Society News

Constance Baker was juggling the dual stresses of mothering a newborn and raising a teenager when she noticed a skin patch on her father looked discolored. His breathing soon became labored, and the skin on his hands turned calloused. Then he passed out. Initially, doctors thought his problems were cardiovascular.

Since James didn’t have a primary doctor, Constance repeatedly took him to the emergency room to receive care. His frequent visits attracted the attention of a medical intern who ordered tests and asked James to see a specialist. More than half a year later, Constance and James met pulmonologist Dr. Demondes Haynes and learned the cause of James’ troubled breathing. James has a rare disease called scleroderma, which hardens patches of skin and created scarring of his lung tissue. He also had pulmonary hypertension. James needed rapid intervention with a complicated regimen of medication.

At first, James didn’t want to go along with the program, but Dr. Haynes’ attentive and gentle nature changed his mind. “Dr. Haynes always made us comfortable, taking the time to listen and show us his concern. He even explained that we wouldn’t have to worry about paying for anything, which was a huge relief.”

Before Dr. Haynes, James and Constance had never met a doctor who didn’t treat them like a case file. “He actually acknowledged our circumstances, which meant he acknowledged us.”

As a native Mississippian, Dr. Haynes knows the plight of many of his patients. “Not everyone with lung disease can access a pulmonologist, like me, and not everyone can afford appropriate treatment. You have to recognize these disparities in order to build a relationship of trust with your patients.”

James was ready to start treatment with Dr. Haynes’ guidance, but since he couldn’t read, he couldn’t understand how to put the medication together. That’s when Constance had to step up. They worked together to change and clean the tubing to the port by his heart and make his medication. “We leaned on each other a lot during that time, and you know what? We made it through.”

Even though James’ disease can be debilitating at times, and his care can seem completely overwhelming, Constance wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s always been my father and I, just us two. He’s always taken care of me, and now it’s my turn to take care of him.”

Unfortunately, Constance and James’ story is not unique. So many patients don’t have access to doctors, specialists, and caregivers, and many aren’t empowered enough to take

their medications. These stories don’t get posted on Instagram and they don’t make the evening news. Underprivileged and underserved patients have been left behind – left without a voice.

That’s why the foundation launched its virtual listening tours across America in September. Our tours give patients, caregivers, and physicians the opportunity to raise issues that they believe are impacting health care in their communities.

How can physicians work to understand their patients better? How can patients learn to trust their providers? These are all the questions we aim to answer.

James is doing as well as he is because of his relationship with Dr. Haynes. What can we do with that information? We can listen, we can learn, and we can spread the word.

Read more about the work of the CHEST Foundation in its 2020 Impact Report at chestfoundation.org.




 

Constance Baker was juggling the dual stresses of mothering a newborn and raising a teenager when she noticed a skin patch on her father looked discolored. His breathing soon became labored, and the skin on his hands turned calloused. Then he passed out. Initially, doctors thought his problems were cardiovascular.

Since James didn’t have a primary doctor, Constance repeatedly took him to the emergency room to receive care. His frequent visits attracted the attention of a medical intern who ordered tests and asked James to see a specialist. More than half a year later, Constance and James met pulmonologist Dr. Demondes Haynes and learned the cause of James’ troubled breathing. James has a rare disease called scleroderma, which hardens patches of skin and created scarring of his lung tissue. He also had pulmonary hypertension. James needed rapid intervention with a complicated regimen of medication.

At first, James didn’t want to go along with the program, but Dr. Haynes’ attentive and gentle nature changed his mind. “Dr. Haynes always made us comfortable, taking the time to listen and show us his concern. He even explained that we wouldn’t have to worry about paying for anything, which was a huge relief.”

Before Dr. Haynes, James and Constance had never met a doctor who didn’t treat them like a case file. “He actually acknowledged our circumstances, which meant he acknowledged us.”

As a native Mississippian, Dr. Haynes knows the plight of many of his patients. “Not everyone with lung disease can access a pulmonologist, like me, and not everyone can afford appropriate treatment. You have to recognize these disparities in order to build a relationship of trust with your patients.”

