Top Story

• New celiac disease patients struggle with cooking, experts say
  People who are diagnosed with celiac disease have a big learning curve when it comes to stocking their kitchens with gluten-free items and avoiding cross contamination, dietitians say. Registered dietitian Rachel Begun says it's OK to rely on processed or packaged gluten-free foods for a short time, but people should gradually begin cooking with fresh and nutrient-dense foods. Today's Dietitian (11/2012)

Guide to Healthy Living

• Enterocolitis may be triggered by orange juice, researcher says
  Orange juice may trigger food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, a gastrointestinal inflammation caused by certain foods, a University of Missouri researcher reported in a case study. The symptoms can occur hours after ingestion and researcher Dr. Tara Federly said the child involved mistakenly was diagnosed with viral gastroenteritis. Medscape (free registration) (11/20)

• Nutrition experts explore common food myths
  Chocolate does not make your skin break out and it's OK to eat red meat more than once a week, nutrition experts from Arizona State University say. Old wives' tales may sometimes have a grain of truth -- soda can indeed destroy tooth enamel -- but other food folklore can be untrue, the professionals say. New Times (Phoenix) (11/19)

• Access to well care might soften the impact of rising deductibles
  Better access to primary and preventive care might offset the costs of rising deductibles, experts say. The percentage of employees with insurance plans that include deductibles grew from 52% in 2006 to 72% in 2012, but employers are increasingly providing access to preventive and primary care services without deductibles, the Kaiser Family Foundation says. American Medical News (free content) (11/26)

• CMS to cover obesity counseling
  CMS will start reimbursing primary care doctors and other qualified practitioners for conducting face-to-face behavioral counseling with obese patients. Private insurers are expected to follow suit. Bangor Daily News (Maine) (free registration) (11/19)

• Low-calorie diet may reduce the risk of age-related diseases
  Calorie restriction was associated with a slower aging process in the mitochondria of cells, resulting in a lower risk of age-related diseases including diabetes and heart disease, researchers wrote in the journal Nature. A low-calorie diet appeared to retain the cell membrane's acidity levels, which reduced the degradation of the mitochondria, researchers reported. Yahoo/Asian News International (11/22)

Diagnosis & Treatment

• MR colonography finds larger polyps, but lacks sensitivity for smaller lesions
  MR colonography used with iodine-tagged limited bowel preparation demonstrated an 83% sensitivity in detecting colon polyps 10 mm or larger, while results for smaller lesions were more modest, according to a study from the University of Amsterdam. MedPage Today (free registration) (11/25)

• Higher risk of liver disease seen with type 1 diabetes
  On initial liver biopsy, type 1 diabetes patients showed a lower prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, but more diagnoses of glycogen storage disease than those with type 2 diabetes, a British study indicated. However, on follow up exams, researchers found the prevalence of cirrhosis was 301.5 per 100,000 in type 1 diabetes patients compared with only 76.3 per 100,000 in the general population. Healio (11/20)

• Study reaches no conclusion on IV omeprazole for GI bleeding
  Critically ill children given intravenous omeprazole at two dosage levels showed increased gastric pH, but researchers in Spain said it was not clear whether that reduced gastrointestinal bleeding or increased the risk of infection. Omeprazole is used to reduce bleeding risks but an effective IV dose in children has not been established. Medscape (free registration)/Reuters (11/20)

• Health IT could speed personalized medicine, experts say
  Information technology may lead to faster development of personalized medicine, experts say, which could improve outcomes and reduce the use of ineffective treatments. Data show 53% of hepatitis C patients, for example, do not respond to treatment, but personalized medicine could better match people with complex diseases to therapies that work based on their genetic and disease profiles. American Medical News (free content) (11/26)

Clinical Trial Monitor

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

• A Study Evaluating GS-9620 in Treatment Naive Subjects With Chronic Hepatitis B
  Arizona, California, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Australia, Canada, New Zealand. clinicaltrials.gov

• A Study of Neoadjuvant Photodynamic Immunomodulation for Colon Cancer
  California, New York. clinicaltrials.gov

• Dose Ranging of GSK2336805 in Combination Therapy (HAI115879)
  Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Puerto Rico. clinicaltrials.gov

• Polyp Detection With The Peerscope System™
  New York, Israel, Netherlands. clinicaltrials.gov

• Improving Medication Adherence in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (TEAM)
  Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania. clinicaltrials.gov

The Last Word

News and information from the American College of Gastroenterology

• Colon cancer: Have you been screened?
  If you are 50 or over or have a family history of colon cancer, you should be screened. African-Americans should be screened beginning at age 45. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable -- and curable -- types of cancer when detected early. Since the risk of colon cancer increases with age, getting screened is essential. Learn more about colon cancer, who is at risk and when you should get tested. If you have a colonoscopy scheduled or would like to learn more about what to expect during the procedure, see the video, What to Expect During a Colonoscopy here. 

SmartQuote

The most exhausting thing in life is being insincere." --Anne Morrow Lindbergh, American author and aviator