Internet and electronic resources for inflammatory bowel disease: a primer for providers and patients.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasingly turning to the Internet to research their condition and engage in discourse on their experiences. This has resulted in new dynamics in the relationship between providers and their patients, with misinformation and advertising potentially presenting barriers to the cooperative patient-provider partnership. This article addresses important issues of online IBD-related health information and social media activity, such as quality, reliability, objectivity, and privacy.

Changes in liver biochemistry during methotrexate use for inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: We aimed to characterize the spectrum of liver enzyme test (LET) abnormalities that occur while using methotrexate for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken of subjects using methotrexate for IBD at a single center. The clinical and epidemiological parameters, and hepatotoxicity risk factors, were recorded.

Proton pump inhibitors, osteoporosis, and osteoporosis-related fractures.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly prescribed medications today with an excellent short-term safety profile. Recently, a number of studies from a variety of data sources have reported an association between PPI use and hip fractures. However, there is not yet any direct evidence of a causal link between PPI use and the development of hip fracture.