James was ready to start treatment with Dr. Haynes’ guidance, but since he couldn’t read, he couldn’t understand how to put the medication together. That’s when Constance had to step up. They worked together to change and clean the tubing to the port by his heart and make his medication. “We leaned on each other a lot during that time, and you know what? We made it through.”

Even though James’ disease can be debilitating at times, and his care can seem completely overwhelming, Constance wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s always been my father and I, just us two. He’s always taken care of me, and now it’s my turn to take care of him.”

Unfortunately, Constance and James’ story is not unique. So many patients don’t have access to doctors, specialists, and caregivers, and many aren’t empowered enough to take

their medications. These stories don’t get posted on Instagram and they don’t make the evening news. Underprivileged and underserved patients have been left behind – left without a voice.

That’s why the foundation launched its virtual listening tours across America in September. Our tours give patients, caregivers, and physicians the opportunity to raise issues that they believe are impacting health care in their communities.

How can physicians work to understand their patients better? How can patients learn to trust their providers? These are all the questions we aim to answer.

James is doing as well as he is because of his relationship with Dr. Haynes. What can we do with that information? We can listen, we can learn, and we can spread the word.

Read more about the work of the CHEST Foundation in its 2020 Impact Report at chestfoundation.org.




 

Constance Baker was juggling the dual stresses of mothering a newborn and raising a teenager when she noticed a skin patch on her father looked discolored. His breathing soon became labored, and the skin on his hands turned calloused. Then he passed out. Initially, doctors thought his problems were cardiovascular.

Since James didn’t have a primary doctor, Constance repeatedly took him to the emergency room to receive care. His frequent visits attracted the attention of a medical intern who ordered tests and asked James to see a specialist. More than half a year later, Constance and James met pulmonologist Dr. Demondes Haynes and learned the cause of James’ troubled breathing. James has a rare disease called scleroderma, which hardens patches of skin and created scarring of his lung tissue. He also had pulmonary hypertension. James needed rapid intervention with a complicated regimen of medication.

At first, James didn’t want to go along with the program, but Dr. Haynes’ attentive and gentle nature changed his mind. “Dr. Haynes always made us comfortable, taking the time to listen and show us his concern. He even explained that we wouldn’t have to worry about paying for anything, which was a huge relief.”

Before Dr. Haynes, James and Constance had never met a doctor who didn’t treat them like a case file. “He actually acknowledged our circumstances, which meant he acknowledged us.”

As a native Mississippian, Dr. Haynes knows the plight of many of his patients. “Not everyone with lung disease can access a pulmonologist, like me, and not everyone can afford appropriate treatment. You have to recognize these disparities in order to build a relationship of trust with your patients.”

James was ready to start treatment with Dr. Haynes’ guidance, but since he couldn’t read, he couldn’t understand how to put the medication together. That’s when Constance had to step up. They worked together to change and clean the tubing to the port by his heart and make his medication. “We leaned on each other a lot during that time, and you know what? We made it through.”

Even though James’ disease can be debilitating at times, and his care can seem completely overwhelming, Constance wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s always been my father and I, just us two. He’s always taken care of me, and now it’s my turn to take care of him.”

Unfortunately, Constance and James’ story is not unique. So many patients don’t have access to doctors, specialists, and caregivers, and many aren’t empowered enough to take

their medications. These stories don’t get posted on Instagram and they don’t make the evening news. Underprivileged and underserved patients have been left behind – left without a voice.

That’s why the foundation launched its virtual listening tours across America in September. Our tours give patients, caregivers, and physicians the opportunity to raise issues that they believe are impacting health care in their communities.

How can physicians work to understand their patients better? How can patients learn to trust their providers? These are all the questions we aim to answer.

James is doing as well as he is because of his relationship with Dr. Haynes. What can we do with that information? We can listen, we can learn, and we can spread the word.

Read more about the work of the CHEST Foundation in its 2020 Impact Report at chestfoundation.org.




 

Original Research

A behaviour change intervention aimed at increasing physical activity improves clinical control in adults with asthma: a randomised controlled trial. By Dr. C. Carvalho, et al.



Critically ill adults with COVID-19 in New Orleans and care with an evidence-based protocol. By Dr. D. Janz, et al.



Mortality trends of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the United States from 2004 to 2017.By Dr. N. Jeganathan, et al.



