Portal Vein Thrombosis: Should Anticoagulation Be Used?

There have been recent key advances in the understanding of hepatitis E virus infection. Since the early 1980s, when the virus was first discovered, hepatitis E has been described as a disease that is endemic only in the African and Asian subcontinents, a disease that is transmitted via the fecal–oral route, and a disease that causes an acute illness that typically resolves, with the exception of the third trimester of pregnancy, when infection can be deadly. We now know that genotype 3 is likely a porcine zoonotic disease that is quite prevalent in certain industrialized nations. Hepatitis E carries high morbidity and mortality in patients with underlying liver disease and can become a chronic infection that causes fibrosis in immunocompromised hosts. Lastly, two vaccines have been developed and studied in clinical trials, with excellent results.     

Colon Cleansing for Colonoscopy 2013: Current Status

Acute pancreatitis is being diagnosed more frequently in pediatrics and there is limited published research to guide management. In contrast, multiple prospective studies in the adult population have resulted in significant changes in the way the disease is managed, especially with regard to severe disease. The nutritional management of pediatric acute pancreatitis appears to lag behind current adult recommendations, likely resulting from a lack of awareness of the adult data, inherent differences between pediatric and adult pancreatitis, and the paucity of research performed in children. The purpose of this review is to examine the adult literature regarding the nutritional management of acute pancreatitis and discuss the possible relevance of this data in the pediatric population.     

Urticaria and Autoimmunity: Where Are We Now?

There is considerable debate whether chronic urticaria is an autoimmune disease or whether its features suggestive of autoimmunity are epiphenomena. A plethora of circumstantial evidence suggests that chronic urticaria is an autoimmune disease, but criteria to establish autoimmunity require direct proof and indirect evidence, and these are lacking in chronic urticaria. Current approaches to assessing for autoimmunity in vivo via the autologous serum skin test, and in vitro via either basophil histamine release or the basophil activation test are widely utilized, but the results of these tests have limited impact on prediction of the clinical course and efficacy of treatments. Recent guidelines for diagnosing autoimmune urticaria have been proposed, but further investigation is needed.     

Balloon Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration Versus Endoscopic Cyanoacrylate in Bleeding Gastric Varices: Comparison of Rebleeding and Mortality with Extended Follow-up

Purpose

To assess short- and long-term mortality and rebleeding with endoscopic cyanoacrylate (EC) versus balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO).