M. Brian Fennerty

Coxibs and Colon Polyps: Efficacy with Prohibitive Risk!

Epidemiologic data and prospective controlled trials have demonstrated that use of nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is

Clip, Burn, Inject, or All Three? How Do You Treat Ulcer Bleeding?

How do endoscopists choose among the variety of tools at their disposal — from epinephrine injection to thermal coaptive coagulation — to treat a

Gastroenterology Editors' Choice: Top Stories of 2013

Its time again for me to choose the most important stories of the year — this year, as NEJM Journal Watch Gastroenterology. We remain devoted to

Gastroenterology Top Stories of 2012

In keeping with our holiday tradition of highlighting the years top stories from Journal Watch Gastroenterology, I have selected 10 stories that I

Another Small Step Forward in Treating Patients with IBS

The etiologies of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the mechanisms by which symptoms are produced vary but include disorders of gut motility, secretion, and sensation. In addition, small-intestinal motility disorders can result in small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), which can lead to abdominal pain, distension, and diarrhea — all cardinal symptoms of IBS. IBS patients have a high prevalence of SIBO, and a few studies have indicated that some IBS symptoms improve with antibiotic therapy, albeit with side effects. In this study, investigators sought to determine whether treatment with a new nonabsorbable and well-tolerated antibiotic, rifaximin (Xifaxan), would …

A Setback for CT Colonography

In this second U.S. multisite study of computed tomographic (CT) colonography, 615 adults (50 or older) who had been referred to nine centers (8 U.S.

U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer: Updated Guidelines for Screening and Surveillance

In 1995, the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research assembled an expert panel to prepare clinical guidelines on screening for colorectal neoplasia that were based on the best available evidence. The panel brought together experts in primary care, surgery, radiology, oncology, and gastroenterology, and subsequently published guidelines in 1997 ( Gastroenterology 1997; 112:594). Recently, the U.S. Multisociety Task Force on Colorectal Cancer was commissioned to review and revise the guidelines, using new evidence. This group comprises representatives of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, …

Lansoprazole vs. Esomeprazole: A Tale of Two Studies

Two studies were performed to determine whether lansoprazole and esomeprazole -- 2 proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- have differences in clinical