United States Pulmonary Hypertension Scientific Registry (USPHSR): Baseline characteristics. By Dr. J. Badlam, et al.



CHEST Review

Pulmonary exacerbations in adults with cystic fibrosis: A grown-up issue in a changing CF landscape. By Dr. G. Stanford, et al.



Computed tomography imaging and comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Beyond lung cancer screening. By Dr. J. Bon, et al.



How I Do It

The PERT concept: A step-by-step approach to managing PE. By Dr. B. Rivera-Lebron, et al.



Special Feature

A brief overview of the national outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and the primary causes. By Dr. E. Kiernan, et al.




 

Original Research

A behaviour change intervention aimed at increasing physical activity improves clinical control in adults with asthma: a randomised controlled trial. By Dr. C. Carvalho, et al.



Critically ill adults with COVID-19 in New Orleans and care with an evidence-based protocol. By Dr. D. Janz, et al.



Mortality trends of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the United States from 2004 to 2017.By Dr. N. Jeganathan, et al.



United States Pulmonary Hypertension Scientific Registry (USPHSR): Baseline characteristics. By Dr. J. Badlam, et al.



CHEST Review

Pulmonary exacerbations in adults with cystic fibrosis: A grown-up issue in a changing CF landscape. By Dr. G. Stanford, et al.



Computed tomography imaging and comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Beyond lung cancer screening. By Dr. J. Bon, et al.



How I Do It

The PERT concept: A step-by-step approach to managing PE. By Dr. B. Rivera-Lebron, et al.



Special Feature

A brief overview of the national outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and the primary causes. By Dr. E. Kiernan, et al.




 

Original Research

A behaviour change intervention aimed at increasing physical activity improves clinical control in adults with asthma: a randomised controlled trial. By Dr. C. Carvalho, et al.



Critically ill adults with COVID-19 in New Orleans and care with an evidence-based protocol. By Dr. D. Janz, et al.



Mortality trends of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in the United States from 2004 to 2017.By Dr. N. Jeganathan, et al.



United States Pulmonary Hypertension Scientific Registry (USPHSR): Baseline characteristics. By Dr. J. Badlam, et al.



CHEST Review

Pulmonary exacerbations in adults with cystic fibrosis: A grown-up issue in a changing CF landscape. By Dr. G. Stanford, et al.



Computed tomography imaging and comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Beyond lung cancer screening. By Dr. J. Bon, et al.



How I Do It

The PERT concept: A step-by-step approach to managing PE. By Dr. B. Rivera-Lebron, et al.



Special Feature

A brief overview of the national outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and the primary causes. By Dr. E. Kiernan, et al.




 

Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery

Use of hepatitis C donors in thoracic organ transplantation: Reportedly associated with increased risk of rejection

Mark Jay Zucker, MD, JD, FCCP

Vice-Chair

Transplanting organs from hepatitis C (HCV) antibody and/or antigen-positive donors is associated with a greater than 8%-90% likelihood that the recipient will acquire the infection. Several studies reported that if HCV conversion happened, the outcomes in both heart and lung recipients were worse, even if treated with interferon/ribavirin (Haji SA, et al J Heart Lung Transplant. 2004;23:277; Wang BY, et al. Ann Thorac Surg. 2010 May;89[5]:1645; Carreno MC, et al. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2001;20(2):224). Thus, despite the shortage of thoracic organ donors and high wait-list mortality, the practice was strongly discouraged.

In 2016, the successful use of a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) for 12 weeks to eliminate HCV in a lung transplant recipient of a seropositive organ was published (Khan B, et al. Am J Transplant. 2017;17:1129). Two years later, the outcomes of seronegative heart (n=8) or lung (n=36) transplant recipients receiving organs from seropositive donors were presented (Woolley AE, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;380:1606). Forty-two of the patients had viremia within days of the operation. All patients were treated with 4 weeks of a DAA and, of the 35 patients available for 6-month analysis, viral load was undetectable in all. Of concern, however—more cellular rejection requiring treatment was seen in the lung recipients of HCV+ donors compared with recipients of HCV- donors. The difference was not statistically significant.

