A study from the UK and Canada followed more than 2500 patients with Barrett’s Esophagus for an average of 9 years, and divided them into two groups: Nexium 20 mg a day and Nexium 40 mg twice a day. The high dose group had fewer numbers of esophageal cancer or High Grade Dysplasia (a precursor
Read MorePROBIOTIC DOES NOT HELP IN GASTROENTERITIS IN CHILDREN
In a US study, 971 children with severe gastroenteritis were randomized to a probiotic (Culturelle) or placebo. There was no difference in length of illness, spread to family members, or days missed from Daycare/Preschool. This is a high quality, low risk of bias, which is unusual in the probiotic literature. New England Journal of Medicine,
Read MoreDOES FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANT (FMT) HELP ILLNESSES OTHER THAN RECURRENT INFECTION WITH CLOSTRIDIA DIFICILE?
It is well established that FMT is highly effective in recurrent C diff infections. FMT has been tried in many other illnesses, including obesity, autism, schizophrenia, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’ Disease, and many others. British investigators surveyed all the relevant studies that looked at other illnesses, and there was no compelling evidence that
Read MorePROBIOTIC DOES NOT HELP GASTROENTERITIS IN CHILDREN IN CANADA EITHER
866 Canadian children with severe gastroenteritis were randomized to a different probiotic than the one used in the US study, brand name Lacidophil Strong, or placebo. As in the US study, there was no difference in time to illness resolution or spread to family members. Again, this was a high quality, low risk of bias
Read MoreDEVELOPMENT OF IBS FOLLOWING GIARDIA INFECTION.
It is well established that Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can develop following a gastrointestinal infection. In Bergen, Norway, in 2004, there was an outbreak of Giardia from a contaminated water source. Researchers followed 1252 laboratory confirmed cases of Giardia for 6 years and also 2500 age-matched individuals from Bergen who did not contract Giardia. Of
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