The American journal of gastroenterology
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Aug 2010
Irritable bowel syndrome-type symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a real association or reflection of occult inflammation?
Do gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in apparent remission reflect the coexistence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or subclinical inflammation? The aims of this study were as follows: (i) to prospectively determine the prevalence of IBS symptoms in IBD patients in remission; and (ii) to determine whether IBS symptoms correlate with levels of fecal calprotectin. ⋯ IBS-like symptoms are common in patients with IBD who are thought to be in clinical remission, but abnormal calprotectin levels suggest that the mechanism in most cases is likely to be occult inflammation rather than coexistent IBS.
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Aug 2010
Length of office visits for gastrointestinal disease: impact of physician specialty.
Physician-visit length is an important determinant of patient satisfaction and outcomes. Our objective was to compare visit length for gastrointestinal disorders between gastroenterologists and primary-care providers (PCPs). ⋯ There has been an overall increase in length of physician visits associated with gastrointestinal disease. Both patient and provider factors predict visit length.
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Aug 2010
Measuring quality of care in patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage: development of an explicit quality indicator set.
With an increasing emphasis on quality in health care and recognition of inconsistencies in the management of patients with nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (NVUGIH), it is critical to establish a set of explicit quality indicators (QIs) in NVUGIH. ⋯ We have developed an explicit set of evidence-based QIs in NVUGIH, providing physicians and institutions with a tool to identify processes amenable to quality improvement. This tool is intended to be applicable in all institutions providing care for NVUGIH patients.