The largest analysis of the safety of HCV+ donors in HCV- thoracic organ transplant recipients involved 343 heart transplant recipients (Kilic A, et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;9(2):e014495). No differences were noted in outcomes, strokes, need for dialysis, or incidence of treated rejection during the first year. However, the observation regarding rejection was not subsequently confirmed by the NYU team (Gidea CG, et al. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020;39:1199). Of 22 HCV- recipients of an HCV donor with viremia, the rate of rejection was 64% vs 18% in 28 patients receiving a donor without viremia (through day 180 (P=.001)).

In summary, the ability of DAAs to render 97%-99% of immunosuppressed transplant recipients HCV seronegative has transformed the landscape and HCV viremia in the donor (or recipient) and is no longer an absolute contraindication to transplantation. However, more information is needed as to whether there is an increased incidence of rejection.


 

Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery

Use of hepatitis C donors in thoracic organ transplantation: Reportedly associated with increased risk of rejection

Mark Jay Zucker, MD, JD, FCCP

Vice-Chair

Transplanting organs from hepatitis C (HCV) antibody and/or antigen-positive donors is associated with a greater than 8%-90% likelihood that the recipient will acquire the infection. Several studies reported that if HCV conversion happened, the outcomes in both heart and lung recipients were worse, even if treated with interferon/ribavirin (Haji SA, et al J Heart Lung Transplant. 2004;23:277; Wang BY, et al. Ann Thorac Surg. 2010 May;89[5]:1645; Carreno MC, et al. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2001;20(2):224). Thus, despite the shortage of thoracic organ donors and high wait-list mortality, the practice was strongly discouraged.

In 2016, the successful use of a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) for 12 weeks to eliminate HCV in a lung transplant recipient of a seropositive organ was published (Khan B, et al. Am J Transplant. 2017;17:1129). Two years later, the outcomes of seronegative heart (n=8) or lung (n=36) transplant recipients receiving organs from seropositive donors were presented (Woolley AE, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;380:1606). Forty-two of the patients had viremia within days of the operation. All patients were treated with 4 weeks of a DAA and, of the 35 patients available for 6-month analysis, viral load was undetectable in all. Of concern, however—more cellular rejection requiring treatment was seen in the lung recipients of HCV+ donors compared with recipients of HCV- donors. The difference was not statistically significant.

The largest analysis of the safety of HCV+ donors in HCV- thoracic organ transplant recipients involved 343 heart transplant recipients (Kilic A, et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;9(2):e014495). No differences were noted in outcomes, strokes, need for dialysis, or incidence of treated rejection during the first year. However, the observation regarding rejection was not subsequently confirmed by the NYU team (Gidea CG, et al. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020;39:1199). Of 22 HCV- recipients of an HCV donor with viremia, the rate of rejection was 64% vs 18% in 28 patients receiving a donor without viremia (through day 180 (P=.001)).

In summary, the ability of DAAs to render 97%-99% of immunosuppressed transplant recipients HCV seronegative has transformed the landscape and HCV viremia in the donor (or recipient) and is no longer an absolute contraindication to transplantation. However, more information is needed as to whether there is an increased incidence of rejection.


 

Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery

Use of hepatitis C donors in thoracic organ transplantation: Reportedly associated with increased risk of rejection

Mark Jay Zucker, MD, JD, FCCP

Vice-Chair

Transplanting organs from hepatitis C (HCV) antibody and/or antigen-positive donors is associated with a greater than 8%-90% likelihood that the recipient will acquire the infection. Several studies reported that if HCV conversion happened, the outcomes in both heart and lung recipients were worse, even if treated with interferon/ribavirin (Haji SA, et al J Heart Lung Transplant. 2004;23:277; Wang BY, et al. Ann Thorac Surg. 2010 May;89[5]:1645; Carreno MC, et al. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2001;20(2):224). Thus, despite the shortage of thoracic organ donors and high wait-list mortality, the practice was strongly discouraged.

