Current opinion in gastroenterology
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Enteral nutrition is a widely used therapy for nutritional treatment of patients with multiple pathologies. The present review selects important evidenced-based papers from 2006 and 2007 and critically reviews them for the reader. ⋯ Enteral nutrition continues as a highly used medical therapy, usually as an adjuvant for other pharmacologic and supportive therapies. Multiple small clinical trials, observational studies and retrospective reviews must be analyzed to develop 'best practice' guidelines with enteral nutrition.
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Curr. Opin. Gastroenterol. · Jan 2008
ReviewNutrition and colonic health: the critical role of the microbiota.
To highlight mechanisms whereby diet affects colonic function and disease patterns. ⋯ Our investigations have focused on a small number of bacterial species: characterization of microbiota and its metabolism can be expected to provide the key to colonic health and disease.
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Critical to realizing increasing benefits of enteral nutrition are techniques for feeding tube placement. Feeding tubes can be placed by bedside, endoscopic, fluoroscopic, and surgical methods. This review encompasses noteworthy studies on endoscopic approaches to enteral feeding published from January 2005 to the present. ⋯ Enteral nutrition access can be obtained by a variety of methods depending on local expertise and resources. Endoscopic approaches have equivalent or better outcomes than other methods; however, these methods may still have limitations and distinct complications.
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Recent attention in liver transplantation has focused on equity in organ allocation and management of post-transplant complications. ⋯ Organ allocation tends to evolve under MELD with a focus on reducing geographic disparities and maximizing transplant benefit. Hepatitis C virus, hepatocellular carcinoma and chronic renal dysfunction are a major challenge and continued research in these areas will undoubtedly lead to better outcomes for transplant recipients.