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Gastroenterology Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Gastroenterology

Ramucirumab: A New Agent For Advanced Or Metastatic Gastric Junction Adenocarcinoma, Adam Smith, Rebecca Worden, Jessica Hoffert, Brendon Rasor, Hannah Stewart, David Koh Dec 2019

Ramucirumab: A New Agent For Advanced Or Metastatic Gastric Junction Adenocarcinoma, Adam Smith, Rebecca Worden, Jessica Hoffert, Brendon Rasor, Hannah Stewart, David Koh

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Ramucirumab (Cyramza®), approved April 21, 2014, is a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) antagonist with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indication for the treatment of advanced or metastatic gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Gastric cancer is a prevalent cancer in the United States with a poor prognosis. The phase 3 trial, REGARD, shows that ramucirumab, when used within four months after the last dose of first-line chemotherapy or six months after the last dose of adjuvant chemotherapy, increases overall survival. Also, ramucirumab has been included in combination therapy, such as in the RAINBOW trial, which demonstrated its effectiveness …


Role Of The Pharmacist In Improving Treatment For Children With Concurrent Gastrointestinal And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Whitney R. Henry, Kaitlin A. Sanders, Jenna L. Schaffner, Leslie M. Hart, Whitney N. Detillion, Anne F. Gentry Dec 2019

Role Of The Pharmacist In Improving Treatment For Children With Concurrent Gastrointestinal And Autism Spectrum Disorders, Whitney R. Henry, Kaitlin A. Sanders, Jenna L. Schaffner, Leslie M. Hart, Whitney N. Detillion, Anne F. Gentry

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Over the last several years, a noteworthy association between gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been documented, although no large population-based studies exist. GI disorders in ASD children may stem from the underlying behavioral, communication, sensory or neurological issues intrinsic to the autistic disorder itself; therefore, the incorporation of alternative therapies, including behavioral modification, may be compelling treatment additions to the GI care traditionally recommended in children. To improve GI symptoms and quality of life in ASD children, a multidisciplinary approach is optimal, with pharmacists playing an active role in determining appropriate pharmacotherapy. Although there is a …


Evaluating The Role Of Fecal Microbiota Transplant In The Treatment Of Clostridium Difficile Infection, Anh Dao Le, Olivia Henton, Shane Bogusz, Brian Heilbronner, Jessica Hinson Oct 2019

Evaluating The Role Of Fecal Microbiota Transplant In The Treatment Of Clostridium Difficile Infection, Anh Dao Le, Olivia Henton, Shane Bogusz, Brian Heilbronner, Jessica Hinson

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) therapy is an increasingly prevalent treatment option for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Clostridium difficile infection is an aggressive and potentially fatal disease state, and antibiotic therapy often fails to resolve the disease state effectively. Clostridium difficile infection occurs most commonly subsequent to the use of antimicrobial agents that disrupt the natural bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Since disease state pathophysiology operates in this way, researchers have experimented with ways to restore GI flora to a natural state in which nonpathogenic bacteria can proliferate. Probiotic agents do not impose an acute enough response to recreate …


What Is The Smartpill®?, Christina Ciccone, Pul Lee, Kimberly Loughlin, David Koh Oct 2019

What Is The Smartpill®?, Christina Ciccone, Pul Lee, Kimberly Loughlin, David Koh

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

The SmartPill® is a new, noninvasive technology to evaluate the gastrointestinal tract. It is a nondigestible capsule that migrates through the gastrointestinal tract to measure pH, pressure, and temperature. It was approved by the FDA in 2006 for the evaluation of colonic transit time in patients with chronic constipation and to evaluate gastric transit time in patients with suspected gastroparesis. Other currently used gastrointestinal monitoring systems have some disadvantages, and the SmartPill® is suggested as an alternative. The SmartPill® has also been used for research purposes in various studies and has the potential to be used in diagnosis and monitoring …


Potential Use Of Dopamine And Dopamine Agonists As Angiogenesis Inhibitors In The Treatment Of Cancer, Benjamin Finley, Katherine Liu, Daniel Powell, Jamie Kellner, David H. Kinder Oct 2019

Potential Use Of Dopamine And Dopamine Agonists As Angiogenesis Inhibitors In The Treatment Of Cancer, Benjamin Finley, Katherine Liu, Daniel Powell, Jamie Kellner, David H. Kinder

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

In recent years, there have been numerous developments in monoclonal antibodies used as anticancer drugs with a focus on reducing the ability of cancers to metastasize and produce new vasculature. These agents are called angiogenesis inhibitors and although these agents have been proven effective in treating certain types of cancers, production and administration of monoclonal antibodies comes at a steep cost with a severe side effect profile. Under normal physiologic conditions, angiogenesis is an important mechanism to create new blood vessels from preexisting vessels, usually occurring in adults. Tumor cells can hijack the angiogenesis pathway to produce new distant tumors …


Celiac Disease: Current And Investigational Therapies And The Role Of The Pharmacist, Sarah Turley, Gabriella Gegenheimer, Emily Blum, Erin Petersen Oct 2019

Celiac Disease: Current And Investigational Therapies And The Role Of The Pharmacist, Sarah Turley, Gabriella Gegenheimer, Emily Blum, Erin Petersen

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Celiac disease is a genetically-linked autoimmune disease which affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is an inflammatory reaction to ingested gluten-containing substances that produces the most frequent symptoms of abdominal pain, bloating and intermittent or chronic diarrhea. Diagnosis can be made by blood testing for specific IgA autoantibodies and a confirmation duodenal biopsy to look for the characteristic scalloping and villous atrophy that occurs in response to the inflammation. A gluten-free diet, until recently, was the only treatment available and continues to be the mainstay of treatment. Newer adjunct therapies to dietary management include larazotide acetate, peptidases, the use of parasite …