We read with great interest the recent publication by Newsome et al. on Phase 3 ESSENCE trial, which assesses the effects of semaglutide 2.4 mg in participants with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and fibrosis stages 2 and 3 [1]. This trial represents a pivotal step forward in addressing the unmet need for effective pharmacologic treatments for MASH, a condition with significant

We are interested in a recent article, which is the first to address the potential impact of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) on the treatment response and prognosis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients and demonstrates that concomitant MASLD worsens the prognosis of PBC patients [1]. We appreciate the innovative work of the authors as the significant prevalence

We thank Li et al. for their interest in our study on the overlap between primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) [1]. Their letter highlights the role of visceral obesity, measured by computed tomography (CT), as a potential contributor to nonresponse to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in PBC patients [2]. We appreciate their work emphasising

SUMMARYTwenty‐four‐hour intragastric acidity and 24‐h plasma gastrin concentration were measured on four occasions in six groups of eight healthy male subjects. Each group was studied before dosing, and on days 1, 15 and 29 of dosing with a standard regimen of an H2‐receptor antagonist (cimetidine 800 mg node, nizatidine 300 mg node, famotidine 40 mg node, ranitidine 150 mg node, ranitidine 150 mg

SUMMARYThe acid inhibitory effect of sufotidine, a potent, long‐lasting, competitive H2‐receptor antagonist, was studied in 12 healthy males in a double‐blind, randomized, three‐way cross‐over study of the effect of placebo, sufotidine 600 mg node and sufotidine 600 mg b.d. given over 15 days.On day 1 and 15 of dosing with each regimen, each subject's 24‐h ambulatory intragastric acidity was measured

SUMMARYThe suppression of intragastric acidity with H2‐receptor antagonists may diminish with repeated administration. To assess the degree and dose‐dependance of this tolerance after short‐term dosing, two doses of the H2‐receptor antagonists, ranitidine (300 mg node or q.d.s.) and sufotidine (300 mg or 600 mg b.d.), were given to healthy volunteers for 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. After 1 and 7 days

SUMMARYSimultaneous 24‐h intragastric and plasma gastrin concentrations were measured in 36 healthy subjects, when receiving placebo (day 0) and on days 1 and 8 of dosing with either placebo (n = 8), or high‐dose H2‐blockade with either ranitidine 300 mg q.d.s. (n = 8), ranitidine 1200 mg o.m. (n = 8), or sufotidine 600 mg b.d. (n = 12).Triplicate placebo studies demonstrated good reproducibility for

SUMMARYIn a double‐blind study of Latin square design, twelve healthy male subjects were dosed with combinations of ranitidine 300 mg or placebo (at 08.50 hours) and intravenous pentagastrin (0.6 µg. kg/h) or 0. 9% saline (07.00–18.00 hours). Breakfast and lunch were served at 08.15 and 13.15 hours, respectively; hourly intragastric acidity and plasma gastrin concentration were measured from 08.00‐18

SUMMARYGastric secretory responses to histamine were investigated in anaesthetized dogs following treatment with oral ranitidine at 5 mg/kg twice daily for 358 weeks, and in isolated gastric mucosae from mice receiving sufotidine 240–280 mg. kg/day for 15 months. In neither study were there any significant differences between the acid secretory dose‐response curves to histamine in control and test

Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, immune/antigen-mediated condition characterised by eosinophil-dominated inflammation of the oesophagus, leading to dysphagia and oesophageal dysfunction [1]. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, EoE management remains challenging due to its chronicity and high relapse rates after treatment discontinuation [2]. Recent innovations, including novel

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Welcome to the first edition of AP&T for 2025. Between 1 January and 30 September 2024, we received 1497 submissions excluding editorials and letters. We ultimately accepted 171, giving us an acceptance rate of 11.4%, an increase of 1.1% over the preceding year. We continue to be as objective as possible, making decisions based on the quality of submissions and their likely relevance to the readership

Professor C. W. Howden, Editor Professor Howden is a consultant/speaker for Phathom Pharmaceuticals, consultant/speaker for RedHill Biopharma, consultant/speaker for Meridian Diagnostics and consultant for Sebela/Braintree. He owns stock in Antibe Therapeutics and has stock options in EndoStim. Professor R. Loomba, Editor Professor Loomba serves as a consultant to Aardvark Therapeutics, Altimmune,

We read with interest the article ‘An open-label, randomized trial of different re-start strategies after treatment withdrawal in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B’ by Asgeir et al. [1] The study explored the hypothesis of delaying antiviral therapy restart after stopping treatment to allow for immune reconstitution leading to a higher rate of HBsAg loss. While this is a novel concept, we have questions

Arkenbosch JHC, van Ruler O, Dwarkasing RS, Fuhler GM, Schouten WR, van Oud-Alblas MB, et al. Stromal vascular fraction with platelet-rich plasma injection during surgery is feasible and safe in treatment-refractory perianal fistulising Crohn's disease: A pilot study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2023;57(7):783–791. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.17347 In the Result section ‘3.1 Study Population’, the baseline

We thank Khan et al. for thorough and critical reading of our article “An open-label, randomized trial of different re-start strategies after treatment withdrawal in HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B” [1]. Here, we would like to comment on some of the issues raised in their Letter [2]. As Khan et al. points out, two-thirds of the study participants in our Nuc-Stop Study had end-of-treatment HBsAg

We appreciate the thoughtful comments by Drs. McCurdy and Wong regarding our study on the effectiveness and safety of mesenchymal stem cell treatment for fistulising Crohn's disease. We analysed 223 patients in an international, multicentre setting, who underwent darvadstrocel treatment [1, 2]. They clearly highlighted the unmet need for new therapeutic approaches for perianal fistulising Crohn's disease

