Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jan 2006
Meta AnalysisMeta-analysis: Smectite in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhoea in children.
Although not currently recommended, dioctahedral smectite (smectite) is commonly used to treat acute infectious diarrhoea in many countries. ⋯ Smectite may be a useful adjunct to rehydration therapy in treating acute paediatric gastroenteritis. However, the results of this meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution as most of the included studies had important limitations. Cost-effectiveness analyses should be undertaken before routine pharmacological therapy with smectite is recommended.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jan 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialTreatment of acute infectious diarrhoea in infants and children with a mixture of three Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains--a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Multiple studies document that probiotics are effective in treating infectious diarrhoea in children. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG is the most extensively studied but effectiveness of other strains has been poorly examined. ⋯ Administration of L. rhamnosus strains shortens the duration of rotaviral diarrhoea in children but not of diarrhoea of any aetiology. Intervention shortens the time of intravenous rehydration.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jan 2006
Upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with antiplatelet drugs.
The risk of major upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with various antiplatelet drugs and the protection conferred by gastroprotective agents are not well defined. ⋯ The risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is substantially decreased by the concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors. The risk of acetylsalicylic acid plus a proton pump inhibitor seems lower than that of ticlopidine or clopidogrel.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jan 2006
Multicenter StudyComparative evaluation of a new bedside faecal occult blood test in a prospective multicentre study.
Faecal occult blood testing is an established method of colorectal neoplasia screening. Guaiac-based tests are limited by poor patient compliance, low sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value. Newer immunochemical-based tests, accurate but tedious, require a well-established laboratory set up. There is need for simpler immunochemical tests that can be performed at the out-patient clinic. ⋯ This bedside immunochemical strip test proved to be a simple, convenient, non-cumbersome and accurate tool with similar performance characteristics for detection of any bleeding lesion including colorectal neoplasia when compared with an established immunochemical faecal occult blood test.
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Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jan 2006
Multicenter StudyPerforated peptic ulcer: use of pre-admission oral glucocorticoids and 30-day mortality.
Despite evidence that use of glucocorticoids increases the risk of complicated peptic ulcer disease, limited data exist on how use of oral glucocorticoids affects outcome for patients with peptic ulcer perforation. ⋯ Pre-admission use of oral glucocorticoids is associated with up to a twofold increase in 30-day mortality among patients hospitalized with perforated peptic ulcer.