According to an abstract presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2024, patients with celiac disease (CD) were significantly susceptible to developing obesity. In patients with CD who were White and over the age of 65, obesity was most prevalent. These results were presented to give further information on the microbial changes and dietary exposures that impact the pathogenesis of CD.

Top read digestive health stories from the year 2024 | image credit: COK House / stock.adobe.com

With FDA Approval, Vonoprozan Offers Options for Nonerosive GERD

For many years, patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) had a minimal number of treatment options at their disposal. That all changed this past July, however, when the FDA approved vonoprozan (Voquenza) 10 mg tablets for heartburn relief in adults with nonerosive GERD. Of the 65 million-plus Americans living with GERD, around 70% of those individuals’ GERD is nonerosive.

Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase Gastrointestinal Bleeding Risk in Patients on Blood Thinners

In another abstract presented at DDW 2024 in Washington, DC, researchers explored the outcomes of patients on blood thinners. Among this population, researchers discovered a link between vitamin D deficiency and gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB). They found these results by using Epic Cosmos data to compare patients on blood thinners with (2.9 million patients) and without (16.3 million patients) a vitamin D deficiency.

Diagnostic Accuracy, Antibiotic Use Must Be Improved in C. Diff Infections

Also at DDW 2024, digestive health experts explored the outcomes of patients with Clostridioides difficle infection (CDI). Researchers identified patients’ disease episodes and found that those with CDI were more likely to experience antibiotic mistreatment. To combat this issue, researchers suggested experts seek alternatives for diagnostic testing to yield higher accuracy.

Tonix Pharmaceuticals Launches Campaign Promoting Non-Oral Medications for Gastroparesis, Migraine

Rounding out the top digestive health articles of 2024 is the announcement of Tonix Pharmaceuticals’ gastroparesis and stomach paralysis awareness campaign. Targeted at patients with gastroparesis, the campaign was titled “Does Your Migraine Pill Work Every Time?” Its main focus was to highlight the benefits of using non-oral migraine treatments for gastroparesis relief.

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