The American journal of gastroenterology
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyThe impact of physical complaints, social environment, and psychological functioning on IBS patients' health perceptions: looking beyond GI symptom severity.
In the absence of a reliable biomarker, clinical decisions for a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) depend on asking patients to appraise and communicate their health status. Self-ratings of health (SRH) have proven a powerful and consistent predictor of health outcomes, but little is known about how they relate to those relevant to IBS (e.g., quality of life (QOL), IBS symptom severity). This study examined what psychosocial factors, if any, predict SRH among a cohort of more severe IBS patients. ⋯ SRH are associated with psychological (anxiety, stress, depression), social (negative interactions), and extraintestinal somatic factors (fatigue, somatization, medical comorbidities). The severity of IBS symptoms appears to have a relatively modest role in how IBS patients describe their health in general.
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Feb 2014
Comparative StudyDiagnosis of liver cirrhosis in England, a cohort study, 1998-2009: a comparison with cancer.
There is no routine registration of the occurrence of newly diagnosed cases of cirrhosis in the United Kingdom. This study seeks to determine precise estimates and trends of the incidence of cirrhosis in England, and directly compare these figures with those for the 20 most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United Kingdom. ⋯ The occurrence of cirrhosis increased more than that of the top four cancers during 1998 to 2009 in England. Strategies to monitor and reduce the incidence of this disease are urgently needed.
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Am. J. Gastroenterol. · Feb 2014
Inpatient burden of constipation in the United States: an analysis of national trends in the United States from 1997 to 2010.
Constipation is one of the most common outpatient diagnoses in primary care and gastroenterology clinics; however, there is limited data on the inpatient burden of constipation in the United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate inpatient admission rates, length of stay, and associated costs related to constipation from 1997 to 2010. ⋯ The number of inpatient discharges for constipation and associated costs has significantly increased between 1997 and 2010.