In 2016, the successful use of a direct-acting antiviral (DAA) for 12 weeks to eliminate HCV in a lung transplant recipient of a seropositive organ was published (Khan B, et al. Am J Transplant. 2017;17:1129). Two years later, the outcomes of seronegative heart (n=8) or lung (n=36) transplant recipients receiving organs from seropositive donors were presented (Woolley AE, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019;380:1606). Forty-two of the patients had viremia within days of the operation. All patients were treated with 4 weeks of a DAA and, of the 35 patients available for 6-month analysis, viral load was undetectable in all. Of concern, however—more cellular rejection requiring treatment was seen in the lung recipients of HCV+ donors compared with recipients of HCV- donors. The difference was not statistically significant.

The largest analysis of the safety of HCV+ donors in HCV- thoracic organ transplant recipients involved 343 heart transplant recipients (Kilic A, et al. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;9(2):e014495). No differences were noted in outcomes, strokes, need for dialysis, or incidence of treated rejection during the first year. However, the observation regarding rejection was not subsequently confirmed by the NYU team (Gidea CG, et al. J Heart Lung Transplant. 2020;39:1199). Of 22 HCV- recipients of an HCV donor with viremia, the rate of rejection was 64% vs 18% in 28 patients receiving a donor without viremia (through day 180 (P=.001)).

In summary, the ability of DAAs to render 97%-99% of immunosuppressed transplant recipients HCV seronegative has transformed the landscape and HCV viremia in the donor (or recipient) and is no longer an absolute contraindication to transplantation. However, more information is needed as to whether there is an increased incidence of rejection.


 

The AGA GI Patient Center has released a new brochure entitled “Biologic and biosimilar medicines: What you need to know.” The new brochure includes interactive elements like quizzes, medication sheets, symptom tracker, and the option of audibly listening to the pages.

The brochure provides patients with:

• An overview of the immune system.

• Background on immune-mediated conditions.

• Biologics and biosimilars: What are they?

• Information on biosimilars and generics.

• Cost of biologics and biosimilars.

• The importance of adhering to their treatment plan.

• Tips to start the conversation with their provider.

• Safety of biologics and biosimilars.

Share this new resource with your patients by printing, linking from your practice website, or emailing the link to your patients. Visit the AGA GI Patient Center page dedicated to biosimilars for more at gastro.org/biosimilars.

AGA members will also receive print copies of the new brochure this month. Order additional copies for your practice at http://www.agaresources.com/order_biosimilars.php. The brochure was reviewed by Jami Kinnucan, MD, and Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, AGA Patient Education Adviser.

View the interactive brochure at https://bit.ly/2JYE5tI.This brochure was funded by an independent medical education grant from Pfizer Inc.

[email protected]

The AGA GI Patient Center has released a new brochure entitled “Biologic and biosimilar medicines: What you need to know.” The new brochure includes interactive elements like quizzes, medication sheets, symptom tracker, and the option of audibly listening to the pages.

The brochure provides patients with:

• An overview of the immune system.

• Background on immune-mediated conditions.

• Biologics and biosimilars: What are they?

• Information on biosimilars and generics.

• Cost of biologics and biosimilars.

• The importance of adhering to their treatment plan.

• Tips to start the conversation with their provider.

• Safety of biologics and biosimilars.

Share this new resource with your patients by printing, linking from your practice website, or emailing the link to your patients. Visit the AGA GI Patient Center page dedicated to biosimilars for more at gastro.org/biosimilars.

AGA members will also receive print copies of the new brochure this month. Order additional copies for your practice at http://www.agaresources.com/order_biosimilars.php. The brochure was reviewed by Jami Kinnucan, MD, and Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, AGA Patient Education Adviser.

View the interactive brochure at https://bit.ly/2JYE5tI.This brochure was funded by an independent medical education grant from Pfizer Inc.

[email protected]

The AGA GI Patient Center has released a new brochure entitled “Biologic and biosimilar medicines: What you need to know.” The new brochure includes interactive elements like quizzes, medication sheets, symptom tracker, and the option of audibly listening to the pages.

The brochure provides patients with:

• An overview of the immune system.

• Background on immune-mediated conditions.

• Biologics and biosimilars: What are they?

• Information on biosimilars and generics.

• Cost of biologics and biosimilars.

• The importance of adhering to their treatment plan.

• Tips to start the conversation with their provider.

• Safety of biologics and biosimilars.

Share this new resource with your patients by printing, linking from your practice website, or emailing the link to your patients. Visit the AGA GI Patient Center page dedicated to biosimilars for more at gastro.org/biosimilars.

