7 recent reports on the esophagus
Healio Gastroenterology presents the following reports on the most recent research on the esophagus and GERD.
These reports include new research on eosinophilic esophagitis, proton pump inhibitors and transoral incisionless fundoplication.
Model predicts EoE even before histology
Using updated diagnostic guidelines, researchers developed a new model to identify patients with eosinophilic esophagitis based on clinical features and endoscopic findings, according to study results.
Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues wrote that newer guidelines eliminated the requirement for a proton pump inhibitor trial in patients with potential EoE. READ MORE
PPIs linked with increased risk for RA in women
Regular use of proton pump inhibitors was associated with increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis in women, according to research published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
Yihang Pan, of the Precision Medicine Center at The Seventh Affiliated Hospital in China, and colleagues wrote that the gut microbiota has an impact on the function of the immune system, which could have an effect on the pathogenesis of RA. READ MORE
Q&A: TIF may improve quality of life in patients with reflux symptoms
Researchers introduced transoral incisionless fundoplication to treat reflux disease in 2006.
Since then, EndoGastric Solutions developed the EsophyX device, prompting the use of four different procedures with each yielding very different results.
Healio Gastroenterology spoke with Glenn M. Ihde, MD, on the evolution of EsophyX for the treatment of reflux disease and recent developments in the outcomes. READ MORE
EoE disease activity rapidly recurs with topical steroids
After an initial histologic response to topical steroids such as oral viscous budesonide or fluticasone from a multidose inhaler, researchers saw a rapid recurrence in eosinophilic esophagitis disease activity, according to results published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
“Because most subjects had recurrent endoscopic and histologic signs not reliably detected by symptoms, maintenance therapy should be recommended in EoE patients achieving histologic response to topical steroids,” Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, from the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing, Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease, division of gastroenterology and hepatology, and the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, and colleagues wrote. READ MORE
Black patients less likely to undergo surgery for esophageal cancer
Black patients with esophageal cancer had a lower likelihood of receiving surgical intervention for resectable disease than their white counterparts, according to results of a retrospective study published in Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.
This disparity may have contributed to the increased mortality risk observed among Black patients with esophageal cancer, researchers noted. READ MORE
Tools accurately identify risk for neoplastic BE vs frequency, duration of GERD
Detection tools more accurately identified patients at risk for neoplastic Barrett’s esophagus compared with frequency and duration of GERD, according to results published in Gastroenterology.
“The HUNT, M-BERET, and Kunzmann tools identify patients with BE with [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC)] values ranging from 0.665 to 0.695, and discriminate patients with early neoplasia from patients without BE with AUROC values ranging from 0.763 to 0.796,” Joel H. Rubenstein, MD, from the division of gastroenterology and department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, and colleagues wrote. READ MORE
Proton pump inhibitor use doubles risk for COVID-19
An independent, dose-response relationship was seen between proton pump inhibitor use and COVID-19 positivity, according to a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
“We found that PPI use, particularly twice-daily dosing, is associated with increased odds for reporting a positive COVID-19 test, even after accounting for a wide range of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables,” Christopher V. Almario, MD, MSHPM, from the department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told Healio Gastroenterology. “Our findings continue to emphasize that PPIs should only be used when clinically indicated at the lowest effective dose.” READ MORE