[Domperidone: off the market or freely available?].

The oral formula of domperidone has been associated with sudden cardiac death due to QT prolongation. The daily dose of 30 mg appears to be safe but higher doses increase the risk of fatal arrhythmias. There are more than 120 drugs that can prolong the QT interval and provoke these dangerous arrhythmias.

DIRECT trial. Diverticulitis recurrences or continuing symptoms: Operative versus conservative treatment. A multicenter randomised clinical trial.

Background: Persisting abdominal complaints are common after an episode of diverticulitis treated conservatively. Furthermore, some patients develop frequent recurrences. These two groups of patients suffer greatly from their disease, as shown by impaired health related quality of life and increased costs due to multiple specialist consultations, pain medication and productivity losses.

[Why some proton pump inhibitors are more equal than others].

After the omeprazole patent expired in 2002, numerous generic products were introduced on the market. In a relatively short time many patients received substituted treatment. Clinicians noted a substantial number of patients with more reflux symptoms.

Alcohol consumption, alcohol dehydrogenase 3 polymorphism, and colorectal adenomas.

Alcohol is a probable risk factor with regard to colorectal neoplasm and is metabolized to the carcinogen acetaldehyde by the genetically polymorphic alcohol dehydrogenase 3 (ADH3) enzyme. We evaluated whether the association between alcohol and colorectal adenomas is modified by ADH3 polymorphism. We recruited 433 cases with adenomatous polyps and 436 polyp-free controls among Caucasians undergoing endoscopy between 1995 and 2000.