AGA members will also receive print copies of the new brochure this month. Order additional copies for your practice at http://www.agaresources.com/order_biosimilars.php. The brochure was reviewed by Jami Kinnucan, MD, and Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, AGA Patient Education Adviser.

View the interactive brochure at https://bit.ly/2JYE5tI.This brochure was funded by an independent medical education grant from Pfizer Inc.

[email protected]

The AGA GI Patient Center has released a new resource to support patients infected with C. difficile. The resource includes “Understanding C. diff infection” video and a patient brochure entitled “Navigating Your C. diff Diagnosis.”

C. diff, a bacterium known to cause bad GI symptoms like nausea and watery diarrhea, infects nearly 500,000 Americans every year and often calls for hospitalization. The AGA GI Patient Center has curated a new patient education page to assist and to share directly with your patients to prepare them for their visit. The article includes C. difficile-specific guidance on:

• Symptoms.

• Risk factors.

• Getting tested.

• Treatment.

• Complications.

Share this new resource with your patients by printing, linking from your practice website, or emailing the link to your patients. Visit gastro.org/cdiff to view the new video and brochure.

The “Navigating Your C. diff Diagnosis” brochure was reviewed by Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, AGA Patient Education Advisor, Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, Dallas, and Alexander Khoruts, MD, AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education Scientific Advisory Board, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. AGA members will also receive print copies of the new brochure this month.

This program was supported by an independent educational grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

[email protected]

The AGA GI Patient Center has released a new resource to support patients infected with C. difficile. The resource includes “Understanding C. diff infection” video and a patient brochure entitled “Navigating Your C. diff Diagnosis.”

C. diff, a bacterium known to cause bad GI symptoms like nausea and watery diarrhea, infects nearly 500,000 Americans every year and often calls for hospitalization. The AGA GI Patient Center has curated a new patient education page to assist and to share directly with your patients to prepare them for their visit. The article includes C. difficile-specific guidance on:

• Symptoms.

• Risk factors.

• Getting tested.

• Treatment.

• Complications.

Share this new resource with your patients by printing, linking from your practice website, or emailing the link to your patients. Visit gastro.org/cdiff to view the new video and brochure.

The “Navigating Your C. diff Diagnosis” brochure was reviewed by Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, AGA Patient Education Advisor, Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, Dallas, and Alexander Khoruts, MD, AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education Scientific Advisory Board, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. AGA members will also receive print copies of the new brochure this month.

This program was supported by an independent educational grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

[email protected]

The AGA GI Patient Center has released a new resource to support patients infected with C. difficile. The resource includes “Understanding C. diff infection” video and a patient brochure entitled “Navigating Your C. diff Diagnosis.”

C. diff, a bacterium known to cause bad GI symptoms like nausea and watery diarrhea, infects nearly 500,000 Americans every year and often calls for hospitalization. The AGA GI Patient Center has curated a new patient education page to assist and to share directly with your patients to prepare them for their visit. The article includes C. difficile-specific guidance on:

• Symptoms.

• Risk factors.

• Getting tested.

• Treatment.

• Complications.

Share this new resource with your patients by printing, linking from your practice website, or emailing the link to your patients. Visit gastro.org/cdiff to view the new video and brochure.

The “Navigating Your C. diff Diagnosis” brochure was reviewed by Rajeev Jain, MD, AGAF, AGA Patient Education Advisor, Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, Dallas, and Alexander Khoruts, MD, AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education Scientific Advisory Board, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. AGA members will also receive print copies of the new brochure this month.

This program was supported by an independent educational grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

[email protected]

As the new year begins, we hope you’ll consider including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will or living trust.

It’s simple – just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the AGA Research Foundation is: “I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the AGA Research Foundation [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

Including the AGA Research Foundation in your will is a popular gift to give because it is:

• Affordable. The actual giving of your gift occurs after your lifetime, so your current income is not affected.
• Flexible. Until your will goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans or change your mind.
• Versatile. You can give a specific item, a set amount of money, or a percentage of your estate. You can also make your gift contingent upon certain events.

Want to learn more about including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your future plans? Visit our website.

