Research To Read, Edition 13.
In the thirteenth edition of Research To Read, let’s continue to read some research papers related to Gastroenterology, the branch of medicine focused 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 stumbled upon this article, Through the Guts: What can plastic fragments found in an animal’s digestive tract tell us about the waters it has traversed?, which follows the work of scinetists at CLEAR labs in Nunatsiavut (Canada/Newfoundland)…who knows, maybe decades from now, the microplastics in our own gut could tell us more about the habits and lives of different people worldwide.
Here’s my list of research papers to read:
Proton-pump inhibitors and Bone health- An Update Narrative Review
In the landscape of widespread and inappropriately prescribed PPIs, this study outlines the various effects of PPIs in animal and human studies, the overall biological plausibility for the association of fragility fractures and PPI use, bone mineral density and quality, and the effects of bisphosphonates on PPI-induced risk.
Read it here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9504265/
Capsule Endoscopy versus Colonoscopy for the detection of polyps and cancer
This was a study that was a prospective, multicentre study comparing capsule endoscopy with optical colonoscopy in patients with known or suspected colorectal polyps or cancer.
I think that, despite the year of the study, it serves as a good introduction to the technique of capsule endoscopy, which is an ingestible capsule equipped with an endoscope with two images, which allows it to record video images on both ends.
Recording the various factors that affect the use of both techniques in clinical practice, this study highlights the merits while also comparing the sensitivity of both in the detection of colonic polyps and adenomas.
A Clinician’s Guide to Gallstones and Common Bile Duct: A Study Protocol For A Systematic Review and Evidence-based Recommendations
This paper discusses in depth the influences contributing to gallstone formation, types, diagnosis, predictive factors, and surgical and non-surgical treatment modalities in the form of a systematic literature review that focuses on evidence-based approaches and recommendations.
Read it here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hsr2.1555
…and that brings us to the end of the thirteenth 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 :)
