The Lourdes Pilgrimage and the Impact on Pilgrim Quality of Life.

Lourdes, France, is a major site of pilgrimage, particularly for Roman Catholics with illness. The direct impact of pilgrimage on pilgrim quality of life (QOL) has not previously been measured. The present study aimed to measure the impact of pilgrimage to Lourdes on QOL in self-defined "sick pilgrims".

Alcohol-Specific Mortality in People With Epilepsy: Cohort Studies in Two Independent Population-Based Datasets.

The risk of dying by alcohol-specific causes in people with epilepsy has seldom been reported from population-based studies. We aimed to estimate the relative risk of alcohol-specific mortality in people with epilepsy, and the extent to which problematic alcohol use was previously identified in the patients' medical records. We delineated cohort studies in two population-based datasets, the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD GOLD) in England (January 01, 2001-December 31, 2014) and the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank in Wales (January 01, 2001-December 31, 2014), linked to hospitalization and mortality records.

Alcohol care teams: where are we now?

Alcohol consumption affects the risks of approximately 230 three-digit disease and injury codes in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems-10th Revision. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals comprise 17 challenging goals with 169 targets, which the 193 Member States aim to achieve by 2030. Action to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, especially addressing global health inequalities, will contribute to achieving many of the health-related goals and targets.

Unacceptable failures: the final report of the Lancet Commission into liver disease in the UK.

This final report of the Lancet Commission into liver disease in the UK stresses the continuing increase in burden of liver disease from excess alcohol consumption and obesity, with high levels of hospital admissions which are worsening in deprived areas. Only with comprehensive food and alcohol strategies based on fiscal and regulatory measures (including a minimum unit price for alcohol, the alcohol duty escalator, and an extension of the sugar levy on food content) can the disease burden be curtailed. Following introduction of minimum unit pricing in Scotland, alcohol sales fell by 3%, with the greatest effect on heavy drinkers of low-cost alcohol products.

Alcohol-Related Mortality in Patients With Psoriasis: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Importance: People diagnosed with psoriasis have an increased risk of premature mortality, but the underlying reasons for this mortality gap are unclear.

Objective: To investigate whether patients with psoriasis have an elevated risk of alcohol-related mortality.

Design, Setting, And Participants: An incident cohort of patients with psoriasis aged 18 years and older was delineated for 1998 through 2014 using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and linked to Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality records.

The impact on hospital resource utilisation of treatment of hepatic encephalopathy with rifaximin-α.

Background & Aims: Rifaximin-α reduces the risk of recurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy. However, there remain concerns regarding the financial cost of the drug. We aimed to study the impact of treatment with rifaximin-α on healthcare resource utilisation using data from seven UK liver treatment centres.

Synchronous colonic lymphoma and adenocarcinoma in a patient with Crohn's disease, treated with thiopurine therapy and a TNFα inhibitor: a challenge to Occam's razor.

A 52-year-old man with Crohn's disease, treated with thiopurine therapy and a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) α inhibitor, attended for surveillance colonoscopy, which revealed a transverse colon mass. Biopsies of this lesion showed a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. CT scan demonstrated this lesion, an additional caecal mass and multiple metastases.

Republished: Daily consultant gastroenterologist ward rounds: reduced length of stay and improved inpatient mortality.

Background: For gastroenterology, The Royal College of Physicians reiterates the common practice of two to three consultant ward rounds per week. The Royal Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust operated a 26-bed gastroenterology ward, covered by two consultants at any one time. A traditional system of two ward rounds per consultant per week operated, but as is commonplace, discharges peaked on ward round days.

Daily consultant gastroenterologist ward rounds: reduced length of stay and improved inpatient mortality.

Background: For gastroenterology, The Royal College of Physicians reiterates the common practice of two to three consultant ward rounds per week. The Royal Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust operated a 26-bed gastroenterology ward, covered by two consultants at any one time. A traditional system of two ward rounds per consultant per week operated, but as is commonplace, discharges peaked on ward round days.

Collaborative liver and psychiatry care in the Royal Bolton Hospital for people with alcohol-related disease.

Since 1990, the Royal Bolton Hospital has been evolving a patient-centred, collaborative, seamless, holistic, gastroenterology, psychiatry, community model of alcohol care, team working, governance, research, training, education and health promotion. The aim is to deliver an accessible, responsive, cost-effective, rolled-out service. Consultant gastroenterologists, a specialist liaison psychiatrist, psychiatric alcohol liaison nurse, gastroenterology-based liver nurse practitioner and ward nurses provide joint inpatient and outpatient care for people with alcohol misuse, especially alcohol-related liver disease.

Intractable positional borborygmi--an unusual cause diagnosed by barium contrast study.

The authors report the case of a 48-year-old woman, with a 2-year history of prominent borborygmi, nausea, abdominal discomfort after large meals and weight loss. Continuous, prominent, audible borborygmi were evident while the patient remained standing. However, these noises abated when she held her breath or when pressure was applied over the left hypochondrium.

Exploring possible mechanisms for primary bile acid malabsorption: evidence for different regulation of ileal bile acid transporter transcripts in chronic diarrhoea.

Objectives: Chronic diarrhoea resulting from primary idiopathic bile acid malabsorption (IBAM) is common, but its aetiology is largely unknown. We investigated possible mechanisms, first looking for common sequence variations in the cytoplasmic ileal bile acid-binding protein (IBABP, gene symbol FABP6), and secondly, determining the expression of ileal mucosal transcripts for the apical sodium-linked bile acid transporter (ASBT), IBABP, the putative basolateral transporters, OSTalpha and OSTbeta, and regulatory factors.

Methods: Genomic DNA was prepared from two cohorts of patients and two control groups; the promoter and exonic regions of FABP6 were sequenced.

Collaborative care for alcohol-related liver disease.

By implementing collaborative care for patients with alcohol misuse and alcohol-related liver disease, the Royal Bolton Hospital aimed to improve and coordinate their care by recruiting a multidisciplinary team and placing the patient at the centre of all efforts. There has been a marked improvement in the accuracy of the drinking histories taken, detoxification, dietary documentation, and patient and staff attitudes and confidence, with enhanced satisfaction in patients, their families and staff and improved accessibility and communication. We observed a considerable increase in the number of inpatient and outpatient referrals and believe that it is more effective to work together in a joint gastroenterology/psychiatry team.

Are ethnic minorities excluded from clinical research?

Background: Under-representation and limited participation of ethnic minorities in clinical research is a source of concern.

Methods: We examined the responses of researchers to the question regarding translation provision for ethnic minorities in 43 successive research applications made to Bolton Local Research Ethics Committee between April 2002 and March 2003.

Findings: Translation services were provided in only ten applications.

Alcohol misuse in older people: heavy consumption and protean presentations.

Background: Alcohol misuse, especially binge drinking in young people, and alcoholic liver disease are major public health concerns. However, alcohol misuse in older people is underestimated and often goes undetected.

Objective: To document alcohol consumption and clinical presentation of alcohol misuse in hospital inpatients aged >or=60 years.

Functional dyspepsia: motor abnormalities, sensory dysfunction, and therapeutic options.

Functional dyspepsia is a common condition, but as yet, the underlying etiology is unclear. In this article, upper gastrointestinal motor and sensory physiology are reviewed and the current evidence for motor and/or sensory functional abnormalities causing dyspeptic symptoms is presented. The complex interrelationship between abnormal motor activity and sensation is explored, as well as the potential roles for autonomic dysfunction and psychological state in modulating gastrointestinal sensation and motor function.