Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics
-
Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Aug 2011
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyMulticentre comparison of the Glasgow Blatchford and Rockall Scores in the prediction of clinical end-points after upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
The Glasgow Blatchford Score (GBS) is increasingly being used to predict intervention and outcome following upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (UGIH). ⋯ Despite not incorporating age, the GBS is as effective as the admission and full Rockall scores in predicting death after UGIH. It is superior to both the admission and full Rockall scores in predicting need for transfusion, and superior to the admission Rockall score in predicting endoscopic or surgical intervention.
-
Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Aug 2011
Mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid) alters faecal bacterial profiles, but not mucosal proteolytic activity in diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
Imbalances in gut luminal bacteria may contribute to the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). ⋯ Mesalazine treatment is associated with a decrease in faecal bacteria abundance and rebalancing of the major constituents of the microbiota. Further study of the bacteriological and anti-inflammatory properties of mesalazine in IBS is warranted.
-
Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jul 2011
An alginate-antacid formulation (Gaviscon Double Action Liquid) can eliminate or displace the postprandial 'acid pocket' in symptomatic GERD patients.
Recently, an 'acid pocket' has been described in the proximal stomach, particularly evident postprandially in GERD patients, when heartburn is common. By creating a low density gel 'raft' that floats on top of gastric contents, alginate-antacid formulations may neutralise the 'acid pocket'. ⋯ Gaviscon can eliminate or displace the 'acid pocket' in GERD patients. Considering that EGJ length was unchanged throughout, this effect was likely attributable to the alginate 'raft' displacing gastric contents away from the EGJ. These findings suggest the alginate-antacid formulation to be an appropriately targeted postprandial GERD therapy.
-
Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jul 2011
Long-term results of treatment of malignant carcinoid syndrome with prolonged release Lanreotide (Somatuline Autogel).
Somatostatin analogues are the mainstay of therapy for malignant carcinoid syndrome. There is clear evidence that the once monthly intramuscular formulation, Octreotide LAR, controls symptoms of carcinoid syndrome, and recent data also suggests an antitumour effect. There is limited data on prolonged release Lanreotide (Somatuline Autogel, Ipsen Pharma Biotech, Signes, France) and no long-term data to date. ⋯ Prolonged release Lanreotide provides good symptomatic control of diarrhoea and flushing as well as tumour stability in patients with malignant carcinoid syndrome.
-
Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jul 2011
Meta AnalysisMeta-analysis: erythromycin before endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Studies evaluating the effect of erythromycin on patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) had been reported, but the results were inconclusive. ⋯ Prophylactic erythromycin is useful for patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding to decrease the amount of blood in the stomach and reduce the need for second endoscopy, amount of blood transfusion. It may shorten the length of hospital stay, but its effects on mortality need further larger trials to be confirmed.