Nelson, Alfred D.

AbstractMalnutrition is a very common and often underrecognized condition among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This is most commonly due to increased nutritional requirements and gastrointestinal losses, along with reduced oral intake. Screening for malnutrition is an essential component of managing both inpatients and outpatients with IBD. Although enteral nutrition is the preferred route of supplementation, parenteral nutrition (PN) remains an important strategy and should be considered in certain situations, such as cases with short-bowel syndrome, high-output intestinal fistula, prolonged ileus, or small-bowel obstruction. Appropriate use of PN is critical in order to prevent associated complications. This review addresses the common indications for use of PN, the composition of PN, and the possible complications encountered with PN use, as well as scenarios of inappropriate PN use among patients with IBD. A clinical management algorithm for utilizing PN among patients with IBD is proposed in this review.

Abstract Background & Aims: Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) due to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) is an ongoing global pandemic causing more than three million deaths. Protease inhibitors had been shown to decrease viral entry. However, the role of dabigatran, an inhibitor of multiple proteases, on coronavirus remains unknown.Methods: MRC-5 cells, HCT-8, or Huh-7 cells were infected with Beta-coronavirus OC43 and SARS-CoV-2. Cytopathic effects (CPE) were monitored by imaging. Viral load was measured by quantitative RT-PCR. Viral protein was detected by Western blot.Results: Camostat, a serine protease inhibitor, had no effect on the replication of OC43 and SARS CoV-2 even at higher doses. Dabigatran inhibited replication, viral entry and CPE of OC43 in a dose-dependent manner. Dabigatran and Remdisivir synergistically inhibited OC43 virus replication. Conclusions: Dabigatran may be beneficial in treating SARS-CoV-2 both for anticoagulation and viral replication inhibition need to be evaluated further.

LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Nelson et al and Vasant papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16437 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16440

SummaryBackgroundAlthough bloating is a highly prevalent and troublesome symptom in irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS‐C), treatment is empirical with no specific guidelines for its management.AimTo conduct a pairwise and network meta‐analysis, using a frequentist approach, of Food and Drug Administration‐licensed drugs for IBS‐C comparing their efficacy for abdominal bloating as a specific endpoint.MethodsWe searched the medical literature through December 2020 to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in IBS‐C, with abdominal bloating reported as a dichotomous assessment. Efficacy of each drug was reported as a pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to summarise effect of each comparison tested. Treatments were ranked according to their P‐score.ResultsWe identified 13 eligible RCTs, containing 10 091 patients. Linaclotide 290 µg o.d., lubiprostone 8 µg b.d., tenapanor 50 mg b.d. and tegaserod 6 mg b.d. were all superior to placebo for abdominal bloating in patients with IBS‐C, in both pairwise and the network meta‐analyses. Linaclotide demonstrated the greatest improvement in abdominal bloating in both pairwise and network meta‐analysis (RR of failure to achieve an improvement in abdominal bloating = 0.78; 95% CI 0.74‐0.83, number needed to treat = 7, P‐score 0.97). Indirect comparison revealed no significant differences between individual drugs.ConclusionsWe found all licensed drugs for IBS‐C to be superior to placebo for abdominal bloating. Linaclotide appeared to be the most efficacious at relieving abdominal bloating. Further research is needed to assess long‐term efficacy of these agents and to better understand the precise mechanism of improving bloating.

H. pylori is the most common infection in the world and is associated with gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal manifestations, including peptic ulcer disease, gastrointestinal bleeding, and lymphoproliferative disorders. Despite being discovered less than half a century ago, antibiotic resistance, exacerbated by medication non-adherence and inefficacy of proton pump inhibitors, has grown substantially, explaining the rising incidence of refractory H. pylori infection. In this review, we discuss risk factors, treatment options, surveillance and follow-up, as well as emerging therapies for refractory H. pylori.

Abstract Helicobacter pylori is the most prevalent bacteria infecting humans resulting in a variety of gastrointestinal and extra gastrointestinal complications. Although most of the infected adults are asymptomatic, the prevalence varies in different parts of the world it is higher in Eastern and Southern Europe. Eradication of Helicobacter pylori is necessary to prevent precancerous conditions like gastric atrophy, gastric intestinal metaplasia and gastric dysplasia. This comprehensive review addresses briefly on: whom and how to test and treat including recommended first line therapies, salvage therapies, testing for eradication and strategy to be used in primary care clinics.