Biomedical subjects

Gil Y Melmed

Publications and source records attributed to Gil Y Melmed.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Capsule endoscopy: practical applications.

Few advances in the history of gastroenterology have made as dramatic an impact on the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease as the development and rapid clinical implementation of wireless capsule endoscopy. Less than 4 years after the landmark publication, capsule endoscopy is widely considered an essential component of the diagnostic workup of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, and its role is expanding in the diagnosis of small bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease. This review appraises the available literature and highlights practical aspects of capsule endoscopy of interest to the clinician. We discuss safety concerns, optimal preparation for the procedure, diagnostic utility as compared to conventional methods, indications for capsule endoscopy, and outcomes.

Abdominal Pain↗

PubMed2004

New insights into the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Several important advances have been made over the past few years that have expanded our knowledge of the immunology of the gut and its complex interactions with commensal organisms. Critical developments in our understanding of the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases include the discovery of Toll-like receptors and the identification of not one but two susceptibility genes for Crohn's disease. We have furthered our understanding significantly concerning the role of dendritic cells in the development of gut inflammation. In addition, a novel hypothesis suggesting a protective role for helminthic infections is gaining experimental evidence and direct clinical applicability. In this review we summarize these key developments in the pathophysiology of inflammatory bowel disease and attempt to ascribe clinical relevance where applicable.

Dendritic Cells↗

PubMed2002

Quality of life at the end of life: trends in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the rates of decline in health-related quality of life during the year before death in men with prostate cancer. METHODS: We studied men in a subset analysis within a longitudinal, observational cohort of patients with metastatic prostate cancer at the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Health Sciences. The analysis included 23 patients who died and had submitted at least two health-related quality-of-life surveys in the final months before death. The outcomes were measured with the RAND 36-Item Health Survey, an established, validated instrument that includes physical and emotional domains. To gauge the effect of marital status, education, and income, we dichotomized these demographic variables. RESULTS: Most domains showed declines, many of them substantial. Patients who had a slower rate of decline in the physical domains tended to be married, better educated, and more affluent. We noted a trend toward a slower deterioration in the mental composite scores among patients who had less than a college degree and an annual household income of $30,000 or less. CONCLUSIONS: Patients dying of metastatic prostate cancer appear to experience declines in health-related quality of life during their final year of life. Further investigation may help identify specific patient characteristics associated with more rapid declines; this will help focus attention on enhancing patients' quality of life as death approaches.

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