News — A new ACG Clinical Guideline on alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is featured in the January 2024 issue of . This issue also includes articles on irritable bowel syndrome and sleep, virtual reality, inflammatory bowel disease, lower GI bleeding, women in GI, esophageal impaction, and more.
The new guideline and several articles are highlighted below; access to any articles from this issue, or past issues, is available upon request. The College is also able to connect members of the press with study authors or outside experts who can comment on the articles.
Jophlin, et al.
Key points from the updated guideline highlight the prevalence of ALD in the United States, including largest increases among younger adults, women, and minorities; lifestyle and risk factors; recommendations for screening patients for alcohol use disorder; medical management of existing conditions and symptoms; considering early liver transplantation in patients unresponsive to medical management; and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team of mental health experts to manage long-term care.
Topan, et al.
This study compared GI and mood symptoms and subjectively reported sleep quality with objective sleep quality obtained by wrist-worn devices among patients with IBS. The study found that subjective sleep quality reports were associated with next-day abdominal pain and lower-GI symptom scores, but objective sleep measures were not associated with next-day symptoms.
Cangemi, et al.
This pilot study evaluated the efficacy and safety of virtual reality for patients with functional dyspepsia. The authors compared two groups: the active VR group used a headset with software consisting of 3-dimensional immersive audiovisual programs designed to alleviate pain (RelieVR; designed by AppliedVR) and the sham VR group used a headset with 2-D nature videos. After two weeks, they found that, “Although there was no statistically significant difference in improvement in [Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Disorders-Symptom Severity Index] and [Nepean Dyspepsia Index] QoL between the active VR and sham VR groups, patients using active VR saw numerically greater improvements in symptoms and QoL and experienced significant improvement in all upper GI symptoms measured by the validated PAGI-SYM questionnaire.”
de Benito Sanz, et al.
This multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial compared the effectiveness of glucagon versus saline IV in treatment of esophageal foreign body impaction. They found that glucagon did not show improved treatment success rates or a reduction in procedure length and noted that the use of glucagon in previous clinical studies has demonstrated possible side effects, such as nausea and vomiting.
About the American College of Gastroenterology
Founded in 1932, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) is an organization with an international membership of over 18,000 individuals from 86 countries. The College’s vision is to be the preeminent professional organization that champions the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of digestive disorders, serving as a beacon to guide the delivery of the highest quality, compassionate, and evidence-based patient care. The mission of the College is to enhance the ability of our members to provide world class care to patients with digestive disorders and advance the profession through excellence and innovation based upon the pillars of Patient Care, Education, Scientific Investigation, Advocacy and Practice Management.
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