Gastroenterology
-
In the United States and other Western cultures, a greater number of women seek health care services for symptoms of functional pain disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, than men. Recent clinical trials indicate that gender differences in responsiveness to drug therapy also occur. Several lines of inquiry have focused on explaining this gender-related difference due to the higher prevalence of these disorders in women. ⋯ However, the link between these measures and gut motility or sensitivity remains to be clarified. Psychological characteristics, including somatization, depression, and anxiety as well as a history of sexual abuse, may also contribute to gender-related differences in the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome. Although gender differences in the therapeutic benefit of serotonergic agents have been observed, less is known about potential differences in responsiveness to nondrug therapies for irritable bowel syndrome.
-
Xenin is a 25-amino acid peptide produced by specific endocrine cells of the duodenal mucosa. We investigated whether xenin is expressed in neuroendocrine tumors. ⋯ Xenin is a peptide marker specific to neuroendocrine tumors of the duodenum. This finding may be useful in tumor classification and in the differential diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors of the upper gut.