Research to Read, Edition 12.
In the twelfth edition of Research To Read, let’s read some research papers related to Gastroenterology, the branch of medicine focuse on the digestive system and it’s disorders.
What is the R2R newsletter all about?
To recap, this newsletter is my 2025 resolution in action: to make reading medical research a consistent habit. Just like any muscle that needs regular exercise, the only way to strengthen this practice is by doing it repeatedly.
That’s the motivation behind Research to Read. It's a way for me to share the research I’m diving into, while also expanding my own knowledge. And I’m inviting my fellow medicos to join me on this journey. We all stand to benefit from staying informed and sharpening our understanding of the latest studies in our field.
So, let’s get into the research together!
Before you dive in:
I came across two articles that proved to be interesting reads- the first is Getting Past “It’s IBS” by Dr Xi Chen, which discusses themes of living with chronic illness, flawed views in the field of gastroenterology and their debunking, building patient trust, and using a more integrated approach in diagnosing such conditions.
The second is for the history nerds: From Ancient Enemas to Tube Feeding by Gandhi SN et al. provides a timeline of developments in enteral feeding from the 1500’s to the 2020’s and discusses in detail the factors that affect formula administration.
Here’s my list of research papers to read:
Correlation between Allergic Rhinitis and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux
Alharethy S, Baqays A, Mesallam TA, Syouri F, Al Wedami M, Aldrees T, AlQabbani A. Correlation between Allergic Rhinitis and Laryngopharyngeal Reflux. Biomed Res Int. 2018 Mar 22;2018 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2951928
Addressing the literature gap that is deficient in the association between laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and allergic rhinitis (AR), this was conducted by choosing patients with suggestive symptoms of LPR, conducting 24-hour pH monitoring and assessing LPR-positive and negative patients for allergic rhinitis with the SFAR scoring system.
The study showed that LPR and AR are indeed associated, and LPR can be considered a cofactor in increasing patients’ self-perception of allergic problems.
Read it here:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5885348/
Protective Effect of Natural Rotavirus Infection in an Indian Birth Cohort
Glasdstone B P et al. N Engl J Med 2011;365:337-346 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1006261
In India, 452 children were followed up for 3 years after birth to assess the protective effect of natural rotavirus infection.
The follow-up consisted of home visits twice-weekly, stool samples every two weeks or on alternate days during diarrhoeal episodes and serum samples every 6 months to check for seroconversion.
This study found that the rate of protection against rotavirus was less than what was previously reported and so, vaccination strategies needed to be modified according to dosage, number of doses or implementing earlier vaccination, such as neonatal or maternal immunization.
Read it here: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1006261
Intermittently Scanned Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Type 1 Diabetes
Leelarathna L et al. N Engl J Med 2022;387:1477-148 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa22056
This is a parallel-group, multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) to analyse the efficacy of intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring compared to patient self-monitoring with fingerstick testing spanning the duration of 24 weeks.
The study assessed HbA1c levels, sensor usage, insulin doses (total daily insulin), adverse events, patient-reported outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Read it here:https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2205650
…and that brings us to the end of the twelfth edition of Research to Read!!
I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to reading more research along with me, where I’ll be diving into research rooted in different medical specialities :)
