The value of multidisciplinary nutritional gastroenterology clinics for intestinal failure and other gastrointestinal patients.

An increasing number of patients have chronic intestinal failure (IF) or other problems needing nutritional support. These patients need regular input from gastroenterologists, nutrition nurse specialists and dietitians, but traditionally these healthcare professionals see them separately. Here the authors describe their experience of a combined regional nutritional gastroenterology clinic and outline strategies that can avoid the need for home parenteral nutrition (HPN) or intravenous fluids in most cases.

Unexpectedly high incidence of indigenous acute hepatitis E within South Hampshire: time for routine testing?

Hepatitis E indigenous to developed countries (hepatitis EIDC) is a form of hepatitis E in persons with no travel history to highly endemic areas. It has been recognized recently as an emerging clinical entity in a significant number of economically developed countries including UK. However, it is still perceived as a rare disease and routine laboratory testing for hepatitis E is not performed.

Resolving fibrosis in the diseased liver: translating the scientific promise to the clinic.

Liver fibrosis and its end-stage disease cirrhosis are a major cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. Fibrosis is a response to chronic liver injury or infection that if unabated leads to the replacement of normal functional liver tissue with scar tissue. Basic research over the past decade has generated a vastly improved knowledge of the cell and molecular biology of liver fibrosis that provides a framework on which to design and develop therapeutics.

Ecstasy: an important cause of acute liver failure.

A twenty year old female was referred to hospital by her GP, after he received the results of blood tests taken earlier in the day. She had presented to him complaining of malaise, nausea and anorexia over a 3 day period. On the day of referral she had also become jaundiced with dark urine, but normal stool colour.