Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Nov 2005
Randomized Controlled TrialGabapentin reduces rectal mechanosensitivity and increases rectal compliance in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
Gabapentin has been shown to reduce elements of central sensitization in human experimental hyperalgesia. It remains uninvestigated whether gabapentin has beneficial effects for irritable bowel syndrome associated with visceral hypersensitivity. ⋯ Our results show that gabapentin reduces rectal sensory thresholds through attenuating rectal sensitivity to distension and enhancing rectal compliance in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome patients. The clinical efficacy of this drug in irritable bowel syndrome patients warrants investigation.
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Obesity has been linked to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms and oesophageal adenocarcinoma; however, there is no published evidence for an association with Barrett's oesophagus. ⋯ This retrospective cross-sectional study in male veterans shows that overweight is associated with a two-and-half-fold increased risk of Barrett's oesophagus. Larger studies of the underlying mechanism are warranted to better understand how and why obese patients are at greater risk for Barrett's oesophagus.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Nov 2005
Randomized Controlled TrialInfluence of ghrelin on gastric emptying and meal-related symptoms in idiopathic gastroparesis.
Ghrelin, the endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, is released from the stomach. Animal studies suggest that ghrelin stimulates gastrointestinal motor activity. ⋯ In idiopathic gastroparesis, administration of ghrelin enhances gastric emptying and improves meal-related symptoms. These observations suggest a potential for ghrelin receptor agonists in the treatment of gastroparesis.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Nov 2005
Comparative StudyEvaluation of the Ez-HBT Helicobacter blood test to establish Helicobacter pylori eradication.
The urea blood test (Ez-HBT) has been shown to compare favourably with the urea breath test in the diagnosis of active Helicobacter pylori infection. ⋯ The performance characteristics of the Ez-HBT Helicobacter blood test are comparable with that of 13C-urea breath test in establishing H. pylori eradication after therapy. Errors related to incomplete fasting can be mitigated by collection of a basal blood sample.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Nov 2005
ReviewReview article: the metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Metabolic syndrome represents a common risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease and cancer whose core cluster includes diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity. The liver is a target organ in metabolic syndrome patients in which it manifests itself with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease spanning steatosis through hepatocellular carcinoma via steatohepatitis and cirrhosis. ⋯ Studies are needed to highlight the grey areas in this topic. Issues to be addressed include: diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome; nomenclature of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; enlargement of the clinical spectrum and characterization of the prognosis of insulin resistance-related diseases; evaluation of the most specific clinical predictors of metabolic syndrome/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and assessment of their variability over the time; characterization of the importance of new risk factors for metabolic syndrome with regard to the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.