Marijuana helps with constipation, replacing coffee with water reduces reflux — top stories in gastroenterology

A study that found people who reported recent use of marijuana were less like to experience constipation was the week’s top story in gastroenterology.

Another top story: findings showed that switching daily servings of coffee, tea or soda with water may reduce symptoms of GERD.

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation

Individuals who recently used marijuana were less likely to experience constipation, according to study results published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Read more.

Drinking water instead of coffee, tea, soda may reduce reflux

Replacing a few servings per day of either coffee, tea or soda with water may reduce risk for symptoms of GERD, according to study results. Read more.

Stool DNA test helps detect precancerous lesions in average-risk CRC population

Using a multitarget stool DNA test helped improve the sensitivity for detecting precancerous colorectal lesions compared with fecal immunochemical tests alone in an average-risk population, according to study results. Read more.

Long-duration vancomycin reduces C. diff recurrence in patients with IBD

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease who received long-duration vancomycin as treatment for Clostridioides difficile infection had lower recurrence rates compared with patients who received a shorter duration of the drug, according to study results. Read more.

Lactulose breath test predicts Xifaxan response in IBS-D

Patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome who had a positive baseline result from a lactulose breath test were more likely to respond to Xifaxan therapy, according to results of open-label study. Read more.