[email protected]

As the new year begins, we hope you’ll consider including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will or living trust.

It’s simple – just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the AGA Research Foundation is: “I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the AGA Research Foundation [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

Including the AGA Research Foundation in your will is a popular gift to give because it is:

• Affordable. The actual giving of your gift occurs after your lifetime, so your current income is not affected.
• Flexible. Until your will goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans or change your mind.
• Versatile. You can give a specific item, a set amount of money, or a percentage of your estate. You can also make your gift contingent upon certain events.

Want to learn more about including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your future plans? Visit our website.

[email protected]

As the new year begins, we hope you’ll consider including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your will or living trust.

It’s simple – just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. The official bequest language for the AGA Research Foundation is: “I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to the AGA Research Foundation [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”

Including the AGA Research Foundation in your will is a popular gift to give because it is:

• Affordable. The actual giving of your gift occurs after your lifetime, so your current income is not affected.
• Flexible. Until your will goes into effect, you are free to alter your plans or change your mind.
• Versatile. You can give a specific item, a set amount of money, or a percentage of your estate. You can also make your gift contingent upon certain events.

Want to learn more about including a gift to the AGA Research Foundation in your future plans? Visit our website.

[email protected]

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

Which of the following patients needs a liver biopsy and why? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23108)

Next steps for a Crohn’s patient (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23000)

Fecal calprotectin versus histology (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22969)

Collecting and sending specimen for disaccharidase assay (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23092)

Roundtables (https://community.gastro.org/discussions)
Q&A with CRC task force: Endoscopic Recognition and Management Strategies for Malignant Colorectal Polyps

View all upcoming Roundtables in the community at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

Which of the following patients needs a liver biopsy and why? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23108)

Next steps for a Crohn’s patient (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23000)

Fecal calprotectin versus histology (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22969)

Collecting and sending specimen for disaccharidase assay (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23092)

Roundtables (https://community.gastro.org/discussions)
Q&A with CRC task force: Endoscopic Recognition and Management Strategies for Malignant Colorectal Polyps

View all upcoming Roundtables in the community at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

Which of the following patients needs a liver biopsy and why? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23108)

Next steps for a Crohn’s patient (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23000)

Fecal calprotectin versus histology (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22969)

Collecting and sending specimen for disaccharidase assay (https://community.gastro.org/posts/23092)

Roundtables (https://community.gastro.org/discussions)
Q&A with CRC task force: Endoscopic Recognition and Management Strategies for Malignant Colorectal Polyps

View all upcoming Roundtables in the community at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Power Outage: An Ignored Risk Factor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ExacerbationsBy Dr. Wangjian Zhang, et al.



PROPHETIC: Prospective Identification of Pneumonia in Hospitalized Patients in the ICU By Dr. Stephen P. Bergin, et al.



Chronic Beryllium Disease: Update on a Moving Target By Dr. Maeve MacMurdo, et al.



Development of Learning Curves for Bronchoscopy: Results of a Multicenter Study of Pulmonary Trainees By Dr. Nha Voduc, et al.



Bias and Racism Teaching Rounds at an Academic Medical Center By Dr. Quinn Capers, IV, et al.

Power Outage: An Ignored Risk Factor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ExacerbationsBy Dr. Wangjian Zhang, et al.



PROPHETIC: Prospective Identification of Pneumonia in Hospitalized Patients in the ICU By Dr. Stephen P. Bergin, et al.



Chronic Beryllium Disease: Update on a Moving Target By Dr. Maeve MacMurdo, et al.



Development of Learning Curves for Bronchoscopy: Results of a Multicenter Study of Pulmonary Trainees By Dr. Nha Voduc, et al.



Bias and Racism Teaching Rounds at an Academic Medical Center By Dr. Quinn Capers, IV, et al.

Power Outage: An Ignored Risk Factor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ExacerbationsBy Dr. Wangjian Zhang, et al.



PROPHETIC: Prospective Identification of Pneumonia in Hospitalized Patients in the ICU By Dr. Stephen P. Bergin, et al.



Chronic Beryllium Disease: Update on a Moving Target By Dr. Maeve MacMurdo, et al.



Development of Learning Curves for Bronchoscopy: Results of a Multicenter Study of Pulmonary Trainees By Dr. Nha Voduc, et al.