Perianal fistulising Crohn's disease (PFCD) is a common yet challenging phenotype of Crohn's disease, due to its refractory nature and substantial impact on patients' health and quality of life [1]. PFCD is also associated with high direct health care costs that remain high for years beyond the initial presentation of perianal fistulas [2]. While studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of anti-tumour

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is one of the most common bacterial infections globally and, due to its association with gastric cancer, the leading cause of infection-related malignancy worldwide [1, 2]. Effective eradication of H. pylori has long been challenged by empiric and complicated treatment regimens linked to increasing antimicrobial resistance [3]. Within the UnitedStates, resistance rates

We greatly appreciate the positive feedback of Drs. Rajaduraj and Moss to our study and fully agree with their general comments concerning the challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the reduced efficacy of current Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens and the necessity to take appropriate actions [1, 2]. It is of crucial importance to sensitise prescribers to use clarithromycin- and levofloxacin-based

We are grateful to Drs. Gao and Segal for their letter concerning our article [1, 2]. As pointed out, patient selection, concurrent medication and an experienced medical centre are the important pillars of successful outcomes of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment in perianal fistulising Crohn's disease (PFCD). Despite the evolving evidence, it is still unclear whether MSC treatment should be used

Managing complex perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease is challenging as the condition is often refractory to conventional medical treatment strategies and surgery may be associated with significant compromise to quality of life [1]. The real-world retrospective multicentre cohort study by Bacsur et al. [2] offers promising results in the application of CX601 mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment (Darvadstrocel)

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with immunosuppressive agents are at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases [1]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, guidelines advised the prioritisation of immunosuppressed patients with IBD for extended primary and booster vaccination courses against SARS-CoV-2. The emergence of omicron variants and sub-variants, coupled with waning immunity

We thank Forbes [1] for the commentary provided regarding our recent review which explored the concept of disease severity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [2]. We agree that greater inclusion of patient perspectives is required to better define treatment targets that truly reflect the unmet needs of those carrying the burden of this disease. Current IBD treatment paradigms such as those seen in

I enjoyed reading the article by Swaminathan et al. highlighting the noninflammatory burden of IBD [1]. The inclusion of quality-of-life measures such as fatigue, psychological symptoms, sexual function and disability would certainly add value to disease-driven treat-to-target outcomes. With several validated questionnaires available (and listed in table 2 of their article [1]), the inclusion of quality-of-life

In a timely study, Hountondji et al. [1] highlight an important limitation of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) classification, which is widely used by oncologists in the management of checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury (ChILI). Authors found Drug-induced Liver Injury International Expert Working Group (DILI-IEWG) classification of severity had superior performance characteristics

I am writing in response to the paper ‘A Nationwide Cohort Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Histological Activity, and Fracture Risk’ by Mårild et al. published in Alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics [1]. This study explores the link between fracture risk and histological activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Using a large cohort of 54,591 IBD patients and comprehensive national health

We read with great interest the study by O'Connor et al. [1] on the impact of anxiety and depression (measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) on the efficacy of dietary interventions for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The study's exploration of psychological comorbidities in IBS treatment outcomes offers a valuable perspective on the gut–brain axis, a pathway that has been

Implantation of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) has emerged as an effective treatment for complications of portal hypertension such as variceal bleeding. Identifying factors that are associated with re-bleeding after successful TIPSS implantation is important in order to improve patient outcomes. This clinically relevant question was addressed by Hu et al. in a retrospective

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In their randomised controlled trial (RCT), Alkhouri et al. reported that the combination of vitamin E (1000 mg/day) with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 1.89 g/day) did not improve liver fat content or liver function tests in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) [1]. We previously supported that a single medication may not be effective in all patients with MASLD

We have perused with intrigue the recent article by McPherson et al., which appraises the efficacy of non-invasive fibrosis tests (NITs) for staging liver fibrosis in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).1 The study's concentration on the congruence between clinician fibrosis assessment and histology is particularly meritorious, as it addresses a significant

Alcohol and metabolic dysfunction are leading risk factors for chronic liver disease globally [1, 2]. Although both are intrinsically interconnected in clinical practice, both risk factors have been considered completely different processes over time. In the last decades, there have been profound changes in the definition of steatotic liver disease (SLD) [3]. These changes, formalised in the 2023 SLD

We thank Drs Mendoza and Irwin for the insightful editorial on our paper [1, 2]. Allostatic load (AL), which represents the cumulative wear and tear on multiple organs and tissues resulting from various stressors throughout life, may serve as a pivotal lever to explore the association between chronic stress and the development and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) [3]. However, several

The construct that chronic stress causes illness, and that reducing stress improves health, is widely accepted and heavily researched. Zhao et al. demonstrate an association between an allostatic load biomarker panel (ALBP; blood pressure, heart rate, HbA1c, cholesterol, waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], CRP, IGF-1, creatinine) and the incidence and severity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in a cohort

We appreciate Dr. Hu and Dr. Yang's interest in our recent study [1, 2]. First, we agree with your concern regarding how the new nomenclature of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD) can improve patient management in clinical practice, and there is a need for further investigation [3-5]. Regarding the effect of alcohol consumption

We have carefully reviewed the recent study by Park et al., which examines the relationship between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), its alcohol-associated subtype (MetALD) and cancer risk [1]. The study provides valuable data, highlighting the increased risk of liver and gastrointestinal cancers in patients with MASLD and MetALD. While this is a noteworthy contribution