About 50% of the world’s population is infected with Helicobacter pylori. These gastric bacteria can cause chronic inflammation and have been associated with development of gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.1 Eradication of H. pylori can promote gastric healing, prevent recurrence of duodenal and gastric ulcers, and reduce the incidence of gastric cancer.2,3 Guidelines for treatment of H. pylori infection were updated recently.4-6
NONINVASIVE TESTING — Urea Breath Tests – A urea breath test (BreathTek; BreathID; PYtest) can be used for office-based diagnosis of H. pylori infection. The patient ingests a urea solution or urea-containing capsule labeled with a carbon isotope and then breathes into a container. In the presence...
The FDA has approved brodalumab (Siliq – Valeant), an injectable human interleukin (IL)-17A receptor antagonist, for treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who have failed to respond to other systemic therapies. Brodalumab is the third IL-17A antagonist to be approved in the US for this indication; secukinumab (Cosentyx) and ixekizumab (Taltz) were approved earlier.1,2
STANDARD TREATMENT — Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory, immune-mediated skin condition. Mild ...
