn't want people to give up their favorite tastes just to cut fat, and she recommends using small amounts of full-fat dairy, such as cheese, to make a dish seem luxurious. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Food & Beverage (10/8)

• Study links Western diet to metabolic syndrome, stroke
  A study in rats from Canada's Heart and Stroke Foundation links eating a high-fat, high-sugar Western diet to an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome and stroke. The authors said a balanced diet and regular exercise are needed to prevent metabolic syndrome. HealthDay News (10/3)

• Daily apple consumption may cut bad cholesterol levels
  Researchers said people who ate an apple a day for four weeks had a 40% reduction in blood levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein, which has been linked to atherosclerosis. They said a daily apple was significantly more effective than curcumin, green tea or tomato extract. United Press International (10/4)

• Analysis finds vitamin C supplements lower blood pressure
  People with hypertension who took high doses of vitamin C supplements lowered their blood pressure, Johns Hopkins researchers reported. Systolic and diastolic pressure dropped 4.85 mm Hg and 1.67 mm Hg on average for patients with high blood pressure, according to a review of 21 clinical trials that used an average dose of 500 milligrams per day for a median time period of eight weeks. FoodConsumer.org (10/7)

• Federal report finds supplement labels make illegal claims
  An HHS inspector general's report said 20% of 127 weight-loss and immune-boosting supplements were found to have labels making illegal claims about treating or curing disease. The report said people could be risking their health and wasting money buying these products, many of which do not have scientific study data behind them. USA TODAY/The Associated Press (10/3)

Diagnosis & Treatment

• Study: Poor prognosis for cirrhosis patients with bleeding
  Band ligation controlled upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with liver cirrhosis but their prognosis remained poor, Italian researchers reported in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Most short-term deaths occurred because of infections or complications, rather than bleeding, and researchers said severity of liver failure was the best indicator of prognosis for the first five days after bleeding began. MedWire News (U.K.) (10/1)

• Colon cancer patients in rural areas face higher mortality
  Urban patients with colon cancer had a better chance of survival than their rural counterparts, according to an analysis of more than 123,000 cases in the California Cancer Registry. Rural patients were more likely to have stage 3 or 4 cancer at diagnosis and less likely to get chemotherapy. The findings were presented at the American College of Surgeons meeting. HealthDay News (10/3)

• Blood test measures liver damage from HIV drugs, hepatitis
  Researchers have developed a low-cost, portable blood-testing device that can help diagnose liver injury at the point of care in 15 minutes. The device has been tested on more than 200 blood samples, according to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center researchers. The test can be used to measure liver toxicity in patients with HIV and determine damage from viral hepatitis. SmartPlanet.com/The Bulletin blog (10/4)

Clinical Trial Monitor

A selection of U.S. based clinical trials seeking participants

• Recombinant Vaccinia Virus Administered Intravenously Followed by Intratumoral Boosts in Patients With Metastatic, Refractory Colorectal Carcinoma
  California, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Canada. clinicaltrials.gov

• The Clinical Utility of Overtube Use at the Time of Endoscopy (Spirus)
  Florida. clinicaltrials.gov

• POCone-UBiT-IR300 Pediatric Comparison Study
  Florida, Ohio, Texas. clinicaltrials.gov

• A Safety and Efficacy Evaluation of BLI801 Laxative in Constipated Adults
  California, Massachusetts, Tennessee. clinicaltrials.gov

• The Safety and Tolerability of Budesonide Foam in Subjects With Active Ulcerative Proctitis or Proctosigmoiditis
  Texas. clinicaltrials.gov

The Last Word

News and information from the American College of Gastroenterology

• Gallstone disease: Are you at risk?
  Gallstones are one of the most common gastrointestinal problems, especially for women. Women between the ages of 20 and 60 years are three times more likely to develop gallstones than men. Learn more about the symptoms and risk factors for developing gallstone disease.

SmartQuote

The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise." --Alden Nowlan, Canadian poet, novelist and playwright