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U.VA PHYSICIANS PRESENT FINDINGS AT MEDICAL MEETINGSeveral physicians from the University of Virginia Health System presented new research at the American Gastroenterology Association's Digestive Disease Week meeting in San Diego this week. Following are summaries of two presentations of interest:Dr. David Peura, professor of internal medicine and associate chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, presented data from two studies showing low-dose use of the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole is effective in providing symptom relief for patient with Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia (NUD). NUD, commonly known as indigestion, is a multi-symptomatic condition affecting 10 to 20 percent of the general population. The study found that using lansoprazole at either dose provided nearly 50 percent of patients with complete symptom relief, versus 26 percent for the placebo. Findings also showed that even when symptoms persisted, those treated with either dose of lansoprazole had greater improvement compared to the placebo. Dr. Mark Worthington, assistant professor of internal medicine, presented findings from a study of a human intestinal iron transporter that is thought to play a key role in hemochromatosis, a disorder that results in excess iron being absorbed in the body. The outcome of the in vitro study is a better understanding of how the iron transporter functions and will be the basis for further examination of its role in the disease. Hemachromatosis is thought to affect as many as one in 200 people. May 26, 2000 |