A new study shows a product based on activated charcoal protects the gut microbiome in patients taking antibiotics. The Phase I clinical trial showed promising results. The study reported in the Journal of Infectious Diseases compared DAV132, with a placebo. “DAV132 was highly effective to protect the gut microbiome of moxafloxacin-treated healthy volunteers and may
Drinking coffee might reduce the risks for cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality in most people, but those benefits wane after about three cups a day, according to a review of 218 meta-analyses published in The BMJ. Coffee consumption was linked to lower rates of liver disease, diabetes and some cancers; however, the researchers
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
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 —
A study presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology found patients with Clostridium difficile who received opioids during their hospital stay had higher rates of complicated infection and in-hospital mortality and longer length of average hospital stay, compared with patients in the control group. The findings were based on medical records of 302 patients hospitalized
Cases linked to the outbreak of Hepatitis A were first reported in November. As of Friday, more than 15 people in the area have died from hepatitis infections and more than 350 others are ill. San Diego’s homeless population has been hit hardest by the highly contagious hepatitis A virus. According to the World Health Organization most
Brush with death had little effect on subsequent use As described in a JAMA research letter, Julie M. Donohue, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues looked at five years of claims data for Medicaid-covered patients in Pennsylvania. They examined records of opioid use both before and after the overdose for 6,000 patients with
Black men who were paired with a community-based patient navigator were more likely to follow through on colonoscopies or other testing for colorectal cancer than those in a control group. Community health workers identified the men as eligible for colorectal cancer testing in visits to barbershops throughout New York City. “Although previous studies have shown
People who were overweight or obese as teens have a higher risk of developing colon cancer as an adult, according to a study in the journal Cancer. Obesity in adolescence was also linked to a higher risk of rectal cancer. “This is a huge cohort with a minimum follow-up of 10 years, and all individuals
Link Between Antibiotics and IBD Remains Circumstantial Effect stronger in children, and underscores need for antibiotic stewardship in prescribing for pediatric infections Since inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is linked to disruption of the intestinal microbiome, antibiotics have come under increasing scrutiny as possible environmental catalysts in IBD – especially if taken in early childhood. So
