A Study of Patient Concerns in the Modern Therapeutic Era of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: Patient concerns and preferences are important in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD: Crohn's disease [CD], ulcerative colitis). In the absence of contemporary data, we aimed to determine patient concerns and preferences and establish if there are demographic or disease-related differences.

Methods: We surveyed patients with IBD at Massachusetts General Hospital between July and September 2023.

The Role of Red Cell Distribution Width as a Prognostic Marker in Chronic Liver Disease: A Literature Review.

Liver disease is one of the leading public health problems faced by healthcare practitioners regularly. As such, there has been a search for an inexpensive, readily available, non-invasive marker to aid in monitoring and prognosticating hepatic disorders. Recently, red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been found to be associated with various inflammatory conditions with implications for its use as a potential marker for assessing disease progression and prognosis in multiple conditions.

Malicious Mushrooms.

Accidental ingestion of the toxic Death Cap mushroom, and others of the species, can occur due to their physical similarities with commonly edible fungi. Production of certain toxins which prevent protein synthesis can lead to fulminant organ failure and death. Although treatment is mostly supportive due to a lack of specific antidote, early recognition can aid in meaningful recovery.

An Unusual Presentation of Gastric Variceal Hemorrhage.

Acute upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a commonly encountered condition that can potentially be life-threatening. Endoscopy is the diagnostic modality of choice, but it is important to recognize it's shortcomings. We introduce a 61-year-old female who presented with hematemesis and syncope.