Healthier lifestyle could cut risk of diverticulitis in half

A study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that following an overall low-risk lifestyle could reduce the risk of diverticulitis by 50%. Elements of a low-risk lifestyle included reduced intake of red meat, increased intake of dietary fiber, vigorous exercise, a normal BMI and no history of smoking. “Diverticulitis is actually a very common

Liver disease risk tied to Metabolic Syndrome and Alcohol

  Finnish researchers found that individuals with diabetes or a high waist circumference who consumed higher average amounts of alcohol were at an increased risk of developing liver disease. The findings in the journal Hepatology, based on an analysis of the Finnish Health 2000 study data involving 6,732 individuals without liver disease, revealed that the

Peripheral blood eosinophilia may be biomarker of severe IBD

A longitudinal study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that elevated peripheral blood eosinophils found in the white-cell differential of blood tests might better predict the severity of inflammatory bowel disease in a subgroup of patients. “These results are very important, as we are always searching for predictors of more severe disease in order

IBS patients see improvements with hypnotherapy

A study found 40% of irritable bowel syndrome patients treated with individual hypnotherapy, and 34% in group hypnotherapy, reported sufficient relief of discomfort and pain after three months, compared with 17% of those who received education and supportive care, researchers reported at United European Gastroenterology Week 2017. A second study presented at the conference showed

Celiac disease linked to many other medical conditions

An analysis of the Explorys database, which contains EHR data from 26 major US health care systems, linked celiac disease with a range of medical conditions, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, pancreatitis, colitis and autism, researchers reported at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG2017. The rate of celiac disease is almost 20 times higher in

Fatty liver disease may increase cancer risks

NAFLD Linked to Higher Incidence Rates of Cancer Significantly associated with HCC, colon cancer in men, and breast cancer in women Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) was tied to an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), colorectal cancer in men, and breast cancer in women, South Korean researchers found. Adjusted results from an observational meta-analysis

42% of cancer cases linked to 17 modifiable risks

New research examined a total of 1,570,975 cancer cases. During the analysis, 26 cancer types and 17 risk factors were analyzed. These 17 risk factors are called “modifiable” because people can take active measures to change them. In the new study, such factors included: alcohol intake smoking (both first- and second-hand) excess body weight a low content of

App Improves Quality of Life With IBD

App use increases patient engagement, yields better health outcomes Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who used a collaborative disease management app saw a significant improvement in care and quality of life (QoL), researchers reported here. Among 320 patients with IBD, those randomized to HealthPROMISE — an app designed to increase patient engagement and self-management skills —