Bias and Racism Teaching Rounds at an Academic Medical Center By Dr. Quinn Capers, IV, et al.

On Dec. 3, AGA brought together the GI community in an effort to fund health disparity research with the goal of improving care for the patients who rely on us.

The patients we serve face racial health disparities daily. It’s our responsibility to take action. With money raised through this campaign, the AGA Research Foundation will fund research projects that help understand health disparities and create strategies for overcoming them.

AGA Giving Day was the opportunity to do something about this important societal issue as it directly relates to our field. We all have a role to play in creating a just world free of health disparities in digestive diseases and free of inequities in access and effective health care delivery.

The AGA Research Foundation’s AGA Giving Day effort will help support state-of-the-art research that aligns with the realities of the current multicultural patient population and disease states to achieve health equity for all.

Learn more at gastro.org/agagivingday.

[email protected]

On Dec. 3, AGA brought together the GI community in an effort to fund health disparity research with the goal of improving care for the patients who rely on us.

The patients we serve face racial health disparities daily. It’s our responsibility to take action. With money raised through this campaign, the AGA Research Foundation will fund research projects that help understand health disparities and create strategies for overcoming them.

AGA Giving Day was the opportunity to do something about this important societal issue as it directly relates to our field. We all have a role to play in creating a just world free of health disparities in digestive diseases and free of inequities in access and effective health care delivery.

The AGA Research Foundation’s AGA Giving Day effort will help support state-of-the-art research that aligns with the realities of the current multicultural patient population and disease states to achieve health equity for all.

Learn more at gastro.org/agagivingday.

[email protected]

On Dec. 3, AGA brought together the GI community in an effort to fund health disparity research with the goal of improving care for the patients who rely on us.

The patients we serve face racial health disparities daily. It’s our responsibility to take action. With money raised through this campaign, the AGA Research Foundation will fund research projects that help understand health disparities and create strategies for overcoming them.

AGA Giving Day was the opportunity to do something about this important societal issue as it directly relates to our field. We all have a role to play in creating a just world free of health disparities in digestive diseases and free of inequities in access and effective health care delivery.

The AGA Research Foundation’s AGA Giving Day effort will help support state-of-the-art research that aligns with the realities of the current multicultural patient population and disease states to achieve health equity for all.

Learn more at gastro.org/agagivingday.

[email protected]

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

Practice update: Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22838)

Case: Polypectomy with low neutrophils (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22844)

Case: Esophagus adenocarcinoma after sleeve gastrectomy (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22868)

Case: Restarting infliximab after shingles – when is it safe? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22890)

Case: Flatulence in Colorado (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22901)

Case: Serrated epithelial change (SEC) in IBD (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22948)

Case: Multiloculated pancreatic cyst (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22935)

View all upcoming Roundtables in the community at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

Practice update: Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22838)

Case: Polypectomy with low neutrophils (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22844)

Case: Esophagus adenocarcinoma after sleeve gastrectomy (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22868)

Case: Restarting infliximab after shingles – when is it safe? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22890)

Case: Flatulence in Colorado (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22901)

Case: Serrated epithelial change (SEC) in IBD (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22948)

Case: Multiloculated pancreatic cyst (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22935)

View all upcoming Roundtables in the community at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.

Physicians with difficult patient scenarios regularly bring their questions to the AGA Community (https://community.gastro.org) to seek advice from colleagues about therapy and disease management options, best practices, and diagnoses. The upgraded networking platform now features a newsfeed for difficult patient scenarios and regularly scheduled Roundtable discussions with experts in the field.

In case you missed it, here are some clinical discussions and Roundtables in the newsfeed this month:

Practice update: Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22838)

Case: Polypectomy with low neutrophils (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22844)

Case: Esophagus adenocarcinoma after sleeve gastrectomy (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22868)

Case: Restarting infliximab after shingles – when is it safe? (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22890)

Case: Flatulence in Colorado (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22901)

Case: Serrated epithelial change (SEC) in IBD (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22948)

Case: Multiloculated pancreatic cyst (https://community.gastro.org/posts/22935)

View all upcoming Roundtables in the community at https://community.gastro.org/discussions.