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Clinical Updates

ACG is committed to keeping members abreast of current clinical updates on disease treatment. We offer Clinical Updates through practice guidelines and research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology and Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology. The American Journal of Gastroenterology is available for free to all ACG Members. ACG Members, Fellows (FACG), Masters, and International Members qualify for a free subscription to Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Members also receive clinical updates twice-weekly through ACG’s e-newsletter, ACG SmartBrief, that delivers summaries of the latest news. ACG also publishes special papers and monographs throughout the year.

To learn more about ACG’s Clinical Updates, see below.

Guidelines

The College publishes guidelines on gastrointestinal diseases in the American Journal of Gastroenterology that have been developed and reviewed under the auspices of the ACG Practice Parameters Committee.

Diagnosis and Management of Achalasia (December 1999)
Diagnosis, Surveillance and Therapy of Barrett’s Esophagus (March 2008)
Colorectal Cancer Screening (March 2009)
Diagnosis, Treatment and Surveillance for Patients with Colorectal Polyps (November 2000)
Management of Crohn’s Disease in Adults (February 2009)
Diagnosis and Management of C. difficile-Associated Diarrhea and Colitis (May 1997)
Acute Infectious Diarrhea in Adults (November 1997)
Diagnosis and Management of Diverticular Disease of the Colon in Adults (November 1999)
Management of Dyspepsia (October 2005)
Esophageal Cancer (December 1999)
Diagnosis and Treatment of Esophageal Diseases Associated with HIV Infection (November 1996)
Esophageal Reflux Testing (March 2007)
Diagnosis and Management of Fecal Incontinence (2004)
Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (January 2005)
Management of the Adult Patient with Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding (August 1998)
Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection(August 2007)
Hepatic Encephalopathy (July 2001)
Liver Disease in the Pregnant Patient (July 1999)
Alcoholic Liver Disease (November 1998)
Prevention of NSAID-Related Ulcer Complications (March 2009)
Acute Pancreatitis (October 2006)
Ulcerative Colitis in Adults (July 2004)

Guidelines Produced in Association with other Organizations

Prevention and Management of Gastroesophageal Varices and Variceal Hemorrhage in Cirrhosis (September 2007)
Screening and Surveillance of the Early Detection of Colorectal Cancer And Adenomatous Polyps (March 2008)
Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment of Hepatitis C: An Update (April 2009)

ACG/ASGE Quality Indicators for Endoscopy

Measuring the Quality of Endoscopy
Quality Indicators for Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Procedures: An Introduction
Quality Indicators for Colonoscopy
Quality Indicators for Esophagogastroduodenoscopy
Quality Indicators for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
Quality Indicators for Endoscopic Ultrasonography

Additional ACG/ASGE papers on Endoscopy

Are hospitals and health insurance plans exposed to potential litigation if they don't establish guidelines for determining competency in providing endoscopic procedures? ACG in cooperation with ASGE, has published "Ensuring Competence in Endoscopy" which helps to answer this question. Along with the joint publication, a legal memorandum from a nationally-renowned litigation law firm, Williams & Connolly, is included. ACG members will receive a copy in the mail and ACG is also mailing a copy to all hospitals and health plans across the country. PDF's of each may also be found by clicking on one of the links below.

Ensuring Competence in Endoscopy (for the GI physician)
Ensuring Competence in Endoscopy Executive Briefing (for the hospital or health plan administrator)

Highlights from the current issue:

Gastroenterologists' Interpretation of CTC: A Pilot Study Demonstrating Feasibility and Similar Accuracy Compared With Radiologists' Interpretation
Computed tomography colonography (CTC) is an emerging colon cancer screening modality that has the potential to increase adherence to current screening recommendations. Traditionally, the interpretation of CTC has been limited to radiologists. As the technology of CTC has developed, three-dimensional endoluminal fly-through images have largely replaced two-dimensional CT images as the primary reading modality. Such a display is a realistic corollary to the endoscopic view obtained during colonoscopy. In this study, researchers sought to determine whether gastroenterologists could interpret the colonic display of CTC with an accuracy similar to that of trained radiologists. (more)

Sequential Therapy or Triple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Infection: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials in Adults and Children
Eradication rates with triple therapy (TT) for Helicobacter pylori infection have declined to unacceptable levels. Sequential therapy (ST) is a novel treatment that has shown promise in several controlled trials. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of ST in adults and children compared with that of TT by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. (more)

Impact of Measurement of Esophageal Acid Exposure Close to the Gastroesophageal Junction on Diagnostic Accuracy and Event–Symptom Correlation: A Prospective Study Using Wireless Dual pH Monitoring
Ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring has limited diagnostic accuracy in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), especially in those with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). In addition, there is lack of symptom–reflux association in the majority of GERD patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of measuring acid exposure 1 cm above the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) on diagnostic accuracy and symptom correlation in GERD patients compared with conventional pH measurements (6 cm above the GEJ) using the wireless pH system. (more)

Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Highlights from the current issue

Endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding: is routine second-look necessary?
A repeat endoscopic evaluation of a bleeding lesion on subsequent follow-up is commonly called second-look endoscopy. The authors of this paper review the findings from five randomized, controlled trials and consider whether second-look endoscopy can be recommended as routine practice, and which groups of patients might benefit most. The cost-effectiveness of second-look endoscopy and the use of PPIs versus second-look endoscopy are also discussed. CME is available for this article. (more)

Stem cells in gastroenterology and hepatology
Stem cells are primitive, relatively unspecialized cells that can self-renew and are multipotent. In this Review, authors discuss potential types of stem cells found within the gastrointestinal tract, the susceptibility of these stem cells for malignant transformation, and their potential for use in restoring tissue function to treat gastrointestinal disorders. (more)

CT and radiation-related cancer risk – time for a paradigm shift?
The use of CT has been increasing exponentially over the past decade. Unfortunately, there is little cognizance among health-care providers (or their patients) about the relative latent cancer risks associated with repetitive exposure to ionizing radiation. Given the exposure of a relatively high proportion of the population to these tests, it is incumbent on health-care providers to have an improved understanding of these risks and discuss them accordingly with their patients. Read more in this Perspective. (more)

ACG SmartBrief

ACG SmartBrief, emailed twice weekly to ACG members, provides summaries of the latest news in gastroenterology. You’ll find news coverage of Clinical Updates, Legal & Regulatory, Practice News, Business & Market Trends, Patient Perspectives, and more. If you are an ACG member and are not currently receiving ACG SmartBrief, update your member record by adding your email address information.

Coming soon, search past issues of ACG SmartBrief to find articles of interest.

ACG Monographs

You may request a free copy on any of the monographs listed below by visiting the ACG Store.  Many of these monographs are for ACG members only. 

IBD & Osteoporosis: A Guide to Diagnosis and Management (2001)
Managing Variceal Bleeding in the Cirrhotic (1996)

You may download a copy of the monograph listed below by clicking on the link.

Pregnancy in Gastrointestinal Disorders (Updated 2007)

 
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