The American journal of gastroenterology
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Early rehospitalizations have been well characterized in many disease states, but not among patients with cirrhosis. The aims of this study were to identify the frequency, costs, predictors, and preventable causes of hospital readmissions among patients with decompensated cirrhosis. ⋯ Hospital readmissions among patients with decompensated cirrhosis are common, costly, moderately predictable, in some cases, possibly preventable, and independently associated with mortality. These findings support the development of disease management interventions to prevent rehospitalization.
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Feb 2012
Serum and colonic mucosal immune markers in irritable bowel syndrome.
Low-grade colonic mucosal inflammation has been postulated to have an important role in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The objectives of this study were (i) to identify serum and tissue-based immunological and neuroendocrine markers associated with mucosal inflammation in male (M) and female (F) patients with non-post-infectious IBS (non-PI-IBS) compared with healthy controls and (ii) to assess possible correlations of such markers with IBS symptoms. ⋯ Immune cell counts and levels of cytokines and neuropeptides that are associated with inflammation were not significantly elevated in the colonic mucosa of non-PI-IBS patients, and did not correlate with symptoms. Thus, these findings do not support that colonic mucosal inflammation consistently has a primary role in these patients. However, the finding of decreased IL-10 mRNA expression may be a possible biomarker of IBS and warrants further investigation.
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Feb 2012
Obesity, physical inactivity, and colonic diverticular disease requiring hospitalization in women: a prospective cohort study.
Lifestyle factors other than dietary fiber intake and risk for colonic diverticular disease have only been examined in few studies. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between obesity and physical inactivity and diverticular disease in a population-based cohort of women. ⋯ Overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity among women increase diverticular disease requiring hospitalization.